Two Wongs
It's incredibly annoying when you learn an alleged fact, and walk through life thinking it's true, only to learn later on it's not. We learnt in year 10 history that Labor Immigration Minister Arthur Calwell wasn't the most open pereson to multiculturalism and was infamous for making a racist quip. Apparently, it wasn't so:
History has largely portrayed Calwell as a symbol of the White Australia Policy. His name is now most closely associated with his infamous pun that “two Wongs do not make a White” (not a racist witticism, as commonly believed, but a bad joke made in parliament about two men called Wong and an MP called White). However Lindsay Tanner, federal member for the seat of Melbourne, which Calwell held from 1940-72, has argued that Calwell was the man who made the end of White Australia possible. In a 2003 speech, he said: “Calwell pushed the boundaries of racial inclusion at a time when it was extremely politically risky to do so.”
The Labor party have been seen as anti-Asian immigration in the past due to their fear that our Aushtrayan workers would lose their jobs to cheap Asian workers. In fact, Kim Beazley seems to be whistling that same tune again after John Howard made the blunder of doing so in the late 80's.
Regardless, least I know Calwell wasn't the racist bastard I thought he was (according to the former "Australia for the White Man" magazine). It only took me 9 years or so to learn the error of my ways.
History has largely portrayed Calwell as a symbol of the White Australia Policy. His name is now most closely associated with his infamous pun that “two Wongs do not make a White” (not a racist witticism, as commonly believed, but a bad joke made in parliament about two men called Wong and an MP called White). However Lindsay Tanner, federal member for the seat of Melbourne, which Calwell held from 1940-72, has argued that Calwell was the man who made the end of White Australia possible. In a 2003 speech, he said: “Calwell pushed the boundaries of racial inclusion at a time when it was extremely politically risky to do so.”
The Labor party have been seen as anti-Asian immigration in the past due to their fear that our Aushtrayan workers would lose their jobs to cheap Asian workers. In fact, Kim Beazley seems to be whistling that same tune again after John Howard made the blunder of doing so in the late 80's.
Regardless, least I know Calwell wasn't the racist bastard I thought he was (according to the former "Australia for the White Man" magazine). It only took me 9 years or so to learn the error of my ways.
posted by Engels at 10:16 am
8 Comments:
Yeah, it's one of those misattributions. Calwell was really no more/no less rascist than the average Australian male of the 1960s.
On the other hand, Whitlam *did* say, "I don't want those f***ing balts coming in here with their prejudices against us!"
Balts? What's a balt? I tried telling some uppity Melbourne student the other day that the ABC was biased towards the left. Wouldn't listened at all. Just look at the people they interview. Who the hell gives Leunig air time? And I usually like Enough Rope interviews.
Ah, those from the Baltic Sea region. Derrr Engels.
He was referring to South Vietnamese refugees, surprisingly.
Didn't like their "right wing" (read: anti-communist) leanings.
Good old Whitlam was on the front page of The Age the other day. I think he reached 80 or 90. Or something.
This site is one of the best I have ever seen, wish I had one like this.
»
Greets to the webmaster of this wonderful site! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
»
Very best site. Keep working. Will return in the near future.
»
Post a Comment
<< Home