On human rights and citizenship

I’ve been thinking a lot about David Hicks recently. More specifically, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we as a nation have failed him by refusing to acknowledge his rights as a human being and as a citizen of this country. And how if I were his mother or father or his sister or his friend I would never forgive the Federal Government for playing so very fast and loose with his life and liberty. And how, if I were any of them, and ever had the chance, I would hold him so very tightly until all the tears were gone, but know that that would never be enough to make anything he has experienced right or better, nor would it change the fact that he will be damaged for the rest of his life.

Part of my reflection has been prompted by the news that another Australian resident has been deported, this time to Sweden, as a result of his criminal activity. One of the things that seems to be a defining factor in consideration of his case is that he is a convicted rapist.

From the ABC Online: “Nystrom has been convicted of 87 offences including theft, burglary, arson, drug offences, and aggravated rape, and he's served eight prison terms. His most recent conviction was five years ago. After he'd served his sentence, immigration authorities cancelled his visa on character grounds”.

I’m never going to defend rape. But is it right to argue that his character, developed here and forged here through both his own failings and the failings of our system to rehabilitate him, facilitates his deportation?

I’m sure criminal authorities right around the country would be rubbing their hands with glee if they thought that solving the country’s crime problem was as simple as rounding up anyone convicted of a criminal offence and deporting them. Not sure how that would work for anyone beyond first generation migration, but I’m sure we could make it happen if we tried hard enough.

But let’s assume for a minute that it’s not about criminality anymore. Let’s say that a group of my friends who had come with their parents from south-east Asia in the 70s’ and 80s’ got a bit radical during their uni days and a few of them get caught burning Howard in effigy. Does lack of “good character” in these cases mean they could be liable to be returned to a country they have never known as well? And how would people feel about that? Would it be right?

What bothers me about the logical conclusion of this path is that it’s completely archaic thinking.- it’s the kind of thinking that put people of German descent into prison camps during World War I, and fosters suspicion and fear for everyone. If a nation united can never be defeated (sorry, stole that from some union), what does that say about a country that is encouring division in its society?

The problem with the debate is that no one wants to have an open debate about citizenship, they want to get bogged down in whether or not the individual in question is deserved of our love and respect. Anyone who has followed the moves of corporate Australia should be able to tell you that often our citizens aren’t deserving of our love and respect, but that doesn’t make them any less members of our society.

People want to get bogged down in whether or not people can tell you the date of Australia Day* or something about Phar Lap (he was a horse, right?) or what Sigrid Thornton and William McInnes are up to at the moment.

So here are my ideas about citizenship.

1. For god’s sake, EXERCISE YOUR VOTE. Despite early protestations of fear, I actually would prefer that some one can QUOTE TO ME the Liberal policies that they will be voting for, as long as they have thought about it. It’s our main chance to participate in democracy, we might as well take it seriously. But while you're at it - think about some one other than yourself. You might have a good job, not-too-old car and a mortgage. Hooray for you! But what about Mrs Bloggs down the street who can't find adequate respite care for her husband? Or what about the local school that can't afford to run outreach programs for youth at risk, so they're demolishing bus shelters in their spare time? Or what about the local nature reserve that has an amazing abundance of native wildlife and flowers? Shouldn't we look out for them too? If we're going to say that looking after the community is the government's problem, then we need to take our responsibility as the EMPLOYERS (or at least, interview panel) of the government as a grave duty**


2. We don’t expect much from those who were born here. If Bazza down at the pub is going to deck me because I asked him how many Australians were killed at Gallipoli, who is Bazza to tell anyone else what they should or shouldn’t know before coming to live here? And what if the person in question can actually tell us a whole lot about the Turkish experience of the war, and how conflict has a dramatic effect on all citizens? Would that make them less of an attractive citizen to us?

3. Active citizenship means welcoming new members of our society. Not spitting on them, or staring at them, or calling them names or egging their cars or worse. I’ve been racially abused while growing up in a white anglo rural area. Let me tell you, it ain’t fun. And it’s not going to be made any funner by the prospect that people might snap and steal rocket launchers to come and getcha (and if that’s what you think***, perhaps hurling abuse at people isn’t such a hot idea). For crying out loud people, a judiciously made scone (or even a packet of tim-tams) might do more to bring this country together than you think. Here’s a tip – it’s EXCLUSION that builds most resentment.

4. What you tell your kids matters. When I was in Northern Ireland in 2001 I met a Catholic guy my age (24) who gave me a story of “the troubles” that sounded like it was set in the 1920s. Only it wasn’t. He had been part of a family culture where the grievances of the past lived on in future generations. It’s up to us to stop prejudice and intolerance, and it starts with what we tell our kids about the world around them.


Tune in for another exciting installment of Gigglewick’s Citizenship for Nerds in a few days time!


* When I ran into a friend the other day at the beach and we were discussing Australia Day drinks, he asked me “It’s the 20th, right?”. And he is a teacher, god bless him.

** Which doesn't mean to say you can't have fun with it. Like at the last election, where I made a noise I can't describe and said, "Er, NO!!!" when the Family First candidate tried to give me a how-to-vote. See, I don't agree with FF, but I took the time to read their policies VERY CAREFULLY.

*** NB for the record, not what I think. I think pissed army dudes probably stole those rocket launchers and took ‘em down the pub for a bit of a laugh. Not that that’s particularly good news for the country either, frankly.