There are plenty of arguments held over this thing we call multiculturalism. A recent study allegedly found that the majority of Australians were in favour of multiculturalism but at the same time were afraid of the effects of multiculturalism would have on racial harmony if it was not managed well.
For those of you who do not know what multiculturalism is I will give you one definition as defined by the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission Act 1980, “policies and practices that recognise and respond to the ethnic diversity of the South Australia community and have as their primary objects the creation of conditions under which all groups and members of the community may:
- Live and work together harmoniously.
- Fully and effectively participate in, and employ their skills and talents for the benefit of, the economic, social and cultural life of the community.
- Maintain and give expression to their distinctive cultural heritages.
Essentially saying you have a right to express your culture, be who you are and that in you will be valued for it in the workplace and social settings also.
Now given that you understand what this is lets follow the story that appeared in one of our newspapers today:
”Bartenders fined for serving a high five”
A high five was not a drink or some sort of underground bootlegged banned alcohol. It was literally a high five. It further explains
“Ivan Pancho was confronted by an undercover police officer and frogmarched out of the …club after he high-fived a friend before ordering a blue lagoon cocktail. The two barmaids were fined, one for preparing the drink and another for serving it… A staff insider said Mr Pancho…was in no way intoxicated and was a well-known club regular who was always friendly and well behaved…
They [police] told the manager that her [police] grounds for kicking me out was that I gave someone a high-five. Come on, West Tigers were playing”
Ok so let’s link this back to the multiculturalism thing. Ivan Pancho is clearly ethnic (see picture below). Lets face it, how many ethnic people do you know who are quiet, non talkative and expressionless? I think that Ivan Pancho was probably having a great ol’ time and enjoying the football game. The man probably had a booming voice as he laughed and talked out loud and it pissed off this undercover police who’s version of shouting is barely audible by an ant. I think this police officer was getting jealous that he wasn’t paying her attention or maybe they were jealous that his team was beating her team. Yes I know that people will say, well maybe he was drunk and was out of order… well given that the staff who were there watching him say that he was NOT intoxicated and that he was NOT misbehaving or causing trouble should have been enough to NOT give the bartenders a fine and NOT kick the guy out.
Ivan Pancho
This police officer was out of order, this police officer needs to have some training in understanding other cultures and how they behave.
Us ethnics do not sit around knitting wool and drinking cups of tea and think that is a jolly good time… to us it would be the beginning of insanity.
My neighbours are two African guys and when they are home and playing on their Wii you can hear them laughing and joking around even when I have my door closed. But I know that it is how they are, it is their culture.
Other cultures will speak to each other as if they are fighting but they are not, ever been to a Greek wedding or party? Its awesome! Everyone talks, everyone laughs, and everyone dances.
Arabs – when you hear them talking to each other you would think they are constantly telling each other off, they not doing that necessarily its just culture its the expressionist in them.
The latinos – my people… come on! we are in the middle of a war zone and still manage to put on a big street party with bands and dancing plenty of food and drink no one necessarily gets trashed or drunk but people are talking and expression every emotion they feel. When we are watching football games or the world cup we are the first to be banging drunks, blowing whistles, singing at the top of our lungs in support of our team.. we are not drunk… we are just emotion crazy!
What this undercover police person needs to understand is that it is the way it is, ethnic people will express anger, sadness and happiness in loud vocal and demonstrative ways it doesn’t mean we are drunk and disorderly. If anything we should arrest you for being plain BORING!
