Australia Day today. I love this country, but I get the shits with a lot of the people in it. Just because someone was born elsewhere does not make them any less Australian than you. Until the people of thios country learn tolerance and compassion can we ever really call ourselves the lucky country? WHy is gay marriage not legal? Why are people with disabilties treated like lepers? Whay are boat people treated like the scum of the earth?
The true scum of the earth are the people who sit around claiming centrelink payments, while pregnant with child number six and their defacto is out robbing houses and stealing cars. They are normally the first ones to go 'I'm Australian and proud of it' and normally the most intolerant. They contribute nothing to the economy and are a drain on our country.
Refugees on tthe other hand, which is what boat people are, have come from unspeakably bad places, seen horrors we wouldn't dream of and have normally suffered at the hands of the governement of their home country. Most of them are happy to work and are willing to fit into our society if only they were given a chance. They will often overcome massive obstacles to survive and then when they get here we treat them like second class citizens.
It's time we start to make a change. It's time to rebuild communities and get to know each other again.
This is me calling out the people of this fine land. Being self obsessed and only askeing what is in it for you is no longer okay. Get off your arses and do something about it. Say hello to your neighbour. Ask the old lady next door if she is okay. Help your work collegues when you see the struggling without expecting a pat on the back. Play with your kids. Laugh at the world. Look around you and see the beauty in a leaf or a spider. Embrace the worlsd and all that is good about it and soon the positive will outweigh the negative. Stop rushing and take your time. Life is more enjoyable when you relax.
Please join with me and lets make the world a better place. Lets start out with a simple mission - Say hello to five strangers each day and give $5 to a charity each week.
