Racism is a complex concept when
analysed thoroughly. Definitions vary and according to an individual’s context,
what is considered racist for some may differ for others. However displays of
overt racism can impact on society’s cultural understanding of an ethnicity
particularly if the views distributed are of a popular public or prominent
figures. Subtle racism occurs briefly in these societal interactions however
the data to be discussed will display blatant racial remarks or race-talk that evidently
appear as hate speech and an incite for violence to occur. Data to be discussed
will be Alan Jones’ coverage of the lifeguard incident that triggered the
Cronulla Riots. To understand Jones’s position, various definitions of racism
will be reviewed to therefore formulate a separate definition to analyse Alan
Jones’s discourse. The effect of discourse proves to be influential in the
construction or contribution to one’s understanding of ethnicities and
ideologies. Alan Jones proves effective through the employment of political
status, presentation of a patriotic Australian and understanding of his
audience. These three factors provide a justification for Jones’s views and a
defence line for his ideologies on recent events. These factors under Alan
Jones’s racial remarks provides an intriguing analysis for the reasons
regarding racial behaviour and the environment these particular views are
performed in to gain desired reactions as well as to incite an event larger
than expected.
When reviewing definitions of racism,
the concept of the “colour-blind” paradigm contributes to a modernised
interpretation of what is considered racist. The colour blind concept arose
when reviewing Ashley Doane’s article, “What is Racism? Racial Discourse and
Racial Politics”. Doane evaluates “colour-blindness” as, “the assertion that
race should not “matter” in public decision making or private interaction and
that it is therefore illegitimate to take race into consideration even if the
goal is to ameliorate inequality or redress past injustices” (Doanne 2006,
p.259). Addressing the notion of colour-blindness informs the reduction of
racial discourse in political discussions regarding certain events that can
incite stereotyping or judgement of a group involved. The lifeguard incident
that triggered the Cronulla Riots was evidently absent of colour-blindness.
Doanne refers to Martin Luther King’s statement that to defer from racial
ideologies we must judge, “people not by the colour of their skin but by the
content of their character” (Doanne 2006 in King 1992[1963], p.104). This
notion is absent in the event of the Cronulla Riots particularly in the case of
Alan Jones and his controversial broadcasting of personal opinions. However
this will be reviewed extensively in further discussion.
Ashley Doane examines the
implications of racism as a “contested concept” (2006, p.257). Doane perceives defining racism to be
crucial as “competing definitions” hold “significant strategic implications for
racial discourse” (2006, p.257) especially in current discourses as overt
racism or
blatant displays of racism” (2006, p.257). When accusing or insinuating racism within social or political interactions it can hold defensive mechanisms and reduce the value of the opposing sides views. Doane perceives the “term racist” to currently be the “ultimate rhetorical weapon in public discourse in racial issues” (2006, p.257). Therefore it is crucial to understand the definition of racism to better distinguish overt racism and subtle racism as well as to discern an individual’s presentation of self.
blatant displays of racism” (2006, p.257). When accusing or insinuating racism within social or political interactions it can hold defensive mechanisms and reduce the value of the opposing sides views. Doane perceives the “term racist” to currently be the “ultimate rhetorical weapon in public discourse in racial issues” (2006, p.257). Therefore it is crucial to understand the definition of racism to better distinguish overt racism and subtle racism as well as to discern an individual’s presentation of self.
Ashley Doane analyses the
consequences for racist perceptions as terminologies within interactions and
influential distribution of opinions that therefore shape our “ideologies and
cultural understandings” (2006, p.270). J.L.A Garcia (2001) reviews defining
racism as disregard and “moral visciousness, in the hearts of individuals”
therefore opposing “those assigned to a certain race” (2001 p.134). Doane and
Garcia’s definitions correlate with one another in the sense that as a result
of these shaped perceptions negativity arises from influential enforcement of
the generalised opinions of an individuals ideologies and cultural
understandings.
Myer’s and Williamson in “Race
Talk:: the perpetuation of racism through private discourse” (2001) provides insight of the implications for
racist talk and justification for doing so. Exploring this through Scott and
lyman (1968) analysis of this notion evaluates an individual’s apology for
racial remarks however denying “full responsibility for it”(2001 p.21). This
bestows intriguing observation to the individual’s presentation of self in
regards to perceptions of races. Myer’s and Williamson’s ultimately define
racism or race talk as the demeaning a person on the foundation of their
ethnicity (2001 p.4).
When reviewing perceptions what
constitutes racism, it has informed and contributed to formulating my own. When
interpreting Alan Jones’ insights on the Cronulla Riots it will be based on the
idea that racism is characterised perceptions of a group based on an event or
issue that can produce negative judgements. These judgements can consequent in
stereotyping therefore expressing a generalised view of a particular group or
what that group represents.
Alan Jones’s breakfast talk show on
2BG radio is a fascinating tool in evaluating the presentation of self. An
especially controversial segment of the talk show was events prior to the
Cronulla Riots. Audio archive of Alan Jones’ comments hears overt racial
remarks stated by Alan Jones along with listeners encouraging the fiery
response to Middle Eastern groups being present on the beaches of Cronulla.
When Jones states, “Cronulla’s a very long beach and it’s been taken over by
this scum and it’s not a few causing trouble it’s all of them”. Jones’
statement presents a patriotic image and a protective defence of the “locals”
within the Shire region.
The prime moment during Alan
Jones’s rant is the solution to the constant presence of people of Middle
Eastern appearance within the Shire region. Jones’s states,
“Invite one
of the biker gangs to be present at Cronulla Railway station when these
Lebanese thugs arrive it’ll be worth the price of admission to watch these
cowards scurry back on to the train for the return trip to their lairs”.
Language utilised here such as
“Lebanese thugs” and “scurry back on to the train for the return trip to their
lairs” reflects Doane (2006), Garcia (2001) and Myers and Williamson’s (2001)
definitions of racism. Jones’s statement displays his discourse to hold
influence on the listener’s ideologies and cultural beliefs as well as
demeaning a disparate ethnicity therefore distributing hate speech through the
his magic microphone, transmitting it to listeners nation wide.
The listener’s response to Alan
Jones’s display of aggressive opposition to Middle Easterner’s affirms his
views and amplifies his performance as the ultimate shock jock of talk back
radio. Jones’s presentation as a proud Australian is maintained when one
listener contributes to Alan Jones’s solution of the “take over” on Cronulla.
The respondent to Jones’s remarks states,
Listener:
“If the police can’t do the job here, its us”
Alan Jones:
“Yeah good on ya John”
Listener:
“You know my grandfather was an old digger, and he use to say to me when we
were growing up, listen shoot one the rest will run”
Jones of course responds with a
fierce laughter. This interaction portrays the performance Alan Jones presents
which is the patriotic, fearless shock jock of Australia’s talk back radio.
Goffman defines the presentation of our ‘front’ as an expressive too utilised
to receive a particular reaction from our spectators (p.32 1971). Jones employs
this strategy to translate his fearless nature when exclaiming, “These lot were middle-eastern grubs, you’re
not allowed to say it but I’m saying it”. Although he’s successful in depicting
the desired presentation of what seems to be in his perceived view as a proud
Aussie, the insertion of race talk (Myers&Willliamson, 2001) constitutes
Alan Jones’s coverage of this incident as an incite of racial hatred and racial
vilification.
The implication of humour in the
interaction serves as a cushion to the blow of what is evidently blatant
racism. Further remarks by Jones such as, “Two
wogs don’t make a little white” and “There’s
a bit of a nigger in the woodpile here” contribute to the cultural
understandings or Jones’s listeners and provides a generalised and uninformed
view of ethnicities disparate from their own.
Days after Jones distributed his
views on the integration of Middle-Eastern people in the Shire region, violence
broke out resulting in what is known currently as The Cronulla Riots. Jones’s
status in Australian society as an influential public figure became evident
when approximately 5000 people gathered to reclaim what was considered as
rightfully theirs. The Cronulla Riots was amplified by disparate media coverage.
However Jones’s rants and response from fellow listeners, illustrates the
effect discourse and generalised opinions of an ethnicity can have particularly
is they are based on an event involving a certain group which essentially incites
or influences behaviour and opinions.
The Cronulla Riots served as a
Macro event that occurred due to Micro actors. However Alan Jones already
playing a Macro role in Australian society demonstrates the influence oh his
discourse within Australia’s social interactions. Mouzelis (1992) criticises
the distinction of Micro and Macro are evident between interactions of
“concrete social actors”(1992, p.122) and that micro and macro reflect one
another however the ‘systematic omission of the macro interaction concept” can
consequent in, “a highly lopsided view of social life”(1992, p.122). This
statement is translated through Alan Jones’s remarks as the result depicts a politically
incorrect analysis of the shire regions representation or as Goffman perceives,
its “presentation of self”(1972).
Ashley Doane’s perception of racial
discourse or discourse in general can ultimately “shape the mental modes or
“common sense” beliefs through which individuals interpret social reality”(2006,
p.256). They can reformulate ideologies or encourage already formulated
understandings. Jones’s ideology that people of Middle-Eastern appearance are
“grubs” can essentially determine vulnerable opinions due to an uninformed
individuals personal hatred. Jones’s racism however can also be understood as Alan
Jones himself being constantly exposed to negative perceptions of a group based
on an event therefore creating a judgement of the minority as the majority. These
components all contrive to construct an individual’s presentation or
performance of their front, which can eventuate into Macro occurrences.
Alan Jones’ racial behaviour portrays
the effective of discourse when discussing or aggressively venting views
regarding events or issues involving a particular ethnicity. As discussed
earlier Doane’s analysis of the notion of “colour-blindness” served as
incompetent or was absent when criticising the attack of two lifeguards, which
resulted in the infamous Cronulla Riots. The data found of Alan Jones’s rants
epitomise the opposite of colour-blindness and instead depict the three
definitions explored earlier on. Jones’s patriotic nature and right-wing stance
prove to be a defence mechanism or justification for his racial vilification.
As a result of his position in Australian radio broadcasting and viral
transmission of a topic sensitive to the general Australian public during the
time, it resulted in a Macro event resulting in Macro consequences.
Alan
Jones’s position as a host of a nationwide radio broadcasting programme
provides an effective stage for his desired front to be performed. Therefore
the stage allows for race talk or racial discourse to be distributed which
eventuates in a Macro sociological incident. His receptive spectators initiate
a controversial stance and demean the appearance of ethnicities disparate from
their own. The demeaning of Middle Eastern groups contributes to the definition
of racism as well as the assertion that racism consists of a “moral
viciousness” within the individual. The analysis of three definitions to
formulate another in order to analyse Alan Jones’s coverage of lead up to the
Cronulla Riots supplies an insight to the reasoning and results of racial discourse.
Reference List:
Doane A 2006, p.257-274, “What is
Racism? Racial Discourse and Racial Politics” in Critical Sociology, Volume 32, issue 2-3.
Goffman E, 1971, pp.28-82,
“Performances”, in The Presentation of
Self in Everyday Life”, Harmondsworth, Penguin.
J.L.A Garcia 2001, “Racism and Racial Discourse” The Philosophical Forum, Volume32,
No. 2.(accessed 24th October 2012) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/doi/10.1111/0031-806X.00056/pdf
Kristen Myers and Passion Williamson 2001, “Race Talk: The
perpetuation of racism through private discourse” in Race and Society, Volume
4, Issue 1
http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/science/article/pii/S1090952402000323 (accessed 24th October 2012).
Mouzelis N 1992, pp.122-128, “The interaction Order and the
Micro-Macro Distinction” in Sociological
Theory, Vol 10, No.1.
Data Discussed
Jones A, 2005, 2BG Breakfast show
Appendix
Alan Jones: What kind of grubs? Well I’ll
tell you what kind of grubs this lot were. This lot were middle eastern grubs.
Bill: There we go!
AJ: And we’re not allowed to say it but I’m
saying it.
BREAK
AJ: John has a good answer, he says that it
seems that the police and the council are impotent here. All rhetoric, no
action. My suggestion is to invite one of the biker gangs to be present in
numbers at Cronulla railway station when these Lebanese thugs arrive, it would
be worth the price of admission to watch these cowards scurry back onto the
train for the return trip to their lairs...Australians old and new shouldn’t
have to put up with this scum.
Peter's of Kensington's range of gift hampers
are designed to hold useful goodies –oh there’s a stack of them aren’t there?”
John: (continues)…if the police can’t do the
job then the next tier is us.
Jones: Yeah, good on you John.
John: Now, ah, my grandfather was an old digger
and he used to say to me when we were growing up ‘Listen, shoot one, the rest
will run!’
Jones: (laughs)
John: Right?
Jones: (still laughing)”
BREAK
Yvonne: We sat down on a picnic blanket and
they kept kicking footballs at us.
AJ: Yep, Well Australia is for all
Australians. Isn’t it?
Y: Well it is Alan.
AJ: And there is standard that has to apply
and if you don’t meet this standard you should be rounded up.
Y: And if we don’t have enough police what’s
wrong with getting the army in?
AJ: Uh-ha.
Y: Get these blokes a bit of a rifle butt in
the face and they’ll, they’ll back off, they’re cowards!
AJ: Well if it gets to that we might have to
do that, you follow what I’m saying?
Y: Get them out to work Alan. I’ve got 2
blooming jobs, what sort of a mug am I? I’m going out to pay the dole for these
people who want to blow me up!
AJ: That’s correct, Excellent point. many
people feel that way Yvonne, thankyou for ringing. Plenty of calls, we’re here
to 10 o’clock. We’ll get to them.”
BREAK
AJ: Yeah well, Two wogs don’t make a little
white, do they Joanne?
AJ: There’s a bit of a nigger in the woodpile
here.
