RESEARCH REPORT! "Alan Jones' display of racial discourse"

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.

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 24^th 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.

— 2GB, Alan Jones, 5th December 2005”