Drivers with Aussie flags on their cars 'more racist' research shows

[csv8]

Drivers with Aussie flags on their cars 'more racist' research shows

by: Todd Cardy From: PerthNow January 24, 2012 10:09AM 457 comments

DRIVERS who fly Australian flags on their cars to celebrate Australia Day are "more racist" than people who do not, according to research from UWA.

University of Western Australia sociologist and anthropologist Professor Farida Fozdar and a team of assistants surveyed 513 people at the Australia Day fireworks on Perth's Swan River foreshore last year to find out whether there was a link between car flag flying and racist attitudes.

Professor Fozdar said the team found that of the 102 people surveyed on the day who had attached flags to their cars for the national holiday, 43 per cent agreed with the statement that the now-abandoned “White Australia Policy” had “saved Australia from many problems experienced by other countries”.

She said that only 25 per cent of people who did not fly Australia car flags agreed with the statement.


Under the “White Australia Policy”, which was non-official government policy until after World War II, non-Europeans were barred from migrating to Australia.

The survey also found that a total of 56 per cent of people with car flags feared for Australian culture and believed that the country’s most important values were in danger, compared with 34 per cent of non-flag flyers.

Thirty-five per cent of flag flyers felt that people had to be born in Australia to be truly Australian, compared with 22 per cent of non-flag flyers. Twenty-three per cent of flag flyers believed that true Australians had to be Christian, while 18 per cent of non-flaggers agreed with the statement.

An overwhelming 91 per cent of people with car flags agreed that people who move to Australia should adopt Australian values, compared with 76 per cent of non-flaggers.

A total of 55 per cent of flaggers believed migrants should leave their old ways behind, compared with 30 per cent of non-flaggers.

“What I found interesting is that many people didn't really have much to say about why they chose to fly car flags or not," Professor Fozdar said.

"Many felt strongly patriotic about it - and for some, this was quite a racist or exclusionary type of patriotism - but it wasn't a particularly conscious thing for many.”

The research backs up an opinion piece from PhD student Michael Britton, who has lectured in history and politics at Curtin University and Notre Dame University, which argues that flying an Australian flag on a car may actually be a sign of disrespect for the country.

My comment "What a crock of ****!!! I thought Un's were for intellectual discussion ??..

[Neale]

It think the survey was done in a way to construct the statistics that they wanted.

They should have interviewed the same amount of people with & without flags.

e.g. Assistants surveyed 513 people at the Australia Day fireworks on Perth's Swan River foreshore.

If 102 people surveyed on the day had attached flags to their cars. That means that 411 people that were surveyed didn't.

Then we could have a look at this statement

People surveyed on the day who had attached flags to their cars for the national holiday, 43 per cent agreed with the statement that the now-abandoned “White Australia Policy” had “saved Australia from many problems experienced by other countries”.

She said that only 25 per cent of people who did not fly Australia car flags agreed with the statement



So here is how anyone twist the statistics to say what they want

You could say that if 43% of the 102 people with flags is around 42 people, and 25% of the 411 is around 102 people.

You can then read the stats as,
more than twice the amount of people without flags on their cars agreed with the statement that the now-abandoned “White Australia Policy” had “saved Australia from many problems experienced by other countries”. Therefore drivers without Aussie flags on their cars are 'more racist'

Lesson is never believe statistics.

[Jim Goose]

Just watching CH9 news about the flooding in the Brissy area and the reporter made the comment about people driving past at highspeed in flood waters swamping which would cause waves and swamp peoples home....

Red (Hilux?) ute with big aussie flag in back.... drove past at highspeed in the flood water in a suburban street... a great patriot im sure.

I had to laugh as i was ready this article at the same time...

[XR8GRL]

Soon it'll be unacceptable to be Australian.

[tranquilized]

Statistical analysis takes into account the sample size, so while it is unfortunate the two groups (flag flying and non flag flying) weren't more evenly represented, the findings are still interesting and food for thought.

From personal experience, I'd agree whole heartedly with the research findings. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule, and generalisations are just that, but people I've met who display overt patronism for this country are usualy racist bogans.

[buggo]

I thought there was a difference between being patriotic and being racist. And tbh I don't see what was overly racist in their opinions, maybe a little narrow-minded or something at best.

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

Just watching CH9 news about the flooding in the Brissy area and the reporter made the comment about people driving past at highspeed in flood waters swamping which would cause waves and swamp peoples home....

Red (Hilux?) ute with big aussie flag in back.... drove past at highspeed in the flood water in a suburban street... a great patriot im sure.

I had to laugh as i was ready this article at the same time...

The argument about having a flag is the reason he acted like that is pretty weak.
You could also say people that drive a Hilux act like this, or drive a Toyota, or have a red car, or have a ute.
I see what you mean and yeah it is a bit of a stereotype to see boganish people with the flag, but I think they are only noticed more because they make themsleves noticed. Others with a flag etc keep more of a low key.

[woody1941]

What a great load of Crap . Can't we be Aussies anymore!! Woody1941

[mik]

or it could just mean a bit more patriotic, pity there`s not a lot more of it !

[Reefer]

Originally Posted by tranquilized

Statistical analysis takes into account the sample size, so while it is unfortunate the two groups (flag flying and non flag flying) weren't more evenly represented, the findings are still interesting and food for thought.

From personal experience, I'd agree whole heartedly with the research findings. Obviously there are exceptions to every rule, and generalisations are just that, but people I've met who display overt patronism for this country are usualy racist bogans.

Wow, pull down those flags people, don't want to upset any minority groups.

God forbid a public display of love for our country and flag on Australia Day. Give me a @#*^$@& break.

By the way, just in case english is not your first language, I think the word you were looking for is partiotism.

[atec77]

Originally Posted by XR8GRL

Soon it'll be unacceptable to be Australian.

A little like "Being homosexual aint gay and it aint compulsory "

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by buggo_gt

I thought there was a difference between being patriotic and being racist. And tbh I don't see what was overly racist in their opinions, maybe a little narrow-minded or something at best.


The argument about having a flag is the reason he acted like that is pretty weak.
You could also say people that drive a Hilux act like this, or drive a Toyota, or have a red car, or have a ute.
I see what you mean and yeah it is a bit of a stereotype to see boganish people with the flag, but I think they are only noticed more because they make themsleves noticed. Others with a flag etc keep more of a low key.

Sadly I believe it is.... stereotype bogan.
It also reflects sadly that those who wave the flag MUST BE patriots and those who dont are "unaustralian"....

[XRGhia]

All I have to say, is this is a big pile of ********.


We go over to other countries, we have to put up with their ways and cultures... You come over here, you can put up with our ways and cultures...

If you don't like it, simple, **** off...

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by xrghiawagon

All I have to say, is this is a big pile of ********.


We go over to other countries, we have to put up with their ways and cultures... You come over here, you can put up with our ways and cultures...

If you don't like it, simple, **** off...

What he said ^^^

[2002au]

Originally Posted by xrghiawagon

All I have to say, is this is a big pile of ********.


We go over to other countries, we have to put up with their ways... You come over here, you can put up with our ways...

If you don't like it, simple, **** off...

well said! spot on

[lymasc]

hubs has them on his car , dont see a problem..

[ltd_on20s]

Originally Posted by xrghiawagon

All I have to say, is this is a big pile of ********.


We go over to other countries, we have to put up with their ways and cultures... You come over here, you can put up with our ways and cultures...

If you don't like it, simple, **** off...

can you define that for me?

[Geez Louise]

Yeah...this thread is TOTALLY not racist!.... *End sarcasm!

[Resurrection]

Australian flags have become more prominent since the 2005 Cronulla riots.

[Auslandau]

Originally Posted by Resurrection

Australian flags have become more prominent since the 2005 Cronulla riots.

Oh dear ................ Really? Simply an amazing statement.

Call it racism, patriotism or a prejudice ....... it doesn't matter as its starting to boarder on the first and do not like where its going!