Is this Australia Day or Sorry Day?

It's Australia Day. The sun is shining and the people have taken to the streets. Not many people know what its all about and not many people care. It's relaxed, unstructured, random. It's Australia.

But oh how it brings them out. The neo-political, nouveau-bourgeois, self appointed judges all go into session. The verdict: Guilty with a capital G. Too loud, too drunk, too jingoistic, too patriotic (its the wrong kind of patriotism dontchya know) and just not good enough!

There is a disturbing undercurrent of entrenched disapproval which seems determined to bring a safe and healthy monochrome to our full spectrum nation. The furrowed brows and wagging fingers, the blogs and rants giving us all the wrap on the knuckles we so clearly deserve. For what could be more disturbing, more threatening and upsetting than to see Australian flags on the cars and temporary tattoos of the flag and southern cross. Surely this makes immigrants uncomfortable. Surely this encourages a smothering monoculture which is an affront to the Toorak-hippies. Never mind that the ma and pa bargain shops run almost exclusively by new immigrants are the main channel for purchasing said paraphernalia and that many of those sporting them are first generation Australians.

Today I walked around St Kilda, up the wonderful Carlisle St, through the beautiful St Kilda Botanical Gardens, soaked up the trendy vibe of Acland St and finally took a walk along the spectacular beach and Esplenade. What I noticed was the fullness and richness of the Australian experience. You could see it all there: families, drunkards, teenagers, senior citizens, every race, every kind of dress, every skin colour. The behaviour was similarly of every degree: quiet couples, abusive creeps, teenagers chanting Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!

To some this is unacceptable. Some exercise a blind hypocrisy which decries anything inconsistent with their own beliefs and bullheadedly tries and impose their own, not open to discussion, or compromise, or even to the idea that different and opposing views might exist and not effect them. It's called extremism. An extremism just as illogical, dangerous and threatening to democracy and liberty as any other.

Interestingly the entry price for being able to air such opinions seems to be a special type of self righteousness. It does not have to be based on education or life experience but seems to be more centred around using natural cleaning products, supporting the correct charity (through credit card donation rather than actual action thank you very much) and perhaps driving a Prius if you can manage it.

We are constantly told we are too racist, too intolerant, too thoughtless, not green enough. These insurgents within our society (for this is what they are) have no time to declare what is right and good and true in our world but only have energy and spirit for those things which they see to be wrong or unjust. Interestingly a large proportion of these opinionated souls are either unemployed or eternal students and rely on those taking part in the economy that they find so disgusting. They cry out “Justice for all” without the slightest acknowledgement that we have indeed, against all odds managed to gain a state which affords justice to most.

The fact is that despite the odd yobbo and the statistically unavoidable antisocial and criminal components of the population we are largely an even-tempered nation, not prone to random acts of Indian student stabbing or toxic waste dumping. Most people hold an inherent concern for their fellow man and also for the world in which we live. However we are constantly judged careless as we are not launching ourselves onto every available soap box to extol a completely negative and judgemental view of all that there is.

I had never considered deeply what Australia Day meant and to be honest I don't think that's what its about. It's a day like any other, for Australians to do whatever they want. For most this does not mean causing a racially motivated riot or stabbing someone with a broken bottle.

So in the spirit of the day let me put out my hands as a symbol of apology to our cantankerous malcontents. I'm sure the population joins me as we apologise for not containing our inappropriate and contaminated patriotism. Our poisonous and unsettling declarations of love for our country, which you feel disinclined to share, finding our culture (or perceived lack thereof) irksome and Neanderthal. You may rap your gabble of pseudo-justice and don your black cap to pass down the sentence of death, the dissolution of a system which you see as so faulty and broken, such a failure that you would prefer some kind of idealised ,communist anarchy.

In fact it's usually more general than that. No particular policy or cohesive strategy is required. No roadmap to take us to your eutopia. Just the naysaying, just the constant overwhelming speak, the chatter, the background hum of cicadas saying BAD BAD BAD.

It must be terrible to feel so trapped within a society of which you so violently disapprove. To have all your time consumed discussing the problems and issues which confront you every day as you try to survive against the constant assault of horrific injustice. Over the dinner table you are disgusted at how little people do to support the poor or the enviroment “but do please pass the organically grown, hydroponically nourished, pure-spring-water-misted eco-zuccini . I can only get it at that one little green grocer. They have it flown in from Equador where some quaint little villagers grow it and it's three times as expensive but don't you know it's just so much better for the world.”

I can not agree with a school of thought which insists it is for freedom and a greater good but at the same time disapproves of the majority of what people do and would like to see it “corrected” or banned. This way lies facism and unilateralism. When the bulk of the population is not seen as having a valid opinion or knowing what is good for them, the path to dictatorship is not far away. Though I'm sure it would have a pretty name, like the Rainbow Unicorn Decision Council for Universal Wellbeing.

As you walk around today, amongst the crowds of the people and visitors of this country maybe you can take a moment to acknowledge some miracles. We are mainly fed, mainly clothed, mainly safe and mainly free. 98% of us are always working toward a better world, some just for themselves and their families and some for everyone. The degree to which you care is not a function of how opinionated, self-righteous and critical you are. Nor is it immediately cancelled out if you choose to have a southern cross tattoo or mount a small Australian flag on your car. If you're a control freak maybe try doing a large jigsaw puzzle (you know the ones that are mainly sky or a wheat field) or try herding some cats, that should keep you busy for a while. Meanwhile leave Australia alone.