Big Day Out + the Aussie Flag - here we go again

Shelley

Although I haven't heard the latest update on this topic (and may be a bit behind on the argument), I just wanted to raise it here.

I believe the organisers of the Big Day Out are raising a valid concern. A group of shire boys fuelled on drugs and alcohol and testosterone listening to Tool cloaked in the aussie flag - the potential for a fight is there.
Admittedly, I haven't been to a Big Day Out since the first couple in Sydney at the start of the 90's but my 18 year old step son and I had this discussion yesterday and he agreed that the line up for the day will attract a particular crowd. The organisers are just being realistic.

As for those who are claiming the Aussie flag and Australia Day are inseperable and that to ''ban'' it (althought I believe it was only discouraged not banned) is unaustralian, let's not forget that Australia Day was the original day of white invasion.

N

Shelley this is a very interesting piece of news/debate that you have brought into this forum, thanks!

I have read the letter which was sent to the Herald Sun website from the organizers of Big Day Out:

Australia Press Releases
Clarification on the Flag Issue

The Big Day Out would like to offer the following to clarify its position on "flag banning" at the Sydney show.

Contrary to the reports in the media, it was never our intention to disrespect the symbolism of the Australian or any other flag.

We are not banning the Australian flag but are simply discouraging its use for anti-social purposes at the Big Day Out.

We state unequivocally that flags will not be banned at any Australian Big Day Out show in the foreseeable future.

In recent times, there has been an increased incidence of flags brandished aggressively and this has led to increased tension. Our only intention in discouraging this activity at the Big Day Out is to ensure that our patrons are not subjected to this aggressive behaviour.

With all this in mind and the aim to create a happy, peaceful MUSICAL event, organisers would like to request that fans please leave their flags at home.

The Big Day Out is not an Australia Day event, but a music festival showcasing music artists from around the world and aspires to unify people through music.

Unfortunately the media reports yesterday were not quoted accurately and we must thank the participating media for wasting everybody's time including the Prime Minister John Howard, Premier Morris Iemma, NSW RSL President Don Rowe, Keysar Trad (a confidant of the Mufti Sheik Taj el-Dene Elhilaly) and Burt Lane of the Australian National Flag Association...

that was from the big day out website and was realeased at the Herald Sun when the media was still all over this story.

However, as much as I agree with what you've said about it being a valid precaution, I think it could also lead to a sort of self fulfilling prophesy. Now, with all the attention that it has recieved over not allowing oversized Australian flags, there are bound to be small groups of people who will find it oppressive and will probably give them a reason (no matter how warped) to start parroting all the anti-immigration/refugee/"us""them" racist bile.

I do think concentrating on the fact that Australia Day marks the "invasion" of Australia by white settlers won't really help to solve any problems in social and racial tensions. Yes, Australia Day does mark the day of white settlers reaching Australia but since then I think Australia has proved itself to be a country which is essentially tolerant and generous. Working from that positive point and being honest with ourselves will/could lead to Australia healing some deep wounds as well as moving forward as a Country instead of concentrating trying to solve the cyclical arguments which have been around for years but have not solved anything.

On the flip side, could the Big Day Out organizers done the opposite and instead hand out Australian flags to everyone that walked through the gates in Sydney? If you think about it, it'd probably have a larger impact if those hooligans who wanted to cause trouble with the Australian flag came to Big Day Out and realised that everyone, no matter what background had an Aussie flag draped around them.

Flip the situation and I think those who claim that it is Unaustralian will reveal their true intentions and frankly, those people who scream out "Un-Australian!" at everything will finally have to shut up.

Shelley

I like your take on this N

The whole image of the little aussie girl on her daddy's shoulders waving the small paper flag is a harmless one in comparison to those captured at the Cronulla riots a year ago. And indeed if I imagine 1000's of music fans harmlessly carrying the flag around in their back pocketand waving it instead of their lighters during a tender My Chemical Romance moment, it doesn't seem so frightening...

I had a discussion with a work colleague about this issue prior to posting my original comment. I accused her of being nostalgic and her response was that we were giving the flag exactly the kind of negative power that the small group of yobbos intended. Perhaps returning the symbol to everyone is a way to overcome this.

N

Thanks for the quick reply Shelley!

It definitely would be an amazing thing to watch everyone have an Australian flag. I imagine it's hard to call someone UnAustralian because of their appearance if they have an Australian flag with them. That is actually a really interesting thing you've said about making the flag a symbol for all and not just a tool for hooligans and hate mongerers to incite hatred and ignorance.

Funnily enough I was on the age last night and there was an opinion article by Larissa Dubecki called "Co-opting a symbol for nefarious purposes". If you've got some time today check it out http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/coopting-a-symbol-for-nefarious-purposes/2007/01/23/1169518708001.html

The beginning of the article has a quote:

At its troubled birth in 1901, The Bulletin called it "a staled rechauffe of the British flag, with no artistic value, no national significance. The bastard flag is a true symbol of the bastard state of Australian opinion."

I still remember the strange reaction to Cathy Freeman's decision to drape the Australian (colonial) and Australian (aboriginal) flag over her shoulders.

What's odd about this issue with Big Day Out is that I'm not sure if a lot of teens and young adults are really the source of racism. Yes there is racism, I definitely don't deny that but minds that young (mine hopefully included) can still change easily with the right messages and information. For me, I find the hidden racism of politicians (all parties, not just the ones in power) changing out foreign and domestic policies much more insidious. Perhaps after all their outrage at the Big Day Out issue they should each write a paragraph about what the Australian Flag stands for and actually apply it to their policies.

Shelley

Ha - can you imagine if they did!

I think the pollies/powers that be were glad to have the heat on ''youth'' and ''youth culture'' and off them and their war mongering for a couple of days - hence the beat up in the media.

I wrote an editorial about the flag and the Cronulla riots in May last year. I think that's why I can imagine something happening at the Big Day out - I'm picturing the mix of cultures that, for instance, may be enjoying the Scribe gig - or alternatively may be fired up by the music...

But perhaps my reaction just shows me to be another victim of the exaggerated fear tactics of the media...

N

I don't think it's fear tactics Shelley

If anything it is something that obviously merited the attention of the Big Day Out event coordinators and they probably decided to err on the side of caution instead of having the newspapers have front page coverage of "Race Hate Groups Attack Big Day Out Revellers"

Besides, I would think most of the bands playing are anti-racism and would try and stamp out any sort of race-hate should it arise.

As for the pollies/powers that be, I actually don't think any of them are inherently racist but rather they are pandering to a group of voters who they believe are racist. It's a strange relfection of Australia which I didn't know existed until recent years.

If you have that article, I think it would be great to see it in the AFP theory section or even if you put a link to it on this site no pressure of course!