Racist SMS spam Since the riots in Cronulla the other weekend, there have been reports
of people in other states receiving SMS messages urging them to take part in similar actions in their own states. Tonight I received one. It came from someone called "CVG". This is what it said:

21/12/05 08:00PM CALL TO ARMS, join supporters of Cronulla Youth Gang by showing presence at StKilda beach, Saturday 1pm. This is your right to retain your land. *** End ***

Now, obviously I have no intention of going and doing something as obviously shit as attend a racist rally. I have to wonder though at the reasoning behind choosing St Kilda beach as the venue. For a start St Kilda isn't a very big beach. It's usually very crowded, but not many people go in the water because basically it's filthy. Walk around in bare feet and you're a good chance of picking up a needlestick injury. A lot of the most enthusiastic users of the beach in summer are European backpackers, and the rest of the beach population is VERY multicultural. Not exactly the most conducive environment for fostering blind hatred and fear. I suspect whoever sent that message has never been near St Kilda beach in their life.

So what's the right response to this kind of crap? I suppose there will be some people who will try and organise a counter-protest, and in fact last week I also got an email from someone trying to organise an anti-racist rally at St Kilda. Counter-protests are all well and good, but in the end I tend to think that the best thing to do is get on with life. Bullies always look for a reaction, so the best thing to do is not give them one. I can't think of anything more disheartening for a fascist than being ignored. They spend all their lives getting ready for a race war that never comes. No wonder they all freaked out when the Cronulla thing happened. For once they seemed to be getting somewhere. It must have given them the shits big time when the Bra Boys and Keyser Trad met up on the beach the next day and said "Everybody - cool it."

So this Saturday at 1pm I won't be going to St Kilda - not because I'm afraid something will happen, but because I don't want those idiots to feel that something IS happening. Everyone stay away, and they can have the entire beach to themselves. They won't know what to do with it and after a while they'll get bored and go home, feeling slightly foolish and embarrassed. Idiots.  ¶ 7:37 PM