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A 'refugee' pub crawl? Let's hope these students never become politicians A 'refugee' pub crawl? Let's hope these students never become politicians
(5 months later)
If, when I was a university student, If, when I was a university student, someone on Facebook had invited me to go on a pub crawl that was themed around the Iraq war and dress as a pregnant woman who'd recently been hit by a drone – all for the sake of having a bit of harmless humanitarian-crisis-themed fun – I imagine I would have clicked "decline". Either that, or I would have turned up dressed as the UN and just watched on in dismay.
someone on Facebook had invited me to go on a pub crawl that was themed around Fortunately that didn't happen – because back in 2003, human tragedy wasn't the charming larrikin-fodder the Liberal National Club would have us believe it is today.
the Iraq war and dress as a pregnant woman who'd recently been hit by a drone – all for the sake of having a bit of harmless humanitarian-crisis-themed fun – I imagine I would have clicked In promoting their Rivercrawl, the Queensland Universities Liberal National Club chose to adopt the imagery, policies, and terminology of the current asylum seeker crisis. Guests were encouraged to bring ID to "avoid towbacks", before being told that "a lifejacket is optional, however we will do our best to ensure none of you find yourself overboard". One wonders if the organisers have gone all out and requested that female hygiene products be rationed for the event as well. Probably not. They'd probably make them a prize in a game of something classy and progressive, like tampon beer-pong.
"decline". Either that, or I would have turned up dressed as the UN and just It is easy to pour scorn on the young and foolish, and I've no doubt that, right now, anyone involved in the event is probably being showered in 140-character chunks of bite-sized indignant abuse. But offence needs to be taken and duly noted, especially if (a): these are our future politicians and (b): the plight of the desperate is already being disrespectfully assimilated into our culture. I'd rather not get to the stage where you can buy "Drink Me Overboard: The Asylum Seeker-Based Drinking Board Game for Mature Arseholes!!#&^!".
watched on in dismay. The problem here is one of ignorance and privilege, similar to when genetically wealthy human, Prince Harry, thought it'd be funny to turn up to a party sporting a swastika – the sort of behaviour made possible by being just within sight of the throne, yet knowing you'll never actually have to sit on it.
Fortunately that didn't happen – because back in 2003, human tragedy wasn't Worryingly, the suffering of asylum seekers is not deep in the core sample of history, which may explain why some carefree students find it an acceptable topic to make fun of. But miles away from the safety of university-organised drinking events, refugees are enduring hellish living conditions as I type this, making it hard to conceive the "joke" might ever be funny.
the charming larrikin-fodder the Liberal National Club would have us believe it We can only hope that these future LNP joke-people forever remain fourth in line to any seat in parliament, or that they stop allowing their conscience to be patriotically caged by a body of water and grow up.
is today.
In promoting their Rivercrawl, the
Queensland Universities Liberal National Club chose to adopt the imagery,
policies, and terminology of the current asylum seeker crisis. Guests were encouraged to bring ID to "avoid towbacks", before being told that "a lifejacket is optional, however we will do our best to ensure none of you find yourself overboard". One wonders if the organisers have gone all
out and requested that female hygiene products be rationed for the event as
well. Probably not. They'd probably make them a prize in a game of something
classy and progressive, like tampon beer-pong.
It is easy to pour scorn on the young and
foolish, and I've no doubt that, right now, anyone involved in the event is
probably being showered in 140-character chunks of bite-sized indignant abuse.
But offence needs to be taken and duly noted, especially if (a): these are our
future politicians and (b): the plight of the desperate is already being
disrespectfully assimilated into our culture. I'd rather not get to the stage
where you can buy "Drink Me Overboard: The Asylum Seeker-Based
Drinking Board Game for Mature Arseholes!!#&^!".
The problem here is one of ignorance and
privilege, similar to when genetically wealthy human, Prince Harry, thought
it'd be funny to turn up to a party sporting a swastika – the sort of behaviour
made possible by being just within sight of the throne, yet knowing you'll never
actually have to sit on it.
Worryingly, the suffering of asylum seekers
is not deep in the core sample of history, which may explain why some carefree students find it an acceptable topic to make fun of. But miles away from the safety of university-organised drinking events, refugees are enduring hellish living conditions as I type this, making it hard to conceive the "joke" might ever be funny.
We can
only hope that these future LNP joke-people forever remain fourth in line to any
seat in parliament, or that they stop allowing their conscience to be patriotically
caged by a body of water and grow up.