Sydney
Australians this week became embroiled in a divisive national debate after organizers of an annual outdoor rock concert asked people to refrain from waving the Australian flag. The Big Day Out is held in cities across the country for several days around Australia’s national day. At the concert in Sydney last year, some whites wrapped in flags beat up Lebanese immigrants, and this year’s organizers were determined to avoid a repeat. “Last year, the Australian flag was being used as gang colors,” said the event’s coordinator, Ken West. “It was racism disguised as patriotism, and I’m not going to tolerate it.” His request to “leave the flags at home” was widely reported as an official ban, which it was not. Still, Prime Minister John Howard denounced the move as “stupid and offensive to millions of Australians.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Switzerland could experience unique economic problems from Trump's tariffsIn the Spotlight The current US tariff rate on Switzerland is among the highest in the world
-
The NCAA is a 'billion-dollar sports behemoth' that 'should not be a nonprofit'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump picks conservative BLS critic to lead BLSspeed read He has nominated the Heritage Foundation's E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
