Term 3-08

Tolerance.

Are we a tolerant society? Compared with the Australian society I grew up in, certainly we are more tolerant. In the 1950’s, 60’s and even into the late 70’s, tolerance was not one of our strong points. We had a “White Australia Policy”, we did not tolerate “conscientious objection”, and of course, the tolerance of Feminists such Germaine Greer was almost non-existent.

The introduction of “Multiculturalism” as a formal government policy during the 1970’s moved Australia inexorably towards a more tolerant state. In adopting multiculturalism, the outdated and unachievable idea of “Assimilation” was put to rest. The implementation of the “Racial Discrimination Act” in 1975 finally made it illegal, to discriminate against any potential immigrant based on their race.

In thinking about this change, I am still surprised by jarring reminders of our past. In particular, how the recent debate in Camden over the planning application from an Islamic school to establish a campus in the rural setting, set passions and beliefs on fire. On the night the council rejected the application based “entirely on planning grounds”, over 200 residents, some bearing signs and holding Australian flags, attended the council meeting. Some of the television news grabs did not paint a kind view of the group. Other situations in recent times in Tamworth and Nowra, also tether us, perhaps tenuously, to our long history of xenophobia.

Silently, our tolerance is eroded on a daily basis. In film and television drama, too often, formulaic constructions of good guys with an array of fabulous surveillance gadgets fight unprincipled religious zealots. This of course does nothing to promote religious tolerance but does much to promote intense fear of otherness. Also, it seems that religious zealots always seem to be non-Christian, yet we are all aware, that religious fundamentalism is present in all religions. I have suspicion that in the case of the Camden Islamic school, the chorus of objectors, converted “Islamic School” into “Jihadist School” unwittingly in their own minds. Such a transformation is understandable given the frequency of simplistic portrayals and the readiness of “Shock Jocks” to comment.

Stephen Brookfield is a well-respected writer and thinker. He was embraced by adult educators all over the world, particularly for his ideas on “Critical Thinking”. He contends that critical thinking is a process, while acknowledging the importance of culture and context. He claims that the process of critical thinking contains at least the characteristics of, Identifying and challenging assumptions, Challenging the importance of context, Trying to imagine and explore alternatives and, Reflective Scepticism. By “Reflective Scepticism”, Brookfield is describing a process of constantly challenging the status quo, and of challenging our own reactions and opinions to particular situations. Learning is a constant process. It should challenge our assumptions. It should create an environment that engages a plethora of views. When learning is designed in such a way that it does not invite and encourage such questioning, we are setting our course for failure. We have all had discussions with someone at some time whose opinions have far outstripped their knowledge. Their assumptions have often been reinforced by the like minded and their information comes from the dogmatic. It is a difficult task to get such a person to question their beliefs and views. But without a steadfast commitment to change such assumptions and beliefs, many maladies and wrongs would remain unchanged. Imagine a world without feminism, environmentalism or the peace movement.

Garry John Traynor
Principal