Racism has always carried an ability to harm in quiet and visible ways. It isolates people, chips away at confidence, restricts opportunity and narrows the spaces where people feel safe enough to speak, work, study or simply exist. At its core, racism is an unhealthy force that creates problems no community needs. It drags people backwards, and at a moment when Australia is changing fast, the damage feels sharper than it once did.
Much of the harm begins with something many barely register: the habit of treating people differently because they come from elsewhere or look different. Once those small judgements become routine, they shape social behaviour. People withdraw. Friendships do not form. Misunderstandings grow. The weight of these experiences can leave long-term marks on mental health, especially for younger people who are still forming their sense of self.
The truth is simple. People share more similarities than differences. We are all built from the same things. Bones, blood, skin, memory and worry. All of us want safety, dignity and the chance to build a life. Yet race, a trait no one chooses, remains a trigger for suspicion and at times hostility. Skin tone changes with weather and sunlight. Culture evolves across generations. None of this makes one group superior to another, yet history has elevated paler skin as the default and judged others as less acceptable. It is a pattern seen across continents and centuries.
What is happening in Australia now is not disconnected from those deeper currents. Tensions around migration, jobs, housing and identity are louder than before. When pressure rises, race becomes an easy line for some to draw. Social media amplifies the worst instincts. Viral posts, half-truths and angry commentary create a sense of enemies everywhere, even when people are simply trying to live their lives.
A recent attack in Parramatta captured what happens when fear and prejudice take hold. Police were called after a man of Indian background was assaulted near Westfield during the early evening peak. Video circulated quickly. A woman appeared to hit him while yelling. Bystanders were heard reacting in shock. Other reports suggested there had been earlier incidents involving the same woman. Police are now investigating and have urged witnesses to provide information so they can piece together what happened and respond appropriately.
No community wants to see these scenes. For many people of colour, the Parramatta incident was not surprising, which makes it more disturbing. They saw a pattern they recognised from their own daily experience: being singled out, followed, questioned or mocked because they looked different. For others who have never been targeted, the footage was confronting. It showed how quickly something as ordinary as walking home can turn into something frightening and humiliating.
Online discussions afterwards asked why such incidents keep happening and how they can be prevented. Some reminded the community that cameras matter, that witnesses matter, and that people should speak up rather than walk away. Others urged calm and warned against spreading incomplete information. These conversations are important, not because they solve the problem instantly, but because they force people to look at its shape. Racism thrives in silence. It fades when it is seen clearly.
The deeper question is why incidents like this still occur in a country where millions share workplaces, schools, trains, universities and parks peacefully every day. Part of the answer lies in the stories people tell themselves about who belongs and who does not. Many Australians are proud of living in a diverse society, but some feel unsettled by change, especially when cost of living pressures and political arguments turn migration into a point of blame. Others hold onto views formed long ago, passed down through families or absorbed through media without being questioned.
None of this excuses violence or abuse. Understanding is not the same as accepting. It means recognising that racism is not always loud. Sometimes it is a glance, an insult disguised as humour, an assumption that someone is less capable or less trustworthy. Left unchallenged, those habits grow. A society that allows those habits to flourish eventually creates the conditions for something more dangerous.
If anything good is to come from events like Parramatta, it may be the reminder that people must choose what kind of country they want to live in. A society where people keep their heads down and hope to avoid trouble, or one where people set a standard for kindness and accountability. When someone says they feel unsafe or judged, it is worth listening. When someone speaks up for fairness, it is worth supporting.
Australia has never been perfect, but it works best when people refuse to let fear shape their reactions to one another. Racism does not fade by accident. It fades when people refuse to participate in it, refuse to excuse it, and refuse to stay silent when they see it. The question in this moment is not whether we deserve racism, but whether we are willing to create conditions where it no longer has space to grow.
Donate To The Indian Sun
Dear Reader,The Indian Sun is an independent organisation committed to community journalism. We have, through the years, been able to reach a wide audience especially with the growth of social media, where we also have a strong presence. With platforms such as YouTube videos, we have been able to engage in different forms of storytelling. However, the past few years, like many media organisations around the world, it has not been an easy path. We have a greater challenge. We believe community journalism is very important for a multicultural country like Australia. We’re not able to do everything, but we aim for some of the most interesting stories and journalism of quality. We call upon readers like you to support us and make any contribution. Do make a DONATION NOW so we can continue with the volume and quality journalism that we are able to practice.
Thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Team The Indian Sun
