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SBS participant criticises racism doco -but wait, there’s more…

Doco participant now accuses SBS show of racial bias, despite leaving the show on a happy note.

A participant in SBS special The Truth About Racism, which aired last night as part of SBS’s Face Up To Racism week, has criticised the approach taken by producers.

Nick Folkes, who formed his own anti-immigration political group The Party for Freedom, was one of four participants from different ethnic backgrounds who underwent 10 days of experiments involving facial recognition, empathy and pain, and split second fear responses to test racial bias.

He had previously appeared on SBS series Living With the Enemy, which saw him spend time with a Sudanese refugee.

The show, presented by Yassmin Abdel-Magied, also included African, Asian, Aboriginal, and Muslim participants.

Folkes told The Australian the show was a “stitch-up.”

“The experiments we did — I just found them very skewed to find the white guy a racist,” he said.

“It wasn’t about being an Australian, it had racial overtones about being a token white guy.

“I don’t hate anybody, I just don’t agree with government policy on immigration.”

But on the show last night, Folkes emerged from the experiments thanking everybody for the opportunity.

Indeed the show made no pitch about ‘being an Australian.’ Its mission was to identify racial bias and whether it could be altered.

In the special Folkes conceded, “My compassion does have limitations, absolutely” before later finding a “middle-ground” with his fellow participants.  By the end of the episode he was hugging the Indigenous participant, Shakira.

He even told his fellow participants, “I can see things very differently because I’ve been exposed to different people, and in a totally different framework. It’s given me an opportunity to leave politics aside and think about something else that is real. It’s made me feel good.”

“I love you all and the experience I’ve had I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

3 Responses

  1. “Racism comes from both sides” looking like an anglo-australian I have never ever been racially vilified in my entire life…”show signs that acceptance of our country is not to their liking and they want to change it to suit themselves” isn’t that every religious (Hello Fred Nile) persons credo forever…

  2. We flicked over during the MKR ads and saw an experiment about people’s reactions to needles going in the skin of others, somehow reflecting their concern/indifference to pain suffered by people with different skin colour. It was an absoluete crock and the presenter’s agenda became very obvious.

  3. Racism comes from both sides. No one ever reports it when the boot is on the othe other foot. I love all people no matter where they are from, but I do draw the line at anyone, no matter who they are, or where they may come from, if I feel they maybe of any concern with violence, manipulative ways, or show signs that acceptance of our country is not to their liking and they want to change it to suit themselves. I am very wary of such notions. But over all the many cultures who are here help make Australia the diverse country she is. There will always be those in any country who don’t easily accept migrants if they feel their own way of life may be changed or threatened. The first reaction is to lash out verbally.

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