• Wrench@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 year ago

    The zero tolerance thing came from a taxi driver, so definitely taken with a grain of salt. I think he implied that run ins with the police had a high likelihood of resulting in deportation, which I think was via termination of a work visa. He was an immigrant himself, so I don’t know if that’s just his consumption of some iffy media.

    But I will push back that it’s not just an “American racism is well known” thing. Maybe their comfort in bringing it up to a stranger, but I had many conversations with the overarching theme of “there’s a job crisis in Australia, and immigrants are causing problems, both because they’re taking jobs, and because they’re causing tensions”

    I remember one claim that Kiwis were frequently rough and rowdy, which I found hilarious given their representation in media. But I guess blue collar migrant workers anywhere can be a little rough around the edges.

      • Wrench@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I’ve never heard kiwis being described as rough and rowdy (or rough and ready, as we say here). We do give them a bit of shit because they talk funny but that goes both ways.

        Yeah, all I could picture was Jermaine and Bret trying to act like street toughs.