University forum slams racist professor

SYDNEY — On August 5, 300 people attended a forum at Macquarie University to discuss the university's decision to ban racist academic Andrew Fraser from teaching his classes in the public law department.

Speakers from several university departments, including law, anthropology, cultural studies and media studies roundly condemned Fraser, and many speakers from the audience suggested that the university should take stronger action against him in the light of his recent racist statements in the press and on TV.

As well as students, the audience included representatives of Sydney's Sudanese community — who have been the target of some of Fraser's remarks — and representatives from the African Community Council. Many of the statements from the Sudanese and African speakers were greeted with loud applause from the audience. Fraser himself spoke briefly at the forum, and was booed and jeered when he accused the panel of academics of being "disconnected from mainstream white Australia".

Alex Miller

From Green Left Weekly, August 10, 2005.

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From GLW issue 637