I try to avoid being cynical, but I find myself disagreeing with that. It is hard to faithfully believe such a claim, when you remember that the very first piece of legislation passed by the Australian government upon Federation was the White Australia Policy, an essentially racist instrument to keep anyone who was not English out.

In a more contemporary context, no one needs to look far to realise the problems with immigration law. Australia has detention centres. The significance of this is quite substantial. The fact such places exist violate innumerable, fundamental human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Say what you might about the actual existence of such rights, but Australia, being a member of the UN, should uphold these rights as part of their membership.

The hypocrisy exhibited by our government, and from many others is so troubling. It is not right, and it is not just to have people arbitrarily detained and then deported. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement between borders. But if even the government is unwillingly to help these illegal migrants, than who will?

Therefore it is incumbent upon legal education to raise these issues of racism within the learning law students in the hope that we will, if not work in immigration law, be able to sympathise with illegal migrants. Personally, I know it’s a touchy issue, but I want to learn about racism. I want to know how deep it seeps into our society and I don’t want to be okay with it. I don’t want to be someone who hears the news and goes “oh yeah, the boat people” and then continue to eat my dinner as if nothing happened because such people have nothing to do with me.

I cannot preach to fight the world’s apathy when I myself label and generalise to legitimise my nonchalance attitude towards other’s plights. I understand that I might not be able to do anything physically, but at the end of the day, I do not wish to let them escape my prayers.

I’ve just deleted all the previous posts, because, of course, after growing two years in maturity and faith (some would even contest that), my views of the world have changed so much.

I’ve always found it disturbing how each year I think I’ve matured emotionally and mentally to such a grander standard than the previous year. But one year on, when I look back, I realise just how foolish I’ve been. It’s a distressing, perpetual cycle, but one day, I hope all my thoughts will just settle.