Why simply calling Hanson racist doesn't help

Some of the concerns are totally legitimate, e.g. feeling disenfranchised by the political system, or your example of the mine. It's definitely true that the disenfranchisement of the white working class has led to the rise of anti-immigrant sentiments, and that engaging in dialogue about why they feel disenfranchised is probably more productive than simply ignoring them.

That said, it doesn't mean that calling them racist is wrong. When people like Hanson complain about things like Australia being 'swamped by Asians', surely it's understandable why people might see that as racist? When it's a particular group of immigrants that's singled out, it comes off as more than just disliking immigration. We can have empathy for their concerns while also understanding that maybe their reaction to the concerns is rooted in fear of the other. When you target specific groups, no matter how many "you don't have to be white to be Australian" statements you make, you've still drawn a line of demarcation that's unnecessary.

/r/australia Thread Parent Link - abc.net.au