Australian activists and journalists launched a broad campaign of support for their fellow Australian presenter of colored race, Stan Grant, after he announced that he would step down for some time from presenting his program on the Australian “ABC” channel, due to the racism he was subjected to.
Grant, presenter of the “Q & A” program (Q + A) on the channel, faced hateful and racist messages and threats against him and his family, in addition to continuous complaints that were reaching the channel against the backdrop of his comment on the coronation of King Charles in early May, in which he referred To the mistakes of British colonialism against his race, the indigenous Australian population.
In a statement on ABC on May 19, Grant announced his decision, titled, “I’ve been a media target of racism for years, and I’ve paid a heavy price. Right now, I don’t want any of this… I’m going away.”
In his statement, he asserted that the Crown represented the “invasion and theft” of Indigenous Australians’ lands and the slaughter and oppression of its people.
decision and influence
Last Monday, at the end of his television show, Grant said he had decided to take a break from media and cyberspace, addressing his audience in a poignant message: “To those who have wronged me and my family, I would just like to say: If your aim is to harm me, well, you succeeded.”
Grant confirmed that despite the abuse he received for his comments and because of his ethnicity, he said, “I will rise again, and you can attack me again, and I will meet you with the love that my people have. My people can teach the world to love.”
Grant accused ABC’s management of an “institutional failure,” saying the media organization had not publicly defended him amid a storm of racial abuse.
In response, ABC Media managing director David Anderson apologized to journalist Stan Grant in an email to the network’s staff.
“Stan has our full support. He has always had our full support. Stan makes an enormous contribution to conversations of national importance,” Anderson wrote.
On the media attack on Stan and other Indigenous Australian broadcasters, Anderson said it was important how ABC supported people in these moments, and Stan Grant said he did not feel public support. And for that I apologize to Stan.
Solidarity and support
For their part, ABC employees gathered in front of their workplace in the Australian capital, Sydney, last Monday, to express their support for their colleague, and the hashtag #IStandWithStan appeared on social media platforms.
At the ABC, standing in solidarity with Stan. #istandwithstan pic.twitter.com/eOh0PqtMWJ
— Nessa Turnbull-Roberts (@TurnbullVanessa) May 22, 2023
Writer Sahar Adisha tweeted, “History will remember this moment. The moment when Stan Grant, with passion as clear as his pain, spoke about the realities of Australia, and faced racism with courage, strength, love and gratitude.”
“Sometimes strength is knowing when to say stop.”
History will remember this moment. A moment when Stan Grant, his passion as palpable as his pain, spoke poignant truths to Australia & bravely faced his racism with power, love & grace. solidarity. #QandA #IStandWithStan #auspol pic.twitter.com/fVjUVvZ9GE
– Sahar Adatia (@sahar_adatia) May 22, 2023
“Stan Grant speaks for the many journalists of color who can’t. That’s why he bears the brunt of abuse from all angles… There are inherent issues that need to be addressed,” said rights advocate and researcher Maryam Vizadeh.
Stan Grant speaks on behalf of many journalists of color who cannot
And for that, he bears the brunt of abuse from all angles
This is literally why @MediaDiverseAU was founded & continues to exist today
There are deeply entrenched issues that need addressing#istandwithstan
– Mariam Veiszadeh (@MariamVeiszadeh) May 19, 2023