Staring at Sudan

The issue of Sudanese immigrants and their apparent unwillingness to integrate with true-blue, dinky-di "Australians" has hit the headlines this week. Federal Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews has attributed at least part of the reason behind a cut in African immigrant numbers for 2007/2008 to the problem of those already here not adjusting into the "Australian way of life" quickly enough.

Now I would like to be able to write a thoroughly researched, well-reasoned and objective article about the plight of Sudanese refugees, the challenges they face, the problems that exist in their communities, how the situation is a microcosm of multi-culturalism itself, and the ugliness of race politics. I'd like to bandy the phrase "this year's Tampa" about in a meaningful way to ensure voters don't fall for scare tactics yet again at the upcoming federal election (or at least understand why they're falling for the scare tactics).

But really, that's just not the Girl Clumsy way. Instead, I give you two simple reasons why we should welcome Sudanese refugees to Australia with open arms.

Reason A:

THEY ARE BEING EXTERMINATED IN DARFUR IN ONE OF THE WORST GENOCIDES IN HISTORY, SO, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE KIND OF NICE IF WE AREN'T GOING TO BE MORE PROACTIVE ABOUT HELPING SHUT DOWN THE JANJAWID MILITIAS THEN BY CHRIST WE SHOULD ALLOW THOSE WHO ESCAPED BRUTAL TORTURE, RAPE AND/OR DEATH A HOME, HOPEFULLY FREE FROM THE TAUNTS OF A BUNCH OF IGNORANT REDNECK BASTARDS WHO HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT ANYTHING.

Ahem.

Reason B.

THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL.

It's shallow I know, but I have a growing obsession with the Sudanese, and West Africans in general. They are honest-to-goodness the most awesome examples of physical perfection I have ever encountered. I don't know any of them personally, of course. It's a sad indictment of my homogenous whitebread lifestyle that most people I know are basically like me.

Perhaps then a perceived "exoticism" is why I find myself staring in admiration every time I pass a Sudanese person. After all, I'm a podgy, round-faced, saggy-thighed, pasty-skinned doughy white chick. I'm about as exotic as Kraft Squeezy-Bottle Mayonnaise.

It's probably a good thing I don't know any Sudanese people. I'd look like a complete gawping idiot, unable to close my mouth or avert my gaze from their powerful beauty. I saw a news report about schools being set up in refugee camps in Chad, so young children could escape the horror of displacement and enjoy learning for a day a week. I wanted to adopt those children. I couldn't stop staring at them. They had such beautiful, hopeful, joyful faces - I just wanted to give them a cuddle, a glass of milk and a bedtime story. And I'm not maternal at all.

Now what I don't understand is why some Australians don't like West Africans coming to the country. After all, we're completely superficial and value good looks only slightly below sporting prowess. They're all bloody stunners, the whole lot of them. You could fill every runway at Fashion Week with Sudanese immigrants. Why are people trying to filter out these genes of gorgeousness?

My plea is for all Australians to look past the skin colour, and see the true beauty beneath. Beautiful people are beautiful people, no matter where they were born. By doing our bit to welcome the Sudanese and other West Africans to our country, we're doing our bit to make Australia - at the very least - just that little bit better-looking. And seriously guys, come on. Look at our federal leaders. Look at Kevin Andrews.

We need all the help we can get.