As we all know, I am an Australian.

I am also an Australian who used to live in the Sydney suburb of Cronulla, and who is reading the current news reports with absolute horror. In the past hour, I have seen the following ‘news’ passage reproduced on the websites of at least 10 ‘credible’ news sources:

“About 5,000 white men, many of them drunk, targeted people believed to be of Arab or Middle Eastern descent on Cronulla Beach on Sunday after rumors spread that Lebanese youths assaulted two lifeguards earlier this month”.

My first thought is where did this text originate ?. Nobody credits a source, and it’s little wonder, because it’s largely incorrect, and its source, I suspect, was motivated by a desire to inflate the situation. They succeeded.

From the (major Australian daily newspaper) The Sydney Morning Herald:

“There have been two attacks there since Sunday by groups of youths on three volunteer lifesavers and a media crew”.

Not quite so alarming as the other ‘report’, is it ?. That’s because it’s true.

And this from Ninemsn:

“About 60 police will be at Sydney's North Cronulla beach this weekend amid fears of violence between rival gangs. North Cronulla Beach, in Sydney's south, has been the scene of two incidents in the past week - an attack on two lifeguards reportedly by a gang of middle eastern youths on Sunday, and a brawl later in the week in which youth allegedly turned on a media crew.

As a result, a number of text messages began circulating among the Sutherland Shire community calling for vigilante responses to target unwelcome visitors to the popular tourist beach this Sunday”.

Also not quite so alarming. Also true.

And as for there being 5000 drunken mostly drunken white men ?. About 500 people were THERE. Not involved, but there, and even then only if you include all the young families, tourists and surfers who were enjoying a day at the beach and got stuck in the middle of it, my husbands’ brother amongst them.

I abhor racial violence. I have no idea why the lifeguards were attacked, and I refuse to pass judgement on Australias Lebanese population, who are largely community minded and law abiding citizens whose presence contributes to the rich cultural mix of our country.

All I am saying is that this awful ‘story’ currently circulating the globe made me realise that even journalists believe everything they read now.

This horrible occurrence has since escalated into a major racial conflict in Sydney, and I can’t help but feel some hate myself ... but it’s directed towards the scare mongerers who thrive on instability and the opportunities for hatred it presents.