An Australian fashion brand that makes sports and casual wear have landed in hot water after one of their social media accounts started an online fight with an Aboriginal man over Australia Day.
The comments by Saint Morris Apparel were directed at an Instagram post made by Ngarrindjeri man Anthony Rabbs Wilson about the oppression of Aboriginal people ahead of Australia day last week.
“And the way we see it here is mojorirty [sic] of aboriginal community are alcoholics and drug abusers it’s plain and simple,” the brand’s official Instagram page commented.
The account then rambled incoherently about Aboriginal people needing to stop with the “bullshit” excuses.
They continued to argue back and forth with other Instagram users commenting on Mr Wilson’s Instagram post.
Source: Supplied: Anthony Rabbs Wilson
At one point the fashion brand referred to Aboriginal people as “your people” and claimed they had been free for “hundreds of years”.
“Nobody gives you anything you have to take it, your people have been free for hundreds of years how long does it take to get your act together what a bunch of bullshit for real. Rise up and stop looking for the easy way,” the brand’s official Instagram page continued.
The page also compared the discrimination faced by Indigenous Australians with that of other migrants like Italians.
"They (Aboriginal people) feel we owe something when we owe f*ck all. Italian immigrants and Europeans came to this country with nothing and recieved discrimination like you wouldn't believe."
Mr Wilson is a program manager working for Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience in South Australia.
The comments have been deleted Source: Supplied: Anthony Rabbs Wilson
He said he’s been noticing a lot of online racism directed at Aboriginal people.
“I am now officially fed up with ignorant and bullshit comments about Aboriginal people… As a proud Aboriginal man I am here to help educate the uneducated minds in our society on Aboriginal history,” Mr Wilson said.
The Ngarrindjeri man went on to describe the hardships Indigenous Australia has faced for hundreds of years and even spoke about the struggle his parents faced.
“Your ancestors were also allowed to vote in this country before mine, even though mine were here for 65,000 years beforehand and that didn't change until 27 MAY 1967 (only 50, going on 51 years ago) that is the year my parents were both born, finally my ancestors were considered Australian citizens in THEIR OWN country,” he wrote.
Other social media users have also hit out at the online brand.
Source: Supplied: Anthony Wilson
One Facebook user said it was "disgusting, ignorant and completely unprofessional behaviour" from the fashion brand.
NITV News has approached the company via social media and email for comment on the posts.
