Horrible Histories Series 6, Awesome Alfred the Great

https://iview.abc.net.au/video/ZW0381A002S00

If you are disgusted with the culturally inappropriate and insensitive content presented in the 'Horrible Histories' series 6, please stand up to SAY NO and BOYCOTT to this horrible taste TV program. The TV content showed NO RESPECT to diverse culture and filled with racial prejudice and discrimination. 

After having watched the episode mentioned above – 'Horrible Histories – Series 6, Awesome Alfred the Great', the content makes us feel very uncomfortable and unsettling. We have also conducted a brief investigation amongst our local community; the majority has expressed serious concerns and worries.

Given the contents provided including inaccurate historical information and culturally inappropriate, out of date cultural understanding, as well as the poor taste in so-called "British humour", it seems to be stereotyping all Chinese, and labelling ALL Chinese with the same prejudice and labels, and thus causing anguish, providing further ammunition for racists, denigrating people, over-simplifying a culture and creating false narratives about a big group of Chinese people.

 Below are some of the examples and a few important points for your reference:

 1) during the episode, they EDUCATED children audience that Chinese like eating unusual creatures such as cockroaches and rats as a normal food, which is NOT TRUE, and it's a FAKE FACT.

 2) they also labelled the map and history said the history happened in China. However, China and Ancient China (especially in Tang dynasty) are TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS and represent two different countries in history and geographical perspective. For instance, Rome and Ancient Rome are two different concepts and represent two different geographical territories in a historical and geographical perspective. And same as Modern Australia and Ancient Australia. In a historical perspective, they were only Indigenous Australians living in the land, and they had different territories and language. But now modern Australia has residents from cultural diversity backgrounds including British, European and Asian migrants.

3) the 'Horrible Histories' presented culturally insensitive and inappropriate behaviours while educating children audience about Ancient Chinese history. Insects such as hornet larvae and ants remain an ancient food in many cultures across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and also in Indigenous cultures. The two British actors presented disgusted and vomited behaviours towards eating unusual creatures such as insects, which are culturally inappropriate and insensitive. Furthermore, the two British actors behaviours demonstrated entirely disrespectful for many ancient cultural dietary practices such as Africa, Asia, Latin America, as well as Indigenous cultures. 

This is completely WRONG and UNACCEPTABLE! 

Especially the TV program is educating WRONG behaviours and teaching FAKE histories to our young Australian generations WITHOUT RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOURS towards cross-cultural. It further encourages racial prejudice and racism behaviours. 

Well done ABC! You presented 'Horrible Histories – Series 6, Awesome Alfred the Great' to our young children audience with typically racist social norms. You successfully demonstrated an excellent example of British colonialism with white supremacy WITHOUT ANY RESPECTFUL BEHAVIOURS TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY! 

Importantly, it appears to suggest the episode was made in 2009. And we do not believe that the out-of-date TV program has good cultural sensitivity and culturally appropriate content in modern 2020. ABC should be aware that the political landscape and humanism have changed massively both worldwide and domestically. In our view that it is no longer appropriate to present our children with this culturally inappropriate and poor educational quality TV program. Because the TV program can escalate racial prejudice, discrimination, and it may even increase the risk of school bullies. The 'Horrible Histories – Series 6, Awesome Alfred the Great' that contains UNTRUE historical information is polluting our next generation. The TV program is teaching our young generation that IT'S OKAY TO SHOW DISRESPECTFUL BEHAVIOURS to culturally diverse histories. Likewise, the TV presented culturally inappropriate behaviours might further lead to unintended consequences such as school bullies, racial prejudice and discrimination. 

This TV series brings huge negative emotions to the Australian community. Because if ABC continuously and publicly displaying such culturally inappropriate content, it is likely to mislead the young children audience with WRONG information. Putting things into perspective, if ABC and the other media providers allowing this type of culturally inappropriate TV contents to continue, we are very concerned that Australia may go back to the days where the disaster memories include the burning of homes and businesses, as well as racially motivated attacks and some murders. It also reminds us that it just like how the British colonisation and white supremacy brought to Australia WITHOUT ANY RESPECT to culturally diverse Indigenous Culture.

 Considering that it is the 21st century, a lot of comments and so-called 'history' are NOT facts and NOT the FULL PICTURE of Ancient Chinese history in the episode. And that being a public media, ABC Me (including ABC) should take responsibility for what they published publicly. Especially when you are presenting an educational children TV program to our young Australian children audience who are unable to differentiate the 'fake facts'. Moreover, sometimes the children audience may watch the ABC Me TV program without parents accompanying aside while they may be busy doing house chores in the evening. Therefore, we earnestly ask that you support our petition and BOYCOTT this low educational quality and culturally insensitive TV program, also ask that ABC Me stops airing the episodes/series, and ABC Me issues a public apology for their oversight as they presented such bad educational quality children TV program and polluted our young generation with FAKE FACTS, filled with racial prejudice and encouraged racial discrimination. 

We really appreciate your support to take this to the next level! Thanks in advance.

 Kind regards,

 Fair GO SA Inc.