Luke Smith

#OTT

[Liam Gallagher @liamgallagher]

The guns have fallen silent.
The stars have aligned.
The great wait is over.
Come see.
It will not be televised.

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

HE IS NOT HUMAN!

[Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 @DrewPavlou]

I feel despair this Australia Day.

The extreme-right tell me I will never belong in Australia because I am a “wog.” While the extreme-left call me an invader and a “settler colonist.” Both tell me I don’t belong.

I have long found it difficult to find a place for myself as an Australian. I was a sensitive kid and when I was young I got picked on at school for being a “wog.” People would laugh about my eyebrows, nose, the fact that I was hairy.

Obviously I present to people as white so I know a lot of other kids from migrant backgrounds get it much worse.
But I didn’t look like the fair haired Anglo kids so I sometimes got picked on. I know it may seem like kiddie stuff but this kind of thing has a big impact on you when you are a young sensitive kid.

My response to that as a very young kid was to decide that I would embrace my Australian identity over my Greek identity. So I decided I didn’t want to go to Greek school, didn’t want to learn Greek dancing, didn’t want to be a “wog.”

I decided that I would be an Australian. I learned bush poetry, became obsessed with Ned Kelly, learned to love the slang and the mountains and the rivers and the plains that make up Australia. I decided - this is my home, these are my people, this is where I belong. This is who I am as a person.

Now, extremists on the far-left march in the street burning the flag and chanting “Abolish Australia.” How am I supposed to feel? I often feel like I left the Greek side of myself behind as a kid. Now it’s like they want me to abandon the part I have left - my belief in Australia. And what then? You are just left alone in the world. That’s how it feels. That’s why I get alienated from this stuff.

The Invasion Day marches are led by Indigenous Australians and honestly it is very fair for Indigenous Australians to mark January 26 as a day of mourning. They were the ones directly impacted.

But I noticed a sad irony in that most of the people attacking me for making an Australia Day post were actually just privileged Anglo Australian kids I knew from my time at uni. Blonde hair and blue eyes. These people never had to struggle with their identity and where they fit in the world. They were Australian from birth so it’s easy for them to reject something they never aspired for.

When you are a migrant and you invest so much into becoming Australian, it’s different. Your relationship to Australian identity is far more complex and meaningful. Because you know that often times your parents and grandparents made absolutely extraordinary sacrifices so that you could grow up in this country. My papou and yiayia worked 100 hour weeks, they slaved away to build a life for me. Feels like a betrayal against them to simply reject the dream they fought so hard for.

[VicEmergency @vicemergency]

Shark Hazard - Advice for Sorrento Pier. You should Stay Informed. For more info: https://t.co/SpNTL42FL8

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@AshleyLeahy Great point - but perhaps the 26th Jan can focus as a celebration of the multicultural society that Australia has now become? Save the ‘seething’ for Kings Birthday weekend and create a day for celebrating the indigenous custodians

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@skinnyluke 🤯

[AdTechGod @AdtechGod]

Dealing with two kids who’ve been fighting all day.

Finally stepped out for some fun at the grocery store.

[Stoney @Stonem23]

This is greatness BANG

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

PREMIERS! 🏆🖤🤍

WE MADE IT SIXTEEN

[Stoney @Stonem23]

Me this week 😆😆

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@IncrediblyBozza @SDWilko

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

Go pies!!

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

We are ready.

Tonight, our campaign begins! 😤

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@iwheeler Good luck mate!!

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

Even the PM is impressed with the audience… what a game

[Anthony Albanese @AlboMP]

Nearly half of Australia was watching @TheMatildas last night. A moment we will all remember.

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

We are excited to announce the Daicos legacy will continue with brothers Josh and Nick each committing to the Club for at least six more years!

Details ✍️

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

WE REFUSE TO GIVE UP.

SIDE BY SIDE WE STICK TOGETHER 🖤🤍

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@CollingwoodFC 💪

[Collingwood FC @CollingwoodFC]

Not a bad afternoon for the Daicos brothers 🤝

[Luke Smith @Lukeasmith00]

@iwheeler @7AFL @TwitterSportsAU For a scrappy match - it was beautiful to watch