Invasion Day

[Matabele]

Thoughts on Lee Kernaghan as Australian of the year?

 

[Fluffy]

having not been exposed to much of his work its hard to say whether he deserves it. I will say the reasons for it are right at least.

I would imagine you would know a lot more of what his fundraising is really worth and how much effort is there.

 

[Canteen Worker]

I am not sure what I think about Australian of the Year but if you have to have the award it is better to give it to someone who contributes to some good causes rather than a sportsman or politician.

I noted the Aboriginal flag flying today at NSW parliament house btw!!

 

[Matabele]

Don't know much about Kernaghan's fundraising work to be honest. And I'm no fan of banjos and country music.  I've had a bit to do with Colin Buchannan and he speaks very highly of Kernaghan though. 

 

[byso]

200 years ago???????  There were massacres in the 1930s boys.  You don't know your own history.

And what do you say about the literacy and life expectancy of the indigenous people even today?

Not short enough.

 

[Fro]

you are an idiot, even if it was meant to be a joke

 

[Matabele]

you are an idiot, even if it was meant to be a joke

  I second the motion.

 

[Nutzcraw]

I third it

 

[Matabele]

Not often you get Fro/Nutz/Mata agreeing on something.

 

[Fro]

Byso, Bringing people together

Sounds like a hallmark card.

I often agree with Nutz, and occasionaly even with you Matas, must just be you 2 qlders that have issues

 

[byso]

SORRY

 

[Matabele]

SORRY

  dickhead

 

[byso]

Diddums

 

[ManlyBacker]

The post by Mata linking our treatment of Aborigines as a form of apartheid got a few upset (me included). However, there was something in the SMH in the last few days that made me read it more than once.

It was claimed that there are 24,000 people in Australian prisons and almost ONE QUARTER of them are indigenous Australians (who only make up 3% of the population).

That is pretty hard to come to grips with.

 

[Canteen Worker]

There is a lot about Aboriginal health, life expectancy, prospects etc that is nothing to be proud of. I am fully in support of the apology to the Aboriginal people though the whole issue of 'invasion', 'stolen generation' etc is not as simple and black and white (no pun intended) as some present it to be.

I can tell you stories of people who well meaningly adopted aboriginal girls as young as 5 as their older sisters were impacted by incest and mistreatment from the early primary years. Obviously there are also stories of white men abusing black girls and using them almost as concubines etc (all horrid stuff). Some intervention was well intentioned but wrong whilst other stuff was just ghastly.

We need to work out a way ahead, though it will take a brave Government and a lot of people working together to make a real difference. (Here endeth the sermon)

 

[Garts]

My wifes uncle was part of the stolen generation, he was taken away given a good education and ended up with a great job paying 6 figures as a result.  He has no issue with what happened to himself. 

I have no doubt not all stories are like this however you only ever hear the negatives.  As far as the government saying sorry, I dont really care either way.

 

[Matabele]

I can tell you stories of people who well meaningly adopted aboriginal girls as young as 5 as their older sisters were impacted by incest and mistreatment from the early primary years.

We adopted 3 black children and kept them at our house during the height of the civil war when it was illegal for them to be living in our suburb.

This however does not stop some here trying to paint my tribe as a nation of bigots and colonial abusers, despite the fact that my tribe can't be accused of a wholesale genocide of our indigenous people as your can.

Bring on the apology, but I think we all know it will stop well short of the mark....... 

 

[Matabele]

The post by Mata linking our treatment of Aborigines as a form of apartheid got a few upset (me included). However, there was something in the SMH in the last few days that made me read it more than once.

It was claimed that there are 24,000 people in Australian prisons and almost ONE QUARTER of them are indigenous Australians (who only make up 3% of the population).

That is pretty hard to come to grips with.

White people are so scared of black people.
They bulldoze out to the country, and put up houses on little loop-d-loop streets.
And while America gets its heart cut right out of its chest
The Berlin wall still runs down main street separating east side from west.
And nothing is stirring, not even a mouse, in the boarded up stores and the broken down houses
So they hang colorful banners off all the street lamps
Just to prove they got no manners, no mercy, and no sense.
And I wonder then what it will take for my city to rise.
First we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes.
The ghost of old buildings are haunting parking lots in the city of good neighbors that history forgot.
I remember the first time I saw someone lying on the cold street
I thought, "I can't just walk past you, this can't just be true."
But I learned by example to just keep moving my feet.
It's amazing the things that we all learn to do.
So we're led by denial like lambs to the slaughter
Serving empires of style and carbonated sugar water and the old farmroad's a four-lane
That leads to the mall and my dreams are all guillotines waiting to fall
And I wonder then what it will take for my country to rise.
First we admit our mistakes and then we open our eyes.
'til nation's last taker succumbs to one last dumb decision
And America the beautiful is just one big subdivision.

Ani Difranco