Comments on: Stolen Generations

By: digitalcntrl

digitalcntrl — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 19:28:38 +0000

@DI

“I’m sorry to sound so harsh, but how the hell do you think “social problems” will be rectified and addressed without money? Out of thin air? “Political will” is symbolic; you need resources to give body to “political will.”

I would disagree with the both of you. Unfortunately the only people who can uplit native americans/aboriginals are native americans/aboriginals even if it was not they who created the problem. You look at native americans in this country despite free college education most do not attend college. Most native american tribes operate casinos at substantial profit yet most of the tribes still live in abject poverty. Fundamentally it has to do with a lack of confidence in their socities, something purely in their pysche.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:28:53 +0000

Should have googled first, it is indeed all over the place, like a rash.

Steve, if you can’t even be bothered to compose your own bigoted idiocies, you’re in the wrong place.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:18:45 +0000

‘…or is is just me?’

Hope not!

Steve’s post struck me as cut and paste job from somewhere ugly.

By: Katy Newton

Katy Newton — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 17:48:46 +0000

Funny how the people who complain about the idea of indigenous Australians and native Americans getting compensation for the way their societies were shat on and their children stolen are the same ones who think that anyone who comes to this country should respect our culture and be grateful for our hospitality. Anyone else spotting the glaring inconsistency here, or is is just me?

By: Katherine

Katherine — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:55:03 +0000

Steve’s post, apart from being outrageously hateful racism is also complete steaming horse-shit. As John Quiggin said over on Crooked Timber just a few hours ago: “It’s well known among those who’ve actually studied the subject that expenditure for services to aboriginal communities is less than for white communities with comparable difficulties.”

The stupid, racist Australian Liberal politicians who circulated this vile screed have been made to look as stupid as they obviously are.

By: Meanwhile, back at the school: Carnival! « Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub

Meanwhile, back at the school: Carnival! « Millard Fillmore’s Bathtub — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 14:34:45 +0000

[...] ten from the Americas. Geography and history teachers might be particularly interested in a post at Pickled Politics on whether Australia’s government will follow up with real action following their official [...]

By: alan

alan — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:18:57 +0000

I too don’t believe in gesture politics, but the bottom line is that Australia can easily afford to make life a little easier for the aborigines.

As Australians used to enjoy saying to the British – stop whinging.

By: alan

alan — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:14:07 +0000

Steve,

If aliens turned up and took over this planet but decided to tolerate us as long we learned their language and adhered to their customs then I think it would take us some time to appreciate the fruits of progress and accept our new role.

A more down to earth example would be WWII – If the Japanese had won and taken over – how long would Australians have resisted ? Would you have had the good sense to become a docile subject race, worship the emperor and have your women offering ‘comfort’ to the invaders?

By: Desi Italiana

Desi Italiana — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:51:48 +0000

Sofia:

“I don’t know if compensation is the way forward. There needs to be real political will to help sort out the social problems caused by longterm racist policies.”

I’m sorry to sound so harsh, but how the hell do you think “social problems” will be rectified and addressed without money? Out of thin air? “Political will” is symbolic; you need resources to give body to “political will.”

By: Desi Italiana

Desi Italiana — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:49:31 +0000

Why is it that every time the issue of indigenous peoples come up, compensation is the main focus? The Australians I knew were really assailed about the reparations/compensation factor, and this was the argument against any potential governmental move that attempted to help/improve the Aborigines’ conditions. Why is that such a big deal? Is it because it’s too hard to think about other issues? Is the compensation part the easiest strawman to shoot at?

And it’s not like you are forking over 50% of your paycheck.

By: The Dude

The Dude — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:34:02 +0000

Steve

I’d rethink your last paragraph if I were you. White Austrialians would loss everything if your last paragraph came to pass. Steve….on second thoughts are you in fact a member of the first Austrialians?

By: Sid

Sid — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:39:27 +0000

Tom Clark, glad to hear there will be broader policies by the Rudd government to help Aborigines in general. But to be precise, my last paragraph is in relation to compensating the many thousands of Aborigine families who were the victims of forced separartion of children from their families in order to “breed them out”. This practise went gone for the better part of the last hundred years. No compensation is forthcoming to these people.

By: Sofia

Sofia — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:31:01 +0000

I don’t know if compensation is the way forward. There needs to be real political will to help sort out the social problems caused by longterm racist policies.

We can scoff at this current “gesture” but has the Queen apologised for Britain’s role in India (jalianwalah bagh)…

By: Tom Clark

Tom Clark — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:29:35 +0000

Sid’s original comment piece understandably addresses the question of compensation, but it overboils the egg by claiming there would be no practical follow-through on the apology:

“Will there be any real policies to back up the formal apology? Unfortunately not.”

As it happened, Rudd announced important new policy in housing and in early childhood education, with quite serious resource implications.

By: Desi Italiana

Desi Italiana — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 08:29:40 +0000

Comments #9 and #14 only illustrate what a big freaking deal it must be for Australians to even come close to thinking that something effed up was done to the Aborigines.

By: JayDub

JayDub — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:44:43 +0000

Lots of talk ABOUT Aboriginal people on this website. I can’t seem to find any of you who actually asked them what they think about this. For starters, look at http://www.abc.net.au/ballarat/stories/s2161178.htm and http://www.abc.net.au/ballarat/stories/s2160242.htm for starters. It’s not about compensation. It’s not about making whitefolk feel better about themselves. Lots of media assumptions that Aboriginal people only live in the ‘outback’… not the cities and suburbs. Yeah, we’ve seen the racist emails and txts about the ‘real apology’… the thing is, my feeling is the country has turned a corner. All the Aboriginal people of the Stolen Generations I spoke to emphasised this was about allowing them to get closure on a terrible chapter and to move on. And the white folk? We feel less of that ‘whispering in our hearts’ and more that we have the right to forge a new destiny free of the hangover of the old colonialists.

The old nasty race-warriors/race-baiters/race-haters?

Those mob just look old and busted. Beta-videos in a Youtube world. We’re moving on – and growing up.

By: pmoff

pmoff — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:02:04 +0000

STEVE! Man, you sound traumatised over the money we ‘give’ indigenous australians.Look at it like this maybe: gross national revenues are about $370 billion, we give $4b ‘away’ to aborigines. it’s still cheap rent. Flip it around abit and personalise it some: that big flat with ocean views you might be renting should cost you $370/week, but you’re only paying $4. Bargain.

By: flygirl

flygirl — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:55:42 +0000

Indeed, Red Scot, but State governments, many of whom apologised years ago, may be liable (and indeed some will pay) compensation.

By: RedScot

RedScot — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:46:04 +0000

When Sid states that the Rudd government has ruled out compensation for the members of the Stolen Generation he is strictly speaking accurate – no payments will be made to individuals (tho’ there are cases of individuals successfully suing thru the courts and Tasmania has a compensation fund). However, the government has promised to substantially increase funding for the needs of all the Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Funds to spent on housing, health and education in order to overcome the terrible poverty and neglect suffered for so long.

By: flygirl

flygirl — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:31:08 +0000

This coincides with a number of things: the _Little Children are Sacred_ report tabled last yeat, the subsequent “Intervention” and the change of government. It is to be hoped that indigenous issues will now remain in the forefront of public consciousness, rather than something to have a whinge or hair tearing session about every few years.