General Chat

Joanie,Perhaps its because their way of life has been destroyed!
These are the true Australians,the same as the American Indians are the true Americans.
If you think about it these native people lived simple uncomplicated lives before"the white Man" with "the white man" came all the things that they were not use to.
Alcohol being one of them.

Roxanne - where are the true English/Irish/Welsh/Scots - no pure bloodlines anywhere and even more so since our doors are now ever open.

Seems like empty words to me.

Where do you stop with this........ Italy apologising for the behaviour of the Holy Roman Empire?
xx

As I said originally Muffy - one cannot go back or apologise for what happened many years/centuries ago - but go forward - hopefully enlightened.

Anyone wondering about the history of this policy should rent the movie "The Rabbit Proof Fence"
It is a story of 3 young aboriginal girls stolen by this policy in 1931.
It is a brilliant film but be warned it is a tearjearker.
The thing people shoulsd also be aware of is this policy ran well into our lifetimes at least the 1970s perhaps even later
Regards Tania

True,Chris See my original post.

Britain has always been Invaded, We are a nation of mongrels.

I was trying to think of the title of the film "Rabbit Proof Fence". When I saw it I had little idea of what had been going on. I was shocked and appalled to know that children were forcibly removed from their parents and it was still going on in 1972. I just do not understand why man wants to dominate another. A lack of self love maybe? To truly love others we must first love ourselves. When we love ourselves then we are content and at peace within, and then that love overflows and reaches out to all we come in contact with. "Coal Miner´s Daughter" says it all.

I never realised about the poor Aboriginal families torn apart the way the were.

Has anybody watched The Rabbit-proof Fence? What a powerful film. It came to my attention because me and OH are fans of Peter Gabriel and he wrote a lot of the music to the film. It really does open your eyes to the things that go on in this world sometimes unnoticed.

An apology is way, way overdue and hugely inadequate. At least it's there.

Lyn x

Joanie and jackie what you wrote is true.
Well it was the english that gave them the alcohol in the first place. Let it be known alot aboriginal communities are "dry" community and others are trying to change and save their communities.

Yes its time we all move forward.

Will be interested to see how long they start putting their hand out for monetary compensation now, good one Mr PM, you have opened up a Pandora's box
Shaz

Roxanne you are right - the white man gave them all the things that have corrupted their lives such as alcohol and now it complains they abuse that!!!

Sadly some Australians forget that they are not native inhabitants and therefore their way of life isn't what should be forced on Arboriginy (sp???) tribes!

And I know this is not specific to Australia..... the white man has done it to many countries..... its about time we looked at the damage we cause!!

No-One holds a gun to their heads and says ...go buy alcohol and drink it, its about time they started to face up to their actions

Sharyn

It is not just the white man who has desvtroyed countires - what about the Middle and Far East who with their potions and beliefs have assisted to help to eradicate the siberian tiger, rhinos, etc etc. and many more. Am not condoning the slave trade (which everyone attributes to West Indies and USA) this existed centuries before especially from the North and East coasts of Africa - the Romans had black slaves. Again I say this to illustrate that throughout history there have been atrocities and we cannot go back but go forward hopefully with enlightened views.

Sharyn

Its not just the Abbo's that have drink problems.... alcohol affects many different countries and I can lay money on it that Australia has as many white drunks as it does Abbo ones!!

And lets be honest until you walk in their shoes, you have no idea what made them drink in the first place!! Maybe that drunk you have sneered at has had his/her whole family destroyed by what was classed as a "better life for some"

Diana

This type of arguement runs and runs and the only right answer is that we all learn from mans past inhumanities to man.

As a 'British' person living in Ireland I see things every day. In college the other day we talked about culture. Most of the Irish people in the class defined British culture as staunchly Protestestant, the monarchy, colonialism, overbearing and opinionated, proud and domineering. I dont feel that Britain is that way but I do understand why after years of being part of the Britsh empire they might feel that way. Funny thing is, despite spending my childhood in the UK, I never thought of myself as British. We were raised Irish Catholic for the most part and ingrained in us was the fact we 'came home' to Ireland every summer!

To me we could spend life times apologising for past unhumanites but it will not magically solve the damage that has been done. Sadly in the past communities asserting themselves over others was the unfortunate 'norm'. In fact this whole ideology continues today but we are brainwashed into thinking we are protecting ourselves. ie Iraq and Afganistan, amongst many others.

I would just like for us all to start from here maybe and be humane to each other. To then spread this to the wider community and maybe it will continue like a virus but a very pleasant virus!!

love T.x

Tony,

Was wondering myself whether the term 'abbo' was correct. Glad to see my suspicions were correct.

Most people dont realise though when they are saying something that might be insulting. I used to say coloured instead of black. A lovely lady many years ago told me that she was very proudly black, not coloured.

I also used to be very wary of saying things like 'taking the mick' when I first came over here as to me it was a phrase used in a derogatory way about ''thick'' Irish people. The whole class nearly collapsed when I said that, most Irish people say are you taking the mick becasue a mickey is a penis and you wee out of that!!

Never knew that thing about the camera though, that makes sense. You live and learn, isnt thats what it should be about!?

love T.x

Hi Pink,
Thats right, its not just the aborigines that drink, but these people dont even attempt to control their habit
Going up north a few years ago, I was disgusted and appalled at the way that our aborigines behaved, and I might add, the state that they left the towns beautiful park in, and being a little naive at a young age, and watching the way that a white shopkeeper treated an aboriginial lady, I soon learnt to mind my own business and keep my mouth shut regarding them

I am all for the ones that are trying to make a better life for themselves, but with me and thousands like me who have worked hard and saved to give myself a comfortable life, I think with a little effort on their behalf, they could also be proud of their achievments, but sadly, the majority of them have the attitude that, Hey, white man, you owe me so I will continue living this way whilst you keep me accustomed to my way of living until I die
I only wish that the government would glady meet out to me every month a cheque for lolling around the streets doing nothing, and until you live and actually see their way of living, please dont assume that I dont like them, because i have worked with a few young aboriginal girls who are quite smart, also please do not call them abbos, as it is very derogatory to them

On that note, my husband who has worked since the age of 16 and a half, has just been told that he no longer has a job to go and seeing that we are nearly 60 and have put super away for the past 30yrs, we are not entitled to any government handouts, but have to fend for ourselves, so yes I do tend to get a little peeved
Shaz

Coincidentally, I was reading a novel a few days ago and part of it was set in one of the penal colonies in Australia. It included some aboriginal people who had had to move away because of the brutality of the Prison Governor.
Was a compelling read tho, altho I skipped the pages with real brutality written, I can't bear anything like that.
Lizx

Shaz, you say, If I may quote you.


"That's right, its not just the aborigines that drink, but these people don't even attempt to control their habit
Going up north a few years ago, I was disgusted and appalled at the way that our aborigines behaved, and I might add, the state that they left the towns beautiful park in, and being a little naive at a young age, and watching the way that a white shopkeeper treated an aboriginal lady, I soon learnt to mind my own business and keep my mouth shut regarding them"

Are you saying that all Aborigines are lazy and dirty??
Don't you think this is rather cruel, and totally unjust!

Its rather like saying all white,anglo Saxon's are decent honest people,or that all Muslim's are terrorist.

its false and dangerous talk!

I stand corrected on my abbreviation and apologise if anyone thought I was being insulting!

I think there are arguments for and against all behaviours.

xx