Comments on: Apologies… http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/ Header images in 39 flavors! Thu, 17 May 2012 23:40:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Sueblimely http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/comment-page-1/#comment-1404 Sueblimely Sun, 17 Feb 2008 02:50:59 +0000 http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/#comment-1404 I think there is a similarity between the slaves and our Aussie indigenous population. I wholeheartedly agree with the apology but think this may open a whole can of worms as far as blanket wide scale reparation claims are concerned. Many children of the "Stolen Generation" should not have been removed from their families for sure but some that were removed did lead happy productive lives and do not regret it, although they did probably miss out on learning of their rich culture and heritage which is sad. Rather than concentrating on these children alone, we should perhaps be looking at the harm that was done to the indigenous population as a whole by imposing a foreign way of life on them and trying very hard to correct the problems this has caused. I think there is a similarity between the slaves and our Aussie indigenous population. I wholeheartedly agree with the apology but think this may open a whole can of worms as far as blanket wide scale reparation claims are concerned. Many children of the “Stolen Generation” should not have been removed from their families for sure but some that were removed did lead happy productive lives and do not regret it, although they did probably miss out on learning of their rich culture and heritage which is sad. Rather than concentrating on these children alone, we should perhaps be looking at the harm that was done to the indigenous population as a whole by imposing a foreign way of life on them and trying very hard to correct the problems this has caused.

]]> By: cerebralmum http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/comment-page-1/#comment-1396 cerebralmum Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:33:40 +0000 http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/#comment-1396 In terms of your "apples and oranges", I think there are probably more comparisons to be made between Native Americans and Indigenous Australians. However, Australians did practise forms of slavery similar to yours, including the, er.. "importation of labour". Tens of 1000s were press-ganged from the Pacific Islands, as well as local natives, to work the cane fields in Queensland. (Which is one of the many reasons we southerners occasionally refer to that state as the "Deep North".) We called it "Blackbirding", if you want to find out more about it. And I agree that it does become more complicated when history's wrongs were perpetrated by private individuals rather than at the behest of the Government. However, there is a fairly long history of laws enacted in the US which continued the practise so perhaps, leaving aside the question of reparations (as we did), an official apology wouldn't go astray. Even though the last of your slaves have died, segregation etc is still well within living memory. The Voting Rights Act, for example, was only passed in '65. Anyway, these are just my random first thoughts. There is no clear answer, no matter how much you think about it. In terms of your “apples and oranges”, I think there are probably more comparisons to be made between Native Americans and Indigenous Australians. However, Australians did practise forms of slavery similar to yours, including the, er.. “importation of labour”. Tens of 1000s were press-ganged from the Pacific Islands, as well as local natives, to work the cane fields in Queensland. (Which is one of the many reasons we southerners occasionally refer to that state as the “Deep North”.) We called it “Blackbirding”, if you want to find out more about it.

And I agree that it does become more complicated when history’s wrongs were perpetrated by private individuals rather than at the behest of the Government. However, there is a fairly long history of laws enacted in the US which continued the practise so perhaps, leaving aside the question of reparations (as we did), an official apology wouldn’t go astray. Even though the last of your slaves have died, segregation etc is still well within living memory. The Voting Rights Act, for example, was only passed in ‘65.

Anyway, these are just my random first thoughts. There is no clear answer, no matter how much you think about it.

]]> By: Duncan http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/comment-page-1/#comment-1384 Duncan Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:41:22 +0000 http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/#comment-1384 Thanks for your perspective from afar. I've been living in Australia for 7 years and didn't know anything about the stolen generations until arriving here. The issue still seems fairly blurry for people who have grown up here - it's just the way things are. But having the Government issue an apology, with a lot of attention provided by the press and the indigenous peoples, raises people's awareness of the stories of those affected by policies implemented over 70 years. Should it be just the direct descendants who take responsibility for doing something now? I don't believe so. When actions are allowed to continue, a whole nation becomes implicated, including people of good will. When I became a citizen of Australia I took on responsibility for helping to shape the future of this nation. I'm thankful that Australia's government has acted on my behalf. Thanks for your perspective from afar. I’ve been living in Australia for 7 years and didn’t know anything about the stolen generations until arriving here. The issue still seems fairly blurry for people who have grown up here - it’s just the way things are. But having the Government issue an apology, with a lot of attention provided by the press and the indigenous peoples, raises people’s awareness of the stories of those affected by policies implemented over 70 years.

Should it be just the direct descendants who take responsibility for doing something now? I don’t believe so. When actions are allowed to continue, a whole nation becomes implicated, including people of good will. When I became a citizen of Australia I took on responsibility for helping to shape the future of this nation. I’m thankful that Australia’s government has acted on my behalf.

]]> By: Kelley http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/comment-page-1/#comment-1383 Kelley Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:37:10 +0000 http://www.sephyroth.net/2008/02/apologies/#comment-1383 Hi Sephy, Wouldn't it be wonderful if this apology had a snowball effect and gets the whole world thinking about righting wrongs. Or at least making amends... Or is it just that I have had a couple of wines and feeling all melancholy? Hi Sephy,

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this apology had a snowball effect and gets the whole world thinking about righting wrongs. Or at least making amends…

Or is it just that I have had a couple of wines and feeling all melancholy?

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