Confused? Bear with me. Because this entire issue has the "white" versus "black" division at its core, I shall now put on my stereotypical rice paddy hat, and wear very yellow clothes to symbolize my Asian "yellow"ness. Now I am just a bystander with a relatively unbiased stance towards the conflicting factions! Just call me Mr. United Nations :D
So Australia, through Prime Minister The Ruddstar!, has finally apologized to the stolen generation of our indigenous Aboriginals. What happened back then was wrong. Hindsight is certainly a pain in the arse. Taking kids away to help them is one thing. But if anyone who doesn't acknowledge that a very large number of indigenous Aussies were wrongfully kept away from their families should be kicked in the testicles...or the female equivalent...if there is any. What happened should be acknowledged by all. And to say that we're sorry is a necessary thing. But we shouldn't have to actually say it. As tired and worn-out this phrase is, actions truly speak louder than words.
Personally, I don't think that today's white Australia should be compelled to apologize. But the reality is: it needed to be said. It's easy for me to sit here and write down my opinions to people who don't really give a shite. It's easy for white people to forehand and backhand opposing arguments to each other. It's another thing to actually be one of the stolen generation. And I dunno about you, but if I were taken away from my Mum and Dad at three, only to be reunited thirty years later without the ability to talk to them, then I would probably want an apology too. But I'd want it just for closure. I'd want it so I can move on.
The cold reality is that before any other progress is made between "black" and "white" Australia, this hurdle needs to be jumped. Now that it has been, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Black and white have never been so joined together than it was yesterday, and that was a very welcoming site. Just how long it stays that way will be interesting to see.
Let's just put aside the power of symbolism, a power that was most evident yesterday. When you take that away, saying "sorry" was all just show. The Prime Minister formally says sorry, followed by the Opposition Leader. The parliament and its onlookers stand and give a rapturous applause. People around the country gather together and hug each other. Kisses are given to each other, rain finally falls, and Connex finally decides to run trains on time. The world is put right. So tell me then, in a practical sense what exactly has changed? Nothing. The smart and intellectual John Howard was correct when he believed that actually doing something to improve Aboriginal circumstances is a gazillion times better than just muttering out a relatively hollow 'sorry'. The stupid, idiot Howard made the mistake in failing to see that a stronger unity was required for this to happen, and the only thing that would unite black and white sufficiently, would be the aforementioned 'sorry'.
As glad as I am that we are finally more united and we can finally move on, I must admit that I did shake my head in disappointment a little for the Aussie in the "white" corner. Why?
It's a crude and very extreme comparison, but what about the French people of today when they come across a German citizen. Do they blame them for the sins of some of their Nazi fathers? Do they demand an apology? Is the French government demanding an apology from their German counterparts? (I stand corrected if Germany has actually done this...Edit: An apology was made to the Jewish people so I will stand corrected...not quite the French, but the Holocaust is even higher on the shock list than just invading France!) What about the people of Darwin that were bombed by the Japanese? Australia never asks for an apology from the Japanese people of today. We even welcome them with open arms to our shores... we just ask politely not to kill the whales! (And failing that we send a bunch of hippies to endanger their lives hehehe) I fail to see why today's white Australia should bear the humility of apologizing for yesterday's white Australia. The more important thing should be that today's generation be empathetic to those who have suffered, and should do everything within their power to practically help out their fellow indigenous citizens. In the ideal world, but not in reality unfortunately, that's the most efficient solution to be had here. The building isn't going to build itself if we just say stuff to it.
Edit: This probably says it better: "I have decided to move to America at the end of this year. I'm of Jewish Heritage. My family survived the Holocaust. Yet instead of suing an entire country, we decided to simply just forgive our enemies and move on with our lives. Neville Austin, you may have been stolen, but we were hunted down, caged and murdered. "
The other potential problem with this sorry business is this. On one hand, this apology will bring people together and will thus make way for a desperately needed practical solution. On the other hand however, it just reinforces the "blacks" vs "whites" divide. The majority of white Australians, especially the youth, want to say sorry for things they as individuals didn't do. They feel compelled to apologize because they're "white" and thus represent the wrongs of those individuals before them. The race card is being played and because of that, the current hand on the table looks all the more different. If race and colour had nothing to do with this, this would be a non-issue. Think of this - a white four year old boy is taken from his 22 year old mother and father. They are not looking after their kid. They don't feed him. They don't seek any medical attention for him. They just don't care. Perhaps they even physically or sexually abuse him. (And this is in no way a generalisation of the Aboriginal community). The welfare officers come and take the child away. All of a sudden, many of us are applauding this. "She shouldn't have a child at such a young age." "She's despicable, how could you possibly treat a child like that?!" Now change this hypothetical a little and let's pretend that this family were Aboriginal. I tell you... the race card is like having the royal flush in one card. We should be aiming for a world where "black" and "white" are outdated terms. It's a funny situation this, because it's both helping this, yet it's also making it worse. In the end, the blacks will be closer to the whites that want to say sorry, but they'll be further divided from the whites that think we shouldn't apologize.
Another point. Going back onto this whole thing being a "show". Case in point - "We are sorry for taking away your children from you"... yet 300 metres down the road the exact thing is still happening. See http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23195827-5001021,00.html It's like saying, "Hey I'm sorry for calling you a 'wanker', you wanker."
Finally something that really annoyed me about what happened. And no, contrary to what some of you may think, I am not a narrow-sighted voter that just votes Liberal 'for the hell of it'. The opposition leader Brendan Nelson had a chance to make his apology speech, but many of the public and even politicians turned their backs on him immediately (I didn't see it live so I'm counting on various news reports). Firstly, his speech was inappropriate. But was it correct? Yes. For a large majority of people, it was a case of "we all thought it, he just said it". The sad truth was that white Australia back then actually did have good intentions. And indeed, it was not all bad news. Some of those taken believe they probably wouldn't be alive today had they not been taken. (See http://www.abc.net.au/alicesprings/stories/s2160407.htm) But this wasn't the case for everyone, and regardless, they shouldn't have been kept away from their families. Once again, hindsight's a bitch. Having said that, bringing up the details of all that bad history yesterday was really poor timing. Yet it's ironic how people mocked Nelson and were irate at him for bringing up the past, yet these very same people are the ones that immaturely turned their backs on him, seemingly because of his party's past views on the issue. The word 'juvenile' springs to mind. Did I ever mention that I hate hypocrisy!? Also, how come the failings of previous Labor governments to apologize (remember, they never apologized either) didn't go unpunished? On principle, people should have turned their backs on them too!
I guess too many of us follow whatever seems to be popular and never actually think for ourselves.
In a nutshell, the nation should acknowledge the wrongs of the past towards the large number of those affected. Everything practical should be done to right this wrong. (Not individual compensations though...that's an entirely different matter). Strategies should be put in place to work with the Aboriginal community (anything without their opinions/consent/approval is pointless) to work on all facets of their community that need improving, whilst respecting all their cultural wishes and desires.
Learn from the past and move on.
Sorry for making this too long. :P
