MD Jazz said:
Curious as to why you would buy it?
Many on here appear to have little interest (or empathy for) indigenous life/history/struggle. Most can barely acknowledge indigenous disadvantage. Most take offence as if they are being blamed personally.
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Are the first sentence and the second sentence related there? It sounds to me your curiosity is born under an assumption that Tim has little interest or empathy and that he takes it as personal blame.
The second sentence is a massive assumption. I'm sure most are aware of the history and acknowledge it.
MD Jazz said:
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I know as a child born to middle class white parents I never went hungry, always had a comfy bed and decent clothes. Had emotional support and was encouraged at school and sport. Parents could pay for all sport participation and school camps.
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Good on you but not sure of the relevance. That wasn't the experience for everyone. Not everyone belonged to middle class white family. Far from it. Even middle class white family isn't a guarantee of positive emotional support, adequate diet, encouragement and decent clothes. Not everyone at my school growing up attended camps or participated in sport and excursions. It used to break my heart. Even myself, coming from a middle class white family, couldn't go on camp one year because business was too quiet.
MD Jazz said:
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I wonder how many indigenous kids had such a privileged life? I know of heaps of kids whose parents can’t pay for any of that. No money for school clothes, camps etc. barely fed properly let alone supported with discipline at home. Adequate sleep and nutrition? Domestic violence impacts? And then people call them dole bludgers (and worse) when they don’t turn out as functioning productive members of society. Many had little chance.
I get an impression that what you refer to as lack of empathy and interest is more a case of focusing on the present and future than wallowing in the past. Nothing can change the past. It's tragic and horrible.
We have an Aboriginal Elder friend who I've referred to before. She calls the non-indigenous, vocal rent a crowd people who speak up for them white darkies. She thinks they do more harm then good. She won't listen to excuses from or from the aboriginal youth in her area. She's not in denial of a tragic past but she is aware of what is needed for a more positive future. She knows that opportunity exists like it hasn't in the past.
Bitter and disappointingly insensitive things like Australia burning down, not resting till they get all the land back, abolishing Australia Day completely, accusations of KKK treatment, blame for treatment of women and high incarceration numbers, poems about STILL being prisoners of war, 229 years of terrorism etc can't serve any positive purpose. It's not sending Aboriginal youth a message of a positive future. Those comments coming from so called leaders are divisive and damaging. I'd love them to focus on the positives and role models. There have been several Indigenous Australians of the Year. Many top sportspeople. Many movie stars and musos. Plenty of families living akin to "middle class whites" :
Focus on the future ahead. Equal opportunity in the workplace. Equal access to medical treatment and welfare.
I've said before I think changing the date is a band aid approach when the problem runs far deeper. The idea has been rejected by Indigenous people. Some out of bitterness. Some out of appreciation. You'll never please, or appease, everyone but focus on the past is never going to build a brighter future.
Lizzy Jarrett’s poem: Not sure what her message is really..but I get the feeling changing the date, a date plenty of Indigenous people do celebrate, won't change a thing. I wonder who she thinks is actually celebrating the things she mentions.
26th Jan Australia’s day to celebrate their nation
Celebrating our brave warriors murders and mutilations
Celebrating our bravest women’s rapes and molestations
Celebrating our bond of family broken by forced separations
All in the name of the great white Australia’s assimilation
So “please explain” who enjoys a celebration
Of the Genocide of our First Nations
It’s in the past, get over it they say
Okay so how about we forget about Anzac Day
For realise we are still, still STILL prisoners of war
229 years of terrorism on our shores
Today we stand strong as we have survived
BLACK and PROUD, STRONG AND ALIVE!”
