RSL in W.A. bans Aboriginal flag and cultural events on Anzac Day

[old man emu]

It's not a unique concept to correct some fallacies in convenient historical narrative.

 

We are doing that in so many areas of European history. We can there because we have written clues to follow. But the same does not apply to local history in Australia. The Europeans weren't going to make records of their "punative" raids. The Aborigines relied on oral history, and that voice was extinguished by gunfire or threat.

 

We are now 150 - 175 years distant from those events. None of the participants can be asked for their stories, and over time the incidents were not talked about. So how can an adult Aborigine or European living in the areas where incidents happened get the correct story? Is there a Zulu history of the Zulu Wars?

[octave]

What I find irritating is the notion that we claim as Australians we are somehow special, we co opt the pioneering spirit of of bygone generations as well as the ANZAC spirit. We often claim that the heroic acts of are forebears are something to be proud of and at we are somehow special because of the deeds of past generations. However anything bad that happened becomes a case of "that was a long time ago, I didn't do it "

 

We are more than happy to do this but are not confident and mature enough to also accept the bad things that also happened. I do not blame any German or Japanese person for acts to occured before they were born but as a country they must acknowledge the past.

 

We should not just have a "black armband" view of history but nor should just have a "white blindfold" view of history.

[pmccarthy]

There are many Australians who have no historical connection to what was done in the past. Family history research shows their ancestors were not on the frontier. Most aborigines today have mixed ancestry, and part of their ancestry clearly was at the interface between the traditional owners and the invaders. We should acknowledge the wrongs that were done, but the balance of “ inherited guilt” is not with today's white majority but with the descendants of those who were there on the moving frontier.

 

To put it more simply, for anyone to accuse me of being a descendant of the white exploiters they should be prepared to have their family tree scrutinised.

[facthunter]

Nobody here has accused anyone of doing anything wrong at the actual time. They would be long dead.. I'm Not even asserting that the descendants wear the "sins of their forebears".. You don't get to choose who your Mother and Father are.

To be part of a cover up that has now become evident is a separate issue entirely. . Nev

[pmccarthy]

We are in agreement.

[facthunter]

I also believe that all should be born equal. I think the US once espoused that principle.

Was it Animal Farm where all are equal but some are more equal than others ? Nev

[old man emu]

"E pluribus unum" used to be translated as "From many, one". Now it means "One gets from many"

[Bruce Tuncks]

For most of my life. I was under the impression that the current aborigines were the SECOND wave to occupy Australia. The first wave were the Tasmanian aborigines and the second wave arrived after Tasmania was cut off. This was the science of the day.

While I doubt the accuracy of this now, I don't feel any sense that my ancestors did wrong to the aboriginal ancestors.

Personally, I cringe when they do a "welcome to country" thing.

I have said this before... aborigines in the know think they are better off since whitefellers took over.

[facthunter]

The Occupation/colonisation was based on the idea/presumption the country was essentially empty and could be had by planting a flag and saying "I declare this land belongs to England'' being Terra Nullius which it was not.. It had been continuously occupied by a people who lived on all of it and managed it for around 60,000 years. They had 100's of tribes and languages as did New Guinea. None of this is really in dispute where it's seriously considered by suitably qualified legal people .

The expansion of the area controlled by the colonists hungry for land was basically enabled by force of arms. Quite obviously there was no exchange of goods or money or a treaty signed. They have been and continue to be badly treated. There's a disproportionate number incarcerated, many for non payment of fines. There's unfinished business in this from a natural justice point of view. Australia is not alone with having such issues. That does not mean we should not act with some sense of a need to rectify a wrong soon, rather than just put it off. Nev

[spacesailor]

How long has the native inhabitants had that particular flag,

And do all Aboriginal tribes use just the one flag.

spacesailor

[willedoo]

How long has the native inhabitants had that particular flag,

And do all Aboriginal tribes use just the one flag.

spacesailor

spacey, it's been around since the early seventies and has had official status as a flag of Australia since 1995. I think they all use it. I've seen some in remote communities fly it upside down, but I can see how they make that mistake. Red on top like a sunset looks more intuitive, but it's black on top.

[spacesailor]

I was just wondering why anyone would ban an official flag.

So thought it must be Unofficial.

many thanks.

spacesailor

[Bruce Tuncks]

How do you guys explain the fact that many aborigines consider themselves to be better off now than before whites came?

[pmccarthy]

The ones who didn't feel better off are dead.

[facthunter]

I wonder what question was asked? Do you have access to Canmuk and cheap grog these days?

Yes there were plenty shot in uneven contests over things like a bullock being killed for food (How surprising) and land being taken. There was a deliberate extinction done in Tassie .Most never knew of it but it's recorded. Even Cook shot one fellow through his wooden shield at Botany Bay Nev.