In my experience the majority of people believe that those who identify as aboriginal have been treated badly since the arrival of white settlers and I agree, right up to the present day they are facing issues related to that arrival.
That is a fact that cannot and should not be disputed.
It should also not be used as an excuse but the majority of people I’ve encountered who think the government isn’t doing enough for this section of our community always do when anyone points out any of the heinous activities that occur in this group. Very few of these people have passed through the areas near remote communities let alone spent time in these communities or got to know people who have. I haven’t mixed or spent much time in these areas but I’ve done a good 6 months in the NT (mostly outside of Darwin) and much of my life has been in rural location where we mix with the southern locals through sport, work and social occasions.
I’ve been called a racist by plenty of that majority who call for government action to address the plight of these people when discussing the issues because I’ve suggested that the only real answers lie within the individuals and no government or group think tank has a hope of fixing their issues.
I have met a few people who have argued with me about this subject who never had the opportunity to get up close and personal with what these communities are like and then talked to them after they had an opportunity to embrace the culture of one or two of these communities up north. Reality v opinion based on what they see on the tv changed their attitude, hardly surprising but these few weren’t as quick to call me a racist once they had come back.
Discussing the unpleasantness doesn’t make me or anyone else racist and I get upset when it has been suggested as I don’t hate anyone but I understand that the use of the word racist is part and parcel of any discussions regarding ethnic diversity.
The issues are unpleasant in this discussion as any answers to these issues will be unpleasant, how can they not be?
