I'm not an historian either, but my great-grand-parents (on my father's side) got married in Northern Ireland, boarded a sailing ship (the Shalmar) and lobbed in Australia in 1865 and what makes chasing the details so hard is (back in those days) that's all you did (if you had the cash) you packed your bag, bought a ticket and when the tide and winds were favourable, you sailed away to Australia!
I find I can't spend too much time in the politics component on HotCpper as it's bad for my mental health to be with people (for too long) who believe that purchasing peace of mind for them and their children by inflicting greivous mental harm on other people's children is a proper way to behave - ie that the end justifies the barbaric means.
There is no way that I can transfer (intellectually) via my keyboard a sense of what is right and wrong to people who's main interest in life is "What's In It For Me?"
There is nothing (for you or me) in being kind to childern who lack a piece of paper that a DIMIA clerk thinks is more valuable than a child's right to freedom from harm and persecution by po-faced prison camp thugs.
But there is an AWFUL lot in it for a child who's only 'crime' was to obey her mother when told:
"Grab your teddy-bear, Daddy is taking us on a long voyage to Australia."
It all depends on what you value most:
Policies, Paper or People?
Since policies and paper can feel no pain (but people can) I value people - and if policies and paper need to be ripped to shreds to protect people from persecution by po-faced prison camp thugs, that has my complete approval!
If the price of my freedom from anxiety is to make innocent kids catatonic from horrific prison-camp experiences- please can I have my anxiety back!
I can live with anxiety but I cannot and will not be a benificiary of serial goverment child abuse so racists can feel comfy.
The end is shabby and the means is unspeakably evil and corrodes all that separates men from beasts.
