It must be hard being a racist, page-39

T,

I've followed this thread with interest but for my part I'm unashamedly an heir of the Enlightement that came via the the richness of Greek and Roman culture and history and embeded in the religious and philosophical roots of the Judeo- Christian tradition.

(Paul Davies the cosmonologist in a science series on SBS some time ago, when asked by Phillip Adams why the great advances in science occured in the context of European culture and not in other cultures, replied in effect: " because of the cause and effect principle that is at the heart of the Judeo- Christian tradition." Davies is no Christian by the way. That's just a man of science talking.)

I notice Anna P. mentions that Aboriginals have excelled in tertiary education and in many different intellectual fields. All of these owe their origin not to traditional Aboriginal culture, but to the Enlightenment. So in that sense they too become inheritors of the amazing richness of all that is included in the category "Western Civilisation" (Culture if you please.) and in that sense have left behind their own culture.

For me as a "child of European culture " that is something to be thankful for and want others, like our Aboriginal peoples to share in.

T if you want to swap all that for a nulla nulla a boomerang and a spear that's your choice. It will never be mine. As far as the dancing and art goes cast an observant eye over it and see how much of that also owes much to "Western Culture". Two hundred years is a long time for the Aboriginal "Culture" not to have absorbed something from the dominant culture.

Michael Long ? Now you're cooking with gas. Yes, inexplicable.