I agree that things need to change, Banana.
I agree that the Aboriginal Issues we see today are not that much better than the 70’s-80’s and I would argue that in reality it has actually tipped towards Aboriginal Issues in communities outside of the metropolitan areas being catastrophically than the early 70’s.
I find that thought distasteful given the amount of time, effort, subsidies, wins in Land Rights reforms and even the Offical Sorry Day statement from the PM of our country that everything that our government’s have done for the past 50 odd years.
Has been a failure of such a magnitude that all those efforts by our governments and the multitudes of Special Adviser’s/Elders have apparently only made those who identify as Aboriginal feel worse about themselves.
If what you suggest is true then my opinion as an individual doesn’t play any part in the general low levels of pride that you claim the Aboriginal’s Peoples have at the moment.
I only know a couple of urban Aboriginal people and they’re very much assimilated into the modern world, as a kid I had cousins living in a block of flats in a high density State Housing Commission dominated suburb, I played country footy (badly) for 14 years and I worked/lived just outside of Darwin for a year as well as plenty of driving trips up the west coast.
So I’ve met a wide range of aboriginal people, got to know quite a few well enough to know who their brothers sister’s or cousins were (well good enough for an idle gossip every now and then).
That’s why I suggest that the remote communities are catastrophically worse today than at any other point in time because they are the type of Aboriginals I have spent the most time with.
They couldn’t give a toss about Welcome to country or a Smoking ceremony and a Voice in parliament/Constitutional recognition.
None of it will change their lives but I support and respect their rights to live the way they see fit.
I can understand that there are plenty of On Country aboriginals who find the “suburbanite dreaming” to be an affront to their senses and the idea of leaving their country to live in that alien world as being almost a worse fate than death.
They should be supported by all of us because as a country we pride ourselves (Australians) as being a fair
and generous nation will go the extra yard to help people in need.
Wouldn’t you agree?
How will an extra layer of bureaucracy fix/improve the lives and Pride Factor of the On Country peoples?
After all they are the most underprivileged group in Australia.
Tell us how this referendum will improve some of those proper/real issues for these people?
Will the extremely high rates of homicides, suicides and violence (just to name a few of the big issues) abate magically because Albo’s Voice gets the nod?
If the Voice is all that is needed to fix these big issues, shouldn’t Albobe proposing to scrap all the current Aboriginal Advisory Councils because they obviously have been a failure if Albo’s Voice is indeed the only answer.
As for me or anyone “taking away (stealing) their pride”?
Have a look at the true definition of pride and explain to me how I have personally taken away any of their pride.
”Pride” is an internal emotion of an individual and as such the level of pride is valuable in every individual of every person (regardless of their race).
Just because I said that I would be happy to pay extra not to have to hear a Welcome to Country isn’t because I dislike the people or their culture.
Not liking the Welcome to Country crap at the start of every sporting event or whatever doesn’t make me a racist or a bad person but it certainly makes me an honest person.
