The stolen generation (elders, mission, church, Christianity, Christian)

[wednesday]

Saying sorry to the aboriginals, what is your view?

Personally why should we apologise for something we didn't do? Why should we pay compensation, money won't solve a thing?

[kai]

its reconciliation with the aboriginals thats needed they have been treated terribly and need to be treated as the elders of australia not backward drunken "untermenchen"

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Australia apology to Aborigines

[PureX]

Originally Posted by wednesday

Saying sorry to the aboriginals, what is your view?

Personally why should we apologise for something we didn't do? Why should we pay compensation, money won't solve a thing?

You should apologize because you have benefited, and the aboriginals have suffered greatly, for what your parents did. And you should understand that a mere apology will not amend the terrible damage that's been done to them. The next step, then, is to begin looking for ways that this damage can be amended. That will likely cost some money, but it will likely require you to change the way you think, too.

What you should not be doing, is whining about how you are so innocent, and so you shouldn't have to do anything to help out the victims of such terrible cultural and societal injustice.

[kai]

well said purex, the full text can be found here
BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Full text: Apology to Aborigines

[kadzbiz]

I find the idea of trying to exterminate a race abhorent. Yes, the current government needed to apologise for the acts of previous governments. Should I say sorry however? Why should I? I didn't come to this country until 1970, with my parents, as did many many other people. Let me also say this to all of you who don't realise; millions, probably billions, of dollars have been spent on trying to give the aboriginals of this country a helping hand, major advantages and a great deal of benefits, but what have the majority done with this aid? Wasted it. Not taken advantage of it to better their lives, but squandered it in alcohol abuse and destroying the very structures that have been put in place to assist them. How do I know? I have seen it first hand, have dealt with many of them and have very close friends that have worked in aboriginal communities for the past 20 years. I am not a racist. I give everyone a fair go and treat everyone as I would want to be treated. I even had an aboriginal girlfriend for some time. I am sick to death with the continual unjust condemnation of the very people that are trying to assist these aboriginal communities. I couldn't care less if a flood of compensation claims follow this national sorry day, but I'll tell you now, most of any payments made to these aboriginal collectives will be completely wasted. Too few aboriginal people have made the most of their entitlements and made something of themselves, and I am proud of the ones that have. IMHO, it appears to me that the aboriginal people themselves don't really know what they want. They talk of living like they once did, but at the same time want the lifestyle of many middle class individuals in the cities. They can't have it both ways. And I mean that literally as I've seen many many aboriginal families get given houses and cars because they "needed" them and then just totally trash these same things. Those that I have seen like this have just no respect for themselves, their culture, their families or their society. It is a very sad situation. I don't know what the answer is, but it will not be resolved in my lifetime.

[kai]

Originally Posted by kadzbiz

I find the idea of trying to exterminate a race abhorent. Yes, the current government needed to apologise for the acts of previous governements. Should I say sorry however? Why should I? I didn't come to this country until 1970, with my parents, as did many many other people. Let me also say this to all of you who don't realise; millions, probably billions, of dollars have been spent on trying to give the aboriginals of this country a helping help, major advantages and a great deal of benefits, but what have the majority done with this aid? Wasted it. Not taken advantage of it to better their lives, but squandered it in alcohol abuse and destroying the very structures that have been put in place to assist them. How do I know? I have seen it first hand, have dealt with many of them and have very close friends that have worked in aboriginal communities for the past 20 years. I am not a racist. I give everyone a fair go and treat everyone as I would want to be treated. I even had an aboriginal girlfriend for some time. I am sick to death with the continual unjust condemnation of the very people that are trying to assist these aboriginal communities. I couldn't care less if a flood of compensation claims follow this national sorry day, but I'll tell you now, most of any payments made to these aboriginal collectives will be completely wasted. Too few aboriginal people have made the most of their entitlements and made something of themselves, and I am proud of the ones that have. IMHO, it appears to me that the aboriginal people themselves don't really know what they want, They talk of living like they once did, but at the same time want the lifestyle of many middle class individuals in the cities. They can't have it both ways. And I mean that literally as I've seen many many aboriginal families get given houses and cars because they "needed" them and then just totally trash these same things. Those that I have seen like this have just no respect for themselves, their culture, their families or their society. It is a very sad situation. I don't know what the answer is, but it will not be resolved in my lifetime.

who asked you to say sorry?

and i am not surprised the aboriginal people dont know what they want are you, the whole culture is very nearly destroyed, languages lost , they have very nearly all been converted to christianity there only identity seems to be a "blackfela", they have only had the right to vote since 1962.

and just so people know what stolen generations is all about

The Stolen Generations (or Stolen Generation) is a term used to describe the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, usually of mixed descent, who were removed from their families by Australian government agencies and church missions, under various state acts of parliament, denying the rights of parents and making Aboriginal children wards of the state, between approximately 1869 and (officially) 1969. It was asserted that these children of mixed descent were not accepted by their communities and were therefore at high risk of harm. The policy typically involved the removal of children into internment camps, orphanages and other institutions.[1]

i lived in australia for six years and i as a human being am sorry for what they have had to go through.


Stolen Generations - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[PureX]

Originally Posted by kadzbiz

I find the idea of trying to exterminate a race abhorent. Yes, the current government needed to apologise for the acts of previous governements. Should I say sorry however? Why should I? I didn't come to this country until 1970, with my parents, as did many many other people. Let me also say this to all of you who don't realise; millions, probably billions, of dollars have been spent on trying to give the aboriginals of this country a helping help, major advantages and a great deal of benefits, but what have the majority done with this aid? Wasted it. Not taken advantage of it to better their lives, but squandered it in alcohol abuse and destroying the very structures that have been put in place to assist them. How do I know? I have seen it first hand, have dealt with many of them and have very close friends that have worked in aboriginal communities for the past 20 years. I am not a racist. I give everyone a fair go and treat everyone as I would want to be treated. I even had an aboriginal girlfriend for some time. I am sick to death with the continual unjust condemnation of the very people that are trying to assist these aboriginal communities. I couldn't care less if a flood of compensation claims follow this national sorry day, but I'll tell you now, most of any payments made to these aboriginal collectives will be completely wasted. Too few aboriginal people have made the most of their entitlements and made something of themselves, and I am proud of the ones that have. IMHO, it appears to me that the aboriginal people themselves don't really know what they want, They talk of living like they once did, but at the same time want the lifestyle of many middle class individuals in the cities. They can't have it both ways. And I mean that literally as I've seen many many aboriginal families get given houses and cars because they "needed" them and then just totally trash these same things. Those that I have seen like this have just no respect for themselves, their culture, their families or their society. It is a very sad situation. I don't know what the answer is, but it will not be resolved in my lifetime.

OK, so now you understand the true depth of the damage that's been done. The next step is to take some responsibility for having done it. It was YOUR white European culture that did this to them. And that is still doing it to them with attitudes just like the one you're displaying, now, as you blame them for not adopting your European lifestyle after your European culture has totally trashed theirs. They were treated like dumb animals, and even hunted and killed as pests. And now you're surprised that so many of them have no self respect? Can't you see how difficult it would be to embrace a culture that has done this to you, and is continuing to do it to you in a thousand subtle ways even today?

It's not about throwing money or European goodies at them. That's still just treating them like nothing more than the unwanted evidence of your own collective guilt. Somehow, you're going to have to REALLY acknowledge what your culture has done, and is still doing, and then WORK at changing those behaviors and attitudes within yourselves, so that you can finally embrace these people as your brothers and sisters ... and as your equals. Only then will they finally begin to see themselves that way.

[kadzbiz]

Originally Posted by kai

who asked you to say sorry?

Me personally, nobody. Me collectively as an Australian, all aboriginals.

Originally Posted by kai

and i am not surprised the aboriginal people dont know what they want are you, the whole culture is very nearly destroyed, languages lost , they have very nearly all been converted to christianity there only identity seems to be a "blackfela", they have only had the right to vote since 1962.

I've hardly ever seen an aboriginal at the polling booths or in any church.

Originally Posted by kai

i lived in australia for six years and i as a human being am sorry for what they have had to go through.

I'm not denying that what they went through wasn't terribly traumatic, but how do you mean you are "sorry" for what they went through? That doesn't make any sense. You can feel sad for them, pity for them even deeply hurt for them, but how can you be sorry for it? You can't be sorry for something you didn't do or for something that resulted from what you failed to do.

Did you live in an aboriginal community for those six years? How much interaction did you actually have with aboriginals in your time here?