I'd not heard of this day either but not being a christian of any shade that's not suprising. Having checked out the NDT website just now I have to agree with the content of this article and 'grn' if your looking for examples of racist claptrap go visit that website. It's about as partronising as it gets. The whole 'god given' thing is decidely of putting.

I don't know whether Bob Brown has put much effort into the issue of Indigenous disadvantage, but I am impressed with Queensland Senator Andrew Bartlett's work on this - his website has a lot of information - www.andrewbartlett.com - and he backs it up by travelling around to the communities and actually talking with and listening to the people themselves.

The National Day of Thanksgiving recognizes people who are contributing to our society. Different people who have been thanked and reconized in the past has included emergency services, nurses, police and teachers. They have been publicly thanked for their contribution to society. Alan seems to be peeved that his version of Christianity is not endorsed by many Christians. It is ironic that the organisers of the event this year are honouring some indigneous leaders for their contribution. There are far more 'black fello' Christians then 'white fella Christians' on earth today. Alan seems to do the plight of the indigneous in this country little good.

I'd rather be a "neo-liberalist" than a Marxist.

Seriously MIMILA, if that's what you believe, move to Cuba.

You are doing untold harm to your own race by promoting your loony mix of socialism and Aboriginal separatism.

Having known victims of the stolen generation I would have to say that a national day of thanksgiving is not only insulting to the victims of colonialisation but also morally repugnant as the reasoning and imputus behind the treatment of first Australians was based on Christian ideals, values and morals. To give a day of thanksgiving when the horrors of what Christianity has done is still being played out suggests that the cult is not willing to learn from its mistakes and reflect on its prejudices.

A factor in understanding the minds of Christianists is that the Christian right is a collection of doomsday cults no different from Islamists. The Christian right are dedicated to the end of the world which they believe will be brought about by their god. Such cults have no respect for life so it is not surprising they have no respect for people either.

Those who dedicate their lives to the end of time such as the religious right will see anything negative as a reason to give thanks.

God is the destroyer and god is on their side after all, that is the obvious message of the day of thanksgiving.

Just another step towards the Americanisation of Australia,and a further insidious attempt to develop a bible belt in this country where too many citizens have not been indoctrinated into organised religion and many have shrugged off the hypocricy of Christendom that ignores it's own basic tenets

West writes

'Having known victims of the stolen generation I would have to say that a national day of thanksgiving is not only insulting to the victims of colonialisation but also morally repugnant as the reasoning and imputus behind the treatment of first Australians was based on Christian ideals, values and morals.'

You show either a deliberate or blind ignorance to Christian ideals. The many indigneous people I know have a great deal of respect for Christians who made great sacrifices to improve the plight of the indigneous people. To this day many Christians are still sacrificing their comforts in order to educate and bring basic necessities to many in the outback.