[contd.]

Can people be assisted to give themselves a make-over ? Can they be enabled to re-assert their sense of responsibility, of agency, to engage with the outside world ? The land will always be there, there is no real threat that people might lose it, so that old excuse can't be used.

So especially for young people without children, why would it be so bad to move away for a time to where the work is ? How many of us have had to do that ? Even bureaucrats and teachers do it.

And of course, the 'leaders' like Larissa Behrendt can be guaranteed to come up with better ideas ? Yeah, right. It's not their problem really, is it ? Why should they give a sh!t ? Not when there's yet another international conference to prepare for.

I firmly believe, Individual, that one day, Aboriginal people will have many, many genuine leaders, who lead, who deal with the difficult issues, who stick their necks out like Noel Pearson and make suggestions about what to actually do, who do something instead of grandstanding and playing to a white audience. I think that day could come in the next ten years. Live in hope !

Joe

Loudmouth,
One of the causes of the dysfunction in our society is this thoughtless push for eductaion for education's sake. This results in much good school time being wasted for education which is of no practical use. What is the point of having degrees & diplomas when the benchmark is open to change ? I recall one Tafe lecturer saying that they are not allowed to fail anyone ?? What the bloody hell is the point then ? We have 16 year olds who receive a leaving certicicate but have absolutely no concept of spelling or how to hold a shifting spanner. But, they are well up to date with the latest video clips of Lady Gaga. Many can't & that includes teachers, add up on the run. Ever looked at your average school bulletin ? The spelling & priority of topics is as wonky as an old wagon wheel. We desperately need social & practical education yet we haven't trained teachers for that in 4 decades. If you have a clueless teacher than the student will be clueless also. A bright student will be dragged down to that level also. No win either way. We see the evidence everyday & everywhere.

Hi Individual,

Thanks for responding. I guess it depends what you mean by education. Of course, I'm sure that you would agree that children should get a good education, mainly for employment, so that they can make their way in the world in satisfying careers and for fulfilling lives. Yes, you're right, not just education its own sake, and not education solely in deference to long-lost ways of living.

And in the Australia of today: English-speaking and relatively highly-skilled, all children need English-language education and skills-building education. If they can get some knowledge of another language, all the better. And if they can enjoy their education and develop a lifelong passion for learning, better still.

And all kids are entitled to those opportunities, including Aboriginal kids. ALL Aboriginal kids. Like the rest of us.

And when is someone going to actually define this boogey-man term, 'assimilation' ? It seems to mean everything bad that anybody wants to criticise, even opposites: being shut out of the society and economy, having to work for lower wages - and being included in the society and economy, earning equal wages. But what does it really refer to ?

Since the War, people have fought for equal rights, the same rights, in order to devise specifically and distinctly different lives for themselves, as they pleased. Equal rights have never meant - and they can never mean - being forced to do exactly the same things and become the same sorts of people. Equal rights opens up an open world of possibilities and uncertainties - the possibility to do whatever you like within the same constraints as other people work within, and the uncertainties of how it will all turn out.

[TBC

[contd.]

But to be shut out - as people seem to be in remote communities - is to be forced to live in a tiny, sh!tty closed world, with little chance to develop any individuality, a tiny world of despair, short lives and misery.

Segregation was and is vastly more devastating and evil than anything called 'assimilation' could ever be. It must be a bit like standing outside the lolly shop, or ice cream parlour, with a fence between you and them, never being allowed to join the people there enjoying themselves and having fun. Let's not forget that even in the remotest community, people watch TV - sometimes it's on 24 hours a day - and they see the attractions of the world, the fast cars and glitz and beautiful lives of people in TV shows and commercials. But they cannot access what must seem to be a beautiful world, partly thanks to their lousy education.

Surely those days should be over :)

Education certainly has some positives going for it, Individual, not necessarily to give people the wherewithall to buy the rubbish they see on TV, but to be able to weigh up whether or not it IS rubbish, and to build positive and informed lives for themselves and their kids. That should be their right, but thanks to a lousy education system in those communities, they can never exercise those rights. Yet.

So, we know what to do, we can't say we don't. How to do it, how to enable people to move from A to Z - those are the tasks in front of us all.

Cheers,

Joe

Loudmouth,
As per usual this will cause me flak from those opposed to discipline but pro entitlement for everything the country has to offer.
It all starts with a 12 months non-military National Service. There'll be no excuse for people to say they haven't had exposure to how the wider community works. I am absolutely certain that once in this service many indigenous will feel the desire/need to stay longer before heading back to their communities & introducing some of their acquired skills. In all I believe we should give it a go. Make it an election issue & we'll see how little or how much support there is for it. I bet the Party which proposes this service will win.

Joe, I've tried to cover these issues on www.whitc.info . And will continue to.
Also, I live in Brisbane these days.
Arthur Bell. ( aka. Bully )