This thread has really gotten off-track. This is meant to be about Indigenous Reconciliation, not Jay's personal play-pen, not racism or anti-racism.

What to reconcile, who should be held responsible, and what form might reconciliation take? This is a serious business.

Are we talking about a mere piece of paper, a few words saying you were here first, goodonyamate, tap on the shoulder, sorry we've been a bit rough on you in the past and we'll try to do better in the future? This might be a good place to start, but there's a lot more involved. There has been damage, and unfortunately there continues to be damage, and this has to be rectified in the best way possible.

There has been some attempt at restitution, saying sorry, acknowledgment of former group territories, some land rights recognised, and some housing and welfare assistance - but all of this seems to have fallen well short of the mark. Many indigenous people still remain in a greatly underpriveleged situation, and many more would have to feel a degree of animosity and sense of loss.

Some may suggest that education, enterprise and employment opportunities would go a long way towards resolving physical needs over time, but I don't see how this will resolve an inherent sense of loss - of unique identity, of pride of place, of true independence and recognition. I feel there is a psychological factor to be resolved in this - no offence meant, and no inference of any mental infirmity or disability, but rather a psychological need which is not fully satisfied by mere capital security, by business as usual. Many races have particular physical and emotional or psychological needs, specific dietary needs, and specific cultural needs, without which they can not thrive or be content. I feel some of this may be at play in segments of our indigenous population, and if so, means has to be found to satisfy it.

This is a diverse culture, and means must be enabled for its full expression, or any reconciliation may well be a failure.

Saltpetre,
I was participating in the discussion, it was Squeers who derailed it with anti White comments, when someone denigrates my ethnic group I respond, as would any normal person.
Saying that all living White people are somehow responsible for the deeds of their ancestors and are still causing Aboriginal disadvantage by imposing heteronormative standards is both untrue and prejudicial against White Australians.
Do White racists control the media and education system? I think you'll find every politician,broadcaster and educator in the country is an avowed anti Racist,if "heteronormative " standards are being forced upon minorities it's happening under an anti Racist system.
Xenophilia and Anti Racism, (which as I've demonstrated is a code word for anti White) go hand in hand, they're the dominant themes in the so called "Human rights" milieu, which is a minority point of view but one with wealthy, well connected backers.
White Xenophobia and Racism is not proven, there are no openly "Racist" public figures, no "Unite FOR Racism" rallies, no ad campaigns, no posters on bus shelters, no "Australians For Racism" websites..etc ...etc.

I'm all for reconciliation between the White Australian nation(s) and the Indigenous Nations, I support the formation of autocephalous ethno-nationalist and traditionalist groups on both sides.
I support the idea of cutting out the Feds, Reds and anti Racists from the reconciliation process and agree with the proposition that White people need to take personal responsibility for reconciling with Aboriginals.

Jay,

Great rebuttal, champ (sarcasm).

"Saying that all living White people are somehow responsible for the deeds of their ancestors and are still causing Aboriginal disadvantage by imposing heteronormative standards is both untrue and prejudicial against White Australians."

Dude, do you even know what you're talking about any more?

http://bit.ly/tB7RZC

"White Xenophobia and Racism is not proven, there are no openly "Racist" public figures, no "Unite FOR Racism" rallies, no ad campaigns, no posters on bus shelters, no "Australians For Racism" websites..etc ...etc."

Just like pedophilia and heroin addiction are unproven, right Jay? Because there are no openly pedophilic/heroin-addicted public figures, no "Unite to Legalise Smack" or "Unite for Kiddy-Fiddling" rallies, no ad campaigns, no posters on bus shelters, no "Australians for Diacetylmorphine" or "AMBLA (Australian Man-Boy Love Association)" websites.. etc ...etc.

Just because a behaviour is unpopular and offensive doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It's just that usually, its practitioners have enough good sense to keep it away from public exposure.

Rizla,
Name the Racists or butt out.
There are Pedophile advocacy groups such as NAMBLA in White countries.
There are countless advocacy services for the rights of drug users and many besides who advocate the unrestricted availability of hard drugs.
There have been politicians, academics and media figures who've had to come clean on all sorts of things they've tried to keep secret.
Not one public figure has come out and said "I'm a Racist and I'm proud".

I can't think of a relevant, recent example of someone getting into trouble for "Racism" in this country, but here's an example of what happened to a teacher who upset Jewish people at one of the "Occupy' Rallies in the U.S.

http://vimeo.com/30857269

David Duke & Patricia McAllister discuss her comments and her treatment by her employers:
http://www.davidduke.com/mp3/daviddukeandpatriciamcallisterinterview.mp3

I just read Rizla's post again, LOL.
So true "Racists" don't talk about their ideology?
What, are we back to the Nazi "Mind Meld" theory are we?
Seriously, one of the stories out of WW2 was that senior NSDAP party officials and SS officers had telepathic powers and could issue extermination orders non verbally.

The other explanation is that the bulk of politicians, journalists and teachers are really xenophiles and true believers in Anti Racism or that they are selected for their positions on the understanding that they will propagate those ideas in public in exchange for career advancement and prestige.

To get this discussion back on track - after all, the subject is not going to go away - I recommend this article by my friend Gary Johns:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/welcome-to-country-where-education-counts/story-fn8v83qk-1226204061282

Like me, Dr Johns is very suspicious of symbolism over substance - I guess, whenever each of us hears some glowing story about yet another symbol of reconciliation, peace, love, sweetness and light, we wait for the other shoe to fall, something which substantially takes Indigenous people back a few steps, even though many Indigenous 'leaders' would have been put on even more committees and flown over to even more international conferences in Hawai'i and Geneva about reconciliation, love, peace etc.

As Dr Johns points out, Indigenous people are part of the real world, overwhelmingly in towns and cities, confronting the same dilemmas of life as other Australians. Education is as relevant and valid for Indigenous people as for anybody else: whether people want to hold onto cultural practices, or delve deeply into their own anthropology, is up to them.

It is significant that, over the past five or six years, as Indigenous university students have moved massively away from Indigenous-focussed courses, enrolment numbers have, year after year, hit record levels. Make what you like of that.

Joe