Howard - I assume this is addressed to me: "Read Lamentations, and meet the soul of the Israelite, pining and mourning for the loss of Jerusalem etc... get a feeeeel for it all... and u will just possibly 'begin' to grasp what that place is all about."

I would be interested to know how you feeeel about the historical dispossession of the aboriginal people here at home in Australia, and their "spiritual" connection to the land

Sorry Howard, you were quoting Boaz, it was not clear as it followed directly on from my post (I should have recognised the "feeel" as classic Boaz). Nevertheless I would still be interested in your response to my question.

Yes Grace.. puh-lease get the feeeel for the 'flow' of convo :)

I can't resist also a dabble in the issue u mentioned.. aboriginals.
But I call you your "comment" and raise you a 'question'.. why not jump on the phone to some aboriginal identity and actually ask what 'they' feel is the solution to their social dilemna ? 03 9712-0563 Mick Woywood,"Warunjiri History"....

Grace, and Boaz,

The dispossession of the Australian aboriginals will remain a serious blight on Australia's history until we acheive some kind of reconciliation. Whether this takes the form of an apology, or an acknowledgment that an historic wrong was done to them, something must happen. I hear politicians say we don't need to apologise to the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, because the injustice was done to them by previous generations. Well then they'd better quit marching in Anzac Day parades unless they personally fought at Gallipoli, or the Kokoda Trail, etc. There's no reason for us not be proud of the considerable achievements, bravery, sacrifices, etc. of past and present Australians. But along with that pride comes a responsibility to own some of the things we would not be so proud of today.

Australia does not have to pack up and undo itself, and we all go back to England or Greece or wherever we came from. I don't think this is what most aboriginals want (maybe I'm wrong). My perception is they're looking for some acknowledgement from the rest of us that the founding of our nation involved the dispossession of someone else (them and their ancestors), and it would do us no harm to provide it. It would do us no harm to admit an injustice was done to them and we're going to do our best to do right by them. That could mean helping them acheive the same educational, social welfare, health-care, etc. opportunities the rest of us take for granted. And acknowledging the importance, to them, of their spiritual connection to the land.

You could go back to what I just wrote, substitute "Any-Nation-in-the-Americas and Native Americans (or Africans transported as slaves)", or "Israel and Palestinians" for "Australia and Aboriginals" and I would make a similar argument.

(And Grace, my apologies for misconstruing some of your posts)

Thanks Howard.

Boaz, I don't need to jump on the phone to talk to some "aboriginal identity". There are aboriginals in my family so I can "feeeel" the pain right here at home.

Glad to hear that Grace...
keep up the contributions.
thanx.