Another good contribution Stephen, thank you - a mix of passion and reason.

I was particularly touched by the Bobby Bismark story and I agree that there are many other Bobby Bismark stories out there.

However, I expect the usual suspects will be on line soon to tell you it never happened - or if it did, it was the best thing at the time.

History is very important as the past influences the present and the future.

I am unsure if I share your dismay with Peter Beatie, as I pray that he and his government will have the fortitude to insist on justice.

His is a diffent history to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples but already history is being made.

Charges have been laid, apparently for the first time in Australia's history a person has been charged over a black death in custody.

It is now up to the courts to determine what happened on that dreadful night.

Tempers and statements are being bandied around in NQ. Many of them poorly thought out and some downright alarming.

I am sure that if people making these horrendous statements were asked to really consider that what they are saying they would not really be endorsing such action.

I only hope that people think before they speak, and maybe imagine what it would be like if it were their father, brother, son or grandson who died that night.

How do we move on from here? How does the genre of hate be renegotiated?

Good one SH,

Only I don't agree with Professor Hughes’s remark when she wrote:

"“… a typical victim of the apartheid-like policies that have denied Aborigines mainstream Australian lives since the 1970s. Any group subjected to the same policies would become dysfunctional.”

Why?

Well if mainstream lives meant open access to real economies, real choices then yes it was denied.

But to simply suggest that mainstream lives was about becoming white then she's way off the mark.

Real choices would have been to live on Palm Island or elsewhere and be able to chart an economic, political, social and familial future.

If mainstreaming means giving up all legal entitlements as first nations peoples and assimilate then its not mainstreaming, its conditional assimilation. This was not possible in law in the 1970's and it is still not possible now even with the rescinding of draconian Acts of law that regulated and controlled Aboriginal lives.

I totally reject First World Australia as the only benchmark for which we should all aspire, or be measured, or be judged.

As Ghandi said when asked 'What do you think of Western Civilisation"

He responded "I think it would be a good idea".

And this brings in another perspective of whether or not Beattie could ‘manage’ this issue anyway.

Unless one thinks “self management of governments programs” on Palm Island is the ultimate goal. If you believe in mainstream access and participation is the panacea we all need - you probably support such a goal. I for one don’t.

Excellent post, but two points I want to raise:

You wrote: Acting Chief Coroner’s (Christine Clement) report recommends charges be laid against the offending officer (Sergeant Chris Hurley);

Actually, the coroner can not recommend charges be laid, and she didn't. What she DID say was far more damning: that Hurley's actions resulted in Mulrunji's death. Plain and simple.

Second, on Prof. Hughes "domestic." I object to the quotations marks--it seems to trivialize the incident that started all the trouble. The police were there in the first place giving protection to Gladys Nugent, who'd been bashed by her partner.

Peter Beattie is nothing short of being a politician of less backbone than a bowl of porridge who caves in to every lobby group be they Aboriginal, fundamental Christian's or whatever.

The QLD Police should activate as much Industrial action as possible including not offering him or any members of his government, protection from those who wish to get in their faces. Refusing the police to the right to defend themselves, by cowering to all threats of violence from Aboriginal groups will only lead to more violence.

In the end, the only real solution is to radically increase police presence in area's of violence and deal with them with all means necessary.

"…threats of violence from Aboriginal groups will only lead to more violence."

I've yet to hear about these threats Spider.

Or are you just embellishing on police union histrionics?