Reynard, I think, badly misreads Throssell’s article. Throssell sees parallels in the shameful policies of ‘pure breeding’, the fear and shame of the victims and their need to hide from oppressors. And he was picking up the theme that good people stood by and let it happen in both instances.

Many of us white kids who were taken from their families and incarcerated in orphanages in the 20th century know something of what it must have felt like to be a member of the Stolen Generation. Many of us were told we were guttersnipes, our parents were no-hopers and we would never amount to anything in this world - while being sexually exploited and used as unpaid labour by ‘carers’ accountable to no one. Many of us still suffer from growing up ashamed, confused, neglected and abused. (See Senate Report, ‘Forgotten Australians’, 2004 - http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/clac_ctte/inst_care/report/)

It’s no help to say to those people, ‘There is no future in the past.’ The fact is there is no future without the past – for us our childhood lasts a lifetime.

What’s the worst thing that might happen if the Australian Government says ‘Sorry’ to the Stolen Generation? wre thinks it would result in ‘huge compensation payouts’ (to which I hasten to say claims in the courts have no guarantee of success).

And so what if there were compensation payouts? Would that bankrupt the nation? Just some petty cash. But wre also knows ‘an official apology in effect wouldn’t mean much…’ It must be so comforting for wre to have such divine insights into how Indigenous people feel.

There are many important issues facing Indigenous people in Australia. It would be comforting for them to know that the Australian Government acknowledges the shameful history and supports their search for justice and equality. Saying ‘Sorry’ would be just a start, but symbols of good faith are important in people’s lives.

Frank
Instead of being sarcastic, why not answer some of the questions people have about this ‘sorry’ process. Do you know something I don’t about why ‘sorry’ is so different to ‘deeply regret’? Do you care to enlighten us as to why aboriginal claims will be limited to compensation that ‘won’t bankrupt the nation’? What are the legal ramifications?

In addition, let’s get real about just how bad the aboriginals in this country have had it. Yes, awful things happened. Yes, indigenous Australians were devoid of civil rights up until 50 years ago. Yes, the process of colonization in this country damaged a beautiful indigenous culture. HOWEVER, had the Dutch colonised Australia apartheid arguably would have been in place until the 1990’s. Had Francisco Pizarro and the Spanish Armada sailed in our direction instead of South America’s, there would be no aboriginals left today. In fact, the Japanese would have wiped out the entire aboriginal population had the Rape of Nanking taken place on this continent.

The fact is, colonial times were not great for indigenous populations the world over. However, this country has given the indigenous population the best opportunity to rebound and it has failed to do it. In my view, ATSIC’s failures is far more responsible for the problems within aboriginal communities today than John Howard’s refusal to say ‘sorry’ is.

WRE

You sum up the situation very well. Some of the practices of Aborigines prior to Colonisation would to this day be considered barbaric. Why do we always look at the bad (of which their was plenty) and overlook the good (of which you outline well). To continue to give people the victim status allowing them to be drunkards and child abusers and then blaming others is a crime. Many aboriginals have benefited greatly by receiving an education.

Anyone with any sort of heart is sickened by racism whether back then or now. We should be all sorry for injustices of the past but playing politics with the Prime Ministers role is sickening. We see this sort of politics taking place with Noel Pearson today as he attempts to recitfy in house issues in his community. Because he is brave enough to face up to difficult issues he is criticised by many whose own political agenda is challenged.

wre

I'm sorry you find me sarcastic. (It's not all that hard to say 'sorry'.) If 'sorry' is not all that different from 'deeply regret' as you imply, why not get just it out - if that is what Indigenous people want to hear? Why not? Why is Howard so obstinate? Other governments have said 'sorry' as have churches in some cases. The form of words has often been negotiated between the agencies and the victims or families of victims.

I have seen no evidence anywhere that legal action has been successful by litigants in this sort of historical case using an official apology as a basis of their action. And I have been looking. Can you tell me where to find same?

Quite a few Indigenous and non-Indigenous claims for compensation have already been made against governments and churches and other charities without an apology. Some of these have succeeded - on the merits of the evidence produced. None has led to a government or non-government agency having serious financial difficulties with the payouts. Can you show me contrary evidence?

Your attempt to mitigate your concession that 'awful things happened' to Indigenous Australians by fantasising that worse things would have happened had the Dutch, the Spanish or the Japanese invaded Australia is contemptible. Are Indigenous Australians meant to feel gratitude that it was the British who did all those nasty things more efficiently than other foreigners would have done?

That kind of nationalistic jingoism is so outdated - and no consolation to people who were badly treated.

Finally - more twisted sophistry - your allegation that "ATSIC’s failures is [sic] far more responsible for the problems within aboriginal communities today than John Howard’s refusal to say ‘sorry’ is" serves only to pander to racists who infest OLO.

One has just written: "Anyone with any sort of heart is sickened by racism whether back then or now" moments after writing: "To continue to give people the victim status allowing them to be drunkards and child abusers and then blaming others is a crime."

Hypocrisy lives.

Well stated, Mr. Gol. As a non-Australian, I have read these comments and see quite different responses to a serious injustice that took place in your country. It is not up to me to suggest what you should do. At various times and in many lands, new settlers resorted to horrible treatment and genocide to original inhabitants throughout the world. But that the abduction of children continued until a such recent period is surprising to me. And yes, I only learned about this a few years ago. We don't know much about what goes on beyond our shores! What is most disgusting to me, however, is the motive of Mr. Neville! Imagine wanting "whiteness" to be universal in Australia. My my!

The Hawke-Keating camorra lasted for in excess of 4,300 days. I find it odd that their diaries were so crowded that not one day was set aside to issue an apology to aborigines. Not only that but they along with many who have now discovered their voice are calling on Howard to issue an apology. What further astounds me is that I can find no record in our newspapers from 1983 - 1995 of an upwelling of public anger at the lack of an apology by Hawke or Keating.

To those who have now found their voice I say bravo. Where have you been?