Quite what happened in Australia 10 generations ago has to do with Grant's tantrum is unclear. But it does seem that in some circles there is a view that because some unsavoury things happened in the past, it justifies anything done in the present. Its inane but accepted without thought by some.

The whole episode vis a vis Grant is a commentary on how thin-skinned the current generation has become. The idea that (often) anonymous comment on so-called social media would be taken seriously by anyone, let alone someone claiming to be a journalist, is difficult to comprehend to a generation raised in the school yard of hard-knocks. I well remember Bob Hawke ripping Richard Carleton a new one during the 1983 election (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1aDvcP7-dw). Current 'journalists' would go running for the padded room if so addressed these days and the Karens of the left would pamper the hurt feelz of their comrade beyond all reason.

How one can claim to be capable of reporting hard facts while unravelling at all minor provocation is inane.

It is called a feud.
And they do it because they derive benefit from it.
They are crafty.

And the first thing I learned at school, on the very first day, was...
STICKS AND STONES MAY BREAK MY BONES, BUT HARD WORDS NEVER HURT ME.
And that is as true now as it was then.
Those who are affronted by a casual remark, and run off to the courts to seek solace, need a metaphoric punch on the nose, and a similar kick in the pants?

Paul,

In the 1800s there were also plenty of cases of aboriginals killing settlers.

"In 1824 the situation changed dramatically with the onset of the Black War in which nearly 200 Europeans and an unknown number of Aborigines died. Hostilities were fuelled by competition for the native game (including seals and kangaroo), the assumption of Aboriginal hunting grounds for grazing stock, and the progressive dispossession of Aborigines from their tribal lands. It is no accident that in 1823, the year before the escalation in hostilities, some 441,871 acres were granted to settlers, a ten-fold increase on land allocated in 1821.4

The target of Aboriginal resistance was undoubtedly the lives of the settlers. In 1824 twelve Aboriginal assaults produced twelve European deaths and one wounding, with only one case of plunder recorded. In 1828 Arthur wrote of the Aborigines 'evincing an evident disposition systematically to kill and destroy the white inhabitants'. Although Aborigines such as Mosquito and Black Tom (Kickerterpoller) familiar with European culture played a prominent role during this early period, they capitalised on existing discontent rather than instigating it.5"

Why are we bringing up past history for which has been reported and dealt with and sorry has been officially stated many times. On January 26, 1967, we included all people born in Australia a full citizen which included people living here before settlement of other nationalities. Some of my relatives came here in prison chains removed from their family and friends and were abused, for me that is past, and I do not see a need for reparations. They served their time as convicts in the colony.

The only racists I see on OLO are those that call others "White racist scum". Identifying skin colour or nationality with derision is racism. The ABC and SBS promote race as an advantage to their agenda, rather than promoting personal achievements regardless of their skin colour. Those that use skin colour in reporting events or achievements are unbalanced in promoting equality of humanity.

We are one people living together as one nation, respecting our laws and diversity. Race should not be a part of our constitution.

The Frontier Wars began in Australia in 1788 and continued well into the twentieth century. The last reported open hostility between European settlers and Indigenous natives being reported in the 1930's. The number killed is uncertain, with as many as 2,500 Europeans killed, and upwards of 150,000 indigenous, 30,000 from direct conflict with armed settlers, and government forces, and as many as 120,000 through starvation and disease brought on by disposition.

To describe the above as "unsavoury" is certainly an understatement by a minimalist, who wishes to sanitise history. The notion that the past settler/indigenous relations has no bearing on today is ludicrous, past events, the outcomes of, and reactions to, past events creates a continuum of history up to the present time, that is what shapes our responses of today as we move into the future. That is why "truth telling" is so important in dealing with today's issues.

Some Marxists want to continually promote racist wars from the past. This is not currently the position of Australia, friends of mine have just returned from Katherine NT where over 1,000 aboriginals met for a conference and there was no cultural conflict. They have all learned to forgive [which means let the past go] unlike some racial activists who cannot forgive the past.