Most cultures/nations/peoples have at one time during their history committed acts that now would be labelled barbaric, unjust and shameful.

Acknowledgment of past deeds is not an act of self-hate (as some profess) nor does it intend to inflict 'shame' on the current generations. But if an action of the past still resonates and affects the wellbeing of another group today, surely the recognition of it through an apology is a positive step forward.

To learn from the past is one of the richest gifts we can bestow on ourselves in the hope that past mistakes are not repeated and dignity is not lost in the political process or pursuit of power.

We can be proud and as a group move forward without losing hope nor dignity. The apology allowed this to happen and gave back some dignity and hope to indigenous Australians. It was a symbolic and heartfelt gesture which did not pretend to be the solution to other problems in indigenous communities.

Dear Pelican,

I'd like to tell you a story:

"The prison was a small concrete building, bare and featureless.
It could have been a fort or a blockhouse.

Coming in from the sunlight we found it dark and
cool. It smelt of urine. There were two doors, one in front of
us, one on the right-hand side.
"There's no one in that cell," the Superintendent, nodding towards
the door in front of us. He turned to his right, unlocked the
second door and threw it open. The walls were bare, with light
coming in from a barred window. The glass on the inside of the bars
had been broken and shards of it were scattered on the floor.

There was a plastic bucket in the far right-hand corner. Along
the wall facing the windows was an old, dirty mattress flat on the
concrete floor.

Sitting on the mattress were two small girls. Onw may have been
about thirteen, the other smaller and perhaps younger. They were
dressed in ill-fitting print dresses several sizes too large for
them.

The Superintendent told them to stand up. They looked agast at being
seen in such a situation visiting white fellas. The bigger of the
two girls had one hand and lower arm bandaged. Blood had seaped
through and spread on the surface of the bandage.

The Superintendent explained that she had a short time before smashed the window with her fist.

"Why are they here?" I asked.
The Superintendent explained they had sworn at their teacher.
They were spending the day in prison as a consequence..."

It was so grossly disproportionate.
What misuse of power. What could the teacher have been thinking?
Did they not realise the long-term consequences of their actions?"

This story was told by the historian Henry
Reynolds in his book, "Why Weren't We told?"

Yes, an apology was the first step in the right direction.
But it must not stop there. Apologising for the past is fine,
but what about what's still happening today, and what will
tomorrow bring for these First Australians?

Foxy your story saddens me, saying sorry lifted my heart sky high, your story highlights acts no less than criminal.
But yesterdays acts, remember them, do not forget them, learn from them, but do not isolate them.
Those days are also the home and times of welfare gone wrong, white children became the forgotten Australians in the 40,s 50,s and 60,s raped bashed tortured.
My family all white had a social illness, we had too many kids under one roof, often hungry we had the threat of being taken away to live with every day.
Catholic busybody's called welfare monthly just because they could.
See we got it very wrong, yes even worse for Aboriginals, but I have moved on, grown from these fear filled days.
What benefits are there in reliving yesterday if we can change tomorrow instead?
Horus , as was the case last time your silence shouts at me.
Answers please.

Dear Belly,

What benefits are there in re-living yesterday?
It's important to learn from the past to ensure
that it doesn't happen again. As the old proverb says:

"No, don't! Don't dig up the past!
Dwell on the past and you'll lose an eye!"

But the proverb goes on to say:

"Forget the past and you'll lose both eyes."

Decades go by, and for us the scars and sores of the past
are healing over for good. However, unless we learn from the
mistakes of the past, for the Aboriginal people it is
unlikely they will have a future to contemplate. The moral
choice is ours (white fellas) to make.

And we can start by a statute of rights that the previous
Justice Michael Kirby was arguing for. Where equality
would be enshrined into law. We could start by having Aboriginal
children receive an education akin to those that white kids
receive. We could have their history taught in all schools.
I'm not an expert but as I've said in my previous posts, we need
to try to remove bigotry, and make it so that we all have an
future to look forward to. All of us. Because at present
not all of us do.

*Dear PALE&IF,*

No, I don't want Australia Day changed....

>>>>>>>>>>
I said that I'm sure most
Australians wouldn't mind an extra public holiday.
I know I wouldn't>>

Dear Foxy
I dont see anybody on this thread against Aboriginals + I think its wonderful your prepaired to stand up for them. There is wisdom in Bellys words too. That was made clear when we walked proudly with them across Sydney Harbour bridge.

I would like you to look at our progect to assist Aboriginal People. Its a Australian wide project which involves all the schools unis and agriculture center hospitals much more.
Not all of it is on our web site however there is a link to obtain futher details to click on.

Could we ask you to write out some of your ideas/ projects for Aboriginal People pls. Give us a better idea of what you think would work and why.
I was dissapointed kevin Rudd gave Indonisia an 'additional' 300 million of the Australian`s public purse without asking us. We dont even ask what the funds are to be used for. No report twelve months later, 'nothing.' Those funds imo should have gone to our Aboriginal people to build some of the things you pointed out.

Now Foxy heres the part we are going to disagree on. I would mind another public holiday. Especially in these hard times ahead our small business just can not handle it.

So unless its a public holiday without pay I certainly disagree with you in the strongest possible terms on that one.

Dear PALE&IF,

It's all been said before.

You don't need lists from someone like me (who's
not an expert) to know what the Aborigines need.

I'm sure that you're fully aware that at present
they're worse than third-class citizens. They don't
have a positive self-image. They have a fear of the
way they will be treated by government officials,
by police, and even their neighbours in the towns
in which they live.

They're not treated the same as whites in a culture
where any immigrant has a better chance of making it,
than they do.

The job is massive - but it has to start with the
improvement of their self image. The last living
Aboriginal languages, for example, should be part of
our lives. New Zealand has English and Maori languages.
Yet none of us know anything about, Pitjantjatjara,
Warlpiri, Arrernte, Tiwi, to name just a few.

Imagine if your child was the only person in the country
that spoke your language. Your culture would die.

Anyway, if you're really interested in getting suggestions
from an expert, contact Dr Eva Sallis, the founder of
Australians Against Racism:

http://www.evasallis.com/code/contact.html

or:

info@australiansagainstracism.org

They will be able to help you.

Cheers