every now and then we will see our politicians bending over to apologise to the aborigines
sometimes they participate in a race to see who can apologise more sincerely and how much more they can repay the wrongs done

my view on this is simple

(a). no matter how much we can wish for, wars and conflicts between nations will continue
for ideological reasons
for religious reasons
for resources
for racial issues
look at history and you will see that to be a fact

(b). when war happens, there will be eventually a winner and a vanquished
the conqueror will win by sure numbers, technology or able leadership
the vanquished loses also because of the same reasons or perhaps a disillusioned citizens who actually welcomed the new regime

(c). the conqueror will then have the final say in all policies. No ifs and buts. That is the cruel logic of warfare and conquests.

(d). when that happens, let the victors treat the losers with human dignity after the war. we can discuss what is basic human dignity later. however, let us not say if we are truly fair, we should not go to war in the first place for that will negate the principle at (a)
the victors must remember that one day, they in turn will be conquered for whatever reasons. they will have to ask how they want to be treated if they lost the war to an invading force.

treating the aborigines as vermin is not acceptable
taking away their children is inhumane

for all these, we have to sincerely apologise to the aborigines
unqualified apology and remorse
as a nation, we must learn not to do this again

from then on, we must move on
there is no need to re-open old wounds
no need for endless apologies
that is history and lessons were learnt

there is no need to be politically correct in mandatory naming of a bridge in aboriginal dialect
no need to end a tv programme by thanking the XYZ tribe etc

there is no need to re-open old wounds
platypus1900,
sadly this one line is the crux of the whole circus. the perpetual picking of the scab is what keeps the doors open to that pathetic show that is the guilt industry.

@individual

last thing on my mind to open old wounds
just that as a nation, we do not seem to know how to leave this behind
that is the problem

i just commented on another Thread about how our politicians are just bidding themselves crazy to give freebies to the aborigines

i discussed at length with a phd (student) anthropologist on this issue
i dont even want to say i am sad about what happened
it happened
i look at the past philosophically
the important thing is recognise the wrongs done and not to repeat past ill-treatment and injustice done

that is important

i dont trust the japanese because they never apologised as a nation
the germans did

the thread is to discuss how we should move ahead
the italians did

like all australians, i have dissonance in my head when i see

a. aborigines walking around drunk after getting their allowances
b. aborigines in casinos ( i know some may be earning their keeps and gambling but honestly, how many?)
c. broken and dilapidated houses in the outback built by govt funds (yours and my taxes)
d. the stats on how many aborigines (% to their population) commit crime and are in/out of prison

i want to state here that i am sad such things are happening to them
they are a people lost and dispossessed of their land and lifestyle
they face diseases their parents never knew and lifestyle they do not need

but as i said in my opening post, such is life
there will be warfare
there will be colonization or whatever pc term you like to use

the point is where do we go from here?

i see clearly 2 groups of aborigines

a. those who will and have successfully or not successfully integrated into the mainstream
b. those who will not want to integrate into the mainstream of the conquerors

let us come up with a scheme to accommodate both groups
those who want to be in (b), let them stay in peace and quiet in govt gazetted reserves.... give them a one time allowance to help them readjusted to their way of life in the outback.
after that they are on their own...in the reserves.
issue them ID cards
they can visit places outside the reserves but not allowed to reside outside

for those in (a), and who are in the group that needs help, give them help, classes, courses, subsidised edn and houses etc for a fixed period of time (5 years..10 years).
then they have to fend for themselves like the rest of us. Not all whites are successful...not all migrants are successful. That is life and they have to learn.

platypus1900, In South Africa the whites called them "Townships". It must be fortunate for people like you that Aboriginals represent less than 3% of the population and not over 90%, then your military apparatus would be stretched enforcing your apartheid laws following your glorious victory over theses stone aged people.
You see the problems of indigenous Australians as basically problems of their own making, their failure to comply with the norms of the victors You want to draw a curtain on past history and then demand Aboriginal people sink or swim accordingly.

I (platypus1900) see clearly 2 groups of aborigines

a. those who will and have successfully or not successfully integrated into the mainstream
b. those who will not want to integrate into the mainstream of the conquerors

And what is your solution? Group b immediately get driven off into the desert to fend for themselves. However the complaint group a fair a bit better, they get some form of assistance, but your patience has its limits, after some years if they too have failed to assimilate, they to are driven off into the desert to fend for themselves as well.

And just to show your not some bigoted recast you finish with;
"Not all whites are successful...not all migrants are successful. That is life and they have to learn." Great scheme!
p/s When filling out their papers do you think many will mark box b, that's the one that leads to immediate exile to the "government reserve" or most will mark box a and hang out for 5 or 10 years

@paul

first and foremost, can we agree not to call each other names?
you hardly know me
written words, especially in a forum like this can well be misinterpreted and does not fully ocnvey our full views
much better you ask and clarify before you brand me?

now, let me respond to your points

a. actually i do not have a 100% solution. it is just that this indigenous people issue has been around for so long and i do not see it getting any nearer to a solution and so i am just thinking my ideas aloud. not exactly very wise, but i thot we can together work out perhaps a better solution

b. i dont think township is the solution.
aborigines dont live in towns right?
they are wanderers right?
their "ways and paths" and their living off the land with the wind and the water and the brother kangaroos and the possums etc etc?
townships and cities are concepts of other civilisations like the west and the chinese and indians etc

c.if they are over 90% of the population, the problem would have solved itself over time as in the case of africa (bkacks and whites) and indonesia (indonesians and dutch) and china (chinese and the mongols or the manchurians)... remember my opening remarks on technology (superior arms) and sure size of numbers?
for eg, if china wanted australia...they need not fight, they just land boats and boats of chinese here and we will be overwhelmed man.
that is on the assumption that the hypocritical americans feels there is nothing here worth interfering with.

d. the segment of aborigines who has done well are those who assimilated with the conquerors... there must be other issues but they seem to be handling them well
the other segment DO NOT wish to assimilate
they want their old ways of life
i am trying to accommodate this group
a ruthless victor will just eliminate them
i think that is not right as we do not want any future victors to eliminate us do we?