Dear Foxy,'

Surely success in one area can be an example to what might be done about other areas ? If 120,000 can go to university, there may not be much on the way of obstacles for everybody else ?

Of course, there are dreadful social problems in remote 'communities', and they must be addressed - and addressed in any proposal for the future. Whether Treaties (which up until now seem to be blank sheets of paper) and reconstituting 'nations' will do it, is, I think totally fanciful.

Perhaps there is a total misunderstanding about terms like 'self-determination'. Most Australians like me would assume that it meant something to do with the people themselves doing things for themselves, watching their diet and exercise, cleaning up their own houses, moderating their own grog intake, at least trying to get the skills needed for regular employment, making sure that their kids go to school in order to prepare for working futures. I don't see anything wrong with that. Of course, people can always go back to scrabbling for lizards and berries.

Others - perhaps with an unintentional racist tinge - assume that the people can't do any of that for themselves, but need others to do it all for them. That view fills me with dismay, to say the least. I never signed up for anything like that.

Of course, people moving from a foraging society to a welfare-based society may not see anything wrong with staying on welfare. They may honestly believe that the entire world lives like that. After all, we rarely see anybody actually working on TV, Aboriginal kids are rarely taken through factories to see how stuff is made, and how hard many people work, in dangerous, boring, dirty and relatively low-paid conditions.

No easy ways :)

Love,

Joe

Joe,

Did you see Q&A tonight?

If not I shall happily post a transcript for you
when it becomes available.

In the meantime - I have nothing further to say
to you.

Hi Foxy,

No, only the last ten minutes or so, I preferred to watch 'Foyle's War'. What I saw was depressing enough: so now, there are going to be three committees of some sort, a parliamentary oversight committee, a Makarrata committee and (thankfully) a Truth and Reconciliation committee ? I would certainly welcome the last one, it would be a refreshing change.

And who was that smug young girl speaking as if from a bloody throne ? Arrogant and ignorant all at once. Christ save us.

Joe

Hi Foxy, thanks for the link, the facts are undeniable, and in my view totally unacceptable. Others will disagree, seeing Aboriginal disadvantage as "the natural way of things" or like Leo presenting a minds eye view of such things as being all conspiratorial and therefore to be rejected as worthless, that is where the mysterious and as yet unnamed 'Elites' enter into the argument simply an excuse to do nothing. I admire Aboriginal people for their successes, given the adversities over the past 200 odd years, how did they get one to university let alone the numbers they have. The question is what do we do tomorrow, rather than how were things yesterday. As a Progressive I am in favor of progress.

Hi Joe, I take it you either disagree with the statistics from Foxy's link, or feel the presentation of such is counter productive to future progress. I believe Aboriginals are mature enough as a people to be confronted with such facts, yet have the resilience to work to overcome the disadvantage. For me it is all about working towards a better future for all Australians, including our indigenous brothers and sisters. The detractors wont agree, but that's it.

Hi again Joe,

I have read as much as I can about the 'Uluru Convention' and its outcome. It is clear to me Aboriginal people do not want platitudes and flowery words in some vague Constitutional recognition, they want meaningful action which leads to Aboriginal people assuming their rightful place in Australian society, not as inferiors, but as equals. Is a representative body, along with the establishment of a treaty, the way to go. Until all the argument is put forward, from all the relevant sections of society, I cannot say.

The words of our leaders;

"History would indicate that to succeed, not only must there be overwhelming support, but minimal — or at least tepid — opposition," Mr Turnbull said.

"We owe the [Uluru delegates] an open mind on the big questions. On the form recognition takes, on treaties, on changes required in the constitution," Mr Shorten said

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-26/constitutional-recognition-rejected-by-indigenous-leaders-uluru/856392

"...Aboriginal people assuming their rightful place in Australian society, not as inferiors, but as equals."

Indeed,Paul, I've always stated that ALL Australians should be treated as equals.

This would mean no racial categorisation for a start.