australia - silent genocide

[scott thesocialist]

so the howard government is yet another government not to declare the the aborigines where the first nation. previous governments have oppressed this ancient civilaisation to a point that, during the invasion of the whites these people where killed slaughter and their children stolen from them not to mention their land that has been in their families for centuries. surely it know time for the government to accept that bthese people where here first this country is the only place on earth that doesn't accept the truth the us/canada does with the indians. the death rate of the aborigines is far higher that whites, the education system is not the same, the facilities available for the aborigines are simply not there. surely know is the time for the silent genocide to be made puplic world wide and to show that the australian government of past and present are wrong and will continue to be wrong. there treatment of aslyum seekers is one of the worst in the world they are put in camps in the outback guarded by us companies worth $387 million a year.

[tacoernie]

agreed man, the way oz has brushed this under the carpet is disgusting, some of the shit that the did to these guys makes the mind boggle -eg it was still legal to hunt abo's for sport well into the 20th century. have had friends helping at the refugee "detention" centres, tearing down the fences and getting people out. he did one about a year back, and around a dozen of the inmates are still on the loose in the cities of oz. better lock you doors.

[IHP]

While I agree with you, taco, your use of the word "abo" contradicts what you're trying to say. We're trying to erase the problem of derogatory expressions, that have become the 'norm.' some of your facts aren't particulary right either. It wasn't legal to shoot them for sport in the twentieth century. It was against the law, though it was publicly accepted. I remember the story of some guy up in Queensland shot about five native Australians, and was absolutely appalled that he was arrested. He couldn't work out what he had done wrong. Absolutely terible.

And it is disgusting. The Hawke government of the late 80's was the closest we got to...well...anything. Although it was more of a watered down treaty than any kind of reconciliation. His successor, Paul Keating, came about as close. When Howard came in all those hopes were dashed.

--IHP

[Beccie]

It is sad that many Australians think that Europeans settled this country peacefully. Most people here are unaware of the Aboriginal resistance to the white invasion; they fought for this country yet it goes unrecognised. Because Australia was settled under terra nullius (this wasn't challenged until 1992?) Whites have successfully been able to deny their right to land, their law and ultimately their culture and ability to govern themselves.

[IHP]

Too right. Have you been reading any Windschuttle in your course?

--IHP

[Beccie]

Yes, I had to write an essay comparing the fuckheads misguided views to those of Henry Reynolds. I shamefully own one of his books (by the time I starting writing the essay all the books in the library were out so I had to buy some!)

[IHP]

Thats a shame...that means that racist knick-knack is getting some more money. What do you think of his Tasmanian non-genocide hoorah?

--IHP

[Beccie]

I think the guys an idiot. He claims to have no "political agenda" yet he is one of the prime ministers favorite Journalists.

I think that Reynolds (and others) have produced solid evidence that a genocide in Tasmania did occur. I have found that Windschuttle attempts to attack to credibility of their evidence put fails to provide sound evidence himself.

Did you know that Windschuttle use to be a Marxist in university?

[IHP]

No, I didn't know that. What the hell happened to him? He's just a screwball now.

I found that Windschuttle attacks certain historians very critically, but then takes some historians as gospel if it supports what he's saying ie; he picks and chooses what he wants and presents it as fact.

Is Reynolds that Tasmanian Lecturer?

--IHP

[Beccie]

Yes Reynolds is the Tasmanian Lecturer.

I agree with what you are saying about Windschuttle. I learnt that Windschuttle was a Marxist in a lecture it was the only thing I learnt in that lecture. It was sooo boring!

[Palmares]

Windschuttle is like a neo-conservative. He does have some valid points though, but overall he is mad. I wish I made it to the discussion about it.

[Ian]

Any of you read Pilger's 'New Rulers fo the world'? It deals with the treatment of the Koori people currently and the genocide denial. It's a good book!

[Beccie]

It is a good book, I got so angry when I read it....

[scott thesocialist]

yeah i read that book thats where i got my idea for the thread from. i was hoping to find out more information about the situation, you guys got any good web sites or any thing to say on the matter? are you mostly from australia?

[IHP]

I don't have any good websites for Windschuttle, for the simple reason that I don't want to look or find any. I just can't read any of his work for too long or else I get way too angry.

Yes, Commie01, Ian, Cthen and myself are Australian, though Cthen is from Tasmania so there's a bit of a grey area there.

--IHP

[Palmares]

IHP, YOU BLOODY INFIDEL!!!

I was born in Queensland, my dad was born in Victoria, and my mum was born in the Phillipines. I only live in Tassie...

[B]Gerbal-hater!!!

[Palmares]

One more thing, I know most of the stuff abou Windschuttle from a documentary on ABC or SBS a short time ago. Alot of historians (especially Tasmanian ones) are really pissed off at him. His most prominent point is the inaccuracy of many historians figures (e.g. how many Aboriginals were killed at a given massacre).

I've had a little (I mean little) look for some sites for this dick, I found this;

http://www.sydneyline.com/Fabrication.htm

All the others pretty much led back to this or were crap.

[Beccie]

If you want to know about Aboriginal resistance on the frontier pick up any book written by Henry Reynolds. Some good ones include frontier, the other side of the frontier and why weren't we told?

He has been criticised for exaggerating but I think he constructs some good arguments.

[Ian]

EEEEK Cthenthar that site you provided is filled with shit from the Quadrant magazine, which I am told Howard regularly reads. Good for a laugh, however.


Oi, Cthenthar, did you know that in the Phillipines there are, as one comrade here used to tell me over and over, 26 000 in the Phillipine Red army, not all of them are Maoist either! If you know Tagalog you can go an die/fight for me! (if you can think of a better way to live through a comrade I'd like to hear it)

Maybe I should go read a bit more...

[scott thesocialist]

thamnks Commie01 i'll try and check for some books. i think that its totally disgusting they way the australian government has treated the aborigines over the years! its one of the worst cases of the violation of human rights i've ever heard of.

[Ian]

Especially considering it is considered a First World country... first world for some

[kiwisocialist]

Something needs to be done.

But what?

Some history on the places that aboriginals lived would be good. Especially places in and around large towns as we could make people aware of the original uses of the land they live on. Once people realise that this land wasn't always owned by Dixon Homes or Westfield they can accept Aboriginal rights to it.

[Beccie]

It’s not that easy, kiwisocialist. This country was settled under Terra nullius, a legal doctrine that says that the land belonged to no one before the Europeans settled here. This happened despite the fact that the aborigines were clearly owners of the land. Terra nullius has enabled white Australia deny the aborigines their land and law, it was not challenged until the Mabo decision in 92 (or 93?).

Although we now recognise Native title it is still hard for Aborigines to claim land rights. They have to be able to prove that a certain area of land has ancestry value; this is not easy largely because of their oral tradition (Aboriginal people do not record things rather pass their culture down through sacred rituals). Also after years of dispossession many Aboriginal people don’t know much about their ancestral land and culture.


(Edited by Commie01 at 12:42 am on June 4, 2003)

[IHP]

I think we need another Charlie Perkins, who is somewhat of a hero of mine. Do you know him?

--IHP

[Beccie]

No, who is he? Whats with your sig?

[IHP]

First, I'll try and find you a link to some good Charlie Perkins site.

Second, I was drunk and watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire. And Eddie MacGuire is such a dick, it's just funny that he's on just about every single show on TV.

Charlie Perkins was, in many ways, Australia's Mandela. Indeed, had the Australian racial composition been reversed, as in South Africa, he would have surely fulfilled that role. Instead, he struggled until his death for justice and dignity for his people and to alert the white majority to the truth: that unless they gave back nationhood to the first Australians, they could never claim their own.

Charlie Perkins Link (http://www.country-liberal-party.com/pages/Charlie_Perkins.htm)

--IHP

[Beccie]

Thanks for the link lindy. I'm sick of Eddie being everywhere his voice is really annoying!

[IHP]

Anytime Becaroo. Yeah, his voice in annoying, but what about his seven chins? Sickening...

--IHP

[Beccie]

aww I thought his chins were sexy!! j/k *shudder*

I think I know who Charlie Perkins is, I read about him in New Rulers of the world.

Have you been studying hard for the politics exam? Yesterday my lecturer was telling us about how the lecturer at Clayton (Nick?) is obsessed with Whitlam and that if there is any question on Whitlam in the exam just to ignore it because it is for the Clayton students...

[IHP]

*shudder* indeed!

If you're studying Aboriginal POlitics, you should learn about him for sure. A really fantastic man.

Yeah Nick Economou loves Whitlam, hell, so do I! Yes it'll be hard but she'll be right mate. Maybe I'll see ya there.

--IHP

[Ian]

I love your signature Lindy

[IHP]

It's just so true, Rocksy

--IHP