The Necessity of Reparation for Historic Injustices
One little point re: the Irish, if we go a bit futher back it was the Gaelic peoples who were colonising - the invasion of Caledonia (Scotland) and replacement of people there, including the disappearance of the Picts afterward. Next stop for the Gaelic people was the land of the Angles and Saxons, but King Alfred thankfully formed the Royal Navy and kept them out.
blindboy wrote:"Any movement which separates people based on skin colour is regressive racist bullshit."
Those who foregt history are doomed to repeat it. Witness the re-energising of the racist right.
Which history are you referring to? The Klu Klux Klan? They sure loved separating people along racial lines. So here is something else to remember for those who are pushing for division based on skin colour - what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Here’s your options. There is only two from which you can choose one.
1/ Willingly and knowingly seperate humanity into opposing groups based on something as unrepresentative as skin colour.
2/ Consider all people are humans and skin colour is no more important than hair or eye colour.
Division vs unity. Progress vs regression.
It’s that easy and that simple. Anyone pushing an “ Us and Them” proposition based on skin colour is a dangerous person who needs to be kicked in the nuts. Australia is home to every skin tone from pitch black to albino white, from red to yellow to everything in between and Australia works best when skin colour means nothing. . People who place skin colour as representative of someone are throwback mental retards.
"It’s that easy and that simple.' Maybe for simpletons. But hey think what you like. Your attitudes are sad and pathetic and I pity you for having to live yopuir life with that level of ignorance and selfishness....but I really couldn't be fucked arguing with you.
blindboy wrote:"It’s that easy and that simple.' Maybe for simpletons. But hey think what you like. Your attitudes are sad and pathetic and I pity you for having to live yopuir life with that level of ignorance and selfishness....but I really couldn't be fucked arguing with you.
You don’t argue. You opine on my personality. There is no argument for promoting racial division which is not medieval in scope. I know you think you are doing the right thing BB but you are not. Not at all. By your thinking I should meet someone in the street and immediately summate who they are based on the amount of pigment in their skin……WTF?!? That’s the most puerile throwback bullshit I’ve ever heard.
Time to evolve BB. Don’t be a dinosaur..
This is explicitly what you are arguing against :
indo-dreaming wrote:I was thinking/talking more socially than economically, most of the world including muslims are socially conservatives.
"a few controlling the many" Is more a leftist ideal communism/socialism.
BTW. Equality of opportunity v's equality of outcome, is two different things, one favoured by the right one a pipe dream of the left.
OK indo , so because 1% of the population owns 50% of the Worlds riches, then 5 % of the world population owns 80% of the worlds riches.....inclusive of the 1%........so how do you reconcile a small minority of rich people control the economies...yet there 3 b people who make less than $2 a day ,.
whole Nations are poverty ridden where people are struggling for food and water ...the rich get richer the poor get poorer......so yeah a few control the many and it ain't working !
An indigenous person of my age would not have been a citizen of their own country until they were half way through primary school. Their parents were blocked from virtually all forms of advancement and wealth creation. Then there is the risk of being part of the stolen generation and sent to an institution. You're on the North Coast Blowin and you always say how well you get on with the local indigenous blokes. Ask about Kinchela Boys Home.
Old men like you would destroy the future in order to relive the past. Another version of yourself refuses to buy Japanese products because of what Japan did 70 years ago. My mother in law’s father fought the Germans twice and it nearly killed him. Someone like you would be fostering and encouraging resentment of the Germans in my missus. “ Go read about how they killed allied soldiers in cold blood “ you’d say.
Except that you said your own Father was a POW with the Japanese? How come you don’t continue to foster resentment amongst young Australians towards the Japanese? It’s not different except you think that skin colour somehow introduces some exceptionalism into the discussion. It doesn’t.
Obey one simple rule and the world is a far better place - Don’t treat someone differently because of the colour of their skin.
But you are arguing this is right wing racist thought? Bizarre. Time to go old man. Your neo racist mindset is evil. I’ll leave you to think about it and hopefully grow up a bit.
You're a joke. I bet you wouldn't even have the guts to mention that place to an indigenous bloke in case his father had been there. So do yourself a favour and read this. But probably not. You'd rather cling to your comfortable delusions.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-15/kinchela-boys-home-coronavirus-ab...
Of course I wouldn’t mention that shit unless someone else brought it up. Why would you unless you were a tourist of someone else’s past suffering? I grew up with an ex-luftwaffe messherschmit pilot a couple of doors up. You think I should go back and teach young people in my old neighbourhood to hate his children and grandchildren? What the fuck is wrong with you?
I don’t think you even realise what you’re doing. You’ve done nothing more than double down on the “ Don’t let the Germans fool you….what they did was real bad” when someone tells you that times have changed, people suffered but you keep conflating the past with the present.
The fella in the story married the woman he loved. He didn’t give a fuck about skin colour but you don’t want anyone to ever forget how seperate and how different we are.
The first step to overcoming a problem is to acknowledge you have one. Acknowledge you can’t accept that people are just people and that you want to retain the medieval thinking which led to people being placed in the Kinchela boy’s home in the first place.
Moving on from mistakes in the past is not the same as forgetting them. You really need to let go this idea of Us and Them. It helps not a single person in this world.
Reinforcing racial resentment is like buying an alcoholic a bottle of rum. You think it soothes pain but it just entrenches it. Worse is that in this instance it entrenches it within new generations who never experienced the pain themselves.
Treating people differently based on skin colour is Evil shit. Stop doing it. Stop being evil. You are fostering division.
No mate I keep pointing out that the past has created huge disadvantages for indigenous people that continue to the present. It takes 4 generations to overcome poverty in Australia, but you are so arrogant you will probably just dismiss the research because it makes you feel uncomfortable.
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.abc.net.au/article/9997970
Oh and spare us the crap about any recognition of the need for reparations being a form of racism.
"Treating people differently based on skin colour is Evil shit. Stop doing it. Stop being evil. You are fostering division."
wow, coming from a bloke who wanted South Koreans rounded up for immediate deportation, that is truly rich blowin.
Just own your racism mate. Stop pretending you're not a bigot and trying to claim the high moral ground.
“It takes four generations to overcome poverty in Australia”
What a load of utter shit. Where do you get this rubbish? Even an average house in Bowraville is now worth half a million dollars. Do you really even believe this yourself or does it just seem like a useful lie to put forward your garbage opinion that Us vs Them somehow leads anywhere good?
I dare anyone to read the past discussion and come to the conclusion that I’m the racist. Anyway …..when the Vic Local dumb cunt arrives it’s my cue to leave.
.
Blowin wrote:I dare anyone to read the past discussion and come to the conclusion that I’m the racist. Anyway …..when the Vic Local dumb cunt arrives it’s my cue to leave.
You're the complete opposite of a racist, you clearly believe people should be treated equally no matter skin colour or ethnicity and that those things are irrelevant. (me too)
The problem is you are having a conversation with two people that im sure wouldn't treat others negatively based on skin colour, but they would treat a person of colour differently in other ways.
They would look at the person of colour almost like a vulnerable child that needs protecting and always be on eggs shells with them nodding in agreement in fear of upsetting them, never being able to disagree or dislike them based on what they say or who they are, im not sure what the word is to describe this but if you were on the receiving end would you really like it?
It would kind of suck knowing this person is treating you this way because of my skin colour or ethnicity and not based on who i am or what i feel or say.
Us vs them? It's always interesting when people unintentionally reveal something fundamental to their thinking.
In this case that pretty much explains Blowin's point of view. Zero sum! Helping "others" hurts "us". Sad really to have to explain to an adult that is is not us vs them, but us and them working together to create a happier more harmonious society.
Yawn. Same old shit.
blindboy wrote:Us vs them? It's always interesting when people unintentionally reveal something fundamental to their thinking.
In this case that pretty much explains Blowin's point of view. Zero sum! Helping "others" hurts "us". Sad really to have to explain to an adult that is is not us vs them, but us and them working together to create a happier more harmonious society.
See ….you think in terms of Us and Them. I don’t cause I know that’s throwback retarded thinking. People are people.
Wait …maybe you’re right? Maybe I’m the one who has been wrong in assuming that we should treat racial grouping as a disgusting remnant of a less enlightened age?
So BB…..you think there’s Us white people and Them yellow people and Them black people and Them red people? And we should never ever forget that’s who we are first and foremost and it defines us and everything we say and do should be placed in this context?
Great idea mate. Such a brilliant insight! I’ve actually got mates that are , well ….they’re just mates but now I’m going to refer to them as my “yellow mates” and my “red mates”. That’s the way you reckon BB? And if awful things happened in the past because of this same awesome racial division you are encouraging then we should forever remain trapped in that moment for generations to come. For ever even if possible!
Let’s keep indoctrinating every new generation in hatred and resentment based of what happened in someone else’s lifetime. Sounds like you’ve given this a lot of thought mate!
You’ve taught me that to ever try something new such as moving past that fucking great stumbling block for humanity which was racial division surely is a bad idea because we can maybe milk another few centuries of divisive hatred out of those old issues.
Good work.
blindboy wrote:An indigenous person of my age would not have been a citizen of their own country until they were half way through primary school. Their parents were blocked from virtually all forms of advancement and wealth creation. Then there is the risk of being part of the stolen generation and sent to an institution. You're on the North Coast Blowin and you always say how well you get on with the local indigenous blokes. Ask about Kinchela Boys Home.
I have known / worked with Aboriginal women who were forced to have their children on the back steps or veranda of bush nursing hospitals because prior to the 1967 referendum that Blindboy references above it was illegal for Aboriginals to receive medical care in a proper hospital.
The same women and families that (illegally) walked off a mission station in southern NSW and crossed the river into Victoria. A government sanctioned mission station administered under Aborigines Protection that saw Aboriginals unable to vote, travel freely or have a bank account.
They remembered these things as steps in a continual struggle for justice, for self determination and for equity.
1967 FFS
To save me having to think of anything nice to say to Blowin I will quote Blue Diamond and replace a name .
"And loving reading your in depth well informed observations Blowin. Theres so much to take away from your posts."
It was your phrase mate, not mine. And if you genuinely want to get past racial division then I suggest you recognise that it will never happen until we have genuine equality not your preferred phony "just treat everyone the same" crap.
People like Blindboy are a scourge.
You know those Italian vendettas that span centuries? Yeah, it’s crew like BB who perpetuate them …..”It doesn’t matter that he’s a nice guy and you’re friends. You are beholden to hate him because his grandfather and your grandfather were enemies. You owe family allegiance to feud with him and hopefully your kids will hate his kids. There’s Them and there’s Us and we will never be united”
Not if people like BB and his resentment merchants have anything to do with it. Hate breeders!
Fuck that crap. Fuck their Bloods and Crips rubbish.
Sorry Smiley but I have to do another quote this time from the Blind One . " No link no credibility ".
It does sound BS to me and would have not been the general practice to deny our first nation people hospital care because it was illegal . The people of Australia would not have tolerated such treatment as shown in the 1967 referendum .
"Turnout for the referendum was almost 94 per cent, and the result was a strong ‘Yes’ vote, with a significant majority in all six states and an overall majority of almost 91 per cent. "
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parlia...
Excuse me? My “phoney treat everyone the same crap”? Fuck you old man. I’ve lived and worked all over this country amongst every different kind of person and I’ve only ever treated people as people and without the preconceived bullshit you want to impose.
Indo was right. You are the sort of race fetishist who would go up to someone you thought had indigenous heritage and tell them you love dot paintings. You’re a fucking tourist mate. I live and breathe the shit you see on TV and here you are telling me what I do and don’t do. The reason you insist on treating people of indigenous heritage as someone seperate from your own community is because they are a fucking novelty to you. A fetish you admire from afar. It’s bloody bizarre you can’t even see this for yourself.
I just see a fella in line at the local IGA buying his groceries and you see a First Nations(!!!!) person. Get over it and join planet Earth in 2021 mate.
You know what’s funny? Everyone can spot a tourist. You think that treating someone differently because you think they’re indigenous isn’t obviously weird? First up its outright strange and secondly it’s condescending rubbish. You’ve immediately reduced that person into a one dimensional caricature of a human. They’ve ceased being a father, an electrician, someone who loves a beer and a fish and they are now just someone who’s family was treated differently because of the colour of their skin.
The fact that you are also treating them differently because of the colour of their skin is somehow cool and normal? Fuck me.
Anger is bad for your health mate. You really need to get used to the idea that people don't always agree with you. Jesus cheeses the One Nation posse are in full outrage mode. Hard to know if it is sad or funny....but I keep laughing, so I guess that answers it.
You keep reminding me that anger is bad for my health…..maybe you should remember that stupidity can reduce a lifespan by an average of 5 years. At your age that’s quite a chunk of your remaining time to consider forfeiting.
Yep. You’ve got me BB. Nailed me with that famous intellect of yours. Anyone can see I’m a white supremacist from everything I’ve just said. Nothing gets past you.
As you were bloke. Keep fighting for those entrenched and unbridgeable racial divides mate. Stay strong in your mission to ensure no one ever forgets that the colour of their skin is the single most important aspect in determining their future and their chance at achieving happiness.
We might get somewhere if you actually argued against what I said. And if I ever referred to you as a white supremacist it would have been a long time ago and if I did, I apologise. I have never regarded you as that extreme.
Blowin wrote:I dare anyone to read the past discussion and come to the conclusion that I’m the racist. Anyway …..when the Vic Local dumb cunt arrives it’s my cue to leave.
blowin, you've ranted and raged on immigrants on this forum for years. You've blamed them for so many things, and made up ridiculous statistics to support racist arguments. You've praised Hanson on multiple occasions, and when you get called out for being a racists, you get all huffy and puffy like that red headed imbecile and start screaming "I am not a racist".
Sorry blowin. you are a racist, and there's years of your posts on this forum to back up that statement.
blindboy wrote:"Any movement which separates people based on skin colour is regressive racist bullshit."
Those who foregt history are doomed to repeat it. Witness the re-energising of the racist right.
That’s what you said. The re energising of the racist right is specifically because people on the Fake Left have decided to make racial division and racial segregation a proud hallmark of their movement. They are then surprised when others pick up the same sentiment themselves….such as white people who want to be considered seperate.
The Fake Left’s insistence on perpetuating and highlighting skin colour as a way to collectivise humanity is the exact same prerogative being acted out by neo Nazis. I wish you’d both fuck right off with that retrograde rubbish.
Vic Local wrote:Blowin wrote:I dare anyone to read the past discussion and come to the conclusion that I’m the racist. Anyway …..when the Vic Local dumb cunt arrives it’s my cue to leave.
blowin, you've ranted and raged on immigrants on this forum for years. You've blamed them for so many things, and made up ridiculous statistics to support racist arguments. You've praised Hanson on multiple occasions, and when you get called out for being a racists, you get all huffy and puffy like that red headed imbecile and start screaming "I am not a racist".
Sorry blowin. you are a racist, and there's years of your posts on this forum to back up that statement.
Perhaps there is for a dumb cunt like you who can’t tell the difference between nationality and race. Again….when this retard turns up , I’m out.
"collectivise humanity" Care to expand on that?
No? Probably a wise decision.
Grouping someone based on skin colour is collectivism. Keep repeating the mantras “ You are white , you are black , you are white , you are black” until it’s ingrained in culture that race matters at all for anything.
I didn’t explain because it’s self explanatory.
Look, BB. I know you think you’re being conciliatory and generous saying you don’t think I’m as “extreme” as to be a white supremacist. But really, I’ve listened to your weaponised petty accusations for years.
Ive got one sibling. He is gay. Not surprisingly, his partner is also gay. All my brothers partners have been gay. My whole life I’ve had gay people around me without any concern. Yet you’ve delighted in repeatedly labelling me homophobic when you choose.
Ive done nothing but advance the cause of women my whole life. Ive defended my missus right to exist as the sole female amongst thousands of male workers in remote construction sites, defended her against women hating fuckwits on remote pearl operations and done the same for women wherever they’ve had similar problems. Yet you’ve delighted in calling me a misogynist when you choose.
I’ve made it plain repeatedly my belief that humans are humans and anyone who discriminates based on skin colour is a complete loser.
Yet here you are looking for another excuse to start labelling me as a racist….again.
Why don’t you just get fucked mate? Honestly…..you’ve got this hardcore “ I’m the only gay in the village” chip on your shoulder which urges you to try and define yourself as more sensitive to victimhood than anyone alive. Even if it means seeing clear through reality and imagining evil in others. Beyond it being simply irritating having some old fruit falsely levelling these kinds of rude accusations Willy Nilly as it suits him, It’s fucking boring and I’m over it.
Hutchy 19 wrote:Sorry Smiley but I have to do another quote this time from the Blind One . " No link no credibility ".
It does sound BS to me and would have not been the general practice to deny our first nation people hospital care because it was illegal . The people of Australia would not have tolerated such treatment as shown in the 1967 referendum .
"Turnout for the referendum was almost 94 per cent, and the result was a strong ‘Yes’ vote, with a significant majority in all six states and an overall majority of almost 91 per cent. "
https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parlia...
I don’t care what you think hutchy, I got it directly from the source and that’s good enough for me. I worked with these people for years and they weren’t for bullshiting. No need such was their story. Now you were asked the other day how many aboriginals you have met, didn’t catch your answer did anyone?
indo-dreaming wrote:Blowin wrote:I dare anyone to read the past discussion and come to the conclusion that I’m the racist. Anyway …..when the Vic Local dumb cunt arrives it’s my cue to leave.
You're the complete opposite of a racist, you clearly believe people should be treated equally no matter skin colour or ethnicity and that those things are irrelevant. (me too)
The problem is you are having a conversation with two people that im sure wouldn't treat others negatively based on skin colour, but they would treat a person of colour differently in other ways.
They would look at the person of colour almost like a vulnerable child that needs protecting and always be on eggs shells with them nodding in agreement in fear of upsetting them, never being able to disagree or dislike them based on what they say or who they are, im not sure what the word is to describe this but if you were on the receiving end would you really like it?
It would kind of suck knowing this person is treating you this way because of my skin colour or ethnicity and not based on who i am or what i feel or say.
paternalistic?
ironically enough...
Blowin this is what the word means. How it connects to your views I have no idea.
Blowin wrote:blindboy wrote:"It’s that easy and that simple.' Maybe for simpletons. But hey think what you like. Your attitudes are sad and pathetic and I pity you for having to live yopuir life with that level of ignorance and selfishness....but I really couldn't be fucked arguing with you.
You don’t argue. You opine on my personality. There is no argument for promoting racial division which is not medieval in scope. I know you think you are doing the right thing BB but you are not. Not at all. By your thinking I should meet someone in the street and immediately summate who they are based on the amount of pigment in their skin……WTF?!? That’s the most puerile throwback bullshit I’ve ever heard.
Time to evolve BB. Don’t be a dinosaur..
This is explicitly what you are arguing against :
yep!
it seems 'the dream' is gone...
out with the bathwater
Blowin wrote:Excuse me? My “phoney treat everyone the same crap”? Fuck you old man. I’ve lived and worked all over this country amongst every different kind of person and I’ve only ever treated people as people and without the preconceived bullshit you want to impose.
Indo was right. You are the sort of race fetishist who would go up to someone you thought had indigenous heritage and tell them you love dot paintings. You’re a fucking tourist mate. I live and breathe the shit you see on TV and here you are telling me what I do and don’t do. The reason you insist on treating people of indigenous heritage as someone seperate from your own community is because they are a fucking novelty to you. A fetish you admire from afar. It’s bloody bizarre you can’t even see this for yourself.
I just see a fella in line at the local IGA buying his groceries and you see a First Nations(!!!!) person. Get over it and join planet Earth in 2021 mate.
You know what’s funny? Everyone can spot a tourist. You think that treating someone differently because you think they’re indigenous isn’t obviously weird? First up its outright strange and secondly it’s condescending rubbish. You’ve immediately reduced that person into a one dimensional caricature of a human. They’ve ceased being a father, an electrician, someone who loves a beer and a fish and they are now just someone who’s family was treated differently because of the colour of their skin.
The fact that you are also treating them differently because of the colour of their skin is somehow cool and normal? Fuck me.
haha
this!
...and vicvocal...
not even worth the microwatts of 0s and 1s to bother quoting...
again...
Hey blowin,
Reading your "I'm not a racist" schtick is getting a little old mate. If you don't like being called a racist, maybe the best thing for you to do is stop saying racist things and supporting racist politicians.
Hanson has been around for 25 years. She's a racist scumbag. The only people who don't think she is a racist is her racist fan club.
You don't get to cheer Hanson and then claim you're not a racist. It doesn't work that way.
hey vicvocal...
have you ever considered people vote for hanson - despite that she's a bit of a racist halfwit...
because they're tired of people like you - who's clearly a bit of a racist halfwit...
?
The B team has taken the field.
.
Blowin - You have blown them out of the water . They only respond with abuse and anger . There is a physiological term for what the suffer from - C.D .
Smiley - unlike BB I was happy to take you at your word . As I said I couldn't believe it was a general practice in Oz . If it was it would have been written about and there would be links you could provide .
Happy to answer your question re how many aboriginals and islanders I have met . Have not kept count but under 50 . Probably more that have some aboriginal blood . Not enough yet .
B team reserves now.
Debate results:
Blowin =1
BB= 0
Ha ha the unbiased assesment of a disinterested party. NOT. The problem with Blowin's argument is that it ignores the vast amounts of reseach showing that poverty was imposed over several generations by the democratically elected representatives of the Australian people. Australia's history of racist legislation condemned generations of indigenous people to deep poverty and a marginalised existence. Further, the research I posted above demonstrates that in Australia it takes four generations for that intergenerational disadvantage to be overcome. And how did Blowin respond?
"Fuck you old man. I’ve lived and worked all over this country amongst every different kind of person and I’ve only ever treated people as people and without the preconceived bullshit you want to impose."
So a bunch of insults irrelevant to my actual argument and a defence of his own behaviour, which as far as I remember I have never challenged. I am reasonably sure that, in his personal interactions, Blowin does not discriminate. But again that has nothing to do with the issue. The issue is how do we close the gap on the many disadvantages suffered by indigenous people today. It is not about any form of guilt but it is about our collectrive responsibility to help people overcome historic injustices and create a happy harmonious future. I mean that is the goal isn't it. Sometimes I wonder.
“ Ha ha the unbiased assesment of a disinterested party. NOT. ”
Been watching some Borat BB?
No but he was great in The Trial Of The Chicago Seven. An inspired choice for Abbie Hoffman.
blowin , it feels like to me that you seem to have made progress in dealing with racism and understanding it....as I have called you racist before because of I think what were "joke comments ".....
It's actually nice to see you standing up for all colors as equal....and we shouldn't judge people based on the color of skin.....this is the holy grail for a Country like Australia to be fulfilled . A new National identity is being shaped as we get away from Racist colonial practices of the past and deal with our past and it's affects today....so all going in the right direction.....
As we move forward , there are still skeletons in the closet that need to be addressed , so we can become more tolerant and accepting of different races and cultures.....
So here's this mornings....a look at Indigenous Servicemen who fought and died for Australia ,
Have you ever heard of William Cooper.....if not read on .....incredible story and a portal into our history....."We know that many Indigenous men fought and died in the first world war. Among them was Yorta Yorta man Daniel Cooper, who died at Ypres, Belgium, in late 1917. He was the son of activist William Cooper, the honorary secretary of the Australian Aborigines League – one of the first major lobby groups for the rights of this continent’s Indigenous people.
William Cooper was an extraordinary man whose life story is recounted in historian Bain Attwood’s latest book. Those familiar with the history of Indigenous protest in this country will, perhaps, know Cooper for organising the 1938 Aboriginal “Day of Mourning” to mark the 150th anniversary of the landing (invasion) of the first fleet on what would become “Australia Day”, the most culturally divisive date in our calendar."
great read about a great Australian...https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/postcolonial-blog/2021/oct/31...
Uni assignment i did a few years ago. This is my take on things. I'm sure this will ruffle many feathers. I hope so.
Love Blue Diamond x
The Necessity of Reparation for Historic Injustices
Introduction – Compensatory Justice
Disparities between the standards of living of humans on this planet have long been a part of our history on this planet. From the wealthy nations of the West to the developing and undeveloped nations on this globe, the diversity in the quality of life when viewed from a moral standpoint are without a doubt grossly unfair.
In this paper I will look at why historic injustices do require some form of reparation. I take a strong stance that we are more obliged to solve current injustices than to provide reparation for every act of injustice in the past. In doing this I will first investigate the historic injustice of the Aboriginal people of Australia and I will look at the argument that they are entitled to some form of reparation and why.
I will incoroporate some interesting views from Jeremy Waldron, Robert Nozick and others which will help me slowly build to my conclusion that reparation should be in the form of Non Indigenous Australians surrendering some of our priveleges as a form of reparation.
Historic Injustices to Indigenous Australians:
Australia the continent was well inhabited for many years long before white settlement. It is commonly known that in 1788 Australia was colonised as a country under the rule of the British Empire, with total contempt for the fact that it was already inhabited by a native indigenous race of people.
The way the original inhabitants have been treated, including forced assimilation, execution, stolen families and not even allowed to be recognised as citizens for a large part of white Australia’s history are also well known facts. (Poole, 1999,pp114-142)
There exists now a situation where there is a large divide between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australian’s that can be traced back to the moment Australia was invaded by English settlers and the brutal and unfair treatment that has followed.
So at this point now, in 2013 what is the just and fair way to make amends for past actions?
I would argue that a moderate to large amount of reparation is overdue for this nation of people, the Aboriginal people. But there are many challenges to this view point especially that of how much reparation, and what sort of compensation.
Past injustices or present suffering?
One of the questions raised in an issue like this is whether it is better to provide compensation or reparation for past deeds, which have already been done in a previous generation and cannot be changed, or whether it is better to now provide assistance to those who are suffering in their current situations and consider that as a form of moral duty.
To understand this we need to delve a little deeper into this issue and hear some differing viewpoints.
Firstly we need to understand what the best way to provide reparation. How do we judge what is the best way of giving back and how much? Jeremy Waldron states “The historic record has a fragility that consists, …in the sheer contingency of what happened in the past” (Waldron,1992,p5 )
This is saying that we can’t trace every single injustice back to the original act therefore reparation for every act would be almost impossible because it would ultimately be guess work.
In this statement he has an objection from Robert Nozick who believes it is in fact possible to address this problem by “changing the present so that it resembles how the past would have looked had the injustice not taken place” (McKenzie, 2013)
This would be a way to ultimately provide maximum reparation, but is it the correct approach? I believe this is a fairly radical approach, although it does have some merits in the fact it would be working in a positive way for indigenous people, I don’t think it is entirely the right way to deal with these issues but it is on the right track.
Waldron argues that it is based on too many unknowns. “The status of counterfactual reasoning about the exercising of human reasoning of human freedom is unclear”(Waldron 1993,p10)
Which leaves the question somewhat open about the sort of reparation that is required, but provides one clear answer to the key question. Both agree that yes, reparation to some extent is required. But how much and in what form?
Another philosopher who leans more towards Waldron’s views is Kymlicka. He is somewhat more straightforward in his assessment that property rights in particular for Aboriginals would create “massive unfairness” and also he maintains the argument “Aboriginal rights must be grounded in concerns about equality and contemporary disadvantage. (McKenzie, 2013) I agree with both these views but I don’t think they provide any active solutions.
The Solution?
So if its not handing back all of Australia’s land to the original inhabitants that is the most appropriate way to deal with past injustices, then what is?
I look at the current country I grew up in, as a white Australian. I ask myself why I never had Aboriginal friends growing up, no understanding of Aboriginal culture and why my basic understanding of Indigenous Australians is mostly 200 years old. I look at our flag, a symbol of a nation that stole a country from its original inhabitants, with no recognition of the Indigenous people at all on it. I see that Australia considered Indigenous people as less than people until only 40 years ago and I see the way that Indigenous Australians live a completely separate life to the way of life I know as an Australian. I see that the only indigenous politician I am aware of is a former Olympian and it is because of this fact of her sporting status that I know this. I see no collective power or representation of Indigenous Australians and I see non Indigenous Australians,( a culture built on a history of stealing a land and mistreating its people) still taking, taking as much out of this land as they can, with little to no regard of sharing or giving to the original inhabitants. I see a government that says lots of words about ‘closing the gap’ and bringing the living standards of non- indigenous and indigenous Australians closer together, but apart from nice words, there is no conviction, no follow through, just assimilation , and all that still remains are injustices.
As stated by Sparrow, “Continuity gives rise to responsibility on part of present generations of Australians for our history”.(McKenzie,2013). Although deeds happened in the past beyond our control, what we do now to either ignore, or rectify these issues will reflect on us in history. So if we choose to do nothing, we are contributing to the history of the mistreatment of non- indigenous Australians. And this is simply unacceptable in my opinion.
Conclusion
So what is fair? I believe that the way forward is a surrendering of some of our privileges as non- indigenous Australians. The simple fact is it was morally wrong without a doubt what has happened in the past. And it is also morally wrong without a doubt to ignore these facts and not offer some form of reparation in the present. But how much?
I think that going back to Robert Nozick’s argument is a start. I think Nozick is wrong to make the present resemble the past in every aspect. But I do think that it would be reasonable to restore some aspects of the way things should be. The things that happened in the past were out of our control and we can’t go back to changing the way things were. But we could change the way things are.
For some examples. Why not give at least 50% of political power to indigenous people? It surely would be a fair thing to do considering this is their country. Media control. 50 percent. Industry. Realestate. The list goes on. Why do we not acknowledge the indigenous people on our flag, or better still use their flag? Why is Australia still a part of the Commonwealth when it serves little purpose to any of us and serves as a constant reminder to Indigenous Australians that they are still controlled by the original invaders. These to me are fairly simple reparations that would have minimal impact on Australia as a whole. Perhaps, it would alter the way we live but I think it is our responsibility, morally to forfeit some of our privileges for the greater good. Basically a little bit goes a long way.
In closing, it is a fact that a huge injustice occurred to the Indigenous population and suffering continues to this day. There is no easy solution to such a burden of pain. I believe the only solutions are for the non- Indigenous population to take responsibility and sacrifice our own way of life to bring about an overall equality. Sacrifice is not an easy word. But it all comes down to right and wrong. We are in a position to give, in this current generation. What are we so scared to lose, that was never ours in the first place??
Bibliography
McKenzie,C.”Prof” (2013), Lecture, Historic Injustices and Indigenous Rights, Macquarie University
Poole, R. (1999). Nation and Identity.Routledge, London, pp.114-142
Waldron,J. (1992). ‘Superseding Historic Injustice’. Ethics, 103 (1), 4-28
References
Poole, R. (1999). Nation and Identity.Routledge, London, pp.114-142
Waldron,J. (1992). ‘Superseding Historic Injustice’. Ethics, 103 (1), 4-28