@oscarjiminy
it’s a well made point.

at the same time, i can imagine the people conservatives are reaching

the truly lovely man who does our cleaning once a fortnight, (not govt funded) is a “new australian” with an almost desperately positive attitude to australia
and fair enough… he came here as a teen, just before there was a coup back home.

once again, this australia day, he and his wife dressed their young boys up in green and gold, and headed into the city to “celebrate”
and, as much as he appreciates “freedom of speech”, he felt the invasion day demonstration and the attempts to stir up trouble had ruined his family;’s big day out.

as much as i’d love people to just see the world the way i see it, that’s not going to happen. i get it, and i understand where he is coming from.

but the conservative decision makers in government are the ones ruining the day, imo. they don’t really give a shit about letting people celebrate australia at all, or they would simply change the date. there would be more “socially cohesive” messaging and formal celebrations on the day of celebration.
it’s a wedge issue, thanks to howard. who sort of criminalised unhappiness about Indigenous disadvantage, using the date as an excuse.

he has a classic white superiority complex. the unspoken, core belief is “They” [Indigenous people] owe us everything. where’s the gratitude?

The Australian Aborigines’ Conference first had a day of mourning in 26 Jan in 1938, long before australia day was fixed for jan 26.

“We” have taken so much from Indigenous people, but feel they can’t have anything, not even a date, unless it is bestowed by “us”

uncomfortable with change, my aunt fanny

#auspol #Jan26 #ComfortZones #Howard