sorry day

[xcoriate]

Mainly for the aussies, Ruff, MI21, TDMVPDPOY etc. (everyone else probably won't know what happened... I don't know there may have been international coverage)... what did you think of Sorry day... agree, disagree, didn't like how it happened?

Just interested in hearing opinions.

Personally I though it was as big a day in Australian history as any, especially in recent times. Rudd's speech was well worded and made me feel proud to be Australian. I think it was a long time coming.

No doubt there are issues facing aboriginal australians in remote communities but I think this is the right step to be taking as a nation. Lot's of promises were made, and to be honest optimistic promises but hopefully we can follow through and get back to a united multi-cultural Australia.

[PakiDan]

Sorry Day = The day the Coke Bottle flew out of the sky.

[mrsmaalox]

Mainly for the aussies, Ruff, MI21, TDMVPDPOY etc. (everyone else probably won't know what happened... I don't know there may have been international coverage)... what did you think of Sorry day... agree, disagree, didn't like how it happened?

Just interested in hearing opinions.

Personally I though it was as big a day in Australian history as any, especially in recent times. Rudd's speech was well worded and made me feel proud to be Australian. I think it was a long time coming.

No doubt there are issues facing aboriginal australians in remote communities but I think this is the right step to be taking as a nation. Lot's of promises were made, and to be honest optimistic promises but hopefully we can follow through and get back to a united multi-cultural Australia.

Are you referring to the "apology"?

[xcoriate]

yeah

[mrsmaalox]

yeah

Well I tend to think that those apologies are just pandering, but then I heard an interview with a woman who was taken from her family at age 7 and found her way back to them at 19. As I understood the whole event before, I thought the native children were placed with white families when so many were actually placed in large institutional group homes. It's bad enough to be denied any education about your own culture, then force-fed a foreign culture and Chrisitianity, but to be removed from your family for such is too dehumanizing. Supposedly the children were taught to "work", but ended up being nothing but unpaid farmhands. So ordinarily the apologies are too little, too late, I think since it was children that were targeted just the "recognition" will promote some sort of healing.

[xcoriate]

Yeah. I agree.

This is definitely not all that needs to be done, but I do think it takes that first step, it's a recognition of the wrongs of the past. I don't think you can ever forgive and forget but I think now people on both sides are willing to at least let the past be the past and move forward.

[T Park]

When was all this done?

Apologizing for it is all well and good, but if you had nothing to do with it, whats the point?

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

When was all this done?

Apologizing for it is all well and good, but if you had nothing to do with it, whats the point?

The point is that it is an official recognition that what was done was wrong, and it allows those affected by it to start to move on. For decades the Stolen Generation have had to live with the Government failing to acknowledge the terrible damage done to their lives. If you'd seen the emotional release from members of the Stolen Generation and their families during and after the apology you'd see that it was a very important symbolic gesture.

xcoriate, I agree with what you said - it was a powerful day in Australian history, and Rudd looks more and more like a real leader, and less like a poll-driven polly to me, and that is great. he is making real strides forward in uniting the country - striving to get the States and the Feds to work together, making the apology. For the first time in a decade it feels like we are in for real political change for the better.

:tu to the apology. Now the real challenge begins - solving the problems in indigenous communities.

[TDMVPDPOY]

His only sayin sorry to the stolen generation, but i also agree with some of brendan nelsons remarks....

it was wrong to take them away to begin with anyway, but ....

They are a minority but its the majority within that minority that are doing nothing giving them a bad name. The govt has done nearly everything within its powers/resources trying to help them over the years.

You look at the successful indigenous ppl who adopt the views and values of australian society, use them resources available to them to improve there lives/future. Housing/education/jobs. Why cant the avg indigenous in the outback see this through there head, why continue to live like this, when you can improve your family and childrens life by simply adopting australian culture values.

[Buddy Holly]

So he finally apologized?


http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/1002/cwfg9.png

[TDMVPDPOY]

well after this

theres reports that the aus govt is going to get sued,

fuck them

they reap the benefit what the white man/immigrants have made what the country is today...fok

[KidCongo]

I respect it and all but listening to it for 30mins at school was stupid.

Rudd ticks me off

[SA Gunslinger]

The point is that it is an official recognition that what was done was wrong, and it allows those affected by it to start to move on. For decades the Stolen Generation have had to live with the Government failing to acknowledge the terrible damage done to their lives. If you'd seen the emotional release from members of the Stolen Generation and their families during and after the apology you'd see that it was a very important symbolic gesture.

xcoriate, I agree with what you said - it was a powerful day in Australian history, and Rudd looks more and more like a real leader, and less like a poll-driven polly to me, and that is great. he is making real strides forward in uniting the country - striving to get the States and the Feds to work together, making the apology. For the first time in a decade it feels like we are in for real political change for the better.

:tu to the apology. Now the real challenge begins - solving the problems in indigenous communities.

Props. The Japanese could learn a lot from the Aussies.