Dammit, I hate when you write things and get distracted, move to another page and it disappears. But to summarise what i wrote before it buggered off.
Often the government is forced to act against the majority will of the people. But this is not a move of an evil, one-sided dictatorship. It is an act to LEAD the people rather than simply follow views.
In 1947, 83% of Australians opposed the rescue of the hapless survivors of the Nazi Holocaust. Yet the government led the way, instead of bowing to uninformed opinion.
In 1973, 63% of Australians did not want Cambodian or Vietnamese Refugees coming here, even though we had helped to destroy the countries in the first place. And yet again, the Australian government led the way to what was obviously right.
CM Tutor is exactly right. Governments have a right to LEAD as well as agree to the opinion of the citizens. If we cant trust our leaders to do whats right for us, then we are voting for the wrong people.
And thats what I am trying to say here. What is right for us is to begin to mold a solution for the aboriginal issue, not backlog it because of an outdated belief that apologising will not change anything, even make it worse. Therefore, we are voting for the wrong people.
And, Katie, to your remarkbly closeminded, obviously sarcastic, idea about apoligising on an individual level. This problem is greater than just you or I. It must be confronted at a national level, with a massive and coordinated response. Not a mishposh of little groups vying to do the best for those who need it.
Katie. When you talk about yourself, or even a group that you are involved in, you are allowed to say things about the group. You are allowed to criticise, you are allowed to joke, (If its a democratic group). Do you know why? Because you are in a better position to judge than those outside the group.
Go ahead call them "Whites", so will I. We can make jokes about White people, because we are criticising ourselves, and therefore not meaning to be taken literally.
Did you ever wonder why African Americans call each other "nigger". Because even though it was meant as insulting when said by Whites, it shows a lack of respect for the word's meaning, thereby belittling it.
Its the same reason behind why Merlin should be allowed to speak his mind. He is part of the Australian community. He cant insult CITIZENS, because he aint one, but he CAN talk about Australia because he inside the Australian community and has an opinion formed by what he has seen, or heard. An opinion with a greater base for verity than outsiders would have.