[Tom Spencer]

Dear Matthew,

Although the Australian Prime Minister personally had
nothing to do with the Stolen Generations policy, he,
like most European Australians such as you (?) and me,
have benefitted from the economy built on their backs.
Indigenous people were essential in establishing the
wealth of modern Australia. Yet they rarely received
their proper pay, and are still being refused that pay
by modern Australian governments.

Right now, the Queensland Government is offering
members of the Stolen Generations a miserly $4000 each
for their labours, whereas they should be receiving
offers much greater than that.

As for an apology to the Stolen Generations by the
current Prime Minister, I'm not sure that the majority
of Australians believes him anymore, but he still
represents Australians, and it might help the Stolen
Generations deal with their pain and anger at having
being stolen from their families.

Law suits are needed only because our politicians
refuse to do the right thing by indigenous people. The
Stolen Generations should not be begrudged their
wages, particularly when so many indigenous people are
really poor.

Tom Spencer   

> From: "Matthew Cowdery" <mcowd@mars.ocs.mq.edu.au>
> To: "workers" <powderworks@cs.colorado.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Powderworks] NMOC:Rabbit Proof Fence
> Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2003 09:35:50 +1100
> 
> The "stolen generation" policy was particularly
> directed at half-caste
> children, most of whom were illigitimate.
> 
> At the beginning it was intended to help the
> children not harm them - to
> give them "proper" living conditions & not "live
> like animals".
> 
> Most of the children were given training so that
> they could become maids, or
> cooks, or something similar for the girls and most
> of the boys became
> stockmen working with the sheep & cattle (& they do
> make brilliant
> stockmen!)
> 
> Aboriginals were seen as animals with very limited
> or no intelligence that
> you could do what you wanted with - hunting them for
> sport included - and
> that is how they justified taking the children away
> from their parents.
> 
> So even though it started out with good intentions
> it quickly became a bit
> of a monster.
> 
> Just to throw a bit of thunder around - do you think
> John Howard owes the
> Aboriginal people an apology for the Stolen
> Generation?
> 
> Personally, I don't think he should apologize. He
> didn't have anything to do
> with the policy so apologizing is admitting guilt
> for something he had
> nothing to do with.
> 
> I think Australia as a whole (and especially the
> politicians involved with
> dreaming up & implementing the policy) should
> apologize - say we are sorry
> that it happened - but I don't think we can or
> should accept the
> responsibility for it (not to mention the millions
> of dollars of law suits
> that would follow).
> 
> Matt

=====
Put down that weapon, or we'll all be gone.
You must be crazy, if you think you're strong.
         - Midnight Oil

I disown any ads associated with this email.

http://mobile.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Mobile
- Check & compose your email via SMS on your Telstra or Vodafone mobile.