While I didn’t get to any of the events held around the country, this was a significant day in our history, when we apologised to the stolen generation of aboriginal people for the wrongs we did to them. Great to see it finally happen and very moving to watch.
However, the report on Channel 7 news tonight was disturbing. The so called ‘pulse of Perth’ newspoll asked West Ozzies whether they supported the Rudd decision to apologise. 13 000 West Ozzies phoned in to respond and the result was 90% who said NO witchcraft 13 blood of the chosen free download and a mere 10% who said YES.
What the hell is that all about?!
An overwhelming percentage of West ozzies said ‘don’t apologise – bad idea’.
I reckon thats gotta qualify for a ‘worst of Perth‘ award. Unbelievable…
And then Brendan Nelson gets the dickhead of the week award for completely subverting his own apology by telling aboriginal people there is no money in it. That might well be the case Brendan but you don’t say it!
Grendel has his own apology here alsowar of the roses the dvdrip
Pulse of Perth phone polls are not exactly scientific or representative.
Even so its a big sample and a pretty bloody huge statement!!
It is a big number and it’s very sad but I still think it says a lot about the kind of people who vote in ‘Pulse of Perth’ polls.
When I saw them ask the question last night I knew that the result wouldn’t be flattering.
I had a listener ring me this morning to say that the apology was all wrong. She said she’d tried to befriend some of ‘them’ but had ‘been given bad looks from them’. I reckon I’d be giving people bad looks if their government treated me the way our Indigenous people have been treated.
Besides the apology shouldn’t be about whether or not a person likes, or dislikes ‘them’ it should be about recognising that previous governments enacted laws and carried out policies that resulted in bad things happening to people.
Its called accountability – and sometimes it gets delayed a little.
Hmmm, interesting. That piece of news hasn’t been reported on the east coast yet to my knowledge. I did get to one event, it was amazing.
phone polls generally only attract the extremely passionate votes, as they cost money to call, and in this case most people who are for it aren’t passionately for it, as they just think it is the right thing to do, where as those who are against it are vehemently so as they are well, racists, and that is a passionate stance. I hear Don Randall and Wilson Tuckey boycotted the event. Don is the member for Canning which is where most of my church members live, i might encourage them to query his decision….
I was pretty shocked to read some of the ‘letters to the editor’ in my local Ipswich newspaper today.
The general view was very negative towards the Sorry Day.
Many people even went as far as saying the government was doing the aboriginals a favour by giving them somewhere with better health and education.
what a load of bull – i think it just hilights how little people actually know about their countries past actions.
Been praying for the government to ‘walk in righteousness’. No doubt Rudd will get a lot wrong (he’s only human in a very human institution). But I think he got this very right.
Stuff the nay sayers.
is it possibly partly generational – without wanting to totally generalise. Those in Wilson Tuckey’s camp/generation seem to see no value in talking about the past unless it achieves someting visible/practical (otherwise, they say, what’s the point). My take of those younger, is that talk is very important as long as it leads to something practical further down the track – i guess i am talking about valuing process. thoughts?
I must say that Rudd didn’t move me at all. I was looking for a little emotion, but there was none! It just felt a little un-emotional to me.
I dont think I am explaining this right. does anyone get me?
yeah I get you Bek – I thought the same
I am not sure on this one , I will probably watch and see what happens. As someone said on the tv this morning , words come cheap. I also had the thought, we have said sorry so are we forgiven or not . You can say sorry till the cows come home but if the person refuses to accept your apology and forgive you there can never be any real reconciliation, you still remain bitter and angry.
Maybe that was Mr Rudds tactic ” we have at least said sorry….” He may well have been genuine in his heart but there is usually always a political agenda behind these things.
It is a big number and it’s very sad but I still think it says a lot about the kind of people who vote in ‘Pulse of Perth’ polls.
The poll at Ninemsn (last time I checked out of Hotmail) was closer, but I think you’re right. It’s sad to say, but Perth’s isolation doubtless engenders the kind of conservatism and redneckery one encounters on the pages of The West and in the response to that “Pulse of Perth” poll. (The notion that Perth has a pulse is arguable, but that’s another matter.)
At any rate, no post-facto opinion poll is going to determine whether or not the apology was the right thing to do.
I must say that Rudd didn’t move me at all. I was looking for a little emotion, but there was none! It just felt a little un-emotional to me.
I thought Rudd gave as moving a speech as it was possible for Kevin Rudd (someone who strikes me as being more at home at the front of a university lecture theatre than in Federal Parliament) to give.
I think Rudd is a fairly cool (as in cold) presenter, but there was plenty of emotion visible when he was interacting with the people present.