SORRY DAY 2011
The National Sorry Day Committee invites you or your community group to join so many other Australians in commemorating SORRY DAY 2011.
The National Sorry Day is an Australian event, held each year on 26 May since 1998, to express regret over the historical mistreatment of Aboriginal peoples. The day was chosen in commemoration of the Bringing Them Home report being handed to the federal government on 26 May 1997. It is not an official holiday, although there have been calls by some Aboriginal leaders to make it one. It is a commiserative Australian event held each year on this dateApology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples
"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.
We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.
For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.
We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.
A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.
A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.
A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.
A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia."
Sorry....
Sorry....
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Sorry....
Interesting...
I've read through that "apology" twice now, and it does not seem to be "apologizing" "on behalf of the Australian people"...In other words, it does not appear to be forcing people who had nothing to do with the events described and therefore nothing to apologize for, to be included in this "apology"...
It looks like this is an act of the government, apologizing for previous government actions...
The sort of apology regarding slavery that I said would have been appropriate. (As opposed to what was done.)
Governments have no business "apologizing" on behalf of contemporary people, (people who in many cases were not even born when the wrongs occurred) for historical wrongs.
But if they want to apologize on behalf of the government, for policies of previous governments, fine and dandy.
I've read through that "apology" twice now, and it does not seem to be "apologizing" "on behalf of the Australian people"...In other words, it does not appear to be forcing people who had nothing to do with the events described and therefore nothing to apologize for, to be included in this "apology"...
It looks like this is an act of the government, apologizing for previous government actions...
The sort of apology regarding slavery that I said would have been appropriate. (As opposed to what was done.)
Governments have no business "apologizing" on behalf of contemporary people, (people who in many cases were not even born when the wrongs occurred) for historical wrongs.
But if they want to apologize on behalf of the government, for policies of previous governments, fine and dandy.
Re: Sorry....
That comes from the speech the then Prime Minister made on the inaugural Sorry Day.
Here is a link to the rest.
The were bipartisan words that the whole of Austrlaia could accept.
It was one step towards our healing as a Nation.
Here is a link to the rest.
The were bipartisan words that the whole of Austrlaia could accept.
It was one step towards our healing as a Nation.
Bah!
Re: Sorry....
It would appear to serve the valuable purpose of reminding people that their ancestors and forebears did some pretty despicable things in furtherance of "Western Civilization," or spreading the British sphere of influence - however you want to put it.
Although I am bothered by the arrogance of people who bring their contemporary sensibilities to issues that arose many lifetimes ago under entirely different circumstances, these reminders are justified and proper.
Although I am bothered by the arrogance of people who bring their contemporary sensibilities to issues that arose many lifetimes ago under entirely different circumstances, these reminders are justified and proper.
Re: Sorry....
Gob wrote:...
"Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
...
What does this mean? Their culture has changed the least in the longest time?
They're the world's champion conservatives then?
yrs,
rubato