First Contact

[bluecat*dancing]

Did anyone watch "First Contact" on SBS last night and/or the reaction on NITV? It's a three part series in which a group of people who have had no contact with Indigenous people spend time in various Aboriginal communities over a period of 28 days. I was shaking my head at the rudeness and ignorance of some of the participants.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-19/sbs-program-first-contact-sparks-social-media-frenzy/5901890

[rabbitearbandicoot]

I have taken the advice offered and started my research into the stolen generations. I have started my research with the following:

http://www.nsdc.org.au/stolen-generations/history-of-the-stolen-generations/the-history-of-the-stole...

many links to the "Bringing them home" site.

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/bringing-them-home-stolen-children-report-1997

I admit that I should have done this research before my comments which were, as I have already discovered, based on - well, let the site tell you :

"Throughout the early 1900s, the Australian public was led to believe that Aboriginal children were disadvantaged and at risk in their own communities, and that they would receive a better education, a more loving family, and a more civilised upbringing in adopted white families or in government institutions.

The reality was that Aboriginal children were being removed in order to be exposed to ‘Anglo values’ and ‘work habits’ with a view to them being employed by colonial settlers, and to stop their parents, families and communities from passing on their culture, language and identity to them. The children who were targetted for removal by the authorities of the time, in almost all cases, had one parent that was 'white' and one that was Aboriginal. The objective behind the removal of these children then was often one of racial assimilation."

The bold above is what I based my comments on. I have already read enough to realise the LIES that the public were told. I will continue my research, but, first I wish to apologise for my ignorant comments re stolen generation.

I wish to apologise  to all, but especially to the people directly effected and hurt by my comments.

I want to thank the members who 'gave me a hard time' regarding my comments because it gave me the kick in the butt that was necessary to start doing proper research.

I have just downloaded the full "Bring Them Home" Report - it looks like a long read.

[gleee58]

I have just downloaded the full "Bring Them Home" Report - it looks like a long read.

It's a massive and complex read.  Good on you for starting to look at what happened.

One of my friends grew up with parents who worked for a Church. He father was a reverend sent to work in a settlement near Alice Springs. The mother used to "inspect" the children before school each morning to check all children met the standard to ensure the children came home that night.  It didn't work. The children got stolen anyway.  He took his family home and has never set foot inside a church since.  He has since worked with people in the aboriginal community at various times.

[polksaladallie]

The book is called "Bringing Them Home".   It has 689 pages.   Let us know how you feel about the contents. 

[polksaladallie]

When an area got wind of when the white men who collected the children were on their way, they would rub charcoal over their children to make them look darker.  It did not work because the men threw the children into the creek, and then took them of course.

[azureline**]

Rabbit, I am so pleased to read your post, I will be interested in what you feel after you read it. 🙂

[polksaladallie]

I have just watched all three episodes of First Contact.  It is very powerful, and I am so ashamed that there are Australians who have those preconceived views of the participants.  And, surprise!  One of them was a racist "law enforcement officer".

[azureline**]

I wasn't ashamed....................... I found it hard to understand though.

I do wonder what makes them think this way... in the law enforcement officer's case, it is probably what he has experienced. In the case of the others, maybe what they haven't experienced.

[2106greencat]

Have always respected you and enjoyed your posts Rabbit........

I respect you even more now.......

It takes a big man to apologise and be willing to further education himself on a subject he may have been misinformed on.

I reacted the way I did because my son is aboriginal, (and while I can not tolerate racism on any scale) I admit I am more likely to bounce up and down when it touches this close to home.

I would also like to add, that my comments were not directed only at you, some other posts have gone missing.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

---

@polksaladallie wrote:

When an area got wind of when the white men who collected the children were on their way, they would rub charcoal over their children to make them look darker.  It did not work because the men threw the children into the creek, and then took them of course.

---

I am up to page 131 of the pdf - square eyes - only 400 pages to go..The stuff I have read up to there talks about 'half/quarter' breed children not full bloods. Your comment above agrees with that notion  but I thought you said previously that it applied across the board - ie full blood too?

It's also by state so it gets a little disjointed.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

I am totally drained. I thought I would take a break from my reading and watch a little TV. 

Unfortunately, that break has turned into yet another emotional drain on me.I have just finished watching a 4-corners report on Yooralla and the sexual abuse that has been a part of the supposed caring for disabled people in their homes.

It seems that everywhere I turn lately there is more and more evidence of abuses. 

Maybe I have had my eyes closed to the goings on? I was aware of course about the investigations into the Churches and that these sort of abuses had happened but I fooled my self into believing that it was all in the past.

Now, I am convinced that mankind is a blot on the universe and has always been so. It seems like these types of things have always happened and unless and until something drastic happens - will always happen.

Sorry, I have to go now and try to sleep.