Forty thousand years can make a difference to the state of things
It’s hard to blog when you’re so enraged that your only reasonable action seems to be to grimace in pain and wave your fists about like a disgruntled chimpanzee.
Mr Fix and I spent much of last night screeching about Howard’s about-face on a statement which recognises Indigenous people in the Constitution. The ‘c’ word was used several times (not by me – I was busying myself with the ‘f’ word, the ‘b’ word and the phrase, “lying evil little weasel”).
Howard had this chance already. I seem to recall a Constitutional Convention. And a discussion about the preamble. And an intransigent PM who wrote a ridiculously wordy preamble that would offer Indigenous peoples no greater recognition than “kinship” with the land.
This is a man who has fuelled the fire of racism in this country. Who refused to condemn Pauline Hanson's ill-informed rants about multiculturalism. Who, with his own actions and by his own admission, so alienated Indigenous leaders in this country that the dialogue between government and the Indigenous community completely evaporated.
So, in the absence of the will to write exhaustively about this issue, but with a heart that hurts with the cynicism this latest Howard outburst evokes, I end with a quote from Lowitja O'Donoghue, by way of The Age:
"He wants to keep breaking our hearts…He has had 11 years and he has failed us."
Mr Fix and I spent much of last night screeching about Howard’s about-face on a statement which recognises Indigenous people in the Constitution. The ‘c’ word was used several times (not by me – I was busying myself with the ‘f’ word, the ‘b’ word and the phrase, “lying evil little weasel”).
Howard had this chance already. I seem to recall a Constitutional Convention. And a discussion about the preamble. And an intransigent PM who wrote a ridiculously wordy preamble that would offer Indigenous peoples no greater recognition than “kinship” with the land.
This is a man who has fuelled the fire of racism in this country. Who refused to condemn Pauline Hanson's ill-informed rants about multiculturalism. Who, with his own actions and by his own admission, so alienated Indigenous leaders in this country that the dialogue between government and the Indigenous community completely evaporated.
So, in the absence of the will to write exhaustively about this issue, but with a heart that hurts with the cynicism this latest Howard outburst evokes, I end with a quote from Lowitja O'Donoghue, by way of The Age:
"He wants to keep breaking our hearts…He has had 11 years and he has failed us."
posted by gigglewick at
4:53 pm
7 Comments:
Yeah. We just had a carbon copy occur in our kitchen...
I heard a quote on the ABC that described Howard as 'a snake who's shed his skin... he might have a shiny new skin, but he's still the same old snake.'
And that's it, exactly. He's still the same slimy sneaky snake and you know what? I don't think anyone's going to take him seriously.
[small voice] At least I hope not...[/small voice]
Am right with you guys. Was just discussing this with someone a moment ago and saying how he does this every time (empty pre-election stunts) and how I can't imagine people falling for it again.
On the positive side I don't think he anticipated the rehashing of 10 year old footage of him acting like an angry arsehole.
Oh dear, just when I thought Rudd's spineless refusal to say anything about anything couldn't make me feel any worse, sure enough here comes the snakey rodent again. And now, Rudd having left the stage wide open, there's this rat bastard standing in the middle of it looking to the average voter like he's the one with ideas on reconciliation.
Aaaaaaaaaargh.
Please someone tell me that people won't fall for this. Please?
I am on your side. And Howard coming out with this rubbish has simply made me think less of him (EVEN less of him, I should end - if that was ever possible)
November 24th.
sing it sister. i cannot believe there is a single person in this country, indigenous or non-indigenous, who could take this racist seriously. it's a cynical, disgusting vote grab. surely the public will see through it this time, though they failed to see through his tampa shenanigans back in 2001. here's hoping.
Unfortunately there are simply too many middle-class white families who only care what happens to interest rates and whether they'll be entitled to a tax cut next year. The indignities suffered by refugees and our Indigenous population simply do not even register on their election issue radar. If if doesn't effect them personally, they're not interested. That's why 'evil lying weasel' and his cohorts have stayed in power for 11 years. I adore this outrage you have GW, and other fellow bloggers, it is heartening and wonderful, especially when we are confronted by so much self-interest in this country.
I completely agree with Blakkat - you summed that up so well. I tell you what I am going to drive the 3 hours to the Australian Embassy to vote against Howard and if he is still in power after this election I give up on Australia and may never want to come back home.
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