The National Anthem

[Kev]

@happy_tiger what have you done?
Just the facts please. Not some long winded story you have made up or stolen from someone else.

 

[cochise]

@Kev Those other groups haven't had the disadvantages that the indigenous people have endured in this country, these are issues all Australians should be ashamed of.

 

[Kev]

@cochise really? Those that ran for their lives from tyranny and war, got gouged by human traffickers, locked up here for years after risking their lives and those of their children on the high seas...they are the ones who havent had it as hard?

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Players have never sung the anthem. They’ve always stood in silence. So, to me, seeing a couple more isn’t going to affect me either way. Not the best way to get your message across.

 

[cochise]

@Kev I wil say I worded that post poorly and I'm not trying to deny the absolutely horrors that people from war torn countries have had to endure, I have worked with too many children that have seen way to much in their short lives to ever do that! All those people have been allowed to bring their cultures and encouraged to live their live in a new safe environment and supported to do so. This has not been the case for the hardships that the indigenous people of Australia have suffered, they are still in that same environment, they have had the Government actively introduce policies that strip them of their culture and identity! They have not been given the opportunity to start a new life!

 

[Kev]

@cochise originally they werent but they have had multiple decades now of encouragement, funding and support to do just that. Now my knowledge does not extend to answering why it hasnt worked as well with them as it has with a hundred other cultures, as I suspect yours doesnt either, suffice to say I disagree with your stance that we havent done anything to help. That is incorrect and I feel no shame. Im sorry that you do.

 

[cochise]

@Kev I'm not saying we haven't done anything to help, what i'm say and I think you agree with is what we are doing isn't helping so new approaches are needed. The major difference that I can see is the loss of cultural identity that indigenous people suffered and the lack or engagement in society. That's why I believe we need to listen when a group says things like, the anthem, flag, Australia Day etc does not represent them as a part of our society.

Many have lost their culture and don't feel, included in, engaged, represented or valued by Australia's current culture. That is a major problem as where do these people turn? what do they fall back on? Does that lead to the issues we are currently experiencing in Australia?

How do we fix that is the difficult question!

 

[Kev]

It certainly is a difficult question.
We have to be careful though not to lose the culture and identity that has been built since then. They are a part of that as are everyone else who has chosen to make Australia home.
I have been to many an Australian day celebration attended by a wide variety of sub cultures all joining in together to celebrate the wider one. Will changing things such as the flag, anthem and the date to appease what is a small section of the community solve any of their deep seeded problems you alluded to earlier? Im not convinced. One thing I am sure of is that consistently blaming white Australia of today for bad cards being dealt centuries ago wont achieve anything bar increased division. We had our cultures destroyed and were treated like scum as well when we first came here. They werent the only victims of the English. Yet we overcame

 

[gallagher]

I think they need to put up some alternatives to Jan 26, anthem etc. What are they proposing?

 

[Kev]

@gallagher I have heard a recent one for May the 8th...(maaate) that I would be embarrassed by lol.

 

[gallagher]

@gallagher I have heard a recent one for May the 8th...(maaate) that I would be embarrassed by lol.

Oh dear God, surely not from the indigenous . Sounds like a VB promo.

 

[happy_tiger]

@happy_tiger what have you done?
Just the facts please. Not some long winded story you have made up or stolen from someone else.

Kev as in Rudd ....sorry speech ...chill man

And I don't know what I stole mate .....think you might need to check which hole you are talking out of to be honest

More than happy to help you find it though if you like

 

[Demps]

@GNR4LIFE facts.

 

[the_third]

If I could refuse to sing god save the queen at school I’m ok with not singing the anthem.

I cant cop the Australia Day garbage though, the date is irrelevant, it’s what we celebrate that we should change if anything.

 

[cochise]

@Kev See that's the problem mate, the injustices towards the indigenous people are not all centuries old, there are people alive now that lived through and still suffer because of those injustices!

 

[Geo]

The Anthem should be reserved for National Sporting teams and events..the end..

Players singing it has only come into vogue in recent times..much like all All Aussie cricketers must wear the baggy green 1st session in the field...it's trendy..sing don't sing..no big issue..making it an issue only causes more divide...

Much ado about nothing this..

 

[TIGER]

Chambers has said he won't be singing it either.
Though he'll happily accept his check for representing Australia wearing the Green n Gold.

My questions are why are they choosing to not sing?

What do they want?

Do they want to be treated like every other Australian?

 

[cochise]

@TIGER They have said that the anthem doesn't represent them or their families.

 

[Jock Koss]

Chambers has said he won't be singing it either.
Though he'll happily accept his check for representing Australia wearing the Green n Gold.

My questions are why are they choosing to not sing?

What do they want?

Do they want to be treated like every other Australian?

When you think about it though, they’re not just every other Australian and are our native peoples. Whilst I do sympathise with kev’s Views and Geo - what Cochise and I guess demps even being aware of and posting this is the problem...

What do any of us actually know about the themes that still play out in society today especially in our richest, whitest areas in this country, that may be having a detrimental affect on youth aboriginal culture... my take on it is that it’s a great thing our leaders ARE actually beginning to Make these discussions very serious and with an aim to improving quality of life for all . Sure, we cannot be expected to pay for all of these changes ourselves or even be forced to accept them if we do not agree

To me it just seems that the harder you pull against it, the more you’ll see that downside everywhere and I do live in a community where there is much youth on the streets with immense talent and yet no ARL members/leaders can do anything for them single-handedly... that’s why we are all having this conversation... that is why we are all being asked our opinions. Thanks

 

[Kev]

As there has been an entire gender covering all cultures.
They are not the only ones treated poorly.
Its up to their leaders to use the resources and facilities/programs on offer to mend their own communities. I saw a documentary last year on sugar. A town in the NT had the highest consumption per capita of Coca Cola in the world. It was 1-2 litres per person per day if memory serves me. It was sending everyone crazy and they were dying in their forties from liver disease. Through working with the government on the problem, the elders imposed bans on the products. The whole town went dry and improvements were recorded.
This small scale initiative needs to be adopted culture wide on many issues from eating healthy, attending school, combating addictions, combating incest and domestic violence and creating a sub culture of working to succeed as a start.
You cant sit in the corner, thumb in mouth saying 'woe is me' forever. I see these slacktivism inspired protests as an extension of that.