The Sydney Morning Herald
Letters: Women, not journalists, exposed the violence
Date: 27/06/2001
Once again Stan Grant appears to miss the point ("Spare us the white man's
'concern' for Aborigines", Herald, June 26).
Recently, it has been well- respected Aboriginal women, not white journalists,
who have acknowledged the mainly hidden problem of
violence against women and children that plagues both black and white Australia.
Reconciliation in this country depends on all of us taking stock of the past,
the present and, most importantly, the future; ignoring
problems in indigenous communities only leads to greater anger, resentment and
division.
At the heart of this debate is a need to treat all Australians as human beings,
be they black, white, men or women. As in the white
community, women's health, personal security and opportunity has often taken a
back seat to that of men.
Yes, Stan, indigenous Australians have suffered at the hands of the white man;
there are few of us who would deny this.
Unfortunately, this fact alone will not help Australians to heal or to move
forward; it takes the sort of guts shown by women such as Pat
O'Shane and Evelyn Scott that will ultimately strengthen the position of all
indigenous Australians.
Victoria Garrity, Rose Bay, June 26.
It would seem Mr Grant, whose lifestyle is one to which many Australians would
aspire, is an exemplar for the assimilationist polices
proposed by Dr Sandall and so disparaged by Mr Grant.
Ian McDonnell, Bilgola, June 26.
Stan Grant commits the same crime he accuses the media of in his article
bemoaning the "attack" on Aborigines in the media.
Claiming the "white" media paints all Aboriginal men as drunks and rapists, he
accuses all "white" men of exactly the same - which is
somehow valid because he is an Aborigine.
Were the media to refuse to report violent crimes in the Aboriginal community,
would Stan claim there to be a "white" conspiracy of
silence?
Please, some stability and competence in this debate.
Richard Gray, Northbridge, June 26.
Stan Grant's article is to be commended. He includes the sentence: "We need to
reclaim this debate with a legitimacy and clarity of
purpose missing at the moment". This summarises the current gabfest very
effectively and sheds light on a serious problem in modern
media practice.
Writers such as Miranda Devine, Michael Duffy and Piers Akerman, and
broadcasters such as Alan Jones and Stan Zemanek, attract
audiences because they are controversial. Bereft of "legitimacy and clarity of
purpose", they stand for nothing other than the extension of
their careers. It is a sad commentary on modern media when journalism plays an
inferior role to the fanning of the flames of controversy
in the cause of increasing audience share and revenue.
J. Williams, Adamstown, June 26.
The hypocrisy of Anne Summers (Herald, June 25) is breathtaking when she calls
for the Prime Minister to act on behalf of the
Aboriginal women and children who have suffered at the hands of Aboriginal
males.
If John Howard had broached this subject a month ago, he would have been howled
down as an unregenerate racist.
The raising of this subject of brutality highlights the problem of ideology when
grafted onto journalists and well-meaning social justice
activists.
The nation has been cajoled into making an apology in respect of past wrongs
committed against the Aborigines, in spite of the fact that
the majority of people were unaware of these injustices.
However, for years journalists and social justice activists have been aware of
this Aboriginal female abuse but, in the name of a
misplaced ideology, have cowardly averted their faces.
Australians will wait a long time for an apology from the appropriate people.
John Maguire Grose Vale, June 26.
--
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A threat to justice anywhere is
a threat to justice everywhere.
-- Martin Luther King
http://www.green.net.au/arp/
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