Karen,
Obviously you have very little knowledge of Aboriginal culture. Most of my
sixteen years in Darwin and the Northern Territory was spent living and
working with these people. Toward the end of my stay I helped at a drop in
centre. One evening there was a kafuffle concerning four Aboriginal boys
from the remand centre; they were coming to visit. There were all sorts of
requirements for: if they became violent or tried to escape. When they came
in they were very reticent and I said to them, "Where do you mob come from."
One said Port Keats, another Remangining, another Umbakumba, and the last
from Milingimbi. As I had lived in each all of these communities I began to
speak about each in turn and their families. Their faces lit up for they
were homesick. Three hours later four very animated Aboriginal boys left
with smiles on their faces. Afterwards during the debriefing I was asked
what magic I used. I replied that I just took a knowing interest in their
country. This story was repeated many times after that event.
Homesick! So what. Well for anybody who has had contact with these people
knows that what we glibly call home sickness can kill them. Why did
mandatory sentencing kill this boy - well he should not have been there in
the first place. And that it is not racist? Well I still have friends and
relatives in the Territory and they are telling me what I have long
suspected, that white people who the same crimes as these Aboriginal Peoples
are not being reported because they could go to jail.
Before you start sounding off and making crass generalisations like you have
might I suggest you go to the Territory and spend some time, like a couple
of years, living with these People and then see how you feel about mandatory
sentencing.
________________________________________________
Ian Henderson Murdoch University
24 Harfleur Place Murdoch 6150
Hamilton Hill Tel: 61 8 94183972
Western Australia 6163 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
'Freedom is having nothing left to fear.'
_________________________________________________
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