Hi Ian, and others,
Thanks for your interpretation Ian, it is very helpful, I read more on the
subject on the web today and you can imagine an attending bunch of negative
ideas. I do appreciate you and others helping me get this concept of
Eugenics in perspective. By now you've probably read my reply to Trudy on
the same topic, so I won't bore everyone by repeating.
Glad you mention natural selection priveleges diversification, as I thought
that was a common understanding. But I still run into people who instantly
relate natural selection with 'survival of the fittest'. I'm disappointed
that Eugenics lives (found plenty of pages on the web encouraging its
serious consideration), and am annoyed people would still support it in this
day and age when we know that diversity enhances adaptability which in turn
provides a better chance of survival when conditions change.
Perhaps Eugenics could be useful to cull this desire for/delusion of
superiority out of the genetic database? No, I don't really mean that
(though it's a tempting thought after some of the trash I've read on the web
today). We should respect the desires to feel special, and feel pride, just
'not' at the expense of others.
PAYING THE RENT
So to get back to the topic Maria brought up of Paying the Rent (as I look
to the subject line and recall where this started). I fully support a
concept of Paying Rent to Aboriginal people as one form of compensation for
the lands and resources that we've had ripped off from us. I can't see
anything wrong with what Maria was saying on this subject.
One of the main aspects of colonisation that still grates against Aboriginal
life-ways is the attitude that we can be simply shoved aside while others
take prime real estate and resources; and then we are told not to hang about
in groups, in tents, in public, in parks...get a house otherwise we are not
"judged" to be keeping up to expectations! What are we supposed to use for
money to buy all these things we're told to acquire? Wouldn't it be
different if we could just start printing it like the government! This lack
of housing was used against us terribly, with plenty of our kids so called
'legally?' taken away from us for reasons like... "you do not have a fixed
address, or you do not have acceptable accomodation (shack or humpy just not
fitting their style!)" ...therefore... "you cannot raise your kids in accord
with our expectations, they are better off with us in our facilities". So
this payment for "acceptable" housing is still a very important issue.
We had everything we needed in life, and someone just came and took it all,
then shared it out to strangers in front of our faces. Our protests have
been met with all manner of negative responses from governments. At the end
of the day, we've been given nothing more than the priveledge of staying
alive to witness the ongoing disrespect and destruction of our beautiful
country, and the outright abuse and cruelty of locking up our people in
jails for pitiful reasons like swearing at a cop, or a petty theft of food.
So why is there a big problem with paying Aboriginal people the rent?
Don't bother saying that it cannot be afforded, because Australians gamble
multi-millions away in lotteries, pokie machines, on horse and dog racing;
and spend copious amounts on alcohol, tobacco and painkillers! Every
landlord in this country that collects rent could simply pay a small
percentage of their rental income to a central fund to help Aboriginal
people. What about a small percentage of revenue from the billions in the
gaming industry? Begin a central fund controlled by our Aboriginal Elders
from all around the nation, staffed by Aboriginal descendants; that is used
to pay for accomodation for Aboriginal descendants. That's just a
spontaneous idea, I'm sure others can think of many workable models?
Don't bother saying that Aboriginal people won't/can't manage the funds
properly, because we learn very quickly from mistakes, and now days we have
many more people knowledgeable about accounting and investment, and there's
nothing stopping us from out-sourcing advice and guidance. Besides that, its
rude and insulting to suggest we don't do something well, when we've been
given little opportunity for experience.
At least, paying the rent would enable us to assist our own people to have a
stable roof over their head; a roof that is not perpetually under threat if
rent or mortgage payments are not on time. A heck of a lot of stress in
every day life comes from trying to keep up with the basic overheads of a
life-style that we have had forced upon us.
Why pay rent to the Aboriginal people? Primarily, because everyone is living
on Aboriginal land. The wealth in common that Australia has acquired was
enabled via the capital resources that were forcefully taken from us. Who do
I speak to, to report this stealing? I want restitution, and demand lawful
proceedings if necessary to re-aqcuire the property stolen! Sounds like a
joke doesn't it? Which court will hear my claim? Certainly people should not
suggest the court of the Commonwealth of Australia because they are biased
in the extreme. Don't bother quoting Native Title law as some sort of
mechanism to use...it's an insulting compromise, designed to become
increasingly useless as Elders pass away!
If I could be given back my family's territory the way it was, I'd move
there in a flash, coz these non-Aboriginal life-ways perpetually clash with
my core principles, I much prefer to trade the so called modern
conveniences/lifestyle for the opportunity to live traditionally in Peace.
But that can't happen, because the government gave my family's territory to
others; now fences criss cross the lands, the trees are gone, the animals
have disappeared, the waters are jailed and can't cleanse and rejuvenate the
rivers, and the final sign of looming total disaster...the salt has come to
take the land back :( My family's territory has been crying and there's
nothing I have been able to do to protect or comfort it. I am in utter shame
when I visit my country, I sit and we cry together, reaching to each other
for solace. Colonisation did not just take material resources, it broke my
family's spiritual connection with our country, it prevented our right to
gather together to celebrate and perform our ritual ceremonies, it prevented
us fulfilling our custodial obligations.
If others pay rent into a fund that can relieve me of the burden of paying
rent to another then this takes huge worry off my shoulders. I do not have
means to improve my family's material chances; after colonisation severe
material disadvantage was my family's lot. Rent relief would allow me to
redirect some of my small income to improve my family's opportunities.
I can't and wouldn't even think of making any guarantees for others on what
they would spend the savings on instead of rent/mortgage. Whether
supplementing basic education, or offsetting costs incurred in voluntary
work for community, improving upon the home property, or travel to visit
relatives and country, or throwing it all into pokies, or drinking it away;
whatever the savings may be spent on...that is private business. We should
not set out on a new course with demeaning restrictions that strip a person
of dignity. It's private business what such savings might be spent on.
Plenty of non-Aboriginal people are guilty of wasting funds, or spending
funds on detrimental activities...but I'm not gonna lecture them, it's their
private business what they choose to do.
It's way over-time for all the unfinished business to be sorted out fairly;
no more discounted solutions, no more court battles wasting money and
effort. No more of these governments keeping us humbled, hobbled. We all
know what needs to be done, let's shift into gear and start organising it
all.
Much thanks for reading this long letta.
And thanks for the understanding re Eugenics.
Oh, I may as well take this opportunity to say if anyone is interested in
assisting Aboriginal representation in parliament, please consider joining a
new political party, either as a member or an associate member if you have
other political membership. The working name has been the Australian
Reconciliation Party - ARP (could yet change? unsure). If you know friends
interested or involved in Aboriginal Rights and Reconciliation groups please
refer them to the ARP website, or encourage them to contact the Secretary.
All contact, and introductory information at this url:
http:www.green.net.au/arp/
I'll also quickly clarify, as there have been a lot of questions on this -
No, this party is definately not affiliated at all with any other political
mob; green.net.au just had the best deal$$ to host the web info, plus the
service is very helpful and reliable. I'm hoping everyone helping in the
struggle for Aboriginal Rights and a Bill of Rights to bring Peace, can
overlook minor things they dont like eg:I don't care anymore if the term
'Reconciliation' suits or not, I've wasted too much time worrying about it,
and have decided the name of the party is fairly irrelevant
anyway...manifesting the stated Objectives is what matters above everything
else.
cheers...
Suze :)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ian Henderson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, 25 July 2001 4:23 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [recoznettwo] On Pay Back
>
>
>
> Suze,
>
> No! Eugenics means breeding selectively for certain human traits,
> much like
> what race horse breeders do. Hitler had a eugenics programme going which
> privileged blue eyes, blond hair and white skin. As you dont get these
> characteristics from Jewish or black parents, the object was to
> do away with
> them and their ilk and their poluting ways.
>
> There also have been similar programmes instigated at various times to
> preseve not only the physical characteristics, but psychological one s as
> well. A sort of restricted 'socail Darwinism'.
>
> Of course nature does not work this way. It privileges diversification.
> That is why socalled mongrels usually throw up the most interesting
> characters.
>
> _____________________________________________________________
> Ian Henderson Murdoch University
> 24 Harfleur Place Murdoch, Western
> Australia, 6150
> Hamilton Hill Tel: 61 8 94183972
> W.A. 6163 Email:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> May all beings be free from the tyranny of my expectations (Miriam Solon)
> _____________________________________________________________
>
>
> > Eeeeewwwww!
> > So does this mean that a eugenecist would say leave the
> Aboriginal people
> to
> > fend for survival without assisting...thereby natural selection
> will weed
> > out the "worthy" from the "unworthy"!!?
> >
> > Suze
>
>
>
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