The Necessity of Reparation for Historic Injustices
garyg1412 wrote:AndyM wrote:Burleigh, victim of the American contagion effect.
The pyjama brigade is also available at your local Kmart though. Maybe his Google search just brought up the American Urban Dictionary.
Of course it was googled. I thought that was obvious. Clearly not for a special select few
garyg1412 wrote:AndyM wrote:Burleigh, victim of the American contagion effect.
The pyjama brigade is also available at your local Kmart though. Maybe his Google search just brought up the American Urban Dictionary.
Ha! Wasn't even thinking about this when he replied. Another burleigh self-own.
Burley lowinfo costco et al
YR ALL WRONG
and
YR ALL DIKS
proven
@info, you disappoint, is that all you have in defence of your side’s unspoken 18th century position of moving mobs off country? Pretty pathetic but expected
GuySmiley wrote:@info, you disappoint, is that all you have in defence of your side’s unspoken 18th century position of moving mobs off country? Pretty pathetic but expected
Still going at Indo? For what? To make yourself look even worse? The yes brigade are what is dividing the country. Not Indo.
Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.
Hey Burleigh, keep on going champ, you could possibly beat Blowin’s record of over SN 40 posts in a day at the height of the pandemic, didn’t do him any good, just got angrier. You really know jackshit, suggest you seek out a therapist for the obvious much needed guidance …. or not
GuySmiley wrote:Hey Burleigh, keep on going champ, you could possibly beat Blowin’s record of over SN 40 posts in a day at the height of the pandemic, didn’t do him any good, just got angrier. You really know jackshit, suggest you seek out a therapist for the obvious much needed guidance …. or not
Your constant attacks at Indo are sad and pathetic. It’s a common theme with you yes voters. Personally attack anyone that doesn’t agree with you.
So sad
burleigh wrote:GuySmiley wrote:Hey Burleigh, keep on going champ, you could possibly beat Blowin’s record of over SN 40 posts in a day at the height of the pandemic, didn’t do him any good, just got angrier. You really know jackshit, suggest you seek out a therapist for the obvious much needed guidance …. or not
Your constant attacks at Indo are sad and pathetic. It’s a common theme with you yes voters. Personally attack anyone that doesn’t agree with you.
So sad
Nice deflection there, cute.
Carry on and go for the daily record…
burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
Yeah. That's what all the cookers are saying. Here's the mail though, he won't.
Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
Yeah. That's what all the cookers are saying. Here's the mail though, he won't.
No doubt he will end in in a very high paying job somewhere fully protected.
burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
Yeah. That's what all the cookers are saying. Here's the mail though, he won't.
No doubt he will end in in a very high paying job somewhere fully protected.
Not sure what he needs protection from, chief. I'm sure you have a whole host of cooked ideas though, planted in your head by the instagram algorithm that apparently informs the entire sum of your opinions. Anyway, this is a bit off-topic isn't it. Carry on.
GuySmiley wrote:@info, you disappoint, is that all you have in defence of your side’s unspoken 18th century position of moving mobs off country? Pretty pathetic but expected
Abbott and was voted in as PM in 2013, thats 10 years ago as far as im aware there hasn't been a similar policy since?
We have already had the discussion around people living in communities that are not sustainable, and possible incentives that could be given to help people better their life's if they choose, without forcing or dictating to them in assimilation style policy.
Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
Yeah. That's what all the cookers are saying. Here's the mail though, he won't.
No doubt he will end in in a very high paying job somewhere fully protected.
Not sure what he needs protection from, chief. I'm sure you have a whole host of cooked ideas though, planted in your head by the instagram algorithm that apparently informs the entire sum of your opinions. Anyway, this is a bit off-topic isn't it. Carry on.
I just took a wild guess that you’re a Dan Andrew’s supporter.
Actually with your shit antics it wasn’t really a guess.
Sorry for your loss gritter
burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Hiccups wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This absolute deadshit tweeted 15 times in 24 hours about Kamahl changing his mind and promising to vote no again, not including replies about Kamahl to his own tweets, so who's the crazy one here? Can see where you get your dead horse flogging proclivity from.
Very abusing for an “inclusive” yes voter.
As I keep saying, you’re all the same.
Speaking of deadshits, I saw your favourite premier has just resigned. Hopefully he ends up in jail
Yeah. That's what all the cookers are saying. Here's the mail though, he won't.
No doubt he will end in in a very high paying job somewhere fully protected.
Not sure what he needs protection from, chief. I'm sure you have a whole host of cooked ideas though, planted in your head by the instagram algorithm that apparently informs the entire sum of your opinions. Anyway, this is a bit off-topic isn't it. Carry on.
I just took a wild guess that you’re a Dan Andrew’s supporter.
Actually with your shit antics it wasn’t really a guess.Sorry for your loss gritter
Supporter? I wouldn't go that far. You can stop using "gritter" now. You already let slip that you had no idea what you meant. Surprise surprise .
burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This whole thing is really a classic, the best bit is when Kamahl says he is voting Yes and Albo gets all stoked and calls it Kamahl motion or something thinking he has this new catch phrase and new celib to endorse the voice, then Kamahl does a back flip.
Albo and that TV show ended up with so much egg on their face, they are just so keen to get celebrity endorsement, im glad people aren't just voting one way or another because of a celebrity it's just so brain dead to do so.
And thank's god all the polls that have come out over the last few days are still showing a trend in the yes vote sliding further.
Honestly i am surprised i thought the yes vote might steady or even bounce back after all the recent TV ads and Yes camp publicly but its great to see people aren't being swayed.
Heres a link the lefties cant complain about to check it out with their own eyes.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2023/sep/25/ind...
The last 8 dots are all polls results from from recent polls, all down from last months poll results..
Burliegh, please, gritter is not used in Australia. Stop It. Please use Australian terms in the delivery of your cookedness.
seeds wrote:Burliegh, please, gritter is not used in Australia. Stop It. Please use Australian terms in the delivery of your cookedness.
I’ll stick with gritter. Thanks
Haha
Burls has got the American contagion bad.
Line him up for a couple of jabs.
indo-dreaming wrote:burleigh wrote:Here you go gritters and bedwetters (for Hiccups)
Rukshan showing us how crazy you all look.https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxnMwFsJv-1/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
This whole thing is really a classic, the best bit is when Kamahl says he is voting Yes and Albo gets all stoked and calls it Kamahl motion or something thinking he has this new catch phrase and new celib to endorse the voice, then Kamahl does a back flip.
Albo and that TV show ended up with so much egg on their face, they are just so keen to get celebrity endorsement, im glad people aren't just voting one way or another because of a celebrity it's just so brain dead to do so.
And thank's god all the polls that have come out over the last few days are still showing a trend in the yes vote sliding further.
Honestly i am surprised i thought the yes vote might steady or even bounce back after all the recent TV ads and Yes camp publicly but its great to see people aren't being swayed.
Heres a link the lefties cant complain about to check it out with their own eyes.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/ng-interactive/2023/sep/25/ind...
The last 8 dots are all polls results from from recent polls, all down from last months poll results..
Hi Indo,
No-one asked for my opinion or choice which would have surely been in the affirmative! Cheers
Funny how the level headed Covid Indo is getting more unhinged on the Voice. Can’t he see his interwebs algorithm is screwing with with him? Relentless need to be right and sucking the soul out of his antagonists also suggests a high level of narcissism.
seeds wrote:Funny how the level headed Covid Indo is getting more unhinged on the Voice. Can’t he see his interwebs algorithm is screwing with with him? Relentless need to be right and sucking the soul out of his antagonists also suggests a high level of narcissism.
hi Seeds, Unfortunately, the referendum date is 14th Oct . There's no way he'll have his shit together by then.
Its time to give up on these guys, They're pushing down the dark lane where light and goodwill isn't permitted. It'll take years of therapy before they can relate well with other more reasoning and logical viewpoints. IMHO
Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
Peter Dutton was quick to pull Mundine into line. He ruled out ever entering into treaty negotiations if he became prime minister because he didn’t want to spend “billions of dollars … on treaties”.
Dutton said he would prefer to see the money spent on practical outcomes for children in remote areas. It’s a pity that in the nine years the Coalition was in government, and with Mundine as a key adviser, it ripped $500 million out of Aboriginal programs. Many of those programs, according to Warren Snowdon, the former long-time member for the NT seat of Lingiari, were achieving real results in remote areas. https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/2023/09/23/the-voice-t...
indo-dreaming wrote:Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
You might say you have different views, but others might say you have different morals and ethics.
Of course you have different views. When Marcia said base racism she was describing you. You can’t fathom that your views are racist. You think equality is paramount while benefiting from the the system, for generations, that wasn’t equal. Pauline has had this MO for years. Ignorance and prosperity peddles this nonsense. I’ve worked hard why haven’t they? We are all equal.
AndyM wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
You might say you have different views, but others might say you have different morals and ethics.
100% we have different morals and ethic's.
I and hopefully most of Australia believe all Australians should be seen and treated equally and race/ethnicity is not important and more a personal thing.
While you guys clearly believe that people should be seen and treated differently based on race/ethnicity even having more or less say based on race/ethnicity.
seeds wrote:Of course you have different views. When Marcia said base racism she was describing you. You can’t fathom that your views are racist. You think equality is paramount while benefiting from the the system, for generations, that wasn’t equal. Pauline has had this MO for years. Ignorance and prosperity peddles this nonsense. I’ve worked hard why haven’t they? We are all equal.
See above sorry but like it or not your the one with racist views.
BTW. Marcias opinions/views mean nothing she is just a bitter divisive women and a complete gift to the No camp.
Don’t worry, I didn’t think I was going to change your views
Sadly it is your lot that is divisive. But, you can’t understand that. The Liberals are using this as a tool for re re election and stirring up discontent for their own purposes. And you are along for the ride.
indo-dreaming wrote:I and hopefully most of Australia believe all Australians should be seen and treated equally and race/ethnicity is not important and more a personal thing.
While you guys clearly believe that people should be seen and treated differently based on race/ethnicity even having more or less say based on race/ethnicity.
Its extraordinary that you say this.
indo-dreaming wrote:Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
This thread was originally started as a place to discuss positive ways to share ideas on this subject. You've completely derailed that throughout, and now with your new best friend (cute) burleigh.
Perhaps its time to start your own thread on the matter for like minded individuals.
I dunno, you could call it 'Im not racist...but".
Leave this thread for those who are interested in sharing healthy positive ideas, not your poisonous toxic veiled racism.
gsco - “This is another great example of the lies and fabrication of the socialist left/yes side in this whole charade.
The socialist left/yes side is peddling the disinformation that in The Voice Australia has only just now suddenly decided to start helping FNPs, to bridge the gap, to seek reconciliation, etc. That's completely ridiculous. No one with their eyes open could possibly fall for that.”
That’s how you & your ilk go about things eh gsco. Putting words into peoples mouths. That’s why it’s pointless debating with your types. That absolute crap you contributed above is simply your twisted opinion & nothing else.
southernraw wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
This thread was originally started as a place to discuss positive ways to share ideas on this subject. You've completely derailed that throughout, and now with your new best friend (cute) burleigh.
Perhaps its time to start your own thread on the matter for like minded individuals.
I dunno, you could call it 'Im not racist...but".
Leave this thread for those who are interested in sharing healthy positive ideas, not your poisonous toxic veiled racism.
Yet another racist call from a yes voter. Didn't take much. But hey, at least you're showing your true colours now.
Maybe you and winnie are the same bloke.
I focus wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:I and hopefully most of Australia believe all Australians should be seen and treated equally and race/ethnicity is not important and more a personal thing.
While you guys clearly believe that people should be seen and treated differently based on race/ethnicity even having more or less say based on race/ethnicity.
Its extraordinary that you say this.
Isn’t it.
To say that you’d have to be completely ignorant of history, psychology, sociology, power, politics, actually pretty much everything.
FNP’s would have to be the world’s best at negotiation skills. With over 65,000 years of negotiating respectful outcomes between their respective 250 nations about things that are real and things that matter. Things that enhance their lifestyles like marriage from different clans, trading goods of food, trading skills for shelter, sharing stories of past experiences and of prophesising even and incredibly intelligent analogies of respect for country, air, water and soil.
They are to be trusted to come to the negotiating table that is a part of the constitution. We just might learn something, something grand, something great but actually more likely just something simple that is real for us!
For our survival and for the survival of our native animals, birds, trees, and fauna etc. Its quite possible! Saving of what privilege's we take for granted every day of the natural world and to share proportionately our spaces together on this amazing land, planet, and universe.
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
FNP’s are great and fair negotiators, bring them to the table!
Vote YES! Cheers
A good watch…
southernraw wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:Each to their own but I totally disagree, I just have views different to you guys, hopefully my views will be in the majority come 14th October.
This thread was originally started as a place to discuss positive ways to share ideas on this subject. You've completely derailed that throughout, and now with your new best friend (cute) burleigh.
Perhaps its time to start your own thread on the matter for like minded individuals.
I dunno, you could call it 'Im not racist...but".
Leave this thread for those who are interested in sharing healthy positive ideas, not your poisonous toxic veiled racism.
Sorry dude, you can start threads but you dont get to moderate and censor views that dont align with your own, dont like my views fine, just ignore them.
This referendum is currently an important topic, and i will comment on it, and unlike others that throw around pointless abuse, i will do my best to remain civil.
Personally I dont find any of your views, healthy or positive, i find many of your views divisive & vindictive i honestly think yours and other similar views are actually quite damaging.
I addressed a similar post of yours a day or two ago...nothing has changed.
indo-dreaming wrote:southernraw wrote:indo-dreaming wrote:southernraw wrote:@lowinfo. It must be a hollow feeling being an anonymous online attention seeker.
Pity the foolMost people here are anonymous but you know who i am, many people here do i dont try to hide it like some do(not you) Ive pretty much said who i am without actually putting my name here.
There is nothing said here i wouldn't put my name too, these are my views and belief's and i stand by them, however not everything i say today might be something i always hold, ive changed my views and mind on things over the years, but i doubt i could ever on an idea like this.
BTW. Just because im vocal in sharing my view doesn't mean im seeking attention, i just feel strongly on the issue like you or others do.
This issue has an end date so im willing to go hard on it, not that i expect or aim to change anyone's mind, but i still thinks it good to have the views i support represented here.
Can you believe i've actually run out of insults for you!? The well has run dry.
Seems like this is your happy place, so go your hardest.
I just feel for any young indigenous surfer that happens to stumble across this thread and your pages of dribble that ultimately puts them back in the box you believe they belong in.
Enjoy your little platform lowinfo. It's not a thread i'm willing to put my name alongside while you continually drown out any reasonable conversation with your, buffoonery. There ya go. One last insult for you.Id be far more worried about a young aboriginal surfer buying into the whole victim narrative you spin, if they listened to you they are already screwed before they begin, a victim of the past and that Australian's hate them or something, why bother.
If there does happen to be an Aboriginal grommet out there reading, id say to them, what ever you do NEVER buy into the victim narrative, you are NOT a product of the past, be it your people, your family or even your parents, you decided your own destiny, some of the highest achievers in life are people who have gone through the hardest of times or come from the darkest places
You can be anything just like any other Aussie, be positive look forward and not backwards, be proud of who your are and where you come from, but dont make it your whole identity or be obsessed with it, yeah sure once in a while you might come across some racist dick, if you do reply with friendliness and they wont know how to react, try winning then over with kindness, cause aggressiveness and further insults is what they expect or want.
And if you see me out in the water, say hi and when im on the inside the first of next set waves yours.
A battle of David and Goliath
https://m.
indo-dreaming wrote:A battle of David and Goliath
pretty funny, toby ralph, marketing strategist on the drum tonight, researched both the yes and no campaigns...
'both campaigns have been woeful'
'both campaigns have only succeeded in pushing voters away'
david - and an overfunded goliath - have failed in every sense of the word
he also said a referendum should encourage a discussion, this one has only encouraged hostility... (see above)
right from the beginning...
by labor intensely discouraging any form of discussion, by avoiding going into any...
you know what...
but yeh...
"it's them!!"
that's divisive and stuff...
Jelly Flater wrote:
Nice one Jelly!
Kelton Pell and Paul Kelly - Great song adds to the storyline...
‘You only fear what you don’t understand’
;)
https://m.
&pp=ygUda2V2IGNhcm1vZHkgdGhpcyBsYW5kIGlzIG1pbmU%3D If it's No bring on the Treaties... watch burleylowinfocostco lose their shit again
Real Aboriginal people will never assimilate!!
“Real Aboriginal people will never assimilate!!”
Now there’s a discussion starter.
...unlike those with their snouts in the trough
Uni assignment i did a few years ago. This is my take on things. I'm sure this will ruffle many feathers. I hope so.
Love Blue Diamond x
The Necessity of Reparation for Historic Injustices
Introduction – Compensatory Justice
Disparities between the standards of living of humans on this planet have long been a part of our history on this planet. From the wealthy nations of the West to the developing and undeveloped nations on this globe, the diversity in the quality of life when viewed from a moral standpoint are without a doubt grossly unfair.
In this paper I will look at why historic injustices do require some form of reparation. I take a strong stance that we are more obliged to solve current injustices than to provide reparation for every act of injustice in the past. In doing this I will first investigate the historic injustice of the Aboriginal people of Australia and I will look at the argument that they are entitled to some form of reparation and why.
I will incoroporate some interesting views from Jeremy Waldron, Robert Nozick and others which will help me slowly build to my conclusion that reparation should be in the form of Non Indigenous Australians surrendering some of our priveleges as a form of reparation.
Historic Injustices to Indigenous Australians:
Australia the continent was well inhabited for many years long before white settlement. It is commonly known that in 1788 Australia was colonised as a country under the rule of the British Empire, with total contempt for the fact that it was already inhabited by a native indigenous race of people.
The way the original inhabitants have been treated, including forced assimilation, execution, stolen families and not even allowed to be recognised as citizens for a large part of white Australia’s history are also well known facts. (Poole, 1999,pp114-142)
There exists now a situation where there is a large divide between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal Australian’s that can be traced back to the moment Australia was invaded by English settlers and the brutal and unfair treatment that has followed.
So at this point now, in 2013 what is the just and fair way to make amends for past actions?
I would argue that a moderate to large amount of reparation is overdue for this nation of people, the Aboriginal people. But there are many challenges to this view point especially that of how much reparation, and what sort of compensation.
Past injustices or present suffering?
One of the questions raised in an issue like this is whether it is better to provide compensation or reparation for past deeds, which have already been done in a previous generation and cannot be changed, or whether it is better to now provide assistance to those who are suffering in their current situations and consider that as a form of moral duty.
To understand this we need to delve a little deeper into this issue and hear some differing viewpoints.
Firstly we need to understand what the best way to provide reparation. How do we judge what is the best way of giving back and how much? Jeremy Waldron states “The historic record has a fragility that consists, …in the sheer contingency of what happened in the past” (Waldron,1992,p5 )
This is saying that we can’t trace every single injustice back to the original act therefore reparation for every act would be almost impossible because it would ultimately be guess work.
In this statement he has an objection from Robert Nozick who believes it is in fact possible to address this problem by “changing the present so that it resembles how the past would have looked had the injustice not taken place” (McKenzie, 2013)
This would be a way to ultimately provide maximum reparation, but is it the correct approach? I believe this is a fairly radical approach, although it does have some merits in the fact it would be working in a positive way for indigenous people, I don’t think it is entirely the right way to deal with these issues but it is on the right track.
Waldron argues that it is based on too many unknowns. “The status of counterfactual reasoning about the exercising of human reasoning of human freedom is unclear”(Waldron 1993,p10)
Which leaves the question somewhat open about the sort of reparation that is required, but provides one clear answer to the key question. Both agree that yes, reparation to some extent is required. But how much and in what form?
Another philosopher who leans more towards Waldron’s views is Kymlicka. He is somewhat more straightforward in his assessment that property rights in particular for Aboriginals would create “massive unfairness” and also he maintains the argument “Aboriginal rights must be grounded in concerns about equality and contemporary disadvantage. (McKenzie, 2013) I agree with both these views but I don’t think they provide any active solutions.
The Solution?
So if its not handing back all of Australia’s land to the original inhabitants that is the most appropriate way to deal with past injustices, then what is?
I look at the current country I grew up in, as a white Australian. I ask myself why I never had Aboriginal friends growing up, no understanding of Aboriginal culture and why my basic understanding of Indigenous Australians is mostly 200 years old. I look at our flag, a symbol of a nation that stole a country from its original inhabitants, with no recognition of the Indigenous people at all on it. I see that Australia considered Indigenous people as less than people until only 40 years ago and I see the way that Indigenous Australians live a completely separate life to the way of life I know as an Australian. I see that the only indigenous politician I am aware of is a former Olympian and it is because of this fact of her sporting status that I know this. I see no collective power or representation of Indigenous Australians and I see non Indigenous Australians,( a culture built on a history of stealing a land and mistreating its people) still taking, taking as much out of this land as they can, with little to no regard of sharing or giving to the original inhabitants. I see a government that says lots of words about ‘closing the gap’ and bringing the living standards of non- indigenous and indigenous Australians closer together, but apart from nice words, there is no conviction, no follow through, just assimilation , and all that still remains are injustices.
As stated by Sparrow, “Continuity gives rise to responsibility on part of present generations of Australians for our history”.(McKenzie,2013). Although deeds happened in the past beyond our control, what we do now to either ignore, or rectify these issues will reflect on us in history. So if we choose to do nothing, we are contributing to the history of the mistreatment of non- indigenous Australians. And this is simply unacceptable in my opinion.
Conclusion
So what is fair? I believe that the way forward is a surrendering of some of our privileges as non- indigenous Australians. The simple fact is it was morally wrong without a doubt what has happened in the past. And it is also morally wrong without a doubt to ignore these facts and not offer some form of reparation in the present. But how much?
I think that going back to Robert Nozick’s argument is a start. I think Nozick is wrong to make the present resemble the past in every aspect. But I do think that it would be reasonable to restore some aspects of the way things should be. The things that happened in the past were out of our control and we can’t go back to changing the way things were. But we could change the way things are.
For some examples. Why not give at least 50% of political power to indigenous people? It surely would be a fair thing to do considering this is their country. Media control. 50 percent. Industry. Realestate. The list goes on. Why do we not acknowledge the indigenous people on our flag, or better still use their flag? Why is Australia still a part of the Commonwealth when it serves little purpose to any of us and serves as a constant reminder to Indigenous Australians that they are still controlled by the original invaders. These to me are fairly simple reparations that would have minimal impact on Australia as a whole. Perhaps, it would alter the way we live but I think it is our responsibility, morally to forfeit some of our privileges for the greater good. Basically a little bit goes a long way.
In closing, it is a fact that a huge injustice occurred to the Indigenous population and suffering continues to this day. There is no easy solution to such a burden of pain. I believe the only solutions are for the non- Indigenous population to take responsibility and sacrifice our own way of life to bring about an overall equality. Sacrifice is not an easy word. But it all comes down to right and wrong. We are in a position to give, in this current generation. What are we so scared to lose, that was never ours in the first place??
Bibliography
McKenzie,C.”Prof” (2013), Lecture, Historic Injustices and Indigenous Rights, Macquarie University
Poole, R. (1999). Nation and Identity.Routledge, London, pp.114-142
Waldron,J. (1992). ‘Superseding Historic Injustice’. Ethics, 103 (1), 4-28
References
Poole, R. (1999). Nation and Identity.Routledge, London, pp.114-142
Waldron,J. (1992). ‘Superseding Historic Injustice’. Ethics, 103 (1), 4-28