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#AustraliaDay
One side of my family arrived in Sth Australia in 1836. The other side shortly after. There were no convicts among us.
I am proud to call myself an Australian. I am white.
I am now 57 years old. I have spent my whole life celebrating Australia Day.
One side of my family arrived in Sth Australia in 1836. The other side shortly after. There were no convicts among us.
I am proud to call myself an Australian. I am white.
I am now 57 years old. I have spent my whole life celebrating Australia Day.
About 5 years ago I started hearing more about 'change the date'. I brushed it off as a bunch of whingers trying to rip our history out from under us.
Here, a reminder that I am white and I am an Australian. I do believe we are all equal and I would not have said I was racist.
Here, a reminder that I am white and I am an Australian. I do believe we are all equal and I would not have said I was racist.
I have always held that 'change the date' was a new thing and since I'm being honest I will say I assumed it came from a 'radicalised social media mob' in recent times.
It got my back up, it made me angry and I became MORE determined to keep January 26th alive and kicking.
It got my back up, it made me angry and I became MORE determined to keep January 26th alive and kicking.
This year something changed. It changed when I discovered this is NOT a new thing.
This division, if I may, goes back to at least 1938, the year my own father was born.
This is not, and never was some radical mob on social media screaming at us whities because they're bored.
This division, if I may, goes back to at least 1938, the year my own father was born.
This is not, and never was some radical mob on social media screaming at us whities because they're bored.
This is not some, and please forgive this term, 'city black bitching' as I've seen and heard.
It's about pain. It's about being reminded of the inherent racism rife in our white paved society, that arguably began on January 26th and continues to this day.
It's about pain. It's about being reminded of the inherent racism rife in our white paved society, that arguably began on January 26th and continues to this day.
As I said elsewhere earlier today, Cook was just a reconnaisance mission. The 11 ships that arrived On January 26th was the full scale beach invasion.
Do we argue if 1 or 10 or a 1000 First Nations people were killed that very day? Or should it matter that since, thousands have?
Do we argue if 1 or 10 or a 1000 First Nations people were killed that very day? Or should it matter that since, thousands have?
Does it matter whether they've died at the hands of settlers, white mans diseases, slavery or police brutality?
No, it matters that they did. And still do.
And it began, in all earnestness, on January 26th.
That's why the date needs to change.
No, it matters that they did. And still do.
And it began, in all earnestness, on January 26th.
That's why the date needs to change.
Perhaps not because of what we did, but because of what we're doing.
Change the date could begin the process of changing our minds and hearts. It could begin the change needed to recognise we live on First Nations land. It could begin to heal the deep wounds we've created.
Change the date could begin the process of changing our minds and hearts. It could begin the change needed to recognise we live on First Nations land. It could begin to heal the deep wounds we've created.
As a first step, we, the invaders, owe them, the First Nations people, at least that much.
I apologise if I blundered or offended in this piece. I also apologise to First Nations people for blundering around for so many years, like any white Australian might.
#changethedate
I apologise if I blundered or offended in this piece. I also apologise to First Nations people for blundering around for so many years, like any white Australian might.
#changethedate
