Spread the word
The Apology - 13 February 2008
What could cause such a sudden reversal?
Quite simply, this - the transcript of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the Stolen Generations. For those of you who are unaware, this term refers to the approximately 50 000 children who were forcibly removed from their families from 1900 to the early 1970's. They were abducted under legal sanction simply because they were Aboriginal.
Often times, the children who were the focus of these removals were mixed race. It was hoped, as pointed out by the Protectors of the Northern Territory and Western Australia (as pointed out in the speech), that through intergenerational breeding with caucasians, all indigenous characteristics would be bred out - a plan that is tantamount to eugenics. Fortunately, legislation did not succeed in terms of this goal, but you can understand why such behaviours would make me ashamed to identify as a citizen of this country.
However, yesterday began to restore my faith. It ended 16 long years of hope that began with one of the most powerful speeches that I have ever heard uttered by a politican - Paul Keating's recognition of the need to apologise in Redfern in 1992 . From this speech came the inspiration for the commission in 1995 of the "Bringing Them Home" report, which highlighted the issues faced by the Stolen Generations and their families to mainstream Australians.
Unfortunately, this was not completed until 1997, when, as Prime Minister, John Howard took his famous stance that the sins of one generation could not be visited on another, and therefore refused to apologise. Of course, the fact that he was a member of the parliament who continued to remove children from their families in the 1970's would put paid to this argument.
Thus, indigenous Australians and those who sympathised with them, gradually growing in number, had to wait for Kevin Rudd to finish what Paul Keating started all those years ago. I can't say that it was worth the wait - too many of those who had suffered died without formal recognition during the process - but, for me, it did salve a little of the pain that always niggled me when I thought about my sense of national identity.
For, like Kevin Rudd, I do truly say that I AM sorry.
Yesterday, I witnessed an event of colossal importance and one which will
resonate throughout Australia for generations to come. I was greatly moved
by the PM's speech and found myself crying when I heard those immortal
words "we are sorry," not just once but three times within the speech
itself. The words came straight from the heart and there was solemnity in
the house as they were uttered.
Good for your PM...Maybe someday, the US will take a cue from you guys, and
we'll issue a similar apology to the Native Americans, whose lives we've
destroyed since...Well, since the 1600s.
