On 22/02/2013 8:45 AM, Russell Coker wrote:
On Fri, 22 Feb 2013, Andrew McGlashan <andrew.mcglashan@affinityvision.com.au> wrote: People who aren't racist don't need to include such disclaimers. In fact there's even a web site devoted to such disclaimers.
I am not against Aboriginal people, although it _may_ seem that way because I don't support a change of the constitution, that's all -- that's why I qualified. To me, everybody is a person, no matter where they come from or what their skin colour. Attitudes vary in all areas of society, there are good and bad people everywhere, race doesn't determine this.
Are you seriously claiming that white people are being discriminated against? Did you realise that pretty much everything is run by white men?
I disagree, Aboriginals make up 2% of the population. There are plenty looking out to support those 2%, and many government benefits are inflated for those that qualify as Aboriginal or Torre Strait Islanders.
You should learn about Sociology. You can't just wave a magic wand and change attitudes throughout society. The "stolen generations" includes people who are still alive today, clear and direct racism in Australian law is something that happened within the lifetimes of about half the population of Australia. Kevin Rudd's apology for that only happened 5 years ago.
I don't disagree that bad things happened. The apology itself could have and may have opened another can of worms. Aborigines often come across as being entitled -- my wife was asked to jump in a car and take one of them somewhere just because he wanted to go and "this is our land", it was quite a strange demand (not at all a friendly request). Sometimes you give an inch, then a mile is taken.
When Aboriginies have the same life expectancy, the same average quality of health, and the same average income as white people then measures to help them won't be necessary. But at this time helping Aboriginal people recover from a history of mistreatment is necessary if we are to have a decent society. Also it's not "reverse discrimination".
They could easily have the same life expectancy, they have the means and support of the people and the government -- sometimes it is lifestyle that limits their ability to have a healthier and longer life expectancy and those other goals you aim for them. Alcohol has been a major contributing factor for violence and other trouble in some Aboriginal communities. Aboriginals as subjects of the Australian Constitution have the same rights as other fellow Aussies, the same rights and the same opportunities.
There may be areas where Aboriginals need extra support, but that is also true of every other group of Australians whom make up our population today.
I really don't think that straight white men need extra support.
Everybody needs support at times, some more than others and some less, but skin color makes little difference -- attitude is a more helpful determining factor. A.