BrisbaneNorg

I know that the current generation had nothing to do with the policies of past ones, but this sort of small minded, xenophobic twat is why I personally can’t stand most right-wing thinking.

Last year there was outrage from the then federal government (now in opposition) over Japan’s refusal to apologise to Australian women used by their soldiers in the early 1900’s as “comfort women”, even though a generation had passed we expected the Japanese government to apologise, so why are these same people so afraid of apologising to the original inhabitants of this country, that over the years have been so poorly treated. I have worked in isolated Aboriginal communities, and there are some issues that are self perpetuating such as alcohol, and domestic violence, but Aboriginals need our support, encouragement and our apology NOT for what we have done to them, but for what our forbears did to theirs.

Regardless of whether or not we are directly responsible for what happened, surely common decency would dictate that we just say “Sorry” for what happened? Man, is it so horrendous that we own up to what occurred, apologise and then move on with what comes next? 

I think we have owned up to it but because whoever the figure is hasn’t used the “S” word, people think we haven’t. I’m not sure if the “S” word is enough or what it will achieve in isolation. Even if the word is used, will *both* sides move on?