Another amazing bit of writing, very personal, poltical and poinant by Cape York Indigenous Leader Noel Pearson in yesterday's OZ. It wrung tears of sympathy from my eyes, and at the same time echoed my very ambivalent feelings about an official apology to the 'stolen generations'.
His main point for me was that every time Indegenous Aus wins a 'moral' victory over White Aus, their victimhood identity is entrenched. This way of thinking holds indegenous people back because the World does not, cannot and should not run on sympathy.
Brenden Nelson's response was, from what i've read, admirable, especially in such a high-pressure political scenario. I doubt Turnbull could have iterated the complex position of conservative Aus as well as that. The speech was about the facts as well as symbolism, and how reconciliation will take more than words from both sides. For all his efforts at meeting people half way he still had to endure the same 'shameing' that Howard went through. Then again Rudd turns his back in Parliament all the time. Guess the Libs are used to it.
A political lesson for the novice Rudd: when you give in to the demands of a political group they get politically stronger, not weaker. The lobby for compensation for the stolen generations are now better positioned than ever to achieve their aims. You have not bought them off with your words. They do not like you as much as you think they do. Before the year is out they will expose you as weak and a liar. In spite of what you say and yours effort, and hidden advice, they WILL get the compo they seek.
There was no 'mandate' for that.
