Thanks to our new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, we are starting to move out of the dark ages here.
Yesterday for the first time Parliament was opened for this year with the inclusion of an Indigenous Ceremony.
And today our new PM finally said SORRY, on behalf of Parliament and the Govt, to the Indigenous Stolen Generations. Between 1910 and (would you believe) 1970, about 50 thousand children were forcably removed from their families. Until 1967, when a referendum changed the Constitution and the White Australia Policy was axed, Indigenous people here not listed in the Census but classified along with Flora and Fauna!!!

This is a historical day for this country and would not have happened if Little Johnnie was still in power. All living former PM's, except him, attended Parliament along with 100 invited menmbers of the Indigenous Community. Many more gathererd outside on the lawn of Parliament House and in the Indigenous Tent Embassy which has stood there for over
30 years, despite being fire bombed and torn down many times.

It was a very emotional day.

Congratulations to Australia and to all thinking/loving people in the world. You give us hope.

Louise,
You got me crying tears of joy. That Midnight Oil song which I first thought was about America, is coming true. Farm Out of State!

This is fantastic, Louise
I remember seeing a movie about that subject, two childern forcably removed from their homes, who ran away trying to get back home, following a gigantic fence that runs through the country. Hunted by police. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the movie, but it was great. It also was the first time I heard about this terrible law.

Fantastic news, long overdue!

While forced removal to boarding schools happened here too, I don't recall anyone ever being classified with Flora and Fauna! What a disgrace.




I remember reading a book about that. I believe it was the daughter writing about her mother's experience. Wish I could remember the name of it.

Rabbit proof fence?

Congratulations to Australia! That is wonderful news. Can you imagine what the world would be like if all nations would recognize and celebrate the wisdom and contributions of their indigenous people.

Larry, you're correct about the title of the movie. I remember seeing that one.

how wonderful!... the world can change... congratulations to Australia!!...

Here, here! Unbelievable how horrible we (as a species) can be, even to ourselves. Slow learners, I guess.

When I first heard Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil, I thought it was about America. Now the lead singer I hear is in the Australian govt. (cool)
Now I hear Marty Stuart's Badlands going, "I hear voices in the wind. Telling me the second coming of the Redman is closer than it has ever been."

I saw it on PBS Jim Lehrer News at 6pm this evening

Yes Rabbit-Proof Fence is the movie based on a true story from the early thirties. Men who worked on building the fence had used Aboriginal Women for sex,(as often happened all over this country) and the resultant half- caste children were then kidnapped from their mothers "for their own good" (of course the men were long gone).

Many half -caste children were also taken from couples who were in a mutual relationship and who's children were well cared for. It is a myth that most of the Stolen Generations were neglected or abused.


A brave girl took her sister and cousin, ran away from the Govt camp and followed the Fence back home.Many Govt and Religious types actually took the half caste children and put many of them into white families hoping that eventually this would mean the the Aboriginal race could be bred out of existence.
Some families were never told that the children they adopted were of Aboriginal decent. A whole new history was invented for them.

To many yesterday was the start of some kind of healing, but there is still much work to be done.

I will see that episode of Lehrer here this evening and am looking forward to it.

Rabbit-Proof Fence, Larry's right, that's the one I saw. Over here the title was "Long Walk Home". And now I remember it were 3 girls, not two. They split up at one point, when one of them gave in to the hunters. I found these 3 girls extraordinary actors. Specially the one who played the oldest girl, Molly.