Absolutely, bloody racist

Since I've moved to Australia I have had to adjust to the higher level of public racism. There's many reasons for it which I won't go into now, but it exists, big time.

And I'd been kinda getting used to it, not in accepting way, but I managed to stop my jaw hitting the ground everytime I heard a politician talking about 'those abos'.

But the moves by the Vitctorian State Government blew my feckin socks off. When I first read the press statement it accidentally slipped out. Couldn't help myself. 'Man, this country's fucked', I whispered, much to the amusement of the men sititng either side of me!

So here's the tale. The government's all upset because they had this bunch of people planing on camping out to protest during their shiny blue Commonwealth Games. Ol' Bracksy's trying to look as best as he can so he quietly puts out the word to go easy on them. Hey, make positive mileage out of it if you can.

Now to cut a long story short, they're still there and have managed to not only get some pretty good support for their cause (no matter how hard the government worked on the ol' divide and conquer technique), but they've managed to have that area put under an Emergency Heritage Declaration to protect the Scared Fire and Burial Site.

So now the Government's got themselves in a spot of bother. The reactionary, racist section of the community wants action, the Government has its hands tied due to a higher law than their own. But they really want to be seen to be doing something.

What to do.. what to do…

Some bright spark had the idea of changing the law to stop "them" doing "it" again. Ah ha says government, brilliant idea, doesn't quite get us out of this situation but will stop it going on any longer and will stop it happening again.

So what did they do? The Government has FIRED EVERY SINGLE CULTURAL HERITAGE INSPECTOR IN VICTORIA. They haven't appealed the Emergency Declaration in the Courts – which they could do. They haven't rung the inspector up and said 'come in, we'd like to have a chat and see how we can help resolve these issues – which they could do. They probably haven't even read the bloody thing…

So what does this mean in effect? In Victoria there was 48 volunteers who were recognised as experts in the field of cultural heritage in respect to Aboriginal People. Their job is to act as experts in development issues. This is to prevent direct action protest and promote dialogue. But now? The Minister, who is about one of the pastiest Aboriginal Affairs Ministers I've ever seen has decided that he can be the authority on these issues from now on.

In other words, Aboriginal People are 'allowed' to have their culture, the Government will even help promote it, as long as it fits within their little box of what is accceptable looking culture, other wise Aboriginal People will lose all their rights for self determination.

If this was any other country, there'd be an outcry.

If I were you I would write to Gavin Jennings and tell him what a racist prick he is (constructively of course), and then I would write to Steve Bracks and tell him not to leave Thwaites in charge ever again.

UPDATE: The Camp Sovereignty response is here, should have linked this earlier, apologies. 

An aside

While doing this book project thing, found this and thought it should be shared :)   I'm soppy sometimes.

Love seriously has to be the best reason for being a human that I have found so far. 

There’s a great part in The Velveteen Rabbit which I think explains it really well

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room."Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

Being Real allows us to love.  It means that you know that hurt comes with the bargain but that’s ok because we accept that trade off.  I think that’s the best thing about being in love.  Sometimes you can be in so much love that it hurts.  But that pain is what makes being in love worth it.

It’s that feeling of tightness in your chest.  It’s the way you can hear your heart thumping in your chest when you’re sharing the same room.  It’s the funny coincidence that every love song seems to describe the way you feel.  The way that you here that awful annoying pop song but one line reminds you of him/her, and you smile to yourself, thinking of some special memory.  The way that the memory of that one kiss excites you deep inside so that any other thought is instantly banished from your mind. There are poems, books and songs written about love.  There are paintings, gardens, sculptures and tombs made in its honour. 

Yet we somehow can’t translate that into the way we make decisions on how we govern our societies…

Cool, geeky, Green stuff!

I like saving the planet.  And I like using cool technologies to do it.  That's why I ABSOLUTELY ADORE GREEN TV!

It's still early days for this crew, but I reckon there's some awesome potential there.  I'll certainly be tuning in.

Which kinda reminds me, for those of you wondering what I've been up to in Green land, I'm still there.  Currently working on the organisation of the Global Young Green Convention in Nairobi, Kenya in January next year.  For those of you who are now going 'ooh that sounds like a cool thing!', check out Caroline's blog where she is updating everyone on organisational progress and news about how to get involved.

Choice!