Interesting points. Between the 50’s and 70’s the British government ran ‘Operation Legacy’ to remove any record of the horrid stuff that went on during colonisation.
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What about it? There was no one here to invade.
How far do people want to go back though? Gengis Khan has an impressive away record.
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Again no, . there was no one there…
China, Japan, Mongolia never invaded anyone?
Actual answer: No.
Of course not.
To me this is one of those, “Do unto others,” things, and I just think it’s pretty cut & dried.
We could easily find another day to “Celebate”, that doesn’t signify pain to the original inhabitants as this one does.
It’s simple if you can put yourself in the other’s position/shoes for mine.
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While I have no problem with what Yarra Council did, and I think the Liberal response was and is petty, I disagree with every part of your post.
Do you really think it’s vital that Jan 26th remains Aust Day Wim? Is that date so important when it signifies so much loss to the Indigenous people ??
Wouldn’t any other day be just as good to flag wave, BBQ & watch Fireworks??
So because no one was there its OK? We can all just go to any deserted Island and take it over? And that is not an invasion because no one is there? You might as well call the refugees invaders.
The whole history of the world is about invasions. For better or worse that is how we became who we are. We are all a mixture of something and chances are it will be because someone invaded someone else.
My youngest has very dark hair and a beard with an enormous amount of red. His fathers ancestry is scotish and that red beard comes direct from the vikings. Who of course invaded lots of places including Scotland.
Yes.
Yes that date is important as it marks when Australia was founded as a civilised (please, don’t be a cock about that word, if you don’t like it then choose your own that means houses built and modern society and government) country.
Yes, it also marks the date of ‘invasion’, that’s the point. It’s both.
No, I don’t believe it ‘signifies’ so much loss to the Indigenous people, I believe that in the last two decades that date has been chosen. It does not mark any massacres on that date. It does not mark anything other than Europeans arriving with the plan to settle there.
‘Oh, but it all started from there?’
Well, again, yes. I guess.
And again that’s the point.
Denying that day is kind of denying any non-indigenous right to be here at all. It denies every thing, good and bad, that has happened as a result of colonisation.
And it’s stupid.
It’s really, really stupid and more than kind of offensive.
Edit: But if you really must have a different date, then I guess May 13 is a poor but reasonable substitute. The date the First Fleet left Portsmouth. But I’m sure you’d have the same problem with that date. And it’s really more of a yay England date than about Australia.
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I’m not sure of the question here? Are you trying to say that moving to unoccupied land is comparable to the British arriving in Australia?
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Not sure if srs?
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A Winter date just won’t do, … we know that!!
We’ve been here before, and the next time we share an ale, we can have a proper discussion on it, . but I have thought there’s a few other suitable “Summer” ones, … Federation (when we actually became “Australia”, … the Eureka Stockade date, when we stood up to & struck the first blow against Imperialism & fought for the “Fair Go”. and there’s another ICQR right now, … was it the first “Discovery”, … (as distinct from 1st fleet. …)…??
How would blitz like it if the AFL have a new “drug free and good governance day” which we celebrate with clash strips on the anniversary of James Hirds sacking?
Federation doesn’t even come close.
My home town is older than Federation.
My family’s history in Australia is older than Federation.
The Boer War is older than Federation.
There is one date that marks Australia’s birth as a nation, and that’s it.
I have no problem with indigenous people calling it Invasion Day.
They have every right to.
I have a massive problem with not recognising everything else that is is.
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I didn’t realise that was the beginning of Australian football.
Actually, that’s more on your side of the argument than mine.
Plenty of people ‘discovered’ Australia.
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Instead of invasion you could call it territorial conquest. For years here it was justified by assertions that there were no written laws and that no-one previously owned the land. The indigenous people were deprived of the free use of the land which maintained their life.
Territorial wars go on everywhere, including between indigenous groups, but imperial colonialism which took over land and the regulation of society within different indigenous groups began on 26 January 1788 with unilateral British claims to rule.
I can’t understand how 26 January can be classified as a date representing Australian values.
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In 200 years time. I don’t think either of us will be able to care. Good analogy!