There have been many times during the past decade when I have not felt proud to be Australian. When I saw pictures of immigrant children behind razor wire in detention centres, Tampa, Pauline Hanson…….
But today was a great, great day. I’ve felt quite teary watching the coverage. Kevin Rudd spoke with such passion and eloquence. He didn’t hide behind rhetoric. He just came out and said it. Three times.
Sorry Day has sparked some wonderful, important conversations at our place with my son as we talked about the Stolen Generation and how saying sorry is important, even if, at the time, perhaps you thought you were doing the right thing. It’s just a word but what a significant one.
So many times today, while watching the coverage, I have been surprised at how emotional I’ve felt, how many times I’ve cried today to think, REALLY think, of the children, of the mothers……..and the injustice of so many decades having passed without their pain and suffering and mistreatment being acknowledged.
It’s shameful and sad that John Howard was so stubborn that he refused to say this one word. It didn’t cost anything, all it did today was make everyone stop and think about the past and validate the mistakes that were made by others all those years ago. A proud day and a sad one. Even sadder that it took so long to come.
What did you think?
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I agree Mia...I could not get out of my head the thought of how the parents of the stolen generation felt. It would be like me dropping my little boy of at school and not being able to pick him up or see him again. I really hope this helps in fixing the vast array of problems some aboriginal people face.
I am so proud that someone had the guts and integrity to say sorry.
Mia, I said exactly the same thing yesterday. Now I'm not a huge fan of Kevin Rudd, but I was incredibly proud to be Australian when he gave his speech yesterday, and even more prouder that he and the opposition leader were united, and walked together side by side in this apology, despite their political differences. I always believed John Howard should have said sorry; as you said, it cost nothing and it was more about acknowledging the hurt and suffering inflicted by our governments on these people. As you said, it should have been done a long time ago.