Comments on: Bushfire memorial service had hollow ring http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/23/bushfire-memorial-service-had-hollow-ring/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:58:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Frank Baarda http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/23/bushfire-memorial-service-had-hollow-ring/#comment-24024 Frank Baarda Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24024 A propos Peter Chambers' article (Crikey 19 Feb). I didn't watch the 'Day of Mourning' on TV for the same reason I didn't watch Lady Diana's funeral years ago nor the Don's for that matter. Maybe I'm wrong, but my instincts tell me that grief is intensely personal and shouldn't (beyond discreet expressions of condolence) be intruded upon.<br />The only mention of the 'Day of Mourning' I did see was a quick 'grab' on a news bulletin. There was a person making a speech: "....today I'm very proud to be Australian... Aussi, aussi, aussi ", and an (I thought rather unenthusiastic).... "Oi, oi, oi" response.<br />Last year I did watch 'The Apology'. I was impressed and emotionally touched. I honestly thought it was a "new dawn" for Aboriginal Australia. I live on a 'prescribed area' under the NTER Legislation (The Intervention) and it's "business as usual" out here. 'The Apology' is sounding increasingly hollow. Politicians with their crocodile tears and their shows of compassion and their promises of rebuilding and healing; I can't help but wonder what these fire devastated communities will look like on the anniversary of the 'Day of Mourning'. <br />What new opportunity for a show of compassion or leadership in the face of adversity might arise in a year's time?<br /> A propos Peter Chambers’ article (Crikey 19 Feb). I didn’t watch the ‘Day of Mourning’ on TV for the same reason I didn’t watch Lady Diana’s funeral years ago nor the Don’s for that matter. Maybe I’m wrong, but my instincts tell me that grief is intensely personal and shouldn’t (beyond discreet expressions of condolence) be intruded upon.
The only mention of the ‘Day of Mourning’ I did see was a quick ‘grab’ on a news bulletin. There was a person making a speech: “….today I’m very proud to be Australian… Aussi, aussi, aussi “, and an (I thought rather unenthusiastic)…. “Oi, oi, oi” response.
Last year I did watch ‘The Apology’. I was impressed and emotionally touched. I honestly thought it was a “new dawn” for Aboriginal Australia. I live on a ‘prescribed area’ under the NTER Legislation (The Intervention) and it’s “business as usual” out here. ‘The Apology’ is sounding increasingly hollow. Politicians with their crocodile tears and their shows of compassion and their promises of rebuilding and healing; I can’t help but wonder what these fire devastated communities will look like on the anniversary of the ‘Day of Mourning’.
What new opportunity for a show of compassion or leadership in the face of adversity might arise in a year’s time?

]]> By: John Passant http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/23/bushfire-memorial-service-had-hollow-ring/#comment-24025 John Passant Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-24025 Great article Melinda. It got me thinking, especially the bit about 'we are one'. I think that is political spin and disingenuous. But also you final comments: do we have the courage and creative spirit to face the prospect of changing the way we live?<br /><br />I hope you mean a new and better way to live, not just a new and more impoverished way to live. <br /><br />My initial reaction was one of compassion - do whatever it takes. But like you I don't want us to repeat the mistakes of teh past (as we appear to be doing in Canberra for example.) And like you i began to link our compassion to our failure to move forward from the apology, and then to cringe when Coles and others expropriated our compassion for their own base motives.<br /><br />And if, as I think likely, climate change is making extreme weather events more and more likely, Rudd's ETS just doesn't cut it. More show than dough.<br /><br />I'd be interested in hearing what you think is involved in changing the way we live.<br /><br /> Great article Melinda. It got me thinking, especially the bit about ‘we are one’. I think that is political spin and disingenuous. But also you final comments: do we have the courage and creative spirit to face the prospect of changing the way we live?

I hope you mean a new and better way to live, not just a new and more impoverished way to live.

My initial reaction was one of compassion - do whatever it takes. But like you I don’t want us to repeat the mistakes of teh past (as we appear to be doing in Canberra for example.) And like you i began to link our compassion to our failure to move forward from the apology, and then to cringe when Coles and others expropriated our compassion for their own base motives.

And if, as I think likely, climate change is making extreme weather events more and more likely, Rudd’s ETS just doesn’t cut it. More show than dough.

I’d be interested in hearing what you think is involved in changing the way we live.

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