What are you ACTUALLY celebrating on “Australia Day”?
*My opinion only.
I know you’re probably sick of hearing me speak on this, just as I’m sick of talking about this - it’s 2022 - I cannot speak on behalf of Aboriginal or Indigenous Australians but can you possibly even try to fathom how this must feel every year upon year to have your country and it’s people “celebrate” a day that brings you so much pain? Personally, I CANNOT morally celebrate our beautiful country on the 26th whilst blatantly ignoring the true suffering and intergenerational pain of the people of whom this county belongs - the First Nations peoples. I get it, we are proud people who want to celebrate the wonderful country in which we live but in doing so, we must celebrate ALL of us, for we are ALL a part of it.
I too have made mistakes on this in the past when I was not educated on the issue, but I assure you, once you are, you cannot go back. The reality is we were misinformed and miseducated on the history of this issue at school and the general media and national narrative has not been great. It’s like we live in our own bubble here in Australia (just ask anyone overseas about our treatment toward Aboriginal and Indigenous Australians) where all of this is normalised. That’s why I think it is imperative for us each to use our own initiative to read up on the history of the county in which we live because in my humble opinion there really is no excuse to be misinformed, ignorant or lazy at this point. It’s 20fkn22. And please, do not ask an Aboriginal or Indigenous person to explain any of this to you - it’s not their responsibility. Use the internet we are so blessed to have that is literally at your fingertips.
We can change the date. It can be done. Because at this point it feels like sheer stubbornness from the government-like you know when you’re in an argument and you know you’re wrong but you feel too far gone to admit it? THAT.
I humbly request that we have these conversations in our circles this week and beyond. And yeah, I still want the public holiday to spend time with family and friends celebrating this great country of ours - just on another day. 🖤💛❤️
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