Just sayin’.

[via Facebook from somebody somewhere]

Homework Pt II

I’ve seen a few people on Facebook say that because they were born in Australia and live in Australia, they are indigenous. They are not. They are not Aboriginal nor have any Aboriginal ancestry/heritage. Nevertheless, they are convinced they are “indigenous” by virtue of place of birth and current address.

Let’s clear this bullshit once and for all.

While no official definition has been adopted, the United Nations has developed a modern understanding of this term:

Practicing unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Spread across the world from the Arctic to the South Pacific, they are the descendants – according to a common definition – of those who inhabited a country or a geographical region at the time when people of different cultures or ethnic origins arrived. The new arrivals later became dominant through conquest, occupation, settlement or other means. [my emphasis]

~~~

Self- identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their
member.
• Historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies
• Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources
• Distinct social, economic or political systems
• Distinct language, culture and beliefs
• Form non-dominant groups of society
• Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.

A quick Google search will reveal similar definitions.

So, please, don’t insult yourself and the indigenous people by calling yourself “indigenous” when you are not. To do so just displays a stunning lack of understanding, ignorance and is, frankly, quite embarrassing for you.

Homework

Get it into ya:

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO BURN THE AUSTRALIAN FLAG, nationally or in any state.

~~~

In which Bron kinda but doesn’t defend Tony Abbott

Hear me out first, OK?

Far be it from me to defend the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott, but this current criticism at him over his comment regarding the Costa Concordia ship sinking seem to be overlooking something: the question that was put to him during the Adelaide Triple M interview.

One of the hosts of the radio show asked him, “This is just a bit from left field, the captain from the Costa Concordia wants to know if you need any help with your boat policy?”

Tony Abbott replied, “Well, that was one boat that did get stopped.”

The question is just as bloody awful as the answer, yet there’s been little (or less, I wouldn’t know, I’m not on Twitter) fuss made of the question. They are both a disgrace. The unidentified radio host should be strongly reprimanded for asking such a thing in the first instance. Meanwhile, Tony Abbott only revealed what we already know: that he is not capable of thinking quickly on his feet and is quite incompetent to be a leader, oppositional or otherwise. The appropriate answer he should have given, of course, would be something like: “I am not going to dignify that question with an answer.”

So, continue to scold Tony Abbott, of course, but unless that radio host has been identified and reprimanded by the time this post is published, let’s place the blame on both of them for being such utter dickheads.

Additionally, spare me the whole “It’s radio, they deliberately generate controversy for ratings” schtick. The stupid question should never have been asked in the first place.

Finally, what the hell are you all doing listening to Triple M, anyway?!

That is all.

P.S. Vote Greens.