Injustice Makes Me Angry
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Injustice makes me angry! What about you? Do you get stirred up by it or do you simply shrug your shoulders fatalistically? This sense of the unfairness of injustice has waxed and waned over the various stages of my life. Keenly felt in my youth, somewhat disenfranchised during my working life, and returning with a vengeance now. We live in an age of disinformation and deflection by design. In the era of social media, gossip is given more credence because it is written down for public record. The digital world defines and details every piece of crap that comes out of human beings.
General Ignorance Infuriate Me Too
Very few people, however, are held accountable for the misinformation and disinformation that they peddle on social media platforms. The Voice referendum is a good example of this with fear mongers on the right doing their best to sew seeds of distrust in this process. Some of the same people who were prominent anti-vaxers are at it again promulgating lies and distortions to benefit the No campaign. This whole debate has highlighted the levels of general ignorance among many parts of the Australian population when it comes to the plight of First Nations people in this country.
If you don’t know vote No – is the supreme illustration of this. The Libs and Nats want Aussies to remain ignorant so that they can manipulate them any way they want. Stupid is as stupid does!
“This opinion piece by Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan, appeared in The Guardian Australia on Friday 6 October 2023 Australia will, fundamentally, be changed on 14 October. However the cards fall in the voice referendum, one thing is for sure: our next urgent national priority is tackling racism. It is a tentacled monster that feels impossible to slay, and its venomous nature seems to have only mutated in recent times. Earlier this year, I urged politicians and the wider public to refrain from allowing the voice debate to degenerate into one about race, and for respect to underpin all discussions. My greatest fears were sadly realised. At its best, the debate surrounding the referendum has shown inspiring examples of respectful listening, patient and dignified explanation, and optimism for a better future. At its worst, we have heard hurtful rhetoric and seen bigoted and racist stereotypes left unchallenged and people labelled as “un-Australian”. Misinformation and disinformation have run rampant, bringing racism in this country to the fore.
For such ideologies to be permitted and often uncontested in the national debate is profoundly dangerous, and totally unacceptable.”
Warren Mundine Wants More Of The Same
Warren Mundine is an Indigenous chap who has achieved substantial success in his life and I congratulate him on this basis. He is firmly in the camp of those who consider these things as individual responsibilities. Warren is a conservative politician and is feted by the No campaign as their Aboriginal poster boy. His argument seems to be, I made it to the top under the present system and you can too. The fact that so few Indigenous Australians achieve success and standing within the community does not seem to bother Warren. According to his political philosophy, you can make it in the white world by embracing their ethos and joining their club and political party.
The lack of progress on Aboriginal Affairs following 10 years of Liberal National Party federal governments does not phase Warren Mundine, as he wants more of the same.
Give Voice To Those Who Need It
How can giving people a voice ever be a bad thing? How can making folks more responsible via empowerment not be a good thing? Australia has a chance to move forward into a better future for its First Nations people and we all should take it together. The only divisiveness in this campaign has been from the No campaign. Dreadful people like Tony Abbott, who the electorate tossed out of government, are sticking their backward looking craw into this discussion. Australians cast aside this bloke who campaigned against marriage equality and who held back the nation re-doing something about climate change for a decade or more. Personally, I think that leaders like Abbott should be held accountable for their political behaviour in opposition and government over critical issues like climate change. Injustice makes me angry! Playing politics over crucial national issues is what this ghastly man does to the real detriment of Australia. Who will you listen to going forward?
We have the chance to change things for the better. We have the opportunity to try a different approach, like actually listening to those directly affected by the stuff that government does on their behalf. Isn’t it time we grew up in Australia and started treating First Nations people with the respect they deserve? Vote YES in the Voice To Parliament referendum on 14th October 2023.
Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of Money Matters: Navigating Credit, Debt, and Financial Freedom.
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