This week in New Matilda, Jeff Sparrow asked a simple but very good question: why was there no protest over the Apology to the Forgotten Generation, as there was over last year’s Apology to the Stolen Generation?
Where were the right-wingers to challenge the Apology? Where was the scepticism over the numbers of children involved, the stout defence of the good intentions of those running institutions, the claim, for all the abuse, that many children had benefited from their experience? Where was the concern about “opening the floodgates” to compensation?
Instead, this week’s Apology passed, rightly, with strong support from all sides. Malcolm Turnbull, who gave an excellent, heartfelt speech, was praised for it in his partyroom, even praised for being willing to talk about “love”. There were no walkouts by angry conservatives.
It would be shameful if race was the determining issue, if apologising to indigenous people was somehow more objectionable to some than apologising to white Australians. It is, however, hard to think of any other explanation.
Possibly ideological obstinacy played a part in the Stolen Generations debate, a refusal on the part of right-wingers to admit that their opponents might ever be right about anything. In contrast, the Forgotten Generations issue has been a resolutely non-ideological matter. And let us not forget that even diehard conservatives like Nick Minchin and Eric Abetz gave graceful, even moving speeches of support last year as part of the Stolen Generations Apology.
Yet the horrible suspicion remains: for some politicians and commentators, abused black kids aren’t as deserving as abused white kids.
This is a really superficial analysis and a cynical attempt to drum up accusations of racism where none are appropriate. There was a disproportionate lack of fanfair over the apology to the forgotten generation on both sides of the political divide, during both its execution and the lead up to the event itself. It’s simply not an issue that sparked the public imagination in the same way as did last years stolen generation apology, and if any point can be made of that it is that the community cares LESS about the abuses of the forgotten generation than those of the stolen generation, and not more. Added to this is the fact that since the former of the two apologies occurred, this sort of thing has become somewhat normalised. Thus, no backlash, even from those who might have kicked up a fuss in the past.
As for the specific concerns you raised about the numbers of children and the ‘good intentions’ of those involved, those things weren’t mentioned because they have no baring on this issue. Ambiguity doesn’t exist, to the best of my knowledge, over the numbers in this instance, whereas it does in the case of the stolen generation. Furthermore, understanding that those who acted to take Aboriginal children from their families did so with ‘good intentions’ is profoundly important if we are to make sense of the tragedy, and so avoid repeating it or anything like it.
Cynical, cheap, agenda driven and exploitative reporting.
Jeff was tilting at windows again.
Everyone knows the Stolen Generations is a TOTAL MYTH.
There is ample evidence of the “Forgotten Generation”
“…abused black kids aren’t as deserving as abused white kids…”
Particularly when they are being abused by black adults.
The white kids of the “Forgotten Generation” were abused by anyone and everyone.
You are clearly incapable of seeing the difference.
@Mama – by definition, I’m part of Everyone yet I don’t know that the Stolen generations are a Total Myth. Though perhaps you’re referring to the definition of Myth that states “…a myth is usually regarded as a true account of the remote past.”
“…a myth is usually regarded as a true account of the remote past…”
Like the Dreaming and the Rainbow Serpent that lives in the rock.
Or the Loch Ness monster.
Or Medusa.
“Everyone knows the Stolen Generations is a TOTAL MYTH.”
Hey MPM. Let’s skip the bit where I demand evidence and you neglect to provide any (because you’re lying) and just go straight to you not posting comments anymore.