The aboriginees had a flag?
The aboriginals have a flag.
Quote:The Aboriginal Flag was designed by Harold Thomas, an artist and an Aboriginal, in 1971. The flag was designed to be an eye-catching rallying symbol for the Aboriginal people and a symbol of their race and identity. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red the earth and their spiritual relationship to the land, and the yellow the sun, the giver of life.
In the late 1960s, Aborigines stepped up their campaign for indigenous land rights through protest marches, demonstrations, banners and posters. The protests increased in the early 1970s and Harold Thomas noticed they were often outnumbered by non-Aborigines with their own banners and placards. He decided they needed to be more visible and the idea of the flag was born.
The Aboriginal flag was first raised in Victoria Square in Adelaide on National Aboriginal Day in 1971, but was adopted nationally by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in 1972 after it was flown above the Aboriginal "Tent Embassy" outside of the old Parliament House in Canberra.
Mr Thomas has often been asked to design a new Australian flag, but he says the design of the Aboriginal flag "sprung from passionate times" and that his inspiration could not necessarily "be repeated" for a new Australian flag. Mr Thomas says he would prefer to see something different for a new Australian flag.
Mr Thomas is also uneasy about suggestions that the Aboriginal Flag could replace the Union Jack in the current Australian flag to create a new national flag. Mr Thomas says "Our flag is not a secondary thing. It stands on its own, not to be placed as an adjunct to any other thing. It shouldn't be treated that way."
The Aboriginal flag is increasingly being flown by both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. In view of its increasing importance in Australian society, the Government initiated steps in 1994 to give the flag legal recognition. After a period of public consultation, the Government made its own decision in July 1995 that the flag should be proclaimed a "Flag of Australia" under section 5 of the Flags Act 1953. The flag was so proclaimed by the Governor General of Australia, William Hayden, on 14 July 1995.
Lash wrote:The aboriginees had a flag?
They still have it, legally:
Quote:The Australian Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander flag were proclaimed as flags of Australia under section 5 of the Flags Act on 14 July 1995. Section 5 provides authority to proclaim "other" flags and ensigns and it had previously been used to give official status to the ensigns of the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. The Australian red ensign's use as a civilian shipping flag dates from the early origins of the Australian National Flag.
Flags can be bought, btw only directly by Carroll and Richardson Flags (they hold the copyright from Thomas), or by contacting the Government Info Shop in any capital city within Australia.
It was designed, though, by a guy named Harold--an aboriginal?--in 1971?
I wonder if they think it is an aboriginal flag.
The aboriginals certainly identify with their flag
Lash wrote:Vitally important news: Stop the racism in Australia!!
(Thank God Walter has brought this important issue forward!!!)
Today, many Australians pride themselves on their nation being one of "the most multicultural countries on earth." This is somewhat of a myth. In terms of race, religion and language, Australia is not a multicultural society. The 2001 Census found that Australia has very little racial diversity, with 92 per cent of Australians being of Caucasian descent, 7 per cent Asian descent and 1 per cent Aboriginal descent. Nor is there much religious diversity, with 69 per cent of Australians citing themselves as Christian, 26 per cent atheist and less than five per cent non-Christian. Nor is there much linguistic diversity, with only one official language, which almost all first-generation Australians can speak. CIA World Fact Book
The fact that Australians want to see their country as multicultural, when the reality clearly states otherwise, does in itself say something about how Australians feel about other races.
Another myth promoted by the intelligentsia is that immigration is something new to Australia, or that there was no immigration from non-Anglo countries until after World War II. Again, statistics paint a different picture. In 2001, 21.9 per cent of Australians were foreign born. This is less than 1901 when 22.7 per cent were foreign born. In 2001, .08 per cent of Australians were born in China and they were the fifth largest ethnic group. In 1901, 0.8 per cent of Australians were born in China and they were the fourth largest ethnic group. In 1788, the first fleet brought Convicts from Madagascar, the West Indies, Holland, France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden , Norway, Bengal along with the Scottish, Welsh, Irish and English.
In a way, the myth that non-anglo immigration is a recent phenomenon is a form of racism. The myth denies the contribution non-British people have made to Australia prior to World War II. Furthermore, the myth allows white proponents to see themselves as people who are making a "sacrifice" in order to welcome non-white migrants. This sacrifice allows them to feel a sense of moral superiority.
Australia must be stopped!!!
Now I know more about this I can comment a little better (though some won't like what I'll say). This all happened after a group lebanese muslims (hunting in a pack like the animals that they are) decided to beat up a couple of young lifeguards (who train and volunteer their time so that anyone who swims on Australia's beaches can do so in safety). We have had tolerance preached at us while these bastards have shot up the streets, raped anglo women (by their own admission BECAUSE they were anglo) and basically demanded that they not have to live by the laws of this country. While the reactions were in a large part fuelled by alcohol and group bravado, their motivation was as a result of the actions of these arseholes. Australia is a tolerant country which does not have to be stopped from anything. But if these worthless muslim pr!cks don't like Australia, then they should pack their bags and piss off back to the putrid third world sh!tholes from whence they came.
If you think I'm racist, tell it to my Thai girlfriend asleep in my bed at this moment, or my best friend who is Vietnamese.
Do you believe that random mob violence is the answer to the behaviour of SOME young lebanese men?
Can I put in my two bob's worth while Deb waits for her answer from Wilso? From all the media coverage I've seen & all the words I've read about this incident, it appears that trouble had been brewing between the Lebanese (outsiders) youths & the "locals" for quite some time prior to the major incident. Somehow things were allowed to escalate & to get out of control. To me (& admittedly I don't live in Sydney) it seemed like tit-for-tat stuff that got completely out of hand. Perhaps it was initially more of a law & order issue involving two groups of aggressive young men that got very out of hand? I suspect that the text messaging for supporters & the media beat-up from the likes of Alan Jones could well have attracted racists & thugs (on both sides) who weren't previously involved. That & a lot of booze! Ugh!
Indeed, and Wilso's post has given us a delightful insight into the kind of thinking, from both sides, that leads to such appalling behaviour.
I don't really care what you think of my attitude Deb. My tolerance for Muslims is GONE. They're like Hyenas. They hunt in packs, and only attack those who are smaller, weaker, and less well armed. They are nothing but animals.
With evidence of such sophisticated thought processes as you have demonstrated here, I would say you run the risk of rapidly becoming what you hate.
Quote:Photos released of riot suspects
source: The Australian, 09.03.2006, printversion, page 6
online version of above
source: Daily Telegraph (Sydney), 09.03.2006, print version, frontpage
Cute, aren't they?
Mindless hominid rage is an ugly sight.
Quote:Lebanese Muslims struggle for jobs
source: not online (yet); copied/pasted from: (print version) The Australian, Monday April 3 2006, page 1 + 4,
Well, my ideas would really be wild guesses - based on little more than nothing.
Could it be, and I'm p1ssing in the wind here, all most a peer pressure/victim mentality issue in terms of how the worth of education is perceived.
I'm from the western suburbs of sydney - achieving anything, in terms of a career, was a struggle - an apprenticeship was like gold and university a dream best saved for rich kids.
But instead of this creating a climate of striving many youth just wallowed in, and often displayed proudly, the sheer hopelessness of their socioeconomic situation - this was around the time punk music exploded and it all fit very nicely and nihilistically together.
Anyone who achieved, had to get out to achieve, and that, combined with the tall poppy syndrome, meant you were an outcast. And in a situation that dire you need to belong so even though you can see the path out it's a massive leap of faith to turn your back on you compatriots/hoodies/posse - whatever you want to call it this year.
Waddya reckon?
Yeah, but is this just a "Westies" thing, or a general Oz thing for this group? (IE Lebanese Muslims)
I suppose that a very high concentration of them are likely to be "Westies"....but ditto, I assume, Christian Lebanese and other Muslim groups?
PS Hinge, sounds like you have done yourself proud, you ol' westie, you!
