brutal

Is the Australian government racist or brave?

Sending troops into outback-Aboriginal settlements in an attempt to solve generations of neglect would seem extreme. That is, until you realize the sheer magnitude of the problem.

Up to 70% of females abused by the age of 18 in some communities is shocking, no more shocking than 24-month-old babies being used for sexual gratification.

Alcoholism and drug abuse is an escape from the reality of no job, no money and no hope. And it’s as deeply entrenched as the abuse of women and children.

You’d have to be deeply suspicious of most politicians’ months out from an election, especially a politician as shrewd as John Howard. And with his track record you may well be right. This might not be a case of children overboard, but it certainly is a tug at the heartstrings along the same lines as children overboard.

But when Rudd backs his rival for the lodge later this year, in his actions, then you know there’s more to the situation than meets the eye. The Labour party is on a hiding to nothing with this issue. Aborigines don’t vote Liberal. Labour has nothing to gain, and plenty to loose. Getting tough on “Abo’s” is a sure fire vote winner with Howard’s constituency. From the mouth of Rudd it would be pandering to a group most Australians are more than happy to never see.

This is a problem that must be viewed as beyond politics. The priority must be the children. But once the situation is stabilized and the children’s safety secured there are questions to be asked of the Howard government and answers demanded.

I’d say the Howard government is extremely brave to do what they’ve done. They’ve ignored the most fundamental recommendation in the report that triggered the extreme action, a co-operative approach with the Aboriginal communities. They’ve put themselves in a situation where if they fail they’ll fail publicly.

It turns out the real racists are the Australian public that have never cared and never will, for the plight of the indigenous people. 

In the few discussions I had on the subject this week, not one person cared what happened so long as it didn’t impact them.

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