14th February 2008, 11:39 AM
Dear Host
"Debating involves listening.. and that goes for everyone of course.
Debating also creates a solution, a workable solution...
I note that (in the other post) "..some (but not all of the staff at UWA are racist..." examples sent to me that can verify that (sent to me off list...) I can investigate. and help (well people in BAJR can help) I have for example a prof friend there.... and at least I know that he is not racist.
"
I'm affraid you may be mistaking the polemical nature of my posts as indicative of my whole character (and activities).
In fact, you may have a picture in your head which may not be acurate.
This would be a mistake.
You may also perhaps think I don't work within society to provide solutions.
This would be a mistake too. (see letter I got published today underneath).
You seem to miss the point that 'Revolutionaries produce the best Reforms'
You may note I have clearly stated that none of the Archaeology proffs at UWA are racist, of course they are not SB, JB, and AP are all anti-racists whose work is wonderful and takes the struggle forward.
However, some of the students were racist (I've finished Honours now)and my two Aboriginal fellow students have experience and noted that racism first hand. My tutor JB was surprised to hear what went on when away from the ears of our teachers and I have already said where one ended up job wise but pointed out 'maybe she's changed'.
We also suggested that the arch department make links with the UWA Indigenous dept, it being politics not race that (we suspect) have kept the two appart for some time.
But in other departments there are racists (not many) and how could that not be so when 2 out of 5 Aussie born WA were against the apology.
One element has been the corrupting effect of Post Modernism combined with a certain flirting by some in the anthropology department with Keith Winshuttles revisionist view of Aboriginal history.
Occuring since the old 'left' has retired.
This was mostly some juniour tutors but for two and a half years in my undergrad years using the word 'genocide' (correctly referenced using UN definition) was totally acceptable and then suddenly (on one course) it wasn't.
Anyway a bit to complicated and local to explain.
But surely you realise that a persons class and academic status does not preclude them being a racist.
It is after all usually the territory of middle class 'arm chair socialists and anarchists' people to imagine that all racists are working class skin heads.
Which you couldn't believe since you were a working class skin head anarchist.
Here is WA the vast majority of MPs from both Liberal and Labor go and have always been to UWA.
In fact, its a family thing and the student guild is made up of future Liberal and Labor politicians not to mention all the lawyers Judges etc, etc.
So the students I argue with in the bar and union meetings often have a pedigree going back to about 1840.
In fact, one of my friends (a friend totally hostile to the apology ie a racist friend)has an ancestor who was high up in 1830.
Its all about ancestors really....
(Of course not all, but ancestors whether black or white are very influencial here.
So many the judges and magistrates who gaoled Aboriginal people in 1968 for walking across the city were educated at UWA.
Fathers and mothers of recent students...
This can help account in a two way dialetical manner as to why in every measure of racist attitude WA comes worse than anywhere but (joint) Queensland in Australia.
I think WA voted NO in the referendum of 1968.
So as yesterday in Australia the highest number of liberal MPs (one third of all those from WA)boycoted the Apology.
And many of them went to UWA.
The level of institutionalised racism in each society varies according to certain features of that society.
Clearly being aware of this is a first step to contering it.
But in Australia before we concentrate on the many nice stories we have a lot of nasty ones to explore.
In a society where these stories are not know we need to tell them.
That is plus polulising the knowledge of wonderful precontact Aboriginal (editted here 15/02/08 * I mistakenly used a small A before) Australia.
Surely I've said this.
It begins in schools in renaming building etc...
Often called PC but when you have none PC is a revolutionary step forward.
You really need to look up the work of my fellow Australia Ghassan Hage.
(I wonder of of Aussie sociologist will come onto this site questioning his right to argue because of his ethnic origins? Or maybe they are more politically aware than SOME (capitals indicates strong emphasise and heaven forbid playful Post Modernist Irony) Australian archaeologists who had a knee JERK reaction sometimes on this and other sites....
Read about his work.
Such as:-
Polemic Publication: Ghassan Hage's 'White Nation'He is more interested in what forms multiculturalism takes in Australia, ... By Ghassan Hage. Annandale, NSW: Pluto, 1998. ISBN: 1-86403-056-9
http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/words/white.html
and other works by Australian anthropologists, sociologist and archaeologists
and I think I have already made the point that I believe that political activism through the pen does not just involve
"Debating also creates a solution, a workable solution"
because first I believe a wee bit of shock tactics work well to stire up.
And to be honest I argue for the people laughing quietly who gain a few extra arguments to use against their racist friends (don't we all have them? Or family members or can we all remember our own attitudes?)
I argue in a pub against an idiotic racist for the people on the edge the listeners...
So shock, producing anger ....
then offer the solutions
Works for me.
But surely you don't think this is all I do?
God help me if this was the case!
And Host, perhaps you need to return to you anarchist roots.
Shorty. I'm a community psychiatric nurse and fight racism in a pragmatic manner that is helping the down trodden and many Aboriginal people find a roof etc.
Two years ago the Labor government cut the only qualified Aboriginal health worker in Perths funding, so now (us none-Indigenous of many ethnic origins) we now have to liase with the unqualified workers.
But it leaves me knackered.
But at least we can do our best.
I'm no spring chicken but I go to demo's and meetings and do my best to help when I can and attend sorry day stuff, refugee demo's etc.
However, outside the hights of yesterday it like the UK in that I'm not about to get involved with any Marxist organisation etc but prefer those things to do with Aboriginal matters run by Aboriginal people.
I am known though (is that a suprise to anyone?). Was a leading members a few years ago in NSW in the fight against Pauline, etc, etc, etc
Anyway below is a letter I got published in the 'West Australian' today,
Perhaps it may indicate their is more to life than venting ones splean (when you think about this phrase its strange!! make me think of sperm whales) on archaeological web sites.
Mind you if you check out the Aus-arch site you can see where outrage at my comments has changed to support.
But then yesterday was truely life changing.
And at a risk of a very un-British or God forbid ub-Australian biggheadedness, I do believe I have provoked people to think....
Anyway here is the letter (you can find it online) I got published:-
-----------------
To build on the Federal Governments apology to the Stolen Generation I believe that the WA Government and Perth City Council needs to be honest about the past and take action to educate all about West Australiaâs wonderful Indigenous history; which would have the result of providing Indigenous youth with heroic role models to look up to.
In Perth and WA, I can find little celebration of West Australiaâs 60,000 years of Aboriginal history, the remarkable achievements of recent and contemporary Aboriginal people and an honest and visible portrayal of the many horrors of colonisation.
How many people realise that WA has the oldest human occupation sites in Australia and some of the oldest securely dated art in the world?
Do school children and tourists learn that Rottnest Island was a terrible prison camp where 2000 Indigenous men died of influenza and 12 were executed in what is now the luxury hotel where the rich now sleep in the former condemned cells? In addition, who know that the entire Aboriginal population of Cue were interned in a police camp during World War II?
Moreover, where are the respectful memorials to these atrocities and why no memorial in Kings Park to the Indigenous service men who fought in all of Australiaâs wars?
In fact, Perth is now crammed with plaques and statues celebrating white people.
So come on WA politicians commission Aboriginal artists (and the best in Australia live in WA) to produce statues of Jimmy Pike, Sally Morgan and the Aboriginal soldiers who died on the Kokoda trail.
Stephen Arthur. (Page 22 'West Australian' 14/02/0:face-thinks:
Arthus
"Debating involves listening.. and that goes for everyone of course.
Debating also creates a solution, a workable solution...
I note that (in the other post) "..some (but not all of the staff at UWA are racist..." examples sent to me that can verify that (sent to me off list...) I can investigate. and help (well people in BAJR can help) I have for example a prof friend there.... and at least I know that he is not racist.
"I'm affraid you may be mistaking the polemical nature of my posts as indicative of my whole character (and activities).
In fact, you may have a picture in your head which may not be acurate.
This would be a mistake.
You may also perhaps think I don't work within society to provide solutions.
This would be a mistake too. (see letter I got published today underneath).
You seem to miss the point that 'Revolutionaries produce the best Reforms'
You may note I have clearly stated that none of the Archaeology proffs at UWA are racist, of course they are not SB, JB, and AP are all anti-racists whose work is wonderful and takes the struggle forward.
However, some of the students were racist (I've finished Honours now)and my two Aboriginal fellow students have experience and noted that racism first hand. My tutor JB was surprised to hear what went on when away from the ears of our teachers and I have already said where one ended up job wise but pointed out 'maybe she's changed'.
We also suggested that the arch department make links with the UWA Indigenous dept, it being politics not race that (we suspect) have kept the two appart for some time.
But in other departments there are racists (not many) and how could that not be so when 2 out of 5 Aussie born WA were against the apology.
One element has been the corrupting effect of Post Modernism combined with a certain flirting by some in the anthropology department with Keith Winshuttles revisionist view of Aboriginal history.
Occuring since the old 'left' has retired.
This was mostly some juniour tutors but for two and a half years in my undergrad years using the word 'genocide' (correctly referenced using UN definition) was totally acceptable and then suddenly (on one course) it wasn't.
Anyway a bit to complicated and local to explain.
But surely you realise that a persons class and academic status does not preclude them being a racist.
It is after all usually the territory of middle class 'arm chair socialists and anarchists' people to imagine that all racists are working class skin heads.
Which you couldn't believe since you were a working class skin head anarchist.
Here is WA the vast majority of MPs from both Liberal and Labor go and have always been to UWA.
In fact, its a family thing and the student guild is made up of future Liberal and Labor politicians not to mention all the lawyers Judges etc, etc.
So the students I argue with in the bar and union meetings often have a pedigree going back to about 1840.
In fact, one of my friends (a friend totally hostile to the apology ie a racist friend)has an ancestor who was high up in 1830.
Its all about ancestors really....
(Of course not all, but ancestors whether black or white are very influencial here.
So many the judges and magistrates who gaoled Aboriginal people in 1968 for walking across the city were educated at UWA.
Fathers and mothers of recent students...
This can help account in a two way dialetical manner as to why in every measure of racist attitude WA comes worse than anywhere but (joint) Queensland in Australia.
I think WA voted NO in the referendum of 1968.
So as yesterday in Australia the highest number of liberal MPs (one third of all those from WA)boycoted the Apology.
And many of them went to UWA.
The level of institutionalised racism in each society varies according to certain features of that society.
Clearly being aware of this is a first step to contering it.
But in Australia before we concentrate on the many nice stories we have a lot of nasty ones to explore.
In a society where these stories are not know we need to tell them.
That is plus polulising the knowledge of wonderful precontact Aboriginal (editted here 15/02/08 * I mistakenly used a small A before) Australia.
Surely I've said this.
It begins in schools in renaming building etc...
Often called PC but when you have none PC is a revolutionary step forward.
You really need to look up the work of my fellow Australia Ghassan Hage.
(I wonder of of Aussie sociologist will come onto this site questioning his right to argue because of his ethnic origins? Or maybe they are more politically aware than SOME (capitals indicates strong emphasise and heaven forbid playful Post Modernist Irony) Australian archaeologists who had a knee JERK reaction sometimes on this and other sites....
Read about his work.
Such as:-
Polemic Publication: Ghassan Hage's 'White Nation'He is more interested in what forms multiculturalism takes in Australia, ... By Ghassan Hage. Annandale, NSW: Pluto, 1998. ISBN: 1-86403-056-9
http://reviews.media-culture.org.au/words/white.html
and other works by Australian anthropologists, sociologist and archaeologists
and I think I have already made the point that I believe that political activism through the pen does not just involve
"Debating also creates a solution, a workable solution"
because first I believe a wee bit of shock tactics work well to stire up.
And to be honest I argue for the people laughing quietly who gain a few extra arguments to use against their racist friends (don't we all have them? Or family members or can we all remember our own attitudes?)
I argue in a pub against an idiotic racist for the people on the edge the listeners...
So shock, producing anger ....
then offer the solutions
Works for me.
But surely you don't think this is all I do?
God help me if this was the case!
And Host, perhaps you need to return to you anarchist roots.
Shorty. I'm a community psychiatric nurse and fight racism in a pragmatic manner that is helping the down trodden and many Aboriginal people find a roof etc.
Two years ago the Labor government cut the only qualified Aboriginal health worker in Perths funding, so now (us none-Indigenous of many ethnic origins) we now have to liase with the unqualified workers.
But it leaves me knackered.
But at least we can do our best.
I'm no spring chicken but I go to demo's and meetings and do my best to help when I can and attend sorry day stuff, refugee demo's etc.
However, outside the hights of yesterday it like the UK in that I'm not about to get involved with any Marxist organisation etc but prefer those things to do with Aboriginal matters run by Aboriginal people.
I am known though (is that a suprise to anyone?). Was a leading members a few years ago in NSW in the fight against Pauline, etc, etc, etc
Anyway below is a letter I got published in the 'West Australian' today,
Perhaps it may indicate their is more to life than venting ones splean (when you think about this phrase its strange!! make me think of sperm whales) on archaeological web sites.
Mind you if you check out the Aus-arch site you can see where outrage at my comments has changed to support.
But then yesterday was truely life changing.
And at a risk of a very un-British or God forbid ub-Australian biggheadedness, I do believe I have provoked people to think....
Anyway here is the letter (you can find it online) I got published:-
-----------------
To build on the Federal Governments apology to the Stolen Generation I believe that the WA Government and Perth City Council needs to be honest about the past and take action to educate all about West Australiaâs wonderful Indigenous history; which would have the result of providing Indigenous youth with heroic role models to look up to.
In Perth and WA, I can find little celebration of West Australiaâs 60,000 years of Aboriginal history, the remarkable achievements of recent and contemporary Aboriginal people and an honest and visible portrayal of the many horrors of colonisation.
How many people realise that WA has the oldest human occupation sites in Australia and some of the oldest securely dated art in the world?
Do school children and tourists learn that Rottnest Island was a terrible prison camp where 2000 Indigenous men died of influenza and 12 were executed in what is now the luxury hotel where the rich now sleep in the former condemned cells? In addition, who know that the entire Aboriginal population of Cue were interned in a police camp during World War II?
Moreover, where are the respectful memorials to these atrocities and why no memorial in Kings Park to the Indigenous service men who fought in all of Australiaâs wars?
In fact, Perth is now crammed with plaques and statues celebrating white people.
So come on WA politicians commission Aboriginal artists (and the best in Australia live in WA) to produce statues of Jimmy Pike, Sally Morgan and the Aboriginal soldiers who died on the Kokoda trail.
Stephen Arthur. (Page 22 'West Australian' 14/02/0:face-thinks:
Arthus