Can't wait to see the bill for reparations to the Arbos.

The American Indians are getting theirs through unregulated and uncontrolled gaming on reservation land.

Unregulated by whom and on whose land?

There's no 'r' in abos and it's a derogatory word/title used only by those too ignorant to know better.

With regard to compensation. I'm sure there'll be claims by some but not others. I hope they'll be considered on an individual basis rather than as one big settlement to be split up between all claimants regardless of merit.

sounds like Abos is akin to Niggers in the states. inside the states Abos/abors/abros/abdfh means nothing. I honestly don't know anything about your aboriginal issues, but my gut tells me it probably isn't too much differnt than our Indian issues.

Reparations? Apologies? Why? WTF did I do? I don't owe the folks that live on the reservations in the states one damn thing beyond the same courtesy i extend to all people i meet. I am not responsible for the actions of distant generations and don't understand the mindset of those who feel guilty for someone else's actions.

It's not about feeling guilty. It's about finding a way to move forward from the difficult past faced by both indigenous and non indigenous people. It's a step towards the unification of all Australians.

The speaches in parliament were just broadcast and both sides of the house were unified in their words and actions.

Today is a new day in the history of Australia. My only hope personally is that the new government and the opposition have begun as they mean to go on.

I'm still waiting for my apology from the damn Poms for putting my ancestors on a boat for stealing bread.

Yeah well we all know that's never going to happen. ;)

Besides, I'd rather live here than there anyway. We have much better weather. :)

What? There are people who scrimp and save their whole lives, for a cruise to the South Pacific.

I like ducks nuts.

not afraid to cop to being descended from penal colony inhabitants. much respect.

I hope you guys do better by your native displaced than we did. we just conquered and segregated the native Americans. And while I understand lookout's point.....I do, honestly, feel a little guilty...vicariously about the way the white man has comported himself... as a whole.....in the past.

I have a deep admiration for the way the Native Americans used to live, and the way they are forced to survive today, to me at least, is kind of depressing.

Wind in His Hair would be furious about the current state of affairs. KWIM?
http://www.westernposterpage.com/rodney1.jpg

I loved digging up all the family dirt when I did the family tree.

I'm actually descended from a stowaway and the daughter of a bread thief.

I had to dig deep with my deceased Grandmother (Dad's side), she was found with a single bullet wound to the head and left on the side of the road....not far from where I currently live.

Seems she was having an affair and her lover shot her because she wouldnt leave Pa.

He then went on to become a Hermit.

I think I understand what you are saying too. It isn't like I'm sitting here laughing at "those dirty injuns gettin' what they had comin'". I just don't understand the concept of feeling guilty about something that I had no possible way of preventing. I feel sympathy for those wronged. I feel disgust for those who were in the wrong. But I feel no guilt.

Really, what percentage of guilt should I feel? 100% Certainly not - I'm 1/16 Cherokee. 90%? No, I have to account for my Swedish blood that didn't come here until the early 1900's. 25%? Well, I think my Scottish great great great grandfather did serve in the Army. I'll bet he did some bad shit. I'll feel guilty for his actions. Just a little though, ok. Or would that guilt be negated by the guilt I should feel for my Cherokee ancestors killing white settlers... I'm so confused.

On their land which is out of all federal and state jurisdiction.

Yeah, exactly. Are you twigged that Macau, bigger than Las Vegas, is outside federal and state jurisdiction too?

No, that would Portugal's problem.