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https://theconversation.com/forgiveness-requires-more-than-just-an-apology-it-requires-action-177060>
"It has been 14 years since then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd delivered his
apology to the Stolen Generations from parliament house. Words which were so
longed for from survivors and descendants of horrific government policies, and
which echo through to today.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their
descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers
and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of
families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and
degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say
sorry.
Scott Morrison’s speech today on the anniversary of this momentous day made
headlines for a different reason. Many have taken umbrage with this line:
Sorry is not the hardest word to say. The hardest is ‘I forgive you’.
Morrison almost demanding forgiveness belies a false understanding of both how
apologies work, and the nature of what it is the government apologised, and is
apologising, for.
The policies of the Stolen Generations were acts of government, designed to
assimilate us and deprive us of culture. They are also actions which can be
remedied by government. To frame the apology in this way is, as Greens Senator
Lidia Thorpe tweeted, “outright disrespect”, and “not an apology”."
Via Muse.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
