THE FABRIC OF UNITY

For as long as I live, I will never forget the terrified look on the Prime Ministers face yesterday. 

Nor will I forget the look of determination on her security details, either.  They had the ‘package’, and they were getting it out of there as quickly and efficiently as possible.  The end.  It was like watching a scene from a Hollywood movie.

And who would have thought that Gillard and Abbot would have been keen to share the back seat of a car? Hahaha….

Now, I’m not the biggest fan of Julia Gillard, as you well know.  However, what happened to her yesterday was nothing short of a disgrace.  For the Prime Minister of this country to have to face that situation, and to be physically ‘handled’ to safety, was terrible. 

Yesterday, some members of the indigenous community that occupy the Tent Embassy in front of the old Parliament House in Canberra took things too far.  Whoever riled this mob up into such a frenzy that they felt screaming obscenities, abuse, defamatory remarks and banging on the windows of a public restaurant was acceptable, should hang their heads in absolute shame. 

There was no justification for the way these protesters behaved yesterday, and I fear what would have happened if they had gotten their hands on our political leaders.  Brandishing rocks and sticks, and screaming abuse whilst Gillard and Abbot were bustled past them, was just shameful.

The one thing that has come out of all of this, and the saddest thing I dare say, is that these protesters have done more damage to the Aboriginal cause than good. 

Sure, there are extremists in every movement, organisation, religion and political party, but no one takes seriously the people that demonstrate their views in such a violent, conflicting way.

I listened to an interview with Warren Mundine this morning on the radio.  Mr Mundine is a former ALP National President and a leader in the Aboriginal community.

He described yesterday’s incident as a disgrace and shame to the indigenous community, and a slight on the unification of Australia.

He described the protesters from the Tent Embassy as a ‘motley crew’ that are more into division than unification.  They were more intent on pushing their own agenda than that of the Aboriginal cause.

He also said that Mr Abbot’s comments (which were completely misinterpreted and used as the weapon to trigger this demonstration) were ‘pretty timid’ and were also ‘words that echoed his own words’. 

He also said that the Tent Embassy, when original set up in 1972, ‘met the aspirations of Aboriginal people at the time.  But quite frankly, it is irrelevant to the mainstream of Aboriginal people today, and has been for the last 20 years.’

And he was angry.  Disappointed, disgusted, angry and vehemently condemned the protesters for their behaviour yesterday.  ‘Aggressive, divisive and frightening protests such as this, have no place in debates about the affairs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’.

I do not for a second even begin to claim I understand anything about the plight of our indigenous community.  I’m too wrapped up in finding the balance within my own house, let alone someone else’s.  Call it ignorance if you like, but that’s just my reality; a reality shared by many other Australians.

I leave the plight of the indigenous to their leaders, who are far more knowledgeable than I could ever be.

However, that doesn’t change what happened yesterday, and this ‘motley crew’ have possibly succeeded in undoing a lot of wonderful work that their more respected community members have achieved over the last few decades.

What I also find interesting, is that Mr Mundine can condemn the indigenous extremists freely, because he is a part of the wider Aboriginal community.  Yet, if I do; I’m a racist.

Please explain what the difference is here?  If I use exactly the same words, words which are shared with our indigenous leaders, why am I a racist?  Is it because of the colour of my skin?  Or that I’m an ‘invader’?

If so, does that make those calling me a racist, racist too? 

Double standards and reverse racism seem to be overlooked a lot these days by do-gooders with nothing better to do than involve themselves in a cause they know little about, to push their own agendas.

I also wonder how on earth this incident was even allowed to happen.  How did it get so out of control?  How were these protesters allowed to get so close, and become so threatening, that the Prime Minster had to be evacuated?  How did it deteriorate so quickly?

If we were in America, and Julia Gillard was the President, those protesters wouldn’t have gotten within a hundred feet of her.  There would have been secret service everywhere, and friggin’ snipers on roofs and all sorts going on.

However, this is not America.  We’re far more laid back here, and sometimes I wonder if we’re just too laid back.

On day that was supposed to celebrate Australia’s wonderful multiculturalism, acknowledge our origins and embrace all as one, we saw the fabric of unity torn apart by an extreme few.

For shame.

Peace out.

PS: the attached link is to an article I’ve obtained some of my information from, for your perusal.

Mob Sinks Slipper Into Nations Day