SORRY TO THE STOLEN GENERATION

[Rahima]

Mr. Rudd is one heck of a prime minister, such a nice change from that previous rat bag.

 

His apology speech to the aboriginal people and in particular to the stolen generation was just amazing. Those outside of OZ may not comprehend the significance of this apology, but it is a great day in Australian history and one that is to be remembered.

 

_____________________________

 

Part of his speech:

 

To the stolen generations, I say the following: as Prime Minister of Australia, I am sorry.

 

On behalf of the government of Australia, I am sorry.

 

On behalf of the parliament of Australia, I am sorry.

 

I offer you this apology without qualification.

We apologise for the hurt, the pain and suffering that we, the parliament, have caused you by the laws that previous parliaments have enacted.

We apologise for the indignity, the degradation and the humiliation these laws embodied.

We offer this apology to the mothers, the fathers, the brothers, the sisters, the families and the communities whose lives were ripped apart by the actions of successive governments under successive parliaments.

 

In making this apology, I would also like to speak personally to the members of the stolen generations and their families: to those here today, so many of you; to those listening across the nation - from Yuendumu, in the central west of the Northern Territory, to Yabara, in North Queensland, and to Pitjantjatjara in South Australia.

 

I know that, in offering this apology on behalf of the government and the parliament, there is nothing I can say today that can take away the pain you have suffered personally.

 

Whatever words I speak today, I cannot undo that.

Words alone are not that powerful; grief is a very personal thing.

 

I ask those non-indigenous Australians listening today who may not fully understand why what we are doing is so important to imagine for a moment that this had happened to you.

 

I say to honourable members here present: imagine if this had happened to us. Imagine the crippling effect. Imagine how hard it would be to forgive.

My proposal is this: if the apology we extend today is accepted in the spirit of reconciliation, in which it is offered, we can today resolve together that there be a new beginning for Australia.

[N.O.R.F]

I saw this on the news. Good of the govnt to finally apologise. Many people watched on the streets of Aus cities via big screens and listened on radio. I saw emotional faces of all colours.

[Yaabka-Yaabkiis]

Stolen generation?

[Buuxo]

It was indeed a historical moment, that was a long time coming.The apology did have me in tears

 

Damn, the East-coast timing of the speech, I slept in and missed out on the public celebration.

[Nephissa]

We apologise for the hurt, the pain and suffering

 

We apologise for the indignity, the degradation and the humiliation

 

We offer this apology to the mothers, the fathers, the brothers, the sisters, the families and the communities whose lives were ripped apart

 

I know that, in offering this apology on behalf of the government and the parliament, there is nothing I can say today that can take away the pain you have suffered personally.

 

Whatever words I speak today, I cannot undo that.

Words alone are not that powerful; grief is a very personal thing.

I just thought about Abdulahi Yusuf for a second, imagine if he said that, would Somalia move forward?

 

It was a great speech indeed. Of course, with a mistake of this magnitude there's really no alternative to the honest-apology approach.

[Aaliyyah]

Great speech

[Som@li]

A bit too late, but a good move.

 

And now there be should plans for compensations.

[-Nomadique-]

It was a special moment. I got up early to watch it live in the city. The number of people who went out of there way to do so (young parents, the elderly, office workers etc) clearly demonstrated just how significant this moment was for this country. Rudd really did deliver.