Summer is school holidays, heat, swimming, family. In recent years, the end of summer is also this ….
– red, white and blue flag flying. Boring patriotism and nationalism.
When I was younger you were a complete dickhead if you flew the Australian flag.
Today it’s the norm – thongs, towels, shorts, and on cars – that little piece of fabric (or plastic) symbolising the dispossession of a Peoples, and the ongoing colonisation of communities, will be everywhere and in our faces.
Don’t think it’s offensive?
- You think “because my family never killed any Aborigines (sic)”, that “it’s not hurting anyone”?
- You think, “there’s no racism anymore”, that “it happened a long time ago”
- You think? “Why can’t we all just get along?”
- You think? “Aborigines (sic) have the same rights as all Australians”
Sorry mate ….
- The Australian flag, like the anthem, is a reminder/signifier of invasion
- Colonisation is still in progress. It happened in the past and is happening in the present
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, all over the continent, do not share the same rights as other Australians still
Wear your colours if you like.
And in case you’ve forgotten, THIS is what some do in the name of that flag:
http://images.watoday.com.au/2008/12/12/322992/race-420-420×0.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Cronulla_riots_2_-_no_lebs.jpg/250px-Cronulla_riots_2_-_no_lebs.jpg
http://images.smh.com.au/2012/08/25/3583754/art-cronulla-620×349.jpg
Oh… they also did this … (under the Union Jack)
http://www.oztorah.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/founding-of-australia.jpg