With Australia day on the horizon the inevitable complaints about portions of the countries Aboriginal and Aboriginal supporting population decision to re-brand Australia Day as "Invasion Day" should be the prefect opportunity for the population to reflect on our own cultural acceptance as we move closer to new immigration policy.... but it wont.
For those outside of Australia playing at home, January 26th, Australia Day marks the anniversary that commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet into Sydney Cove and the proclamation of British Sovereignty. Its modern Australia's national day and is celebrated with a nation wide public holiday. More recently it has been met with controversy as for the indigenous population it is seen as the day that marks the beginning of occupation of their native land. Attempts to have the date of the holiday moved have gained little public support.
Expect again this annual issue to find its way into the media, with the overall consensus being that Australia Day is there for all Australians to celebrate Australia, indigenous or otherwise. Your personal opinion on this issue bears little relevance to the opportunity the theme represents.
The countries main political parties currently keen to display their strength when it comes to border protection appears to have had the side effect of sparking a national multicultural ignorance. In particular, understanding towards the countries Muslim population, and people seeking asylum via illegal immigration. A national undercurrent of activism through social media regarding who 'we' as a country are allowing on 'our' shores, and the freedoms that 'we' feel obliged to provide. Facebook groups such as F#$k Off We're Full reached nearly 80,000 members before being removed. Race Riots are becoming an annual event that any one of middle eastern decent is a target.
More recently people are worried about the infiltration of political correctness coming into our schools that is denying Aussie kids the right to celebrate Christmas in the classroom at risk of offending their Muslim class mates. The overall theme being garnered is Immigrants, Not Australians, should adapt, and that these people should not be forcing their beliefs onto us.
On January 26th, 223 years ago, when Captain Arthur Phillip stepped ashore onto what was to become Botany Bay to set up Australia's first penal colony, he did so with less consideration for the countries existing culture than the vast majority of migrants do today.
In the 200 years that followed, descendants of this colony went onto, occupy, murder, steal, rape, displace and force their religion onto the countries original population with little regard for their existing way of life, in the name of building a nation, and later the White Australia Policy.
As a country we have come to (in some cases begrudgingly) recognise these heinous acts and sought to make amends with Sorry Day, now National Day of Healing, broadened to incorporate the ethos that its a good day to apologise for any wrong doing, we as a country, or as individuals have done.
On Australia day this year, as we don our flags as capes, put them out our car windows, and take to the streets to shout to to the world our national pride, and again focus on the way of life we want people migrating to our country to accept. Maybe we should be looking at the indigenous perspective first. Then start worrying about about who is forcing their beliefs on who.
