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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/31/andrew-bolt-indigenous-australian-come-off-it
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Andrew Bolt, Indigenous Australian? Come off it | Andrew Bolt, Indigenous Australian? Come off it |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Right wing commentator Andrew Bolt is at it | Right wing commentator Andrew Bolt is at it |
| again, this time arguing the sky will fall in if there is any constitutional recognition | again, this time arguing the sky will fall in if there is any constitutional recognition |
| of the fact of Aboriginal people being here before whites arrived. Everyone knows | of the fact of Aboriginal people being here before whites arrived. Everyone knows |
| Indigenous people were here, so what’s the great fuss? Bolt’s view is an attempt to | Indigenous people were here, so what’s the great fuss? Bolt’s view is an attempt to |
| revive the Terra nullius doctrine which, for 200 years, fictionalised that the British came | revive the Terra nullius doctrine which, for 200 years, fictionalised that the British came |
| to an empty land and settled peacefully. That myth was discredited by the high court of Australia with its Mabo ruling 22 years ago, but | |
| people like Bolt are still yet to catch on. | people like Bolt are still yet to catch on. |
| Bolt also plays mischief-maker, claiming to | Bolt also plays mischief-maker, claiming to |
| be an Indigenous Australian. Like Pauline Hanson did in her maiden speech to | be an Indigenous Australian. Like Pauline Hanson did in her maiden speech to |
| the parliament in 1996, Bolt makes his claim based on a technical view that | the parliament in 1996, Bolt makes his claim based on a technical view that |
| everyone born in Australia is legally, but not socially, an Indigenous | everyone born in Australia is legally, but not socially, an Indigenous |
| Australian. His mischief is to ignore common sense and community normality | Australian. His mischief is to ignore common sense and community normality |
| which distinguishes between Indigenous Australians on the one hand, | which distinguishes between Indigenous Australians on the one hand, |
| and white Australians like Bolt on the other. | and white Australians like Bolt on the other. |
| Bolt wants to lead his followers through the chaos he ferments. | Bolt wants to lead his followers through the chaos he ferments. |
| As part of the scare-mongering tone of his article, Bolt gets it wrong about the aim of the Aboriginal provisional government (APG), claiming it is a separatist movement. The APG wants an Aboriginal assembly of elected Aboriginal people with legislative power, returned land and a budget – in the same way different states do. And this aim is within the federation of Australia. How is that separatism? | As part of the scare-mongering tone of his article, Bolt gets it wrong about the aim of the Aboriginal provisional government (APG), claiming it is a separatist movement. The APG wants an Aboriginal assembly of elected Aboriginal people with legislative power, returned land and a budget – in the same way different states do. And this aim is within the federation of Australia. How is that separatism? |
| Bolt also claims the courts lean "too far" towards Aboriginal people. This is a case of never letting the facts get in the way of | Bolt also claims the courts lean "too far" towards Aboriginal people. This is a case of never letting the facts get in the way of |
| a good story. Aboriginals make up 26% of the prisoner population, yet | a good story. Aboriginals make up 26% of the prisoner population, yet |
| only constitute 2.5% of the Australian population. In 20 years since the Royal | only constitute 2.5% of the Australian population. In 20 years since the Royal |
| Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, Aboriginal imprisonment rates have climbed from one in seven to one | Commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody, Aboriginal imprisonment rates have climbed from one in seven to one |
| in four. Too far? Come on. | in four. Too far? Come on. |
| There is a big difference between | There is a big difference between |
| theoretical equality – a belief that 20m Australians all live the same | theoretical equality – a belief that 20m Australians all live the same |
| and have the same opportunities – and real equality. Rich and poor cannot be | and have the same opportunities – and real equality. Rich and poor cannot be |
| treated alike for stealing bread. Sentencing courts across Australia | treated alike for stealing bread. Sentencing courts across Australia |
| acknowledge that people are not all the same. A woman suffering domestic | acknowledge that people are not all the same. A woman suffering domestic |
| violence who strikes out because she’s had enough should not get the same | violence who strikes out because she’s had enough should not get the same |
| penalty as an alcohol fuelled king-hit merchant. Nor should the background of people | penalty as an alcohol fuelled king-hit merchant. Nor should the background of people |
| suffering daily discrimination, leading to family dysfunction, be ignored as | suffering daily discrimination, leading to family dysfunction, be ignored as |
| Bolt would have it. Yet Bolt implies that the courts should consider everyone’s | Bolt would have it. Yet Bolt implies that the courts should consider everyone’s |
| background except that of Aboriginal people, and claims that is equality. | background except that of Aboriginal people, and claims that is equality. |
| Bolt claims "Australia is now under threat" from just talking about constitutional reforms – but then again, he is very prone to exaggeration. What is really at stake is whether constitutional recognition will benefit Aboriginal people or merely warm the hearts of middle-class Australians – that's the nub of the debate. | Bolt claims "Australia is now under threat" from just talking about constitutional reforms – but then again, he is very prone to exaggeration. What is really at stake is whether constitutional recognition will benefit Aboriginal people or merely warm the hearts of middle-class Australians – that's the nub of the debate. |
| This national discussion can be robust if the views of all – including | This national discussion can be robust if the views of all – including |
| the alleged beneficiaries of constitutional recognition – are to be heard. I support Bolt’s right to participate in the debate, but | the alleged beneficiaries of constitutional recognition – are to be heard. I support Bolt’s right to participate in the debate, but |
| he should avoid inflaming prejudice against Aboriginal people which leads to | he should avoid inflaming prejudice against Aboriginal people which leads to |
| personalising and dismissal of Indigenous opinion. Sadly, Bolt is secure in the knowledge he can | personalising and dismissal of Indigenous opinion. Sadly, Bolt is secure in the knowledge he can |
| regularly attack fair skinned Aboriginal people as not being eligible to speak for | regularly attack fair skinned Aboriginal people as not being eligible to speak for |
| their people (the federal court found Bolt breached racial vilification laws), and thereby deny them the same freedom to participate in public debate that he | their people (the federal court found Bolt breached racial vilification laws), and thereby deny them the same freedom to participate in public debate that he |
| enjoys. | enjoys. |