Sorry Day

On Wednesday, an amazing event happened in Australia, Sorry Day. Kevin Rudd the newly elected Prime Minister officially apologized on live television to the Aboriginal people of Australia for a dark era in their history, when discrimination against them was institutionalized.

For example, the so called ‘stolen generation’ resulted from the legally sanctioned forced removal of children of mixed parentage (white & Aboriginal) from their homes, after which they were handed to white families to raise. This practice, that stopped only 35 years ago, resulted in heartbreaking trauma, loss of language and cultural identity, mental & emotional breakdowns etc. The humble and sincere address, without excuses was something that previous governments have failed to do. It was accompanied by a pledge to work harder for the betterment of the aboriginal population and an appeal to all Australians to work together for the good of their nation.

(for more on Sorry Day, see - www.abc.net.au/perth/stories/s2161838.htm)

Sorry day… sounds like something we’ll need down the road around these parts.