Sorry Proof Country - Part 1 of 3

I wrote and directed this documentary in 2003 as part of a now defunct company, to highlight the history of "Sorry Day" in Australia amid growing frustrations within Australia's Indigenous Communities, especially in relation to our nation's treatment of the "Stolen Generations" and reluctance to officially apologise for the hurt caused by past policies. Many bodies supported this production with generous permission to use historical footage and snippets from the feature film, Rabbit Proof Fence. The documentary runs 22 minutes and has been split into 3 sections for YouTube.
Part One covers a lot of the background, Part Two covers the tensions in Parliament, Part Three covers the hope of the community for finding a way forward. That way forward was found on February 13, 2008, when Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, made an official apology in Federal Parliament. The transcript of Kevin Rudd's speech can be found at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/Rudd_Speech.pdf

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• sorry
• stolen
• aborigines
• australian
• apology
• generation
• indigenous

[Gindelbi]

A question for everyone who wants to answer.

When whites are expected to say sorry, but during their lives have had to fight or run from gangs of aboriginal people, how are they supposed to apologize to someone who wants to see them injured, or dead? This is not a personal question either. It happens a lot where I am and other places around. I'm asking for an intelligent answer, because I am not trying to sound racist. I look forward to the responses, if any.

[DirectorSteve]

Gindelbi, thanks for your question. I am not an expert in this field at all, and can only offer a personal reflection. Firstly, there are two issues - the corporate injustice of past decisions with their ramifications in broken families and lives, and individual groups and people responding to the world as a result of their upbringing, social pressures, and material/spiritual wealth/paucity.

To get clarity, we must separate individual aberrations from the generalities ... cont

[DirectorSteve]

For example. I recently was part of a conversation where a woman was hurt by an ex-boyfriend and her friend said it proves ALL men are evil. Obviously that is not true. And I am sure the conversation is repeated in many forms, with many subjects, daily. Certainly, in the heat of a break up or, in your situation, when you are facing physical threat, the feelings are real - but using these situations to discount our need to address broad, underlying issues is flawed. Personally, I have faced ...

[DirectorSteve]

threats from fellow whites. Does this mean I write off my "type" as all being violent thugs? Not really. There are good and bad, peaceful and angry, gentle and aggressive peoples within all "types". Some of the historical residue of stolen generation policies might have been a contributing factor in your experiences, but there would have been other issues in the mix. I hope these thoughts are helpful - it is hard to put into words. A good cross-cultural workshop might offer further clarity.

[Applebaum]

Theres no need to be an Apologist

Just be an Equality-ist

[DirectorSteve]

I agree. And reflecting on your fear of Oz it prompts me to also ponder how difficult it is to get the balance right when critiquing our past or making comments about other nations. If we go too heavy and get bogged in generalisations and stereotypes we can do more harm than good (we get left preaching to the converted). If we go too lightly, maybe we miss out on pricking consciences. Ultimately, I sense we share the same wish of wanting to move humankind forward for everybody's sake.

[bellyd4me]

The poor aboriginal people much of the same as the US here had done to the american indians

[BJOXT45]

Why is it that some people refuse to see the truth? There is a woman in this video who suffered through this so called governmental help initiative telling you of her pain .Why is that whites feel everyone needs to be saved, educated or endoctrinated to things like them. These people were stolen like Africans during slavery and like the Indians were treated in America. Stolen from their family history and heritage. Their culture existed before the first whites ever landed in Australia......THINK

[anatheistmyself]

So!

Native Americans were abused, but so were White Americans. And vice versa.

It is about the attitude of those different cultures, which make or break a society!

Color, simply, does not matter!

[LordOfTheStrings06]

If all Australians were like most Australians, none of this would of ever happened...

[tittymumma]

Australian Aboriginals are an absolute scourge on society. They are a sub human species. DNA analysis indicates their species was probably spawned from the dregs of the ancient bacterium, winus bladderus, commonly known as a cask of Fruiti Gordo Moselle.

[Escekar]

@sillyposter I don't know what video you are responding to?

I thought we just watched one about Aboriginal Australians?

Not America...! 

[liketammysaids]

yeah and they better be sorry. B aboriginal and proud to those out there who are, man!

[sillyposter]

Not to be racist to you or justify what they did, but consider that it may be common for aboriginal kids that live in predominantly white areas to have to fight and run from gangs of white people on top of dealing with the effects of bigotry, and discrimination. Those kids are wrong if they are harming people who have not provoked them!But the same way they have to deal with the aftereffects of being dominated, y'all suffer their response. We all pay for the sins of our forefathers!

[alchemist7414]

this the same kind of thing that happened to native americans in the united states, we dont have a sorry day though.

[numbat16]

Director Steve well done a good production thank you for your effort

[XLongbeachX]

Stop ignoring the truth its been done to all coloured people for instance I am Native American the same has been done to my people by a white government and The Negro's have been mistreated and the Indo's from India have been sent as slaves to south Africa, Fiji ect. if you can name a country where white people ruled and treated everyone equal then you are right but in reality you can not. If you can name me a country where black people ruled and mistreated white people than you win your case.

[itachizlastresort]

um...hm.....i wish america had a sorry day