Discussion Random Discussion

[St Kilda Death]

Should be "We are One"

..the words to this song describes this mighty land of ours, how it has evolved, the people in it and how it is today.

I get goosebumps every time I hear it.

Every time i hear it i want to stab my own eardrums out.

 

[MacMum]

Really? Fair enough, then.

 

[Defacto]

I've sat back and not commented on this issue, but I feel it's time.

Like another poster, I grew up with a lot of indigenous families, and sadly I embraced the hatred, mistrust and I'll feeling towards them. I genuinely look back now and cringe because I took the easy road to just fall into line with convention.

After I moved away those feelings softened and I grew to appreciate the struggles that indigenous persons suffer daily. There is no doubt that if I had gone up against an indigenous person for a job, and we were both equally qualified I would have gotten the job every time.

Now, one of my best mates is indigenous and we have some great chats about it. I often tell him I look forward to the day it's not "so and so, the indigenous star" and instead it is just "so and so, the star". He tells me it won't happen because in his words "too much shit had happened". This saddens me.

But the worst thing of all is the attitude of my family and friends back home. My brother refers to my mate as a "good c**n" (apologies for any offence sincs and any other indigenous, but I think it was important to include for reference). And, when I brought my wife who is Asian home for the first time they accepted her so much more readily than if she had been indigenous. It's this attitude that will have to change and it will happen over generations.

I guess my point through all of this- some people's attitudes will change, some won't. And a lot of people are causing damage without any malicious intent or desire to hurt- they are just spruiking what's burnt into their psych over generations of misinformation and mistrust.

I would like to see us one day truly reconciled, but I think it's going to take time.

probably the best post ive read on the topic... its a really brave post too. not too many with the introspection you have would stick their neck out like that mate

 

[CALL ME SNAKE]

Every time i hear it i want to stab my own eardrums out.

LOL Im sure if it isnt death/thrash/speed metal your probably not gonna like it.
Ironically you probably havnt got any ear drums left anyway.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

 

[Kildonan]

Your musical taste is poor.

I would prefer that you say "I don't like Advance Australia Fair" rather than telling someone else that they have poor taste for liking it.
It was chosen by referendum - over God Save the Queen, Song of Australia and Waltzing Matilda, and while it didn't have a lot of opposition, it was the popular choice...

 

[St Kilda Death]

LOL Im sure if it isnt death/thrash/speed metal your probably not gonna like it.
Ironically you probably havnt got any ear drums left anyway.

Pardon?

 

[terminallychill]

Sure has . My kids school has a didgeridoo come on before the national anthem . And the anthem has tapping sticks in it during the song . That is beyond offensive to me . But if I were to complain if be called racist . In actual fact I am offended my national anthem has been butchered to accomodate others

I generally make sure i dont get involved in internet debates with small minded people. I know too well that opinions will not be changed. I have to say, however, you need some serious educating. Those 'others' that lived here for 40000 years before us? We are the people being accommodated here.
The 'national' anthem is not a reflection on the nation as a whole and nor is the flag. We have stolen a land mass and called it our own while committing disgusting human rights violations along the way. You should feel blessed to hear the sounds of our first people because for so long their culture has been oppressed.
I dont blame you for feeling this way, we're all a product of our environment. I just find it sad you actually think you have more right over this land than the original owners. Or at the very least, cannot fathom the culture being incorporated into our own. Do me a favour and pick up a book and do some reading or do some volunteer work, anything to gain some perspective.

* you would be called racist because you are racist.

 

[35Saints35]

you genuinely like our national anthem?

Never said I like it . I respect it .

 

[Adam H]

Never said I like it . I respect it .

Yes that and the flag are ours and you don't just change them thinking somehow it will right the wrongs of the past.

 

[Gangnam Saint]

I generally make sure i dont get involved in internet debates with small minded people. I know too well that opinions will not be changed. I have to say, however, you need some serious educating. Those 'others' that lived here for 40000 years before us? We are the people being accommodated here.
The 'national' anthem is not a reflection on the nation as a whole and nor is the flag. We have stolen a land mass and called it our own while committing disgusting human rights violations along the way. You should feel blessed to hear the sounds of our first people because for so long their culture has been oppressed.
I dont blame you for feeling this way, we're all a product of our environment. I just find it sad you actually think you have more right over this land than the original owners. Or at the very least, cannot fathom the culture being incorporated into our own. Do me a favour and pick up a book and do some reading or do some volunteer work, anything to gain some perspective.

* you would be called racist because you are racist.

While I have a lot of time for your sentiments here so far we've managed to have this discussion without throwing around that word.
Once you start using Ad Hominem attacks you undermine your argument as a basic error in logic and then it debases the whole discussion.
We don't need to use that word to prove one side of the argument has more merit than another.

 

[Highlander35]

I've been living in Australia for nearly a decade, and been a citizen for 4 years. I've heard the anthem more times than I can count, at least 20 times as many as I heard GSTQ. School assemblies, Anzac day events, sporting events, Australia day, citizenship ceremony, and I still can't mentally refer to it as our anthem rather than your anthem without feeling embarrassment.

Doesn't help that most of the international sport I watch is Rugby, where I get to hear Kia Ora, Ireland's Call, La Marsielles, and the other anthems I don't remember the names of, but are still good, chief among them the Saffas, the Argentines, the Welsh and the Italians. GSTQ can be a dirge, but is still better than AAF, and I fully admit that Flower of Scotland is crap, with the exception of home internationals, Pipes and the Crowd singing is all that is needed, and that turns a pile of rubbish into something beautiful.

 

[RoundCubic]

Should be "We are One"

..the words to this song describes this mighty land of ours, how it has evolved, the people in it and how it is today.

I get goosebumps every time I hear it.

"Your the Voice"
Imagine our athletes singing it before international matches that would get them fired up more then a haka and after winning gold amazing
Way better then a song about sheep thief

 

[RoundCubic]

"Advance Australia fair" second line basically says its not about aboriginals but colonialists

But the Welsh anthem was propaganda written by the English to get them to join the army in ww1 and French school children sign about ripping womens **** off so nothing is perfect

 

[John Bonney]

Something a little more contemporary may be adapted.

 

[RoundCubic]

But that was what was great about the 80's and to a lesser extent about 90's no one writes anthems anymore except about their butts

 

[Richter]

I've been living in Australia for nearly a decade, and been a citizen for 4 years. I've heard the anthem more times than I can count, at least 20 times as many as I heard GSTQ. School assemblies, Anzac day events, sporting events, Australia day, citizenship ceremony, and I still can't mentally refer to it as our anthem rather than your anthem without feeling embarrassment.

Doesn't help that most of the international sport I watch is Rugby, where I get to hear Kia Ora, Ireland's Call, La Marsielles, and the other anthems I don't remember the names of, but are still good, chief among them the Saffas, the Argentines, the Welsh and the Italians. GSTQ can be a dirge, but is still better than AAF, and I fully admit that Flower of Scotland is crap, with the exception of home internationals, Pipes and the Crowd singing is all that is needed, and that turns a pile of rubbish into something beautiful.

Skip to 4:28.

Happy days

 

[sauce_head]

I've been living in Australia for nearly a decade, and been a citizen for 4 years. I've heard the anthem more times than I can count, at least 20 times as many as I heard GSTQ. School assemblies, Anzac day events, sporting events, Australia day, citizenship ceremony, and I still can't mentally refer to it as our anthem rather than your anthem without feeling embarrassment.

Doesn't help that most of the international sport I watch is Rugby, where I get to hear Kia Ora, Ireland's Call, La Marsielles, and the other anthems I don't remember the names of, but are still good, chief among them the Saffas, the Argentines, the Welsh and the Italians. GSTQ can be a dirge, but is still better than AAF, and I fully admit that Flower of Scotland is crap, with the exception of home internationals, Pipes and the Crowd singing is all that is needed, and that turns a pile of rubbish into something beautiful.

Funny, the Irish hate theirs as its a song built for both northern and Republic of Ireland. I quite like it though.

 

[Defacto]

Never said I like it . I respect it .

Yuck.

You respect something you dont like? Why do you respect it?

 

[Highlander35]

Funny, the Irish hate theirs as its a song built for both northern and Republic of Ireland. I quite like it though.

I agree. It's quality from a neutral ear, but obviously the political/cultural mechanisms at play have some part.

Ireland's Rugby has been unified since the dawn of time though, so it'd be utterly unfair to the Ulstermen if they were to be forced into singing something they didn't identify with.

 

[CursingFijian]

Skip to 4:28.

Happy days

Bill McLaren is just the best. Happy days indeed.

 

[Highlander35]

If we didn't know you were a racist before, well, we certainly know now. Thanks for the heads up mate.

 

[sauce_head]

Everybody just ask themselves how you would feel if your child or another loved one was a member of the "other" group you have an issue with. That goes for both sides of the equation.

Then move on from there. Can't we all simply try to be more respectful, empathetic and understanding of each other?

 

[St Kilda Death]

 

[terminallychill]

While I have a lot of time for your sentiments here so far we've managed to have this discussion without throwing around that word.
Once you start using Ad Hominem attacks you undermine your argument as a basic error in logic and then it debases the whole discussion.
We don't need to use that word to prove one side of the argument has more merit than another.

I didnt use that word to give my argument any more substance, it was a separate statement directly responding to something that was said in the original quote. Read that for reference.