A relapse of letters

Perhaps it is time to restart writing. Perhaps it is time to let the words slip down the crevices of your mind, from technological transactions through to neurological influxes. But my mind is caught, reluctantly clutching onto this part of a mindspace that is hollow, empty & void. They do not form. They want to gesticulate, perform, express without meaning or structure. The slip away from my fingers as I reach out, desperate to clutch onto them, and anything... Anything at all. Where do we start thinking? Where do the words form? I feel unable to enanciate, and yet I could - in the deepest, darkest part of my soul. And I am so close to it again. Rules, regulations, behavioural codes - what do all of these mean? Nothing. The words are stuck in my throat. I'm hurtful, or the hurted? I know not anymore.

Hollow

All alone.
Nothing beside me.
Silence, except for the sounds of passing traffic.

The land of forgotten voices...

Browsing the internet, as one does, in hushed voices and hidden in dark corridors with the weight of countless heavy tomes behind you, I stumble across the delights of Postcolonial Web. Though absurdly interesting, with its expansive definitions of postcolonialism and its seemingly in-depth connection between various different postcolonial authors, the category on Australia was surprsing. To my horror, as I turned upon its page and scurried down its contents, I noticed that leaping out of the page was not the tales of those truly colonised but the whispers of a members who continue to colonise Australia (and New Zealand) today; a broken link to aboriginal authors was all that remains of these true Australians - ignored are even those who have won the Miles Franklin award!

I guess the only way I can interpret this lack of recognition is to argue that for Aboriginal people, there is no postcolonial state, but that they are very much in the clutches of colonialism today.

We said 'Sorry' so we start all over again...

What was the point of reconciliation when the Australian government continues to practice Paternalism? Apparently reconstructing Aboriginal households in a western model of pure, hygienic, squared and roofed housing is going to solve all their problems. Perhaps later the government will force a regimental system of education that will make every Aboriginal person like vegemite (and numbers and Western literature and history) upon every Aboriginal child. Oh wait, I forgot - they already do that!

The government's veni, vidi, vici approach is disgustingly reminiscent of brute colonialism. What right have Kevin Rudd and Jenny Macklin to say anything about Aboriginal people? What gives them the right to take over (without permission from the local Aboriginal council) camps around Alice Springs and instead, spend AUS$100 million to rebuild Aboriginal homes (into houses) in a way that threatens Aboriginal culture and practice? Yes, the living conditions for Aboriginal people are are shite, but there are reasons for such strong opposition to the government proposal.

By indoctrinating Aboriginal people with western rules and regulations on how to live and conduct their lives, their situation will only worsen. The government has little understanding of how Aboriginal culture functions and how their ailments may be alleviated. It is not their decision to live in such horrific conditions, but the result of constantly being treated like vermin.

If Rudd really thinks such plans will reduce sex abuse, alcoholism and poverty, then he is living in a imperialism dream-world. Such plans can only further feelings of destitution, incompetence and powerlessness which are at the root of the current differences in living standards between the Aboriginal and the 'Other'.

Equality is the only solution. It comes from autonomy and the freedom and opportunity to make your own decisions. It comes from political support from not oppression. Absolute power may corrupt absolutely, but self-determinism gives a power to live.

Aboriginal People don't need us to take care of them. Respect their decisions and recognise their equality in intelligence and knowledge and 'Other' Australians may find a solution to not only the Aboriginal condition but their own.

Another procrastination from the Nishma

Argh, so I've had to succumb to teaching myself Wordpress CMS after purposely avoiding it for years. But then again, I did turn to Blogger (out of desperation, I'll have you know), so it's not like that's any better.

On another note, Sven Lindqvist is a God. Almost.

Edit: I am not going to work out Wordpress as it costs money to customise even the CSS! It's ridiculous and I don't care is that means I'm living in the past.