Australian Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm says constitutional recognition of Indigenous p
13 replies, posted
[QUOTE]Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm has come out against the Federal Government's push to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution.
Late last year, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was prepared to "sweat blood" to ensure Indigenous people received constitutional recognition.
But Senator Leyonhjelm has told the Upper House the proposed legislation singles out Aboriginal people on the basis of race.
"Giving legal recognition to characteristics held by certain persons — particularly when those characteristics are inherent, like ancestry — represents a perverse sort of racism," he said.
"Although it appears positive, it still singles some people out on the basis of race."
He also described the bill as divisive, quoting part of the legislation, which reads: "The Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, acknowledges and respects the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples."
"This is divisive," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
"It is likely that some Australians do not respect the cultures, languages or heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
"What is the Parliament doing to these people when it asserts that the people of Australia respect Aboriginal cultures? It is casting them as 'un-Australian'."
Senator Leyonhjelm also quoted part of the legislation which read: "The Parliament, on behalf of the people of Australia, acknowledges the continuing relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with their traditional lands and waters."
He warned that it stereotyped Indigenous people.[/QUOTE]
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[QUOTE]The push to recognise Indigenous people in the constitution has bipartisan support.
The Prime Minister has said he would like a referendum on the issue to happen on the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-05/constitutional-recognition-indigenous-people-racist-senator/6282972[/url]
we took over this continent but we can't recognize the natives, generations later, as citizens with right to property that was theirs in the first place
we can't treat people equally
that would be racist
Well, singling out a specific race is in some ways racist.
Came in to shit on this guy but I can admit I see his reasoning here. Aboriginal people get dicked on pretty hard in Australia but constitutional recognition's a pretty half-assed attempt to recognise that.
It's racially-based, yes, but when your whole society is built on the exploitation of an entire group of people it stands to reason that you'd have provisions in your laws to give those people consideration.
Yes, it is racist, in that there is racial discrimination between different groups of citizens in Australia.
I think it's still the right thing to recognize Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants of the land, but this guy isn't wrong, and the thread's title is trying to make him look like he's racist in a bad way, like republicans.
[QUOTE=iwancoppa;47260852]and the thread's title is trying to make him look like he's racist in a bad way, like republicans.[/QUOTE]
I put what the ABC said in the title, it's up to you to form your own opinions
On my facebook there's a few people who are of Aboriginal decent pleading with others to vote no, I actually haven't heard of this referendum until now and I don't know anything about it to a great extent because RN documentation is low
[QUOTE=ksenior;47260737]Well, singling out a specific race is in some ways racist.[/QUOTE]
Ignoring the fact that the idea of "race" has led to enormous bloodshed, disenfranchisement, and abuse is idiotic. Yes, we know now that "race" is really just a social construct that doesn't actually exist. That doesn't mean we should ignore the effects that the idea has had, and that doesn't mean provisions shouldn't be made to help those who were hurt by those ideas.
I fail to see how the constitution pointing out the obvious is racist??
[QUOTE=.Isak.;47261200]Ignoring the fact that the idea of "race" has led to enormous bloodshed, disenfranchisement, and abuse is idiotic. Yes, we know now that "race" is really just a social construct that doesn't actually exist. That doesn't mean we should ignore the effects that the idea has had, and that doesn't mean provisions shouldn't be made to help those who were hurt by those ideas.[/QUOTE]
Well to a degree, race does exist in reality. It doesn't mean we should discriminate based upon that though.
To me all this seem to be a case of the usual of "Australia is aboriginal land but lol we're not giving back to you so we'll just keep reminding you instead."
It sounds like a pointless gesture to change the constitution.
[editline]5th March 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=iwancoppa;47260852]Yes, it is racist, in that there is racial discrimination between different groups of citizens in Australia.
I think it's still the right thing to recognize Aboriginal people as the original inhabitants of the land, but this guy isn't wrong, and the thread's title is trying to make him look like he's racist in a bad way, like republicans.[/QUOTE]
The article will probably get away with misrepresenting his position because both Liberal and Labour hate the LDP. They step on both of their toes.
I honestly don't have a problem with that, provided that it is inserted into the preamble of the Constitution with a new section that provides that the preamble is not to be interpreted at all.
Our Constitution is inherently racist.
[URL="http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/coaca430/s51.html"]Section 51[/URL] (xxvi) allows the Commonwealth Parliament to make laws for: "the people of any race ... for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws;"
[I]Note that the Constitution does say "other than the aboriginal race in any State", but it is strikethroughed as it has been removed due to a Referendum, but this forum does not have strikethrough BB code[/I]
The fact that our supreme law allows us to make laws for people based upon their race means that out Constitution is racist. The proposed bill is nothing compared to what is already written in that law.
As a country I think we're pretty inclusive of indigenous people, they're recognised throughout or communities and social programs.
We do throw a lot of money at them through social welfare though, which seems a half arsed solution to bigger issues.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;47260807]It's racially-based, yes, but when your whole society is built on the exploitation of an entire group of people it stands to reason that you'd have provisions in your laws to give those people consideration.[/QUOTE]
Christ, you make it sound like we drink Aboriginal tears for sustenance every morning.
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