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Australia Day Poll
- Thread starter Rosy
- Start date
Im not particularly nationalistic but im happy for it to be celebrated on the 26th. I dont see how changing the date acheives anything. So if for eg we celebrated it in the exact same way on january the 25th what has been acheived?
I'm firmly in favour of public holidays. I also think it's good to have a day to appreciate how lucky we are to live in this wonderful country. Although patriotism and nationalism can derail that into something approaching supremacism at times.
I'm not sure why we would feel any national pride about January 26th. What exactly are we celebrating on that particular date? It seems pretty insensitive to choose a date which really only represents invasion and genocide.
I'm not sure why anyone would want that.
I'm not sure why we would feel any national pride about January 26th. What exactly are we celebrating on that particular date? It seems pretty insensitive to choose a date which really only represents invasion and genocide.
I'm not sure why anyone would want that.
Coburgtiger said:
I think the "change the date" momentum is getting bigger every year. I think the reasons for changing clearly outweigh the reasons for keeping it. I don't see the significance of January 26 at all. I can't imagine there would be too many countries around the world that would celebrate the day their country was settled by overseas imperialists. I also think ANZAC day is our true national day.
Coburgtiger said:
I'm not sure the date would make any difference to what is being celebrated. I am proud to be Australian every day of the year.
According to the National Australia Day Council On Australia Day we celebrate all the things we love about Australia: land, sense of fair go, lifestyle, democracy, the freedoms we enjoy but particularly our people.
Australia Day is about acknowledging and celebrating the contribution that every Australian makes to our contemporary and dynamic nation. From our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people - who have been here for more than 65,000 years - to those who have lived here for generations, to those who have come from all corners of the globe to call our country home.
Saw Shane Jacobson’s thoughts on Australia Day.
He says (sorry, can’t link it) “The very thing I shouldn’t do is have an opinion, as a white person, on what we should do on these days.”
He says he’s unqualified to have an opinion because:
“I'm an illegal boat person, It turns out my great grandfather jumped off a ship in Port Adelaide because he got here from Finland and went: "this is alright," and just ran. There was a $6000 reward on his head.”
There’s so much stupid about these comments I can’t begin to fathom.
He says (sorry, can’t link it) “The very thing I shouldn’t do is have an opinion, as a white person, on what we should do on these days.”
He says he’s unqualified to have an opinion because:
“I'm an illegal boat person, It turns out my great grandfather jumped off a ship in Port Adelaide because he got here from Finland and went: "this is alright," and just ran. There was a $6000 reward on his head.”
There’s so much stupid about these comments I can’t begin to fathom.
Ian4 said:
Until the “ban Anzac Day movement” gets legs:
ANZAC day is an offensive day. It celebrates war, misogyny and genocide. Indigenous soldiers have been whitewashed out of history. Why would you want to celebrate war?
See how this “game” works?
rosy3 said:
Sure. You don't need to change what's being celebrated. The reality is, most Australians use Australia day as an excuse to get together with some mates and have a bbq/beach get together. Which is great. I feel like doing that celebrates all the ideals you've listed above, land, lifestyle, democracy etc.
But why the 26th? It commemorates a day of pain, loss, the beginning of murder, separation, assimilation. For a lot of people, it's a day of mourning. Which makes it an odd choice of day to celebrate.
And if changing the date won't change how or what we celebrate, then if it relieves some of the discomfort/insult felt by so many Australians, then why not change it? Make it a day everyone can celebrate.
tigertim said:
ANZAC day is essentially a day of mourning. It's a day to remember and pay respect. To the point where when it falls on a weekend, the day is not replaced during the week. If January 26th was a day to mourn and pay respect to the first Australians lives lost, I'm not sure there would be an issue.
tigertim said:
Perhaps.
Except when you're indigenous, quietly paying respect to your ancestors, then you go outside an a bunch of drunk guys draped in Australian flags are partying in their front yard.
Imagine a bunch of drunk people draped in Turkish flags partying through the dawn service.
Thing is, as much as I wouldn't, there's nothing wrong with celebrating being Australian with getting drunk in an Aussie flag. But it's a pretty insensitive day to do it.
So this just means you have one group being insulted, and another feeling uncomfortable or even guilty about trying to have a good time. It just seems like a silly situation that could be, if not remedied, then at least alleviated.
Yep, pretty much my sentiments too.Coburgtiger said:
I felt the same way about gay marriage too. In both cases the change doesn't really affect me, doesn't really affect the majority of people, but it will probably have a positive impact on a substantial number of people. I don't understand why we wouldn't just do the decent thing and change it.
... actually I think I do know. People are scared their way of life being under threat...whatever that means. Our biggest selling papers do a great job spreading that fear.
Look, if AD date was changed it would make NO difference to the vast majority of people’s lives and I’m pretty sure I’d live with it.martyshire said:
But I’d bet my last dollar that in the not too distant future there’d be another campaign to ban AD all together because it’s “racist”.
Or another demographic will protest it and want it changed to “Multicultural Day”.
You can’t please all the people all the time.
It depends. Do you think there will be reenactments of the first fleet in Botany Bay if AD were moved to some other date? I would have thought that by changing the date you also reduce the significance of that event, which is part of what causes the offence.tigertim said:
The first fleet means absolutely nothing to me. None of my ancestors arrived prior to the gold rush (If they did, I'd probably be typing this from Sydney on an NRL forum). Surely that's the case for the bulk of Australians these days..?
tigertim said:
Sorry, I probably went a bit off topic there.
What I mean is that by changing the date, we're actually changing what the date stands for. i.e. change it to something that is more inclusive. That is my assumption anyway. If it is done properly I don't see why it would cause offence (racist or anything else).
I don't really care but in saying that I don't think changing the date will achieve anything other than a Greens celebratory circle jerk.
But we can expect a non-binding postal vote survey to see if we should change it. Followed by a period of stagnation deciding what the new date should be. Then the Queen will abdicate/pass away which will trigger the Republic push again so the Aus Day debate will be put on hold until Australia declares itself a republic and that will be the day of the new Australia Day.
But we can expect a non-binding postal vote survey to see if we should change it. Followed by a period of stagnation deciding what the new date should be. Then the Queen will abdicate/pass away which will trigger the Republic push again so the Aus Day debate will be put on hold until Australia declares itself a republic and that will be the day of the new Australia Day.
