Good economics is good politics.
Paul KeatingRead
We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases and the alcohol. We committed the murders. We took the children from their mothers. We practised discrimination and exclusion. It was our ignorance and our prejudice. And our failure to imagine that these things could be done to us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the historical injustices faced by Indigenous peoples due to colonial actions.
Paul Keating's quote addresses the painful legacy of colonization, highlighting the destructive impact on traditional Indigenous lands and cultures. It acknowledges the various forms of violence and discrimination imposed by colonizers, emphasizing the ignorance and prejudice that allowed such acts to occur, while also calling on readers to recognize their humanity and the shared responsibility for these historical wrongs.
Themes
ColonizationIndigenous RightsHistoryPrejudiceInjustice
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in discussions about reconciliation efforts in Australia.
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