Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

permaculture - Re: [permaculture] RE: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)

permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: permaculture

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Russ Grayson <pacedge@magna.com.au>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] RE: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
  • Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2003 13:11:26 +1100

On Tuesday, March 18, 2003, at 09:18 PM, Graham Burnett wrote:

-- Original Message -----
From: Russ Grayson
To: permaculture
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2003 12:14 AM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] RE: Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)

The white man is a good example of such a hardy weed…<

Let's steer away from racial interpretations of things.

I agree. If the metaphor were reversed to 'the black man' there would
rightly be outrage on this list.

Sensitivities are such that I think that what you say is true Graham.

But there's more to it, and that 'more' brings political repercussions. In Australia, in an attempt to create opportunities for Aboriginies, government introduced what it saw as progressive policies which aimed to improve their lot. This has been perceived by a great many non-Aboriginal Australians as favouratism and, feeding public fears which have their origin in the economic and social trends evident in Australian society, has been fanned and used by some politicians for their own ends.


Miring ourselves in guilt about our colonial past isn't remotely useful to
anybody (which doesn't at the same time mean we shouldn't acknowledge
it...).

Yes, guilt is a useless emotion and is not useful in moving us forward. Acknowledging past and present misdoings is more constructive as it opens the possibility of analysis and improvement. Guilt is a mire.

And just how far do you go back? Waves of people have migrated across Europe, not always to the betterment of those already living there. Then there's South America.

As permaculturists... we are an international, inter-racial community, it doesn't matter what our
origins and backgrounds are.

It's hard for people to step out of a past that has disadvantaged them, but it is necessary if they are not to live with a victim mentality and to move forward. I recall a prominent Aboriginal spokesman - don't recall who - saying much the same thing about Aboriginies living with this victim mentality and European Australians living with a guilt mentality. Neither are useful as springboards into a better future.

...Russ Grayson




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page