Tomorrow, from the point of view of people here in Great Britain, is an important day in the Australian calendar, a day when the country is celebrated – Australia Day. The day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. It is a day when Australians take pride in their nation.
This year, however, there has been much controversy about this holiday and it has been dubbed ‘Invasion Day’ by the usual crowd who seem to instinctively despise Western Civilisation and all its works. These are the same people who want to rewrite history, topple statues, subvert our institutions, and revel in ‘colonial guilt’. They have no desire to build, they just want to destroy without a thought of what will replace that which they destroy in petulant iconoclastic spasms of hate.
Australians should celebrate the First Fleet as well as Australian achievements and greatness. However, they should reflect on what native Australians lost. They should display their art and embrace their culture. They should think about the victims of mass immigration everywhere and across time. It should be an Australia Day for all.
A society that respects its own history and achievements, and celebrates them is one that is most likely to encourage future progress, innovation, and improvement. It is one that is most likely to learn from its mistakes and create a better society in the future.
As for the experience of native Australians, their sense of loss must be recognised and all Australians should show solidarity with each other as they work together to create a better future. However, it would have been impossible for an underpopulated continental landmass the size of Australia to have avoided colonisation. If it wasn’t the British it would have been someone else. To expect Australia to have become a continental version of North Sentinel Island is ridiculous.
Another group, its experiences and suffering, must also be recognised – those who were transported to Australia against their will. How do they fit into grievance and entitlement culture, or were they somehow ‘privileged’? They were victims of the First Fleet just as much as the indigenous Australians yet their decedents still celebrate Australia Day.
By honouring the First Fleet Australians are honouring the poor and disposed, those who didn’t even own their liberty. They are also recognising what native Australians lost after the fleet arrived. The descendants of both groups should move forward together in fraternity and friendship and ignore the efforts of those who try to stoke disunity and discord.
Happy Australia Day to all Australians.
cjknowles1972 