From:  peter@bqdesign.com.au

 Subject: A bit of background on Australia (recent race relations climate)

 BC,

 it was the Olympic Committee that chose to have Cathy Freeman run the flame into the stadium.
 If it was up to our Prime Minister (John Howard) , it would not have been her.
 It would have been a white man.

 For the last few years, it's become obvious to everybody that we have to at least accept
 that shitty things were done to most of the original inhabitants of Oz (aboriginal people).
 Thay call themselves "koori" people.
 I'll call them Koori too.

 We poisioned them, shot them, hanged them, worked them, stole their children from them
 (to put in White schools, an attempt to "save them"),  used them, hated them,
 ignored them (a lot of that is happening now, particularly when it comes to health care),
 pissed on them from great heights, sent them to war but never gave them medals
 (until THIS YEAR FOR FUCK'S SAKE, FOR SERVICE IN WW2!!),
 and hated them when we weren't doing anything else.

 We need to apologise to the Koori, as a people, for what we had done to them in the past.
 To just acknowledge that history is accurate, that the Whites really and truely sunk the boot in them.
 Sytematically, with the blessing from the top of the governement down.

 It came to be that our current Prime Minister (he who is known for his "power walks",
 mincing of words, and very limited vision - not his eyesight, his imaginination)
 had to apologise to the Koori people.

 He said anything, in fact everything, BUT the words "I AM SORRY ON BEHALF OF THE
 AUSTRALIAN PEOPLE FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO YOU IN THE PAST"

 He could not say it.
 It would not cost much.
 He didn't want to. And so we have not apologised to the Koori people.
 It  will have to wait for someone else to become PM.
 Someone with balls.

 We are still racist. Ignorant. Short sighted. Our minds are not capable of grasping the fact that
 the year is 2000, and we no longer can make a living selling sheep, minerals and steel.
 John Horward's recent Budget ( a yearly thing, where we plan the years finances for the
 Government) in fact slashed tax benefits for reasearch and development.
 No need to invent things.
 No need for any new knowledge.
 We know it all, enough to sell sheep, minerals and steel.
 Howard can't deal with the future.

 He can't deal with the fact that we are very close to large Asian countries that have powerhouse
 economies. Powered by knowledge.  He has no idea what we are going to do when we no longer
 make enough from the sheep, minerals, etc.

 If Howard ran the Games opening ceremony, it would be all about the past.
 His "proud white, mum and dad and two kids family, cricket, lunch with the Queen,
 black people completely forgotten, steady as she goes, etc."

 He was a solicitor before politics. A little man giving safe advice to
 suburban people (white people, he came from a nice area, where never
 would a black face appear) and where everyone he knows is just like him.

 I suppose this is more about Howard than the Olympics. Sorry to waste your time.
 But fuck, it felt good to say a few things.
 Howard - A small man with a small mind.

 Peter

 ps stay cool and make sure you are dead accurate in the facts.
      I don't want you go and get yourself sued.
 

 Peter, excellent letter.
 I like the way you write and I like what you have to say.
 (I've invited Peter to be a regular contributor, especially while the Olympics are on.)
 
 America is facing the same struggle as Australia.
 Our Tom Delay, Trent Lott, Barr, Armey, Rush and the others want blacks gone.
 They think America is all about being white and wealthy.
 Smirk probably isn't overly racist, but he'll do what he's told if elected.
 
 Thanks for the great letter, and send more.
 I'd really like to hear anything the press isn't covering.
 They mentioned on TV last night that there were protests outside the stadium.
 If there's anything we should know, tell us.

 Thanks again,

 bartcop
 

 PS. Somebody would be crazy to sue me.
        ha ha