Right Pulse

Recently from the ABC by Aboriginal activist Lowitja O’Donoghue:

Every now and then I will be bursting into song, and that is really to bring to the attention of the heads of churches and that community that I am from a Stolen Generation, and bringing back some of the memories of what happened in the children’s homes and we were of course, removed from our land, our family, our mothers and our culture and our language.

So O’Donoghue is a member of ‘the’ or ‘a’ stolen generation? I’m not sure how significant that distinction is. This may provide insight, reported by Andrew Bolt of the Herald Sun:

Stolen Generations Alliance co-patron Lowitja O’Donoghue in 2001 admitted to me she wasn’t actually “stolen”, after all, but was given away by her father:

“(My father) didn’t want to be straddled with five kids,” the former Australian of the Year said, sobbing. “I haven’t forgiven him…

“I don’t like the word ‘stolen’ and it’s perhaps true that I’ve used the word loosely at times… I would see myself as a removed child, and not necessarily stolen.”

Asked whether it would be better to state clearly that she wasn’t a member of the stolen generation, Dr O’Donoghue said: “I am prepared to make that concession.”

So who is stealing the truth now? I see this a concession. Saying as O’Donoghue does that she is a member of a stolen generation indicates the weak factual foundation of ‘the stolen generation’ claims, the apology and therefore reconciliation generally. Who is a member of ‘the stolen generation’? Why not have a judicial inquiry to identify and verify members of this supposed generation? It is a reasonable proposal which would help to get to the truth of the matter - but some how I don’t think O’Donoghue and her fellow actors for victim hood would be willing to front up to such an inquiry.