What does ‘Sorry’ mean?
Below is an interview with Helen Moran, Co-Chair of National Sorry Day Inc conducted by GetUp( ‘an independent, not-for-profit community campaigning group’) on 4 February 2008 about the parliament’s upcoming apology to the Stolen Generations. It is about the meaning of ‘sorry’ for the members of stolen generations, and also it might be a response to Jovan’s question ‘is financial compensation a necessary, or even desirable, part of an apology?’:
GetUp: Why is the apology so important?
Helen: It is an opportunity to acknowledge, recognise and take responsibility for the effects and consequences of what happened – an apology is an absolute necessity. Significantly it provides comfort and healing to the Stolen Generations as individuals themselves.
What does the apology mean to you personally Helen?
Well, I think the enormity of the situation we’re now in struck me yesterday as I was quietly driving back from the south coast. I was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of appreciation of what Kevin Rudd is going to do and what that will mean to myself, my family and other Stolen Generations’ survivors. It will allow the way forward on a journey toward healing, not only for Indigenous Australians but also for the broader community.
What do you have to say to people who oppose the apology or say that it is meaningless?
When people are aware and the right knowledge is made available to them they will have a more informed understanding. It is also essential that people understand the spill-over into the broader community – that includes not only indigenous but non-indigenous families who were also affected. I would like to reach out to people, ask them to look at this from their heart and soul and to draw on their humanity, to put themselves in the position of the Stolen Generations. Understanding the reality of the emotional, psychological and physical effects on real people is crucial, these issues are trans-generational. We are dealing with the consequences today.
What can Getup! members do?
To help themselves and others to understand the debate is crucial. The word ‘sorry’ has been misused and misrepresented so much by the past government over the last 10 years that its meaning has become confused. Nowhere in the recommendations of the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report does it say for any individuals to take responsibility or say sorry. The apology is about enabling a process of healing and reconciliation. The Stolen Generations and the nation as a whole need the apology to be linked to acknowledgement, prevention, rehabilitation, reconstitution and also compensation. This goes way beyond monetary compensation, for example the return of identity, land and essential human rights. Personally I’ve been fighting a non-responsive Government on the issue for the last 10 years – I’ve been in fight mode – I don’t need to fight anymore or come from a negative space. To create a partnership of support and success is what I want and to assist the government in fulfilling its promise to a comprehensive response to the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report. I see the apology as the first step towards that.We don’t need to be on the other side of the fence to the Government anymore. We can work with them by giving them the opportunity to work with us.
www.getup.org.au/blogs/view.php?id=759&dc=259,91816
Another question now is whether an apology would be considered enough if the government is not apologising for the ‘stolen generations’ but rather for children which were ‘forcibly taken’ , a phrase which doesn’t necessarily imply the same sense of wrongness as children can be ‘forcibly taken’ for legitimate reasons.
In relation to Jovan’s question using the phrase ‘forcibly taken’ rather than ‘stolen’ would mean that even if compensation were offered to children who were removed without cause (or for the cause of assimilation) individuals would still have to ‘prove’ there was not a reason for their removal like neglect, abuse, etc.
ABC report — Coalition MPs want ‘Stolen Generations’ out of apology — Brendan Nelson, who was voted in as the new Federal Liberal Party leader on November 29, 2007, speaks to the media two days earlier. (ABC News: Damien Larkins)
Federal Coalition MPs are not convinced the phrase “Stolen Generations” should be included in an apology to Indigenous Australians who were taken from their families.
The Coalition has given in-principle support to the Federal Government’s apology, but Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson says it still wants to see the exact wording and has reservations about the word “stolen”.
http://202.6.74.101/news/stories/2008/02/07/2156528.htm