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lkateo 's review for:
Because A White Man'll Never Do It
by Kevin Gilbert
From Mudrooroo's introduction:
"In this book, though published in 1973 in the heady days of the Whitlam era, Kevin Gilbert wrote about the problems which still plague Australia and Aboriginal Affairs today. It is not enough to declare that Aboriginal problems are health, education and employment and when these are fixed so will be the problem. Such policies hide the fact that there is a political dimension that must also be addressed; but not from the top down. ...
We have all the time necessary to effect a just and true reconciliation, one which is not foisted on us from Canberra. It is often asked what Aborigines want and then answered with a shrug. The fact is answers have been provided by Aboriginal writers such as Kevin Gilbert that are simply ignored by those in power.
I may sound too political in this foreword, but then this book is one of the best political books on land rights ever written in Australia, and is a call to action and a galvanisation of the People. ... It is a sad book too, because although published in 1973, it is still so awfully relevant to us."
This book was such a good read because it is so unashamedly political. The distance of time and language and the slightly different contemporary Political context clarifies the underlying politics and highlights the importance of the foundational political question it addresses.
Kevin Gilbert's closing words:
"Where can blacks turn? To whom can they appeal? Where do you appeal, after all, when you know that the thief is the judge? ... 'The only power Aborigines will ultimately have will be in their ability for political organisation independent of the institutions of government.' ... So what is left? Frustration, negation, blind hatred, powerlessness ... The psychological nadir. Where can blacks go, in Australia today, except to Chapter 7?" (Call to violence).
"In this book, though published in 1973 in the heady days of the Whitlam era, Kevin Gilbert wrote about the problems which still plague Australia and Aboriginal Affairs today. It is not enough to declare that Aboriginal problems are health, education and employment and when these are fixed so will be the problem. Such policies hide the fact that there is a political dimension that must also be addressed; but not from the top down. ...
We have all the time necessary to effect a just and true reconciliation, one which is not foisted on us from Canberra. It is often asked what Aborigines want and then answered with a shrug. The fact is answers have been provided by Aboriginal writers such as Kevin Gilbert that are simply ignored by those in power.
I may sound too political in this foreword, but then this book is one of the best political books on land rights ever written in Australia, and is a call to action and a galvanisation of the People. ... It is a sad book too, because although published in 1973, it is still so awfully relevant to us."
This book was such a good read because it is so unashamedly political. The distance of time and language and the slightly different contemporary Political context clarifies the underlying politics and highlights the importance of the foundational political question it addresses.
Kevin Gilbert's closing words:
"Where can blacks turn? To whom can they appeal? Where do you appeal, after all, when you know that the thief is the judge? ... 'The only power Aborigines will ultimately have will be in their ability for political organisation independent of the institutions of government.' ... So what is left? Frustration, negation, blind hatred, powerlessness ... The psychological nadir. Where can blacks go, in Australia today, except to Chapter 7?" (Call to violence).