Making sense of the world becomes harder for me the older I become. Many of the assumptions I had made about the world have been proved wrong. After embracing feminism in my thirties I was often heard to say 'all men are bastards' , In my fifties I have been fortunate enough to meet many many good men. Watching television last night my male companion condemned the program's narrator for using the term Man power instead of Labour power, it had not registered with my sensibilities.
My assumptions about the ALP (Australian Labor Party) also took a battering in the same program, SBS television's Immigration Nation : The secret history of us.
http://www.sbs.com.au/immigrationnation/
The Labor politician Arthur Calwell's racist behaviour and use of propaganda was shameful.
(Arthur Augustus Calwell (28 August 1896 – 8 July 1973) Australian politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1940 to 1972, Immigration Minister in the government of Ben Chifley from 1945 to 1949 and Leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1960 to 1967)
It is important to find out the truth even if it leads to disillusionment. I have found ageing brings disappointment . However mistakes must be acknowledged with the hope that change is possible. 2011 is very different to my childhood in the 1960's , women and migrants do get a better deal, however there are still many inequalities to be remedied.
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Trades Unions, historically, always lean toward protectionism and low immigration, everywhere. Which is different to being indifferent to suffering. After WW2 many prominent Trades-Unionists assisted in the reconstruction and emancipation of African nations that they had fought in.
ReplyDeleteI have several comments.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, my eyes were also opened when I watched Immigration Nation.
Secondly, It's all very well for your partner to use gender neutral language, but how does he deal with gender stereotypes - does HE cook a meal and wash the dishes?
Finally, it's only when we have certain expectations that we get disappointed!