The Chat Thread (Read OP)

[Owlparrot3]

Gigantus hardly appears on Thema Devia in recent times .
In fact to tell you all the truth i have not seen that dude from Goa for many months (outside modding forums i mean) .

[Flinn]

Lucky you, I have to see him every day..

[Owlparrot3]

I respect him .He was the first person on TWC to welcome me(nowadays i do the same to many new people) .
The thing is that i obviously cant go to those 'secret' sections where you get to see him .

[Commissar Caligula_]

So its Australia Day in Australia. What do fellow Aussies and non-Aussies think of it?
Its the anniversary of the First Fleet landing in Australia on the 26th of January 1788. The First Fleet were the colonists and convicts who were sent from England to inhabit Australia.

Controversy surrounds this date as a national holiday however because its viewed by the indigenous people (Aboriginals) as "Invasion Day", because the white settlers invaded Australia and took their land. This is contentious, because white colonists called Australia "terra nullius", which means that they viewed Australia as belonging to no-one/uninhabited because there weren't any recognisable land claims as they'd expect in Europe. So a vocal minority think that it shouldn't be celebrated at all and is a massive injustice, and a lot of local councils have cancelled or moved the Australia Day celebrations to cater to this minority (you can already see my bias).

Two interesting legal facts/stories if anyone cares. In 1992 Eddie Mabo, a native of the Torres Strait Islands successfully argued in the High Court of Australia (our highest court) that his people HAD owned land before, and since 1788. This is called "native title", and if an indigenous group can prove that they have had continuous use of the land for traditional and every-day purposes they are allowed to lay a claim to that land (I haven't studied it for about 2 years, so I've butchered it I know).
Another interesting thing is that in 1988, in order to celebrate the 200th anniversary the Australian federal government decided to pass a law that said you were forbidden from using the terms "1788", "1988", "two hundred years" or similar terms for advertising unless it was approved by a special business/department (can't remember which), which was set up for this sole purpose. Some Aboriginals wanted to create shirts reading "two hundred years of oppression" or something like that however, and were of course refused. So it was taken to the High Court, who found that the government had been allowed to do what they'd done because realistically the federal government were the only body with the resources to organise the 200th anniversary celebrations (I studied this less than 4 months ago, but forgotten most of it lols).

[Flinn]

we are still celebrating when Remo smashed Romolo into the dust, so you can guess my opinion easily I suppose

every ing chance is good to celebrate; people who always look for reasons to cancel, hinder, destroy, etc celebrations must have something wrong, no matter how good the reasons why they are doing so!

[Frunk]

I was trying to think objectively the other day about "what Australia Day means to me" and I determined that I've never celebrated Australia Day with any notion of nationalistic pride, nor have I even ever really thought of it as a day that symbolises the beginning of Australia, or "white Australia" as the case may be. Instead, I just see it as a day off of school or work, with more of my personal stock going into days like ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day.

Indigenous Australians can believe that they were invaded and perhaps rightly so, but the more important fact is that this occurred well over 200 years ago. No one can change the past, and in fact the past only affects you if you let it. I would rather see those people who consider it Invasion Day and/or want to change the date, campaign for something more meaningful and worthwhile, like, you know, better health, education and welfare for indigenous peoples.

It's the type of BS that is running rampant these days, with everybody wanting to change everything for the sake of change. i.e. Australian Republicanism. I can get into that if anyone wants me to.

[mishkin]

Well, the ideal imo would be to not celebrate the date on which the depopulation of a society began. The same goes for spain (we celebrate the arrival of colon to america).

[Flinn]

Well, the ideal imo would be to not celebrate the date on which the depopulation of a society began. The same goes for spain (we celebrate the arrival of colon to america).

this is precisely the logic of the TD gents, everybody should learn from the Inquisition

[Commissar Caligula_]

I was trying to think objectively the other day about "what Australia Day means to me" and I determined that I've never celebrated Australia Day with any notion of nationalistic pride, nor have I even ever really thought of it as a day that symbolises the beginning of Australia, or "white Australia" as the case may be. Instead, I just see it as a day off of school or work, with more of my personal stock going into days like ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day.

Indigenous Australians can believe that they were invaded and perhaps rightly so, but the more important fact is that this occurred well over 200 years ago. No one can change the past, and in fact the past only affects you if you let it. I would rather see those people who consider it Invasion Day and/or want to change the date, campaign for something more meaningful and worthwhile, like, you know, better health, education and welfare for indigenous peoples.

It's the type of BS that is running rampant these days, with everybody wanting to change everything for the sake of change. i.e. Australian Republicanism. I can get into that if anyone wants me to.

Wow we agree on everything lols.
From whether you should open the door for people to what Australia Day means.

[Frunk]

Arguably, it did not start on that day. That is the day of the first landing.

Honestly, it wouldn't really bother me if the date was changed, but that's literally all that would change; the date. It would achieve nothing, and as opposed to uniting the country and its peoples, would serve to drive a further wedge between them, since a lot of "white Australians" place a lot of value on the idea of "Australia Day". They would resent the change.

A better solution would be to place some more emphasis on unity for the day, respecting our respective cultures and reflecting on our history.

[Commissar Caligula_]

Arguably, it did not start on that day. That is the day of the first landing.

Honestly, it wouldn't really bother me if the date was changed, but that's literally all that would change; the date. It would achieve nothing, and as opposed to uniting the country and its peoples, would serve to drive a further wedge between them, since a lot of "white Australians" place a lot of value on the idea of "Australia Day". They would resent the change.

A better solution would be to place some more emphasis on unity for the day, respecting our respective cultures and reflecting on our history.

Is National Sorry Day a public holiday by the way, or just an official "remembrance" day? Reckon it should/shouldn't be?

[mishkin]

this is precisely the logic of the TD gents, everybody should learn from the Inquisition

I am pleased to see that TWC's religious and political authorities finally agree.

Sincerely in Spain is celebrated more the day we won the Iniesta World Cup than what is called the Hispanity (?) Day

[Flinn]

look, I can't really cope with this silly people who wants to discuss serious things here... tsk!

[Commissar Caligula_]

look, I can't really cope with this silly people who wants to discuss serious things here... tsk!

Get Gigantus in here and you two can regale us with stories of your prostate then.

[Owlparrot3]

I being a Maltese Englishman by origin follow cricket .And i can only say .Australia is my enemy number one .They win the Ashes because they pay their players more .UK will win too if they pay more .

[Derpy Hooves]

I was trying to think objectively the other day about "what Australia Day means to me" and I determined that I've never celebrated Australia Day with any notion of nationalistic pride, nor have I even ever really thought of it as a day that symbolises the beginning of Australia, or "white Australia" as the case may be. Instead, I just see it as a day off of school or work, with more of my personal stock going into days like ANZAC Day or Remembrance Day.

Indigenous Australians can believe that they were invaded and perhaps rightly so, but the more important fact is that this occurred well over 200 years ago. No one can change the past, and in fact the past only affects you if you let it. I would rather see those people who consider it Invasion Day and/or want to change the date, campaign for something more meaningful and worthwhile, like, you know, better health, education and welfare for indigenous peoples.

It's the type of BS that is running rampant these days, with everybody wanting to change everything for the sake of change. i.e. Australian Republicanism. I can get into that if anyone wants me to.

For me as an American, what Australia Day means to me is another year of its flawless prison system, which prevents the ne'er do wells from getting to the mainland

I being a Maltese Englishman by origin follow cricket .And i can only say .Australia is my enemy number one .They win the Ashes because they pay their players more .UK will win too if they pay more .

You live in Malta? Man ever since I read a couple books about the Siege of Malta in the 16th century, I've been wanting to go. Must be very fascinating to live there

[Owlparrot3]

I emigrated long ago to this wonderful place instead .I was talking about my childhood and origin ..

[mishkin]

Must be very fascinating to live there

Full of drunken Europeans on vacation as far as I know.

[Frunk]

Is National Sorry Day a public holiday by the way, or just an official "remembrance" day? Reckon it should/shouldn't be?

Pretty sure it's not a public holiday, because I didn't even remember it was a thing. So, it would probably better if it was a public holiday, since that way it would get more mainstream attention as opposed to just a day where everyone has to go to work or school, and that at least might briefly reflect on what the good thing is that gives them a much-appreciated day off.

I being a Maltese Englishman by origin follow cricket .And i can only say .Australia is my enemy number one .They win the Ashes because they pay their players more .UK will win too if they pay more .

That's a new on; I've never heard that theory before.

In more recent times, whoever is the host country wins The Ashes because the other country can't play well overseas. In fact, that's the case for most touring countries right now. No one is any good outside their own conditions.

[Owlparrot3]

India is currently playing South Africa and their so called 'Famed' batting lineup has fallen like a pack of cards .
Isn't Andrew Symonds indegenious .