Apology The Stolen Generation

APOLOGY TO THE STOLEN GENERATION FROM THE LESBIAN, GAY, TRANSGENDER, BISEXUAL & QUEER IDENTIFIED COMMUNITIES OF AUSTRALIA "In every jurisdiction, people have told the Inquiry
these laws, practices and policies constituted genocide.
There is mounting evidence received by the Inquiry
to indicate this was the case, if not in
outcome then certainly in intent."

We, the undersigned people of Australia, believe an apology is owed to those of our fellow citizens who were separated from their families as a direct result of government policy.

We offer that apology.

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This page links to Apology Australia but the names are recorded distinctly as coming from a gay,transgender, bisexual, lesbian or queer identified person.

Your name will not be used for any purpose other than inclusion in this list. Your email address will not be used other than to send an automatic reply acknowledging your apology.

You must provide a real email address or your name will not be added to the list. If you are using somebody else's account to add your name, please give that address.

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I have known a few people who have lost young children, mostly through illness. It seems that a mother's anguish is a fire that smoulders without end. I ask you to imagine how you would feel to have a child of yours ripped from your arms, with no warning, no explanation.

Imagine too, the fear of a young child taken away from familiar places.

An apology says "This should not have happened; this should never happen again". It doesn't say "I was there and let it happen; I am guilty". It says instead "I want my peers and descendants to know I am aware of these wrongs and am doing something to redress, in part, some of them".

This will not heal the wounds but will, at least, give hope that, through our standing up as a community, it won't happen again. I'm sure it would comfort you too, if that had happened to you.

Please reconsider. Open your heart and, in an act of generosity, apologise to this generation of stolen children and, symbolically, to all who have suffered in this way.

(text by Anthony Shipley)

How to publicise this site

Add the address of this site(http://reconciliation.queer.org.au/apology.htm) to your e-mail signature/footer.

Distribute a pamphlet within your community.

Write to your community newspaper about the site (and emphasize the postal address).

Contact local radio stations about the apology.

Add this address (http://reconciliation.queer.org.au/) to your website.

Read more about the 'Stolen generation'

Read 'Julie' story' from the report on the 'Stolen generations'

Read about the support, and apologies, being offered by other Australians

Add your thoughts to

Visit the SUPPORT page for more things you can do

This page is inspired by and some of the text is from Apology Australia which is an initiative of Anthony Shipley. By the beginning of 1998 Apology Australia had received over 5000 signatures

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