Wednesday February 15, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

Apology for kids shipped from Britain to colonies

World Nov. 16, 2009 - 04:30AM JST ( 15 )

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15 Comments

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numbskullNov. 16, 2009 - 09:06AM JST

Forty years after the program stopped, Britain and Australia are saying sorry to the child migrants, who were promised a better life only to suffer abuse and neglect thousands of miles from home.

Or they could have lived impoverished at home and probably suffered the same abuse and neglect there too. Then there would be a demand for an apology for doing nothing. But its a lot easy to justify doing nothing than it is to justify having your name on something imperfect. Lesson: no matter how bad it is don't lift a finger unless you know you can fix it perfectly.

Its no use pretending the kids were robbed of their inheritence. They were pretty much screwed from birth by the sounds of it.
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adaydreamNov. 16, 2009 - 09:39AM JST

This is another example of slaves and slaver labor condoned by a government. And who owned the government in England? The ultra rich? So again the rich make a portion of their wealth off the never-do-well.

An apology is cheap, especially after the riches earned from this unconsciousable act. < :-)
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suebe36dNov. 16, 2009 - 11:09AM JST

Children looked upon by cold eyes.
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YelnatsNov. 16, 2009 - 11:32AM JST

Never knew about this.
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GJDailleultNov. 16, 2009 - 12:40PM JST

I only know about all this because of an old guy in my brother-in-law's family. From what I was told, he had a really hard time as a child (ie. sexual and physical abuse), a hard time dealing with it all as an adult, and is still extremely bitter about it all. If the apologies help him and people like him deal with their pasts, then they should be made.
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bushloverNov. 16, 2009 - 12:48PM JST

I'd say Britain has a lot of apologizing to do around the world. Not only for these child laborers. Britain was an evil country and these child laborers despite the abuse should thank their lucky stars that they were sent out of it.
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FoxieNov. 16, 2009 - 12:57PM JST

I never heard about this either, it is already pretty shocking what the Brits did colonizing the world and then doing this to its own people. I am disgusted and I hope that these people will get their apology and some compensation.
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SushiSake3Nov. 16, 2009 - 01:17PM JST

Australian PM Kevin Rudd has just made an emotional apology to these children.

A real man. Real strength. Real guts.

Good on Kevin Rudd.
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smithinjapanNov. 16, 2009 - 04:05PM JST

Good on these people. I agree with adaydream that an apology is cheap, but also agree with one of the actual victims that the apologies should be made and are better late than never. Apologies can go a long way towards healing, and if more people made them to help people move on then we could live in a slightly better world. Again, good on people like Rudd and the British government for not letting pride and refusal get in the way of trying to make amends.

My only hope is that such apologies don't pave the way for a lot of litigation.
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skipthesongNov. 16, 2009 - 04:23PM JST

Any of you Anglos on JT have such a relation?
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Gombei424CanadaNov. 16, 2009 - 04:33PM JST

My own ancestors were accused of being cretins before being shipped out of Britain.It still hurts.
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skipthesongNov. 16, 2009 - 05:19PM JST

I always wondered why a lot that has happened to Europeans is never discussed. I hope you guys don't blame us.
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MolenirNov. 16, 2009 - 06:40PM JST

My own ancestors were accused of being cretins before being shipped out of Britain.It still hurts.

Yes, England should apologize for shipping all its criminals to Australia. The US, and England should apologize for Slavery, African nations should apologize to their American brothers for selling their ancestors into slavery, Europe should apologize to the Jews for the holocaust, and to the Palestinians for foisting the Jews off on them. Jews should apologize to the Arabs, the Arabs to the Jews, Muslims to Christians, Christians to Muslims... Oh happy day!

More seriously, this is just a bunch of nonsense. People should apologize for what THEY have done, not for what people did in their country previously. Move along people, move along.
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dontpanicNov. 16, 2009 - 08:14PM JST

"People should apologize for what THEY have done, not for what people did in their country previously. Move along people, move along"

Thats pretty cynical. Of course individuals are not responsible for the past actions of their governments but all nations governments carry the baggage of their past, particularly those whos political systems are long standing.

Standing up and doing the right thing is the only way to draw a line under it and move forward. Good move.
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bushloverNov. 17, 2009 - 09:11AM JST

smithinjapan [Apologies can go a long way towards healing, and if more people made them to help people move on then we could live in a slightly better world. Again, good on people like Rudd and the British government for not letting pride and refusal get in the way of trying to make amends. My only hope is that such apologies don't pave the way for a lot of litigation.]

Too bad you don't sing this song when talking about a certain country you live in apologizing to your wife's country. It's been done long before you were old enough to suck your thumb Richard. Or is it just not sincere enough for you because it's Japan? Do you feel better that Britain has apologized for you and accusing you of being cretins? Or maybe they just aren't sincere enough?