You want to know why I am voting Yes in The Voice Referendum?
Because 80% of the people affected, have asked me to. They haven’t used violence, or declared war, or fought back. They’d be well within their rights to, because of what we have, collectively, done to their people. We’ve seen some pretty brutal imagery this last week, of what happens when Imperialism and Power supersede humanity. It’s clear, especially this week, what the correct choice is. I’m not going to judge you, or call you racist for Voting No… but I am just going to ask you to think.
Think about this week. Think about all the suffering, and bloodshed, and “it’s complicated” (when they mean complex, it’s really not that complicated).
There’s been no bloodshed, no fighting back.
All Aboriginal Australia has done is ask nicely for a say in the things that affect them.
And the people who are perpetually on the wrong side of that history have asked me to Vote No.
Now, you might want to quibble about the details. The fact that it is backed cynically by the banks, corporations, and the network of professionals who do very little to help anyone on the ground and only see a payday for themselves. This is a valid criticism, and definitely enough to make me give Yes the side-eye. You can also quibble about policy details (they’re available) or Executive Powers (constitutional scholars disagree) or that you think it is racist (it isn’t, don’t be fucking daft). I get all of that. Some are valid, some are complete and utter bollocks. Some have a point but have jet fuel poured on them by opportunists who want to exploit your gaps and your doubts and lie to you about our political system.
I am not going to quibble about the details. In most cases, I will put to you that you don’t even know the details, nor care about the details, because if you did, you would realise it is fine. Our system is robust. It was designed to have the best parts of America and the UK and create something uniquely stable and …quite extraordinary. There are checks and balances at every step of the process, and the people who prey on you not knowing that are also telling you to Vote No. The information is available. Everything is out in the open. But the people who prey on you know that you can’t be arsed, because unfortunately, when designing our system, we also inherited remnants of the Empire. We not only have a system where psychopathy is rewarded, but we also left a bunch of people out when our constitution was drafted. That needs to be amended so that Australia can be made even better and stronger and more democratic than it is. And despite what culture war numpties who can’t even tell you how laws are made telling you that we are in “authoritarianism” or have “fallen”… that is simply not true.
We are at the mercy of Empire, ourselves colonised by US Imperialism with no means of escape.
But, we do need to make it better. We need to make it right. Even up against the ESG whitewashing and glomming on and culture wars being used to nudge your Votes in whatever direction suits the rich and powerful… let’s not forget: we also declared human beings to be animals and did (and do) genocide too. And I think we should probably fix that.
Despite the Liberal Party’s claims to the contrary and serving hefty doses of misdirection and fear, I know they know that they have first hand experience of how stable this country’s political system is, because they have made it their personal mission to our social democracy to shreds for the last few decades and still… haven’t succeeded against the Australian public’s innate sense of justice, a Fair Go, and love of this land and sunshine that we ALL hold dear, all enjoy, and all want to protect and serve.
I am not going to call No voters racist, but all racists Vote No. Do I have a side-eye on all the Wokewashers and yuppies and urban wankers who stand to benefit? Of course. And the beautiful thing about our country is that we get to scrutinise that and fight that. But that is not the question before me. That is a separate battle. The question before me, tomorrow, is whether I want Aboriginal People to have a say in the stuff that affects them.
I am just… sick of all this suffering, and exploitation, and talking over and for Indigenous people. I am tired of sociopaths, and psychopaths calling the shots. I am tired of opportunists and liars sowing doubt in people’s minds and keeping them in the dark and I am sick to death of Murdoch and his desire to stop you from knowing that you actually have a lot more power than you realise, because we are one of the most democratic nations on earth if you just get off your fucking arse.
We were designed to take the best parts of the US and the UK and make it our own. The No campaign represent the worst parts of the US and the UK, not the best parts.
I want us to get back to having the best parts.
I also want Indigenous Australia to have a Voice, so I don’t feel I HAVE to speak to get them heard on shit that affects them. It’s not my place, and the least I can do is use my Vote so that I can speak less and listen more.
Because they asked.
They asked nicely, when in other parts of the world people who have been treated in a similar fashion have not been so nice about it.
I am Voting Yes, because 80% of Indigenous Australia have asked me to.
I encourage you to do the same.