Why Australia must apologise to Italians interned during World War II

Bootie

Bootie

FGM OWNER
Staff member
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
22,867
Reaction score
6,431
Age
47
Location
Scotland
Last month, the South Australian parliament unanimously accepted a bi-partisan motion moved by Labor member, Tony Piccolo, to acknowledge the wrongful internment of Italian civilians living in Australia during World War II.

This small step may usher in a new period of reconciling with the darker side of wartime Australia and help us better understand this chapter of our history.
[h=2]Silent for too long[/h]
4458116ca2052321-1323058058-1323058.jpg


During World War II, as in the Great War, civilians from enemy nations were detained behind barbed wire regardless of age, health or political views. Italian migrants experienced popular resentment in Australia, although they had escaped Fascism and another war looming in Europe.

http://theconversation.edu.au/why-a...to-italians-interned-during-world-war-ii-4582
 
What a crock of ****... soon we're going to have to say sorry for using dunny paper to wipe our arse's.
 
Things must be great down under if that's the toughest problem you have to deal with.
Are there still a lot of people having a tough time reconciling with the darker side of wartime (66 years ago) Australia?
Really?

That's OK though. Every year or so some lefty in the U.S. legislature tries to get some proclamation passed condemning the our treatment of the American Indians so I guess I understand.
 
Yes I agree it is a complete crock of sh*t.

All countires interned enemy civilians during wartime. Period.

And the commonwealth countries did not treat the enemy civilians or POW's poorly.

In the part of South Africa where I grew up there were a lot of Italian POW's during WW2. They were not kept in camps but were lodged with civilian families, they were allowed to work at their peacetime trades and so earn a living rather than having the government support them. A couple of them stayed with my grandparents in Somerset East and my mother learned some Italian from them. They also introduced macaroni to my folks as it was not something that they were familiar with.

After the war many POW's chose to stay in South Africa - to this day there are afrikaans speaking people of Italian descent that are very proud of their dual heritage. My brother is actually married to a daughter of one of these POW's.

I dont think that this type of thing is unique to South Africa. It probably happened in other commonwealth countries (eg Australia, Canada) as well.
 
Now I don't respect the Aussies as much...we interned Japanese during WW2 and paid silly amounts to them with hat in hand. But ITALIANS? The people that have every nations flag in their closets just in case. I thought Aussies were not afraid of anything, I guess johnsy's softer then I thought. :highly_amused:
 
Does South Australia have a large population of people with Italian roots?

In the Netherlands there are still people/politicians who keep apoligizing for the slave trade. In the past the Dutch were very good at it... But I never was and I never did. So why?
 
Political correctness reached australia recently - it was on the same boat as the wheel and electricity..
 
2054172 said:
What's that old saying? The Sins of The Father
Click to expand...

Try sins of the grandfather, and great grandfather. First we had to say sorry to the black fellas for something done to them by the generations of my great grandfather and great great grandfather, and now this, to the bloody Italians who couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag with scissors, instructions, and help.
And before anybody starts carrying on about me saying 'black fella' I have some 'black fella' in me way back and my best mate is a real 'black fella'. He thinks it was a crock of sh*t when the govt said sorry, and he is ashamed of the way the majority of his people act and bludge off the govt.
 
Well, I still feel it is an outrage and a sin against humanity the way Cro-Magnon wiped out the Neanderthal. Someone should pay and I think tax payers should be the one.
 
Luckily for us the Neanderthals are not around to claim compensation..

Wait.. the Iranians..
 
95bravo said:
Well, I still feel it is an outrage and a sin against humanity the way Cro-Magnon wiped out the Neanderthal. Someone should pay and I think tax payers should be the one.
Click to expand...

I totally agree and I think we should start an actiongroup to raise awareness among the general public and organize sit ins in which we contemplate why the sun is warm and bunny's are fluffy.
 
Johnsy said:
Try sins of the grandfather, and great grandfather. First we had to say sorry to the black fellas for something done to them by the generations of my great grandfather and great great grandfather, and now this, to the bloody Italians who couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag with scissors, instructions, and help.
And before anybody starts carrying on about me saying 'black fella' I have some 'black fella' in me way back and my best mate is a real 'black fella'. He thinks it was a crock of sh*t when the govt said sorry, and he is ashamed of the way the majority of his people act and bludge off the govt.
Click to expand...

Well, said mate. Not a truer word has been spoken.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom