Racism online

Thank you for sharing this with us @ArraDreaming. 

I can't even begin to imagine what this must feel like for you... the internet can be an incredibly unkind and judgemental place. There are so many ill-informed people (by articles like this one you have mentioned), and I can see how it makes for an unsafe environment for First Nations folk. I am truly so sorry that you go through experiences like this, it's not fair at all... you deserve to feel reflected and respected in the content you see online. 💛

Hey there @ArraDreaming , that really sucks and I am sorry to hear from you, and also see with my own eyes how disgusting people can be towards first nations people. Your people have suffered persecution and severe trauma due to the actions of others historically and to this day, and I can't imagine how painful it would be to have a culture older than most inventions yet to have it mucked up ongoing and to be used for politics etc. I have some first nations friends who have expressed their pain to me privately, my heart bleeds for the hopes and desires of people I love and believe in yet they are brely able to keep their heads above water due to life being full of so much bullshit and so little proper respect, opportunity and support.

If its online stuff I would recommend TURNING IT OFF. Just, don't read the S***. I got booted off social media/FB 4 months ago and I didn't make another account, I just breathed a sigh of relief to be removed from a fake and toxic world and my life is better without it, I actually wish that I had the self control to turn it off and reclaim control over my daily ingestion of other people's opinions, many years ago. I urge you IS THERE A WAY TO JUST TURN IT OFF AND SPEND YOUR TIME IN REALITY WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO BACK UP THEIR HURTFUL WORDS AND THOUGHTS WITH ACTUAL STRENGTH?

Cause it seems like you have enough to deal with every day and you literally dont know who's behind the keyboard talking crap online. When you're in real life, just like the good old days before social media you can see people's reality, their lives, you know their perspective and on a human level you can guage if they are worth the oxygen it takes to talk to them.

Last but not least try to look at all your strengths and all the good things within your culture. My friends from hometown spend a fair bit of time at the Land Council and also outside of it. They all live complex lives going between two cultures but I know when they get yarning in the community they come home to something solid and familiar, and when they get out of community they get to do the other side of their lives and get a break from the mob business.

Don't give up it's a horrible world when people can say whatever rubbish they want without consequences. Remember the old days saying..Talk Sh.. Get hi.........I am no advocate of violence but I am an advocate of people standing behind their words and being decent to each other and it's a way that has gone underground when everyone's a king of the keyboard and using it to make the world worse, most times.

Stay strong and believe in yourself and believe in your people and your culture. There's a lot of fake people out there waving flags etc and there's just as many silent people who care a lot and treat all people with dignity and respect and who work in industries TRYING to undo the harm and pain of history. Find those good people wherever you can and be friends with them. Build on your own strengths and connect with the best and most comfortable parts of your community as much as you can. All people are worthy of dignity ESPECIALLY people who have suffered blow after blow at the hands of politics and colonisation, we can't undo the mistakes of history but we can definitely stick together to create a better future and I hope that the future becomes better for you.