#Australian Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum 2023

[t-jfh]

A recreation of an image from a 1988 Age news article that included the voices of Indigenous leaders.

Matt Davidson

Voting Yes for an Indigenous Voice to the Australian Parliament is not only right, it's about honouring our promise.

The polls say we won't. But Yes we can, and Yes we should.

By Patrick Elligett - The Age's Editorial View

The Age & Sydney Morning Herald - October 13, 2023

COMMUNITY WARNING - VIEWER ADVICE: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following YouTube video ‘The Age's view on the Voice to parliament’ may contain images, audio or references to deceased persons.

YouTube video >> The Age's view on the Voice to parliament [Released 13 October 2023 / 4mins.+5secs.]:

[claraameliapond]

PSA : THE INDIGENOUS VOICE REFERENDUM 14th October 2023

The Yes Vote is literally just giving indigenous Australians A SEAT AT THE TABLE to give information and advice about issues and governmental decisions that affect them.

Indigenous information and advice for indigenous issues from indigenous Australians.

That's it . It's acknowledging their existence as the first peoples of Australia and recognising that they have valuable information to contribute about their cultures, the ways they live, what their most pressing needs are and the best ways in which to help, to enable governments to effectively help them.

The government already provides "help" each year, in an effort to close the gap on education access, healthcare access, and many other pressing needs - they are already using taxpayer money to do this but crucially, these efforts have not been successful because we are missing out on crucial information.

The Voice to Parliament gives the government access to invaluable information that enables it to create and better implement aid, education, healthcare , equal opportunity.

I have been very actively involved in many Reconciliaton efforts for the vast majority of my life -

At 16 I travelled to some of the indigenous rural communities in Australia, met elders and individuals no tourist has access to meet, learnt from them, and saw what was there.

I saw the attempts, the efforts to provide access to Western education, that the rest of the country has, to provide healthcare, housing etc.

They don't work

They are based on western ways of life, ideas of community and interaction.

It's not the same.

They don't work.

Fundamentally because even if well intentioned, your efforts to help can actually harm if you don't have access to crucial information about how indigenous communities live.

We need to accommodate our help, our efforts, our aid to the specific needs and ways of life, values and dynamics of the many indigenous communities, especially rural, that exist across Australia, so that they have access to the same human rights we all do.

The human right to healthcare and education that we all have- it's not accessible in the same ways for indigenous communities.

It's provided, but on western terms- with the western expectation that children will leave their families for 6 months at a time and travel extremely far away to attend school, for example.

This is so backwards and outdated even for western sensibilities, and an incredibly outdated mode of education that is unhealthy emotionally for any child, let alone vulnerable people who have to choose between a western run school and their culture, their families - literally being a part of their community, a present member.

There are better ways to provide access to education than this. Ways that don't disrupt their connection to community, land and culture.

And the best people to ask, to provide information that can properly inform us about these issues, and how best to navigate them, fix them, are the the indigenous Australians themselves- they are the experts.

So that our aid and help and efforts actually do - help. Actually work.

The funds are going there anyway. So we need to put it to use in effective ways.

What we have now doesn't work.

We can only make it better.

Please Vote YES for The Indigenous Voice to Parliament

It is the beginning of lasting, effective positive change for vulnerable communities, and for us all.

[frogsinpotplants]

AUS REFERENDUM 2023

Resources/more info:

[cinnamonchaos]

for anyone in Australia, please do some reading beyond just the No Campaign and conservative media! There is so so much misinformation about what The Voice actually is and what it does.

Also remember - there is no 'progressive no'. We may agree that the government hasn't done enough, that a treaty should come first, and so much more action is needed. But voting no is slamming the door shut. It's not progressives winning, it's conservatives and racists and self-serving politicians. A no vote isn't progressive, it won't encourage the government to do more. If you think that the Lib party wants a no result so they can implement a better alternative, you've been deceived. There is no 'no, but because I want more action and a treaty' option. The yes will be the indicator of this, but a no will be taken as 'no action is needed' and 'we don't believe we need to recognise our country's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people'.

VOTE YES! 🖤💛❤️

[ancestorsalive]

"I acknowledge indigenous Australian’s connection to land and their sovereignty. I pay respect to the old stories of the land on which I live and work. The indigenous people of the world hold the old stories, as they are embedded in their traditional knowledge. Let’s look after the old stories. We need them more than ever."

OUR CAMPAIGN FOR A REFERENDUM ON AN INDIGENOUS CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION THROUGH A VOICE TO PARLIAMENT NOW HAS A DESTINATION. ALL AUSTRALIANS CAN BE INVOLVED IN THE JOURNEY. You can find out more here: https://fromtheheart.com.au/

[engineer-gunzelpunk]

Vote Yes. Its the right thing to do.

All the arguments for No are predicated on lies, distortions and racism.

For all my fellow Aussies remember, voting yes in the referendum quite literally means that Indigenous Australians will get a proper spot in parliament. If someone tells you to vote no they are racist, there is no reason why Indigenous Australians shouldn’t be allowed in parliament.

Vote Yes!

[mapsontheweb]

Australian Indigenous Voice Referendum, 2023.

On 14 October 2023, a referendum was held to establish the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, also referred to as the First Nations Voice, the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, or just the Voice. 

The Voice, a proposed amendment to the Australian Constitution, would establish a federal advisory body to represent the views of Australia’s Indigenous communities and would be a way to address the disadvantages faced by these communities. However, the Voice proposal failed to receive the double majority required by the Australian Constitution because it was rejected both nationally and by the majority in each state. The only state or territory with a majority of “yes” votes was the Australian Capital Territory. Areas with a significant Indigenous Australian population also overwhelmingly voted in favour. 

Sources: 

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.” National Indigenous Australians Agency. 2023. 

Advisory Report on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice). May 2023. 

Australian Electoral Commission. 31 October 2023.

by anthro.atlas

[t-jfh]

Natasha Wanganeen and James Stevens clashed on ABC TV’s Q+A program over multiple issues related to the Voice referendum.

Heated clash over Australian colonisation and the Voice To Parliament referendum dominates Q+A

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was not on ABC TV’s Q+A program but a colleague's defence of her comments on colonisation drew a heated response as the Voice referendum looms large.

By Paul Johnson

ABC News - 10 October 2023

•

•

THE VOICE EXPLAINED - VIDEO

Australian Indigenous Voice To Parliament referendum 2023

What is the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and why are we all voting on a proposed change to the Australian constitution? ABC political reporter, Dana Morse, takes a deep dive into everything you need to know about the Voice.

ABC video >> Everything you need to know about the Australian Voice To Parliament [2023 / 13mins.]:

[luthienebonyx]

I've seen some misinformation spreading around tumblr about the Australian Voice referendum to be held this Saturday, 14 October 2023, so here are some actual facts about what it is and why Australians should PLEASE vote YES.

So, what is the referendum question?

The referendum question is about recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution, and setting up a body to be known as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, so that Indigenous representatives have the right to provide advice to government about decisions that affect Indigenous people.

Here’s the actual referendum question:

A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?

The new chapter and section to be added to the constitution are:

Chapter IX Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples

S 129 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

3. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

Source and more info

That’s it. That’s all it is.

The No campaign is spreading lies about the Voice, suggesting that it will somehow take rights or property away from non-Indigenous Australians. They’ve also been using social media - and some elements of mainstream media - to stir up fear and racism, using tactics with a vibe that will be all too familiar to our American friends who have lived through Trump, or our British friends who have been through Brexit.

Here are a few simple facts to counter some of the misinformation that's out there.

Why do we need a body like the Voice?

Indigenous people experience a level of disadvantage that applies to no other group of Australians. As the Prime Minister has said on numerous occasions, a young Indigenous man in this country today is more likely to go to jail than to go to university. Meanwhile, the periodic closing the gap reports show that Australian governments continue to fail in their aim for Indigenous Australians’ health and life expectancy to be equal to that of other Australians.

These sorts of outcomes are typical of a system that has always been about doing things to Indigenous people, rather than with them. Indigenous people need to be in the room when decisions are made about matters that affect them.

So yeah, we need an advisory body that has the ear of politicians. Seems simple enough, so why not just legislate it?

That’s the thing: we’ve already tried that.

We need an advisory body like the Voice to be enshrined in the Constitution because we’ve HAD advisory bodies before – bodies like the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). ATSIC was abolished in 2005 by a government that was hostile to ATSIC’s aims – something that government could easily do since there was no obligation for a body like that to exist. Other similar bodies have gone the same way. 

Putting the Voice in the constitution means that it will always exist. The actual decision-making power continues to reside with our elected politicians, but having the Voice means that they will be obligated to listen to the perspective and suggestions of Indigenous representatives before they (the politicians) make decisions affecting Indigenous people.

The politicians will still have the power to legislate the details of how the Voice works, just like any other body set up under legislation - but once it's in the constitution, they don't get to decide whether it exists or not.

Where did the idea for the Voice come from?

Indigenous people have been calling for something like the Voice since the 1920s, but the current proposition originated in the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This is a petition created by Indigenous delegates to the First Nations National Constitutional Convention held at Uluru in 2017. The Uluru statement from the heart is only 439 words, but they’re very powerful words. Read it here

So if you hear the No campaign trying to say that the idea for the Voice comes from Canberra or from politicians: no, it doesn’t. It comes from Uluru, in central Australia, and it comes from a request by representatives of a large number of Indigenous people. The government is responding to that request by holding this referendum.

Do all Indigenous Australians support the Voice?

Have you ever known any group of people that share 100% support for anything? Of course there isn’t agreement by every single Indigenous person that this is the right way to proceed. HOWEVER, that said, polling shows that around 80% of Indigenous Australians  support the Voice, and of the remaining approximately 20%, many don’t support the Voice because they believe it doesn’t go far enough. Some want a treaty before anything else.

But you wouldn’t know that by the way the Australian media has reported the campaign.

I’m not going to repeat that No campaign slogan. If you’ve watched or read any reporting about this issue, you know the one I mean. The one that panders to ignorance and fear.

Instead, I’m just going to say: if you don’t know, FIND OUT. And then VOTE YES.

[saotome-michi]

Australians have resoundingly rejected a proposal to recognise Aboriginal people in its constitution and establish a body to advise parliament on Indigenous issues.

Saturday’s voice to parliament referendum failed, with the defeat clear shortly after polls closed.

To succeed, the yes campaign – advocating for the voice – needed to secure a double majority, meaning it needed both a majority of the national vote, as well majorities in four of Australia’s six states.

The defeat will be seen by Indigenous advocates as a blow to what has been a hard fought struggle to progress reconciliation and recognition in modern Australia, with First Nations people continuing to suffer discrimination, poorer health and economic outcomes.

More than 17 million Australians were enrolled for the compulsory vote, with many expats visiting embassies around the world in the weeks leading up to Saturday’s poll.

The vote occurred 235 years on from British settlement, 61 years after Aboriginal Australians were granted the right to vote, and 15 years since a landmark prime ministerial apology for harm caused by decades of government policies including the forced removal of children from Indigenous families.

The referendum had been a key promise that Labor party took to the federal election in 2022, when it returned to power after years of conservative rule.

Support for the voice to parliament had been strong in the early months of 2023, polling showed, but subsequently began a slow and steady decline.

[mercy-misrule]

So fucking angry and disappointed with Australia right now.

What a fucken coward country we are, how weak.

How could people be so small minded and stupid to let this referendum fail.

[wecandoit]

the voice referendum: educating yourself

i have no perception of how many people on this platform are Australian, but for those who don't know: there is a referendum happening in Australia on 14 October 2023 that will decide whether the Voice to Parliament and relevant constitutional reforms will happen.

Hit up my inbox if you want to know some of the arguments for/against or if you just wanna have a convo about the referendum.

I still don't think I've made up my mind, but here are a few links and resources to those of you who want to educate yourself before the vote (I'll keep updating this):

Indigenous Voice to Parliament FAQs University of Melbourne

We asked regional Queenslanders how they'll vote in the Voice to Parliament referendum

The Voice to Parliament debate often mentions treaties — most states are already doing it

Leading No campaigner Warren Mundine claims a treaty process will be more successful if No vote wins

Is there treaty in the Voice? What is treaty and truth-telling? Voice to Parliament questions answered

Below the cut: a brief explanation of the Voice.

As a snapshot, the Voice to Parliament would be an advisory non-legislative body to represent the views of First Nations Peoples of Australia. The body would have to power to make 'representations' (give advice) on government policies and procedures that relate to Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The constitutional amendment would insert a section in the constitution that recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and establishes the Voice of Parliament. See proposed amendment below:

[lukiverse]

(Australians please read this) The Indigenous Voice to Parliament

Okay, so the basic idea of the Voice to parliament is adding a section to the Constitution (the laws that can't be changed except with a referendum) so that there is an Indigenous Advisory Board. This is something that First Nations people want and need, and the idea originated in the Uluru Statement From the Heart (https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/ it's less than a page long). 

These sorts of advisory boards aren't weird. Australia has over 110 of them for things like blood borne viruses and STIs, each containing qualified experts. Previously several attempts have been made to start Indigenous Advisory Boards but they've all been disbanded by successive governments. This is why we need to change the constitution. No matter who is in power, there will always be a group of elected Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people to give advice pertaining to their needs. (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-04/how-different-would-the-voice-be-from-other-advisory-bodies/102880116)

One of the no side's main arguments is that there aren't any details about the Voice. This is actually a good thing. The power to decide how it works will be in the hands of the parliament, meaning our democratically elected representatives can vote on how the Voice works. The Voice also will not have veto power, not will it add unnecessary and costly beaurocratic delays to government processes. It will simply give advice and make recommendations pertaining to First Nations issues. 

The Government doesn't even have to listen to the Voice, although public records will be made of who agrees and disagrees with them. The public then has the power to cast scrutiny on whoever they think is in the wrong (which will probably be the politicians). 

Reconciliation Australia's polls have found that 86% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people believe the Voice is important. (https://www.reconciliation.org.au/reconciliation/support-a-voice-to-parliament/)

Right now Indigenous Australians aren't in a great place. They are the most incarcerated race in the entire world compared to their total population (https://theconversation.com/factcheck-are-first-australians-the-most-imprisoned-people-on-earth-78528). Aboriginal males have a 40% higher suicide rate than non-Aboriginal males. Right now our government is failing to address these concerns, and they've been failing for the past 50 years. A permanent advisory board composed of Indigenous leaders elected by Indigenous Australians can best represent their interest and will ultimately save lives. 

On a final note, this affair has seen a huge amount of misinformation and conspiracy theories, with wild claims that Indigenous Australians want us to pay rent or bypass our democracy. These claims are wildly untrue. (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/12/indigenous-voice-to-parliament-referendum-misinformation-fact-checked). Also note that in Australia it's legal to lie in political advertisements and campaigns (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/why-is-it-legal-to-tell-lies-during-the-voice-referendum-campaign/2wxd2gfec), so take any extremist, fear-mongering claims with a grain of salt. No side campaigners also claim that "if you don't know, vote no". This is absurd. If you truly want to excercise the power of democracy that you (or your parents) are extremely lucky to have, then please do your research and come to an informed conclusion. 

Further reading - 

Every Australian household has received a booklet containing information about the Yes side and the No side. I would recommend reading The Guardian's annotated versions of these, where they elaborate on certain points and call out incorrect or disputed claims. 

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-yes-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2023/jul/20/the-vote-no-pamphlet-referendum-voice-to-parliament-voting-essay-aec-published-read-in-full-annotated-fact-checked

The Guardian and their independent journalism are honestly a tremendous resource, providing free and accurate information about the latest developments and clearly explaining everything for those who haven't kept up. 

I also urge everyone to read the Uluru Statement From the Heart, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed to in full. 

Thanks for reading, hopefully I've helped clarify what the referendum is about, and maybe helped you make your decision. 🖤💛❤️

[buckevantommy]

The 2023 Australian Referendum results are in, and the answer is No. It should've been Yes. We need to do better, try again, and give a rightful Voice in parliament to Indigenous Australians. 

[...] Australia voted No, and did so conclusively. It was clear, 75 minutes into the counting, the referendum had failed. [...] It was a brutal end to a brutal campaign that exposed the deep societal rifts in Australia. It's also undeniable the campaign was bogged down with misinformation and allegations of racism, and that the result will leave a scar. 

"It's very clear that reconciliation is dead. A majority of Australians have said No to an invitation from Indigenous Australia with a minimal proposition to give us a bare say in matters that affect our lives, advice that doesn't need to be taken by the parliament." 

[...] The Voice did not divide people based on heritage or when they came to this country. It was an advisory body, with no special powers. It would've taken information and advice from local communities and presented it to parliament on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. 

[...] overwhelmingly, in the booths were there were large indigenous populations, the answer was Yes. The defeat will be seen by Indigenous Advocates as a blow to what has been a hard-fought struggle to progress reconciliation and recognition in modern Australia, while First Nations people continue to suffer discrimination, poorer health, and worse economic outcomes. 

"We had two choices tonight: write another chapter in the history of reconciliation in this country, or fail a significant empathy test. And Australia, we failed that test." 

[...] The referendum failed because enough people allowed themselves to believe the worst. 

The way forward is unclear. There will be a time of reflection and of reckoning for all sides. But what we do know is that it does not rest on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to keep carrying the load. It is up to all of us, Yes or No, to reckon with our past in a clear-eyed way. And that work has to start now. 

[aressida]

AUSTRALIA POLITICS -> THE VOICE REFERENDUM 14/10/2023. Vote NO = Victory. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The referendum was a manifestation of racial politics and land appropriation, causing harm to the Constitution and showing no regard for the wellbeing of Aboriginal people." - Aressida. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Articles: - https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2023/oct/14/voice-referendum-2023-live-updates-australia-latest-news-yes-no-vote-winner-results-australian-indigenous-voice-to-parliament-polls - https://www.9news.com.au/national/voice-to-parliament-referendum-result-will-not-pass-anthony-albanese/080c0ad6-c8ea-4eb0-916b-01c1f9148a42 - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67110193 - https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-voice-referendum-live-updates-australians-head-to-polls-across-the-nation-to-vote-on-indigenous-constitutional-recognition-20231013-p5ec4w.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Voice Referendum Results: Website: -> https://www.news.com.au/national/voice-referendum-results?external=true -> Voice referendum results live updates: https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/voice-referendum-results-live-updates/news-story/f06493362d5c07db318909ce8c565dc8 -> https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/voice-to-parliament/australia-votes-no-to-the-voice-to-parliament/video/69df56abc1a18f790d7b458b549fe2f1

------------------------------------------------------------------------ Australia votes in favor of keeping the current constitution.

(Now Albanese, you're next. He knows his political career has left the building.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ clip of the day:

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15/10/2023: *Will keep you updated for the next few days about the rest.* (Last updated: 6AM - 15/10.) For now: -> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Australian_Indigenous_Voice_referendum

-> https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/14/australia-rejects-proposal-to-recognise-aboriginal-people-in-constitution

-> https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/10/14/aus-sees-majority-no-vote-to-indigenous-voice-in-constitution/

-> https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-15/indigenous-voice-referendum-result-anthony-albanese-peter-dutton/102977398

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[bopinion]

2023 / 41

Aperçu of the Week:

"They say in the Middle East: a pessimist is simply an optimist with experience."

(Ehud Barak, former General and Prime Minister of the State of Israel)

Bad News of the Week:

It was always such a thing when a new country was "discovered." Because that always applied only to the usually white seafarer from Europe, because - surprise! - there were, after all, in 99% of the cases already inhabitants on the spot. And in many of these places, unfortunately, the First Nations are still second-class citizens. For example in Australia. But that was about to change. At least that was the plan of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Unfortunately, he was not the only one to be bitterly disappointed. His idea was to give Australia's indigenous people more political influence with a constitutional amendment. They were to be heard only on matters that directly affect them ("voice to parliament"). Only heard - because everything would still be decided in the almost purely white parliament. So, if you want to see it that way, rather a symbolic gesture of respect. And yet a clear majority voted against the project in the corresponding referendum.

"For Prime Minister Albanese it is a heavy defeat," write the newspapers. What then is it for the Aborigines? Indigenous Australians are considered the oldest surviving culture in the world and have populated the continent for more than 60,000 years. They were there first. And yet only come last. Sad.

Good News of the Week:

Germany has a long checkered history with Poland. With dark and light chapters. One would like to speak of a community of fate. First the fall of the Iron Curtain, then accession to the European Union, all will be well. But then strange developments began in our neighbor to the east. Which can be associated with one name: Kaczynski.

The two brothers Lech and Jaroslaw with their PiS party (Prawo i Sprawiedliwosc / Law and Justice) have had a decisive influence on Poland's last 20 years. With their programmatic emphasis on nationalism, EU skepticism, social conservatism, right-wing populism, etc., they were a reliable partner of Hungary's omnipotent Viktor Orban and a declared opponent of Brussels and Berlin. This is also how they campaigned: they did not want to be told anything more from the European Union and especially (by name!) from Germany. A ridiculous distortion of reality. Or a bad joke.

Facing them in the election this Sunday were several opposition parties. And increasingly critical voters, who in some places took to the streets in their hundreds of thousands to take a stand for the independence of the judiciary, for example. Their figurehead, Donald Tusk, can in many ways be seen as the antipode of the Kaczynskis. Among other things, he is an avowed pro-European. Of course, after all, he served for five years as president of the European Council and another three as chairman of the European People's Party.

Tusk is now the real winner. Even if he only came in second place with his Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform) party. This is because, unlike the PiS, which is still the strongest party but suffered significant losses, he has the realistic prospect of being able to form a solid parliamentary majority with programmatically compatible coalition partners. "This is an epochal event, comparable to Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump," writes the news magazine Der Spiegel. Good prospects for Poland. For its neighbor Germany. And for all of Europe.

Personal happy moment of the week:

My son is going to do more sports. And I don't mean esports. But basketball. In the coming week he will do his first workouts. With physical movement. And sweat. I also like the fact that he has already ridden his bike to school 90% of the time this school year, rather than taking the bus. Even if, I suspect, the main reason is that he doesn't have to get up until fifteen minutes later. Anyway, physical exercise is important for a 15-year-old. So I try to pay attention to that. Let's go!

PS: Now he has already been to basketball training for two hours for the first time. And seems to like it. And I like it too.

I couldn't care less...

...that families can now get a low-interest loan from the government to buy a house. For most of us (and especially in the Munich area) it is utopian to be able to afford home ownership either way.

As I write this...

...I am waiting for the new album of The Rolling Stones. For 18 years the probably longest active rock'n'rollers of all times haven't released any new songs. But next Friday the time has come: "Hackney Diamonds" will be released. I'm curious.

Post Scriptum

In the times of the Gaza war, you have to weigh your words carefully. Unlike the Ukraine war, there is no clear assignment of perpetrator and victim roles of two states here. Rather, the line must be drawn here between rulers who act irresponsibly and peoples who endure the consequences of their actions. Have to endure, there is no choice.

On the one hand, there are the terrorists of Hamas (not the Palestinians!), who, ideologically blinded, are causing inconceivable carnage among innocent civilians. On the other hand, there is an increasingly right-wing radical regime in the Knesset that denies the Palestinian people their right to exist and their territorial integrity (keyword: settlement policy in the West Bank). In between are two peoples who are experiencing unbelievable suffering.

Rarely do the EU and China agree, but their joint appeal for a two-state solution will once again go unheard. In this conflict, I cannot take sides with either side. I simply wish that the killing would stop. And that the rulers on both sides can agree on a sustainable peace in the interest of their peoples. But my hope will probably prove to be quite naive once again...