THE SPIRIT OF THE LIGHT HORSEMEN?
Some Australians seem intent on obliterating the past agitating relentlessly for us to cease:
- remembering the date of Governor Arthur Philip’s arrival in Botany Bay in 1788
- allowing parents to have their children taught by professing believers of their particular religious faith
The next thing we shall witness will be their wanting to forget our great military triumphs such as the Charge on Beersheba in 1917.
George Santayana (1863 – 1952) famously observed:
‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’
Gibber! Gibber!
Chugley
The History-Loving Chimp.
2 thoughts on “THE SPIRIT OF THE LIGHT HORSEMEN?”
As a former Primary school teacher, I agree that our national history needs to be taught as it is recorded by witnesses at the time…not by those who have a particular political agenda to be “selective” in the reporting of history. Governor Phillip in fact was keen to establish good, peaceful relations with the aboriginals…but he didn’t understand the culture and concepts of those people, for example -the “ownership” of (say) sheep was not an aboriginal concept, so when sheep were “stolen”, the white owners shot the aboriginals…and so the deadly cycle started. But to say “invasion” is a loaded word, and does not convey the purer motives of Gov Phillip or the British government at the time.
By the way, my wife’s great-uncle fought in the Battle of Beersheba in WW1, and sadly he was one of the few who were killed in the cavalry charge. He’s buried in the war cemetery in Beersheba (Israel).
That is very interesting Paul. “Culture” explains a lot. What an illustrious family your wife has with such exploits to remember. Gibber! Gibber! Chugley
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