I feel it is morally corrupt and incorrect to witness the displacement of Palestinian peoples from their land without speaking out against the very real and cruel consequences that an act like this produces in terms of the standards we have set for the world. It is a fundamental evil in this world to steal another human beings home and displace them on the basis of ethnicity or religion. These statements are incredibly simple. I fear that I am only rehashing the same talking points without offering anything new or insightful to the conversation. Especially when there are simply more knowledgable and important publications doing such great jobs at providing the information, namely Al Jazeera. I face a very common circumstance felt by many. My expression of empathy feels incredibly inconsistent with those facing an ethnic cleansing due to my own incompatible lived experience. How can a person speak on such a horrific display of violence when I live in a country so safe and far removed from this level of human atrocity? When sitting down to write is strictly from a position of freedom and privilege not afforded to the very subject of the words being written. But we have to do something right? All I have is my own experience and my empathy, I can only give my heart.

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I come from a culture disrupted from the atrocious abuse of human rights over the past 250+ years of colonisation. With Australian citizenship being granted in 1967 the final stage of assimilation was set in place and only further developed with the state stripping children away from their mothers and communities to systematically destroy and chances of cultural preservation. This course of events was destined to leave a path of destruction as soon as these two antithetical cultures collided. One based on high mindedness, survival of the fittest, scarcity and racial superiority. The other based in sustainability, respect, giving and balance. This collision allowed for both societies to lose all ability of understanding each other and even themselves in relation to their environment. Thus Australia had been corrupted, becoming yet another nation in the world of the oppressed and powerless, struggling as they may against their oppressors. This connection is felt in the worldwide consciousness, a number of displaced peoples just trying to make their way in the world despite the challenge they face on a day to day basis. The world watches on as the latest phenomenon continues to play out in an almost century long conflict battling over 'promised' and now stolen land. When contrasted with the perspective of comfort and ignorance it is somewhat jarring to see the images of evil that Palestinian children now face. This situation is just another example of the darkness that stains the worldwide human consciousness, while every worldwide government simply stands by and watches. My own government is a particular disappointment. Under the current Albanese administration our leaders have continually cowered away from a direct condemnation of what the whole world can recognise as an act of evil. This lack of a call to moral duty makes sense when investigating the Australian governments poor history in dealing with its own atrocities committed against its most defenceless population. Without making peace on our own situation, our government would be committing a grave contradiction to step in and stand up for a defenceless population elsewhere. For each time that Penny Wong states 'We are monitoring the situation in Gaza closely and are deeply saddened' I think of the thousands of innocent people dying daily while our politicians promote passivity. I think of the governments who implemented this very same passivity only fifty years ago while Aboriginal children were being displaced from their land countrywide. It is on these grounds that Aboriginal and Palestinian people come to a horrific understanding. For as long as countries elect morally corrupt, spineless leaders, the world will continue to be stained by the shadow of evil as the atrocities continue. As an Indigenous Australian it is heartbreaking to face the fact that there is no possibility of electing a leader who wholly represents my interests. Due to muddled geopolitics and corrupt lobbying groups, this country will never have a leader to stand up and face theses difficulties as we continually find ourselves repeating societies worst tendencies.

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Much like the early years of this country and majority of the century following federation, our society seems to be complicit in turning a blind eye to the mass injustice inflicted upon a subjugated people. There is no excuse for allowing these destructive actions, much like the injustices in the history of this very country. The fault lying entirely on those inflicting and those who stand by. These groups both know the depths of the moral injustices being served. We live in a time where we have the most access to information in human history, we can watch the horrors of war unfold in real time and communicate instantaneously with people all over the world when these moments are being broadcast. We might be living in the only time in human history where we can watch history unfold in real time and track the trajectory of our future. Following the recent steps toward a ceasefire, we will watch as foreign countries who sat by and watched countless innocent men, women and children be slaughtered come to the table and take credit for brokering a deal. They will pat themselves on the back and completely disregard these highly avoidable and unnecessary large scale killings. I know this to be the case as it has happened here, in my own country to my own people. These circumstances will continue for as long as there is a global separation between people based on prejudice and oppression. For this reason Indigenous people and Palestinian people see each other as the same, with the same struggle to live peaceful lives. There is a similar possibility of brotherhood between all peoples in this same struggle. I have faith in my generations ability to hold these new kinds of politicians accountable for their ability to confront this shadow that haunts humanities ability to move forward. I am highly optimistic about my generations pain tolerance and depth in empathy when faced with a number of new crisis'. I have no other option but to hope for our ability to watch what is happening and aspire to be better and do better.

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From this incredibly privileged position perhaps all we can do is gather information, write, shout and keep the hope alive for each other as human beings. The same people who are prepared to build a new world, based in the sanctity of human lives and their rights to be free. I hope to see a generation of people prepared to accept the incredible amount of responsibility that comes with these rights. Despite this optimistic viewpoint, I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the state of the world we have come to accept. I resonate deeply with this struggle as strongly as I feel watching my own people struggle with the issues they face. I hope that in my life time I can see this struggle come to a close and the people being crushed underneath this oppressive structure may find peace in their lifetimes. I hope I can witness the rest of us build a new society based on the core principles of compassion and justice. I hope as a people we can confront this shadow of evil that has plagued human history for so long. We owe it to following generations to be strong and inspirational ancestors.