Oh, No!

Oh, No! … Here in Australia, yesterday’s referendum, to give our First Nation’s people a ‘Voice’ in parliament was rejected … I think it’s a sad outcome for Australia, and I am feeling the hurt that my Aboriginal friends are experiencing today.


Oh, No!


Why cannot I be right?

Why is my right so wrong?

Why are the wrongs so strong?

How has racism become right?


Why does our blight?

Remain deaf dumb and blind!

Without any foresight!






Ivor Steven (c) October 2023

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ivor20

G'day, and welcome to my blog site. My name is Ivor Steven, I live in Geelong, Australia. I'm an ex-industrial chemist, and a retired plumber, and a former Carer of my wife(Carole), for 30 years, who suffered from severe MS. I Write poetry about those personal thoughts, throughout and beyond my life as a Carer. I've been blogging for over 2 years, and writing poems for 19 years. Of course a lot of my poems are about my favourite subject Carole, but since I've been blogging my writings have become quite varied, humourous, mystical, observational, and even a few monster/horror poems.

76 thoughts on “Oh, No!”

  6. I agree Ivor. I was doing lots of reading about ‘why’ yesterday. The people who voted yes were more likely to be younger, richer or highly educated.
    Support for The Voice started strong, but started to erode when the economy weakened. Apparently people are more likely to vote yes if they themselves are secure.
    I also read that Labour has NEVER won a mid-term referendum and the last successful one was in 1977. Of the 45 we’ve had in this country, only 8 have carried!
    It’s a sad day. My heart has been so heavy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

      1. I knew it was there Ivor but I had NO idea it was this toxic … and it’s on full public display for the world to witness!

        Shame on our PM for not just legislating it 😦

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I agree Kate … very deep seated indeed
        “Deep and Deeper?”

        while afloat we keep seeking
        and building boats that keep leaking
        time sails by and we keep weeping

        I often wonder how deep
        humanity’s knowledge is
        yet unseen …
        how deep are our oceans
        yet unseen …
        how deep is the universe
        yet unseen …
        how deep is humanity’s love
        for one another
        yet unseen …

        Liked by 2 people

      4. A poem I wrote earlier in the year which seemed very appropriate for how I’m feeling at the moment … oh, here’s a great song for my poem which I will be posting tonight …

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Yes, the fight for human decency will continue my friend
        “Deep and Deeper?”

        while afloat we keep seeking
        and building boats that keep leaking
        time sails by and we keep weeping

        I often wonder how deep
        humanity’s knowledge is
        yet unseen …
        how deep are our oceans
        yet unseen …
        how deep is the universe
        yet unseen …
        how deep is humanity’s love
        for one another
        yet unseen …

        Liked by 1 person

  11. I had heard that racism was widespread in Australia, but I hadn’t realised it was this bad. Those who voted against should hang their heads in shame.
    Such an awful outcome, I am so sorry Ivor. 🤗

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  12. Unfortunately, people believe because the NO’s won, we’re all racist. They are unaware of the hundreds of indigenous communities that also voted NO because they will not be allowed to represent their people in parliament. Parliament chose only those indigenous areas that occupies the cities or bordering the big cities. That’s what’s sad. We have friends and family who are indigenous, and their people, their indigenous communities don’t appear to even been recognized, nor will they be. IF the government did their research and acted accordingly, the YES vote may just as well succeeded. Are you aware of the many thousands of indigenous Australian’s voted NO?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. It sounds as though the vote was not as straightforward as it appeared to us. Thank you for clarifying.
      The abuse suffered on both sides sounds alarming. I will never understand why some humans behave this way.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      4. The vote was very straightforward: a yes or no to changing the Constitution to allow a First Nations Voice to – not in – the parliament. The NO side successfully conflated that with all manner of other things.

        Liked by 2 people

      5. In answer to your comment, Rose.
        Firstly, I agree with you. It is very wrong that the First Nation does not have a voice.
        We, onlookers, had assumed the vote was to give All First Nation people a voice. That’s why I referred to it as not being as straightforward as we thought.

        I hope that one day, the government will change the constitution to benefit All First Nation people.

        Liked by 2 people

  13. I’m sorry. No insults intended by me. I’m just as sad about the abuse we’re all getting, YES and NO voters alike. I just want to enjoy the WordPress sites I follow. Not all this. I’m happy for all my comments here to be removed.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
  17. Pingback: Oh, No! – MobsterTiger

      1. I don’t understand thing like this. How cruel and unfair people can be, as if they were better than someone else. I’ll never get that. Not in any country, including America, which is terrible in so many ways.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. The senate decreed
      to ignore the poor’s needs
      let them grovel on their knees
      for the left over hogseed
      then trust us indeed
      to deliver more feed
      from this year’s duckweed
      after they sign the next tax deed

      Like

      Reply

  23. Very late to the party here. I was devastated by the outcome, which was driven by self-serving interests on the conservative side of politics. The Voice was only ever going to be to, not in, parliament, and any suggestions that regional and other remote voices would have been excluded is utter nonsense. Voting No achieved nothing in closing the gap between indigenous and non indigenous people in Australia.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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