Backbencher

Today, I was perticipating in the great American pastime of channel flipping when I noticed on IFC (Independent Film Channel) that Rabbit Proof Fence was going to begin in 15 minutes. A well-done film that lacked a little in depth in my opinion, which I will address later.

The first thing that was noticed was the vastness of the land. In my lap during the film was the A volume of the World Book Encyclopedia looking at a map of Western Australia. The size of such an administrative region boggles the mind at times compared to North Dakota which is not as sparsely populated. My train of thought was focused on the Australian people and officials. Mr. Neville, who was Chief Protector of Aborigines from 1915 to 1940, seemed bound to do his duty to civilize the Aborigines. What I do not understand is the importance of this escape in the press. Was it important? Were there many critics of this policy? It seems that they went to great lengths to find these three in such a vast wilderness. My mind kept on wandering to American Indian policy and the times I have been to Fort Totten. That Indian school seems great compared to being torn away from your family never to be seen again and to be given a new name and culture, destroying your identity.

At the same time this "white man's burden" as Kipling said, was also practiced in Africa as well. This policy of "reeducation" lasted until 1970 was also the same year that non-white immigration opened up. Has Australia always been so xenophobic? Only 35 years later does this feeling still impact society?

My only concern was that it lacked depth. I thought that an angle was missing. The way the story was presented was like I should know something about this incident. This film helps show the darker side of Australia, not just the fun "Land down under."

Zach Heuer