We
should not be prevented from befriending and adopting Australian native
animals. This writer has become friendly with possums and magpies that
now behave like they are my outdoor pets. No doubt other species would
be equally as friendly and some perhaps even domesticated (toilet
trained). Our colonial heritage insists they are all "wild animals"
that are inherently aggressive towards humans and that only by
preserving their isolated, "natural" state will the species be preserved
and that taming them would somehow destroy them. This is utterly
wrong. It probably derives from the Church's teaching that "nature" is
"evil", to be dominated and ultimately destroyed.
Aboriginal Australians are regarded by some other Australians in a
similar way. They say that Aboriginal nations that have retained their
ancient traditions and beliefs should be cut off from "civilisation" as
that is the only way to preserve their identity. This is the argument
that remote communities should either be utterly isolated and not
benefit from any of the benefits of "modernity" or else they should be
shut down and the people moved away from their ancestral country.
Similarly, as has been argued here before, Australians should start to see the local endemic vegetation as wild flowers to be cherished not weeds to be destroyed, as is done by nearly every Local Government authority in the nation. As to having a sustaining natural ecosystem around one's house? This is regarded as "gone too far" and "wilderness" that must be tamed and cut down. What is with "nature" strips? They should be left as little strips of "nature" not made into unusable patches of sports fields. Canberra particularly would be spectacular if all the mowed median strips and mowed verges along the many avenues were patches of genuine Aussie bushland. Even the word "bush" has been debased in Australia, now not meaning un-disturbed natural vegetation, but the farming community, ironically opposed to "bush" in its true meaning.
Similarly, as has been argued here before, Australians should start to see the local endemic vegetation as wild flowers to be cherished not weeds to be destroyed, as is done by nearly every Local Government authority in the nation. As to having a sustaining natural ecosystem around one's house? This is regarded as "gone too far" and "wilderness" that must be tamed and cut down. What is with "nature" strips? They should be left as little strips of "nature" not made into unusable patches of sports fields. Canberra particularly would be spectacular if all the mowed median strips and mowed verges along the many avenues were patches of genuine Aussie bushland. Even the word "bush" has been debased in Australia, now not meaning un-disturbed natural vegetation, but the farming community, ironically opposed to "bush" in its true meaning.
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