Charlie_Lu

Task 1- UN Declaration of Human RIghts

MOST important Article AND explain why.
//"All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."//, Article 7 UN Declarations

In this article, it speaks of the law being equal and fair for everyone in the country regardless of race or culture. It pin points the rights of everyone to live in a just society, being judged in a manner that is of character not skin. As it states, "All are entitled to equal protection...", it reinstates that all are subject to an unbiased judgement and that all races and cultures should expect a law that doesn't discriminate against them. If everyone were to treat others with the same respect and dignity as they do for their own particular race, then the world wouldn't undergo heavy discrimination and racism therefore conflicts between races would cease and everyone can come to an agreement for world peace and harmony. Fighting for land and religious wars would soon cease and the world could start to accept one another's individuality and values for human life.

Task 2 - Songs about Social Justice To download song analysis, please click on this link here: @http://www.mediafire.com/?rpqxzfs3566le26

Task 3 - Aboriginal Charter of Rights a) Identify the rhyming pattern of the poem and provide example.

We want hope, not racialism - A Brotherhood, not ostracism, - A Black advance, not white ascendance. - B Make us equals, not dependents. - B We need help, not exploitation, - C We want freedom, not frustration; - C Not control, but self-reliance, - D Independence, not compliance, - D

AABBCCDD = The rhyming scheme of the Aboriginal Charter of Rights

b) Explain what a 'charter' is and how this title links to the content of the poem.

A ‘charter’ is a written form of a country’s legislative power, by which the rights and privileges of institutions are clearly defined. This can relate to title of the poem Aboriginal Charter of Rights by which it expresses the need to grant Aboriginal rights as equal to those of the white race. It explains that these indigenous people need to be treated in the same fashion as those who are ‘white’ and therefore require the same support and guidance. In the quote, “We need help, not exploitation,” it emphasises that these people are in a desperate situation, they don’t want to be used or taken advantaged by the white civilisation. Instead they demand ‘freedom’ in the quote, “We want freedom, not frustration”, it is clear that message is of course, the rights of Aboriginal people are to be granted and treated in the same manner as other human beings.

c) How do these two lines link the poem to the concept of social justice?

"Opportunity that places White and black on equal basis"

Social justice is known to emphasise the rights of humans and how they are the same in feelings and emotions regardless of appearance. The quote above, “White and black on equal basis”, uses juxtaposition to highlight the message that all races regardless of the shade of skin deserve the same respect and dignity as every human being requires. Therefore social justice is apparent in the quote as it reinforces on the rights and opportunities of every one by overlooking the differences of skin and acting in a virtuous manner.

d) In paragraph form select TWO techniques used in this poem and write about them using the four step process.

The poem Aboriginal Charter of Rights composed by well respected Aboriginal poet, Oodgeroo Noonuccal emphasises on the rights that Aboriginal people deserve. Noonuccal presents her protest arguments in the form of techniques that allow ourselves to understand and agree with her. In the quote, “Give us Christ, not crucifixion”, Noonuccal presents a Biblical Allusion by naming and using the biblical figure of Christ to represent the righteousness of his character. It was that Christ who treated everyone equally, this can be seen in Matthew 9:12-13 when Jesus sat with the sinners as he explains, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice...I am have not come to call the righteous, but sinners...”, it is from this Biblical Allusion that Noonuccal is trying to convey the message of the virtuous character of Jesus Christ. Moreover, Noonuccal uses a rhetorical question in, “Must we native Old Australians in our land rank as aliens?”, this causes us to question ourselves and therefore conclude to a contradicting idea, Why should those who own the land be disadvantaged by those who stole it? This draws us to the conclusion that our behaviors are irrational and nonsensical to the morals that Jesus has educated us with, “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice”. Therefore Noonuccal uses both rhetoric question and biblical allusion to pin point our wrong doings and to ask us that they should be rectified so that Aboriginal people may not endure the suffering and disadvantage that every human being doesn’t deserve.

e) What is the purpose of the poem? and How do you know this?

To emphasise the need to reform our legal system so that Aboriginals should have the equal rights of those to the ‘white’ society. This can be seen in the use of imperative language that is constantly mentioned throughout the poem, the use of “we want” in ‘We want freedom, not frustration’, demands us to grant their wishes. In other words, it is a form of poetic protest in which the poet demands the freedom and rights of her own people. Moreover, it is quite interesting that our poet is not ashamed of being an Aboriginal as she uses her aboriginal name instead of her more western name, Kath Walker. We see that she uses her Aboriginal name so that she is placed on the same status of her own people and therefore protesting on behalf of those who suffer.

**Task 4 - Aboriginal Social Justice Report** Indigenous peoples and criminal justice systems - Charlie_Lu Australia in the past ten years has mistreated Aboriginal people by unfair imprisonment. Aboriginal people are most likely sentenced when compared to the white society. There have been various issues regarding aboriginal criminal justice systems where the aboriginal community suffers from the injustice of imprisonment of women, men and even youths, which are further down the track, either die in their cells or are suffering under the chains of health related problems.

1. Aboriginal imprison statistics

Reported by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 have presented the results for Aboriginal imprisonment being at 14% of the total population. This is dramatically fifteen times more than the average citizen of the white society. Indigenous people represent a total of 24% of total population, with 6139 males and 567 females as reported on the 30th June, 2008. Aboriginal people have a tendency to be unwilling to cooperate in criminal investigations, which then lead to them being imprisoned. Age standardization is used as a statistical method that estimates the rate of imprisonment by the age of the prisoner. Indigenous people are thirteen times more likely to be sentenced to prison as of 2007 and have remained fairly constant ever since. Between 1997 to 2001, 25,000 indigenous people have appeared in court for a criminal offence, this being males aged 20 to 24, which is around 40% of indigenous population. The median age of the white society to be in prison is the age of 33 whereas for aboriginals, it is 31 years of age.

2. Indigenous women in prison

Even though indigenous women in custody are significantly lower than males, it is unfortunately the fastest growing population in prison cells. Women have increased in imprisonment much higher than men, as the female imprisonment rate it a rising high 34% between 2002 and 2006. Aboriginal men on the other side have increased by 22%.

3. Indigenous Juveniles

Study reported back in September 2002, 89% of indigenous male juveniles have served at least one supervision order. For every 1000 people, 44 of them are definitely aboriginal youths and only 3 out of the thousand are non-indigenous youths. In total, at least 71% of aboriginal youths will serve a one term imprisonment. There are multiple risk factors that most or even 100% of aboriginal youth under supervision may be imprisoned when older.

4. Indigenous prisoner health status

Examination in the confines of the prison cells, the health of Aboriginal people is quite poor. Authorities have knowledge of this issue however fail to rectify the issue. The health statuses of the indigenous prisoners are generally worse than the conditions of the non-indigenous. The levels of Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C is high in indigenous prisoners, 29% for Hepatitis B and 37% for Hepatitis C. This is however challenged by the non-indigenous prisoners, 18% of non-indigenous have Hepatitis B and 34% of non-indigenous have Hepatitis C. Between 1988 and 2002, cohort studies of adults reported that there was 4.8 times more male Aborigines would die after their release from custody. Women were 12.5 times more likely to die after their release from prison or custody.

5. Indigenous Deaths in Custody

Australian Institute of Criminology reports the rates of deaths of both indigenous and non-indigenous prisoners since 1982. They calculated the rate of death of every 1000 prisoners were quite similar to the results back in 1999. This indicates that there are uneven numbers of indigenous deaths in custody similar to the total indigenous population. Back in 2006, there were 54 recorded deaths due to custody and prison related schemes. A year after, there was a record of 11 deaths in custody, 4 deaths in prison and 1 death in juvenile detention, which adds to the Australian Institute of Criminology reports.

It is evident that Aborigines were somewhat mistreated by the authorities of Australia. These results give a clear indication to how we injustice we are to the Indigenous community. Our failure to understand there way of living contributes to the prejudice and judgment of many of our Indigenous citizens. The results also seem to remain constant, which then gives reason that authorities have not rectified the problem.

Task 5 - Speech on Social Justice To download this speech, please click on this link: @http://www.mediafire.com/?jc9fby8eq2xu8wx