sorry on the hill

So, this morning Mountain Man and I trotted up to the big hill to listen to the big sorry. Chatting on the way up, as thousands of folks converged calmly and sedately onto the hill, we agreed that regardless of our general views of the major parties, this new government had opened the lid on a lovely national sentiment. And we were not dissapointed.

Now I have had very low expectations of Kevin Rudd, but my goodness, he did a fine job today. It was very very moving standing with so many people, listening to that long over due but sincere and well written speach. And I am not too proud to say I wept big duckie tears - of saddnes, of grief, of sorrow, of shame and of empathy.

For the first time since Paul Keating handed down the Native Tittle Legislation, I felt proud to be Australian, pround of this country and our government. I even felt hope!

So it was a little bit of a shock when Brendon Nelson proceed to deliver the most vilest of speeches. A poorly written, incoherent mess of contradictory ideas. He was AWEFUL. It was AWEFULL. And we all looked on in horror. And then we did the only thing we could - we turned our backs. Shame on you Brendon. Shame.

So there we have it - a beautiful expression of a growing national sentiment, hope, and recognition, with a sad little reminder of the impoverished vile little opinions of a few.