“So, it strikes me that now just as then, our troubles are very much the fault of every single one of us who refuses to stand up for and to do what’s right. Every person who knowingly perpetuates inequality – British and Irish Landlords, British and Irish merchants, and any man who seeks to take advantage of his fellows at the markets by increasing prices of every other good.
It is greatly convenient for us to reduce it to a single cause, to point the finger of blame. But the blame isn’t just with the English, not solely, though it suits us to say so. Yes, English policy has shaped, allowed and even aggravated the poverty and inequality of the Irish; but it is the greed and self-interest of every-man that has caused so much suffering.”
This bit of dialogue (from a young Maggie as she reflects on the true causes of the Irish Famine) is one of my favorites, highlighting the role each of us play in contributing to injustice, no matter the form.
I like it because the same can be said for the ongoing racism that has shaped Aboriginal policy in Australia. The cause is every-person’s attitudes and behaviours. Equally, this is a matter for all of us to respond to, not Government alone.