I have thoughts today. Well most days. Lately a lot of these thoughts are about the state of the world and despairing at the lack of compassion present in communities around the world and the outright harm humans are willing to do to others simply because they are unwilling to put aside their discomfort to learn about the needs and perspective of others.

Yeah, I’m what they like to call woke, and I’m happy to identify as such.

The thoughts I had this morning was about how conservative, right leaning, less empathetic groups (whatever your favourite terms are) co-opt the national symbols of countries for their causes.

Not sure what I mean? Well I’m Australian, as I also assume most people reading this are. Imagine you see a car with an Australian flag sticker, those car flags that were popular several years back, or a group of teens walking down the street with the Australian flag draped over their shoulders. What do you think about the people who own that car or wear flag capes. A lot of people would say they might think those people were racist, or some other minority fringe group who want Australia to ‘go back’ to some mythical time when the country was better.

When was it our flag started to indicate that the holder may wish harm on others? (First Nations people may argue that it meant that from it’s inception.)

I grew up in a house with a flag pole. Honestly I’m not sure when it arrived because I don’t remember it as a small child but at some stage Grandpa decided he wanted one and there it was. Honestly it being my Grandpa it could have come into the Op Shop where he worked and he might have snagged it. Every morning he would put the flag out, every night he brought it in. Like the majority of men of his generation, my Grandpa had been in the military and served in WWII. He was also possibly ASD or with a bit of ADHD, given how he horded projects and enjoyed routine it’s a definite possibility. He was creative, thoughtful, capable and above all kind. All his friends and neighbours loved him. He had problematic views, but rarely voiced them. I was shocked the one time he commented about ‘gays in the military’, sad, but he seemed ok with gay people in general. So when I moved here and saw a neighbour with an Australian flag flying … (can you say proudly when it’s quite tatted round the edges and is never taken in?) I wasn’t phased. But a couple of weeks in a friend visited and noted the flag and commented that they were probably racist. I said they seemed nice enough. She said, “Well you’re white.” And it’s true. I’m unlikely to have trouble.

Digression, but my point being, cultural icons like our flag, Australia day, mate-ship etc etc, have come to symbolise a small but vocal segment of our community.

There are a lot of us who would like to be proud of our country, to show those signs of patriotism without being branded ‘one of them’. I’ve noticed some media lately advising that progressive/liberal/left leaning (whatever your preferred term) movements reclaim these symbols, associate the flag with their movement, shout Aussie, Aussie, Aussie in protest crowds, etc.

So my thought today (we’re getting there) is that, we should all be able to celebrate Australia Day. The constant debate about the 26th not being an appropriate date has DONE NOTHING to change the date. The governments don’t want to be the ones to change it. The more racist type people are happy enough to use it as a symbol that they are more Australian than the rest of us.

So here’s the idea, finally, we pick a date and just rally behind it. When anyone objects we can just tell them, celebrate on the 26th if you want, we aren’t.

I spent a little time today looking at the different proposed dates. Here’s a list, I’m not going to call it exhaustive.

January 1: Federation Day, marking the date that the colonies federated and we became a nation. I’m very much no on this one due to the New Years Day factor. It would constantly be overshadowed by Christmas and New Year.

January 13: The anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s historic apology to the Stolen Generation. Now our idea here is to pick a day for First Nations people to join in celebrations, not to overshadow their day or make everything about one segment of the community.

March 3: The anniversary of the Australia Act 1986. I don’t hate this one. It’s modern history but still historic and significant.

March 20: The date Canberra was selected as our capital. I don’t hate this but I wonder if it might interfere with Easter some years causing ill feeling.

April 11: The date the White Australia Policy was abolished. I like this, but now we’re making it all about immigration maybe?

April 19: When Advance Australia Fair became our anthem. I like this. But do we get the Easter issue again?

April 25: ANZAC Day. Yeah I get it, but I think it’s a mistake to take away from the focus on ex-service people.

May 8: Maaate. Yeah, I get it, it’s fun, and says a lot about us but do we want this to be a serious occasion?

May 9: The anniversary of the opening of Federal Parliament.

May 26: Sorry Day. Again the idea here is to pick a day for First Nations people to join in celebrations, not to make the day about one segment of the community.

May 27: The anniversary of the referendum that removed the discriminatory clauses about First Nations people from our constitution. I do kind of like this, but is very much as above.

June 3: Mabo Day, marking the anniversary of the High Court legally recognising native title. Again, nice to celebrate but lets make it about all of us broadly and not piggy back on First Nations victories.

July 9: The date Queen Victoria agreed to the Australian Constitution Act. I like it’s historically significant but I feel like as it happened over there reducing it’s significance for us today.

September 1: Wattle day. Now I’d not even heard of this one but being the start of Spring and the regrowth it seems lovely, but maybe this is also one that should be kept it’s own thing.

September 8: The date Australia was first circumnavigated by Matthew Flinders. This feels a little colonisation coded as well so I think no.

September 17: The date Queen Victoria proclaimed our Federation, that came into effect January 1. I like this as it’s about our nation, but again is a little about UK royalty.

October 24: Sir Henry Parks gave his pivotal speech calling for federation. I like this one. Definitely worth considering.

December 1: The first day of summer. Again don’t hate this. Seems a little arbitrary. Would be nice to have a day off … if summer had actually hit then.

December 3: The Eureka Stocade. Again, not hating this but it seems to relate to a particular way of being Australian so I’m not so sure. Particularly with the Eureka flag having problematic associations that would need recaiming.

The other idea being a floating holiday on the third/second last Monday of January. Again this one is a little arbitrary, but retains the January early year summer holiday feel of the 26th without overlapping with the 26. It’s position on a Monday ensures it’s always a long weekend and a 3 day celebration of Australia and our people.

Clothing the Gap have got behind this Australia Long Weekend plan and have a petition calling upon the government to make it official.

At this point I’m happy to follow their lead and lean into Monday the 18th as the day to celebrate next year.

My child, currently watching My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic just said to me that This world is Discord, because of our lack of harmony. Sometimes children have a knack of succinctly repeating to you your thoughts.

Let’s lean into harmony.

I might have more thoughts to follow. At least definitely some party planning.