To The Age Thoughtful Australians support reasonable policies designed to contribute to Aboriginal welfare, but deplore current activism that embodies a philosophy of Aboriginal separatism. In this context national unity is paramount for the wellbeing of all of us. Calls to have the national anthem sung in an Aboriginal dialect before major sporting events should be resisted ("Call for Indigenous anthem update", 5/6). So should other symbolisms that favour separatism, such as the showing of the "Aboriginal flag". Sportspersons who claim that "Advance Australia Fair" does not "represent their people" are failing to grasp that it represents all Australians without exception and thus does represent them too. Nor should anyone take exception to the line "for we are young and free", for the nation of Australia is indisputably young compared with many other nations.
Nigel Jackson, Belgrave, Vic