The use of a picture of an Aboriginal Tasmanian in this cartoon, depicting animals that are extinct, is really offensive and ill-thought, to say the least. For a start there are still Aboriginal Tasmanians. I know you’ve depicted other species that are threatened with extinction, but given the long and deplorable history here of teaching children until only recently that all Aboriginal Tasmanians are extinct, this is an incredibly poor choice of image.

It’s made all the more offensive when you remember that the early english colonialists listed Aborigines as ‘fauna’ in species list.

I strongly urge you to either edit or remove this cartoon.

Give it a break!

Last time I looked old growth, devils, parrots, pardalotes and tasmanian aborigines are not extinct. Please read the “To be or not to be” soliloquy by Shakespeare for an insight into existentialism and reflect on the history of Tasmania you know.

(1)
    Once again political correctism , raises it’s ugly head , with individuals unable to form a perfectly benign opinion.
   
              d.d.

No Mark, I won’t ‘give it a break’. I’m well familiar with Shakespeare, and even given your apparently well-intentioned attempt to make a point here, I stand by my original comment - not to mention that you seem not to understand that the famous Hamlet soliloquy was about pondering one’s own existence (as is Existentialism for that matter) and you’ve applied and co-opted that concept onto a minority group that was subject to genocidal practices - in fact the logical reading is to look at that and say ‘to be or not to be’ - something that Aborigines have already been subject to in spades, and could do without being lumped in with our extinct and endangered fauna.

Using the image of a Tasmanian Aborigine in this context isn’t appropriate, it’s a poor and at best stupid choice.

You don’t need to be either an Aborigine or beholden to “political correctism” to see this, but you do need to offer a modicum of respect.

Reminds me of an old traditional Tasmanian attitude.

So many targets - so little time!