July 5th, 2022Your Say

Big Rainbow

An article in a recent issue of The Local (Edition 255) is about the vote regarding the Big Rainbow, and is really testing our tolerance.
The link they send to us for voting purposes is very discriminating. There is no section where we can vote against any or all of the nominated sites.
So as to not have the rainbow in our particular town we have to penalise some other country town by voting for them.
The long-term locals have no say in the matter. And if you think of it, as one person suggested to me, if we can’t vote to not have this rainbow, and we vote for another location listed, that town might just be doing the same to us because they don’t want to spoil the uniqueness of their town.
I’m sure they wouldn’t appreciate us doing it to them, as we wouldn’t appreciate them doing it to us.
Of course there has to be change but not a complete takeover of all that made this area somewhere special for everyone to visit, especially families.
I have no hang-ups about people being accepted as being different. I’m a different kind of different myself being 80 per cent (plus) ancient celt with all the abilities that come with having that distinction.
We are in a minority nowadays. I wasn’t asked if I wanted to have the symbol prominently placed that would discriminate against those who want to maintain the uniqueness of being country.
Those growing up in the confusing time of change, when we immigrants from the 1980s came to the area, are caught between two worlds and their history will be obliterated if it isn’t recorded and made significant now.
It’s all very well to be acknowledged as being tolerate of all types of people, and also progressing into a different type of town, but to lose our identity because of the majority is like comparing what our ancestors did to the First Nations people when we first colonised this country.
They are fighting back and succeeding. We shouldn’t have to struggle to have our local history maintained as there is room enough for all.
As for the rainbow there is already one in a town not that far away so we don’t have to be a copy-cat.

• Yvonne Fix, Musk

Ed’s note: Voting for the Big Rainbow ended on June 30. At the time of going to print it was not known which town – Daylesford, Katherine, Hay or Broome – was the winner.

Letters to the editor are always welcome. Please head to www.tlnews.com.au, register and upload your letter.