I've thought about it, hard, and it inspired me to write an open letter of sorts. 

This is not about creating arguments because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and can make up their own minds on the issue.

​I'm just putting my thoughts on the table.​ Anyway, here it is ...

As a nation, we've only been celebrating Australia Day as a public holiday since 1994 - 24 years.

Indigenous people have been suffering hardships and inequalities since January 26, 1788 - 230 years ago. 

That was a day that changed Indigenous lives forever, and was the catalyst for the near-extinction of Indigenous culture​.

Australian history didn't start ​in January,​ 1788. Indigenous culture dates back at least 50,000 years, when tribes and families survived off the land ​of ​this country, long before​ James Cook landed in 1770 and long before the First Fleet arrived in January of 1788.​

At that point, there was an estimated 750,000 Indigenous Australians living here. That's when the massacres started​,​ ​and b​y 1920 there was just 60,000 Indigenous Australians left.

That's 92 per cent of the Indigenous population killed, by disease or murder. If you can't emphathise with that, I pity you. 

I'm lucky enough to be connected to both sides of the story. I'm lucky to call Australia home and I'm lucky for the life I live.

I'm sad this has happened, but thankful for the opportunities I've been blessed with anyway. 

Australia, whether you're Indigenous or not, this is your history. Sad, I know, but these are the facts. If you consider yourself a patriotic Australian, celebrate Indigenous culture as your own​.​ Australian history and Indigenous Australian history, it's one and the same. 

Respect it, because this culture is a huge part of why you get to live in such a beautiful country. 

Lastly, empathise with the original custodians of this land, because their culture has already suffered enough. 

Change the date.