"That is why a lot of recent immigrants (last 30 years) have never really proceeded out of the major centers, they know damn well they will not be accepted unless they are willing to adapt themselves, the people from where they go aren't going to adapt to make them feel at home if they don't."

90% of Australia's population lives in the cities so the migrants are comfortably with the majority. Its great that the internet has opened up a new communication channel for country bogans but you shouldn't think that your version of Australia is the only one that there is in this country. Whether you like it or not, you, me, and everybody else in this country. That means that the migrants, the Muslims etc are our equals. So get over it and quit whingeing.

Oh ... and ANZAC day is overrated and the Turks actually won

Sniff sniff,

Gees, Hasbeen where did you grow up "never land"?
I remember gangs of rockers and surfies back in the sixties running amok in Surfers. each group had the ethnic bent then too.

As for ethnic gangs strewth they were about in the 1890/1900 ever read the Sentimental Bloke. In those days cut throat razors were
the go. Prod V the Micks was big in 1930s. There were the Spags V Aussies louts (bodgies and widgies) in the 50s , the 60's brought the Greeks V Sharpies V mods. 70's brought the Skin Heads V civilization ..... Get with reality mate.

All of these were prone to the crime and violence.

Most 'bogans' I've seen are more a mixture of races . It's more an attitude.

Irfan,
You are not very clear in this article about exactly what it is you are on about. You start off by talking about UK politics, then a former politicians proposed trip to the UK and then talk about a book by some journalist that apparently is about the UK. then you refer to some experience you had as a liberal candidate at a federal election.

Then near the end you make the following statement:-"It was supposed to be temporary. But over seven years have gone by and we are still happily demonising those we deem to be different enough to be a threat to our collective cultural ego".

So what is it you are on about? So far most posters seem to think you are talking about racism, yet I don't see any evidence of racism in you article, but note that you say at last. "But is this just the fault of Hanson and those who opportunistically use her reasoning to get elected or stay in power? Why has the politics of marginalisation been allowed to become and remain mainstream? Why don't we have a consistent thread of resistance to racism running in our political and popular culture?"

I think you need to further explain Irfan. Just who is demonising whom? Where is the politics of marginalisation being allowed? Where is the racism that needs to be resisted?

Oh and finally, what do you consider a bogan is, Please explain?

Is it racist to tell it like it is?

"Religious Muslim boys more violent, study says"
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20100606-27673.html
The study, which involved intensive questioning of 45,000 teenagers from 61 towns and regions across (Germany), was conducted by Christian Pfeiffer of the criminal research institute of Lower Saxony.
Pfeiffer said he was dismayed by the results, and told the Süddeutsche Zeitung he was a strong critic of political campaigns which painted foreigners as criminals.

Irfan's quite right, of course - and it's good to hear it from the horse's mouth. The Howard government shamelessly went after the bogan/redneck Hansonite vote, and got it. The Rudd government has been marginally better in that respect, but of course they need at least some of the bogans too.

It's good to see that our resident bogans and rednecks aren't dominating the discussion. Fortunately OLO also attracts some intelligent and humane people who display the kinds of values that bring people together, rather than those based on fear and loathing of those who are different to them.

CJ Morgan,
When authoritative surveys determine that Muslim males are more violent than non-Muslims and that "there is a significant correlation between (their) religiosity and readiness to use violence", normal people wonder about the wisdom of importing such attitudes into Australia.
Especially when the survey validates what we already understand to be true, based on observation of Islamic behaviour around the world.
I guess the facts don't count for holier-than-thou people such as yourself.
Apart from yourself however, who doesn't have "fear and loathing of those who(se)" religiosity is significantly correlated to their propensity to use violence?
Having said that, the poor bastards surveyed are only a product of their blighted religion,
which proclaims the eternal, immutable truths of Islam:
* Infidels are your sworn enemies (Sura 4:101).
* Be ruthless to the infidels (Sura 48:29).
* Make war on the infidels who dwell around you (Sura 9:123, 66:9).
* Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day (Sura 9:29).
* Strike off the heads of infidels in battle (Sura 47:4).
* If someone stops believing in Allah, kill him (al-Bukhari 9:84:57).
* Take neither the Jews nor the Christians for your friends (Sura 5:51, 60:13).
* Never be a helper to the disbelievers (Sura 28:86).
* Kill the disbelievers wherever we find them (Sura 2:191).
* No Muslim should be killed for killing an infidel (al-Bukhari 1:3:111).
* The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His messenger will be that they will be killed or crucified, or have their hands and feet on alternate sides cut off, or will be expelled out of the land (Sura 5:33).