thanks a sung wu you sum it up accurately. You also highlight we are all red necks especially those who immigrate here and insist we adjust to their culture or religion. Our Police force would be heaps lower if it was not for many of the minority groups intolerance.

o sung wu,

I think your post is interesting. As a veteran, do you believe that you fought for freedom of speech? I don't know what war(s) or conflict(s) you fought in, but I can't think of a single war in which Australia's freedom of speech was at stake. I think it would be much less patronising to veterans if we found out what they really fought for, rather than assuming that they fought for any particular, arbitrarily imposed ideals.

That said, do you really think we have no freedom of speech? I have lived in a country without freedom of speech, and it seems to me that we have a lot of freedom here. What we have, though, is a responsibility to accept the consequences for our words. Just as you are free to call for a ban on immigration without any legal ramifications, others are free to call you racist without any consequences, either. That's freedom of speech at work - the freedom to express opposing opinions. Of course, if you call for people to go out and kill immigrants (which I'm sure you wouldn't), and someone actually did, then you would have to accept responsibility for those words.

I'd be interested to hear your views - maybe I am misunderstanding your idea that we don't have freedom of speech.

"Moreover, the most important thing of all is a reminder that Australians need to come to terms with their history and learn to look to the future with more confidence and hope in order to become a more cosmopolitan, ethical, prosperous and pluralistic society. Otherwise fear eats the soul."

Why should I? I've no interest in becoming cosmopolitan, I am related to about a quarter of the black fellas in northern Australia (by marriage/adoption) and am not interested in living in a pluralistic society of any shape or form.

The "fear that eats the soul" might well be that of bulk of our population, who have little to no idea what the Country looks, smells, tastes & feels like. The climate, the terrain and the locals can be harsh & unforgiving.

When one makes an effort to learn exactly what it is that makes these parts of Australia what they are, and the denizens thereof the people they are, then one might feel more or less afraid. It depends very much upon whether or not one is willing to try and fit in, if you are, it is a friendly place full of helpful souls who will give the shirt off their back to help you out, on the other hand it is a lonely mongrel of a place that will eat you alive if you refuse.

It isn't so much that Australian's are Rednecks, it is just that life in certain areas requires a willingness to pitch in and help, whether it be fire, flood or whatever. Those who have no concept of this, don't last long and feel that people didn't take the time to befriend them. That is the wrong way round, you earn their trust and their friendship, it doesn't come on a platter.

The reality is, in the "real" Australia, you look after (1) your own, (2) family & (3) friends, anybody else is not your concern, there's more than enough to be getting on with. Anybody who chooses not to fit into one of those categories, they'd best help themselves.

For examples of racist bigotry and disgraceful prejudice, one need look no further than the situation below.

Here (and I'm going to repeat this many times until it sinks in) we have an example.

THE LAW. (Race discrimination Act)

Section 9 RACIAL DISCRIMINATION UNLAWFUL.

(1) It is unlawful for a person to do any act involving a distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of any human right or fundamental freedom in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life.

SECTION 10 RIGHTS TO EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW

(1) If, by reason of, or of a provision of, a law of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory, persons of a particular race, colour or national or ethnic origin do not enjoy a right that is enjoyed by persons of another race, colour or national or ethnic origin, or enjoy a right to a more limited extent than persons of another race, colour or national or ethnic origin, then, notwithstanding anything in that law, persons of the first‑mentioned race, colour or national or ethnic origin shall, by force of this section, enjoy that right to the same extent as persons of that other race, colour or national or ethnic origin.

FEDERAL MAGISTRATE STEWART BROWN begs to differ....

Brown FM finds that whites should
not be able to invoke the racial hatred
provisions of the Racial Discrimination
Act.
http://www.acrawsa.org.au/ejournalFiles/Volume%204,%20Number%202,%202008/O%27Connell%20Pinned%20Like%20a%20Butterfly%20FINAL.pdf
Page 7..right hand side.

Now..cut this cake any way you like.. that magistrate is being racially discriminatory. You can read the law..and you can read how he flagrantly disregarded it.

I just responded, then read through all the other responses...

Interesting, why EXACTLY do people associate lunacy with the LEFT? I'd put the majority of the pro-PC/Multiculturalism loons dead center, with the others who have no firm views about anything of any import either.

Personally, I think the actual LEFT needs rebuilding, it needs to address the needs and desires of "normal" Australians in "normal" communities... The funny thing is, Pauline Hanson, running as a Liberal, then as an ex-Liberal Independent, actually had the temerity to give a non-PC voice to these people, despite the fact that they FORMED the Labor Party (not the limp-wristed, latte sipping, upwardly mobile PC-twits who run it, but the ones who BUILT it).

I personally have had a gut full of the way these idiots treat the electorate, they play on the fact that certain families are diehard unionists/ALP supporters, whilst simpering into their lattes about how "bogan" they all are. We just had Irfan on here lecturing us on the same thing...

Quite simply, unless and until the migrant community or the multiculturalism for ever clowns, actually form the bulk of the voting population of the more far-flung electorates, you'd best get used to it. Yeah, it's OUR culture, we value it, we have no intention of changing and that is that.

I see no reason why our culture is worth any less than yours, or Joe al-Bloggses, so I refuse to assimilate, so what? Seems to be all the rage nowadays...

Hang on, why am I in the only group that you are allowed to call upon to assimilate? I mean, HREOC would be all over me if I tried it on you..

PS Robin Williams, oh yeah, Mork & Mindy... Used to be an actor & comic, then a drug addict... Relevance scale = zip.

I found the article very informative, it's interesting how some anglo Australians don't like hearing negative stereotypes but are quite happy to stereotype other races, especially Aboriginal people.

I was reading one comment by an anglo Australian who points out that he has witnessed Aboriginal people fighting on his lawn, his house being broken into and his son having his car stolen by an "Aboriginal".

I can assure you that Aboriginal people too have had their houses broken into, have had their cars stolen and have also witnessed domestic violence on their front lawn, by anglo Australians.

It's interesting that people always talk about personal experiences, thinking that crime is coloured. Crime comes in all colours and Aboriginal people aren't the only race committing crime, statistically more anglo-Australians commit crime then Aboriginal people.

In regards to alcohol contrary to public perception, surveys have in fact found that proportionally fewer Aboriginal people drink alcohol than whites do.

It's interesting that the national slogan is "work hard and drink hard", it's the Aussie way. Or is this slogan only targeted towards "white Australian"?

Read more: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/health/aboriginal-alcohol-consumption.html#ixzz0qbBhIFxq

It's also interesting that Police recently lobbied for laws to change around consuming alcohol after 3:00am because of the violence in Australia. And they weren't talking about Aboriginal people, they were talking about the general population.

So to those people who get sick of hearing about the "race card" then don't regurgitate a response by using "racist rhetoric".