Where have you been looking? Are you lot blind,or what?
Look around from the Gold Coast to across all of Australia you see Asians enjoying themselves. I've seen happier Asian tourists here in Australia than you'll see happy Aussies anywhere in Asia, except those who are making utter fools of themselves getting drunk and wrecking the places. They arent "happy" Aussies but riotously desperately sad ones trying to mask their manic natures. Have a quiet yarn with some travel agents if you dont get around. Show them this letter and ask for their opinion.

socratease

foxy do you think the French, the Japanese or even the Americans all worry as much as you do about what the world thinks, and stress out in case they don't think as well of you as you'd like?

We don't have to go back to a bygone day - we are what we are, a mature nation who does not have to constantly cringe or worry that we are not worthy.

I guess that's a complaint by conservatives about progressives, conservatives are comfortable with their place while progressives are mortally embarrassed by their own country, countrymen and women.

That's a difference in maturity I guess, I accept my country for what it is and don't opine for what it is not.

I'm happy with, and amused that the world thinks kangaroos hop down the streets here, I've seen them in the streets in cities, it does happen you know (foxes too) what's the problem? Do you really think everyone in every other country cringes the way you seem to about "what will people think!" Oh my!

If you're so embarrassed and constantly humiliated by your own country, I can understand your discomfort.

The Americans have a word for loving their country, it's "patriotic", and constantly criticizing your country and the people who live there is downright, "unpatriotic" they are mature and confidant enough not to have to squirm about their place in the world (they rule it, yes, we know)

You love your country, but just not the people in it .. would that be a fair summary (except all the people who think exactly like you)me, I welcome the diversity, and don't cringe because people around me may not think the same way.

There are populous nations with abominable human rights records who regularly call Australia 'racist' as a pay-back for refusing access to Australia's uranium.

It isn't that Australians are too naive to stand up for themselves, rather it is a case of a predominately tabloid media always taking the easy sensationalist headline rather than providing factual reports with analysis.

The term racist is always relative and it implies subjective judgement. Even God is racist (and worse!) according to some.

Dear rpg,

Please re-read my posts,
so that you will comprehend to what I
was responding, and the points that I was making.
Don't assume what's not there. You did ask afterall
why we should care what people thought of us.
I tried to tell you as best as I could.

As for what Americans think, well, as it
happens, we lived and worked in the US for close
to ten years so I am quite familiar with their
"patriotism."

cont'd ...

Dear rpg,

I forgot to add that if you really
welcome diversity as you say you do, and
you don't cringe because people around you
may not think the same way, then what's with
all this labelling of people in your post,
the term "progressive" has bad connotations
to some people. If I was a bit sensitive,
I may find that insulting.
And why such a strong reaction to my attempt
to merely answer your question of ,"why should
we care what people think of us."

I feel that you're protesting too much...

I agree Foxy. There are many responses to this article that are almost certainly inherently racist at their heart.

I imagine that if we discussed how the original inhabitants of this country felt about Europeans migrating here, there would be no response.

With the easy ways to travel the world today, both by air and electronically, Australians can't continue to live in total isolation anymore.
We need the rest of the world for trade, and for help with global problems, including terrorism.

As Julia Gillard said, we don't need to be labelled rednecks for being concerned about our immigration policy or our population growth, but we also don't want to be seen to discriminate against some cultures or religions.

It does no country any good to make an enemy of another.