BPT
Groupthink is not confined to proponents of multiculturalism. Perhaps Heath parrots the rhetoric from the Keating era because he wrote it. Politicians don't write their talking points and usually staffers are of the same ilk as their masters; it is irrelevant. Heath obviously believes in what he preaches.

However, there are certainly some versions of Islam that are not compatible with a free and liberal society and that needs to be addressed via immigration standards. There have been some vocal Muslim leaders who demonstrate contempt for Australian culture but I don't think they represent free-thinking Muslims who can accept a secular society given they have usually fled from oppressive regimes.

I agree there are double standards around culture and legal systems. Protecting one's culture is certainly perceived of less value if you are not a minority culture/religion. That is wrong. This mindset does nothing but stir the fires of discontent and works completely against successful integration.

The rights of immigrants do not outweight the rights of other citizens to protect their values of democracy, egalitarianism, equality for women, free speech etc against forces that would deny those accepted cultural norms.

Ben, what's your beef you seem to be mixing your dislike of Labor with you feelings about multicultural Australia.
While your eating your local middle-class indian and leering at the labor guys at the next table what arre you thinking.
That we should go back to the white Australia days?
or that non christains should be forced to convert?
or we should only be eating meat a three veg?

kenny, can't you separate food originating in a different county to their culture?

I don't see the problem?

you can like french food while detesting the French people, surely?

You can dislike motor vehicles while riding on a bus?

Surely we can eat Indian food without having to accept the imposition of all Indian cultural values? They are uninvited cultural values, after all they come to join our society and while we're happy for them to keep traditions, we ask them to blend in with our way of life, which is obviously attractive, or they would not want to be here.

In fact if they do reject our cultural values, then did they just come here for economic reasons and have no intention of becoming part of our society?

Re-read what I wrote, I said he seems to be mixed up. that said food is apart of a culture as much as anything else, but lets forget food for the moment and answer the questions I possed.

Dear Ben,

Me thinks you doth protest too much.

Your bio on the Ultra right-wing American web site you write for as a contributing editor says you are “an Australian-European satirist”.

I see a vast difference between the Australian, American and European cultures. I mean for instance the American gun culture scares the bejeepers out of me. Yet you seem to straddle these quite fluently.

You my friend are a multicuturalist in the most real sense.

Also I think you are speaking for a 'working class' Australia you may not be familiar with. If you do indeed live in regional Victoria go and watch some local footy or basketball. My daughter's boyfriend has Sudanese in his teams for both codes and there is a high degree of acceptance. The Winch team is a good example.

Final question, are you the Ben Terpstra I use to coach at basketball?

“Ben, what's your beef you seem to be mixing your dislike of Labor with you feelings about multicultural Australia.
While your eating your local middle-class indian and leering at the labor guys at the next table what arre you thinking.
That we should go back to the white Australia days?or that non christains should be forced to convert? or we should only be eating meat a three veg?”

Kenny, is it? I’ve read many dumb comments in my life but yours are near the top.

First, Labor has supported multiculturalism, so why wouldn’t I have a beef with Labor? There’s no mixing here. Labor is responsible for the mess. Moreover, if you read the piece you’d know that I also criticised liberal Liberals.

Second, no I don’t think we should go back to the White Australia (another dumb Labor idea by the way). You’re confusing race with culture (a sign of projection prejudice, my guess).

Third, who said people should be forced to convert to Christianity? I didn’t. Turn it up. That “reasoning” is circular because Christianity is a voluntary religion. Are you just trying to find a red herring?

Fourth, if you read the piece again you’d understand that a culture can have ethnic food without multiculturalism. I’ve eaten ethnic food in mono-cultural Japan.

But by the way, why do you assume Australians were eating meat and free vege before multiculturalism? That’s just an anti-working class stereotype.