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The Forum > Article Comments > Reclaiming 'multicultural' Australia > Comments

Reclaiming 'multicultural' Australia : Comments

By Alice Aslan, published 27/7/2015

The lack of an intelligent and compassionate national conversation about Muslims and Islam by the politicians and in the media has fueled Islamophobia and anti-Islamic movements like Reclaim Australia.

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Yes, Alice, “cultural racism” is a concept with even less validity than the label “racism”, made up to turn telling the truth about a non-white race into a transgression. You are part of the scourge of political correctness which afflicts our society. Who are the “scholars”, to which you refer, who fabricate this nonsense?
You have overlooked the greatest priority, which is for Australia to cease accepting muslim immigrants, which is the only genuine solution to the extension of the existing problem. The next step is to promote understanding among those already here, as to the effort needed to fit into the society they have chosen to join and to relinquish the idea that their society can be extended to Australia. They have left it behind, and need to support our society, or leave it.
Posted by Leo Lane, Monday, 27 July 2015 3:34:06 PM
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Reclaim Australia is finished as far as the "far right" is concerned, they are anti Australian and especially anti Anti Australian Nationalism, the UPF and likeminded groups continue to grow and having used the issue of Islam to draw out the Left they're now girding themselves for war with "progressives", their real and original target.
Posted by Jay Of Melbourne, Monday, 27 July 2015 3:42:06 PM
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Multiculturalism is one of those terms that tends to mean different things to different people. I support mainstream multiculturalism, for example as defined here:

https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-and-multicultural-affairs/programs-policy/a-multicultural-australia/national-agenda-for-a-multicultural-australia/what-is-multiculturalism

Note this definition is quite nuanced and qualified. People can express their cultural heritage and identify “within carefully defined limits”; all Australians should “have an overriding and unifying commitment to Australia” and “accept the basic structures and principles of Australian society”.

These qualifications and nuances tend to be ignored by those on the extremes of the debate who portray multiculturalism as giving immigrants free rein to import beliefs and practices the mainstream finds unacceptable, and privileging immigrant and minority culture.

I agree with some of this article’s points about the prejudice and misinformation spouted by Reclaim Australia and the like. But while these extremists are easy to dismiss, Alice would make a much more useful contribution to the debate if she had also dealt with well-founded concerns about Islamic extremism, and over whether the practices of some Muslims are indeed consistent with “the basic structures and principles of Australian society”. For example, not everyone who is concerned about women wearing the burka, or the compatibility of Sharia and secular law, is a bigot.

Multiculturalism is not a free pass allowing minorities to escape question or criticism.

It is true that the risk of being attacked by terrorists is greatly exaggerated by some in politics and the media, and also that the great majority of victims of Islamist terrorism are themselves Muslims. But it is also true that the great majority of Australians who have died in terrorist attacks in the past 20 years were killed by radical Islamists, including 88 in the first Bali bombing and four in the second; 10 in 9/11; three in the Jakarta Marriot bombings, one in the London bombings, one on the Nairobi mall attack, and two in Sydney

And to blame the west for Islamic terrorism is crass ideological nonsense, though I agree its actions have sometimes fuelled the fires.
Posted by Rhian, Monday, 27 July 2015 3:51:15 PM
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I don't agree with the inhumane conditions in the detention centres, (this needs to be fixed) and I accept that the West has played a part in creating wars and unrest in foreign countries. (This needs to stop).

But that said, a line has to be drawn in the sand.
If you wish to come here for whatever reason, be that legal immigration or as a refugee you need to embrace this country and its culture that you are wanting to come into.

Don't try to change this country into where you have come from because we may not wish for this to happen.

If your existing culture is going to be a problem then you need to leave that culture behind before you get on the boat.

ITS YOUR JOB TO INTEGRATE WHERE YOU ARE COMING INTO, NOT OUR JOB TO INTEGRATE INTO WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

I don't care what your reasons are for coming here.
If you cant embrace our country and our culture then you don't belong here, and no amount of political correct rhetoric from the United Nations or anyone else screaming humanitarianism will change my opinion.

I'm not in-compassionate towards the plight of others, but I won't let the wants and needs of foreigners be placed above the integrity of our own people or culture.

Some people forget that freedom isn't free.
For many of us living here, our families fought for it.
And we should not allow their sacrifices to be tarnished.

Id like to know how many of the people who support the multiculturalism view had family who fought for this country and I'd like those stats compared to the so-called racist Australians who support a nationalistic type view.

I'd be willing to bet that the majority of so-called racist Australians consist of Australians who have a long family history as citizens of the country and whose family members fought in defense of this country.

Whereas the majority of people who support multiculturalism are people who come from families who immigrated after Wars and who never fought for anything here except themselves.
Posted by Armchair Critic, Monday, 27 July 2015 4:33:37 PM
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The terrorism we see is just a continuation of the war that has been
conducted against non-moslems for the last 1400 years.

The usual Pauline Hanson bashers are present.
"We will be overrun by Asians".
Travel by train through Eastwood and Epping tell me she is wrong.

No Asians are threatening us with submit or die.
No Asians are going to anywhere to take part in a war.
No Buddists are threatening us or anyone else.
No Hindus are threatening us either.
There is one religion that is threatening everyone.
This is why Alice Asia found it necessary to write her article.
If it was not so she would not have written it.

As far as calling racism, well that is an easy shot and demonstrates
how weak the argument is when put.
There is not a great risk of being killed by Islamists, insurance
companies are not considering it, yet.
A car bomb or two may change that.
Yes Hasbeen, multiculturism has been a failure but it is politically
incorrect to say so.

There is only one way to stop this "invasion", add moslems to the
undesirable migrant category, deport as many as possible, ban the
Koran as a hate publication that advocates genocide of the Jews and
infidels. Ban the use of the Koran in naturalisation ceremonies and
its use in the courts as it has a chapter permitting lying to infidels.
Ban the construction of Mosques and prayer halls.
Banning moslems will reduce the burden on the state medical and
disability services and special education costs. Moslems have a
13% greater incidence of genetic defects than other populations.

All very painful for many but waffling around with this problem will
not safeguard the country.

It boils down to this:
Do you want Australia to look like Paris, and other cities in France
complete with Police and Fire brigade no go areas ?
Do you want Sharia Law in Australia ?
Think that is silly ? In London there are Sharia areas and there are
official Sharia Courts in the UK !
So who is laughing now ?
Posted by Bazz, Monday, 27 July 2015 4:57:00 PM
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I think that if the price for our freedom was paid by our ancestors, what are we paying to maintain it? I disagree with your views on integration for this reason, Armchair. Freedom can only be won by each individual, not by ancestors, not by culture, not by ideology.

For example, our ancestors taught their children to be God-fearing, charitable citizens who work hard and have self discipline.
Today, our children are taught to despise authority, trust no-one, take every government benefit available and be selfish and in debt.

For example, our ancestors taught their sons to show respect for women, to doff their hat, to rise when a lady walked into the room and to provide for and care for her so that she did not have to.
Today, our sons are taught to treat women like equals, to abuse them, to hit them, take advantage of them and leave them at the drop of a hat with 3 small children and noone to care for their needs.

For example, our ancestors taught their daughters to be modest, to have integrity and to be kind and well-spoken. Our daughters were taught skills to run a house, to care for children and to sacrifice.
Today, our daughters are taught to "flaunt it", to have vanity and have such a pathetic vocabulary that they have to swear every second word. They aren't taught to run a house, but to be selfish and drink all the time.

If Islam is truly a threat to "Australia", it would on be because "Australia" has already lost itself. We are doomed to be a note in history unless our cultural identity is strong enough to maintain itself, which it isn't. For example ancient Babylon, Assyria, Persia. Not Greece, Israel or Egypt.
Posted by Prebs, Monday, 27 July 2015 5:20:41 PM
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