Redneck, I thought you were too busy juggling your balls? Watch this space. I promise I won't be too passionate. I wouldn’t dare try to scare you away from a rigorous intellectual discussion.

Here's a taste just for now.

I can't promise you that I won't question your assertion that human choices appear outside of human control and thus, your convenient avoidance of any moral and political responsibility for racialised injustices. (against all humans of whatever so called race)

redneck, if the others don't want to talk to you I'll drop back in.

Firstly Boaz made a point about "celebrating" racism. I've had a re-read of your posts and agree that you don't say you like racism. Sorry if I have misunderstood your approach.

I agree that racism/culturalism/ethnocentric etc have been with us for a long time. What I'm not so convinced about is that they have to stay with us. We will always have small groups and individuals who exhibit racist behaviour. The second or third generation are likely to be pretty well assimilated (given the chance).

I prefer to treat racism as something which should be overcome rather than as just a part of life.

I agree that racism is not a whites only thing, I think I've made that point elsewhere in forum topics. I also suspect that some of those who complain about racism by white Australian's might find that it was not such an issue if they spent less time focussing on racial differences.

Somehow there must be a way to value a cultural background without turning it into a division. Does it make me less of who I am if I like pasta and grow bonsai?

I'm struggling a bit with the phrasing on this so please excuse me if I wander a bit. As a whiteish Australian in the year 2005 I don't feel a lot of cultural affinity with the ancestors who came out here from the UK so many years ago. For that matter I don't have a lot of affinity for the culture of the 1950's in Australia. I value much of what has become of those cultural artifacts in this country.

My cultural dreams are more about what can be rather than what was. I regard my cultural background as the foundation I build on rather than as the target to strive towards.

Maybe that is one of the answers to the question which has been asked about what it means to be white but then it is unlikely to be something unique to whites.

Cheers
R0bert

Katsuhiro, I appreciate your point - may be I'm just a touch too sensitive - having been victimised in the past not because of my race but just simply because I didn't fit in with the usual yobbos, I developed a justice meter that is highly sensitised to the kind of ignorance expressed by some of the posters here.

I hope you return to this forum, the fish and... as for me I won't panic;-)

Rainier - your posts leave others panting in the red dust of this not so dry forum with your incisive elucidation and ready wit. In other words I am inspired to try harder.

Redneck - you write quite well for someone with a tendency towards exclusion - most people with your POV's write like Davo, who has to win the award for completely missing the point of my post.

With this in mind I award Davo the prize of Mind Numbing Ignorance as displayed by a Vacuum of Intellect , for his complete lack of understanding about the insight to be gained from socialising with a variety of people from different cultures. Congratulations Davo your award of a lump of lead cast in the exact dimensions of your brain will be delivered to you by carrier-sparrow shortly.

Trinity, are you on the rags?

And it seems that all your insecurities manifest themselves in your love affair with multiculturalism.

Davo, I can only imagine the hours it took you to think up a response to Trinity's post.

Now you better have a good lie down, don't want to waste that brain cell now do you?

I do have a question for you - but I don't expect a reply immediately ('immediately' means 'now' BTW). The only insecurities being manifested here are those by you regarding people of different cultures.

What are you so afraid of? I think I know the answer and feel sorry for you.