Boaz, you have mentioned "policy" a couple of times as a cure for this multicultural bug you believe we have caught.

"indicative of the need to seriously address things in the bud, with firm policy"

"we should be looking at the issue of policy based approaches to solving many of these complex social issues"

I realize that this particular discussion is about foreign cuisine and its deleterious effects on our society, but since you raise the topic here could you give your views on what these policies might be and how they might work?

My concerns are simple.

1. If we close our doors to foreigners, we would be faced with an immediate decision on what constitutes a foreigner.

2. If we decide we should deport all troublemakers, we would be faced with the task to decide what constitutes troublemaking.

3. If we decide that Australia should become monocultural, we would have to agree on what exactly that culture should look like.

It is so terribly easy to pontificate about Australia, and what it means to be Austrayan, and how people who don't toe the line should go find somewhere else - talkback radio is full of "ordinary" Austrayans telling us how we should live. Far more difficult is getting the law and the culture aligned to put it into practice - whatever "it" turns out to be.

Did you check out Mosley's "My Life", by the way? You will find that many, many of these arguments have been aired before, most recently in 1930s Europe. Those who promoted these views were highly intelligent, very articulate and persuasive people - far more so than the Flints and Stones of our small world.

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" George Santayana, The Life of Reason 1905

Oh Pericles, why didn't I pick up on that before "Flints and Stones". Having a great time of mirth. I mean; dinosaurs etc etc... sorry gettin a little carried away here.

It does appear that we are doomed to repeat history again and again . The issues you raised are way pertinent.

Who does decide what our culture is, who does decide what a foreigner is. I'm part Italian/Irish/French, but I was born here. So am I foreign because my parents were not born here? Where to draw the line indeed. If I disagree with the current gov.(which I do) should I be deported? Given the level of vitriol unleashed by those who fear anyone remotely different I sense that there is something to be gained from promoting fear and loathing. Is it about power?

Pericles, excellent post. (Xena.. also very useful)

This in fact 'is' the challenge. Defining 'Australian' culture.
I did some reading of the history of Annangrove (the Baulkam hills prayer centre matter) and its quite illuminating to see the names and backgrounds. All those places on the Windsor Road, which I used to traverse just about every weekend. They all have a history and families and 'old country'ness about them.

Without trying to answer in full all the points you raised, as the word limit won't allow.

I feel it should be realistic, compassionate, inclusive as far as practical. But my main guiding criteria would indeed be 'Judao Christian/Anglo European' in flavor.
I certainly don't as some seem to think advocate 'white' as a criteria, I would be most happy to accomodate 'black' folk of a similar outlook. Having lived with, married into and moved among another (Indigenous) race of Borneo, my respect and love is unbounded concerning race. (religion/ideologies are a different matter)

I would hope that civics classes/social studies could be a useful tool in undemonizing 'race' and promoting harmonious co-habitation, and ways of achieving such a goal would be extensive contact with organizations like Rotary/Lions/Churches etc, with specific action plans to extend our interaction with non traditional social circles.

In all of this, I still believe that it is very much in the interests of the country, to maintain strict control over the numbers, ethnicity, religion, even location if possible, of migrants such that the Anglo/Scottish/Irish/Euro (in that order too possibly) flavor of the racial mix was not upset too much, in terms of cohesian, compatability and stability.

People only react badly, to other races (apart from truly bigoted people) when they see trends which they percieve as threat, or out of control, when they are confronted with the existing idea that they were the 'majority' yet they are powerless to have any input or control over events which they perceive will disadvanage them.

Government should be able to act responsibly and benevolently even if it reflects a majority ethno/religious tradition. (as a hedge against extremist kneejerk reaction)

My post was as much about "how", Boaz, as about "what".

Even assuming we could agree on "what" our culture might be, how do you intend we should proceed to implement the mechanisms necessary to bring about your new society of like-minded folk?

Explain to me the process.

What would you do about people who, you decide, don't fit in with your ideals? Would you round them up and force them onto an outbound plane? Where would you send them? Would you use the armed forces? The police? Would you need the agreement of the governments on the other end of that journey?

How would you handle the task of tracking down those people that evaded capture? Would you hunt them down? If they resisted, would you shoot them?

Boaz, what I'm trying to say here is that your Utopian dream of a "Judao Christian/Anglo European" society is just that: a dream. All the burblings of all the Stones and Flints in all Australia cannot achieve anything - anything at all - except inflame tensions between different sections of society.

I can only concur with Pericles here - particularly his final para. Those who subscribe to the 'Flint-Stone' dinosaur ideology (that closely resembles the old White Australia policy) and exhort us in increasingly obdurate, if not downright offensive, terms to defend our 'culture' against the supposed Multicultural/Muslim menace, are actually much more of a threat to social cohesion than a few loony imams and their marginalised followers.

Pericles

Firstly..some housekeeping. Have you been receiving my emails from time to time ?

In my last, I requested you narrow the Mosley field a bit to something which shows the essence of the ideas you said “Have been tried before” in reference to him. I can’t wade through a ‘life’ just to find where they are mate.
What I read of his speeches, is indeed impressive, I can see why he scratched where people itched.

As to what would I do with those already here who don’t fit the neat profile of “acceptability”. (not quite the right question actually) Well, perhaps a read of the parable of the Good Samaritan is the best answer. Compassionate hearts, and not to have a “pass/fail” approach.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=49&chapter=10&version=31

The shaping of a definition of ‘Australian’ culture should not and could not be such a rigid thing as to fall purely on racial/color lines- it has to include our indigenous first people in it.
I hope that a key factor in a tying down of Aussie culture, would include some kind of reconciliatory aspects in regard to the indigenous.

The determining of a ‘prevailing’ cultural momentum, is not an impossible task. It would have to entail checks and balances to avoid a fascist or socialist outcome.

“HOW” ? research/education ! (See line 9 in previous post) Anthropologists, and historians, sociologists and theologians are trained in these matters. It might surprise you that I include Theologians, but knowing the way many secular trained proffessionals regard anything about ‘God’ they would be needed to counter any secular bigotry such as in the example below

I’ve often heard it said “There are no PEER REVIEWED examples of biologists/scientists supporting ‘Creation’” and one reason for this is pure bigotry, here is an example.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/18/AR2005081801680.html

GIAMAN.. have a holiday :) u need it u might be able to manage a smile when you return.
Are you actually claiming that to tighten up an understanding of Aussie culture is a threat to social harmony ? I sure hope not. How could it be ?