Ben, can you email me ? jdrmot@tpg.com.au

Davo.. be nice to touch base with you also mate.

I'd like to discuss some things with you guys further.

Rainier, I'd like to dialogue with you also if possible.

You would do a lot better by engaging the issue :)

Boaz, sounds like you're desperate for a dinner party. I'm sure David Flint will bring the nasi goreng and the nachos. For the poster that grew up in Cabramatta, do you think that racism is a horrible trait that is preserved for anglos only? That only we should be privy to it? Start scoring points against every race that has been introduced into Aust and it's not working because they aren't embracing thongs and barbies? If you were living in France I'm sure you would embrace their culture totally and eschew your political, emotional et al roots to Australia? Learn the language, wave their flag, vote Chirac, dress in Chanel? Nah, bet you'd still be walking down the Champs Elysee with your ugh boots and flannelette shirt listening to Cold Chisel. And wouldn't know your camembert from your Kraft.

If people that come to live in Australia find it hard to assimilate, it may possibly have to do with the way we have not exactly made them feel comfortable, as much as the baggage they have brought with them. Making any visitor feel welcome is more than a Centrelink payment, it's how we treat them on the street. In the last few years, this is sadly lacking.

What would you do Di if you moved to France? Would you learn to speak French? Would you try to embrace their culture whilst still retaining your cultural roots? Ask yourself the question and give yourself a truthful answer. I know I would and I suspect that you would as well. Why is that? Probably because we are tolerant people who want to mix with our new society and be successful there. We are probably people who embrace diversity and have genuine respect for the cultures of others. We probably believe that the French culture has many positive and precious aspects that we would want to share in.
Why is that good for us, yet to much to expect from others? You belittle one poster for saying that he would probably be wandering around Paris wearing a flanno and listening to Cold Chisel, (and probably eating a Sao with coon and vegemite), but a Muslim doing exactly the same thing in this country is fine by you. Intolerant of an Aussie in Paris, tolerant of an Iraqi in Sydney.
If you're going to be a compassion junky please drop the hypocrasy. Selective compassion is an insidious form of discrimination.
The same goes to good old Rainier. Look outside your University windows sometimes and you'll see a big wide world with problems that have to be solved in practical ways. We've all seen where your "feel-good" solutions have led us.

I'm particularly intrigued by the fragrant professor's use of the word "elite", which appears no fewer than nine times. Who, I wonder, does he consider to be "elite"? Is it simply shorthand for "people who disagree with me", or "people who don't agree with the ranters on talk-back radio"? Strikes me that given Prof. Flint's background and career, he would nine times out of ten be considered "elite" by those people he is appealing to in this article. As it happens, I walked past him on the Wynyard concourse a week or so ago, and thought to myself, there goes a fully paid-up member of the metropolitan elite...

But of course, we are in dog-whistle territory here, and boy, aren't those curs a-howlin'

Congratulations professor. Another piece of subtle rabble-rousing, perfectly pitched to the racist ear. I recall my late grandfather telling me of the powerful, and intellectually appealing, rhetoric of Oswald Mosley during the thirties in East London. He (my grandpappy, that is) was a paid-up brownshirt for a while, and knew whereof he spoke, first hand. All this incitement to hatred stuff, neatly disguised as pseudo-intellectual twaddle, is eerily familiar.

Discussing multiculturalism and immigration is one thing but Proffessor Flint ranting about elites has set my alarm bells ringing.

Are these elites as in the "Protocoles of the Elders of Zion" David? Or are they mysterious powerholders who manipulate public opinion for the self benefit of an invisible oligarchy?

Either way I suggest here that Proffesor Flint is trying to get ordinary Australians to feel that they have been cunningly manipulated by invisible but despicable forces. To what end? We have only to look at history.

Dear Di,
I think you actually BELIEVED those Paul Hogan tourist promo ads about 'what we are like':)

A lesson in Culture:

AUSSIE

Goes to neighbour, "Hey Bill, can I borrow your shovel mate" ?
Neighbour "sure, no worries pal, its beside the shed"

ASIAN

"Hi Bill-san, hows things ?.. the rife ? the kids ? Chickens ? I hear so and so caught a pig yesterday... woffle woffle... (just about to go... turns) Oh.. by the way... could I borrow your shovel for a while ?"

AUSSIE (meeting a stranger) "Hi there, nice to meet you.. whats your NAME" ?

ASIAN "err.. Karen.. (person known to you) .. see that person (new person) over there ?...(yep).. what's his name ?"

AUSSIE You arrive at a friends place, one family offers you food, you joyfully partake, have a good filling, and are bloated.

ASIAN You arrive at the village, one family offers you food, you take a SMALL sample, when the next family invites you, u gratefully accept, go to their place, have a sample... then the next family invites you.. and so on :)

Are you getting it yet Di ? We have to adjust to the way things are done locally. We simply learn about the customs, and we adjust, just like I had to. Its not that hard. (but I won’t eat a pigs head :) though they did tell me in ‘missionary school” .. to pray “Lord, I’ll eat it, YOU keep it down” :)

AUSSIE Friend introduces a new couple from overseas, you shake his hand.. and HERS... "Welcome to Oz"

OTHER CULTURE "a couple is introduced, you shake his hand, but don't touch the womans “ But if they come to Aussieland, we shake BOTH hands. with no apology or 2nd thought because... shock horror... "its our culture" :)

This is what I ask of immigrants -adjustment to our ways. To do otherwise is bad manners and arrogant ethnocentricity. Di, please read Romans Chapter 12 I am happy to be scrutinized by it :)