I agree with the misuse of the word "multi-culturalism". Meaningless

Bring on the words "multi-racialism" and "racial segregation".. "
The "lebanese" as you call them have for arguments sake 20% of their cultural differences stemming from heritage, and 80% from the effects of racial segregation.

And silent majority? Silent? Majority? For now..

Freidriche, Listen sport - you say that the only good leftie is a dead one. I have been tagged as a leftie so many times that I am starting to think that the left is the best.

Access to schooling for all, access to health care, comunication systems, their anti-racist stand - look the list of outstanding and good things that those that are regarded as left has done is outstanding.

I used to know a socialist. His mates where he worked would always say (from memory): "Yeah he's a redrag, but he is one of the good socialists." Hey Pat! Still singing those old Guthrie tunes. Respect ya' mate.

Why that mob (the left) have done so much good that some people even argue that Jesus was the first socialist.

Of course, Hitler's National Socialist wanted some of those things, but there was some contions. You had to be a fascist and support the murder of Jews, homosexuals, union folk, communists, Marxists and non-Aryans. You had support (or be indifferent) to the invasion other lands to house or feed those from the Fatherland. You had to hate parliamentary democracy and resign yourselves to Hitler's dictorship. You had to loathe political correctness. And of course you had to be a racist and rationalise all the inhumanity under Nazi control.

Now listen Freidriche, I think Santa is nice and kind. So please don't wish Santa dead. You see he has long hair, a big bushy beard and wears a red suit. According to the rights logic, he must be a communist?

Reason, I heard that a young fella was jailed for four months for carrying a weapon (a tree branch). I think that that is too harsh and isn't going to help him see sense. If anything, he will come out knowing how to deal with the police and that there are many ways to hurt folk. I was shown how to inconspicuously kill a person in a crowd whilst in jail.
Nevertheless, there is little police can do in most situations of bullying. For instance: I suggested that certain behaviour of local thugs in my area needed to be nipped in the butt before it escalates. My thinking was that every time that the thugs got away with something it would not only embolden them - but others as well. I think that this is the national situation. The police officer's response was - yes I agree but the police are limited in what they can do. They can't even go and talk it through. I was told to carry a tape recorder.

Reason. I like certain aspects of some wild subcultures. One thing I hate (yes I do hate) is the hate directed at good police. I have been in a watch house and seen first hand what police endure. It is shameful that anyone should treat another group of people (the police) the way some do. Not saying all police are angels - some of them are common thugs.

However, that police officer on the train did a good job of protecting a citizen. It didn't matter to him whether the victim was black, white, Muslim, Christian or any of those artifical things imposed over others humanity and citizenry. Constable Care dug his heals in and did the service proud.
The thing is this is often the lot of police officers. To quote a police officer (from memory). "I am too tired today for that. I have been wrestling drunks in the back of a patrol car all night. Just too stuffed to play. Tell the guys I'll be there next week." (Standing in the shadows of giants).

Rancitus

Your assertions re free schooling, access to health care, access/development of the communications system, and the insuinuation the anti-racist stand being the preserve of the leftie do-gooders is not correct.

Free schooling was initiated in NSW by the churches.
A Government Select Committee (which) '... led, in 1848, to the establishment of two boards to control education in NSW - a Denominational School Board responsible for the distribution of government subsidies to church schools; and a Board of National Education charged with establishing a separate system of public schools and teacher training.'
http://www.sag.org.au/ozsources/education.htm
The truth is our egalitarian heritage is clearly visible and to add to the image that egalitarianism was evident again in 1919 when
'The NSW Teachers Federation held it's first conference ...'
http://www.nswtf.org.au/about/history2.html

Access to health care. NSW again. I am unable to copy and paste from the article so I will give a brief synopsis from parts of
'A History of Medical Administration in New South Wales 1788-1973' by Dr C.J. Cummins, who was Director-General of Public Health from 1959 to 1975.
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/history/med_admin/

Initially public health care was in the hands of private charitable organisations. In 1862 the Government took over some of those and run them under the title 'Board of Government asylums for the Imfirm and the Destitute'. That proved unsatisfactory. The point is the history was of true egalitarianism not leftie dogooding. The other major impetus to public health care was the Sydney Dispensary/Infirmary, a private charity. The donars were a list of the colony's elite capitalists. Medical services were given free by Doctors of the day. The care was free of charge. The formation of government controlled Public Heath Care occurred with Government taking over inspection and financial control of many institutions following the Second Royal Commisssion into Charities in 1888-89.
Egalitarianism at it's very best.

By communications system I think you mean post office, telephone, the print media, radio and tv.

I'm pleased to totally refute the leftie misinformation.

'From the earliest days of European settlement in Australia, communication services have been seen as the almost exclusive responsibility of government... until 1832, when Tasmania established the first post office as a Government Department...This began a pattern that was to dominate the communication industry for the next 150 years - almost complete government control of Australia’s communications services.'

http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/b6c38acb7d28699cca2569de0028de97?OpenDocument
Australian Bureau of Statistics Yearbook 2001.

Utterly all the work of egalitarians.

Finally the leftie's anti racist stand.

WHITE AUSTRALIA POLICY.

Instigated by members of our first federal parliament intent on protecting the wages and condition of the workers of this country who feared an avalanche of Asian migration. Many of those MPs went on to became members of the AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY.
The White Australia Policy was dismantled over a period of time in the 1950's and 60's as a result of the actions of Percy Spender, R.G.Casey and Harold Holt. Holt finally abolished the act when he became PM. They were all Liberals and ... egalitarian.

To be fair lefties in this country have contributed greatly to our systems of public education, public health care, extensive communications system, and have belatedly adopted anti-racist attitudes.
But so have the capitalists, liberals, nationalists, conservatives, greens, democrats and numerous independant individuals in this country over the past 200 odd years. I'd go so far as to claim the capitalists, liberals, conservatives and independants actually led and still lead the way. :-)

These substantiated facts will surprise your mate.

Laterly we have seen the view you've expressed become quite common. It insinuates all the social advances in our society were and are carried out by only lefties. There is an invidious trend to equate egalitarianism with leftist ideals. It insinuates only lefties developed, fostered and care about the future our egalitarian institutions and values.

Egalitarianism runs much more broadly and deepely in Australian Society than leftism ever did.

Yep I couldn't sleep and was really really bored...

Good posts Keith,
I'll take history in your class any day.