Muslim immigrants have never wanted to be part of Australia. Their country is Islam. I say this not out of hate but only how I perceive the situation.

Aha! Keith Kennelly is really Keith the Poster having two bites at the cherry. This explains his presumptuous, unsubstantiated and unschooled little piece.

Compared with the bios of other contributors, “Keith Kennelly was naturalised Australian in 1984” somehow doesn’t give readers the confidence that the writer is qualified to expound on any subject, including multiculturalism. Keith just gets a free kick.

Good luck to him. But he should stick to posting. A writer and informed expert on his subject he definitely is not.

Hi All

Mickijo (posted 3:02:39 PM 30/1/06)
Absolutely! The NSW Health Budget constraints affected 2 of my friends. Westmead (Sydney) Oncology had a $2m shortfall. They got the Chemotherapy but were discharged early.

Coach (posted 3:07:39 PM 30/1/06)
Thanks for defending Fred. I'm amazed at how many other so-called Christian politicians voted to lower "the age of consent" for sodomy - refer Hansard.
I don't always agree with Fred, but he's 'solid' - unlike 'whimpy' nominal Christians who criticise him.

Keith (posted 3:12:25 PM 30/1/06)
Mark DURIE is very skilled & insightful. NOT inciteful.

MichaelK (post 5:28:15 PM 30/1/06)
Please don't just give up. Fight against what you dislike. We need you.

Verdant (post 6:41:33 PM 30/1/06)
The verdict about multiculturalism is still 'out'. Gradually more people are beginning to realise its folly. But the "spin doctors" who espouse its virtues will continue to give it praise - they've help build the bureaucracy, the AMF, with its doctrines of misinformation.
The media rarely reports the truth. Many from overseas don't believe what's printed. Thousands still want to immigrate.
PC is a definite problem. We must oppose it. Tolerance to must become objective not subjective.

BOAZ_David (post 7:09:33 PM 30/1/06)
That Aziza Abdel-Halim thoughts or utterances should be in contravention of her own religious doctrines should come as no surprise. 1 Hadith 301 & 3 Hadith 826 explain Islamic demeaning of women succinctly. They are deficient in "intelligence", "religion" & "gratitude". Further, Ali quotes Muhammad as having said: "Women have 10 'awrat (external genitals). When she gets married her husgand covers one, & when she dies the grave covers all 10." 22 Hadith 858 & Vo 11Kitab Adab al-Nikah, p 65.
This, & others in support, are consider 'hassan' (approved) & 'sahih' (faultless).

Blessed (post 7:14:36 PM 30/1/06)
I don't wish to sound rude, but which part of the word "multicultural" didn't you understand? By definition 'multiculturalism' must be evolving in favour of those who are being added to the population - & doesn't favour the natural birthrate of 1.7. It must therefore be biased towards migrants.

Cheers all

This piece has attracted the usual small group of ratbags on their anti-immigration, anti-muslim rants. Really, these people both miss the point of the article and misunderstand multiculturalism, probably wilfully. Redneck, if you take the same jaundiced view of any group of people in Australia as you have, be they non- anglo migrants or generations-old anglo descendents, you could compile a similar list of the group's failures and shortcomings to yours, but you would only do so if you were prejudiced and wanted to put them down. It proves nothing to come up with a list like that. I could come up with a list of achievements and positive contributions that migrants have made. Such a list may support the immigration policy, but that is not the same as the multiculturalism in any case. Multiculturalism hasn't failed, it's just that such a policy cannot completely overcome prejudice and xenophobia.

Littleagreeable buddy, yours is the only post that contains any insights but your messages were truncated and garbled. Could you re-post and explain your experiences in more legible English?

No better life without a HIGHER income - no solution if segregation and devision on biological merits rules job market. Religious hatred is following. Mutual hatred.

Keith, Good on you for having a go! It reads well, - with an exception of your post to Ev. (Monday, 30 January 2006 3:12:25 PM)

• “the glaring exception must be the integration of Islam, since Islam is fundamentally opposed to the Australian nation. The self-proclaimed purpose of Islam is to establish a global, all-powerful Islamic state.'

• In the conclusion of my article I stated:
• 'I have concluded the above definition suits my multiculturalism and reflects the multiculturalism of most, but not all, Australians'
• The use of 'most, but not all' was alluding to exactly your conclusion.
• I have previously asked Muslim contributors to Online Opinion to supply their definition of Multi-culturalism. None has been forthcoming.”

I'd hardly call asking a few Muslim contributors to OLO representative of all Muslims - or rigorous research into deciphering what Muslims think multi-culturalism is - or is not.

And where would you have positioned their opinions in this article?

I doubt anyone would want to give opinions to you (are you a journalist?) to have them trampled over for a few cheap points.

While that good old trick of proclaiming ‘they didn’t respond to our inquiries’ is used by journo’s all the time (mostly on politicians) to reveal their guilt and avoidance- it just didn’t work for you. In fact it detracted from your overall approach to the topic.

And so one is left to ponder whether the objective of your piece was a means by which you (and Ev) could have a solipsistic little spray at Islam? I don't think it was, but it sure looks that way now.

PS. And you gotta get over your little chat with Dirk. While the exchange was interesting it was hardly an intellectual/academic fight to the death that changed the world forever. Regards. Rainier