Leigh,

Thank you for declaring your hostile position with honesty. I support some of your arguments although for some politicians and media reps to single out Muslims is an intellectual dishonesty.

In a decade of living in Australia, I have seen asians who can speak only their language and associate with their religion more than Muslims (take Australian Hindus for example). Australian Jews associate with their religion and rarely marry or date outside their religion for example.
It appears some politicians can't survive without creating an enemy whether its real or fiction. You can't scare people of two things and Muslims are the chosen ones to be the boogy man.

Peace,

One would hope that the requirements for citizenship, namely speaking and reading English will enable the females of all religions and ethnicities an opportunity to feel as though they are part of the new community they are joining, not isolated outcasts. It seems to me that all violence done in the name of religion is a male oriented condition. Their womenfolk are not permitted a voice, and as women are half (or thereabouts) of the population, there is a fair chance that if these women were allowed an education and therefore a voice they would have an equal ability to influence their children's attitudes which in turn could hopefully be the beginning of a better sense of understanding, acceptance and moderation in terms of their assimilation into the Australian community (or any other country that they re-locate to).

Why do journalists,and others consider Australia a Multicultural country.
They obviously have not travelled more than six miles from the Sydney or Melbourne GPO.
Australia is a very mono cultural country,travelling around the country(Bush.) English is spoken everywhere.Signage is only in English,or should I say Australian.
Steve Irwin,Brocky,only speak English.Unlike Canadians,Swiss,Lebanese,Indian,Parkistani's who usally speak fluently in two, three or four languages,and worship different religions they are what I might consider Multicultural counties.
Eating Chinese or Indian food does not turn the population into a Multicultural society.
I like spaggetti,does that mean I have become Italian or Multicultural.
Go to any Pub on Saturday night throughout this land and you will not hear any other language spoken but English,unless a party of overseas backpakers have camped in town that night.
Yes,most Australian's will accept someone who prays to other God's,but when a woman walks down the street in a total covering robe eyes will turn and this is what is happening six miles from the G. P. O.

And Brock your point here is??

Like dags on the arse of a sheep most of us are in capital cities clinging to the coastline - where there are huge populations of migrants 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation - then we go to the major rural centres whci also have big numbers of migrants and their desendants -Shepparton, Griffiths, Woolongong etc -

No one lives in the bush - it is empty

And yes people look at people in Burkhas - the same way I cant get over staring at all of people who wear that red and black stuff promoting the Holden dealer team - so what!

Coach - you say they're not going to integrate because their culture is islam...

Fine. I'm accusing you of non integration. Australia's a secular society right? so be secular already.

Don't like that?

Then your hypocrisy is complete.

Go out and meet some of the muslims you denigrate. Ask them if they're Australian.

To speak English is necessary if the migrant wants employment, there is no way he/she will get an Australian job without it.
There are many ways of assimilating and for a start, do ask for privileges that other people do not have. As in special swimming pool times or shopping times for one set of immigrants only.
This is asking for a form of apartheid and is discriminatory and should never be permitted in this country.
If people think they are singled out for critisism above others, maybe they should be asking why. What is it ,perhaps in their personalities, their customs, their demands whatever, there must be a reason why they are singled out. and maybe they could change bad attitudes that are attracting that critisism.
Perhaps if they just settled down to an ordinary life like ordinary people , they would do better.