I am a second generation Australian from parents who migrated from Lebanon during the civil war.

My father (who had traveled to Australia a few years prior) had learnt the language, but my mother did not speak English.

They didn’t like it here, they felt isolated, unwanted and were counting down the days in hope for the war to end, so that they may return to the family and friends they left behind.

The war did not end, not for a while and so they inevitably found themselves beginning a life and raising a family in Australia.

My mother claims now that she could not live in Lebanon, her home is now Australia and has been for over 30 years. She speaks English and has actively contributed to the Australian workforce since 1977.

I am a Lebanese-Australian.

I was born in Australia and my love for this country and my respect for its Indigenous people, the strength of our colonial history and all those histories that have passed undocumented, I consider to make up my national identity.
My ancestral culture is equally as important to me, and when I visit Lebanon I also feel at home, even though I do not have a physical home there.

My story is only one of 20 million people living in Australia

National identity is not simple; it is not black and white. We do not need this over exaggerated push for ‘Australian national values’ in order for everyone to be able to get along. What sort of society can only operate when individuals have to share common cultural traits? We should have a policy that tries to emphasize ideologies of tolerance and understanding between all citizens despite their ancestry. We should embrace people’s stories and their individual complex national identities. It is a difficult thing to do I will agree with you there. But thank God we have multiculturalism which creates a framework for cultural growth alongside the mainstream Australian culture. This secondary growth of culture is the backbone of our great country.

The Multiculturalism debate is over. It's over in Europe, where most governments are setting up tough new rules to stop, in all honesty, Islamic migration.

This is not because Europeans are racist, but because a large number of Muslims are. I could go through a hundred thousand examples to show this, and we all watch the news, read the newspapers for ourselves.

For too long, multiculturalism has been used to ignore racist cultures with racist traditions, like not swimming in the same pool as infidel inferiors.

An interesting note about this was on the ABC Four Corners last night. It was about a radical Christian group called the Bretherin, where the journalist had absolutely no problem with highlighting the inferior status of women in this cult, and attitudes towards outsiders.

If I were a Muslim watching that program I would have been offended as it offended all the tenets of the Islamic religion, i.e, the inferior status of women, polygamy, child brides, and so on.

But it's alright to attack such barbaric morals if the person or group practicing them are white.

This represents weakness on the part of the left, who have exactly the same prejudices as everyone else, they are simply too squeamish to say it because they either think they are an animal, or some sort of disabled freak they feel sorry for.

This is why those on the left, who are far more class-conscious than the rest of us, looking down on the working class, uneducated class, go all out on say, Fred Nile, for his Christian beliefs regarding homosexuals.

Yet, and I must have hassled the organisers of the Mardi Gras, as well as other Gay groups, that they should issue statements condemning Muslim clerics that preach gays should be stoned to death.

Unfortunately though, such an attitude is an official aspect of the Islamic faith, so would cause trouble. Why no floats of two Gays dressed as clerics kissing, while holding some Lesbians in burqa's on leashes, occassionally whipping them for showing their ankles?

Cowards.

To claim that the portrayal and views of the Islamic faith is a 'protected' and taboo topic in terms of Left wing opinion, is a gross ignorance of the views of western media, both the conservative right and left.

The political circumstances in contemporary society are typically the powers of the West (E.g Coalition of the Willing) abusing a new manifestation of 'fear' that comes in the form of the Islamic terrorist and more popularily, the whole Islamic faith. In this context I will agree that the left wing political ideology does not agree with that of US western powers, and hence takes up the fight for those that are the target of Capitalist western nations.

But this is merely a situational poltical environment. It's not like Marx was an Islamic sympythiser?

Instead this constant blurring of politics and religion is creating further confusion, at a time when religion is being falsly used to conceal acts of violence on a mass scale.

Christianity does get bagged out by Lefties, absolutely I agree. But I reckon Islam gets a pretty bad wrap too, and it's not limited to the Govt. funded channels, after prime time (ABC AT 9PM) It's breaking news all the time

Jules 21,

"Instead this constant blurring of politics and religion is creating further confusion, at a time when religion is being falsly used to conceal acts of violence on a mass scale."

Do you know just how much of a disservice you have done to those moderate Muslims (the real ones, not those who parade as though they are but make bigoted, vile comments all the time) who are trying to reinterpret Islam to suit the 21st century?

Why is it that you say this? Have you read the Koran? Obviously not. Islam has much violence in it, this isn't debatable, this is factual. From Islamic scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to historians, to very prominent Muslim clerics (the Grand Mufti of Mecca Islamic enough for you?), all say Islam is violent.

Some say it in a historical sense, which is factual. All the mid-east was Christian once, then Islam came, and spread itself by the sword.

If you actually look into it, you find that many Muslims are perversly proud of that time, as it was the fastest growing empire of all time.

The only way Islam can move forward is if we support the reformers, who often end up headless as it is, but these people are extremely courageous, and get upset when they're hard work of trying to convince Muslims that Sharia is evil and was meant only for the time of Mohammed and not now, is reduced to a one liner from mostly non-Muslims who, true to their typically "all cultures are equal crap" say rubbish like, "Islam isn't violent".

All that hard work for nothing.

There are many such scholars, including women too, doing such vital work. They need our support.

By saying that they're cause isn't even true, not only reveals an incredible ignorance, it is plain wrong.

Dear Jules

I urge you to re-consider the terminology u used to describe your identity.

Lebanese.....Australian ?

Why not consider yourself "Australian" (first) of Lebanese ancestry.

I almost fear to point this out, but the terms 'Italian' Australian, 'Chinese' Australian, 'Lebanese' Australian.. even 'ANGLO'Australian are all racist.

Why do I say "racist" .. I don't mean that in a malicious way, or to be unkind. Its just that a label like that suggests (by its grammar) that the most important thing is to be "Lebanese" or..'Chinese' etc..

I doubt we would ever have heard the term 'Anglo' Aussies prior to Cronulla.

So, I call myself "Australian of Anglo/Scottish Ancestry"
If my ancestry is of interest to the enquirer. But basically I'm 'Australian' .... there is no need to add an 'ethnic' tag, unless, dare I say it, we regard out ethnicity as something 'special' ? :) as in... a tiny bit better than other ethnicities ?

The order of the words is important in what they convey. If we mention Ethnicity first, it automatically suggests we regard it as more important than our Australian-ness.

If you married outside your ethnic group (which would be a great thing) would you say your children are 'Lebanese/Chinese' (or some other) Australians ? or.. Lebanese/Anglo/Scot/Irish/Welsh Australian ?
(just say you married a girl with a diverse heritage)

Lets all be Aussies, and leave our particular ethnicity behind.
I married an Asian, and my daughter is marrying a half aussie/half Maori... to me they are all aussies. Race does not matter.

Dear Agnes

you said:

My source for 65% of Australian's having non-Australian ancestry is http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/popflows2003-4/index.htm
Since when did English and Irish come close enough to being Australian?

Umm...since colonization.

Like this.

1/ 'Australian' in the first instance of course is our indigenous people
2/ Then, by virtue of history and colonization, 'Australia' the nation was born. The racial stock of which came mostly from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
3/ From these groups, came one group "Australian"
4/ "Non Australian" ancestry can only refer to those outside that loosely grouped set of point 3. Such as those arriving from European countries post 1945, otherwise it seems meaningless.

5/ With migration, we have 'new' Australians, from various ethnicities and cultures. But they came to an existing culture and they came presumably not to indulge in cultural imperialism :) Rather, to embrace that to which they were invited, and seek to fit in as best they could and thereafter identifying as 'Australians'

Now, with many many ethnic groups here, but still, when all of them are added, not accounting for more than 30% of the total population, it seems strange to have a policy of 'multi' culturalism.
'Australia' came to be out of 4 major caucasian cultures, but they did become 'one'.

Now, I hope to see intermarraige, between Traditional Australians and Asians, Greeks, Italians,Middle Eastern and a gradual but definite dissappearance of 'non' Australian cultures and races and the emergence of a more homogenous "Australian" race which includes genes from all migrant groups. This is suggestive that no particular race is 'superior'and that all are 'compatable'. I did it, (Asian wife) my daughter is doing it. (Caucasian/Maori husband)

In fact, I would like to see all 'chinese' blend/breed into the mainstream genepool as well.

In the process, I'm sure that the outcome will be a richer, more colourful, harmonious society.. to seek otherwise would be racist :)