T800 - I did not quantify the number of immigrants who lobbied for multi culturalism - I was not wrong - you made the wrong assumption:

I have been wrong before - I recall in 1977, it was in May I think.

I just said "immigrants" .

Lopez's analysis is far from revelatory - thats how most policy positon are adopted in liberal democracies - and ours is a fine example of a multicultural one at that.

And sadly many well meaning but misguided people who opposed to MCism are labelled unfairly as rascists - but a great many rascists hide behind that fact as well (see how even handed and level headed I am)

I am still troubled by the notion of our "culture" being corrupted by outside influences - to ward this off what do those who quake in their boots about this inevitabiltiy propose to do? - no one has answered me that - Stop immigration? what about those that are here? what about people like me who will foster the blossoming of other cultures in our midst?

We are knee deep in a multicultural omellete - how do you suggest we get the eggs back in their shells?

Do we cocoon ourselves in the hope we stay just the way we are?

Hamlet,

Okay, as a 'white' person can I claim the same rights of other minorities against my culture being corrupted by outside influences?

Yes I suppose you can, but I've yet to read any research that outlines exactly what your culture is. Perhaps its because white people have never had to explain their culture to anyone, at least on a daily basis and because their survival and navigation of society does not depend on this never ending explanations about your culture?

But guess what I can. Here are some observations from me about your culture:

-Your culture means you can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of your race most of the time.

-You can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of your race widely represented.

-When you are told about your national heritage and about "civilization," you are shown that people of your colour made it what it is.

-When you use cheques, credit cards or cash, you can count on your skin colour not to work against the appearance of being a financial reliability.

-You don’t have to educate your children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.

-You can speak in public to a powerful male group without your race on trial.

-You can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to your race.

Rainier, my culture is simple, so simple that you cannot recognise it, as you only see cultures in terms of rites, and cultural practices, lore and oral history..

'My culture' involves an amalgam of the Enlightenment Project, the Reformation, Renaissance, Democracy and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (not rites!) with a dash of the Greek classics and a collective memory of the Roman Empire. It doesn't include having to conform with what elders tell me to do, it doesn't involve having non-elected representatives.

It involves freedom of choice in relationships, freedom of association and freedom of religion. Freedom of speech and equality before the law.

The basis of 'my culture' is the cult of the individual rather than the glorification of concepts and ideas that maintain power and privilege in the hands of certain cultural leaders.

In fact, the exercise of 'multiculturalism' seems to be in direct contradiction with the before mentioned Declaration of Human Rights, which talks about the individual rather than groups.

For instance: Article 16 (2): (2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

is directly against arranged marriages against the will or desire of the participants, so common in so many non-western cultures.

In fact, there has been denunciation of the Declaration as a form of cultural imperialism by the West, as it focuses on the rights of the individual rather than the group.

So, does what I have written give you some idea of 'my culture'?

pete, Pete, pete...

I don't believe I've ever mentioned "corruption" and I'm certainly not fearful.

As for my culture it's the Australian one many of your fellow travellers seem to deny exists.

Oh and BTW it changes over time too. My culture can trace it's roots and influences back tens of thousands of years as can most cultures.

Since Australia has a culture of it's own why do you suppose it requires multiculti as a policy?

How do we unscramble the egg... well we change policy. I prefer going back to Integration. I prefer people who migrate to Australia being Australians and living the Australian culture. Why else would they migrate and become Australian?

Surely if they considered themselves still... "Lebanese" shall we say... they would not require citizenship and perhaps would even prefer to live in Lebanon.

There is a lot that can be done to wind back this hugely expensive and flawed social policy.

Those people not willing to become Australians under the new policy of Integration can always migrate Pete or if they are O/S they can stay there. After all if they were fair-dinkum in the first place wouldn't they have integrated to begin with? It took over 30 years to get us in this mess and I'm willing to wait 30 more to get out of it.

Privatise SBS.

Huge savings from not propping up Multiculti and it's associated bureacracy and ngos etc, etc, etc.... the list goes on.. and on and on.

My parents came from a non-english background. My father learnt english, but still has an accent, my mother has a basic knowledge of english.
They have both have worked hard and contribiuted to Australia. They taught their children proper ethics, values and the difference right from wrong. They always supported strong work ethics and respect for others. They did not need a test to enter the country, but sometimes needed some translating services. They know who they are voting instead of being dragged by the nose like cattle and they always obey the laws of Australia.
My parents still visit the old country to see family and old friends but call Australia home. My mother always said that Australia always had the best wool in the world, good doctors, a bit expensive like meat and vegetables but it's a beautifull country in her broken english, but still wants her kids to remember their heratige but follow Australian values.
When I help raise money for charitable causes, she cooks her "koulouria and tyropites" and sells raffle tickets to her friends.Many times we were called "wogs" and have some fight scars to prove it. But still I am proud to be an Australian of greek heratige that supports "Souths".
What I am trying to say is that you live in Australia and should care about your "home" if there is something wrong try to fix it the proper way. Integrade but don't forget who you are and offer the "best of you" to your country.
The greeks have two words for country "hora" which means country but discribes the land and "ethnos" which means country as a nation, as "ONE" as a "Whole" under one flag.
Tests can be cheated, pasports can be faked, politicians can make laws, but feeling proud to be part of of "whole nation", one flag, is to be an Australian.

bus303,
Well said. I know of many migrants just like your parents, some of whom became successful business people because of their hard work and commitment to this country. They recognized Australia gave them the opportunity to be successful and the safety to raise their children. They also were prepared to forego some of their old culture to fit into the new. I have nothing but admiration for such migrants as I have of mine four generations ago.

Like most Australians, I don't care at all about a persons ethnicity, it is their willingness to be part of our community that is the important matter. They do not have to reject their old culture and heritage, but meet us part way through integration.

The people I have a problem with are those that are inflexable and want us to change our customs to always suit them.