Themistocles, I read that article. It, like all the other criticisms of multiculturalism on this forum, is based on a misunderstanding of what multiculturalism means.

All the arguments I have seen on this page opposing multiculturalism are blaming it for the sins of a monocultural approach to life. Immigrants who don’t participate in Australian life and refusing to change or adapt in any way, are adopting a monocultural approach to life. It is quite wrong to blame multiculturalism for this.

Similarly, Australian citizens who expect every new arrival to act like a walking tabula rasa and don’t want Australian society to change in any way, are adopting a monocultural approach to life. It is quite wrong to blame multiculturalism for this.

The government line from that article you recommended puts it neatly: "essential for a successful multicultural society were social cohesion; respect for cultural identity and awareness of Australian’s cultural diversity; equal opportunity and access for all Australians; and equal responsibility for, commitment to, and participation in Australian Society".

In a multicultural society, that is what all Australians do, whether they are longstanding citizens, or new arrivals. If they don’t, then they are living a monocultural life. It is quite wrong to blame multiculturalism for this.

Meanwhile, Benjamin seems confused. He doesn't think it's right for people to call themselves "Greek-Australians", but in the next breath he talks about "white European Australians" as being some sort of cultural yardstick. Well, Benjamin, ignoring the contradiction, I can only point out, again, that "European Australian" doesn’t include the descendents of English, Welsh, Scots or Irish, since they wouldn't describe themselves as European. Is this what you had in mind?

Benjamin I’ve met any number of migrants who consider Australia their real country, including my grandparents. And I’ve met many Australians of English, Scots and Welsh descent who take an each-way bet in international sports matches. Benjamin, this might come as a shock to you, but it is customary at an international sporting match for more than one nation’s flag to be visible. Thank goodness you don’t run the World Cup.

Answer to Ronnie Peter's question:
“To those who assert that multiculturalism was imposed - aren't you the same people who talk of mandates, democracy and silent majority when it suits your position on other issues?”

No.

Further to your comments on discrimination: discrimination always works both ways. To uphold a supposed victim of discrimination is to deny another’s freedom to choose.

Mercurius,
How can anyone blame multiculturalism when it can’t do anything on its own? You are just nit-picking. Only the people that are part of it can make or break it. Multiculturalism is just another “ism” - a utopian dream that will never truly work. The evidence around the world suggests that monocultures provide more social order and stability, but all systems are attended with their own advantages and disadvantages. Apart from a greater variety of food and restaurants, multiculturalism has unfortunately made Australian society less safe, more violent and chaotic. Humans are social creatures for whom belonging to an identifiable group is an important part of living. The barriers of language, religion and culture do not make it easy to become part of or even understand foreign cultures. There will always be dissenters and discrimination on both sides. The fact is we have it, like or lump it; so short of getting a Hitler style dictator to perform “cultural cleansing”, we just have to get along with each other.

Benjamin said it all. Hurrah for a politically incorrect truthful poster.
If a migrant begs to come to Australia because his/her country is so bad ,why then turn around a say,"I do not like Australian law, language,lifestyle,religion,dress or anything at all, I want to live like I did in my own country with the same laws,language and traditions I was born into".
Why not send that person/s back to homeland he/she has never mentally left?
Why should Australians tolerate these aliens who live in our pockets?
Why should we support a leech like that?

Can I just point out to Mecurious that Brazil (and many Latin American countries - though many are bicultural) is more ethnically diverse than the US, and is fraught with poverty and instability. Why hasn’t ethnic diversity turned Brazil into a superpower? What about South Africa?

Your inclusion of China as "a mosaic of various ethnic groups and cultures" is perplexing. China essentially monocultural with the Han ethnic group comprising 92% (out of 1.3 billion people) of the population. More to the point the examples you chose comprise of mostly of countries with various ethnicities from similar and compatible cultures which has made them ‘stronger’.

And to Ronnie Peters, who should the mono-culturalist’s vote for? Labour or Liberal?

Robg says: “… discrimination always works both ways. To uphold a supposed victim of discrimination is to deny another’s freedom to choose.” Deny another’s freedom to choose what? To discriminate unfairly?

Let us go back to the Universities of the USA. The racists’ freedom to choose to discriminate against Afro Americans who wanted to attend university denied Afro-Americans their freedom to choose to partake in a process that would help them achieve their potential as an individual. That is undemocratic. Just as it is unfair to discriminate against a person of ability because they are, for instance, overweight.

Robg says “No” to my question re: mandate and democratically elected people.
In a democracy we must have the freedom to choose, within reason, the culture that our authentic selves feels the most aligned with. Now the members I voted for are democratically elected and have similar beliefs - so what are you saying Robg? Do you disagree with the voters’ choices or democracy?

Robg you want a monoculture? Scary. Any push towards a monoculture is necessarily a push away from democracy and the rights of the individual, especially, the freedom to choose the lifestyle or the group they engage with.

The Catholic Church of old is an extreme example of a monoculture. Those who differed in opinion were tried as heretics. There was one way to live and one set of rules to follow- that is monoculturalism. Now the heretics by challenging the orthodoxies of the day saved Christianity. We have a fairly robust pluralistic Christian community. One could say it is multicultural in that it allows for differences in beliefs and ceremonies etc. Consider other attempts at monoculture (communism) in the Soviet Union and “One Idea” or “Volkish Philosphy” in Nazi Germany. Monoculture doesn’t allow for individual differences and is bound to end in chaos and undermine democracy.

The very fact that you are freely challenging the orthodoxies of multiculturalism is an argument for multiculturalism – thank you. Do want to live in a monoculture where dissent usually ends up being squashed or outlawed?

Ronnie..first of all welcome to OLO...I've not seen your posts before this.

Regarding the examples used in your last post to examine how upholding a victims rights denies another his.

Better examples should be used which are closer to home.

Muslim culture prohibits non related males from bathing mixed with female Muslims. So, at Cronulla, Muslim males cordoned off the Rock Pools bathing area at times and prevented 'white skips' from sharing the facility. Thats the kind of thing meant. 'Respecting' Muslim culture in this case, would be to deny the free use of a public facility by others.

Then my favorite. The infamous "Ham Sandwich Affair" in Melbourne.

-Muslim Mayor of Hume shire.
-13% Muslims rate payers.
-Mayor decides to remove ham from council menus' at public functions to prevent alienating Muslims.
-Public is OUTRAGED at being discrimated against in terms of food preference.

Instead of simply providing a table of Halal food, the mayor discriminated against all non Muslims.

These are the areas of cultural clash, where respecting one culture is to deny another its freedom.
In such cases, we have to appeal to 'The predominant' culture which prevails in a country. In Australia, we have one, and it includes eating ham sambos. So, out of courtesy, other cultures should adapt and adjust to ours.

We shake hands with males and females. Its our culture. Don't deny us the right to practice it when introduced to Muslims who don't allow physical contact between women and non relations. To do so is to discriminate against us.
Just imagine if our PM went to New Zealand, and then to a major Maori cultural event, where he is expected to rub noses with the host. He recoils in horror..eeeeuuuwwww yuk... no WAY will I rub my NOSE against his.... and so it goes on.
When in Rome....