Robg . For me the word culture means more than“: “the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another”

I would agree that for simplicity sake “the sum total ways of living… “ is adequate. I reject the idea of generational transference as people are known to reject aspects of their forebear’s culture or for that matter the dominant culture they are born into. I might add that I see no reason why culture can’t be an individual thing. I have confused nothing. You have misunderstood.

Multiculturalism is a moral high road. Yes that is my opinion. You state an obvious as if it is an affront. It is opinion and I have tried to explain why I hold it.

I don’t agree that homogeneity and multiculturalism are mutually exclusive. People get along when they want to and have to. Clearly define boundaries in relation to acceptable behaviours and respect those boundaries. There are no utopias possible so don’t be expecting too much. Having said that, if we can get on with each other with our differing ways then we can get on with others with a bit of live and let live.

I made it clear that heresy and criticism are a good. How do you get “untouchable” from that? I said we need more heretics that being “a person who offers too good a criticism of authorities.”

And this brings me to why I think people wrongly think multiculturalism is being imposed. It is being presented as an official belief systemrather than one that is inevitable result of individualistic people with spirit and an enabled free will living together in community.
It is also too close to the old church and state fusion which enforces cultural mores (like Islam does). However, I think that the government has identified the problems associated with society made of a diverse groups and is rightly trying to promote social cohesion.

Believe what you want while you still can. I think multiculturalism is a good.

Ronnie....
with all due respect, 'Culture' cannot be an individual thing. By definition it relates to goups. Pls refer some Anthropology.
Behavior...can be individual, but no individual in a group is separate from a culture.

"Clearly define boundaries in relation to acceptable behaviours and respect those boundaries."

EXACTLY !
and that is what most of us are on about. Our point is that the idea of "all cultures being treated with the same respect and tolerance" certainly makes a good sound bite but it is totally impractical.

Hence.. we have to have limits and boundaries which without question will curtail some cultures and facilitate others.

Food Laws is a good example.
The Muslim mayor of Hume shire in Melbourne tried to deny the 87% of non muslim residents the opportunity to partake of 'Ham'(haram) sandwiches at Council/Public functions. He caused community and STATEwide outrage at his discriminatory behaviour. He polarized the community and created anti muslim feelings bordering on actual violence. As the herald said in its headline about the Sheik,"HOW DARE YOU".

So, again, I re-state my view on the 'limits and boundaries' which you so conveniently articulated:

"Where a cultural clash occurs, the predominant culture must prevail"

Do we have a prevailing/predominant culture ? you BET we do, and it arises from the confluence of the races/cultures symbolized on the Union Jack. It is expressed so well in Dorothea McKella's poem "My Country"

So, when it comes to dress, food, customs such as greetings and farewells minority cultures must respect the majority culture.
If a Muslim couple are welcomed to the home of an Anglo person, the host will shake the hand of the man, and depending on the level of familiarity, will hug the wife possibly even giving her a kiss on her cheek, or if not familiar will shake her hand. That...is our custom, and it must be respected.

Even if we visit the home of a Muslim couple, they must realize that we are in Australia, and the same customs should prevail unless they want social aparthied.

BOAZ, read my earlier post, the racist Islamic youth councillor's name was FADHI RAHMAN, don't let SKHAN think you made it up.

Are there any Muslim leaders that don't have the personalities of the most vile conmen, used car-salesman?

How embarressing for Muslims (are you going to protest SKHAN?) that most Arab Muslims see nothing wrong with his comments.

Head of Arab radio 2ME said ALL LEBANESE MUSLIMS CONFIRMED IT.

Imagine if they made up 30% of our population instead of 3%.

Does anyone still not see why 100% of Muslim countries are redneck misoginstic dumps, full of paedophilia, crime, rape, decadence to the highest degree?

Does anybody doubt the superiority of the values the west lives by, that is, people, no matter their religion, race, are equal? As long as their views aren't redneck Nazi like, like so many Muslim values?

Read Tanveer Ahmed's article in the Australian (he's a Muslim too) about how many Muslim males think white women are sluts, inferior whores.

Like most of us who have lived out in the trenches didn't already know this?

I wonder why the Cronulla riots occurred?

The demons who brought out these backward third world cultures on mass will one day face treason trials...

Benjamin: "I wonder why the Cronulla riots occurred?"

Because a mob of racist thugs who think like you do, decided to express themselves illegally, violently and sociopathically.

Our society is, for better *and* worse, irreversibly multiculural. People from any identifiable social group who promote the kinds of ideas that you post here, or indeed ideas like those of boofheads like Sheik Hilaly, really don't seem to want to actually be part of the solutions to these kinds of problems.

Moreover, with only mild exaggeration - you *are* the problem.

Georgina

Your views truly reflect what your surname decrees-you are a child (poulos)of the people (demos.)

I agree that to be at ease with the multicultural demos the individual must accept not just tolerate, appreciate and permit the free practise of diversity in culture.

I applaud your taunt to all -go on be different while looking out and respectingthe difference in others.

For me the quintessential moment for all Australians and our identifying moment is the celebration of the afternoon tea so magnificently described by George Johnston in "My Brother Jack"-lamingtons, vanilla slices, the sponge cake, pavlova...

If he wrote the book today would he have added the baklava, the mille fieulle, the canoli?

Snowflake

C.J. and Snowy

could you please respond to this ?

Where we have different cultures mixing. Where most people (as it will usually be) are of Anglo background and custom, but a few are present from a different one, and a situation arises where the culture of some members present, is in direct opposition to that of the Anglos as they circulate and interact.

Should the predominant culture submit to the new, or the other way round ? Lets say something simple like an introduction... a Muslim couple are introduced to the manager or something.
Should the Muslim man say "Hey wait a minute..don't shake my wifes hand, thats not Islamic"....or.... ?

Remember now, if we went to Arabia, we would be expected NOT to shake any females hand, and I see no problem with complying with that cultural expectation in 'their' country.

Situation 2.
I goto New Zealand. I am visiting a Maori village. It is customary for visitors to be greeted by rubbing noses. Should they submit to MY culture or me to theirs ?

Situation 3. We Aussies visit a village of my wifes people. They keep on filling up our milo cup no matter how much we protest. We find out that the cultural way is to put our hand over the cup when they next come to fill it... do we comply or just get frustrated at the cup being filled aaaaaa-gain. ?

Curious :) (can't wait)