I think it is the people who want to force their monoculture onto people. You just have to scan the net to see all the groups who regard their culture and that ideology, religion etc that informs it as the only way and get into negative politicking against different others.

Aqvarivs says: “Thanks to our multicultural educators we have blind acceptance of the often repeated lie rather than discriminate thinking.” What “lie” are you talking about ? How can readers make sense and consider unless you say who has lied and what the lie is. Discriminate thinking is a necessity in a multicultural society: where as, in a monoculture it is all thought out for you.

I’ll be voting for a candidate who has the sense and energy to balance the needs of every culture because this develops social cohesion. We must not deny the right of people to live authentically and choose their culture. I think multiculturalism is far better than Aqvarivs ‘ Marxist – like monoculture.

Aqvaravs, Nothing wrong with “them and us” living together. Difference is good and it cannot realistically be other than multicultural unless fascism makes a comeback.

You say: “ It (multiculturalism) pits one ethnic group against the other..” No it doesn’t - the monoculturalists do that - multiculturalism recognises and respects the various aspects of others’ cultures which in turn helps with social cohesion.

You say: “Integration is incorporation as equals into society, culture and ethnicity are still respected but no longer social identifiers as they are with multiculturalism.” The first part is marxist and the second clause is another clear contradiction. If you really respect culture and ethnicity , why would disregard these “identifiers”? In Australian culture which is multicultural – most seem proud of their ethnicity and culture. It is what makes us Aussie. Why hide it away? All sorts of things identify one with a culture and often people go out of their way to mark themselves off from others. It is this openness that indicates respect for the other – not forced subservience to an other’s ideal.

Don’t get me wrong, I like diversity, but what I’m going to miss one day is natural diversity. When I go to the hot plains of Africa I want to see tall thin black Africans, and when I go to the cold northern continent of Europe I want to see white pale blue eyed people. That’s the natural diversity of life in all its glory, which we’ll all miss very much one day.

Tell me who wants to go to Africa and see Asians with sandals? Europeans with backpacks? That’s almost sad. When you go to Germany I’m guessing a lot of you would like to see mosques with Africans and Arabs, more & more Chinese shops(&more), and a little bit of German culture(but who would go their now, we have a Germania club in my own diverse country!)

No need for European holidays anymore, may I alter my environment once more, and never again shall I leave my homeland. Bring Germany to me, I don’t want a truly unique and rare gift of natures and humanity’s own natural beautiful diversity.
May we be the last generation to leave our shores and have that great experience upon foreign soil of a people and a culture far removed from our own, in such unique and amazing ways.
Bring the Chinese food and the Chinese to me and my un-humbled contempt as the ruler of my own environment, not needing that great journey to Hong Kong as I can have a truly great experience in china-town.
Nature’s natural diversity is in no way better then my own human capability of unstably constructing diversity!
May I one day walk in a Japanese garden situated 25mins away and be all inspired by its apparent cheapness, as if to walk through a zoo and look at a giraffe and think to myself “yep this is Africa.” Youse's(pro mc's)are flushing the greatest of gifts, down the filthiest of tiolets.

Obviously,

without MC there would be no reason to visit chinatown. You'd get chinglish food served with a knife & fork.

ronnie peters
Your still clinging to your original mischaracterisation of multiculturalism and not recognizing how society reacts with in its limitations. It shouldn't matter what the Chinese or the Greeks think about the governance of Australia. It should be a matter for Australians. Playing at semantics to advocate political propaganda is social strife. Having the social whole segmented to be represented by ethnicity or "culture" pits one against the other for attention as well to meet the respective "needs" of that "culture(s)". The desire to achieve victim status becomes the highest social value and this leads to the accuser as moral authority. Your multicultural politically correct teachers have failed you.

Aqvarivs and Oligarch,
Good on you both for well thought out and well written posts.

Steve Madden,
Firstly, Integration means incorporation.

I will pass on to you what I would say to an immigrant if he asked me how he could integrate.

'You probably were not told much about our society before you arrived, but seeing you are now here there are a few things you can consider doing to become part of the community.

You should learn English as quickly as you can as it is the official language.

If you are used to giving orders and directions to women shop assistants, receptionists, teachers and nurses,etc. You are advised to speak nicely to them and say please and thank you. Women here are equal to men and you will find that by asking nicely you will get a good response. Try not to be abrupt or dictatorial

If you are in business I suggest you join your local chamber of commerce, as the blokes involved in that can give you lots of advice in relation to business.

If you were previously involved in sport then most likely you can continue that here or take up a new one. There are many sporting clubs, catering for all sorts of sports. Hobbies and pastimes are available.
Any of these activities will get you involved with the wider community

Encourage your kids to take up a weekend sport. Adults are also required to organize, set up or be linesmen,referees and so on.

If your wife likes crafty things you will find a local group she can join and become involved.

There are also local progress associations, political parties and Pand C associations you can become part of.
There are numberous service clubs such as Lions, Rotary and Apex that welcome new members.

What about getting your kids involved with the Surf life Saving Clubs. They start them off as "nippers" and they learn a lot of usefull skills.

Being part of some community organisation seems to in Australian culture and it will give you something to talk to your workmates about.'

Banjo

Thanks for the simplistic drivel, I am sure immigrants do what you suggest every day, I did.

I think your advice should be heeded by all Australians, your inference about how to treat women is a vieled reference to Muslims and this is what this debate is really all about.

Ever read about the rapes and sexual descrimination in Surf Life Saving clubs, sure those clubbies really know how to treat a lady.