All western nations are slowly being turned into fascist regimes. The professing of blind loyalty to both religion and flags is being persued with increasing vigour by those on the extreme right.

I know what you are saying Quale and there were many nations here on this continent before European settlement. There were many races just in Far North Queensland not related to each other and many languages.

Somehow they communicated with each other and there was trade with Indonesia and Papua. That it why we call this invasion day.

A civilization was already here, it's just that Europeans couldn't recognise it. What they brought was industrial nationalism with fancier toys and armies. For better or for worse, the place became more European over a few decades. The colonials were much more zealous in their iron grip than "mother England". At various occasions there were memos from London telling the colonials to control themselves and be more cautious with the Aborigines. Of course the mother country couldn't even control the Rum Rebellion. What a mess.

Hypotheticals are just that. I don't think there is malice in being curious as to "what if the French got here first" and so on...

The idea of "terra nullus" is abject ignorance to say the least. Even the national anthem sings about "terra nullus". The original song was worse. Fair meant the colour of the skin as well as justice. This is underlined in the second verse that no one sings as it is irksome.

Australian "sons" (sic) let us rejoice
For we are "young" and free (30, 000 years of people, Europeans started in bondage).
We've golden soil and wealth for toil. (not under the new industrial relations system).
"Our home" is "GIRT" by sea. WTF is girt??!!
"Our land" is abounds in nature's gifts (we got the message 2 lines ago)
Of beauty rich are rare (no, beauty is all over the place)
"In histories page let every stage
Advance Australia Fair" (don't include Aboriginal or convict history in our books, we only need to know the good bits)

Cringe Cringe Cringe.

Mother England created a monster when it comes to pride and bad taste. A mirror image or their own pride and arrogance to the colonials.

TRTL
Perhaps the incident of some individual/groups insisting that you/someone else pledge “immediate loyalty to the flag or facing violence” was a rebellion on the part of people who had been forced, for years, to bow to politically-correct-ideology, ideology which promised fairness for all, but allowed some groups to defile secular icons/mores while being very outspoken & sensitive about any challenges to their own religious icons. Perhaps the flag wavers too were trying to send a message to powerful men & woman.

You ask: “what is it you're arguing here? Lefties are bad?”
I’m not arguing that either “side” is (innately) good or bad.
Saintfletcher made a pertinent point:
“The incidence of "kiss my flag" may not be left, right or centre. They could have easily been right wing ALP voters, who knows?”
If the flag wavers were waving the hammer & sickle or Mao’s Little Red Book (or practising jobs for the boys or girls of special races or creeds under the guise of redressing past imbalances) would they still be right-wing thugs?

Horus, I take the point about the fact they could be right wing ALP voters... true.

But there are a few other points here:

1) I rather suspect you'll find most of them were drunk.

2) They were using the threat of violence to express their views. This is inexcusable.
If they disagree with whatever policies that have been forced on them, then perhaps they can take heart in knowing that the current government seems quite keen to accommodate them.
No violence necessary.

It makes me a little sick in the stomach when peoples' behaviours' borders on fanacitism. Reminds me of the mad soccer hooligans in the UK, and the rest of Europe. Reminds me of the Hitler's of recent times. Do these people really understand what their passion is, or is this controlled by larger groups?

I think you get my drift.

I believe it is healthy on my part to voice I am Australian.
I am GreekAustralian, of Greek descent, born and bred in Australia. I speak, read and write fluent Modern Greek and English. I use the Greek language almost on a daily basis despite the fact it is my second language. My parenets have asimilated in Australia over their close to 45 years residency here, yet still hold onto cultural values and traditions. It wasn't easy for them to say the least, but there are no regrets.

I would wave the Australian flag like a mad woman at an international sporting event. I would beam with delight when our Aussie swimmers bring home another gold.

Do I feel the need to drape an Australian flag around me on Australia day to make a point to minority groups? Most certainly not.

Identity is a personal thing, and once we have accomplished that journey, we don't feel the need to keep reiterating what we already feel comfortable about.

Despite the fact that boundaries aren't necessarily so black and white, I think we all understand when unhealthy passion kicks in, fuelled by personal agendas that are largely uninformed and negative.

Fanaticism has been the driving factor behind many wars, mostly religious ones I might add, and ultimately blinds us all from what is true and what is not.

Eleni

Kevin, do you even know what Fascism is?

It's about industry, commerce, employment, housing, education, health, etc.

It is not about how the western governments are behaving for we are far from fascist with water and other essential industries being sold off.

You seem to have mixed Nazism up with Fascism which is normal with all the propaganda out there.