Is it alright if I wear my kilt next ANZAC Day?

I hope you do, Mise, and look closely at the thousands lining the streets. Most of them have their ancestries in other countries. In fact I recall seeing kilts before in Anzac marches. And don't the Turks join in these days? It's all good.

Spider I'd love to see some evidence white people are fleeing Sydney to escape hate crimes committed by Arabs and Asians, or being refused service in shops. I think you've been overdosing on Today Tonight.

Frank I think you've summed it up OK - Australian values are a work in progress. There are always those who fear change, but they will always be unhappy since you only fear what you do not understand.

My son and his friend got mugged last night and relieved of their belongings. (This is true, and a very scary experience.) His friend got an iron bar against his head. The perpetrators were caucasian. Where can we flee to? This suburb is full of whites.

Multi culturalism is NOT about multi nationalism or race. I defy anyone to go to a citizenship ceremony and not be moved by the pride and emotion shown by new citizens as they receive that beige parchment with their name on it declaring them to be a citizen of Australia. But us new Australians and our children cannot deny that we can speak another language or have some different practices. Just like an Anglo Saxon cannot deny their heritage and pride in it. Should we hide our pride about where we came from? How did this become a competition? I have lived in Australia nearly 3 decades, Australian culture has not become 'diluted. That's why David now shakes my hand and calls it an AUSTRALIAN value.

Anyone who has lived in Great Britain will soon find out that Australia is different. You feel distinctly Australian. Just like when a Greek or Chinese person visits their old home land. We all benefit from multi-culturalism.

Frank (and_Yvonne)
I’m guessing you 2 came late to OLO and have missed the many posts from many people where Australian values have been articulated ad nauseam. THAT is why I don’t bother to articulate them now.. its been done to death. Its not that I and others “can’t” at all. Its that you Johnny and Yvonne come lately’s have missed it all :)

Frank... resorting to implied name calling a-gain ? mate.. if you want your criticisms of my posts to have credibility you really need to stop this and just focus on.. issues.

Your point about hugging males etc and Yvonnes mention of older Aussie males not shaking female hands is quite valid and not contested, in fact it underlines my whole point, which IS.... that culture change should be by osmosis, not by sledge hammer. It should be transparent and unconscious. It WILL occur as we are exposed to other ways of doing things, and those things are seen to be of value. Now..how hard is that ?

Exploitable Seams...far fetched and implausible ? Frank ur a worry mate. Did you see where that quote came from ? Did you check the link ?
This aspect of western culture and the passion of those seeking to destroy it is as real as you are, and not only is plausible, it is very real and did in fact happen during the Vietnam war, exactly as described.
Regarding the applicability to the war on Terror.. it does, but I won’t labor the point. Lets just hope ‘you’ are not the one on the next train bombed.

“Australian values are a work in progress” Hooray.. and yes -but to aim this at me, is in fact a confession. That you NEVER read this http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?discussion=164
post.. or never_understood it, hence do_not_understand ‘me’.

Yvonne.. keep stirring ‘dahling’ its all good. If your son wants some self defense guidance, let me know. Sorry to hear of his mugging.

Pericles, your response to undeniable facts in the ‘Muslim Academics’ thread leaves your credibility if not in tatters, at least ‘bruised’.

If anyone has the time, please read this enlightening book by David Theo Goldberg, titled Multiculturalism: A critical reader

http://books.google.com.au/books?vid=ISBN0631189122&id=AZ6jC-T4wJ4C&pg=PP1&lpg=PP1&ots=wWPcY_ou3O&dq=multiculturalism+a+critical+reader+david+theo&sig=5Aues5Ow5-Vl_4NIP4sjOiJk0P0

It holds relevance to the debate here within Australia and pieces together much of the political, economic and social factors attributed to multiculturalism that people feel concerned or threatened over..

Peachy

Thanks for the reference. It looks like a book worth reading and taking seriously. I notice that the index does not have an entry for Australia; but sometimes looking at things far away helps us better understand what's close at hand.

David_BOAZ, I've looked at my last post concerning you. Apart from calling you BOAZy to make a point about the Australian habit of adding y to surnames (Warney, Boony, Gilly) I can't find any name calling by me. But I note you call it 'implied name calling', so we're in the realm of subjective interpretation. Until you are specific I won't be able to refrain.

You tell me to stop this 'implied name calling' and focus on the issues. However, in your same post you tell me and yvonne that, as late comers, many of the issues have already been dealt with 'ad nauseum' before we came along.

So... what's a person to do? Engage with you on the issues when you raise them or refrain from debating them in case you've already done it to death?

One thing puzzles me but. If you have already dealt with the issues 'ad nauseum' before Yvonne and I came on the scene, why do you keep raising them and giving your very strong views on them?