Banjo, your wishful thinking blinds you to the truth.

Your myth: "...multiculturalism was imposed on us and the public did not have say in it."

The facts: Mulicultural policies were developed by successive democratically-elected governments of both persuasions. There have been numerous opportunities for the Australian people to renounce these policies at elections - they have chosen not to do so.

Your myth: "Many people had their back up because we had no say and many "cultures" were demanding their rights and slice of the pie under MC. It was expected that people of the host country,us, comply and accomadate these "cultures". Australians had no culture anyway, it was said."

The facts: You present a cliched distortion of multiculturalism. See multiculturalism on Government websites. (http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/a-diverse-australia/government-policy/australians-together/current-policy/principles.htm)

Your myth: "Now the community is saying 'We have had enough of this MC. It hasn't worked and the community is more divided than ever'".

The facts: The 'community' continues to support multicultual policies. The 'division' is principally in conservative blog sites where people like you claim to speak for 'the community' - without any mandate. In the real world, Australians continue to experience and appreciate the benefits of multiculturalism.

Your myth: 'Migrants' don't abide by the law in Australia and have what you call 'carte blanch' . "Can you just see things like poligomy, dog meat and dolphins, whales being consumed, FGM common place, cockfights and bullfights held every Saturday, firearms carried openly in public."

The facts: Australia expects all people in this country to obey the laws of the land. If laws are broken, the criminal justice system is put into operation.

Your myth: "In any case, MC has been dumped in favour of integration and that has to be a vast improvement in community cohesion."

The facts: Despite Howard's continuing ambivalence, the policies of multiculturalism remain - as do programs for their impementation. The word 'Multiculturalism has been replaced by the word 'Citizenship' in the title of a Government department.

Frank,
Part1
1) Spot-On -“Multicultural policies were developed by successive democratically-elected governments of both persuasions”
Successive govt’s of BOTH major parties have supported MC, or at worst/best shown “ambivalence” towards it.
But that is at is precisely the point -It has never been put on the table as single yes or no issue .
( & lest you ask - minor parties/independents have bugger all show - with such an issue -under our system)

And while on the subject of imposing MC- if you have school age children you will know that they are spoon-fed sugar coated versions of MC by MC friendly teachers - under the guise of cultural studies /history/ public speaking etc …

2) “Australia expects all people in this country to obey the laws of the land. If laws are broken, the criminal justice system is put into operation“.
True - but MC ( & its associated isms) has been used as an excuse to modify the letter of the law & how it is applied.
Thus - now while it is virtually open season to criticise or joke about some groups or religions, others have protected status …&
While the law outlaws discrimination -we know some groups qualify (either directly or indirectly ) for “ positive discrimination” .

Most of the young, from most of the MC groups, despite all the best efforts of MC will eventually for all intents & purposes dump MC - I see it happening every day- but some hardcore groups & careerist academics will continue to use MC for all its worth to milk the greater community.

Frank
Part2
3) And re your website references- you place to much credence on what you read in Govt pronouncements . I’m sure if the you read the Soviet constitution you’d also find a lot of similar flowery- motherhood statements.

[AND PLASE DON’T TAKE THIS THE WRONG WAY!]

When I say you early post re the precepts/aims of MC & again with this last one I immediately taken by the thought that it could be the basis for a really good Monty Python skit:

Now picture this:
You could have some serious John Clease at a lectern reverently reading the principles of MC to a hall crowded with MC acolytes.
The acolytes are all hyped up & intently hanging off every word - with born again fervour .
Each time John Clease finishes one of the MC precepts the crowd all shout halleluiah! & raises its arms skyward.

FrankGol,
You are the one with the facts wrong. Firstly MC was imposed and we did not have a say in it. Just the same as we did not get a say in the Iraq war. The Whitlam Government, through Grassby, got the idea from Canada and brought it in. The Fraser Government continued with MC. It was never a referendum issue and both Libs and Labor had an agreement not to raise Immigration as an election issue.They reasoned that it was too complex for us voters to contemplate. The truth was neither party could defend their actions and their support for big business. So electors did not get a say. With enforced preferential voting one of the major parties get your vote no matter who you put first.

Yes it was expected the we the host population accomodated the other "cultures" and it was widely said the we had no culture and these factors created anger amongst many Aussies.

I have read the spiel that various governments have put out and that is not the case in reality. All cultures do not love one another. Look how the croats and serbs get on. What about the rude and offensive attitude of male Lebs to female workers in shops, schools anbulance, police,etc. Now we have Leb gangs fighting Asian school kids. The cronulla situation grew because leb gangs were tryting to take over the beach there by intimidation and anti-social behaviour.

The British Government has dumped MC and so has Labor and Liberals here.

Read what is said Frank. I said it would be totally stupid to give all new arrivals "carte Blanch" for their cultures. Then gave some examples of some aspects of cultures not acceptable. I further went on to say that we have to set the basic standarfs of law and social standards for our community.

In any case MC has been dumped and I look forward to the dismantling of the MC industry, probably after the federal election, no matter who wins.

Horus,

Do you expect Governments to put all social policies like multiculturalism to a 'single yes or no' plebiscite? Would you include plebiscites about the sale of Australian assets like Qantas and Telstra, universal health care, funding for private schools and even capitalism and democracy itself? Governments take the initiative with election platforms. If enough people don't agree, they vote the Government out at election time. That's democracy - a 'yes-no' vote.

As for 'minor parties/independents' having 'bugger all show', remember the GST (Democrats), abolition of university student unions (Family First)?

My school age children were not, as you put it, 'spoon-fed sugar coated versions of MC by MC friendly teachers…' They were taught to think for themselves, using evidence and logic. In that light, it will be interesting to see if your prediction is validated that 'Most of the young, from most of the MC groups, despite all the best efforts of MC will eventually...dump MC'. Interesting paradox there Horus: the schools, you say, are spoon-feeding our young with MC, but you see them 'dumping' it.

You claim that 'MC ( & its associated isms) has been used as an excuse to modify the letter of the law & how it is applied'. Can you give any concrete examples? And the groups that qualify for 'protected status' and 'positive discrimination', who specifically are these?

Who specifically are the 'hardcore groups & careerist academics' who 'will continue to use MC for all its worth to milk the greater community'? Can you name names? Or would that overtax your conspiracy theory? In the light of the discussion about democratic elections, what do you mean by 'the greater community'?

I agree that all governments use flowery rhetoric, but what's your point? When people criticise or support multiculturalism, they are often debating different and quite unrecognisable social policies. It helps to anchor the discussion with what the Government at least says it is.

As for Monty Python, Cleese would find hilarious script material in OLO attacks on Multiculturalism. The old Aunt Sally theme leaps to mind.

MULTICULTURALISM is IT for places where segregation and apartheid rule.

Hands off MC in Australia!