For ever the Swiss have been a hard working,peaceful nation in the centre of a Europe often engaged in warfare.The Swiss simply got on with it,minding their own business and keeping their own country as good as they could.
Now they are being accused of not accepting the criminally prone from anywhere.How awful that they should be so bloody fussy not to want the riff raff who would love to turn their country into another third world resembling the rest of the third world.
They too could have ethnic gangs,no go areas in their towns where the ghettoes deter the natural citizens.
They have no idea of the real effects of Multiculture, shame.

ORRRRR......could it be:

"The systemic failure of immigrants, to integrate, and the ensuing criminality, is at the heart of Switzerland’s escalating reaction to the discrimination by certain immigrants toward their hosts"

If anecdotal evidence is valid.. then the above is far more accurate.

All immigrants have to do is... accept Swiss culture, values and language...and not gather into ghettos.. and all would be well.

How hard is that ?

Ooooooh.. I 4got.... it's meant to be the other way round right ?

-Migrants come to a host country...
-the HOST country is meant to adjust to THEIR foreign culture...

Aaaaaah... NOWW.. I get it :) sorry for being to incredibly thick as to think 'new' comers should adjust to the 'existing' ways... well I better hive off into the cultural dunces corner for the next week for my terrible lapse in reason.

XENOPHOBIA- Irrational fear of people of foreign races, racism.

INVESTORPHOBIA - Justifiable fear of investment banks, Amity-chambers-of-commerce and governments using immigration to 'GO 4 Economic Growth' while providing ZERO plans for creating necessary sustainable environment, infrastructure, water, energy, social services and free space to house them without chaos.

Only a raving looney or someone with deliberate intent to overpopulate and harm Australia (or Switzerland) for personal profit would confuse the two.

Never mind the swiss, Australia CANNOT support more than the current 21 million people and even that number should be reduced by 1 million (with counterveiling Nuclear-industry & technology industry based security & human services programs)as we approach PEAKOIL.

With our mineral wealth, Australia can afford to have high class Scandinavian style democracy and rid ourselves of the "go-4-ridiculous immigration growth" that is Howard's utter drought stricken insanity.

"It is evident that there are significant problems with the integration of immigrants into Swiss society. It is usually expected that immigrants learn to speak the host nation’s language, obey its laws and understand its predominant values. However the host nation and its people also share a responsibility for integration, beyond the mere opening of their borders. After all, to integrate means to ‘combine into an integral whole’."

If the Swiss need people to clean their toilets and collect their garbage I'd suggest they seek to employ "Mickijo", "BOAZ_David" & "KAEP", alas, I feel they may consider themselves above such meaningless work - I'm sure we could encourage their assimilation though...if we really want them to.

BORRI...that was an interesting reaction..... not very helpful though, as you didn't do much except cut and paste the obvious, and have a few potshots at me Kaep, and Micki

I'll try to take up one thing you pasted,and run with that to the finishing line of 'constructive dialogue'.

You quoted:

>>and understand its predominant values. However the host nation and its people also share a responsibility for integration, beyond the mere opening of their borders<<

COMMENT:

1/ The migrants need to go further than 'understanding' the predominant values, they also need to ADHERE to them. (or get out/go home/run back 2 where they came from)

2/ Host nation responsibility: Yes.. very important. Be more specific?
-a) Inform prospective migrants of the VALUES an social habits of the Host, and advise them if they cannot feel comfortable about them AND share them,...DON'T COME.

3/ Re-Structure all 'migration related' services so their goal is 'integration/assimilation' not separation and retention of any incommpatable political, social or religious identity.
( a simple example is the advise Serbs and Croats NOT to bring their rather conflict ridden history into Australia)

Further. All migrants must be clearly advised that it is fully expected of them, that they will consider themselves AUSTRALIAN's first and Croats/Serbs/Bosnians/Arabs/Sudanese etc 2nd.

Programs must be initiated to fulfill this objective. Funding which currently facilitates 'multi cultural' activity should be re-directed into 'citizenship' and assimilaton related activities.

You know what ? :) if we do that, there will be NO black sheep to kick. We will all be 'Aussies'.

Borri,

Thanks mate. You comment (with fairly obvious assumptions in brackets):

"I'm sure we (southern Euro-Immigrants with cutthroat ambitions and divided loyalties) could encourage their (Australians believing in free speech and a fair go for all) assimilation though...if we really want them to."

This comment is sure to wake up all true Aussies to the intrinsic and important difference between INVESTORPHOBIA as opposed to XENOPHOBIA.

INVESTORPHOBIA where average Australians are disadvantaged in favour of certain immigrant groups is a LEGITMATE and non-racist reason for a majority vote against a multiculturalism that has IMHO had its fair run in Australia.

Next time we buy a kebab or pizza we can all think of being forced to clean some foreign shopowners dunny. See what that does to your precious immigration program that by all other world standards is a complete and utter freeload, particularly for southern Europeans in states DISPROPORTIONATELY dominated by politicians of direct italian or greek descent.

Ah ... Australia & free speech. That's my country!

PS I don't know exactly what is going on in Switzerland but judging by attitudes in suburban Sydney and Wollongong(http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/developers-bribe-offer-30k-4-u/2007/11/05/1194117934371.html), I think I have pretty damn good INVESTORPHOBIC idea.