Savvis Tzionis,
This thread is not exactly humming with activity. Maybe those interested in Macadonia/Greece have nothing left to say or maybe many posters are simply not very interested. It is up to you and other posters to keep discussion going. And in the direction you want.

Renegade Science
You try to belittle me by making light of my suggestion and now you imply that you are offended by me referring to you as Cob. If you do not know, Cob is short for Cobber, which is a Aussie word meaning friend.

I do not assume that you want or expect people to thumb their nose at our laws and standards, but it seems to me that you are willing to accept that some do.

There are many cultural matters in other countries that are acceptable there but not here and vice versa. I would be utterly stupid to expect to drink alcahol in Saudi Arabia, for example.

The point is that there are some that come here knowing what our society is like and flaunt our laws and social standards.

I am not prepared to put up with that contempt and don't wish my decendants to do so either, that is why I think we should blacklist those groups that have shown contempt for us.e.g. If the Croats and Serbs cannot attend a tennis or soccer match without rioting over centuries old hatreds, then I don't want anymore to come here.

You said you can and will find better ways of dealing with this. If you can do this it would be a great thing for everybody. I am sure many would like to know how. Care to share that knowledge?

Dear Banjo:

I accept that bad habits happen, not that they are good to happen, or are acceptable to happen.

Recognizing that people bring with them bad habits, old hatreds, and (by their definition) traumas, does not mean I condone them or their actions. That attitude is part of the problem with many of the commentators: If I/we do not regurgitate your comments then I/we must disagree with their sentiments. I disagree with the attitude that human dynamics are easy to cure if people would just "change now damn it." That is my issue, that simple quips do little to deal with the problems, I don't agree or accept them, but do accept that they will happen and some type of mechanism, political or otherwise needs to be covered.

It is a shame that if commentators do not repeat a particular person's words, then they are assumed to be polar opposite of that person. I would wonder how many "on side" people quickly get alienated at OLO by some of its commentators. That is a loss to all.

John

Renegade Science,
Going on your last sentence, maybe I should have felt alienated by your first post and got my bat and ball and went home. Sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander.

I won't condone abhorrent cultural practices and I certainly agree that human dynamics, by way of cultural practices, are difficult to change. Most of the Lebanese youths, who cause the problems at Cronulla, and those Croats and Serbs that fight at sport events, are born here which means the culture is handed down from generation to generation.

That is why, if we desire a cohesive community, we should stop importing more of those groups that have shown they cannot or will not integrate and hold us in contempt.

The obligation of politicians should be to look after the interests of current and future Australians. There is no obligation to accept those that refuse to integrate.