Hi NathanJ,
Thanks for your reply, and sorry I came across a little harsh.
- It was a point I wanted to emphasize, that just because others wish to round everything down to the lowest common denominator, that people themselves don't necessarily identify themselves as being that which others identify them as.

"Well you still benefited from people coming from other places, outside of Australia."
- Yes that would be true, but it's a 2 way street, not a one way street.
Newcomers who came after my ancestors were already here, benefited from what my ancestors had already done.

My father set up a family tree on ancestry.com about a decade ago, but he only added 4 generations, I spent half a day digging through online records and got about 12 generations back to the 1810's where the records became obscure, and there was a man named 'Angus'.

I couldn't get to the answer I wanted, which was a story passed down that 'my original forefather was sent here on a convict ship for stealing a sheep', I couldn't find records for an 'Angus + last name' in any of the original convict fleets, so I don't even know if the story passed down is true.

If you expanded the family tree the other way, from the point of 'Angus' I probably have many many distant relatives that all contributed to this establishment of Australia as a modern country long before the majority of the people that came after.

And also I have a very small amount on indigenous australian ancestry, not that you'd know by looking at me.

I asked a relative last night (relative by a family remarriage, whose parents immigrated to Australia from Europe after WWII, and even he said he would take issue with anyone that referred to him as an immigrant.

[Cont.]

"Well neither are many people already living here in Australia. I don't always get on with some of my own family members. We disagree on positions or issues and we don't always get on, even in the best of times."
- I can't argue with you there, it just shows that not everybody gets along with everyone else. When do Labor and the LNP ever get along?

"I notice here you have been pro-Palestinian. Not something I oppose though."
I may well be a little bit Anti-Semitic by others definition.
My support for the Palestinians should not be considered support for Islam, or that I stand with others who support the same cause and have been seen to be playing up on our streets.

My support is more of a private stance rather than being part of any group, and ultimately a pro-human rights issue.
An opposition to occupation, oppression and slaughter of innocents.
Opposition to wars by the U.S. and Israel, (and the questionable-compatability of some of these people these wars have brought and their difficulty adapting to the Australian way of life)
A belief that people under occupation and oppression have every right to fight for their own self determination.
Its also a belief that nations should pursue a genuine course of diplomacy, dialogue and compromise rather than conflict

"I would argue their opposition is political and based around hatred and double standards more than anything else."
- And I'd agree with you, I'm sure they'd happily welcome Israelis. Ultimately I don't think anyone should be getting a special taxpayer funded welcome, but maybe from Gaza maybe it could be considered 'special circumstances'.

"In terms of crazy religious lunatics, embracing our way of life etc. also very selective and ignores the fact Australia to a certain degree is based around freedoms. Not totally, but to a good degree."
- Agreed, and they have to assimilate to our way of life, we don't have to assimilate to where they came from.

I hope they're decent people, become good citizens and don't cause any trouble, and no taking part in protests for 5 years. I wonder if we'd have accepted them if they were Palestinian Muslims?

"Many do prefer and like people of various types and backgrounds and like the dynamics that comes from such variety. It's all interesting and likeable."
Agreed, each to his or her own.
But when suburbs become foreign or ethnic enclaves, and existing Australians become minorities in their own suburbs the conversation becomes more complicated.

I believe the people already here have a right to decide the kinds of people we want coming to join us, regardless of claims of racism, so what call it 'logical preference for people more compatible'
- Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants.

Armchair Critic said "Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants"

Answer- True Armchair Critic!

Existing citizens have voting rights and a say over the new non-citizen applicants.
Armchair critic,
Yes, at least on paper ! Everyday reality does make it look different though !
I'm not enlightened enough on the return of Isis brides however, from what I've read most Australians expressed opposition to bringing them back but come back a few apparently did.
Isis brides are technically immigrants since they denounced their Australian citizenship. So, for them to return must have involved granting residency, something many bona fide applicants are denied.

Ley and other wet Liberals were grovelling to Indians at the Diwali festival, sporting caste marks and looking ridiculous, over the weekend.