ASymeonakis,

Your on record saying 'we' will vote 'you' out
So the real question must come back to 'you.'
.

I asked you long ago what you meant by WE and YOU?
You didnt answer.

Pls also answer my other question- What did you mean by the ATSIC
money was suppopsed to go to us?

Who are Us? and why would you feel tax payers funds for aboriginals should go anywhere other than to them.?

Did you not lobby the UN about this matter.?

What does Australia Day mean to me?

Its a day of reflection and of giving thanks for the life we have here.

Even with its faults, we are fortunate to have inherited the British systems of governance, justice, laws and community services. I appreciate that the Brits were strong enough to take this land and prevent other nations from claiming parts of it. Sure aboriginals got a rough deal but that was the times and they could have, would have, had it far worse if others were their conquerers.

I think of our explorers, pioneers, settlers who toiled hard to make us what we are today.

The drovers, shearers, navies, cane cutters, sailors, railway men, ringers, police, trackers, farmers, station hands, labourers of all sorts and all others, of many nationalities, and their wives that contributed so much. We are indeed fortunate.

I do not single out Aboriginals, Poms, Chinese, Afghans, Europeans or any other race/nationality for mention as I hope we are all Australians first and foremost.

I am reminded that there are some that want to change our way of life, either by design, selfishness or carelessness. The recent events of the riots at the Tennis and the media highlighting the comments of some religous cleric are stark reminders of this. This demonstrates our folly with the multicultural ideology and its divisive outcomes and the need to keep pressing integration. To me it also shows the need for us to be far more discriminating in who we allow to immigrate. We should not import those whom have shown they will not or cannot be part of our community, but wish to keep on with old world hatreds and impose alien cultural practices on us.

Someone once said that the price of freedom, and our way of life, is eternal vigilance. I could not agree more.

I honour our forebears.

Fractelle “the future Republican Day as Mac suggested, would be more in the spirit of inclusiveness….

January 26th is not fitting if we are to take pride in and call ourselves a nation “

I think that would be extremely divisive… changing things for meaningless reasons

But it could be put to a referendum, as described in the constitution and maybe when it flops it will be an end to the silliness.

ASymeonakis ”British Queen lived in Australia and she passed the exams for Australian citizenship!”

She inherited her Australian citizenship upon her ascension to the throne.

She has duel citizenship, like me.

“Greece did not steal the wealth of other countries,”

Too busy stealing from other Greeks.. and UK did not steal, it traded.

From the beginning of the 18th century, UK developed a political strategy of maintaining a Navy larger than the next two largest navies, a situation which was maintained until at least WWI.

From the time of Henry VIII the strategy has been to establish and protect trade routes. If you wanted theft and plunder, simply look at the Spanish, they raped South America in a way and with a ferocity which was never practiced by Britain.

So your cheap shot is about as convincing as Greece’s contemporary colonial success (ie going backward out of Cyprus)

“WE ARE NOT ANY MORE BRITISH COLONY OR WE ARE?”

No but we have not changed the head of state and like I said previously, nothing you have suggested offers the stability which we find in what we have already got.

I am not a monarchist but

I would rather have a titular monarch as head of state, than some here-today-gone-tomorrow politician elected by who – other politicians? Or maybe you would prefer we put on a three ring circus the way the Yanks do every 4 years?

ASymeonakis if I were you I would identify a reasonable alternative to implement before you try and tear down something which is obviously beyond your personal comprehension.

When you do suggest something, I will be happy to disclose it as bunkum

Examinator,
Nope, you misinterpret, Light hearted is talking about it as a joyful day, nothing to do with Burma.
As I said for me it is my grandfather.

Col,
Thanks man, yeh, this grandfather was the 3th generation to keep his old farm alive, my uncle is now the 4th… When I visit I am the 5th. Those guys are pretty proud of their past and the hard work and achievement. It’s sent a few of them to an early grave with droughts and the various stresses but yes, we are proud of it over all.

To keep up with the news: I’m against a republic too, I love the Commonwealth

Just to lighten things up a bit...

I came across this poem on another website by Evan Elpus:

"I've just seen 'Pride and Prejudice,' but feel no great compunction,
To swan around a vicarage, with tea and cakes for luncheon...
Though buying oil from Saudis, we decline to put their robes on,
And as for German influence - do you wear lederhosen? ...

And Kiwis are our cousins, (or something of that kidney),
But which of us would really say, 'Tum Funn hud fush un Sundey?'
...If Graumann's Chinese Theatre has a cast of Nixon's nose,
And parts of Dolly Parton are inflatable by hose,

Then who are we - and who am I - to get all snide and stroppy?
I only plead, Australia Fair!
Advance, - don't look and copy!"

Happy Australia Day Everyone!
Let's Celebrate - not what separates us, but what unites us. For
after all - ... " We are one, but we are many, and from all the
lands on earth we come ...You are, We are - A-U-S-T-R-A-L-I-A-N!"

As for changing the date of Australia Day? That will be up to
Australia to decide sometime in its future. We could still keep
the same date, if that's the date we choose to become a Republic!

Be Kind To Each Other!

Meredith,
Fair comment. My bad.

Fractelle,
I couldn't agree more. But no gum tree leaves please...besides which species? There's heaps of them and species vary from state to state.
:-)

Col
Speaking of jokes which book of British history are you reading? Was the author Alf Garnet? it seems so.
British royalty stable? Since when? their history is full of internecine plots and counter plots blood and plunder. Even Liz's uncle had questionable contacts/interests.

You mean the current Royal family isn't a three ring circus every day? (not so much Liz) Even as a soap opera it's over the top. The next crop are real clowns when it comes to being figureheads.

BTW the absence of one doesn't immediately imply the other.
You were obviously not paying attention but the model(S) presented were nothing like the US system. Even if the prez (figurehead) is elected his/her powers would be different to that of the US Prez.(no comparison)
The last plebiscite etc merely showed how devious Howard and Co could be and that we haven’t had a real choice of options Yet! According to latest polls over 60% of Australians want to be a republic.

One doesn't have to have a clear alternative to see that the current system has more problems standing than a roo with one back leg.
Antonios is right we need our own symbols ones that relates and refects the reality of Australia not just its colonial past.