In answer to the title of this thread. YES!

No more or less than other developed countries who have all become narrow minded and insular.

It is getting worse. The sooner we accept diversity of culture and religion, the better off we will be.

cont'd

It isn't possible to lose one's ethnic nationality
overnight. It takes at least a generation - or
several generations to mutate from being, say,
a Greek to becoming an Australian. This should
not make much of a difference in itself, if the
person's loyalty to Australia is absolute and
overrides everything else. It can be done,
and has been done many times in the past. However,
the problem lies with some people - who are not
prepared to give their loyalty to this country.

Do the 'old' Australians know enough about migrants,
and vice versa? Educational institutions don't teach
enough in-depth courses about all migrant' cultures
and their contributions to Australia. Over the years,
several major reports on Australian immigrants have
stressed the importance of fostering and preserving the
multifaceted cultures of this country. Recommendations
have been made that migrants' languages and cultures
be taught for the benefit of all Australians.
They also promoted the teaching of more foreign
languages (LOTE) generally.

The co-ordination of multicultural affairs in Australia
is difficult, because of the complexity of the population
and agencies involved. It used to be seen primarily as the
domain of the Federal Government. However, State Governments
and Local Governments have since entered this field with a
multitude of programs and specialised infrastructures.

In the meantime migrants are multiplying not only in absolute
numbers, but also in their national backgrounds. For example,
in the municipality of Fairfield alone, there were 70,000
overseas-born residents in 1990, speaking a total of 102
languages.

Perhaps - narrow-mindedness, prejudice, and intolerance,
will eventually become a thing of the past - as
Australia becomes more of a 'melting pot,' of various
cultures, and
we continue to grow, get to know each other, and
prosper?

Antonios:“ I WORK ON PRINCIPLES AND I AM NOT EXTREMIST.”

I don’t know how this country works Antonios, I tried just principles and not being extreme and defending the underprivileged. Got tripped up by management and then pooped on. If Australia does not defend its own then I see little hope for it to protect its immigrants in any way. You might have to wait until you out number them.

Antonios:“… closed an appointment with the interior minister in the Greek Embassy to solve the problem.”

I suspect a much bigger story there my man… what happened in Cyprus?

Col:”actually the vagaries of dating sites.... she paid to contact me.. I have never paid anyone for their company.”

Well you’re just not doing it right then.

Fractelle: “Culture and race are not necessarily mutually exclusive, think Middle East - Arabs, Jews both are semites.”

Hey Fractelle, Arabs really confuse me, had big arguments with Lebanese about race vs religion. The Christian Lebs claim that if they are Christian they are not in fact Arabs. But Christian or Arab my gawd they were cute.

They still thought all white women were tarts though – bit like the NRL boys.

OUG:”why am i always doing that?...doing what?...you always do''that''..that what?....lol”

You must not channel two people at a time it is bad for you! Like Fractelle said I do write everything down and I think you have just clarified why. You didn’t know you could that aye… Clarify something for someone.[grin]

Anger is great, not as deflating as other emotions. Don’t think “hate” would be too good for you hon.

Ginx, you are a shocker. Foxy, you must type like the wind. Why are yours and Yabby’s messages all down the left hand side?

I was going to say that it isn’t supposed to be a melting pot but a salad bowl, all the individual bits appreciated and visible. Yes I know, I am such a tosser.

Dear Jewely,

You consistently make me smile,
Thank You!

Why do I type down the left-hand side?

Because someone told me it makes things
easier to read, and I believed them.

Now, it's become a habit.

Jewely

If you consider the way white women are portrayed in media, it is no surprise that a subset of men think all white women are slags. And, of course, some are; hence the generalisation (prejudice).

I agree with Foxy, you always make me laugh. Good that you are keeping a diary, you may publish a best seller one day. If nothing else it is better to get your angst on page rather than letting it fester. Although, I gather from your posts that you use anger rather than letting it use you.

Ginx, are you saying that Australia is more "narrow minded, prejudiced and intolerant" than all other nations?

Col, I never expect any more of you than you are capable of producing. You haven't failed my expectations thus far.

Cheers

Ginx
“Are Aussies - narrow minded, prejudiced and intolerant”

A YES will always be expressed by those who are oversensitive and obsessive about what other people should be allowed to think and do.

And “No more or less than other developed countries who have all become narrow minded and insular.”

Maybe it is the “narrow mindedness and insular “values which have promoted the developed countries to “develop” and maybe the lack of a pre-eminent cultural identity which has left the underdeveloped as underdeveloped with all the niceties which come along with that, most commonly, short life expectancy and overall an impoverished life quality.

And I figure the smart thing for anyone migrating to Australia is to first acknowledge the values which are to be expected and which they seek to benefit from in a Modern / Western / Christian Economy,
instead of demanding the right to live like the remote outpost of a third world / Muslim / paternalistic and theocratic dictatorship (aka the great leap backward).

It seems to me the likes of Iftikhar Ahmad, London School of Islamics Trust, www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

Quoted on the thread here “Muslim Children in State Schools”
When he writes:
“A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not want to become notorioulsy monolingul Brit.”

Should ask himself… what reason would a Muslim move to Britain, if not to enjoy the benefits gained from assimilation into that monolingual Brit society?

It seems to me such expressions are steeped in an overdeveloped sense of intolerance, bigotry and self-entitlement and deserving of the public derision of all intelligent people

Jewely “Well you’re just not doing it right then.”

Really, I am not doing it right?..

so do tell, how much is the “right amount” which you pay people to provide you with companionship (being absolutely sure you could never afford me)?

Fractelle “Col, I never expect any more of you than you are capable of producing. You haven't failed my expectations thus far.”

I have never, ever presumed to expect anything of you fractelle.

You, likewise, never disappoint me either, dear.