Antonios,
What I think you and a few others do not understand is that criticism is not racism.

Pelican quite capably pointed this out earlier. Criticism of a persons conduct, a religion or culture is not racism.

The Lebs and the Croats and Serbs are now up to 3 generations here and their alien cultural practices are handed down from generation to generation. If their attitudes have not changed by now, there is little hope they will change in the future. We have tried education for FGM over the last 15 years and the incidence is rising. It is now time we started to uphold the laws on this and begin to prosecute the parents. Same with forced marriages. Cockfighting is still continued despite frequent raids and court appearances.

These activities are not only alien to anglo Aussies but to the vast majority of newly arrived migrants as well. The vast majority of migrants adjust and get on with their lives but that does not excuse the few groups that do not.

Should we simply continue to ignore the disruption and contempt for our laws and society? There are some, like CJM, who think all non-anglos are above any criticism.

The only way I can see to combat the alien aspects is to not import more of the groups that are the cause of the issues. You may as well try to turn the tide with a bucket as try to change the entrenched cultural activities.

The stark reality is that not all cultures are capable of adapting to the concept of living with others.

Do you want us to end up like France, where the authorities classed last new years eve as ‘good’ in that the rioters only burnt 1147 cars. I want better than that for our kids

Sorry Antonios I have been reading. I read too much over the weekend and I ran away for awhile. The feeling reading about the money the immigrants are charged and then how they can’t get on with their lives and then the reactions to them here. Combined with the feeling about the forgotten ones and then as usual I can’t get the foster children out of my mind and what the government is doing to them.

I think I had a slightly pathetic and self indulgent little breakdown; my husband was so worried that he asked if I would like to return to NZ. My immediate answer was no I bought my children here and they won’t leave now but I doubt they have learnt or witnessed or understood what I have. I don’t run away from things but I do need to focus. If I try and help everyone I will fail everyone.

It has to be the children Antonios, the children are the key to everything else. If our children are taught compassion, pride and commitment then I believe all else will follow. They will be the ones that do not tolerate such hurt to their peers or those under their guardianship.

Teaching them should begin in schools, learning about other cultures (incl aboriginal) and acceptance. The immigrant children should also get to learn about Australian culture. Although I would love to know what would be in that curriculum.

Before the children can learn they must be safe.

Fractelle,
You are the one distorting the truth. You are being fruadulent, by ommission, and shot yourself in the foot doing so.

Yes, some illegals do come here by passenger airline, but what you ommitted to say is that they are sent packing immediately. In fact the airlines have to convey them back to where they boarded and 97% are gone within 72 hours. The rest take a little longer because of flight schedules and so on. But am positive you know that.

So contrary to what you try to suggest, illegals arriving by air are not a problem and good ridance to them.

Why the focus on boat people. Well simply because they are trying to put one over us, they are queue jumpers, they force themselves upon us with any consideration for others that may be more deserving. They do not care about quarantine or customs and could be bringing all manner of disease or pestulance to our shores (that is why the boats are burnt)

They have resorted to putting their children in the sea in effort to get their way, they do destroy their identy docs. and sabotarge their boats so our navy has to take them on board. Of the 14 you say were refused and 5 sent home. The remaining 9 cannot be sent home until our officials establish where their home is. Yep, they are up to every little trick.

Not much good about them is there?

But your credibility is now shot, so end of conversation.

Antonious
Those are healthy goals. Thank you for your faith in me as President/Secretary but I think you are more than qualified and enthusiastic to start such a group in your local area. Friendship groups are one way for people to get to know and understand each other and to realise in the end we are all really very much the same.

I note there are many friendship and organisation groups around Australia. You probably already know about this website:

http://www.fecca.org.au/

Banjo: << But your credibility is now shot, so end of conversation. >>

According to Banjo's own criteria, there's no point in talking to him about his xenophobic lies and distortions. Like I said earlier, he's very unlikely to shift from his deeply held bigotry.

Anybody who still claims, despite all the evidence, that the appalling "children overboard" lie perpetrated by the Howard regime was factual, is either an out and out racist bigot, incredibly dumb, or both.

In Banjo's case, I'm opting for the latter.

“But your credibility is now shot, so end of conversation.
Posted by Banjo, Monday, 29 June 2009 6:08:43 PM”

Put it where the sun don’t shine Banjo baby.

Hey Antonios, Pelican is right about your enthusiasm. Would it be practical to have a website or be part of one that supports immigrants like with a forum? Would it be of use to ask for e-mail pals, match immigrants up with an Aussie that has been around for awhile so if they have difficulties they could ask dumb questions like “Who is Noel Pearson?”

I would have to be on the immigrant list and I want my e-mail pal to be Banjo.[grin].

I had a think about children and learning about others and thought if every school had some nice sized digital photo frames that you could watch the other kids from other cultures talking on about their countries and saying hello to the Aussie kids. Little fun things so they equate other cultures with fun.

In NZ... completely different type thing… in the malls we have these big screens with cameras and microphones and they are on all the time and linked with other malls around the country. You can call out to people in other towns. Do you have them here? Be amazing in schools at lunchtime linked to schools in other countries