Yung Yong “First of all, this forum provides the opportunity to exchange ideas, visions and opinions from people all around Australia. Our nation is based on ideas and passion!”

Have you a contract with me to write your posts?

You sound so much like me, Spooky.

That said, whilst supporting the same expectations of individualism, my view on mandatory competence in English to qualify for citizenship in Australia is diametrically opposed to yours.

Anyone who migrated here with “ideas and passion”, “visions” and “opinions” would surely, see the reason for us all to communicate with a common language, rather than risk social fragmentation into a bunch of ethnically contained tribes desperately clinging to the traditions of a previous culture, at the expense of their own development.

Such issues mirror the problems of the Quebecois, hanging on to a 200 years old version of French, a version which has failed to develop or keep pace with the European version of French and seriously fracturing the political stability of Canada

Rainier “the evils of mono-culturalist/ethno nationalist thinking such as that which Hitler espoused.”

Not only Hitler. Anyone who supported the ideals of Esperanto would carry that label.

Anyone who thought their might be merit in being able to communicate with their next door neighbours, rather than treating them as as foreign as their language would also carry that label.

Michaelk “Your explicit rudeness and nicknaming”

“Explicit” good, you are at last learning to understand what I am writing about you, more than I can say for most of your posts

“rudeness” anyone who expresses their bigotry by perverting the English language falls below the line to which rudeness could be deployed.

“Nicknaming” I have referred to you solely as “Michaelk” and by no other acronym.

That you might be upset by what I write is understandable.

I consider you have no redeeming qualities to counter what is conveyed in your posts, that is as one of the most bigoted and offensive abusers of written English it has been my displeasure to encounter.

Banjo, conveys a politer version of my view

Leigh “Who is this MichaelK character? Is it really possible to write English that badly?”

Both reasonable questions to ask Michaelk. Although, given he can only reply here in writing, I am not sure the legibility or grammatical appropriateness of any response you might get.

For instance he wrote “Really, a good idea is participating in this Australian NATIONAL Forum as it broadened a real understanding of "Aussie" mean stupidity, xenophobia and racism substantially.”

I think he is might be saying we are all “stupid, xenophobic racists”.

“Substantially” is a little confusing, it might mean following an overindulgence of English Mince Pie and Christmas Pud, we have all increased our girth (or maybe “girt”, according to the national anthem). I know I am more substantial than before Christams, oh diets await.

Anyway, you read into it whatever you will, although I guess he does prove that “Yes”, "it is possible to write English that badly", although to communicate in it is another matter.

Michaelk, please do not bother to respond to this post, I am writing about you, not to you.

While I agree with the idea of an immigration test because there are a lot of immigrants who have no respect for Australian culture or history, I'm not so sure it will be effective in weeding out those immigrants. In fact I'm certain that many immigrants here now would fail the test.

I'd be interested to know how much Australian History the average born here Australian knows. I am a history buff, Australian, European and Christian history are my chief interests.

I know lots about Australian history because I wanted to learn about my adopted country.

I see migrants like adopted children, they love their adopted parents/country but they also have a pull towards birth parents/country. It is a normal human impulse to want to know your roots and have a love for them as well as you adopted family/country who raised you.

Again, thank you for the generous comments from you all at OLO! To Steel, you claimed that most migrants would fail this test. Well, I can assure you that most Australians, no matter what ethnic background they are from, wouldn't be able to tell me when Federation was founded or who was our longest elected PM. Any of these questions of Australia's history, culture and values would prove difficult to any new bred Australian of the 21st Century.

I completely agree, most migrants do share a sense of bonding with their ancestral hertiage. This is what makes our country strong, having citizens understanding a number of cultures and languages, having the best of both worlds puts Australia ahead of the globe!

Col,

Perhaps MichaelK is an ABC reporter.