NEWS UPDATE.

In support of the contention that 'emphasizing diversity'= 'Socially polarized nation' I offer the following from the Australian.

OOPS...and I thought the TERROR zone was in Israel.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21201104-2702,00.html

Last night, Zreika admitted to The Weekend Australian the Arabic press release was sent "in order to get the right message to the Muslim community because they were up in arms. They wanted to kill us. No one knew what was happening".

Zreika said he had received death threats from men purporting to be Hilali's supporters.

"I got two death threats," he said. "One guy was basically saying, 'You keep taking that f...ing stance and I'm going to take your f...ing head off. Why do you want to sack the mufti? Who are you? You don't represent me'."

What was I saying about 'radicals drive agendas' ?

I rather like Tom Zreika.... it would be a pity to lose such a nice bloke.

BD, "Perhaps we are trying to understand 1st century imagery through 21st century eyes ? " - keep that in mind and there is hope for you yet. Once you begin to understand that you have the chance to understand that a lot else in the text fundies treat as the literal word of god needs to be treated as documents from another time and place. The content is impacted by social convention from the time.

You might also consider that some Muslims appear to have learned that lesson, some have not and they are a real threat but those who understand the limitations of ancient documents decreeing how we live today pose little threat.

R0bert

THE BATTLE IS WON... TIME FOR RECONSTRUCTION..

The Cultural "Marshall Plan" for Australia.

Now that we have the right words in our basic policy foundation "Dept of Immig and CITIZENSHIP" we can consider ways to nourish and foster that new citizen at every level.

CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE TIME: Please consider ways we can promote 'Citizenship' across racial/cultural barriers without unduly discriminating against people.

EDUCATIONAL. We can show how conflict between political entities, States, Races is reduced though intermarraige. Kings who married their enemies princesses, Families/Royalty who intermarried with the nobility of previously acrimonious states. Role plays and video's can be utilized showing pathways to peace via intermarriage.

IMMIGRATION. Extra points can be awarded to people of multi racial marriages. (this should raise a yelp :)

POSTER/AD CAMPAIGN. Posters etc can be placed on bus stops etc to promote the idea. TV ads which show multi racial/interactial couples can be given some extra support or tax breaks ?

OTHER ?

cheers all.

Boazy: "THE BATTLE IS WON... TIME FOR RECONSTRUCTION..

The Cultural "Marshall Plan" for Australia... bla bla bla"

I wouldn't be getting out the champers (or tea & bickies or whatever) just yet old son. Howard's attempt to dabble in Newspeak will come back to bite him next election, as 'multicultural' Australian voters increasingly wise up to his regime's agenda of divide and rule.

It's probably not your cup of tea either, but these topics have been intelligently discussed by a reasonably diverse panel and audience on ABC TV tonight on their new program 'Difference of Opinion' [ http://abc.net.au/tv/differenceofopinion/ ).

While it was in no way a conclusive discussion, I think it's fair to say that there was a consensus among all those who spoke that 'multiculturalism' is here to stay, although there was some diverse opinion about what it actually means.

CJ..."intelligently discussed" as opposed to we earthlings at OLO 'uninteligently' discussing the issue ? :)

I had a look at the site. Seems ok. The conclusions you reported seem reasonable.. the point about 'some are not sure of what it means' is quite predictable.

Its also part of the problem.
I simply cannot depart from the fundamental idea of 'diversity does not produce unity' in cultural terms. It defies common sense, and history.

There is nothing wrong with a diverse society per se, it can have a sense of unity but only if the State encourages it. The state should not even mention 'multi' in terms of culture. A culture emerged from the founding of modern Australia, and it does have specific values which are identifiable. To attack or undermine that sense of identity and culture by suddenly saying "Well, now ur just one of many" is an insult and a slap in the face of those who 'thought' we actually did have a culture. There never was any need for that.

All that is needed is the promotion of our existing culture and the persuasion of all newcomers to embrace it to the extent that they can for their own generation, and more so for their offspring and so on.

The alternative path is to emphasize a fragmented cultural tapestry which inevitably invites cultural and ethnic competition. If you can show me how this has not occured over the history of man with nation states... I'll welcome it, but I doubt you can.

The only workable and viable model for a nation state is a 'large majority' of a single culture, with a controlled level of minorities who even when all added up don't exceed say 30% of the total.
This does not mean minorities are 2nd class or discriminated against (apart from the normal discriminatory nature of the rule of law when it comes to cultural practices) it means that their own particular culture will submit to the prevailing one in social and employment relations.

The failure to recognize things happening for what they really are, due to PC and MC thinking,.. will result in this:

http://www.insideindonesia.org/edit70/Poso1.htm

The cause .. a simple fight between to people ? sure.. just as Cronulla was nothing more than a few hotheads and some firey literature on the day.