“Got any opinions on the topic of this thread? Be great to hear.”

Nah sorry Lexi, way too scared without sorting out some backup first. :)

Dear Jewely,

Ahhh what a shame. Love your posts, especially your sense of humour.
Could do with a good laugh at present (probs. at work).

lexi,
Comon, your suggestion that i am putting forward a new White Australian Policy is a strawman, to distract from the issue.

Apart from christians and muslims we have many other religions here that do not give us problems. I understand there are more Buddists here than muslims yet we have little problems with them.

Similarly we have people of many races, but as I said racial diversity is not the problem. The problems stem from alien cultural practices and attitudes and some groups refusal to compromise and integrate.

If you wish to discuss further, please stick to the issue.

Jewelry
Islam is a religion and its believers are known as muslims. Judalism is also a religion and its believers are known as Jews. Like muslims, Jews are comprised of different races. I would not be at all surprised if one could not find Jews of Asian or African heritage.

Eww work, I learnt the phrase “sit down money” yesterday, says it all.

I hope your day improved Lexi. A friend gave me another pet eel today!

This new eel’s home was drying up so the decent thing to do was bring it home even though my own resources are limited. I hope my other eels will welcome it to its new environment and share their territory, food and water while making an effort to understand its accent and help it to avoid the pond pump when it is switched on. Rather than leave the new eel where it was I think if I give it some thought I’ll work something out so no one starves and really if you like eels there is no alternative than to get smarter and cope. Luckily land locked eels do not breed but they do live a very long time and get very big.

But back to topic - do we have an Asian we can ask? Individual opinions on the matter are interesting but only one of the affected will have a broader view of attitudes here.

Lexi I’d be interested in finding out who posts here because besides Dave (who I haven’t seen here for awhile) are all the regular posters white and second or more generation Aussies? Wonder what it means to a forum to have quite a limited selection of people to gather opinions from.

Thanks Banjo, got it. I’ve met Arabs from all the popular creeds. Only the Muslim ones refer to themselves as Arabs so I figure it isn’t them getting it wrong so the deceit part shouldn’t be laid at their washed several times a day extremely clean feet.

Jews call themselves Jews as if it is a race though yeah? Anyone complain about it or call it deceit?

What is the definition of an Asian anyways? Where they from?

Dear Banjo,

Actually the issue is, "Has Australia's attitude to Asian immigrants changed?" read my opening post. I have tried to point out to you that all Australians are free to follow any religion they choose, so long as its practices do not break any Australian law. We're also free not to follow a religion and religious intolerance is unacceptable in Australian society. Cultural practices such as FGM, or bigamy, for example are illegal. Therefore your fears about certain groups I feel go against the Australian ethos of tolerance, mutual respect and compassion for those in need. Australia prides itself on being an egalitarian society where no one is supposed to be regarded as better than anyone else by virtue of who they are or where they were born.

Australia's cultural diversity is a strength which makes for a dynamic society. Within a framework of laws, all Australians have the right to express their culture and beliefs. What is asked is people wanting to settle in Australia make an overriding commitment to Australia - its laws, its values and its people.

I thought that we had arrived in a place far away from policies such assimilation which created such a lot of angst in our history. The notion of assimilation tainted our history of interaction with the First Australians as well as with our early immigrants. In this country, I believe we don't want to walk backwards towards a history for which we have apologised.

Anyway, if you feel so strongly on the subject of immigration and who we should let in - start your own thread on the subject instead of
demonizing my opinion.

cont'd ...

Dear Banjo,

I want to add that - several important events in recent
Australian political and social life have made feelings such as yours
quite understandable. In recent times - politicians have benefited from the fear of Muslims and rather than working to educate and lead Australians beyond it - they have passed new anti-terrorism legislation (first passed in 2002, then strengthed in 2003). This legislation inevitably validated some of the broader community mistrust of Arab and Muslim Australians.

In the past five years there has been documented and anecdotal evidence of a massive increase in harassment, vilification and violence towards Australians of Arab appearance. There have been unchecked racial religious vilification on talkback radio.

Prejudice creates what ir fears, because through prejudice young people's prospects are curtailed. Their own families often live defensively. What we need if we're going to live at ease with ourselves is more education, and less fear mongering. That of course is only my opinion. You're entitled to differ.