sonofgloin, I would suggest that, as is the case in many situations these days, is now due to out of control costs with doing business in AUS..

Dear Rehctub,

<<laws that were introduced to protect (mainly) young lives.>>

So the life of older or even middle-aged people, is cheap.

Has anyone counted the number of Australians who died of Arteriosclerosis and similar sedentary illnesses in the last 20 years or so because the government prevented them from riding a bicycle?

<<What's next, the Burka!>>

Freedom for EVERYONE (not only Sikhs) to wear or not whatever they want.

Yuyutsu, many laws are introduced with the intent to teach young ones. Plain packaging in smokes is another example.

It doesn't mean older folk are any less important, but you know that.

As for wearing what one likes, or not, no religious belief should ever be seen as more important IN AUSTRALIA than the law, FULL STOP.

So what if we have some yank come over and want to change the law so he/she doesn't need a motorcycle helmet.

I say, you come here, you accept our ways, or you leave. It really is that simple.

In any case, I thi

Dear rehctub,

Talking about laws ...

There aleady exist laws that are anti discrimination,
religion is included in that group. For example,
there is a requirement that places an obligation on
employers to accommodate for religious observance -
be it in the form of allowing religious garb -
or prayer, et cetera.

These laws form part of the social equity of our society.
They are part and parcel of the ideology of an egalitarian
society and that has been a uniquely Australian quality
of "We're-in-this-together-and-no-one should-be-considered-
to-be-anything-other-than-equal" which has been an integral
part of politics in this country since the first European
settlement.

Lexi wrote: "These laws form part of the social equity of our society.
They are part and parcel of the ideology of an egalitarian
society and that has been a uniquely Australian quality
of "We're-in-this-together-and-no-one should-be-considered-
to-be-anything-other-than-equal" which has been an integral
part of politics in this country since the first European
settlement."

Dear Lexi,

Equity has not been an integral part of politics in this country since the first European settlement.

During the first few years after 1788 the only clergymen given official status were Church of England chaplains attached to the royal armed forces and the only churches built were C of E. This was in spite of the fact that Catholics and Jews came over on the First Fleet. Later Australia officially adopted the White Australia policy. It was not until 1967 that Aborigines were included in the national census. Equity is a goal that many Australians now share, but it does not date from the first European settlement.

Dear Rehctub,

<<I say, you come here, you accept our ways, or you leave. It really is that simple.>>

Simple? Your allegedly-Australian "Ho Ho Ho" custom is actually Canadian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_ho_ho), exclaimed by an American Coca-Cola character (formerly White-Rock, http://www.whiterocking.org/santa.html)!

<<As for wearing what one likes, or not, no religious belief should ever be seen as more important IN AUSTRALIA than the law, FULL STOP.>>

This approach was already tested by Antiochus IV Epiphanes (http://www.simpletoremember.com/articles/a/greek_persecution, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiochus_IV_Epiphanes#Sacking_of_Jerusalem_and_persecution_of_Jews), and was met by the revolt of the Maccabees.

Every worthy religious person would and should rather die than betray God in favour of some man-made laws. Fortunately, neither the vast majority of Australian people, nor even the current Australian government, stupid as they are, or any former Australian government for that matter, takes your view of making enemies with God and His people and face the wrath of their revolution.

Australians in general are by far more tolerant and generous than yourself, but had the majority of Australians held your views, then it would not be a matter of words, but of swords to speak.

I do however, to promote tolerance and avoid coming anywhere near Antiochian times, repeatedly address all people of religion:

Never think that you are immune, that your church is so strong that it couldn't happen to you, that you may collude with the state so that only other, smaller, religions will be persecuted. The only way to assure religious freedoms in the long run, is to promote a culture where EVERYONE is free to live their way of life, religious or otherwise, of your church or another.

Applying this principle to helmets, if you are a Sikh, then you should not campaign only for Sikhs to be allowed to ride bicycles: you should rather campaign for no-one to be ever forced by the state and its laws to wear, or not to wear, anything. True, some people may use their freedom to walk around naked, which you may not like, but that's the logical and reasonable price to pay for assuring that nobody may ever take your Turban off.