Dear Jay,

It isn't just about the food.
Again your distraction is not going to
work.

BTW - I would match your mother's
cooking skills with mine any day.

My cooking
is legendary among my family, friends, neighbours,
and colleagues - from traditional Lithuanian,
Russian, German, Chinese, English (my in-laws and
thank you Nigella) to Margaret Fulton's excellent
teaching. I love to cook - and do so with great
love and relish.
As for how much the restaurant staff are paid?
Your concern is deeply touching.
Are you just as concerned about all our manufacturing
that goes overseas, the overseas call-centres,
the products that we buy here that are made in
Third World countries? The lists go on.

All societies are made up of good and bad. None are perfect.

I have seen a comment from the right, that multi-culturism is wrong, because not all cultures are equal. Why does the person that made this comment believe he is superior.

I lived in the Guildford area, when the Muslims first came. Lived there for many years. Had sadly seen some of their kids grow up to be ccrinjmanls. Funny, also seen some of our kids go down the same path. Nothing to do with culture.
I am more interested in why this occurred, than blaming any religion or culture.

I have also seen the majority grow up, to create families of their own, and live worthwhile lives. Once again, nothing to do with religion or culture.

Flo,

The electorate is demanding much better screening of migrants.

Opponents to any screening of migrants (they want 'open door' immigration) try to cast that simple, reasonable, democratic demand of the majority of the electorate as opposition to all migrants or to some cultural groups, which it is not. The demand for better screening is being made by migrants too, who are more opposed to importing the toxic customs and persecutors they themselves have fled.

The reasonable concerns of the law-abiding, respectable majority, who do not deserve the foul label of 'racists' - in fact they are constantly proving that the opposite is the case in their respect - were raised but are not being discussed here.

Dear Joe (Loudmouth,

Thank You for your kind words
and your well reasoned arguments.
They are appreciated.

Dear Flo,

Thanks to you for your perceptive
comments.

I am consistently amazed at those who continue to
divide issues into a "Them" and "Us" argument.
As Joe (Loudmouth) pointed out in this discussion -
"We are Many, and We are One," (as the song says).
But his words are not heard or appreciated by these
"decent law-abiding citizens" who know what's best
for "Us" (and "Them"). Screening of immigrants is
already being done as the following link tells us:

http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/70border.htm

Although obviously not to everyone's satisfaction.

o sung wu "we have the very best country in the world, with the best conditions, the best way of life and climate, with the best statutory protections for all, and the most stable political and legal systems possible"

And all that just appeared out of thin air?
No, it was a consequence of the very homogeneity now being destroyed.

What kind of "stability" do you expect will develop from today's immigration?
We will be the "best" Third World hellhole.

The people make the nation, and we are changing the people.

We had a nation of related people who understood what "liberal", "democratic" and "secular" meant.

We now have millions of unrelated people coming in who have never encountered such concepts, with many openly opposed to them.

Foxy "Years ago assimilation sounded like a noble political idea, but in practice it smacked of cultural genocide."

And who pulled the trigger?
If you loved your birth culture so much, why did *YOU* leave it?

"such experiences are within walking distance, or over the back fence"

So are the gang rapists.

Jay Of Melbourne "there would have been ethnic food crazes here regardless of whether we had Third World immigration or not."

Yes, this is the Information Age.
Recipes, films, music, art, literature.
Recorded and replicated with the touch of a button.

From any era or culture, all at your fingertips. Add to cart.
No need to move millions of human bodies around.

We had crazes for various styles of Black American music, with virtually no Black American immigration.

Crazes for Latin American dances, with virtually no Latin American immigration.
We adopted surfing, with virtually no Hawaiian immigration.

We can partake of any cultural elements we wish, without anyone migrating anywhere.

Dear Shockadelic,

I was born in Australia.
My parents were refugees, who had fled from
Lithuania to escape the second Soviet occupation of
their country (1944 -1990). They helped solve an acute
labour shortage in Australia, especially in outlying
areas. A report by the Commonwealth Employment
Service dated September, 1948 stated:

"They (the first 4000 displaced persons) are everywhere
employed upon work for which sufficient Australian labour
is not available ... This review of their activities over
a very short period suggests how much impetus their
availability in large numbers is likely to give our
housing program and to our production in other industries
which are vital to the Australian economy."

On arrival in this country, the 10,000 Lithuanians had
joined other migrants in the rebuilding of Australia's
capital structures that were to save the nation for many
decades to come. Their economic contribution was significant
at a time when Australia needed it most.

Today, despite the enormous amount of diversity in this
country, cultural, sexual, racial, political - there
remain people who still like to perpetuate a very
limited construction of our nation's identity.

They're very good at demanding every one else to be
better - but they never seem to demand it of themselves.
Their answer to any kind of question of culture that
occupies the status quo has always been the obstinate,
"If you don't like it, leave." Perhaps we need to say
to them - "We like it here, but if you don't, then
why don't you take your own advice and go. Sadly for you
though, this world is full of diversity. Good-luck with
finding your Utopia."