Hi Yuyutsu,

No, I would not support the slightest difference in rights and obligations of any Australian citizen, except obviously such things as work obligations for pensioners, the disabled, etc.

As well there are all sorts of problems with the frankly racist notion of 'different' rights: for example, in the case of Indigenous Australians, would you impose similar or different privileges and obligations on the great majority who live in towns and cities, and on those living in remote communities ? Would recognition of Indigenous customary law interfere with the rights of Indigenous women in remote communities ? Would that be forcibly extended to urban Indigenous women ? Could people be speared for sorcery ? Should young girls 'marry' older men to whom their father has promised them ? And, of course, who and what would define 'Indigenous' and exclude those deemed 'non-Indigenous' ?

Probably not, you would surely agree. But I do not agree that people in different groups can statutorily 'choose their level of involvement and commitment.' Above statutory requirements, all Australians do, and should, have the right to set their own levels of involvement in civil society and in political life. I'm not sure how else it would work. Australia is not some dictatorship which can organise attendance at compulsory rallies. Nor does the Australian system stop people from freely assembling and organising their own political rallies and meetings.

Perhaps those are Australian values ? i.e. democracy, along with the rule of law and formal equality of men and women, imperfectly applied as they may be ? Younger people seem to be oblivious to those: I noticed that dippy Jan Fran on SBS' 'The Feed' throwing her hands up, mystified about what 'Australian values' might be. The schools have obviously let the next generations down badly.

Joe

Dear Joe,

Of course I agree with your post.

Most of us want to know
about ourselves, why we do the things we do. Sometimes
the reasons are clear and well within sight but sometimes
the actions of other people are puzzling. Most people are
interested in other people, and to understand them it can
be useful to know about their backgrounds and their past
experiences. This helps towards better understanding and
social cohesion - and in this country most of us are
trying to do precisely that. Negative attitudes and
prejudices that existed in the past, for many people today
are considered outmoded and no longer acceptable.

Dear ttbn,

So glad that you finally acknowledge the contributions
that people have made to Australia over the generations
and centuries.

Dear runner,

I don't claim to be an expert on "Multiculturalism,"
and I don't know the most effective way to deal with
the prejudices of some people. But I am pretty sure
that exclusion, misinformation, constant media attacks,
do not help.

We could all have one or two of these wonderful immigrants assigned to us - to do all the things that they are apparently so much better at than we are. Of course they would all have to learn to speak English properly so that they could communicate with us.

cont'd ...

Dear runner,

Yes Waleed Aly is a Muslim - but he's also an Australian.
He does not defend Islam - the way that ISIS, terrorists,
and fundamentalists practice it to suit their twisted
agendas. He explains the way that he and other Australian
Muslims live their lives. As for Aly's success? He achieved
that on his own. Not every person gets to win a Gold Logie.
Australians awarded that to him. Which speaks volumes.

You could take a page out of his book.
Try actually practicing your religion -
You could earn brownie points for the hereafter.

Foxy,

I said 'if' they are such wonderful people as you claim. When are you going to reveal how we benefited from the arrival of your Lithuanian parents? What particularly Lithuanian miracle did they bestow upon us? Apart from you, of course.

And there is something else that I'm sure you will have a theory on. How is it that Australia has been slowly sinking into the mire since multiculturalism was enforced on us, and growing numbers of immigrants have been non-European, non-English speaking non-Judeo-Christian valuers? Where we were once high on the lists in health, science,economy and education, we are now well down on those lists. In fact, the entire West has slipped back since it started rejecting its own mores and values.

I'm sure you will be able to help me out here.

And apropos of your 'twisted agendas' comment to runner, Foxy, ISIS does not have a twisted view of Islam; it has the correct view. Given your authoritative pronouncements on pretty much everything, I would have thought that you would have had more knowledge of the teachings of the Koran and Allah.