Boaz David,

You wrote:

"WE HAVE a culture, and if anyone wishes to come here, they are expected to embrace it, and if they have religious prohibitions about the way we do things....DON'T COME."

I just wondered: drinking (usually beer) is part and parcel of Australian culture. Would you be banning those whose religion does not allow them to consume alcohol?

YUYUTSU

good point.

I don't consider 'drunkenness' part of our culture. Having a social drink with friends at a bar-b-q is fine.

Its a bit difficult to summarize a whole culture in each post. But to discover "Australian" culture, you need to research it a bit.
Where there are attitudes and behaviors which don't fit into 'do for others as you would have them do for you' then I see no need or point in embracing them.

The key points of Culture are as follows:

-Language
-Dress (yes, this is important.. nothing too 'stand out' as from other cultures, in my view. I've 'lived' this, so I speak from experience).
-Greetings. (Shake hands...not rub noses)
-Rites of passage. (Birth, marraige death)

BIRTH. No female genital mutilation.

MARRAIGE. No "forced" arranged marraiges

DEATH. We have laws concerning entombment and burial.. they must follow them.

EMERGENCY SERVICES. Should base their approach to ALL members of the community on Australian law and culture. Not any other.

EDUCATION. No such thing as 'ethnic' schools. (Ethnic schools are a racist idea) Religious schools ok, as long as Australian culture and history are correctly taught.

I think you have an unbalanced understanding of our culture :)
Bear in mind, our culture has been under attack for decades... it also has weaknesses.. which we as a nation should address. One of those weaknesses is the idea that manhood and booze are closely related. Lets work to remove that idea.
"And do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Holy Spirit" says the Bible... not a bad part of our Christian heritage to emphasize.

Maybe watched too many Hoges tourism adverts ?

YuYu

sorry I missed that point about 'religion forbidding them to consume alchohol'.....

I would never support making people consume alchohol in the name of culture. The point about 'drinking' is in fact socializing. This can be done without alchohol...and in my personal view should be.

An important point though, is that people must consider if there is anything they cannot do here which is a normal requirement in education or work (such as the wearing of beards and safety helmets) which they cannot agree to. Sikhs etc.. I would say 'If you don't want to comply with safety helmets...DON'T come :) This was a MAJOR issue in Canada. I don't think our industrial law should be changed in a discriminatory manner for the sake of a miniscule minority.
The same applies to Islamic prayer and friday prayers. If they don't wish to fit our system.. again...don't come. Or if already here and don't like it... leave...goto Indonesia or Malaysia.. etc.

I'd love to see us seek to raise awareness of NOT needing chemical stimulants for healthy happy social interaction. Bring on the Milo and hot choccy :) I still do love a cuppa tea and coffee but am not aware of any special mood impact on myself.

cheers

Dear Jeff.. well done mate :) appreciated.

BOAZ: Just a couple of random points on what you've written.

Yes, it's strange how stand up comics are exempt yet people who are trying to be serious and discuss real issues aren't. I think it actually says a lot about the (im)maturity of our society and just how far we have to go regarding censorship from and against any side.

Personally, I don't have a problem with schools that are set up to discriminate against particular groups, so long as I don't have to fund them. If people want to set up ethnic schools, religious schools, single sexed schools or whatever, that's fine by me, and it should be nobody's business but their own (although, of course, others should be able to freely criticise or ridicule them).

I think the underlying problem in all of this for me is that government presumes to prescribe morality and lifestyle for individuals, when people (as individuals or as voluntary members of groups) should be the ones to decide that for themselves. That's why, as someone who is highly critical of (if not outright disdainful of) organised religion, particularly Christianity, I support you on this. It's nobody's right to step in and censor anybody else, even if that person holds beliefs that are wrong, violent, etc. Actions may be one thing, but words are another.

Scout: All your talk about being tolerant or being against bigotry and so on is a bit rich considering your comments on another thread about "lowest common denominator" regarding those who don't watch ABC. More of the hypocrisy of the left: Muslims are off limits, but bogans are fair game. Maybe you should check out some Jim Goad.

Having said that, I agree with you entirely about cutting our dependence upon oil, moving towards sustainability, etc., although I suspect we would go about it in different ways.

Shorbe

I think it’s a bit rich when you:

A) deliberately misrepresent something I say

and

B) use that piece of misinformation to malign me on another thread.

For the record I stated in regard to the privatisation of the ABC:

“Loss of the ABC would mean loss of innovation, information and alternatives to the pap served up by for-profit TV. All of this info and entertainment which would be lost if the ABC became another ratings obsessed, lowest common denominator, boringly mainstream, commercial channel.”

I never even mentioned you in relation to ‘lowest common denominator’, now settle down and read thoroughly in future.

For those who can be a*sed the full exchange is available at:

http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=4605

I believe we need a combination of government and private enterprise and Shorbe doesn’t.

I apologise for moving off-topic, however I believe that it is small misunderstandings that lead to great big wars and perhaps by edifying Shorbe I have prevented an escalation of events.

;-D