Paul,

I am cynical I know. But in the past you have come up with all sorts of different friends and neighbours if you have a point to prove. I believe that you would discover a Hottentot, lesbian, disabled, atheist, communist, total victim neighbour if you needed one:).

I don't know how you can make such enthusiastic judgements of this lazy or illiterate woman if she can't speak English. Of course, she might be illiterate in Greek, too, and that would make it impossible for her to learn another language. No matter what her problem is, I could have no time or sympathy for any one making use of a country without learning the language. She is a good example of the burden many immigrants are to us.

And, of course you would kick out other people before this worthless woman. You have always preferred the foreign and exotic to your own kind; it's called self-hatred. I can tell you this - if ever I needed help with enemy, I wouldn't call on you.

I do get out, and I mix with all sorts of people, including those who couldn't speak a word of English before they came here; and I can tell you that this old foreigner is putting it over you. It's true that not all people are great linguistics, but they can usually make themselves understood, particularly after 50 bloody years!

If you had said that she was losing her English, I would have believed you. It is a natural phenomenon for people to lose a second language as they age; hence the growing number of 'ethnic’ retirement villages and aged-care establishments. But I don't buy your old biddy.

And if this woman does exist and she is passing baklava over the fence, remember the old adage about Greeks bearing gifts.

I can't understand all this fuss about an old lady who speaks
her own language. Has she done anything criminal? Does
she need the language in order to survive in this country?
I believe that the Greek Communities are quite large.
Perhaps she has family who look after her and help her out
because in her culture that's what family members do for their
elderly? In any case surely we are over the narrow-minded
attitudes of the 1950s where "speak English" was the order of
the day - often to people who spoke several languages and from
people who themselves did not have a good grasp of the King's
English.

We have a lovely elderly Italian neighbour. A grandmother.
Whose husband passed away some time ago. Her family looks
after her with daily visits (yes, daily) and she also does
not speak English - although I have no problem communicating
with her. It's amazing what you can do when you want people
to understand you.
It's called being a good neighbour and breaking down the
barriers.

You are also a master of hyperbole, Paul. “This ugly nationalists fervour of jolly jumbucks”; “ flag waving”; “language test bunged on by the local branch of the Nazi party!”

If your prose were physical actions, you would be either a champion tap dancer or a tanglefoot, so fast and furious they come.

Your “I would think many of the men, they were all men, who sat in the first parliament of Australia, and were not native born”. What? You think that the only 'native born’ around at the time were into such things as parliaments? The newly-arrived Poms should have waited for the 'currency lads’ to be born and reach maturity before a parliament could be set up?

Foxy we have ACOSs screaming for higher pensions, welfare payments & cheap housing for the "disadvantaged". While we are paying for hundreds of thousands of recently imported bludgers, or long term bludgers like this lady, there is no chance of affording more welfare costs for our own. If people don't want to contribute, they should be on the next plane out of here.

We should immediately stop wasting money on foreign language people at Centrelink to help the them rip us off, & make all business English only. No English, no welfare. In the same way, drivers licence tests should be English only. If you can't speak English, no licence, or trade papers. Run free English classes for sure, but get rid of bludgers.

It was different in your time Foxy. Migrants/refugees were given cheap accommodation in hostels, & given a job. From there it was up to them to better themselves. Many did very well working on the Snowy River scheme. Others worked hard & became millionaires. Great I'm all for it.

On the other hand, remember the Meditation back? Certain ethnicity migrants discovered you could claim a bad back, & get welfare, while working elsewhere. Took a while to organise a defence against these cheats. Unfortunately bleeding hearts stopped us chucking out these proven con men when found.

Time to change the question at the boarder. Not ask what we can do for you, but what the hell can you do for us?

ttbn,

I don't know much of the history of my old Greek neighbour, other than she is around 80, and came to Australia with her husband and young family in the 1960's. I known she has 5 children, all grown up, married with lots of grandchildren, a loving family who visit her regularly. Her husband passed away some years ago, she dresses in black and visits his grave frequently. As a family I don't think they were all that different to many native born, husband working, wife at home with the kids, worked hard to establish a life for themselves and their children, eventually owning their own modest home in a new country. All her children seem to have done well. What more do you expect of people?

p/s I'll keep her here if for no other reason than for the Greek almond biscuits she makes, and her vine leaves, something special there.

Thanks Foxy, glad you popped in, that me exactly. Her kids one or two visit daily, as do her grandchildren.