I'm still not quite sure why some people are objecting
to what they call "multiculturalism."

People talk about the "Australian identity."
Can anybody tell us what that is precisely?

The Australian identity of the past would be very
different to the Australian identity of today.
And of course migrants to Australia have contributed
significantly over the past centuries and therefore
influenced our identity.

As someone wrote on the web - We are a country
obsessed with coffee (Thank You Italy), who loves
Yum Cha on week-ends (Thank You China), have a drink
with friends at the pub (Thank You UK) and celebrating
St Patrick's Day (Thank You Ireland) and the Chinese
New Year (Thank You China), and so on.

I realise that there are concerns among some people that they
feel certain groups will not ässimilate" into our
society. But we need to look at things logically.
Should someone fleeing persecution and war - who moves to
Australia be really expected to speak the same lingo?
Should they support Australia above every other sporting
team? Should they enjoy the same sense of humour?
Would an Australian moving to another country such as
France or Oman adopt all of their values?

Do they need to join the RSL, walk the Kokoda Track,
eat meat pies with tomato sauce and love vegemite
sandwiches, enjoy watching cricket and speak English
at home, all of the time? How many of us really do that?

Just a few thoughts - to lighten things up a bit...

Multiculturalism destroying Australian identity?
Or adding and enriching it?
And please lets leave extremists and fundamentalists out
of this equation!

Ttbn,

I think the figure was more like 35 % disapproving of current immigration levels and 65 % either approving (51 %) or unsure about (14 %) current levels:

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/majority-of-australians-support-immigration-exclusive-poll

Unless you have other figures ?

Joe

AHH, Foxy, deflecting again I see.
I don't think Aussies give a sh!t as to whether migrants want to follow our sporting or cultural beliefs.
Again you intentionally avoid the root cause of our angst, and highlight it by telling us to ignore the very thing we are all talking and concerned about.
And guess what?
Let's not leave extremists and fundamentalists out of the equation.
How dare you try to sell your vial ideology.
It is precisely those things you are trying to ignore that are the problem.
What is the matter with you?
Why would anyone deflect from the obvious?
No we will include the extremists and fundamentalists, because they ARE the problem.
So until you or anyone else creates a device which, let's say, can be used at the airport, like our current screening electronic devices, which can identify these undesirables, as much as I feel torn, we must stop any further migration of this group.
I think Australia is doing fine with the mix we have.
I don't think we will suffer as a country if we stop any more Muslims from migrating here.
And in future, do not think us fools by trying that old trick again.
Show some fortitude and guts, and debate things with facts and not by omission.

Joe,

You know my "other figures" came from the Lowey Institute, generally a Left-wing organisation. Your figures come from SBS, a generally extreme Left wing organisation. So, who knows? It suits me to believe the former, and you the latter. But we both know that, when it's all boiled down, we don't know who to believe, and that polls could be total bullshite, anyway, because they never reveal their sampling methods. There are all sorts of tricks to get the answers whoever is paying you wants to hear.

If we don't take assimilation and values to the
extreme, then most migrants and refugees do
as we well know assimilate into Australian culture.

Many have become doctors saving people's lives,
successful human rights lawyers, scientists who find
cures for diseases, award-winning chefs, business
owners, I could go on. A couple have even become
Prime Ministers.

Of course there will always be a few (minority) who
don't attempt to assimilate. But their children will
and do. It is unfortunate that these people who
don't/won't assimilate are the ones the media fixates
on. Sadly controversy sells more papers. The media
also forgets to mention that these people can be
found all over the world, of all colours and religions -
some will be Caucasian Australians.

Neil Barringham said - "The grass is greener when you
water it!" In this context it makes sense. If a new
migrant is discriminated against or racially abused
they of course will be reluctant to assimilate and prefer
to stick with their own kind. And the more reluctant they
are to assimilate the more they will be abused and
discriminated against. It's a vicious circle.
I'm not suggesting that we should try to fit in with them.
But I do believe that if we could try to help each other,
live more kindly, and generously - it may just help.
It certainly can't hurt!

Foxy, I know you have the mind and emotions of a mix between a five year old and Mary Poppins, but please stop sprouting all these dreamy, unrealistic and fanciful claims.
You refuse to understand and accept that it is the 'few baddies' amongst certain nationalities that are the problem.
Your wanting us to embrace them ALL in the belief that if we show them we care, they will renounce the koran and assimilate or at least not kill us.
Will you get it into your thick skull that the chances of a certain race being more a threat than others is a very real prospect and no end of trying to show them that we care is going to change that.
In fact with their particular mindset, they see it as a sign of weakness and will use it to their advantage.
Also will you once and for all accept that NO-ONE except themselves know who the bad guys are.
So the ONLY sure way of protecting ourselves is to cease the intake of Muslims.
Even then we have to be extra vigilant of who is already here.
If you are so smart then please you tell us who is going to harm us next, otherwise, stop it with the nicey, nicey stuff, it's honestly, quite disturbing and brings you across as being a little un-hinged.
DO you honestly believe even half of what you write?
"But I do believe that if we could try to help each other, live more kindly, and generously-it may just help.
It certainly can't hurt".
Where do you get off making dangerous statements like that?
You are not an authority on anything other than what you gleen from books, and you have no experience of the world, outside of your books.
So please,unless you have a fact that you have witnessed or makes sense, don't bother, you,re just getting in the way.