Dresdener, it is not a matter of fact, it is a matter of opinion.

>>To those who claim multiculturalism is not divisive, please confute this<<

To prove a negative is, as you know, impossible. While there are people around like you, who believe multiculturalism is divisive and act accordingly, the very existence of people of different backgrounds living in proximity will create fear. Even if there are only two of you, you and the good professor, your point cannot, by definition, be refuted.

Still doesn't mean you are right, though.

In this particular case, I can only say "I disagree with the pessimism of Professor Putnam's analysis."

The good professor has done some excellent work, and one can only assume that he still believes what he said six years ago:

"'The bottom line is that there are special challenges that are posed to building social capital by ethnic diversity,' Putnam said in 2001. 'Since ethnic diversity is in the future of the US and Canada, this means we need to devote special attention to how you build connectedness or social capital in that context.'" [Quote from Finfacts Oct 9, 2006]

He clearly recognizes the "given" here is the nature of US society since the days of:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door"

I presume those are familiar words?

Having made that commitment, the US can hardly now turn around and say, sorry, we were wrong, please go home again.

So, however pessimistic the Professor may be about the effort that has been made so far, the only option, I'm afraid, is to work harder to address the problem.

Because walking away isn't an option.

Dresdener I was hoping I could prompt you to come up with some evidence to support your more absurd claims. I guess it was too much to ask for. You don't honestly expect us to take those claims seriously do you?

TarynW: "Who do these people think they are. I dont want any more in my country.

AT ALL!"

I don't particularly want intolerant, xenophobic people like some of those above in Australian society either, but I acknowledge their right to be here so I have therefore learnt to be tolerant of them. I do, however, reserve the right to question, criticise and lampoon their hateful ideas.

Freediver said: "Dresdener I was hoping I could prompt you to come up with some evidence to support your more absurd claims."

Which 'absurd' claims are you referring to? The ones you so overwhelmingly refuted with 'BS' and 'Wrong'?

They would be a good start.

Dresdener, unless you are a breast beating, mia culpa whitey who will apologise to all foreigners for simply being, you will get nowhere with the lefty bleating hearts who infest these forums.
Australians are racist rednecks don't you know, all we do is lock up poor "asylum seekers' who ,having fled their oppressive homelands, come here dragging their oppressive habits ,hopefully to cow us with them. With the blessing of the said bleating hearts who are never racist.They just do not like white Australians but that is not racist.