Dear Josephus,

I think our country has done rather well.

We have evolved over the many decades despite the
initial hiccups we've encountered along the way.
International research has shown that some measure
of assimilation is inevitable for any ethnic communities.

Even for air tight and isolated colonies, such as the
Amish or Hasidic Jews, cannot totally escape a slight
touch of assimilation.

Furthermore assimilation is a two-way process. As
immigrants absorb the culture of their host country, they
are also giving off and surrendering some of their imported
heritage.

As a result an Italian, Greek, Lithuanian, Briton, American,
Dutch, Danish, African, Chinese, Arab, living in Australia
for a long time is likely to gradually create a new identity
though they may not be aware of it.

What the former immigrant still believes to be their -Italian,
Greek, Lithuanian, British, American, Dutch, Danish, African,
Chinese, or Arab identity may well be regarded as totally
Australian by the contemporary residents in the country of
their ancestors.

Things do change. The only constant in life is change.
And our nation is a happier land than most.
For which we should feel blessed and happy.

Mr. Opinion,

Just got back home, and couldn't bear for you to be the "odd one out". Multiculturalism is the very worst thing foisted on us by politicians and big business without our permission. There is no point in arguing about it, though, as the damage has been done and it is irreparable. It is one of the reasons why Australia is rooted.

It will be interesting to see how Beijing deals with it when our dick politicians are receiving their orders from there.

Actually multiculturalism wasn't foisted onto anybody.
It was a natural evolution of this nation's population
growth and immigration programs over the many decades
starting with the First Fleet and pursued by Australian
governments.

However there are many average Australians who we can see
from some of the posts that perhaps apart from food, seem
to know very little about non-British migrants or their
cultures, and they are ignorant and stuck in a time-warp.

The facts tell a different story. An attempt to preserve
migrant cultures in Australia was initiated decades ago
30 May 1978 when the Galbally Report was tabled in the
House of Representatives.

The document recommended "inter alia" that our society
develops multiculturalism through the broad concept of
community education. That it would gain much which had been
lost to other nations.

This recommendation was based on the observation that -
"already our nation has been enriched by the artistic,
intellectual, and other attributes of migrant cultures
(Galbally 1978 9 8) , schools, ethnic affairs commissions and
other community bodies often buoyed by special purpose
government funding, have since endeavoured to implement
multicultural programs and greater ethnic awareness
throughout Australia.

This has helped many of us understand each other and come
together as a nation.

Of course there are always those that will reject what
doesn't suit their ideologies. Luckily they are a small
minority - who will eventually end up on the ash heap
of history.

As a wise person once stated:

"You can be deterred from your pathway in life by the
constant hatred or you can put up a shield and
fulfill your destiny".

ttbn,

I also don't think multiculturalism is not without its problems.

I am not one of those la la land people on here that crap on as if there are no problems.

But, what evidence do you have that Australians never supported arrivals of different people.

Are you saying that politicians and business do what they like?

Surely, the population can accept, at times, the need for more migrants.

That Australia is multicultural is self-evidently true.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. But it requires one thing - that one of those cultures is dominant and clearly THE national culture that all others revolve around and exist in deference toward.

Multiculturalism is the enemy of that requirement. It is a government inspired and run policy which seeks to elevate the 'other' cultures up to the same societal levels as the dominant culture. Its a policy that tells the non-dominant cultures that they are the equal of the main culture by, partially, denigrating the dominant culture.

A nation without a single overriding cultural base will not 'live long and prosper'.
Superficially, multiculturalism has not been a major problem for Australia since its introduction in the early 1980's (the policy started in the 70's but the practice took longer to get going.) The reason it's problems haven't been apparent is that the relative prosperity the nation has enjoyed in those years has been able to paper-over the inherent problems.

NOW...as the nation enters a decade or three of economic hardship, things will change. The various tribes will now be fighting over the crumbs rather than all supping at the feast. And that will lead to inter-cultural conflict and fracturing of superficial harmony.

Lots of WuFlu inspired chocks are coming home to roost.

There is a predominant culture just as there is a
predominant language in this country. And the
political and cultural institutions that govern
our nation are absolutely critical to that attitude
of harmony and tolerance.

Within an institutional framework that preserves tolerance
and protects order we can celebrate and enjoy diversity in
food, in music, in religion, in language and culture.

But we would not do that without the framework which
guarantees the freedom to enjoy diversity.

Therefore it is important to make clear (it's not an option).
That to be an Australian, one pledges loyalty first to
Australia. One pledges to share certain beliefs -
democratic beliefs - to respect the rights and liberties of
others, and to respect the rule of law.

There is a lot of sense in this pledge. Unless we have a
consensus of support about how we will form our legislatures
and an agreement to abide by its laws, none of us will be
able to enjoy our rights and liberties without being
threatened by others. We have a compact to live under a
democratic legislature and obey the laws it makes. In
doing this the rights and liberties of all are protected.

These are Australian values. We are clear on that. They are
not optional. And we expect all who call themselves
Australians to subscribe to them. Loyalty, democracy,
tolerance, the rule of law, values worth promoting, values
worth defending. The values of Australia and its citizens.