The rest of multiculturalism is fine with me, but not the foreign loyalty part.

I agree, and am fine with multiculturalism also,(those who wish to assimilate and declare themselves Australians)... though don't believe we should be immigrating known problematic groups/individuals who are culturally opposed to our western values at the risk of them being offended by our Australian way of life.

...  See, I'm a thoughtful bigot.

My grandmother was of Portuguese decent, though referred to herself as being Australian until the day she died whenever someone asked her what her nationality was. She was a firm believer in when in Rome, do as the Romans do...(in her own words)... which is why it still dumbfounded her right up until the day she died how sometimes she would see 3rd generational Australians referring to their nationality as being either their religion, or where their parents, grandparents came from, this and would not identify themselves as being simply Australian, despite having been born here themselves.

Must they be Lebanese Australian, or Indo-Australian, Chinese Australian, etc?

Why not just Australian?

Multiculturalism can work, though I think the existing values and our Australian way of life/culture is often undermined, ridiculed, even mocked by some ethnic minorities who point-blank don't wish to identify themselves as being Australian, (until they want government  assistance this is) and whilst it's unacceptable/un-Australian for existing Australians to discriminate, some ethnic groups don't at all mind discriminating against themselves when they make this racial/cultural distinction between themselves and us.
In Switzerland, they are very strict with respects to who they allow to become citizens, there are courses immigrants are expected to attend, comprising culture, language, history, values etc, even if you marry a Swiss citizen. I think we need to be more exclusive, this and make it clear that if you move here, you are to Australianise, become an Australian citizen.  We are supposed to be in this together, irrespective of were we all originated from, yes?

When our armed services reflects a more diverse, multicultural nation prepared to defend it's nation irrespective of where they or their parents originated from, then and only then will I agree that those who have immigrated here, and or their offspring truly value us as a race unto itself, a nation worthy of their undivided loyalty, respect and admiration.

Have you been out to the the barracks lately, tell me, why is it that a majority of those who serve in our nations armed services, don't reflect a more "multicultural" Australia?

A majority of those willing to serve their nation are caucasian, despite our obvious multicultural shift.
I think it's this brand of patriotism which speaks for itself, don't you?

Good enough to immigrate here, but not good enough to defend?

...Some immigrants appear to be more willing to Australianise than others, you need to drive out to the suburbs more, might I suggest a stroll through Canley vale, Cabramatta, Chester Hill, Bass Hill, Lakemba, Guildford, Villawood, Grandville, Yennora, Merrylands, Auburn, Lidcome, Fairfield, ....  we have a 2nd and 3rd generational Lebanese/Asian youth culture, complete with their own accent and street culture/dress code,  as though they walked off the boat yesterday...and nothings been done about integrating these people into Australian society responsibly, never has it been our governments priority.

I think you need to go for a drive out into the suburbs a little more often, to the places I listed, because you don't have to be a social anthropologist to realise how many of these once thriving middle-class and safe neighbourhoods have become impoverished ethnic slums that noone with any self respect wants to buy in, due to having been both socio-economically and racially-demographically stigmatised.

Are regarded ethnic sprawls!

Not all of us walk around with our eyes closed, this and do take a drive through these revolting suburbs from time to time just to compare them to how they used to be.

We can irresponsibly immigrate true, but we cant hide our growing slums of social depravity and cultural disadvantage in OZ forever.

...A word of advise, don't get out of your car.

And make sure you have glass insurance, if you do.

So, why are a majority of those willing to defend their nation Anglo-Saxon?

Where is this multicultural and "Australianised" nation of 2nd and 3rd generational folk you speak of?

Missing in action?i

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Are you in the defence force? If not, are you unpatriotic? There are more ways to 'serve' your country than joining the military.

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What dress code are you talking about?

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Oh please.

How boring and limiting would only one culture be in the max.

Ziggy wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2010 at 7:05pm:



If 'culture' is not real for you - then on what grounds do you declare that culture is not impotrtant?

What is a good ground for disunity for you? WHat unites you with others?

Ziggy wrote on Jul 23^rd, 2010 at 9:07pm:


Things that make him spill his cocoa, I'd say.

mellie wrote on Jul 3^rd, 2010 at 10:35pm:


Learning that Swiss Language can be a real bugger.  Still it's good that Switzerland is so monolithic with everybody speaking fluent Swiss

Of course there is a down side wesley, there is good and bad parts in every culture. We need to adopt the good and throw away the bad. We need to evolve as peoples.