Datalife wrote on Nov 4^th, 2014 at 8:58am:


Wow, you and Soren both have gone to great length in order to avoid detailing our culture. To my mind, therein lieth the problem. If you lot are so disconnected from the culture that you cannot even reasonably articulate even a few stand out cultural facets of being Australian then it is already diluted significantly by the owners....

We actually do have a rich culture that is explainable, however, each successive generation seems to move just a tad further away from what that looks like. You demonstrate that perfectly here, ironically (irony would be one fine example of Australian culture by the way) whilst seemingly proclaiming that a group who represent less than 5% of our population are some threat to your cutcha....

Larrikinism, ever heard of that?

The Hills Hoist, an all Aussie invention - that'd be something that is part of our culture, what about the note pad - yeah we don't make that big a deal of our "inventiveness" I suppose, or perhaps that is a dying art for modern (dare I say, uncultured) Australians. There is quite a list of clever Aussie innovations.

How about our Mythology - Ned Kelly, Anzacs- let's face it, our idealised image of our Anzacs would not recognise, respect or acknowledge most "modern" Aussies of contemporary age. Yet that is what they bled and died for apparently. We certainly have demonstrated great respect for their "courage".

We value, no strike that, we once valued our Heroes, our sporting heroes (to be fair we still have not moved too far away from that one despite corporate efforts), our military heroes, hell we even had heroes of reform and progress (I know that the Regressive mob amongst us will hate that idea). Think about the Eureka Stockade....

These ideas, values, ideals and myths all make up part of our CULTURE, yet you could not articulate a single one.

A fair go...

Love of sun and sand - even after the slip slap slop campaign we still love our beach and outdoor lifestyle, and why wouldn't we given the gifts this country has to offer.

Then we have the contribution to our overall culture of the indigenous culture - like it or not, that too is part of who and what we are, even despite some of our (white fella) efforts to stifle, ignore, degrade, disrespect and/or crush it.

Then our capacity and constitutional freedom of religion, although one must seriously consider that is being eroded, not externally but from within. That is, or was, a distinct cultural strength that has been diluted.

This country has a very easily articulated culture if you bother to stay connected with it and not allow this dilution some are so scared of. It is being diluted already, but not by externals, not by 5% of the Population but by the vast majority who, seemingly are simultaneously terrified of it being diluted.

Like I said, if our culture is meaningful and strong enough, it actually has little or nothing to be concerned about, we need some meaningful connection to it. Meaningful connection, rather than using ignorance of it as a bludgeoning tool against those you fear that is.

Further to our "Culcha" is our language, Australian English is quite unique, cant' remember the blokes name now, think he was a linguist, who called it "Strine". It was something about saying Australian with your teeth clenched to avoid swallowing flies.... Sounds pretty Aussie Culture to me.

Do you need a further list to do with the Arts? Or would it be reasonable that you might go and do some research into those cultural norms, myths or ideals that you and many like you have contributed to the dilution of through laziness and lack of care, only to now blame a minority from another region? Migration, by the way, has been a cultural norm for Australia ever since the first 11 ships pulled up in Botany Bay....

When all else fails........do what the American left does......

Phemanderac wrote on Nov 4^th, 2014 at 4:59pm:


It's just a slogan. Give me details.

I know the term, mostly because I've heard the "progressives" in the academe screech it, but it's always so vague that it amounts to meaning little.

Quote:


Everyone has some kind of support here. Nevertheless, you're so vague that I don't even know what you mean. You need to write out in detail what "institutionalised power" is so I can see what "support" and "system" actually mean.



Quote:


The example was projective to prove a point. It doesn't matter what the percentage of them are here now; the point is that there is a difference between Australia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Is this so hard to grasp?

Postmodern Trendoid III wrote on Nov 5^th, 2014 at 4:50am:


By the way, the "example" which is notably NOT included in your new quote was quite explicit, here,

Postmodern Trendoid III wrote on Nov 4^th, 2014 at 5:01am:


I took the trouble to highlight for you the part that highlights a bit of a lie in your projective example, the number is entirely relevant in terms of completely diluting our culture, hence my being "overly dramatic" comment.

The numbers matter if the "differences" are going to have any significant impact either positively or negatively.

If that is too hard to work out, then this is pretty much a done discussion.

Also, if we can't have some intellectual honesty here, then once again, the discussion may as well be done.

You don't need to agree or like my point of view/comments at all. However, if you are going to test, refute, rebut or challenge them, at least do so with some integrity.

Phemanderac wrote on Nov 5^th, 2014 at 3:20pm:


Well, it is a slogan, yet Abbott's argument is that the debt left by Labor included some waste. In contrast, you have no argument. You replied with "seriously?" and now with some dictionary definitions which amounts to tautologies and not an argument and/or evidence.


Quote:


There's nothing in those links that verify your original claim. Let me remind you what it was: "Racism lies with the dominant culture that also has institutional power."


Quote:


You're telling the story, you made the original claim; the onus is on you to verify and support it.

I actually know the arguments of those who screech "whites have institutional power", but I want you to explain it.

Quote:


See what above?



Quote:


I am not against certain ethnicities and their culture. Many do fit in reasonably well. Some even bring a better work ethic than many who already reside here. The two cultures I mentioned were mentioned for a reason - Iran and Saudi Arabia. They both have very stringent laws against free speech, particularly against religion (the punishment in Saudi Arabia for blasphemy is death). This goes back to my original point - It is ludicrous for "progressives" to support such a culture to flourish within Australia because it is them who criticize religion more than any other group.

Lord Herbert wrote on Nov 2^nd, 2014 at 10:24am:



"The left (whatever that is today) keep trying to hijack the agenda..."

Agenda:  noun, formally a plural of, agendum but usually used as a singular with plural, agendas or agenda.
1. a list, plan, outline, or the like, of things to be done, matters to be acted or voted upon, etc.

Apart from reducing immigration numbers could someone outline what plan they propose to bring about the demise of multiculturalism?

Since there's no multicultural law, and as I've asked in the past, how are you going to stop people practicing their culture, speaking their customary language, eating their customary foods or socialising in their customary fashions?

And --  apart from spurious Muslim bashing, as been mentioned -- are you going to target the rapidly increasing Jewish Community in Australia, which is now the ninth largest in the world?  Are you going to ban bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, Jewish weddings and Kosher food -- make them tear down their synagogues?  The press will love you.

But why stop there?  You could go after all the pizza houses, Chinese, Thai and Indian restaurants.  All the non-Christian denominational schools. Ban all cultural festivals including Oktoberfest, The Filipino Food and Youth Festival etc.

But why stop there? This is Australia. You could blackout all non-Australian television and radio broadcasts -- I mean who wants to watch the decadent Carnival in Rio?
Of course all non-Australian religious activities could be banned -- no more Ramadan or Passover. And you could disband all the non-Australian soccer clubs.

And what about a ban on foreign horses in the Melbourne Cup?  And beer too.  Screw Heineken and Peroni -- if you don't drink Tooheys or VB you're nothing but a wog-beer-lover.

What is Australian culture anyway?  Cricket and meat pies are British; most dyed-in-the-wool 4WDrivers drive Toyotas.  Holdens were really Yank cars. Surfing originated in Hawaii.  Sheep were imported from Britain and Europe; so what's the use of eating lamb on Australia Day? Rugby League and Rugby Union are British, Soccer is European.  The Australian military is just a sycophantic surrogate of the US military. The press is mostly Jewish.  The film and television industry is inundated with American garbage -- and Australian films mostly suck!

Gnads wrote on Nov 3^rd, 2014 at 11:53am:



Only pointing out that it was an acceptable usage which has been in use extensively for many years. You can say it either way most people understand what it means.