Aussie Values: Save us the embarrassement!

Amansandhu

What`s the big deal about multiculturalism? Seems like another meaningless phrase cooked up by liberals too lazy to actually think.

``To save Australia from this embarrassment, it may be more appropriate to develop a Diversity Test for politicians to see how much they know about the history of multiculturalism and its role in today’s Australia. How much they know about the contribution made by the migrant communities in making Australia what it is today.`` It will be interesting to find out how much the political class knows about diverse ethnic communities it represents in our parliaments``

A good suggestion Mr. Khan. Similarly, the test should be compulsory for all high school students . If a test were to be taken now, the migrant children will do better than the so called Aussie Aussies. The Gov. should scrap the test as it will trivialise citizenship. After all a person who has migrated with baggage and family has already made a commitment. English language, while immensely useful, is not absolutely essential for the deep personal commitment that citizenship involves. There are many immigrants especially from China, Malta, Greece etc, who have made tremendous contributions without actually knowing much of the language. Australia`s multicultural society should be seen as the nation`s greatest achievement.

Re: # 35


behram,

....... i knew you would be the first one to pick up the obvious redundancy in my statement !! :)) ........ shabash !

Proof, if in fact it is needed, that Islam is a disease that afflicts the mind.

Issa al-Hindi who was indicted in the US for conspiring to blow up financial institutions located in the United States, including the New York Stock Exchange, International Monetary Fund, Citigroup, and the Prudential headquarters, etc. was a Hindu named Dhirin Barot who converted to Islam.

Does anybody still want to uphold Islamic values?

Enough is enough. I am tired of the @#$#@%&*%$@ Muslims on this @#$#@%&*%$@ planet!

Re: # 32
and no one actually threw their children overboard at all, it was a false accusation.

Re: # 28 by hamidm2 on October 12, 2006 9:52am PT

Dear Hamid:

You wrote to urstruly {...... hindoos, homosexuals, hindoo homosexuals, ............ }

Can you make a distinction between these three groups?

{......... more importantly, they must not walk the to the welfare office to collect their cheese and check dressed in a night gown and slippers ........ }

And why not? Do we have any kind of laws against them?

Respectfully submitted,

Re: # 32
Those that were Afghans all said Pakistan wasn`t really safe for them, and personally I accept that-so do most refugee advocates. They said there was no way of staying out of the conflict from Pakistan, and they just wanted nothing more to do with it.
Refugee groups have traced what happened to refugees that were sent back to their own countries and in several cases, they were injured or killed. I don`t doubt that these were people in danger.

Ref yantric #31

[Like the indignation by muslims about Australia. How about talking about the Saudi Arabia and the way they treat people who come to work there.]

Are you talking here about the fact that they take away and throw into trash copies of the Bible and Bhagavad Gita or are you talking about how they treat all Pakistanis as trash?

If Australians practically imprison their imported domestic help and rape them and starve them at will, we will hear even more from Saeed Khan who wants to uphold ``Australia values`` in Australia. However, he will be for upholding ``Islamic values`` in Islamic countries and, God forbid, in Australia if Australia ever has a sizeable Muslim population.

Ref nb #24

[Re: # 22
Harimau, most of those who arrived on the Tampa were found to be genuine refugees and have been settled in Australia, NZ and other countries. I found it interesting that they didn`t want to live in Indonesia, though!]

The refugees, who were Afghans, passed through what that dear boy Yasser Latif Hamdani claims to be heaven on earth for Muslims, paradise with 72 houris, 24 ghilmans and free flowing wine, etc.... Pakistan.

They also skipped that other wonderful Muslim country Malaysia which they had to pass nearby. And of course they didn`t want to be among their Muslim brethren in Indonesia, the ones famous for the killing fields of East Timor.

That makes them economic migrants, not asylum seekers.

As such, they have to be weighed against Indian MS and PhD graduates and doctors and accountants and admitted according to their ability to contribute to Australian society.

Those who actually threw their children overboard certainly were not displaying human, let alone Australian, values. They should have been denied admittance to Australia permanently for that reason alone.

Enough is enough! (Fill in Samuel Jackson`s statement from the movie ``Snakes on a Plane`` here.)

Like the indignation by muslims about Australia. How about talking about the Saudi Arabia and the way they treat people who come to work there.

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Re: # 27


urstruly,

you say, ``Muslims have to be extra vigilant against these aparthied practices and keep raising the level of awareness among the population``

...... i agree, but muslim immigrants to the west must also respect the values and institutions of the host country, such as democracy, laws, courts, parliaments, armed forces and th right of hetrosexaul and homosexual couples to hold hands in public ......... and even thought they are convinced that they have the perfect religion they must show respect for infidels, jews, hindoos, homosexuals, hindoo homosexuals, ahmedis, women and pigs ............

......... more importantly, they must not walk the to the welfare office to collect their cheese and check dressed in a night gown and slippers ........

I do not think that a test in English and austrailian history is a bad idea (it will sure help control the terrorism) unless it is a prelude to the apparthied practices have started being conducted in several european countries now, where Muslim immigrants are singled out and families are forced to watch videos showing naked women on nude beaches and gay men having sex or at least kissing (Holland). Then the questionaire asks the questions like how do you like our lifestyle?? So much for the tolerance.

I think Muslims have to be extra vigilant against these aparthied practices and keep raising the level of awareness among the population. Remember that these very nations who now claim to be the champions of human rights have committed the most horrible crime in the history of mankind - holocaust - only 60 years ago. Remember how these nations support and maintain the concentration camps called Giza and West Bank. And last but not least remember how they were cheerleading the massacres of labonese civilians only couple of months ago.

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Well its not just John Howard. Federal Education Minister Dr Brendan Nelson started it last year by saying that those who do not accept and teach Australian values should ``clear off``.
And that those who migrate to Australia should have to ``accept and embrace`` certain values that are ``essentially Australian``: ``Understanding, tolerance, inclusion and responsibility``; also ``care, compassion, reaching out to others, doing your best, pursuing and protecting the common good, treating all people fairly, enterprise, respectfulness, fidelity, comradeship and endurance.``

``If you want to be an Australian, if you want to raise your children in Australia, we fully expect those children to be taught and to accept Australian values and beliefs.``

And not to be left Kim Beazley the opposition leader has sought to outflank the Government in the debate about values by calling for people coming to Australia to agree to a ``values`` statement as a visa condition. This statement should be included on the visa form, with people ``required to sign off on those values``. Mr Beazley said Australian values of ``respect for each other, mateship, fairness, freedom and respect for our laws are the front line in the struggle against extremists and terrorists``.

The Australian values in the visa statement would include:
�¡ Respect for Australia`s institutions, including its democracy, laws, courts, parliaments, armed forces and police.
�¡ Respect for different religions and cultures, for the equal treatment of women, and for hard work.

By the way John Howard has said that he was not in favour of abandoning a non-discriminatory immigration policy because of the message that would send around the world. But he is in favour of reinforcing Australian values to those who intend migrating to Australia. So he will consider Kim Beazley`s suggestion on that Australian visa forms so people understand what was expected of them.
But he says it might be counter-productive if such a message was sent to short-term tourists.
Basically politicians from both sides are trying to score point with the ``values`` debate.

Re: # 22
Harimau, most of those who arrived on the Tampa were found to be genuine refugees and have been settled in Australia, NZ and other countries. I found it interesting that they didn`t want to live in Indonesia, though!
To the author-Interestingly, Egon Kisch had a dictation test in Scottish Gaelic-it could be done in any European language!

#22 Mian Harimau

Xenophobia and racism are close relatives.

The two are blood relatives.

At the end of the day, they both seek blood.

Also, most xenophobiacs and racists use words to portray themselves as superpatriots - they rarely convey their true intents honestly!

There are few self-proclaimed bigots out there!

VERY few!

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I have often found it difficult to understand what pollies mean by Australian values. When pressed, they often talk of mateship and giving everyone a fair go but I think in an ideal world those are just human values. As is respect for women, which is also mentioned. No society in the world accepts that it does not respect women, not even the Taliban in Afghanistan, so I think they need to be more specific. Not to mention the fact that Australians can be just as misogynistic as anyone else.
I think that Australia under John Howard has become a selfish country and that concerns about terrorism have just tapped into pre-existing racism. Who can forget the way people on board the Tampa were not allowed to enter the country; when the September 11 attacks happened soon after, Howard said that they were a perfect example of why he had not allowed the refugees on board the Tampa to enter Australia. 5 years on, there has been no apology to them, or to the parents accused to throwing their children overboard. The message was quite clearly that foreigners with no papers couldn`t be trusted enough to even be processed on Australian soil. How does this not feed into xenophobia?Pauline Hanson`s beliefs have now become mainstream, with even the Labor party unable to stand up for migrants.

saeed,

.... nice article and good luck with your efforts .......... unfortunately, racism is not going away any time in the next couple of thousand years .......

#18 Arjun2

Yaar, your quarter seems all messed up - just like many of your arguments!

Now, here is what a REAL quarter looks like!



I bet now you are wondering what a REAL argument looks like.

Easy, just go read my #1, #5, and #14 all over again!

#14 by bjkumar on October 11, 2006 4:46pm PT

Here`s a quarter..call someone who gives a paki`s rear...

The only ones who need to be embarrassed by Australian policy are the so-called ``moderate`` Muslims who ought to recognize that Australia is merely trying to weed out suicide bombers.

But if the author is representative of the ``moderate Muslim`` community, I am afraid we are in trouble when the jihadis show up. Heck, we will be in trouble when non-practicing Muslims show up!

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The Australian Minister for Immigration is supposed to have remarked (back in the 1920s) when he was asked to justify the White Australia policy, ``Because two Wongs don`t make a White``.

Ama Arjun,

Many times you say correct things in exposing the bad deeds of the Jihadis.

But when you start generalizing wholesale communities, you make a mistake and nobody believes you any more - so you undo some of your own legitimate efforts!

Just my personal opinion!

Yaaran,

What a FEW people do must never be allowed to reflect on the whole community! That is the standard that we try to use in India (not always very successfully) – and we need to follow the same standards elsewhere.

Wholesale generalization is wrong, wrong, wrong!!!

Australians need to learn from the past mistakes (usually the fifty years ago mistakes or earlier (and thankfully mostly no more being repeated now)) of such countries as USA, UK, etc. in mistreating their minorities – be they linguistic or religion-wise or racial minorities! Such mistreatment always makes the country WEAKER - never stronger!

PS:

I personally don’t think desis will have any problem under a Hispanic majority California. For one thing, the vast number of Hispanics feel very much like the non-Hispanic Americans. Secondly, Spanish is a very easy language to learn for Hindi speaker types. The complexion is also not that different!!

Kulharee #8

`` Are Aussies still mourning the death of the Croc Hunter? What a silly country going bananas over an accidental death of a circus boy. There are other more important things going on in the world. ``

Steve Irwin was good at what he did. Maybe he is the best Aussies have to offer ?

bjkumar #5

`` Arjun, the author makes legitimate issues regarding ``language`` tests being used for advancing the agenda of racists. The same was accomplished in the post civil-war US south to keep blacks disenfranchised - it was called ``literary`` test. The Supreme Court eventually held it illegal! ``

We will see how much desis like California when it is being run by Hispanics immigrants couple of generations from now.

The author needs to explain why Australia has to let in Pakistani refugees given the poor record of Pakistani immigrants in United Kingdom - Daniel Peral killers, Subway bombers etc.

I just glanced thru the website of the author.

Saeed Khan Sahib, you are doing a good deed. Best of luck to you.

Are Aussies still mourning the death of the Croc Hunter? What a silly country going bananas over an accidental death of a circus boy. There are other more important things going on in the world.

Yep, institutionalized racism is the worst kind of bigotry. One way to change the system is to become involved in it, and try to change it from the inside. Desis do tend to be very insular migrant group, and do not adjust well to a different culture. I know 2nd generation American Pakistanis that have not traveled outside of a 50-mile radius they were born in, and the only group they socialize is their own kind. In places like NYC there are plenty of non-profit organizations that help recent immigrants assimilate into a wider culture.

So if the tests are such a big challenge, think of it as an opportunity to learn something new. You will be happier you did it, and perhaps some community minded Desis could open up some tutoring centers to train fellow Desis.

racism is inevitable with aussie policy of looking up2 the ``mother country`` in europe when they r situated in asia.

#5 by bjkumar on October 11, 2006 10:59am PT

dude...you`re nuts to think that the author`s main concern is language..

it`s the jihad stupid...

Arjun, the author makes legitimate issues regarding ``language`` tests being used for advancing the agenda of racists. The same was accomplished in the post civil-war US south to keep blacks disenfranchised - it was called ``literary`` test. The Supreme Court eventually held it illegal!

#1 by bjkumar on October 11, 2006 9:55am PT


united front my ass...Aussie-Indians need to run as fast as they can away from the Aussie-pakis, a few of whom have been busted for planning terrorism against Australia and other countries..

just as brit-indians are dis-associating themselves from the brit-pakis..

god forbid if any aussie politician should even consider asking the islamofascists to leave their jihadi baggage back in karachi...why, that would be racist..pakis have a god given right to wear their jihadi mentality on their sleeve..

Is there something religiously pathological in the make up of muslim folks in the aggregate that precludes them from integrating into society? We look at immigration patterns in the US, every generation moves to become a part of the national fabric. Doesn`t mean they lose pride in who they are but they have to adapt and adopt the local culture adn customs and place primacy to these things over their traditions. Nothing wrong with that. If people migrated to India or china or timbuktu, they would have to do the same thing. What`s all the hub-bub, BUB?

An undercurrent of racism stays dormant in many European countries and perhaps in Australia, too. However, if the immigrants remain vigilant and present a united front, hopefully racism and xenophobia will never become adopted by the mainstream in Australia, and perhaps the same applies to in any other country with immigrants.

Events like 9/11, 7/7, and 7/11 tend to add strength to that opportunistic racism!