Multiculturalism - is it working in your neck of the woods?

[Webster]

I love Australia and all that we stand for.

But apart from our indigenous friends we are all a bunch of "wogs" of one type or another but I think we all get along very well, for the most part. Here in Melbourne I reckon its great that so many people from so many different backgrounds can all co-exist in relative harmony. I'm told Sydney is much the same but I really haven't spent enough time there to know for myself.

Does the concept of mulitculturalism work well in your little part of the world? Have things improved or deteriorated as a result of world events over the past 5 years.

[Courty]

Hmmm. The mods will be watching this one closely with their finger hovering over the delete/ lock button. Contribute to this one at your own peril.

In response to your post, up here in the north, multiculturalism may not be the correct term, more like coexistence. Different cultures don't so much mingle together, they just happen to live near each other but still congregate exclusively with their own. For a place that thrives on foreign tourism, I am constantly dissappointed by the number of rednecks around.

Whilst in London I witnessed something quite sad. Yes, I was there when the bombings occurred last month. I had the unfortunate and extremely nerve-wracking experience of getting on the tube the very next day. What I saw that morning saddened me, and illustrated how stereotyping different cultures can be so wrong: the Jubilee Line train we were on stopped at a station not far from central London. As the doors opened, a young couple of middle-eastern appearance with a baby got on board (this in itself is nothing unusual, as there is a large middle-eastern population in London) but what happened next was terrible. One man got up from his seat, made an extremely rude comment about 'animals of their type', spat at their feet and got off, shortly followed by almost a dozen others before the doors closed. The young man was speechless and his wife had tears in her eyes. They were just a normal couple going about their business like every other day.
Unfortunately, I think this is direct evidence that recent events have definitely deteriorated harmony between various races.
I could go on, but it's late.

Can everyone please make an effort to keep this one above the belt.

[3oneday]

I live in Sydney and hadn't really thought too much about it so I guess given the large multicultural society Syndey brings, it must be working.

Damn, no controversy, pity hey !!!

Pete

[goughy]

I don't live in a stron multi-cultural community, so it is hard for me to comment. I always assumed that that a certain amount of racial prejudice would increase after 9/11 and again after london. Europe especially can have such strobg multi-cultural communities since so many countries are close together. That middle-eastern family may have had a stronger british herritage than some of those hoping off the train.

That case of the actions of the few ............ you know the story.

[Jarro]

only problem we have in my neck of the woods is that there are so many Samoan families around, it makes the line at the KFC drive-thru a bloody nightmare

apart from that, everything is sweet

[Keza_G]

By birth I am a Maori, the Aborignies I know call me "sis".... I teel them i am not an aboriginal and they tell me that I am " same thing different country"...

This works for me and I like to believe that we can say that about just about everyone we know.... I live in a largely "Young Family" area, populaed by Poms, Indians (from india) and asians. Most are Aussie born and bred and all "do their own thing". the best thing I have seen is when the school has "fun runs" or Fundraising events..... Doesn't matter where we come from we all bring something to help.

Their are not many eastern european people around here but most around here wouldn't care, we are all mainly focused on the kids around here.... our future... In this micro cosim backwater called Coomera we are setting an example for the world..... It's about the KIDS !!!!!

Cheers

Keza

[Fishman Dan]

We've got a restaurant of every flavour up the road from us, it's sensational. Thai, Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican, Austrian, kebab shops, all klassy joints too..... so i guess it's working here.

Recently a spare block came up in a neighbouring suburb, and the Muslim Community proposed a new mosque. The residents of Hunters Hill didn't like that, and the mosque was never approved.

[henri]

It won't work until French people go back to where they came from.

[wavemaker]

I guess it all depends on who you talk to. Here in Maryborough I meet a lot of people who like to start off with the old " I'm not a racist but" thingy and then get stuck into who ever it is they feel is getting a better deal than themselves, usually the aboriginal people. I tend to avoid them if I can. We had a surprise party here on the weekend for a work mate of my partners, she is Fijian Indian, there were 6 different races of people all eating, drinking and being merry together. At the kids parties there is always a mix of folk, not as much here as Cairns, but still there. For me, an immigrant anyway, Multiculturalism is working just fine, but I do understand how it may make some folk, in my experience it is usually older people, a bit fearful. And I'm with fishman on the eating out thing. I worked in Bondi junction a few years back and you could dine out in a different country every day. Loved it!

[amanda]

I live in an area with lots of different racial stocks (for want of a better word) - arabic, asians, white aussies. And it all works well - you can buy all sorts of exotic foods - I love the lebanese version of the pizza! People are pretty tolerant of others. However, I do feel that the asian community is very insular (in general - not just in my local area).

I was walking to the shops the other day and some young arabic guys were hanging around at the bus stop - one said hello to me in chinese - however, I just said "g'day mate!" to them back - they were a bit shocked!

[Fishman Dan]

As long as shows like Today Tonight / A Current Affair are on the air, we'll never get rid of the stigma of "Funny Lookin' People".

Apart from media hype, i think we're doing ok.

[andylo]

Multiculturalism is obviously not working or else ppl won't keep bringing up this topic.

[Jarro]

It won't work until French people go back to where they came from.

.. and what pray tell have the French done to deserve such a spray

.. or is this another stupid comment from a soon to be re-banned troublemaker

[Webster]

Multiculturalism is obviously not working or else ppl won't keep bringing up this topic.

Andy I disagree - I think we have, as a community, come a long way in the past 20 years, especially the last 10. I would like to think that our generation is more tolerant than my parents, and that my children will be even more tolerant than I am. I see very little these days of the racial hatred of the 70's and 80's in this country.

Multiculturalism is part of what makes this country such a great place. Those who cannot accept it are living a lie and need to look within to gain a better appreciation of how harmoniously we all can co-exist. Its a big place and theres room for everyone - the more the merrier.

Jack.

[andylo]

I would like to think that our generation is more tolerant than my parents, and that my children will be even more tolerant than I am. I see very little these days of the racial hatred of the 70's and 80's in this country.

Ahh.... tolerant... according to Oxford dictionary the meaning of tolerant = able to endure specified conditions or treatment.

So if you don't mind and comfortable about something you don't need to tolerant/endure something. i.e. You wouldn't tolerant oxygen in the air would you?

[Webster]

Andylo, I have no idea what you are on about ....please explain.

[Trung]

Cool down Mr. Lo....

It's all good here mate.. I love it here.. The Aussie flag is my flag..

[Fishman Dan]

I would like to think that our generation is more tolerant than my parents, and that my children will be even more tolerant than I am. I see very little these days of the racial hatred of the 70's and 80's in this country.

Ahh.... tolerant... according to Oxford dictionary the meaning of tolerant = able to endure specified conditions or treatment.

So if you don't mind and comfortable about something you don't need to tolerant/endure something. i.e. You wouldn't tolerant oxygen in the air would you?

Andy - you shock me. That research is absolutely gold, and you spelled "dictionary" correctly.

However, i have no idea what you are trying to convey in the second line   

Cool down Mr. Lo....  

It's all good here mate.. I love it here.. The Aussie flag is my flag..

Yeah, but despite appearances, you're still a Queenslander.

[andylo]

never mind... I actually dont' really give a rat bum about it

When we will talk about tour issues?

[markTHEblake]

Whats an Australian?

my son had 6 freinds over for his birthday party.  chatting with the all parents afterwards realised that of all the people standing around, there was only one australian ( by a 20yo definition)  - Me.  Every family was from a different country.

i reckon as a nation we have accepted that australian is no longer white.   people might have struggled with that concept 10 years ago, but nowadays there is so much multiculturalism that its a second nature now.

I have this theory that originally the human race was one ethnic group.    As they seperated and lived in different areas natural selection caused the different races.    So there there was about 4000 years of isolation,  its really only being the last 200 years that races have started to mix, with a huge surge since WW2, and even more so the last 20 years or so, and now that inter-racial marriage is widely socially acceptable, we are well on our way to being one ethnic group again.

In other words, for the racists,  get used to it - your becoming extinct!  

[markTHEblake]

So if you don't mind and comfortable about something you don't need to tolerant/endure something. i.e. You wouldn't tolerant oxygen in the air would you?

However, i have no idea what you are trying to convey in the second line   

I got it, so it cant be that hard

He is interpreting the context of tolerance in this way. If a person said "I tolerate multicultralism" it means he doesnt like it but he puts up with it. In that context that person is still being a racist.

but Andy - he didnt mean it like that (bloody english language always causes problems doesnt it). You need to be more tolerant

he just meant people of each generation have accepted the changes in our culture, more than the previous generation.

[cazandpaul]

The vast majority of people who have arrived from other countries have brought a willingness to integrate into the Australian way of life and the country is all the better for it But, and there is always a but, there does appear to be a minute minority who don't wish to adopt this way of life and we may all be the worse for it.

[BrisVegas]

I have this theory that originally the human race was one ethnic group.    As they seperated and lived in different areas natural selection caused the different races.    So there there was about 4000 years of isolation,  its really only being the last 200 years that races have started to mix, with a huge surge since WW2, and even more so the last 20 years or so, and now that inter-racial marriage is widely socially acceptable, we are well on our way to being one ethnic group again.

In other words, for the racists,  get used to it - your becoming extinct!  

It almost hurts to say this, but.... I agree with blakey.

[Jim]

The vast majority of people who have arrived from other countries have brought a willingness to integrate into the Australian way of life and the country is all the better for it  But, and there is always a but, there does appear to be a minute minority who don't wish to adopt this way of life and we may all be the worse for it.

Cazorpaul, for the first time ever I probably agree with you. Multiculturalism was one of those wacky Whitlam policies whose time has long past. How encouraging ethnic minorities to set up their own enclaves in a new country is a good idea is beyond me, as the British recently learned with devastating effect. If you don't want to integrate/assimilate and accept the way of life in your chosen country, then go somewhere else.

[markTHEblake]

Does that mean we should all strip down to our undies, throw sticks and eat wichety grubs?