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What is an Aussie?
Maybe we should turn to our history books and point out to people why many
Australian's today are not willing to accept the new kind of immigrant any longer.
Back in 1900 when there was a rush from all areas of Europe to come to
Australia, people had to get off a ship and stand in a long line in Sydney and
be documented. Some would even get down on their hands and knees and kiss the
ground.
They made a pledge to uphold the laws and support their new country in good
times and bad.
They made learning English a primary rule in their new Australian households,
and some even changed their names to blend in with their new home. They had
waved good bye to their birth place to give their children a new life and did
everything in their power to help their children assimilate into one culture.
Nothing was handed to them.
No free lunches, no welfare, no labour laws to protect them.
All they had were the skills, craftsmanship and desire they had brought with
them to trade for a future of prosperity.
Most of their children had come of age when World War II broke out. Australians
fought along side men whose parents had come straight from Germany, Italy,
France, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Russia, Sweden, and many other places. None of
these first generation Australians ever gave much thought about what country
their parents had come from.
They were Australians fighting Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese Empire.
They were defending their Freedom as one people.
When we liberated France, no one in those villages was looking for the people of
France, they saw only Australians. And we carried one flag that represented our
country.
Not one of those immigrant sons would have thought about picking up another
country's flag and waving it to represent who they were, or where they or their
parents originally came from.
It would have been a disgrace to their parents who had sacrificed so much to be
here. These immigrants truly knew what it meant to be a Australian.
And here we are in 2008 with a new kind of immigrant who wants the same rights
and privileges. Only they want to achieve it by playing with a different set of
rules, rules that includes an Australian passport and a guarantee of ongoing
allegiance to the country they deliberately left.
BUT, that is not what being a
Australian is all about.
Australians have been very open hearted and open minded regarding immigrants,
whether they were fleeing poverty, dictatorship, persecution, or whatever else
makes a person adopt a foreign country. And I suppose when we say adopt, we
think of those aforementioned immigrants who truly did ADOPT our country, and
our flag and our morals and our customs. And left their wars, hatred, and
divisions behind.
I believe that the immigrants who landed in Australia in the early 1900's
deserve better than that for the toil, hard work and sacrifice in raising future
generations to create a land that has become a beacon for those legally
searching for a better life.
I believe they would be appalled that they are being used as an example by those
waving foreign country flags, fighting foreign battles on our soil, trying their
hardest to making Australians change to suit their religions and cultures, and
wanting to change our country's fabric by claiming discrimination when we do not
give in to their demands...
Muslims who want to live
under Islamic Sharia law
were told recently
to get out of Australia,
as the government
targeted radicals in a
bid to head off
potential terror
attacks.
A day after a group of
mainstream Muslim
leaders pledged loyalty
to Australia and her
Queen at a special
meeting with Prime
Minister John Howard, he
and his Ministers made
it clear that extremists
would face a crackdown.
Treasurer Peter
Costello, seen as heir
apparent to Howard,
hinted that some radical
clerics could be asked
to leave the country if
they did not accept that
Australia was a secular
state, and its laws were
made by parliament. "If
those are not your
values, if you want a
country which has Sharia
law or a theocratic
state, then Australia is
not for you", he said on
National Television.
"I'd be saying to
clerics who are teaching
that there are two laws
governing people in
Australia: one the
Australian law and
another Islamic law that
is false. If you can't
agree with parliamentary
law, independent courts,
democracy, and would
prefer Sharia law and
have the opportunity to
go to another country,
which practices it,
perhaps, then, that's a
better option", Costello
said.
Asked whether he meant
radical clerics would be
forced to leave, he said
those with dual
citizenship could
possibly be asked to
move to the other
country. Education
Minister Brendan Nelson
later told reporters
that Muslims who did not
want to accept local
values should "clear
off. Basically people
who don't want to be
Australians, and who
don't want, to live by
Australian values and
understand them, well
then, they can basically
clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard
angered some Australian
Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy
agencies monitoring the
nation's mosques.
Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT
AUSTRALIANS, MUST
ADAPT. Take It Or Leave
It. I am tired of this
nation worrying about
whether we are offending
some individual or their
culture. Since the
terrorist attacks on
Bali, we have
experienced a surge in
patriotism by the
majority of
Australians."
"However, the dust from
the attacks had barely
settled when the
'politically correct'
crowd began complaining
about the possibility
that our patriotism was
offending others. I am
not against immigration,
nor do I hold a grudge
against anyone who is
seeking a better life by
coming to Australia."
"However, there are a
few things that those
who have recently come
to our country, and
apparently some born
here, need to
understand." "This idea
of Australia being a
multi-cultural community
has served only to
dilute our sovereignty
and our national
identity. And as
Australians, we have our
own culture, our own
society, our own
language and our own
lifestyle."
"This culture has been
developed over two
centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by
millions of men and
women who have sought
freedom"
We speak mainly ENGLISH,
not Spanish, Lebanese,
Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or
any other language.
Therefore, if you wish
to become part of our
society .. Learn the
language!"
"Most Australians
believe in God. This is
not some Christian,
right wing, political
push, but a fact,
because Christian men
and women, on Christian
principles, founded this
nation, and this is
clearly documented. It
is certainly appropriate
to display it on the
walls of our schools.
If God offends you, then
I suggest you consider
another part of the
world as your new home,
because God is part of
our culture."
"We will accept your
beliefs, and will not
question why. All we
ask is that you accept
ours, and live in
harmony and peaceful
enjoyment with us."
"If the Southern Cross
offends you, or you
don't like "A Fair Go",
then you should
seriously consider a
move to another part of
this planet. We are
happy with our culture
and have no desire to
change, and we really
don't care how you did
things where you came
from. By all means,
keep your culture, but
do not force it on
others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY,
OUR LAND, and OUR
LIFESTYLE, and we will
allow you every
opportunity to enjoy all
this. But once you are
done complaining,
whining, and griping
about Our Flag, Our
Pledge, Our Christian
beliefs, or Our Way of
Life, I highly encourage
you take advantage of
one other great
Australian freedom,
"If you aren't happy
here then LEAVE. We
didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be
here. So accept the
country YOU accepted."
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