Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Um...Australia foundations...English speaking People???

Warning! - Warning! 'LiS Left wing hippy rant' Warning! - Warning!

Before I start I just want to say I think Australia is a great place, even more so as it is so multicultural. I have family over there who have friends from every possible walk of life. This is not a dig at Australia or its people but the use of inaccurate or misleading 'facts'.

There is a post circulating in the world-wide ether that is titled 'Three Cheers for Australia', which looks like the usually response to the unsettled times we all live in by people who feel threatened.

This time it seems to be the right wing fraternity who are voicing off and are using recent events and the political views and statements in Australia to make their opinions felt.

Now while I don't agree with the values of the poster, I believe everyone is entitled to their view. However, I think that if they want to use historical facts in their arguments - they should get them right.
In the middle of this post the writer states:


This idea of Australia being a multicultural community has served only
to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. 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.


Now I'm not an Australian (Sorry I'm a Limey) but at School in the UK we were taught that before the Europeans who founded the Australian nation there was a bunch of people (who were unlikely to speak English or be Christians) living there already.
I'm sure the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (who having been living in Australia for a few years before an Christan men and women) would be miffed to know that they had no part in the formation of the Australian nation.


Okay end of rant - sorry for going off on one.....

.....wanders off to find a quiet darkened room.....


LIS

1 comment:

Gary Seaward said...

Oooh, you're sooooo Political!