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Australia, the Beacon of Sanity
The American Thinker ^ | 9/23/2006 | Thomas Lifson

Posted on 09/24/2006 2:42:54 PM PDT by Dark Skies

Australia is once again making more sense than any other country on earth with regard to issues of culture and immigration. Like its Anglosphere cousins the United States and Canada, Australia’s political economy, personal freedom, rule of law, and other characteristics inherited from the British, make it an extremely attractive place for immigrants. A continental land mass able to accommodate a greater population completes the package luring many, including many Muslims, to dream of a better life there than in their own home countries.

But unlike Canada, which has embraced a self-effacing attitude toward its own cultures, and the United States, which also pays obeisance to the pernicious self-abnegating doctrines of multiculturalism, Australia is unafraid to stand up and say that those wanting to come to Australia must adapt to the existing realities, not expect to change Australia into their home country, only with better weather and welfare benefits.

The BBC reports:

Australia is planning a radical strengthening of immigration laws that would require prospective citizens to take tough English language tests as well as a quiz on history and culture.

Critics have said the plans are patronising and insulting.

Actually, the critics have it backwards. It is quite insulting and patronizing to immigrate to a country and expect it to adapt to the very things one left behind. This is the behavior of a conqueror, not an immigrant.

By definition, an immigrant asks for the privilege of being allowed to live in a country not his or her own. Immigrants have no right to demand change. No more than I have a right to barge into your house and demand you rearrange the furniture, knock out the wall between the kitchen and family room, and paint the parlor walls a different color.

An immigrant stipulates that the country to which he or she goes has a superior system. Without such an attraction, why else leave behind family, friends, and the attachments of sentiment?

Lacking any thoughtful points, the opponents of testing in Australia resort to the cry of racism. Pardon me, but if race were the issue, certain races would not be allowed in. That, in fact, was characteristic of Australian immigration policies in an earlier era. But that is no longer the issue.

The BBC also reports that employers supposedly are worried that the new barriers will keep necessary workers from coming to Australia. That, too, is utter nonsense. Workers unwilling to adapt to local language and culture are not likely to be very good employees, willing to learn new skills, able to deal with fellow workers or customers.

The honest truth is that the Anglosphere has a superior political economy, and that is why the world wants to emigrate to our lands. Leftist multiculturalists, angry at their homelands and haunted by their own demons, have a need to believe that there is something wrong at home. Thus the insane mental construct that any change will be an improvement, even changes proposed by Sharia-embracing migrants.

As Prime Minister Howard said recently, those who want to live under Sharia have quite a number of countries in which to live. There is no reason for Australia (or Canada or America or Britain or France, for that matter) to accommodate them. Other than their own confusion, self-loathing, and moral weakness of their elites, riven with self-soubt and cravenly seeking approval from the cosmopolitan smart set.

My admiration for Prime Minister Howard continues to grow. My love for Australia and Australians, always deep, has turned into utter infatuation. If I couldn’t live in my beloved America, I would be off to Australia in a heartbeat.

Where, oh where, are the poltiical leaders of America? Don’t they understand that anyone with the guts to follow the lead of PM Howard would become an instant hero?

Evidently, they are too cowed by fear of being called racist to embrace the common sense doctrine that those who seek to enter our culture deserve to have it remain intact for them and their children.

Hat tip: Joseph Crowley

Thomas Lifson is the editor and publisher of American Thinker.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: australia; hedaman; howard; immigration; islam; muslim; oz; sharia
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To: chiller
Ok..I'll talk to the spouse about moving but I'll bet the grandkids won't like it. LOL.
21 posted on 09/24/2006 3:53:27 PM PDT by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
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To: Earthdweller

Tasmania has a climate rather like England.

The seasons are opposite to that of the Northern Hemisphere. Summer is from December to February when the average maximum temperature is 21 °C (70 °F). Winter is from June to August with an average maximum temperature of 12 °C (54 °F).


22 posted on 09/24/2006 3:57:06 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: buccaneer81
"I would move to Australia right now if it wasn't so d@med hot."

Australia - Mid 80's thru the early 90's you could feel and see the RED Carpet these guys and gals rolled out for our Navy when we visited Perth!

Hot, dude, Australia was SMOKIN!

23 posted on 09/24/2006 3:57:41 PM PDT by Dacus943
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To: Dacus943
Australia - Mid 80's thru the early 90's you could feel and see the RED Carpet these guys and gals rolled out for our Navy when we visited Perth! Hot, dude, Australia was SMOKIN!

I wish I could have visited 20 years ago when I was ah... younger. LOL!

But I have heard that the women are incredible.

24 posted on 09/24/2006 4:00:12 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: buccaneer81
Nice. OK..the temps are great. So...Why do all the elites want to have villas in the south of France rather than Tasmania?

Just curious. You know there is a lot of warm ocean to swim in around Australia. Sounds fun to me.

25 posted on 09/24/2006 4:01:46 PM PDT by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
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To: Dark Skies

If Australia decides to turn their back to their stupid gun control laws, it would not be a bad place to move to.


26 posted on 09/24/2006 4:10:10 PM PDT by CORedneck
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To: Earthdweller

http://www.travel-images.com/tasmania3.html

It's kinda quaint - turn your clock back at least 50 years.


27 posted on 09/24/2006 4:10:46 PM PDT by Fred Nerks (ENEMY + MEDIA = ENEMEDIA)
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To: Fred Nerks

All politics aside, my next travel destination is Australia...without a doubt.


28 posted on 09/24/2006 4:14:54 PM PDT by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
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To: SevenofNine

I know what he's up to and I LOVE it!!!!!


29 posted on 09/24/2006 4:21:20 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: Dark Skies
I've always liked Australia. From what I've seen, it's beautiful, its people (Most of them at least) are generally friendly towards us, and some really cool people have come from Australia too, like Mel Gibson, Rebecca St. James (My favorite singer), Hugh Jackman, and the late Steve Irwin.
If I ever get enough money, I'd like to hopefully go there on vacation someday, maybe for my honeymoon or something.
30 posted on 09/24/2006 4:21:53 PM PDT by Chewie84
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To: buccaneer81
Buccaneer81,

I have been all over the world when I was ah... younger.

Incredible Women Abound All Round you. Australia like America, heck like all parts of this planet that does not compel a real woman to hide from public, or hide under a piece of cloth because of some religious belief, have incredible womem.

I lay bet, within one mile of you - is one of the most incredible woman you will ever meet.

31 posted on 09/24/2006 4:30:33 PM PDT by Dacus943
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To: Aussie Dasher

HEY AD do you have problem like Aussie version of ACLU saying this might be discrimatry in Down Under


32 posted on 09/24/2006 5:30:38 PM PDT by SevenofNine (I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy)
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To: SevenofNine

Yeah. Every country has nutbags. We just ignore them.


33 posted on 09/24/2006 5:35:42 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: Dark Skies
The author is sort of exaggerating, as the US does have somewhat strict protocols on how to become a citizen (they could be stricter, though). This is a good step for Australia, but is it actually stricter than the US' policies?

Also, American culture is more than simply descendant of British culture. It would be logical if Canadians and Australians were also offended by such a statement, as though they have not progressed since they were colonized (though could be moreso for the US; the United States actually broke away from British rule).

34 posted on 09/24/2006 5:38:54 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( Microevolution is real; Macroevolution is not real.)
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To: trek

They could also have hostile neighbors.


35 posted on 09/24/2006 5:39:49 PM PDT by Jedi Master Pikachu ( Microevolution is real; Macroevolution is not real.)
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To: buccaneer81

>>But I have heard that the women are incredible.<<

I felt like a short, fat ungly woman in Sydney.
They are gorgeous!


36 posted on 09/24/2006 5:46:51 PM PDT by netmilsmom (To attack one section of Christianity in this day and age, is to waste time.)
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To: Aussie Dasher

So your country has their version of ACLU here in California we have infamous Ninth circuit court aka THE CIRCUS it old school nickname going back when President Reagan was then Governor Reagan LOL!


37 posted on 09/24/2006 6:40:06 PM PDT by SevenofNine (I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy)
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To: siznartuf
Actually, the critics have it backwards. It is quite insulting and patronizing to immigrate to a country and expect it to adapt to the very things one left behind. This is the behavior of a conqueror, not an immigrant."

Well said and right on.

38 posted on 09/24/2006 6:42:50 PM PDT by calex59 (Hillary Clinton is dumber than a one eyed monkey with a brain tumor(credit to Harley69))
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To: SevenofNine

Mate, we have a Federal Court that IS a circus!


39 posted on 09/24/2006 6:44:57 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: Aussie Dasher

ROFL LOL!


40 posted on 09/24/2006 6:47:08 PM PDT by SevenofNine (I'd rather hunt with Dick Cheney than ride with Ted Kennedy)
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