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Are we deceived by multiculturalism?

By Danny Nalliah - posted Friday, 6 January 2006


Like a pressure cooker or bottle of soda water waiting to explode, the simmering racial war will reach its inevitable climax later, if not sooner. Strong police tactics have contained the situation for now; however, the bitterness and anger is pent up, ominously stored, waiting to flare up again.

That's why we need a long-term solution. Multiculturalism is simply not working. The multicultural melting pot has turned into a pressure cooker and it’s now a case of assimilate or implode Australia.

First we saw the streets of Paris on fire. Then it was Sydney’s turn. Churches went up in flames, races rose up against races and the city's authorities urged calm while text messages traversed the country like bush-fires - calling for more violence.

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Welcome to the incendiary atmosphere sweeping across Australia over the Christmas and New Year holiday period of 2005-2006. The Sydney riots were not a recent phenomenon: they were a manifestation of a far deeper problem - multicultural deception.

Men from both the Anglo Saxon and Lebanese Muslim communities have perpetrated cowardly actions leading to this defining moment in Australia's history. However, is it really all about racism?

I find it hard to believe that Australians, the same demographic who watch TV shows like Big Brother and elected as their first Australian Idol, Guy Sebastian, whose parents come from South-East Asia, are really all that racist.

While visiting Sydney from Melbourne recently, I noticed that there were Tongan and Chinese immigrants on a Sydney beach who were not being attacked. So why didn’t the white Aussies attack the non-Lebanese looking people?

Many believe the recent attack on two surf lifesavers fuelled the violence. They had been assaulted, in what was believed to be an unprovoked attack, by a large group of men of Middle Eastern appearance. However, I believe the truth is much more profound and it strikes at the heart of multiculturalism.

As a dark-skinned immigrant, I have encountered large blocks of unassimilated Australians along with the continual use of the word “multicultural”. During my 31 years in Sri Lanka and two years in Saudi Arabia, multiculturalism was a word I never heard uttered - unusual considering both of these countries have people from many nations living there, especially Saudi Arabia.

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Since moving to Australia in 1997 I have travelled to more than 20 countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Eastern and Western Europe and the US. What amazes me is that wherever there is a Western society, I hear the word "multiculturalism", but I never hear this word in other parts of the world.

“Multiculturalism” is a tool that can be used to destabilise a nation. Australia welcomes people from all over the world. All who choose to come to Australia should be willing to become Australian. It is unfair that some immigrants would push towards Australia becoming like their country of origin. The government cannot and should not bend over backwards to trade the Aussie way of life for other ways. The current zeitgeist across Sydney’s beaches of ethnic rivalry has made it unpleasant for many immigrants and Muslims in Australia who want to live peaceful lives.

I fail to understand how politicians can knowingly lower their standards in order to get votes and not look at what is best for their country’s future. Some have never even lived outside Australia and are simply naïve (travelling to a country for a few days or hearing about a country in the news or in a book does not present the full story). So why are politicians trying to appease the minority by sacrificing the freedom and values of the majority? I believe it is because of a lack of knowledge and understanding.

This is not just the politicians’ fault. I implore my fellow Australian immigrants: let's grow up and stop playing the victim “card” all the time. Let's value the freedom and quality of life we enjoy in Australia. Let's become truly Australian and stop this nonsense of hiding behind “multiculturalism”.

One has to ask, why on earth are the countries which espouse Western democratic values bending over backwards to accommodate other cultures - to the point of losing their own identity - when some immigrants do not have any intention at all of assimilating into their new-found home or society?

This is not to say the sole cause of the riots rests with the immigrants. Non-immigrant Aussies have also acted unjustly. However, the weekend’s situation brings up the larger question: what is Australia? Is it the melting pot of different cultures or a homogeneous dish - where the flavours are different but the national psyche is the same?

I have met so many immigrants only comfortable within their own communities, making little effort to reach out to other people in their new home town. There are those I have met who have lived in Australia for 20-30 years and still can hardly speak a word of English, yet they are quick to say that Aussie's are racist. I salute the many immigrants who have become vitally integrated into their new homeland and call themselves Australian.

Let me give you a few examples I have seen:

  1. I have met people whose applications for residency have been turned down because they have not met the needed requirements - and if they happen to be from Asia, Africa or the Middle East - they would say, "John Howard's Government is racist". Little would they realise that many applications for residency have been turned down for people from Western countries as well.
  2. I was about to board an aircraft once when the announcement invited those sitting in the first 15 rows to board first. There was a man from Asia who queued, but the official discovered this man was not sitting in the first 15 rows and asked him to wait. He promptly responded to the official, "You are a racist! You let the white people go first". The official at the boarding gate was so shocked that he let him board.
    I felt so terrible I went up to the official and apologised on behalf of those who have my darker skin color. I believe this was an example of an inferiority complex that many migrants have that certainly needs to be sorted out.

Very often I hear the statement "racism", and many believe it to be white against black. I believe it is more common the other way around - but few will admit it, as too often people will instead cleverly play the victim card.

I believe Australia is one of the most racially tolerant countries in the world. Since my arrival in Australia I have never personally faced racism. I have heard from others that the comment "black bastard" has been spoken - which is not acceptable, but may we compare this situation with that of some of my fellow immigrants? A large number left their countries for a better life in Australia because of racial tensions they faced back home. The racial problems in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe have caused tens of thousands to lose their lives or their belongings, have their homes burnt down, their businesses completely destroyed, and so on. So how dare we (immigrants) afford to grumble in Australia?

Now you might say, "What about what happened many years ago in Europe, the US and Australia?" Well the difference is, it happened MANY YEARS ago. Those governments now are determined not to let it happen again, but sadly it is not the case in other parts of the world. So let's face reality. The truth is that countries founded on the Judeo-Christian heritage (Western democracies) are the best to live in.

All people who have chosen to live in or have moved to Australia are Australians. It doesn't matter if one's ethnicity is Middle Eastern or Anglo-Saxon, there is only one definitive “Australian” and it incorporates people from all over the world.

I think the old Christian adage of “love your neighbour as yourself”, a concept which transcends religion and race, is needed more than ever. Let us all call Australia home.

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About the Author

Pastor Danny Nalliah is the President of Catch the Fire Ministries Inc.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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