On outsourcing...

Saddened and disappointed by chain letter

I received a chain letter on 14 December 2005.

Responses (1, 2, 3, 4) from some Australian citizens who hold opposing views to the chain letter (along with the chain letter itself) are below.

The *only* really amusing factor about the chain letter is that it raves about being Australian but it's really just a recyle of an American chain letter.

Response #1

I'm a fifth generation Australian and at times extremely proud to be an Australian. I even stand for Advance Australia Fair. Currently, most of my pride comes from the country itself because many of the political and social issues of late have just left me shaking my head.

This email did not "make me want to stand up and sing", as a matter of a fact - the overall tone of the email reminded me how many people choose to focus on these small blown-out-of-proportion-issues and then actually go so far as to use them as excuses for bigotry rather than brushing them aside and bothering to do a bit of reading about some of the real issues regarding human rights and world issues.

If you want to get angry about something, there's heaps of stuff our there that you can use your anger to make a difference with... and some of them - believe it or not - are much more important than whether we have Christmas lights or not. Sheesh!

I'm sure David Hicks is a proud Australian citizen - NOT - he had to become a citizen of the UK just so that he can even have the change of getting the right to a fair trial. It's not only people who migrate from other countries who get told to go elsewhere if they don't conform, it's also our own citizens. Even if David Hicks is guilty, he certainly does not deserve to be detained without cause and he does deserve the right to a fair trial as an Australian Citizen. But no, he has to become a citizen of another country to even have a hope of getting these basic rights.

I believe that we live in a multi-cultural society and to a degree we all have to be tolerant of others differences. The crap that is in the email below is a few stupid things that have been put together to justify a racist and small minded attitude on a bigger scale... after all doesn't the saying go, "start small and build up ... ". Of course not being able to put up Christmas lights is a little silly - everyone should be entitled to celebrate their own religion as they choose and leave others to worry about their own souls - I can't *even* believe that this was credited as news!

As for saying that if people don't like our country they can just leave - it's not that easy for some people. There may be financial, social or political constraints and the view that people can just up and leave is an ignorant one at best. If they are refugees, well, they've got no hope because they are potentially being detained in a detention centre for life (even though being a refugee and seeking asylum in a country of your choice is not actually against the law in the first place). In addition, many of the individuals who migrate here take English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and ofen can all of the Prime Ministers of Australia - in order - and can tell you all of the words of the Australian National Anthem - can you?

Australia has committed to various International Human Rights Instruments (covenants, Bills, etc) yet they are constantly ignored because we do not have them built into our own legal system (there is an attempt to create an Australian Bill of Rights - see www.newmatilda.com.au).

This kind of garbage is exactly the stuff that keeps people busy sweating the small stuff while our current Government is robbing us of civil rights (while telling us they are protecting us); while they potentially change our workforce to reflect the American model with extremes of rich and poor... And I believe our Government directly contributed to the racial issues in Sydney (along with the media who promoted the event so well that they got people from all over the place rocking up to join in the foray) with their whole Anti-Muslim (whoops... I mean anti-terrorism campaign) - but then again, perhaps it's emails just like this one that promoted such racial violence.

60 minutes is hardly a current affairs program, it generally comes across as heavily biased and more like a whinging whining show with possibly a few minute of actual news/current affairs at best. Ditto Today Tonight.

I'm embarrassed to discover that Australians in general probably aren't becoming more educated about world issues and that such a ridiculous email is no doubt busily circling the Internet.

I'm not ashamed to be Australian at all, but I'm not always proud either... certainly not when I receive emails such as the one below...

What will make me proud will be to see Australians becoming more aware of local and world issues (possibly by listening and reading to a wider range of media than they already do) and then basing their views on their own research and thoughts rather than reading something like the dribble below (which is just a petty whinge) and basing their world views on their own reseach and understanding rather than regurgitating other peoples views.

There's heaps of links on my website if any of you have no idea where to start: www.grudknows.com/inanemutterings/links_rad_beeyatch.asp.

Please feel free to pass this on to everyone you received or passed the last email on to.

Grrrrrr! :)

regards,
grudknows

Response #2

[I] only skimmed the email so far, but to this I must say: "None."

"How many children now can't celebrate Christmas, can't sit on Santa's knee, can't wish someone happy birthday because it's against their religion, and so on."

No one can't. There isn't a case of it. It's all hyperbole. Especially happy birthday, I mean, HUH? When did that happen. The entire email is dross and insanity, but this just doesn't even make sense.

An Australian Citizen

Response #3

[Quoted text below - green italics for those using visual browsers - is direct from the original chain.]

<smack, smack, smack, smack, smack goes her head against the desk>

Not even sure what to pick out, but that email is as obnoxious as it gets.

Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that through migration, we now have more choices, food, drinks, sports, the list can go on, but I don't think we should loose our ethnicity because of it.

What ethnicity?! Our ethnicity *is* multicultural. You can't separate out the Australian bits for fscks sake.

Oh, and you love the food and choices, but just not the *people* right? That's fine then. Lovely. Let's bring them all over, nick their culture and send 'em back. That's a much better plan.

If you saw 60 Minutes the other night you may be feeling more strongly about this topic than ever.(And "Today tonight" on Ch7.)E. This will set the cat among the pigeons... Our Country - YOU Have the right - the right to leave !

AH. 60 Minutes and Today Tonight. Centres of Culture and High Thought. Pfft. Now we know where this starts.

*After Sydney not wanting to offend other cultures by putting up Xmas lights.

Did they? Or did they just talk about this? Who is this 'they'?

*After hearing that the State of South Australia changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's license with her face covered.

And, again, did we? Where's the evidence? We may have, but I can't find *any* articles about it. That's pretty bloody surprising, considering how hot a story it must be...

This prompted this editorial written by an Australian citizen, published in an Australian newspaper.

'an Australian newspaper'. Convenient. Don't mention which one. Don't actually provide a link so we can read it for ourselves. The plot and the audience thickens.

And here we have it. This is NOT an original article AT ALL. It's an Australian adaption of an American chain letter. People, THINK before sending things like this! No, just don't send them at all.

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/beamerican.html

I found the above URL by searching for this phrase: "Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in" it wasn't exactly difficult. If you're going to incite hatred, at least use something a bit real. Yes, the chain letter has changed since this was published, but that's still all it is; an inflammatory little bastard of a chain letter.

For heavens sake, there is so much flame-bait in our newspapers and on talkback radio, that I doubt you'd have to make up much.

Let's get it straight, I do NOT want you to incite hatrid, but if you are going to irritate the shit out of me by doing so, at least put in some effort, so that then I can go and find my own counter-research. This doesn't even give me anything to argue about.

Now just BUGGER OFF!

Australian Citizen #3

Response #4

This response is to a discussion that arose after mention of this email which was, 'is it appropriate for a leader of a country to send out Christmas cards?'

After a bit of discussion, one person noted that if the person believes in the occassion (or, alternatively, knows you do) then the sentiment behind their card is sincere and therefore it's highly likely they did not intend to be offensive. If you get a card wishing you a happy Christmas, Birthday or Ramadam you might want to consider that the real and sincere message behind th card is probably "I'm thinking of you." - and most people can probably agree that is a nice sentiment.

The "original" email/chain letter

[See opposing views to this email/chain letter above - 1, 2, 3, 4. Entire chain letter content is in quoted text below]

--- original message as forwarded to grudknows.com ---
Subject: FW: Our Country - You have the Right to Leave

I totally agree - if we were to migrate or even travel to another country, we would be expected to accept and following their culture! Don't get me wrong, I love the fact that through migration, we now have more choices, food, drinks, sports, the list can go on, but I don't think we should loose our ethnicity because of it. How many children now can't celebrate Christmas, can't sit on Santa's knee, can't wish someone happy birthday because it's against their religion, and so on.

--- original message ---
Subject: FW: Our Country - You have the Right to Leave

I FULLY SUPPORT THE AUTHOR.

If you saw 60 Minutes the other night you may be feeling more strongly about this topic than ever. (And "Today tonight" on Ch7.) E.

This will set the cat among the pigeons...

Our Country - YOU Have the right - the right to leave !

After:

• Sydney not wanting to offend other cultures by putting up Xmas lights.
• *After hearing that the State of South Australia changed its opinion and let a Muslim woman have her picture on her driver's license with her face covered.

This prompted this editorial written by an Australian citizen, published in an Australian newspaper.

IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. 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 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 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!

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. 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 National Motto, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, "THE RIGHT TO LEAVE". If you aren't happy here then bugger off! We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted. Pretty easy really, when you think about it. I figure if we all keep passing this to our friends (and enemies) it will also, sooner or later get back to the complainers, lets all try, please. No matter how many times you receive it please forward it to all you know.

(ED: Wow, makes you want to stand up, salute the flag and sing the National Anthem.)

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