Absolutely agree, Gob.Respect has to be a two way street though., I have no doubt that US Muslims are more integrated due to the expectation that they will adopt and accept the dominant culture.
In the UK, and to a lesser degree Aus, the expectation is heavily weighted into the minority culture being accepted and no expectation the other way.
The Australian 'multiculturism' flag has created more racial and religious division than ever before. Instead of integration, it allowed, encouraged and even demanded that every other religion, culture or country traditions over-rode the so-called 'white' Australian, or English, religions and cultures. The tensions it created go far past the 'white Australia' racism that appears to be thrown at the overseas media. In fact, the only 'race', such as it is called, that is not allowed to have a voice, is the race that is called the 'white' race - and a lot of the 'white Australia' problem isn't, in fact, 'white'.
We, in Australia, now have a lot of racial.religious tensions between various races and religions that came here through recent immigration and are not actually related to a perception of 'white' as per the media agenda. Easy examples include the recent 'Indian bashings' that created such controvery in the papers in India and theoretically 'threatened' ties with India. The group of people charged with the bashing that sparked it all were mostly of names and features that more closely aligned them to middle eastern 'races', and most of the other events included names and features that were either middle east or asian. No 'white' Australia - as in, nobody of white colouring and English sounding surnames - and any racism that may have been a part of it, if at all, were not related to a 'white' perception or policy. And yet the papers screamed about the 'white Australian' intolerance.
I live near an area of Victoria, Australia, that is becoming home to an increasing number of migrants from a particular South African area. The violence and all round thuggery increased almost immediately as these migrants settled in. This is an area that has for years had a very high ethnic and Asian population and was integrating and co-existing happily before it became 'multicultural policy'. The problem of the sudden increased violence etc has been identified - for the most part, the young South African migrant children (teens to young 20 year olds) do not want to integrate or co-exist. Most in that age bracket have an open contempt for people who are not the same colour and 'race' as them. They come from an area where it is quite common for the young to grow up in a gang mentality using such implements as machetes and clubs to get what they want, and they have particular contempt for 'whites'.
And so they come here, to Australia, and air their hatred and contempt openly, and prove their point with their gang mentality and their use of weapons. This begins to create a feeling against that 'race' among people who previously had no views against any people at all, but may have had bad experiences with them. And if such people speak out against them, they are called 'racist' - no-one calls the South Africans 'racist', because thy're the 'newcomers and the multicultural attitude is that 'we' have to embrace them, not the other way around. So the local schools have entire programs developed to 'encourage' others to 'help' these people to 'feel welcome', but without 'forcing' the new people to have to accept their new environment.
And then this whole situation brings in the interest of agenda groups such as the White Australia groups, the KKK - those with a racist or political agenda who can use this situation to their advantage. And then ... it is promoted, media and otherwise, as 'whites' being racist against these poor immigrants trying to create a better life for themselves in Australia.
And then others, who previously had no views one way of the other, begin to develop an intolerance because of the unjust situation.
.....it has been escalating rapidly, and all because our multicultural policy is NOT about integration, but really about idealistic views that create segregationist attitudes that have nothing to do with 'white'.
I feel for the older South African people of that particular race, who for the most part are very lovely and gentle people who really are trying to have a better life for themselves and their family. But most, if not all, of the racial tension and street violence that is now rampant in that area was caused by people from within that 'race' and culture who were given absolute permission to come here and tramp all over the people already here, and impose their attitudes onto others without fear of repercussion and with a guarantee of playing the 'victim' card if ever there was a hint of consequences.
.....
deeeeeeep breath........
..........sighhhhhhhh......
........And I shall now take my little soap box and go home .....
