So now We are One.

[not_for_sale2025]

So now We are "One". What does that mean?

Does it mean we now recognise we are a multicultural society and do not support racism? Does it mean will will no longer discriminate between the ethnic races? Will we advocate for financial equality for all Australians where people do not get extra benefits because of their race? Will all Australians take the knee when white, black or ethnic Australians suffer a wrongful death because all lives matter? Will the historical resentment and hate heal?

Somehow I don't think so.

[the_great_she_elephant]

Then who make up the  large percentage of Britain's population that is is not "even British"...

[the_great_she_elephant]

Icy, I owe you an apology.

On reading back I now realise I misinterpeted your "not even British" comment. I thought you meant it literally, but I can see now that in fact you were simply pointing out that one can be Britsh (or Australian) regardless of one's ethnic origins. 

In light of this my own comments were off target and, in the case of 'non aryan', uneccessarily hurtful.

I am very sorry..

[rogespeed]

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@4channel wrote:

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@not_for_sale2025 wrote:

Anthony Mundine hates white Australia. I have no idea what thoughts swirl around in his head, but I doubt his hatred is solely based on facts. Extreme hatred seldom is.

The British atrocities are more well known than they used to be. But at the time their imperial mission was to invade and conquer as many countries as they could to build upon their Empire. Remember it was only a few years before the Australian settlement that America fought and conquered them to gain their independence.

Australia ceased to to be a Dominion of the British Empire when it became an independent nation in 1901. Since then we have slowly distanced ourselves, while we still remain part of the Commonwealth.

Personally, I am not very proud of my British heritage. I think our national anthem needs to capture the Australia of today and our positive achievements and aspirations. It should be about unity, not division. But there are no lyrics that will capture a united sentiment while there are strong racial divisions. We are not "One". And I think it will take a lot more than a re-discovery and an awakening (whatever that means) to make us "One".

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Anthony Mundine can be a polarising figure but he is nowhere near as polarising or divisive as the media that deliberately catches him off guard and twists things around to incite fear. If he has a hatred for any aspect of "white Australia" then that hatred is shared by many white Australians for the continued institutional racism, police brutality and disparity which is a painful reality to many Indigenous Australians.

Nothing wrong with British heritage. No Anglo should feel shame for that non-British royal family and their past actions . I agree with you that a national anthem should be about unity, equality etc.. Sadly that cannot and should not be acceptable to Australians until a solution is found.

An awakening is addressing history without the veneer that covers it. Kevin Ruidd took a big & positive step in the right direction with "Sorry" but twenty more need to be taken.

Kudos to Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull for taking on Murdoch.  Their success would mean a giant leap with half a dozen steps being passed.

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Actually " white Australia" tends to have disdain for anyone non-conformist relative to ones station in life 

[rogespeed]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

Then who make up the  large percentage of Britain's population that is is not "even British"...

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One is influenced to some extent by family from prior generations - in fact in some regards the influence is so strong a person can not be fully nationally culturally acclimatised into colloquial values (so to speak) unto 2nd generation born , as implied by more privileges granted from the country of origin for 1st generation born of foreign migrant parents  , than subsequent generations 

[icyfroth]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

Icy, I owe you an apology.

On reading back I now realise I misinterpeted your "not even British" comment. I thought you meant it literally, but I can see now that in fact you were simply pointing out that one can be Britsh (or Australian) regardless of one's ethnic origins. 

In light of this my own comments were off target and, in the case of 'non aryan', uneccessarily hurtful.

I am very sorry..

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Thank you. I appreciate your largesse.

[the_great_she_elephant]

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@the_great_she_elephant wrote:

Wow! that's a big ask Springy. I'll do my best but you'll have to be patient, it's not something I (or even Old Blue) can dash off in a hurry. 

My current thinking is, it doesn't really need 3 verses - as an anthem they'd never all be sung anyway. Maybe one verse incorporating lines or themes from the others and the chorus would be sufficient.

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Old Blue has cast his eye over my first draft and tells me it needs more work ("It's p*ss weak, mate," were his actual words) In the meantime he thought you might like to see his version:

We’re the Dreamtime blokes whose rock art was the first ‘Australiana',

We’re the sheilas off that brothel ship, The Lady Juliana,

We’re the swaggies and the bushrangers who roamed the great outback,

And the sundowners who lost their way and perished on the track.

We’re the bludgers and the larrikins, the captains of the ‘Push’,

We’re the shearers we’re the miners, we’re the b*stards from the bush.

We’re the ten pound Poms, we’re migrants from each land beneath the sun,

And every bl**dy one of us is an Australian.

We are one but we are many etc.

[domino-710]

Whe are indeed - a weird mob. lol

[davewil1964]

John O'Grady certainly had an eye for the incongruous.

[springyzone]

OMG that is brilliant, she elephant.

That encompasses just about everyone, it's very inclusive. Just what we needed.

Alas, I fear it is unlikely to make it in the corridors of power just yet, where they vote for such things, but it is close, it is very close.

You really give Bruce Woodley a run for his money, you run rings around him lyric wise.

I feel we are close to being able to submit the ultimate solution for an anthem where everyone will be happy, where we all get an honorable mention. That's what we do best on this board, solve the problems of the world.

[the_great_she_elephant]

My goodness! Praise indeed. Thank you so much, Springy.

I'm still putting the finishing touches to my own, rather less colourful, version and i'll post it once I'm reasonably happy with it. Mind you, I suspect Old Blue's will still be better.