If someone beats me to it and submits a post, this post is a response to Ridge Runner's last post. He says that he is an Aussie but I think that his post does not reflect this fact. No self respecting Aussie would admit that they owe anything to the British. The Irish people that came to Australia came as refugees or convicts from a British regime that aimed to take over their country. They came here to escape famine and hardship or because they chose to stand up to the British domination and were punished for their crimes against the crown. Neither Wales,Scotland or Northern Ireland joined the British Empire freely. I see the Union Jack, the flag of the British Empire as a symbol of victory and domination of England over others and it has no place on our flag. Our history is full of horrors inflicted on humanity by the British Empire and they should not be honoured on our flag. It would be better to have a symbol paying tribute to all the migrants that have helped to build and shape our country which would include many early pioneers. It would be very interesting to test your theory about ninety percent of people being of British stock. You obviously haven't travelled on a Bourke Street Tram or attended the footy at a packed MCG. In both those cases you would find people with links to most European countries and several Asian countries. I am not part of the Union Jack and I am not part of the British Empire and never will be. There are still a lot of people in Britain that consider us colonials as second rate descendants of rat bags. I have been to England and experienced the British snobbery first hand. The sooner we go our seperate ways the better. I also really like the sentiment expressed by others concerning Australia's indigenous people. They deserve respect and recognition.
Cheers Bob.
Cheers Bob.