Ping Billy

 You may enjoy this article (but don't pass it on to any USian who is
geographically challenged)  :-))))  :
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/a-climate-change-wave-of-hate-20110609-1ftix.html#ixzz1P7gawMfm  

 
Dear Aussie Friend-

You have now been subjected to what we US-ians experience on a daily
basis.  It's embarrassing; actually, humiliating, for the world to see
what a bunch of wild-eyed, crazy yahoos comprise, alas, a fair share
of our population.  Or maybe they are just more "vocal".  In any case,
it does NOT augur well for our future.  Billy's .sig is a pretty good
apercu of our political, social, cultural, and economic situation.   I
might not be around for the apocalypse, but my children will...

I haven't been down your way since the  '84 Olympics.  Maybe it's time
to consider a move..

(Actually, I'll put that on hold until your government reverses its
policy on asylum seekers.  Have read too much about how they are
treated while awaiting a decision, not to mention being immediately
deported.  This is NOT a snotty rejoinder!  Our immigration policies
are none too compassionate either, and Europe's are a disaster.)

HB

 
Dear Aussie Friend-

You have now been subjected to what we US-ians experience on a daily
basis.  It's embarrassing; actually, humiliating, for the world to see
what a bunch of wild-eyed, crazy yahoos comprise, alas, a fair share
of our population.  Or maybe they are just more "vocal".  In any case,
it does NOT augur well for our future.  Billy's .sig is a pretty good
apercu of our political, social, cultural, and economic situation.   I
might not be around for the apocalypse, but my children will...

I haven't been down your way since the  '84 Olympics.  Maybe it's time
to consider a move..

(Actually, I'll put that on hold until your government reverses its
policy on asylum seekers.  Have read too much about how they are
treated while awaiting a decision, not to mention being immediately
deported.  This is NOT a snotty rejoinder!  Our immigration policies
are none too compassionate either, and Europe's are a disaster.)
___________________________________
Your lunatic fringe certainly seems to be a large and vocal one. But then
you also have a very large population so even a small percentage can make a
huge amount of noise saying ludicrous things.

As for treatment of 'asylum seekers' I gather from discussions with a USian
I had in another group, that both our countries treat them in a similar way.
It took some time to figure out why he was saying what he did, but it turns
out that he had misunderstood what certain terms used actually meant (which
is part of the reason why I put 'asylum seekers' in inverted commas).