[Aussie Mike]

Looks like there is civil war brewing on this thread so I better throw in my 2c while I can.

Australians by and large don't seem to be an overly patriotic people. I think the reason for this is that our country wasn't forged by war.

We have every race under the sun down here and it's one of the things I love about this country. Like a large number of Aussies I wasn't born here but I consider myself an Australian through and through. To give you an example of the incredible mix of creeds and cultures I give my own:

Parents from Irish/English and Irish/NewZealand decent. I was Born in Gibraltar, grew up in Gibraltar, England and NewZealand then moved to Australia about 12 years ago. Married a wonderful first generation Australian lady who's parents met and married here after moving here from the Ukraine and Italy after the WWII.

We have a beautiful 1 year old daughter who can trace her heritage 5 or 6 different ways but none of that realy matters because she is an Australian too.

If this kind of mix can get along I don't see why we can't all do the same.

Cheers