My answer to Banana II

His attitudes to Detention Centres is appaling, so this is what I wrote on SunburyOnline.

My father was born in Egypt of European origin, and in the 1950's a nationalisation regime came into force whereas all Europeans were told to get out. At the same time Australia was commencing the Snowy Mountains Scheme so he and my grandparents were readily accepted as immigrants as they were considered as good workers as opposed to the Australians who were not suited to work on the Snowy Mts Scheme as they didn't like the hard and dirty work.

I often wonder what would have happened to my father's family if Australia had not accepted them, the rest of his family scattered all over the world, (Canada, South Africa, England) and have built themselves successful lives.

Australia has many opportunities to offer those displaced due to horrible conflict in their homelands, however we have been brainwashed into being told that these people are criminals and should be locked up in Detention Centres.

As Sue said, until you have walked in the shoes of others don't judge them.

Imagine, you are born and bred in a certain country, which apart from the violence and political persecution you really love, why would you want to leave it, to live in a country where the culture and language is different, you would only do so if desperate, and for the sake of your family you will pay anything to get them to safety.

My grandparents had to flee Egypt because of racial persecution and I recall their stories vividly, it was a memory that my grandfather held up until the day he died, but he was happy that he could bring his family to Australia for a better life and Australia was the winner.

Today’s revelation of the Kosova refugees plight is very sad indeed, do these people really deserve to be deported? Surely we still have a heart