What Does Being Australian Mean to me in 2011?

Four years ago on Australia Day January 26^th, I wrote what being Australian meant to me; so it is time for an update. Being Australian means as much, or more, to me today than at any other time in my life. One of the things I really appreciate is the freedom that being an Australian brings to our lives; but especially to my life.

For starters, I’m free to write this article and free to say what I think. I am free to feel what I feel without anyone telling me what or how I must feel. Freedom is one of God’s most precious gifts and there are those people in power in the world today, who would take this from us, if we allow them to. 

Allowing someone to take something from you for greed or their own personal gain or aggrandizement is the sin of slothfulness.

Greed and slothfulness are two of the seven deadly sins and slothfulness still means being lazy. The only bigger sin is committed by those greedy individuals or groups who would take our freedom away and make us all debt slaves. Stealing is stealing any time that you take from someone else, something that doesn’t rightfully, morally belong to you. Whether that something being taken from you is physical, mental and financial or anything else ~if something is not rightfully yours, you have no right to remove it from another person.   

Today in Australia too many people have become too enamored with financial gain to the detriment of others. Money doesn’t, nor has it ever, bought or brought happiness.  

One of the reasons why Australia is such a free country to live in has been the fact that the majority of people have earned incomes to live comfortably on. Those people, who worked a bit harder than others, had more. That was only fair and anyone who wanted to could do it. 

The Australian Legal system through our arbitration system oversaw fair play to both the employer and the employee. It was once frowned upon by society and considered immoral, unjust and unfair to take an unfair advantage over someone less fortunate than oneself. 

We have been a very egalitarian society. 

An egalitarian society is not based on communism as some would have others believe. Communism as a way of life hasn’t worked, just ask the people who live in Russia. 

Capitalism is another failed life philosophy. Just ask those millions and millions of people who live in America and struggle to live freely. They have become such debt slaves to their financial institutions that many have hocked their kids and grandkids future well-being. 

Capitalism is like a disease. Once it has eaten through all it can be allowed to, it looks for other avenues from which to leech more profit and gain financial benefit. When a capitalist has to choose between money or people, the money will win every time.  If you don’t believe this, look to Wall Street. They own America but have enough political clout to put their own representatives in Government so the American people never realize that the American Taxpayer doesn’t even own their own Federal Reserve!  

Capitalism or Communism simply doesn’t work for the majority of people where egalitarianism works well for the benefit of the majority. No system is perfect but the one like Australia where we can discuss our differences harmoniously has to have more going for it than either capitalism or communism.  

I strongly suggest we don’t lose it through slothfulness and greed. 

But today is the day I celebrate quietly and thoughtfully what Australia means to me. I have had the privilege of living in three other countries and enjoying their lifestyle. One of these countries has had centuries longer for their people to learn to live harmoniously but they still haven’t achieved that yet. 

This morning I listened to hundreds of Parrots fly out of their overnight roosts and go on another day of foraging for food. Their noisy squawks each morning alert us that the sun has tipped the horizon and the gentle half-light of dawn is changing to daylight. 

The lawn still smelt of freshly mown grass which will always remind me of childhood and cold water melon. A gentle sea breeze stirred the palm trees awake and the smell of coffee brewing next door reminded me the day had begun.  

   

Australia is my home and we all know that there is no place quite like home. Australians everywhere on Australia Day need to realize our advantages and say “Thank you” for all that we have to share with those who share our Aussie values of peace and harmony, fairness for all.