Girl from my highschool’s reply to Part I: I’m happy that they can come here and be safe, I just dont like it when I hear that it is now offensive to say merry christmas etc. Like I said im happy they can find happiness here, I just dont want our country to change. I appriciate your opinion.

My response (still attempting to stay calm): Wishing people a merry Christmas isn’t being banned or even frowned upon. People are just being made aware that, because of Australia’s varied population, not everyone celebrates Christmas. It’s simply showing consideration to the many other cultures that exist amongst the Christians in Australia.

This is a country of acceptance and multiculturalism. Or, at least, it’s supposed to be. Unfortunately, there are still people who wish to demand that people who come here - for whatever reasons - abandon their identities; their beliefs, their images, their traditions and their customs.
It’s a basic human right to allow people to express themselves and have a voice. If that means wearing what they please, then an unfortunate number of girls are already making use of it by continuing to wear shorts that show their butts. We have no right to determine what people wear, and we have even less right to say someone isn’t allowed to wear their own traditional clothing. It’s rude, offensive and wrong.

Our country is constantly changing. The world is constantly changing. They’re going to continue doing so regardless of your opinion that entails other’s changing so that you don’t have to.

Her: I understand what you are saying. People’s opinions are completely different and that is good. we need that, if we didnt the world would be very boring and everyone would be the same

Me: Yep, you’re right on that one.