It is the twentieth anniversary of
Geoffrey Blainey’s “thoughtful warning” about the perils of trying to absorb too
quickly too many immigrants from different cultures. Peter Ryan, former editor
of Melbourne University Press, reminds us in The Oz today of the “academic lynch
mob” who made his life a misery and whom Melbourne University allowed to force Blainey out
all those years ago.

Henry shares Ryan’s outrage – and
did at the time. We agree Melbourne University should make an act of
restitution, and Ryan’s suggestion that it establish the “Geoffrey Blainey Chair
of history” is a good one.

We have been pondering the meaning
of the racially inspired harassment and brawls in Sydney, but Blainey’s prescient analysis is
surely part of the answer. This is not Samuel Huntington’s “Clash of
Civilisations” however (Jack Robinson is not so sure though). Rather it is
largely young men whose natural aggressiveness is being fuelled by too much
booze and excess testosterone as well as important cultural incompatibilities.

Graeme Mills presents the views of the decent majority – “My vote is for
multiculturalism. My door is open. But at home I do not put up with rowdy,
belligerent visitors. Nor should anyone in this broad and vibrant community
which is Australia.”