I noticed on CNN there have been some anti-american demonstrations in Indonesia, have there been any in OZ? <BR>Coming in the fall for 3 weeks and experiencing tons of anxiety. I'm afraid of my family and me being harrassed.

Bill, I can't imagine that you will be harrassed in Oz. There have been many memorial serivices and official support offered to the US. <BR>Come here and enjoy. <BR>Maggie.

Maggie <BR>Sorry, I meant no ill feelings towards the Aussies. They are great and this will be my second time back. That is why I want my family to meet the people of Australia(best in the world). I am worried about the few zealots who despise Americans from other countries. I was wondering if there had been any demos in the country. <BR>Thanks for encouragement.

Bill, <BR>Have heard of no anti-American sentiment here at all. There have been some nasty incidents against Muslims which is terrible. <BR>I think you'll be met here with sympathy and compassion. <BR>Kay

No anti US feeling but there has been some anti-muslem feeling about, which whether you like it or not, is understandable under the circumstances. Indonesia is a muslem nation!

Was there in June. There was a street demonstration in Melbourne but it was peaceful. It was to let in some illegal Afgan refugees. They have since been denied entrance, and shipped to Noumea, an island in the Pacific. Australia has paid $10 million as I recall, to help these refugees. WE had no problems in Australia, and I felt safer than in this country. Go!

Hey folks! Thanks. Trip is still on. I talked to my travel agent and all is still on go. I did not get around to talk about price fluctuations. I booked through Qantas via World Wide Travel and I was wondering if the prices might have come down from my initial booking price, my balance due is in 30 days.

For crying out loud!!!! <BR> <BR>The Americans are the ones trying to start world war 3 and then they are worried about getting hassle in Australia???!!! The arrogance and stupidity is beyond me!!!! Think of all the Arabs and muslims getting attacked! <BR> <BR>Stay at home and do us all a favour. <BR>

"The Americans are the ones trying to start world war 3" ? <BR> <BR>Uhum? If i remember right they were minding there own buis.....

Tourist sss@xx whatever "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU" With the attitude that you have I guess you fling yourself on the ground every few hours and face east muttering incoherent babble against the West. Perhaps you should go back from whense you came. If we do go to war what you just said is treason! You are the reason that the muslim icons are being damaged.

This isnt a political forum so I wont go on about this...just reading the last post cofirms everything I said and think about the US. <BR> <BR>What you say doesnt even make any sense. <BR> <BR>What I was trying to express in my previous post was that it is very frustrating that Americans first concern is that they may get attcked in other countries. It is insulting! The rest of the world is petrified because they fear attck from America or as a result of Americas actions. <BR> <BR>It would just be better if perhaps you thought "ok i am going to Australia but I will be humble about my country's politics" rather than " i am going abroad therefore iam not on amwerican soil therefore i must be going to some heathen undemocratic place where america is not the be-all and end-all" <BR> <BR>I was just trying to say that the original poster was expressing a very narrow minded perception of Australia if he thought he was in danger here.

Just wanted to add that I am not a Muslim - I am an educated white person. I dont have to be muslim to be against ignorance and military action, you idiot.

It is interesting that you can be so ignorant and simultaneously be against ignorance. How do you do that?

Everyone is a little nervous, and it is understandable to ask about traveling anywhere. Calm down, tourist, and don`t take this so personally.

<BR>Dear "tourist", <BR> <BR>I am a proud level headed American. Please see if you can understnd this: <BR> <BR>What to do if you happen upon a peace rally by stupid naive hemp-shirt-wearing idiots, to teach them why force is needed: <BR> <BR>1) approach dumb rich ignorant person talking about "peace" and saying there should be "no retaliation" <BR>2) have brief conversation, ask if military force is appropriate <BR>3) when he says "no," ask, "Why not?" <BR>4) when he says, "because that would just cause more innocent deaths, which would be awful, and we should not cause more violence" <BR>5) punch him in the face . . . hard <BR>6) when he gets up to punch you back, point out thatit would be a mistake, and contrary to his values, to punch you, because he would be just increasing <BR>the violence. <BR>7) when he agrees that he has pledged not to commit violence, punch him in the face again . . . harder this time. <BR>8) repeat steps 2 through 7 until he understands that sometimes it is necessary to punch back. <BR> <BR>Americans went to war 3 times during the 1990s and ALL 3 were in defense of Muslim countries/people. <BR>

Tourist says he is a white educated person but that still doesn't mean that he is not ignorant. He would not have said what he did about Americans if he were aware of the politics of America and their involvement in the last few skirmishes. I would probably guess that his "education" was with very left wing, militant, hemp wearing 'rent a crowd' who turn up at any rally because they have no job and nothing better to do than disrupt the legal going ons of the rest of the population. <BR>Go away Tourist your ideas are way off line!

Piss off "tourist", you're naive anti-American views aren't welcome on a travel forum. Keep it for your "Young Socialists" meetings or SMH letters page. <BR>Americans are warmly welcomed in Australia, evne more so after the terrorist attacks. You will probably see very few muslims, unless you get out into the suburbs.

Well said Matt!!!!

Terrorism is a crime, not an act of war. You will see how ignorant I am when you or you family is called up to the draft and you all run off to Canada. <BR> <BR>Also - in reagrds the punching situation - I would have the puncher arrested and tried fairly and punished and all his friends too if they had joined in. I would not go and blame it on someone who had punched me a few years ago but who seemed like a likely suspect even though there was no evidence as yet and it was me that had funded him and taught him to punch in the first place! <BR> <BR>

<BR>Dear Matt and LizF, <BR> <BR>Thanks for your response. Myself, wife and friends are coming to visit your country ~ for the 1st time ~ next Thursday. We cannot wait to meet Australians and see your country.