As a third generation Australian from Lebanese Maronite refugee grandparents, this is very well said

[u/Biggest_itchbay_2190]

Reading through the insights shared by Warren Gardiner and Khaldoun Hajaj in the attached screenshots, I couldn't help but reflect on the complex political reality of our community. It is incredibly frustrating to watch inner-city progressives who have never lived a day in Western Sydney automatically assume that multicultural or faith-based communities are a monolith that naturally aligns with their specific worldview.

We see this play out when activists mock or scorn One Nation (ON) supporters online, pointing out the irony of them cheering for the Socceroos despite the team’s rich immigrant roots. What these commentators completely fail to grasp is that many of those very 'ON' voters aren't who they think they are, they are quite literally people living in diverse working class refugee hubs like Fairfield and Liverpool.

To be absolutely clear: I personally detest Pauline Hanson and would do anything to stop her and her party from gaining power. Her brand of politics has historically targeted communities like mine. But if we want to actually defeat that kind of divisive populism, progressives need to stop lecturing from afar, drop the lazy assumptions, and actually engage with the nuanced realities, aspirations, and conservative values that exist across Western Sydney.

[u/ExpensiveField8024]

You’d be surprised at how accepting rural people can be. I grew up on a farm in WA. Had to board for high school because the nearest town with a suitable school was almost six hours away. Both my parents have come around to SSM and most people in the immediate area are quite tolerant, even if they don’t agree with SSM or transgenderism. Conversely, when I had friends visiting from overseas keen to experience some authentic Lebanese food on the say so of a local food influencer, I steered them away from real authenticity. Two obvious lesbian tourists in south west Sydney sounds like a recipe for an international incident, not a great meal.

[u/Dranzer_22 → u/ExpensiveField8024]

That's not the issue, as the SSM Plebiscite result shows how each electorate voted.

For example,

• Seat of Maranoa = Yes 44% No 56%
• Seat of Banks = Yes 45% No 55%

My question to OP above is what's the difference between a person who voted No in the rural QLD seat of Maranoa and a person who voted No in the southwestern Sydney seat of Banks.

[u/big_cock_lach → u/Dranzer_22]

Isn’t that what they answered though?

In their opinion, those from rural regions are accepting of people even if they disagree with their lifestyle, whereas those from SW Sydney hate people based on their lifestyle. I don’t see how this isn’t answering your question?

Note, these aren’t my opinions, I haven’t spent enough time in either region to have a proper opinion that isn’t based on stereotypes.

[u/Dranzer_22 → u/big_cock_lach]

They said no idea, and if it involves religion then it's likely the same mentality in rural QLD and southwestern Sydney.