´There are many interpretations of Islam but Wilders concentrates on the dominance of Sharia Law and violent aspects of the religion, in reality aspects that only a small minority of Muslims relate to. Even fundamentalist Muslims are rarely given to support violence.´

The author appears to have a selective, blocking memory when it comes to recalling instances of violent reactions against those who dare to ridicule Islam, e.g. the 2012 film "Innocence of Muslims" :

http://theweek.com/article/index/233439/the-worldwide-protests-against-anti-islam-film-innocence-of-muslims-by-the-numbers

http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/muslim-protests-in-sydney-cbd/

And who can forget the plight of Salman Rushdie resulting from his novel,"The Satanic Verses"? In 1989 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini of Iran issued a fatwa ordering Muslims to kill Rushdie. Numerous killings, attempted killings, and bombings resulted from Muslim anger over the novel.

Like others I can't quite see the point of this article.

Personally I dislike Wilders and disagree with his message, but I was also unhappy with the way protestors used violence and intimidation to prevent him being heard. Let people hear his message, and they will work out for themselves he is a bigot who misrepresents his opponents.

Raoul, the overseas-born population of the UK is about 11%, much less than you suggested. The largest group of migrants is from Ireland, and the other significant migrant sources include Germany, the USA and Australia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign-born_population_of_the_United_Kingdom

Rhian, you misread; I did not compare the UK with Holland but, as the author, refer to Australia and Holland.

I reject the authors' notion that Holland has a more uniform or integrated society than Australia.

My point is that while Australia until the mid 70s maintained an integrated population with largely compatible cultural background, the same can not be said for Holland. Special arrangements with former colonies, semi-open national borders within the EU and the post-colonial guilt syndrom have brought the Netherlands the now third generation of serious numbers of openly hostile residents from alien cultures. This process began in Holland in the early 1950s.

Australia has taken up multiculturalism as quasi state religion 25 years later. The societal desintegration here began in the mid 1970s.

We see just now the second generation of non-integrating migrants from alien cultures pushing through, still in relative small numbers. If we're not too ignorant and complacent, if we consider the examples and lessons Geert Wilders refers to, if get our act together soon, there is still time to avoid the worst for the future of our children.
I've seen the poisoned fruits of multicult myself before migrating to Australia in the late 1990s, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Does Islam as described in the Koran and the words of its more vocal adherents respect the right of all individuals to openly follow or reject any religion, to respect or disrespect its edicts and symbols and “prophets”, to practise or reject its rules for personal behaviour?

If Islam fails these simple tests then it is a threat to the Enlightenment values that have been won against dogged opposition during the past three centuries and are a “given” in decent societies.

In that case Islamophobia is a necessary consequence of upholding the human rights that are the mainstay of countries like Holland or Australia. For exactly the same reason so is Naziphobia, much as those weak on human rights will parrot words like “Islamophobia” or sneer at those who noticed what World War II was about.

If on the other hand Islam passes the test of respect for human rights it has a place in Dutch and Australian society and Geert Wilders is off his head. Does it pass or fail? Think about those placards. And those demonstrations of mass revenge (including in Martin Place) over slights and insults to the Koran or the "prophet" Mohammed. Think about what happens to infidels in countries ruled on Islamic lines

i suspect if you asked many of the young girls raped in Sydney you might get a different view Dr Klaas. Geert seemed unbothered about Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity (unlike many Australian bigots), Sri Chinmoy or any other religion or ideology.

Islam is the most dangerous and backward ideology facing the world today. How long does the West have to tolerate Islamic hatered of us before we realise they don't actualy like us?

I'm so tired of naive academics taking us for fools.