"Imagine if a religious leader stood on the streets of Sydney and openly called for the murder of people of another faith."

No, I cannot imagine this: non-violence is the first pre-requisite of religion, so anyone who does so could be a leader but cannot be religious.

We have already discussed this at great length, Yuyutsu. Religion has no such prerequisite.

"All people of goodwill have an obligation to speak out on these issues. We are either opposed to giving platforms to hatred and ­bigotry or we are not. There is a stark choice to be made."

So, Vic Alhadeff, there are decisions to be made and acted upon.

Firstly, to resolve the question of whether 'to give the oxygen of publicity' etc. to the speech.

Secondly, whether your NSW Community Relations Commission seeks legal redress.

Public money spent in the public interest would be one way of looking at it. After all it did occur on your Commission's turf.

Even section 18C is still available.

Dear Vic,

Expressions of bigotry and hatred are unpleasant and obnoxious. However, unless they present a clear and present danger, they are merely expressions of free speech.

We must distinguish speech from action if we are to have free speech.

The risk is there. Speech can lead to action. However, if we ban speech because it may lead to action it is equivalent to gaoling a person because he or she may commit a crime.

David f, a good and thoughtful comment.

I wonder whether Mr Alhadeff is prepared to similarly condemn those, including some on this site, who spend hours each day vilifying Moslems, going out of their way to insult everything they believe in, advocate their expulsion from the country and worse?

I wonder whether Mr Alhadeff might like to consider how the actions of those anonymous internet nutjobs and the undercurrent of anti-Islamicism that they represent may be playing a part in creating a climate for those like Wahwah to prosper?

Somehow, it seems unlikely.

As much as I hate these sort of rants that seem to encourage violence, I also dislike people of any faith feeling the need to yell out their religious views in the streets, or come knocking at our own doors for that matter.
The rant the author speaks of seemed more racist than religious though.

However, the fact remains that Australia is a democratic country and if people want to say these sorts if things, then they are able to do so.
The police may take note of people who do this though and perhaps keep their group's activities under surveillance.