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The Forum > Article Comments > My island home - united we stand > Comments

My island home - united we stand : Comments

By Salam Zreika, published 11/1/2006

Salam Zreika describes the December 2005 march against racism in Sydney.

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Once again race is confused with religion.

As well, the author, who tells us we are all Australian, singles out a drunk as an “Australian” man. If we are all the same, why is he not described as just a ‘man’?
Posted by Leigh, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 10:35:59 AM
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Again Salam you haven't criticised the racial violence perpetrated across all Sydney. Did anybody at that rally criticise that violence?

Irfan asks for a definition of Australia's multiculturalism. What's yours?

You seem unable to accept, despite the evidence, Australia's not a racist country. Let's try for some more agreement. We'd agree the racist hooligans at Cronulla are no more representative of Australia than the Lebanese Muslim youth gangs are of the Australian Arab or Muslim communities. We'd also agree there has been almost universal condemnation of the behaviour at Cronulla not just by those at the rally. Similarily, but we'd probably disagree, the criticism of the Lebanese Muslim youth gangs has not carried the same ring of total community condemnation. Rather than argue ask; Why not?

You seem unable to accept most people are not demonising the Australian Arab or Muslim communities. Instead of arguing differences let's have more agreement here. We'd agree many Australians are angry and derisive of the ongoing criminal and racist behaviour of particular youths from that community. They're also becoming angry at the tacit denial of this problem by Australian Arabs and Muslims.

I'd reckon Cronulla beach wouldn't have room for this act of collective head burying.:-)

We'd also agree in this country there is freedom of speech and while I think it is offensive to label forthright Australians Un-Australian people are allowed to do that just as those so labelled are entitled to express their own controversial opinions. That is one of the conventions to which we Australians all adhere. Do you have a problem with that concept?

Expressions of biased opinions, such as yours, are as divisive as those you proclaim Un-Australian and such expressions are more likely to divide us than the behaviour of two bunchs of Sydney based racist hooligans.

Churchill said fanatic's are people who won't change their mind and who can't change the subject.

I'd point to the above and remind you of your previous article which also harped on racism. I'm reminded of someone's recent plea;

How do we fix this?.

Shouting racism over and over certainly won't.
Posted by keith, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 11:38:50 AM
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A very Argus-eyed Leigh was quick to spot the chimera in Salam's piece. Muslims are not a race. Muslims are adherents of the Islam faith. We must forgive Salam because she is a journo and a story stripped of its emotion comes across as another 'dog bites man' piece.

Salam, I congratulate you and all the others who marched against racism. Why not do something bold next time. Take your march to the mosque at Lakemba. Carry a couple of posters with imam Omran and sheik Hilaly on them with the words 'unAustralian' written underneath their pictures. Sing Advance Australia Fair while carrying the Australian flag. You and your fellow marchers will be well received.
Posted by Sage, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 11:56:34 AM
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(that's very sneeeeky Sage put good point)

>>Well it’s time to break the barriers of insecurity and love thy neighbour again.<<

As a follower of Jesus’ teachings, I have never stopped loving my neighbour or my enemies (I may tease them a little but always in love).

"Love your enemy" does not exist in the qur’anic text no matter how hard you look for it - the enemy of course being all non-muslims.

Or maybe Salam is the exception to the rule and is (not so clandestinely) single-handily changing the course of isalm from aggression to peace making?

>>…let us remind ourselves that this land does not belong to you, nor does it belong to me, but to the Indigenous people who came here first, and by God they have surely suffered the most. <<

Q: Is this why muslims are actively converting aborigines to islam in prisons? and intermarry with them so by right Australia is theirs to claim and to keep, hmmm…?

That may explain Salm’s nice cuddly fluffy goose-bumpy approach to writing
Posted by coach, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 12:17:09 PM
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Salam, I feel so sorry for you, you can't see past the cloth that covers your head. This is not a racist country, nor are the people racist or bigoted. It's very simple, people like you attack us, to further your religions cultural gains.

Race. or ethnicity is something that most Australians accept as being a part of our cultural makeup. But what we object to is people like you forcing your despotic religions onto us, when the facts show that your religion and all religions are the root cause of all the trouble.

We don't care what you are or who you are, but this country for nearly 100 years was a place of peace, security and acceptance. Then the PC's began forcing us to accept changes that have destroyed that security and made us just like the rest of the world, a religious war zone.

Your religion, the christians and the jews do nothing but cause trouble where ever you are. Its in your religious nature, religion lacks intellect and can resort to nothing else but suppression and violence. All the islamic countries of the world are in chaos, thats what we don't want here, yet it seems that you and people like you are pushing that barrow.

This is our country, black, white, red, pink yellow, green, who cares, no one I know. We just don't want Australia ending up like the rest of the religious world, violently chaotic. Keep your religion and its expression at home, or leave and go to a country where you can all fight each other, to see who is the best destroyer of life and freedom.
Posted by The alchemist, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 12:22:32 PM
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Good article Salam,

We are all Australians: aborigines, anglo, arabs, asians, muslims, christians..

Trying to give a race or a religion a previliege of being more australian is divisive. Rather we should all consider how can each difference contribute to a better Australia: social and economical.

Peace,
Posted by Fellow_Human, Wednesday, 11 January 2006 12:30:23 PM
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