Yes, and Janette Howard is in a constant battle with the Prime Minister to stop him growing a square moustache and revealing his true colours as the Fuhrer of the Fourth Reich Australia.

I didn't think there was anything more foolish and insulting than commentators comparing Australia to Nazi Germany until I read this.

Now I realise there is something worse - writing an entire piece comparing Australia with 1933 Germany with one qualifier in the middle about "not wanting to pretend that we’re living in Nazi Germany or that the Australian police bear any resemblance to the SS."

Let's just take a look at what the author has done.

Smith has taken two points (racial/religious tension and police powers) which have been common across history and geography and inferred there is a link between the most evil regime of the 20th century and modern-day Australia.

Where is the comparison between the prevailing economic conditions of depression-era Germany and our booming economy.

Where is the film footage of a rabid hate-filled Australian Prime Minister stirring the emotions of hundreds of thousands of people in open rallies.

Where is the record of anyone in the current government, let alone the leadership group, trying to violently overthrow the democratically elected government.

Where is Howard's Mein Kampf outlining his hatred of Muslims and ethnic minorities and his final solution.

And for that matter, where is the burning of any building, let alone the Parliament, by supporters of the Coalition Government or the Communists, er I mean Greens.

If this is the kind of flimsy logic Mr Smith preaches in his youth work, he is wasting his talent. Surely there is a place at a university for the Good Reverend, where his anti-middle Australia, anti-Howard sermon would be applauded.

t.u.s

Dave Smith asserts (rather alarmingly) that the rioting made its mark in normally peaceful Dulwich Hill. I say alarmingly because I live in Dulwich Hill and was at home during the period of the riots. I think my lived experience versus Dave Smith's assertion shows what a beat up this whole episode is. Who were the Dulwich Hill rioters? Fanatical golfing lesbians on the Marrickville course pissed off when they hit a slice?

We've had article after article blowing these riots out of all proportion (or is that "riots"?). And this media hysteria on this forum, on talkback radio and elsewhere has given governments the excuse to introduce intrusive legislation which will inevitably be misused. It really is amazing that Australians say they don't trust politicians and yet are happy to see them acquire new powers.

That said, I agree with TUS that the Nazi comparison is absurd. About as stupid as calling the Greens "communists".

Comparing 21st Century Australia to Early 20th Century Germany is oranges and apples. I don't know what the answer is, barely know what the question is. But, the harrowing, riotous scenes that were witnessed by most of Australia and the rest of the world were courtesy of the Media, and therefore NOT typical of the situation, I am sure.

However, I do find it horrible and disturbing to see these things happen. But it is not unique. It os not terribly outstanding, or even uncommon. Look at what happens every day in Redfern, Macquarrie Fields, Palm Island and an awful lot of Aboriginal Communities right through remote Australia. The location is what was unique, not the violence!

"The scent of the burning Reichstag that I can smell in the background".

It would have been more prudent for Reverend Smith not to have had his nostrils attached to the "background" of the Reichstag fire, but like a good "retriever", on the foreground of the collapse of the twin towers. The latter would have given him a stronger scent of the present greater danger that free democratic countries are facing.

But it's obvious that his "scent", morally, politically, and intelectually, is too weak to sense this greater danger posed by fundamentalist Islam.

Go to my blog for more: http://congeorgekotzabasis.blogspot.com

Thanks David, although you will find more ideological similarities between the Greens and the communists than you will between Howard and Hitler ;)

God gave Australians beaches so thay can stick their heads in the sand as we see from the above comments. Aussies don't like facts, don't like history disturbing the sun drenched, beer sodden, afternoons with anyhting like a reality test. Facism is alive and well and rising like bread in that hot oven called the Australian Parliament. Rising like testosterone in the gym pumped youth of Cronulla and the sunburbs of western Sydney. The Nazi styled leather hats of the NSW police bring back memories of goose stepping goons, but here everything is too laid back for that - it's too hot to march. Better to just smash in the doors of the leftie terrorists and bang them up in stainless steel boxes for a while. Stop up the mouths of the leftie euthanisia communists with long prison terms for opening them. We live on a knife edge now. Which way the balance tips will be left to the next Federal Government. I for one am looking to retire overseas and far away. Fascists were not on my list of benefits when I emigrated here in 1969.
Barfenzie