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The Forum > Article Comments > Muslims don't need think tanks to say what's on their mind > Comments

Muslims don't need think tanks to say what's on their mind : Comments

By Irfan Yusuf, published 24/10/2007

When it comes to Islam and/or national security, these days just about anyone can pass themselves off as an expert.

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On balance, I think the answer is the second one: muslims are "just a security risk and cultural menace to be managed"
Posted by Sancho, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 9:53:12 AM
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We are fortunate to have articulate and calm Australian Muslim commentators like Irfan Yusuf and Waleed Ali to counter the prejudiced propaganda of people like Gerard Henderson. Irfan's forensic piece should be essential reading for anyone with a serious interest stabilising the integration of Muslim communities in Australian society. We must get past the view that Muslims are primarily "a national security risk to be managed" - it is a foolish and inflammatory view. No doubt there will now be dozens of rebuttals - this topic always brings large numbers of Islamophobes out of the woodwork.

Tony Kevin
Posted by tonykevin 1, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 10:57:31 AM
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Yes indeed Tony Kevin, while we await the arrival of the 'usual suspects', thanks once again to Irfan Yusuf for consistently presenting a reasonable and conciliatory Australia Muslim perspective on some of the propaganda dished up by self-styled 'experts' like lunar right mouthpiece Gerard Henderson.

Not only did Henderson apparently fail to consult actual Muslims before making his inflammatory 'assessment', but he also seems decidedly out of step with the approach taken by real experts like Mick Keelty, head of the AFP:

"'If you want to marginalise the Islamic community, label them all terrorists.

'I mean, what we've got to do is just be guarded in our language and don't marginalise or isolate people through the language we use.'"

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/i-knew-haneef-case-wasnt-strong-keelty/2007/10/23/1192941058015.html
Posted by CJ Morgan, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 11:26:31 AM
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Of course, it's not just Henderson that is worthy of condemnation.

There's also the people who pay him to write such nonsense.
Posted by Lev, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 11:31:14 AM
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So Irfan, what exactly is the point of your rant? Is it to expose the sloppy scholarship and credentials of Gerard Henderson or to debate his opinions?
Don’t you think we have the critical faculties to make up our own mind on his methodology and expertise? Do we need you to tell us that we should not believe everything we read?
Since when has truth been the sole property of experts and people with impeccable credentials? Truth can come from any source and denigrating a person because they do not live up to your expectations of what makes for good writing does nothing for your own integrity. Debates on these issues should be open to all and not just those deemed to be experts. If you really want to solve the problems associated with Muslim integration you will be open to the truth wherever you may find it. If you are not then we can only presume you are trying to protect your own personal agenda.

As for the issue of Hilali, the Muslim community have to take responsibility for the fact that he is their leader or their spokesman or whatever. We all have to take responsibility for the fact that John Howard is Prime Minister even if we do not agree with the things he says and does. Even if we did not vote for him we are responsible for the system of government that put him into power. In the same way Muslim people have to take responsibility for the structures that result in Hilali being seen as the spokesman for their community.
Posted by phanto, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 1:56:42 PM
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Irfy

Hmmm - your style in this article is interesting.

While someone of Henderson's stoopage deserves a good nailing I sense that you pusheth your own claims to expertise. Hence:

"... my criticisms had been published in The Canberra Times, The Daily Telegraph, The New Zealand Herald, Christchurch's The Press, Wellington's The Dominion-Post, Crikey, AltMuslim.com and NewMatilda.com."

Ya heart is still in the right place but.

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Wednesday, 24 October 2007 4:29:09 PM
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