LIZ45

"I go out of my way to smile at women from the middle east,and/or talk to their kids/babies as I know too many have suffered discrimination,even violence from 'westerners'.I've heard of some having their hijab torn from their heads for example, which is assault. shameful stuff!"

Good for you Liz...I do the same thing, but for different reasons.
I want to SAVE them from a religion which commands them to FIGHT all 'non them'..and a religion which permits husbands to BEAT their wives for alleged disobedience, and which permits an old man to 'marry' a prepubescent child, use her..then DIVORCE her...and which permits males in that religion to use captured women for sex objects...

THAT is why I am friendly to them.

It seems you just want to pander to the sense of victimhood and re-inforce those horrific values which are part of their holy book.

Can you come out in the open Liz and CONDEMN without reservation

-Spouse beating (4:28)
-Child sexual abuse (65:4)
-Incitement to violence against non them. (9:29)
-Sexual abuse of captive women (23:6)
-Hate Speech in the cursing of other religions. (9:30)

So Liz...can you ?

In relation to Liz's comments about oppression of women in Afghanistan.

It is not our country and we have no jurisdiction there.

Yes, our troops are there for a reason however it's naive and unrealistic to expect them to immediately resolve all injustices against women there.

These injustices arise from a culture and society that openly practices oppression of women and that would take time and patience to change.

Plans are afoot to address this, through introducing democratic processes, however flawed to begin with. Making education more widely available to the population will also help address these injustices, over time.

@ALGORE - We are assisting with the oppression of women in Afghanistan, otherwise what is the point of professing to be 'training the military or police' but turning a blind eye to the violence and murders. Are we acting according to the Geneva Conventions re Iraq & Afghanistan? Do you know what they are? Have you read them?
As to Islam etc. There were no crimes of rape re husbands and wives in NSW(and probably other states around the same time)until the 70's or 80's? Did you know that? One in 4 girls and one in 5 boys are sexually abused prior to reaching 18. The domestic violence rates have women as victims overwhelmingly. Just in the last 10 days or so, 15 males have committed horrific crimes of robbery with violence - could be more.
Not all men in Afghanistan are cruel vicious thugs, but too many who are sit in Karzai's parliament every day. Some are living with US sanction in that country, too many are known to the US but are allowed to keep on killing and causing terror, because that's how the US/NATO like it - while they're terrified, they're too distracted to stand up to them.
We have no reason to want to stamp out Islam due to the violent of some men in Afghanistan, any more than the fact, that it was descendants of catholic Ireland who viciously murdered Anita Cobby, or a bloke brought up in this country who was convicted of at least 7 backpacker murders.
Bush/Blair/Howard are all god botherers, who went to church on Sunday, in full knowledg, that under their instructions, murders, rapes, tortures, pollution from depleted uranium bombs etc were going on at the same time. I have no faith in so-called christians.
The catholic church has ridiculous laws re contraception and abortion,and yet remain silent about the killing of babies in Iraq and Afghanistan - what about all the women who lose their babies through stress and trauma, or due to lack of medical facilities, in contravention of the laws pertaining to occupiers! Hypocrisy I call it!

Liz, if you think I could be bothered reading that dense diatribe, you are mistaken.

Liz45...I read-no problem.

You_say:

"We have no reason to want to stamp out Islam due to the violent of some men in Afghanistan"

I have not the slightest hint of desire to stamp out Islam because of 'that'.

There are OTHER reasons.

3_major_reasons.

1/ CHAPTER 4:34. Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other,.....As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, BEAT them ; but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all). (ILLEGAL ACT)

2/ CHAPTER 9:29 "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued. (SEDITION and WAR against Australia)

3/ CHAPTER 65:4 (Divorce)Such of your women as have passed the age of monthly courses, for them the prescribed period, if ye have any doubts, is three months, and for those who have no courses (it is the same): for those who carry (life within their wombs), their period is until they deliver their burdens: and for those who fear Allah, He will make their path easy. (CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE-prepubescent)

"Those who have NO courses/menstruation"

Abul Ala Maududi on that passage:

http://www.quranenglish.com/tafheem_quran/065.htm

QUOTE:
Therefore, making mention of the waiting-period for the girls who have not yet menstruated, clearly proves that it is not only permissible to give away the girl in marriage at this age but it is also pemssible for the husband to consummate marriage with her. Now, obviously no Muslim has the right to forbid a thing which the Qur'an has held as permissible.
UNQUOTE

That is why I would like "Islam" banned, which includes the Burqa.

Well explained, ALGOREisRICH.