Lexi,

There are cultures and there are cultures. The fact is that Muslims - all Muslims - accept an ideology that is contrary to the ideals of Western civilization. If you don't understand this, you haven't read the Quran and ahadith.

Yes there are good Muslims, but collectively their presence in large numbers in a Western society is a big minus. If you doubt this you need to look at the news and consider the situation in Europe. The US, Canada and Downunder are next.

As to hostility and racism against Muslims, you might also want to consider the hostility, anger and violence of Muslims against all non-Muslims, particularly where Islam dominates. Let me tell you that Islam says some vile things against non-Muslims and teaches that Muslims are better than us. Anybody that says “Praise be upon him” after the name of Mohammad obvious is either ignorant, or has little moral competence. Muslims have “submitted” to Islam and its values, just like the word means. There is nothing racist about condemning the theory and practice of Islam. It is a violent, supremacist ideology that is incompatible with the notions of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equality and separation of religion and state - or haven't you noticed?

Stop making excuses for intolerance, hate and violence. Instead of blaming everybody but Muslims for the things that Muslims do and believe, try do apply the same standards to everybody.

I agree with you REXW, most Australians if they are honest also would agree with you, we are not afraid of the Muslim community at large but we are afraid of the Islam Religion, like all religions they are a pain in the neck.
Ojnab

kactuz:

You're not arguing at a mature intelligent level - but an emotional one. However, against my better judgement I shall respond - this once to your post.

Most of the information that I have presented in this thread I've taken from an expert - Dr Eva Sallis is an expert on the subject of the Middle East. Dr Sallis teaches at the University of Adelaide. She is an Australian writer, co-founder of Australians Against Racism - an organ that seeks to raise awareness of human rights and social justice through the media, arts, and education. Her writings have won several literary awards. In recent years she has devised and co-ordinated a number of social justice projects, including prime TV commercials on refugees, and a billboard project countering mainstream attitudes to Muslim people, and two nationwide people's writing projects from which two remarkable and influential anthologies were published. Dr Sallis studied Arabic intensively for seven years and has traveled many times to Yemen, Lebanon, and elsewhere in the Middle East. Dr Sallis has Muslim friends who used to feel that they were Australians, but now cannot identify themselves in all the negative space being created for them in our community. She has non-Muslim friends who are furious at being targeted as Muslims and are doing all they can to differentiate themselves from people they too are starting openly to dismiss. Perhaps you need to do a bit more research on the topic of Muslims in Australia - they can't all be lumped together in one group - as they come from different linguisitc and ethnically distinct cultures - many have been here for generations and have completely integrated into our society.

Lexi, when we hear Imams declaring that all women are the equal of men and that they have no agenda to convert their communities to Sharia law, then we might take some notice of what you have to say. Until then you will have to put up with the prejudices.

David

Yep, that's sorta the problem with Imams, I guess.

>>Lexi, when we hear Imams declaring that all women are the equal of men and that they have no agenda to convert their communities to Sharia law, then we might take some notice of what you have to say.<<

Our own home-grown Imam, Cardinal Pell, holds similar views, in that he does not consider women the equal to men in his particular church.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/No-women-priests-in-any-lifetime-says-Pell-after-protest-at-Mass/2005/03/20/1111253885032.html

Oh, and guess what? The disciples of this particular Imam (which is simply Arabic for "leader") are also charged with the duty to go out and convert their communities to Catholic Law.

"An essential dimension of true discipleship is the willingness to invite others to follow the Lord Jesus and the readiness to explain His Gospel."

http://www.stmarysgvl.org/discipleship/evangelical-catholicism

It's all of a piece with these religionists. They all believe that they are in sole possession of "the truth", and insist that everybody else should be just like them.

It would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Pericles wrote:

>>Our own home-grown Imam, Cardinal Pell, holds similar views, in that he does not consider women the equal to men in his particular church.>>

Absolutely right.

But you seemingly refuse to connect the dots.

If we appease one religion then we end up appeasing them all including Cardinal Pell’s. One reason for my strong stance against any form of religious appeasement is that I don’t want to give the Cardinal Pell’s of Australia an opening.

I still do not understand what this article is about. As mac says, all Dilan Thampapillai is doing is stating the rights that accrue to any citizen of a secular liberal democratic state. And if that’s all there is to multiculturalism then why all the fuss?

Why do we need a bureaucracy to promote multiculturalism?

What does it mean to “refocus” on multiculturalism?

See:

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/201102/s3142339.htm

Here’s Kevin Donnelly’s take on this:

>>It’s also no secret that much of the Labor Party’s branch stacking relies on ethnic enclaves and that many ALP politicians owe their political careers to ethnic warlords. What better way to get their support than by channelling funds and patronage via multicultural grants and board appointments.>>

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/44250.html

And I think that’s the bottom line. All this is really about enabling the ALP to buy votes with patronage.