A "cleverish" answer FELLOW HUMAN, by someone who dares not answer arguments.

KOTZABASIS

Another thoughtful and well considered post by Leigh. Marry me.

Shakira Hussein's post reveals to the the peculiar paranoid mindset of what is presumably a person who claims to be a moderate Muslim.

If Sheik Faiz Mohammad told his listeners that women who wear skinmpy clothes should be raped, then why is Ms. Hussein not giving Sheik Mohammad two fingers full of righteous indignation? Instead she is trying to claim some sort of Fruedian slip by the media in it's report of the incident which she implys is unkind to Muslims.

Hey babe. Do you agree with the Sheik or don't you? If you think his attitudes are unacceptable, a threat to all women, and a disgrace to Islam, then bloodywell tell him that instead of trying to find some spin to portray Muslims as victims of the West.

Your attempt to tie this presumed bias and sensationalism of the media with Muslim opposition to terrorism laws looks hollow to me also. If "moderate" Muslims oppose laws intended to stop Muslim fundamentalists launching a murderous attack upon Australian civilians, and thereby disgracing "moderate" Muslims, then "moderate" Muslims had better wholeheartedly support these laws instead of squealing about them.

Otherwise, any reasonable person would conclude that the real reason why "Australian" Muslims disapprove of the laws is because "moderate" Muslims support the terrorists and consider Osama and his merry men to be their heroes.

Shakira Hussein, where are you?

MISREPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA

As an issue, I do sympathize with the view of the author and some comments by posters. Slight misrepresentation can totally skew the intended meaning.
I've seen so much deliberate calculated misrespresentation of anything "Christian" that I would not even begin to count them.

MODESTY OF DRESS.
This is a sensitive subject. I maintain that 'modesty' is culturally relative. Exposed breasts with a baby hanging off one in Church is quite normal in Borneo and PNG, and no one thinks anything of it.
Some Islanders regard you as 'immodest' if you display your 'thigh' but not so if you are topless. (females)

OUR CULTURE

The main problem with our 'western' reaction to "Islamic" dress codes, is that ours are changing all the time, driven by ..you guessed it- the almighty dollar. Todays or this seasons stuff has to be 'outdone' by next seasons. Commercial TV and Movies have to 'sell with sex' and the more 'skin' the more sales. So, I have little sympathy for whining westerners who whinge about 'forcing' this or that code down their throats. Islam has a dress 'code'. Christianity has a 'dress guidelines' which amount to 'do not dress immodestly' which is purely culturally relative.

Every culture has it's sexual ques and signals. It seems that our freedom has by and large been used for what we all can recognize as 'licentiousness' and that for no other reason than making money or sending a sexual message/hint to the opposite gender.
As an example of 'culture' when we meet a woman, we shake her hand, not her breast. Maoris rub noses.

ISLAM and AUSTRALIA.
Part of the problem is cultural incompatability. We eat pork, beef etc which is slaughtered according to our cultural practices. We have dogs for pets, (unclean in Islam). To suggest that 'Muslims won't assimilate' is more a statement of fact than prejudice.

Shakira Hussein is making excuses for the moderate's inaction and silence.
If Muslims really believe in the freedoms and lifestyles that Australia has to offer,they will fight for it just like my father and his brother who suffered in Changi Prison.We are not scared of the lunatic fanatics.There may be 1.4 billion Muslims but there are 5.4 billion others who are tolerating this childish stupidity.

If Muslims dare to use nuclear weapons on our cities,our patience will evaporate and there won't be a Mosque left standing on this planet.You are rapidly using up all your good will.

So my advice is,get your act together,have the courage to choose a definite course of action and rid this planet of this hateful cancer.

Muslim moderates use these lines: Poor me. Poor us. You fair dinkum Aussies are depriving us. We want to take over your country. We want to change your laws.

We didn't know that you were upset about our desire to rule the world in the name of Allah and Islam.

Pour me another drink!