Yes Harryc,you beat me to the punch.When is the Muslim community going to address the violence perpetrated on skips by Muslim gangs?
Would Irfan Usef kindly address this problem that is almost a daily occurence in Sydney instead of pleading victim status?

The silence,inaction,constantly pleading victim status and lack of commitment to the Australian way of life says more about Muslim attitudes than any Koran could ever state.

QUOTE: Australia is a secular liberal democratic nation.

RESPONSE: Oh how I wish Australia was a "Liberal Democracy". Unfortunately we are in fact a "Social Democracy".

Very Important question that was asked but never answered. What is "anti-Christian" behaviour. Australian culture has the Judeo-Christian foundation. Democracy and the principle of equality (reality may be different but that's the principle) and rule of law, love thy neighbour etc.

What is wrong with the idea of preferring people that believe in those principles (not the religion but the principle)? I ask the question only.

In my quick scan of the article (its late, I'm tired....) I did not see where Muslims were singled out. So why was the majority of the rest of the article talking about Muslims? That is maybe an indication of the belief that Muslims are targeted? Why is that? Does Irfan acknowledge something we dare not say?

As to ...” For a start, there is little evidence to suggest that non-Christians integrate any less successfully into mainstream Australian life. Australia’s largest non-Christian faith community follows the teachings of Buddha, not Muhammad.” But the principles of equality, democracy etc Buddhists seem to accept? Maybe that is why they integrate well? That is not anti-Christian? Is it?

So before we say this is religious discrimination. Ask the question is it religious at all?

"Anti Christian" behavior.

Should this be a Criteria for limiting people coming to Australia ?

Well, I have a feeling that 'any' bad behavior is a criteria. I believe it is called the 'background check'.

I have another thought also, and that would be to include in the background check, any kinship bond with existing families (extended) who have a known track record of gangsterism, violence, crime etc..
and this could/should apply to any ethnic group or religious group.

I would have no problem restricting the migration of relations to the Big Circle Gang of Cabramatta. or the Telopea st boys of Punchbowl.

I don't think Alby is on the right track to single out 'anti-Christian' though speaking 'as' a Christian and also as a member of a democractic society, I would restrict the migration of anyone who is related to people who try to claim our land as 'their' ethnic/religious territory "Its OUR beach, get off it, we own it" (say Middle Eastern males at Cronulla)

Kinship/ethnic/religious ties among minorities gives them an apparent strength far in excess of their actual numbers.

The 2 groups which have proved most violent and anti social, and 'ethnocentric' have been the Asian and Lebanese Muslim gangs.
Police raided a resturant where 120 Big circle gang members were feasting on Lobster and the like I read. There was the notorious Telopea st gangs, drive by shootings, even of a police station, and then the gang 'racist' rapes and now the Cronulla "Its our beach" thing. Then there is the attempted intimidation of anyone (including police) who will testify against the perpetrators.

This is a cancer of the most terminal kind.

Australia is "SECULAR". Yes, but only in the sense of not having one particular 'established denomination' as the official religion.

Howard -Anglican
Costello -Baptist
Abbot -Catholic
Lords Prayer is said at the opening of Parliament

So there is a healthy christian 'flavor' in our government and institutions.

The flavor of our wider society, depends on our collective strength or weakness based on our own committment or lack thereof to the values we cherish.

"Accept it - Australia is secular, liberal, democratic"

Hmmm. So, Australia has a certain unchanging character that the author agrees with. We have gotten to this character from a more Christian past, so obviously the character has changed somewhat. Yet the author feels that we should just 'accept it' now? So why are some people able to change society, but not when the author is happy with where society is?

I strongly disagree with muslim-bashing, but the authors appeal to his preferable status quo and that we should just 'accept it' is self-serving rhetoric with no real value in discourse.

"Easier said than done. For a start, there is little evidence to suggest that non-Christians integrate any less successfully into mainstream Australian life. Australia’s largest non-Christian faith community follows the teachings of Buddha, not Muhammad.

Further, the most recent study of Australia’s Muslim community conducted in 2004 by Professor Abdullah Saeed, of Melbourne University, shows that over half of Australian Muslims were born in Australia."
That half of australian muslim's are born in Australia is irrelevant to whether they have integrated.

"Much is made of the size and composition of congregations attending the lectures of radical clerics in Sydney and Melbourne. Yet the 1,000 or so that attend the lessons of these sheiks fade into insignificance compared to the 25,000 or so Muslim Australians that attended the Multicultural Eid Festival at Sydney’s Fairfield Showground on Sunday, November 20."
I see, so roughly 4% of muslims attend radical clerics lectures is meant to be a comfort?

There is very little that is remotely Christian about the social Darwinian policies being rolled out by Mr Scultz and his colleagues. I can think of a couple of other 'messianic' cults that resonate through the current extremist assault this Govt has launched on key democratic values but Christianity is not one of them. Christ was a humanist revolutionary who preached tolerance, compassion and charity. These are values singularly missing from this Government's neocon platform.