The severe provocation of the muslim young men appears to be condoned by many.
The drunken response of Australian youth is not.
There is no doubt that Lebanese youth appear to be extremely aggressive, lawless and totally undisciplined. How are these young people brought up? Not as Australians it would seem.
It was a bad day for this nation when such immigrants were admitted.
It would be better if future would be migrants are screened to find out those who are unfit to become part of Australia.
The Australian youth are seen as drunken yobs but this reaction had to come. Maybe the Lebanese might learn a few lessons in how to behave in a civilised and decent manner.Or they may learn the hard way.

As a "half-wog, half-skip" I have a few things to say about Cronulla:

1) Everybody needs to take personal responsibility for what they've done wrong.
-The gangs of Middle Eastern appearance who tried to intimidate and alienate themselves from other Australians in Cronulla are in the wrong.
-The 5000+ "Aussies" who tried to hide their racism behind a false show of "patriotism" are in the wrong.
-The people of Middle Eastern appearance who "retaliated" in Maroubra; those who originally bashed the Cronulla lifesavers; and those who bashed the cameraman in Melbourne are in the wrong.

2) All people who were born in/have chosen to move to Australia are Australians. Deal with it. If you don't like it, move, I don't care what your ethnicity is (Middle Eastern, Anglo-Saxon, whatever). This is not a society where people groups should be at war with one another. There is only one Australia and it incorporates people from all over the world. Anglo-Saxons are no more "Aussie" than those with Lebanese origin, and should not be referred to as such. "Understanding" means you respect other people regardless of their genetic make-up or personal beliefs, and it is a value we hold dear in Australia.

I'm of the opinion that Australians will give a fair go to anyone who is willing to be Australian. Being Australian means that your loyalty is to Australia first.

My post was in response to the continued unwillingness of the media to understand what drives mob behaviour, as seen in Cronulla.

1.It is impossible to have 5,000+ people attend, if there is not a serious problem (real or perceived).

2.The initial demonstration was a response to continued intimindation, assault, and threats of sexual assault, by recognised gangs - which proudly proclaim their lebanese heritage.

3.The actions of these gangs has never been seriously attacked by the Lebanese community leaders, in fact they decry all responsibility for their actions and make no attempt to take them to task.

4.I do not condone the mob violence, but I do understand from whence it comes.

5.The Lebanese (& Other community leaders) have made no attempt to suggest that they accept what caused the anger, they simply are upset that it happened. (They also made no attempt to prevent or condemn the retaliation from within their own community).

6.The boilover that occurred yesterday was inevitable - if people feel that they can be attacked by mobs - with impunity - they will seek to attack the mob.

7.It is called solidarity and has been part of the 'Australian Way' since the rum rebellion.

8.The fact that the retaliatory strike last night was carried out by armed youths - will result in armed response.

Either the various communities respond approprately by condemning the actions of those within their comunity - or the inevitable cycle of violence will result in the escalation of what happened yesterday.

sneekeepete,
Are you saying the violence was initiated by Aussie males? I do not condone violence as an answer to the long term problem. The hostility evolved from years of Muslim males spewing vile and lewed comments and threatening rape of young girls on the beach, even as young as 10 year old children.

The local residents have had enough when young lifesavers were attacked. For years young men in hotted up cars with slogans painted on them "Leb power" have introduced the the racist basis. Racismdid not come from Aussie lifesavers but from problem Lebs. Australians are a tolerant people, except drunk power hungry youth.

"Quote, "These events have been called un Australian - they are very Australian indeed - they been carried out in some instances under the Australian flag - sadly. We did it to the Chinese in our colonial past and we did/do it to the indigenous population."

Scout,
Check the day and time of day and any sincere Christian youth should have been at Church, certainly not drunk on Cronulla beach.

Quote, "I don't know if the Lebanese youth at Cronulla follow Christ, Mohamed or the Simpsons. I do know that the situation at Cronulla is about disenfranchised youth with both sides eager to antagonise the other."

Yusaf, i didn't see your artilce about anti-lifeguarg bashing should not be tolerated....

or the articles about...

gang rape

drive by shootings

anti-social behaviour, abuse etc

all commited against Australians by Lebanese Muslims...

with a name like Yusuf, i can see why you don'/t care about these things, you only care about the retributuion that come your way. you may as well write an article about how bad the judge was for sentencing a murder...

yusuf, its not a race riot, i dont care what colour skin you have, im white, my wife4 is asian, my best firend is black, all didffernt races...

but your culture is so abhornet and in conflit with our society/

my ancestors built this country, and just because your mother gave birht to you in my house, deosnt mean i have to transfer the deed to the property to you, the house is still mine, the streets are still mine, the society and culture are still mine, and the country is still mine. you have no right, it is Australia, assimilate and get along, stop the 'soft terror' and intimidation, or get ready for a holocaust, cauyse yopu are rapiong and harassing and intimidating and hating and disrespecting, everyone else form many colours have come and been aussies with a unique culture.