Australia is in shock but not surprised I hope. When we have impotent governments ducking the issues for political gain - the mob mentality flourishes.

What we saw in the last 24 hours on the beaches of Sydney is Gang Territorial Anarchism Australian-style which has been evident for many years just ask any schoolie - not to be confused with the religious issue. A good example is Macquarie Fields.

Unfortunately the average Australian still doesn't have a clue about the real threat of Islam to their cultural way of life.

And please when you do get a clue could someone please inform the chief of the NSW police because he went public today saying:" if I knew the cause of the problem I'll find a solution..."

The undercurrent of violence so prominent in these posts and the events in NSW last week are such that I am compelled to drop the mask of anonymity.

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.

I have long rejected the implied agression on these pages dressed up in psuedo intellectualism and touting potted anthropological theories regarding inherent racial tendencies to violence and other absurd assumptions. I have tried to do so with a modicum of humour; it has never been that funny but now it is less so.

There will be those claiming a sense of prescience now that the slow burn of racism has found its expression in overt violence. Instead of recognising the tensions and seeking a solution too many have simply poured the fuel of ignorance and prejudice on the problem.

These issues are too important not to stand up and protest against those who fear the different and the diverse. It would not be a foolish question to ask who is next - who will we choose next to despise based on misunderstanding and lies?

This is not a question of multiculturalism or integration. It is a question of our capacity to adapt to change. Like it or not our community is comprised of countless peoples with diverse cultural aspirations and diverse outlooks on life. The differences are part of us where they beocme a problem is our failure not the fault of those who are different.

The cultural cringe is far from something limited to the arts and science it remains deeply rooted in our sense of identity - or lack there of - that so many of us lack the confidence in our own institutions, our own culture and our own capacity to stand side by side with that which is different and hold our own when challenged.

Kym Durance aka Sneekeepete.

The predictable hate-mongers are using the appalling situation at Cronulla to peddle their anti-Islam campaign.

FACT: Cronulla Beach is about thugs versus thugs, specifically Lebanese thugs versus (mostly) Caucasian thugs. NOT MUSLIMS VERSUS CHRISTIANS.

FACT: Lebanese thugs feel threatened by racist jibes – make a stand for themselves to prove masculinity and other thug and testosterone related behaviour.

FACT: ‘Self proclaimed Aussie’ thugs feel threatened “they can’t keep us off our beach” make a stand for themselves to prove masculinity and other thug and testosterone related behaviour.

FACT: Put these two groups together and you get major rumble.

FACT: Innocent people hurt; ambos and middle-east in appearance bystanders.

FACT: Aussie thugs infiltrated by Patriotic Youth League – a neo-nazi group always eager to take advantage of these situations to both increase hostility and further their cause.

FACT: Rumble is not fault of entire Muslim population.

FACT: Rumble not fault of entire ‘Aussie’ population.

The situation at Cronulla was a long time brewing. Like Redfern, is partly a result of poor youth support and run-down infrastructure. It is about economics as much as it is about race.

Think, Romper Stomper; neo-Nazis targeting Vietnamese youth. At one time Footscray suburb of Melbourne was regarded as no go zone. Usual rant about Vietnamese not integrating. No problems now. Vietnamese a boon to our culture and our economy.

What to do about it?

For a start our resident bible bashers could stop with the anti-Muslim rant and discuss ways of getting along with each other – I’d like to see that.

I challenge Boaz-David, Philo, Coach, Kactuz and the other usual culprits to come up with REALISTIC solutions – not hate, not deportation (where would you deport Aussie Lebanese to? Cronulla?).

Act like the Christians you claim to be and help your brothers.

The difficulty with ascribing the riots at Cronulla yesterday comes not from ethnic tension and lack of assimilation and integration of Lebanese youth into Australian culture so much as the lack of assimilation of the 'hobbits' from the Sutherland Shire into mainstream Australian culture.

Having worked with a number of people from 'The Shire' (Sutherland Shire to those of you not from Sydney) I would have to say that they are amongst the most self centred and anacronistic populations in Australia. Many do not see themselves as part of Sydney at all, and when they talk about 'crossing the bridge' they do not mean the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but any bridge across the Cooks River.

To them Cronulla is 'their beach' that others come to only if the locals let them, as there is no sense of anything else rather than local community and living in a pre multiculturalism time warp.

Having said that, any group in society that descends upon a beach in large cohesive numbers, say groups of ten or more, who proceed to take over a section of the beach and play loud music or games such as soccer or volleyball to the exclusion of other beach users are also at fault for alienating others. This is as much a problem, by the way, with Brazilians and British backpackers on Bondi Beach as much as it is 'Lebanese' at Cronulla or other groups at other beaches.

Bronte had a similar problem about 10 years ago, with a lamb being slaughtered and butchered 'halal' in the park and arguments over access to surf life saving club facilities.

I would also say that those who descend on Tamarama for the annual 'Sculptures by the Sea' who don't give a damn about the locals are also at fault, temporarily destroying the amenity of the local area by parking the area out on weekends and limiting the movements of the locals.

Fellow Human,
You are incapable from distinguishing snow from mud. All I was doing with my article was to drop few "sobering" snow flakes on your head, which regretably you could not distinguish from the "mud" in your head.

KOTZABASIS

Go to my Blog for more: NEMESIS: http://congeorgekotzabasis.blogspot.com

Scout, excellent post.

All posters interested in solutions/cooperation etc.
I found a great excerpt from ahadith last night (Salam Cafe web site) "A true Muslim is one from whose hands and tongues other people are safe.". There seems to have been a lot of quoting of hadith by some but I have not noticed this particular one.

Kind of the same message that FH has been trying to get across I think.

For those who don't know many muslims first hand and want some kind of understanding of how one group of muslims see themselves the "Salam Cafe" show is great. In Brisbane Briz31, 9:30pm Thursday nights. Other places see the web site www.salamcafe.com.au for details. This is not a paid advertisement just in case you are wondering.

R0bert