I don't believe that the Cronulla situation is about economics. There are plenty of poor people in the world who don't become violent, so I think thats a lame excuse. I think its about plain old human behaviour as we understand it.

After reading the Quadrant article by Tim Priest, the retired detective, who blew the whistle on what was happening within the NSW policeforce, I can only conclude that the problem is political, as for PC and political reasons, Lebanese gangs were not nipped in the bud when they first became a problem. Had they been dealt with effectively then, you would not now have this situation.

Face it, if the police are unable to protect people and keep law and order, eventually people take things into their own hands.

At the end of the day, we are a tribal and territorial species by nature, as history shows. That can be unlearned to some degree, as both instinct and environment affect behaviour, but that layer of civilisation is pretty thin, as events in say New Orleans clearly showed.

So IMHO this whole situation is now biting the NSW Govt fairly in the arse. Much harder to sort things out now, then to have nipped them in the bud a long time ago.

To Kym Durrance:

Why do you denigrate Australians for expecting that immigrants will honour their laws and respect their way of life? How is it socially constructive for immigrant groups to live in closed communities that reject the values of the host country?

You mention the cultural cringe. I have long suspected that those who promote multiculturalism have a strong dislike of their own culture and people. In the past, newly returned from their grand tour, nothing in Australia was as good as in England. Then it was Europe. Now, these cultural cringers want us to believe that any and every culture that arrives here is acceptable and deserving of our respect. Anyone who doubts this is called a racist.

Most cultures and religions can exist in harmony with others, but fundamentalist Islam is inimical to secular, Western democracy and it is this aggressive strain that appeals to hotheaded young Muslims the world over. That is why young girls in Europe have readopted the hijab when their mothers never wore them, even in their homelands. It preaches violent jihad against the West which gives young males an excuse to practise violence against non-Muslims

For many years fundamentalist Islam was promoted in Australia on an Islamic Youth Group website purporting to provide objective information about Islam. It encouraged young men to follow Osama Bin Laden's example and warned them not to mix with non-Muslims for fear of contamination.

"Moderate" Islam sits on the fence, never unequivocally condemning the others, even when they commit atrocities. There is always a "but".

Tolerant Australians, like the Europeans, were slow to recognise the hatred in their midst. Now they know.

Nothing in the above condones mob violence in response. We must hope our governments belatedly wake up and demand that immigrant communities fulfil their half of the multicultural contract.
D2

I am so disgusted by this display of unjustifiable discrimination. I am disappointed, angry, and irritated (to say the least) that these mobs have stolen my own opinion as an Australian by stating that they are fighting back for all "Aussies".

What right do they have to assume the identity as Australia's representative in this battle of racism?

Their vicious and unwarranted behaviour is the last thing that I, as an Australian, would ever consent to. It just goes to show how uncivilised and how red necked some Australians are. These disgraceful racists who think that they can settle things by a simple case of "mass harassment" had better learn quickly that there are alot of Australians who are embarrased and ashamed to call them their neighbours.

I feel a great sadness, concern and anxiety towards the possible future relations that the different racial groups of Australia will have. What sort of Australia will I, my children, and my grandchildren have to live in if violence is the answer to racial tensions? To all those parents reading this who agree with the malevolence displayed on the weekend, what sort of Australia are you creating for your children? Quite possibly one where, because they have certain physical features, they will get beaten to death in a brawl and left in an alley way to die? Or perhaps they will be lucky and be a part of the "Australian Aryan" race. Either way it's disgusting that, considering the way things are going now, it's almost certain that this is how our society will end up.

The street brawls, angry mob scenes and soon, deaths, will just be the start of our Nazi Australia.

Sincerely,
A concerned Australian

Con,

Let me see how ‘muddy’ and ‘clouded’ my view is:

What happened on Cronulla beach was nothing but a bunch of bastards fighting with volunteer life savers. Even though myself and few others sent support emails to the Cronulla surfers club, it was only thugs on the beach who should be arrested and immediately prosecuted.

The gangs are nothing more than a youth problem in search for identity, I still see third generation Aussies introducing themselves to me as Greeks, Macedonians, Italians and they neither speak the language nor can locate Macedonia on the map.

The issue is simply respect for the law and the society, the difference between a typical Middle Eastern culture and Aussie/ Western culture is respect of the law, society and value individual properties and lives. The 5,000 mobs on Cronulla who may think they were Aussies, they behaved as bad as any Middle Eastern street mob can do. These bastards got drunk, attacked innocent visitors, policemen & women, and destroyed private properties.

We do have a leadership and law enforcement issue: anyone who breaks any law should be dealt with with no buts, ifs and excuses. We see to be always willing to follow the analysis path. The line between a good Australian and un-australian is clear black & white: Australian = respect the society, its laws, private properties and freedom of others. The opposite of that is un-Australian and should be deported whether aborigines or the great grand son of captain cook.

Boaz,

The yellow media contributed to the ‘Cronulla day of infamy’ and similar tabloid events that you keep referring to. Re the case of M & B Skaf: most Muslims community especially kids who went to school with the rapists will tell you that they are non-practising Muslims and in fact used to mock other practising Muslims colleagues.

Which media did you see publish those facts?

Coach,

Why is ‘our version’ of Jesus story annoying you so much? You should be happy with your belief and celebrate your truth as you see it.

Regarding the 'Lebanese' at Cronulla, and all the calls that they are fundamentalist Islamics.

Ha!

Most would go to a mosque with the same frequency as the Cronulla locals who rioted on Sunday go to church, in other words, virtually never. Most would not be able to quote the Quoran if their lives depended on it, in much the same way that the rioters wouldn't know a psalm from a parable.

Many of the members of the Lebanese groups - I won't call them gangs, are actually of nominally Christian background. These two groups, who were alternatively at war and peace in the Lebanon from parts of one culture in Australia, undivided.

To give an example, the gang to which Michael Kanaan belonged comprised Lebanese of both Islamic and Maronite background, with members from other ethnic groups.

What they have in common is that they came to Australia from a country that had been in civil war for some time, where the rule of law and civil society had never existed. This was not due to religious reasons.

So, here we have two groups, one yobbo Australian, the other suffering from being a minority and being considered to be bad, both wanting turf, both wanting to prove masculinity and both not willing to tolerate difference.

Islam has nothing to do with it.

Phew!

Reading the above posts had me in a knot, as did listening to talk back radio today.

Just a little while ago, on 4bc radio Brisbane, I listened to one of the Bra Gang. What he said was chilling! In a nutshell, he said: "This is war. We will fight back with guns and other stuff".

My husband and I left Sydney 2002 - thank goodness. During a five year period I only travelled on a train once. I was too scared to continue the practice. I do not give a stuff if you call me racist. That was my reality - and the reality was that the scarey people were of middle eastern appearance. You cannot change my reality. I was scared stiff. Spitting, bullying, slut etc.

Having said that, the caucasion young people yestereday are a disgrace to this country.

Both groups are plain thugs. We should not condone the behaviour of either group.

Bring back: parenting control, school teacher control, and police control for all.

Wake up politicians!

Regards
Kay

PS: We now feel safe where we live - away from both thug groups.

PPSS: To suggest that BOAZ_David has had a hand in the Cronulla riots is downright disgusting.