Now Duncan,

Please explain how the fire bombing of churches in Sydney last night is John Howard's fault?

There is no racism involved in that. Lots of bigotry and hate but no racism!

I saw a lot of drunken and drugged boofheads at Cronulla on Sunday but I didn't see too many drunken or drugged churchgoers.

Anyone who thinks the violence is anything other than the result of inspiration from Islamic beliefs is kidding themselves.

Anyone who thinks John Howard responsible for that type of bigotry needs to sit and read about the history of Islam and ideally not just focus on the Qu'ran and the Sunnah. They should read of the two major periods of Islam. The magnificance of the Rise of Islam and the Arab empire, from the 6th Century AD to the 11th Century AD and it's stagnation with the return to fundamentalism and Wahhibism from the 11th Century AD to the present day.

You'll soon see the fundamental cause of the repetition of the violence, throughout the later part of Islamic history, it's perpretation mostly upon infidels, and the tacit and sometimes open, support given it by large sections of Muslim communities. All are fostered by two basic tenets of the religion. The tenet of Muslim Solidarity and the tennet of Innovations. Forget the incitement to violence in many parts of the Qu'ran. They are not so significant. Most Muslims reject those avenues anyway but the other two tenets are accepted by many Muslims without much reservation. It is those tenets which has caused and is causing the angry violence perpretrated by minorities in the name of Islam and the subsequent (Self) alienation of Muslim communities.

Definition: racism

n 1: the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races 2: discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race

Racism is not about culture, or groups of individuals of similar backgrounds seeking to live together, or groups of people wanting to continue their past way of life. This is all about the free choice to live your life. That is what is here and now. Racism tries to disrupt this.

Racism is intrinsically connected with force. With force comes power and use of fear. We have enough major problems in Australia that we dont need people to go back to the times when racism flourished in the world, all countries be it on colour or tribal lines or birth place, for benefit and damage, we wont get too far as a divided country.

I am a proud Australian, and I will fight anything that seeks to divide my country. I would rather walk the streets of Australia with free and content people, than angry people with frustrated lives looking for any outlet to let loose.

I stand for removal of any element from our society that breeds hate.

Sam

t.u.s, you say I always stand up for women so I should be condemning the Lebanese gangs and their behaviour on the beach (sorry to refer to a post so far back but this is the first chance I've had). I might have condemned their behaviour, if I was there, but I wouldn't have seen it as an excuse to bash any Lebanese (or Lebanese looking) person who happened past.
Also, there is a wonderful letter in todays SMH lacerating this justification by a woman who lives in the area. She says all sorts of people have hassled and harrassed her at the beach -yelling out sexist things and calling her names - but that most of them were Anglos and the only thing they all had in common was that they were men. She says she is now much more frightened about going to the beach than she ever was when it was only rude remarks she had to fear.
And what is this "our women" crap? Since when did women belong to anyone? As a woman I felt sick to my stomach when I saw the violence last Sunday, and what I saw was a bunch of Anglo-Aussies acting like terrorists.
Howard must accept some responsibility for this event. He has been cynically fear mongering for 10 years, and fear is a dangerous emotion to play with and manipulate. There is always a strong chance it will get out of hand, as it has. You see, we tend to hate what we fear.

ericc - i do beleive i have to agree with you.

i believe that this is not John Howards fault but the ppl who are involved. the ppl that tell others that they aren't 'Australian' but are Middle Eastern or watever and tell others to call them Midd.East.'s and then get angry when ppl do it's crazy. i see it like this - don't tell ppl to call you something if your later going to get angry at them for calling you that. there would be no violence at cronulla if ppl would just ignore things like the text message that was sent around to ppl. if something doesn't directly involve you (i.e. watever was said or done was said or done to you personally - ot your best mate or sister or watever - YOU) then don't get involved! it's only going to cause more trouble and more ppl will get hurt.

Dear Enaj
you have been filling your mind with tooooo much feminist stuff mate..
"Our" women does NOT signify they 'belong' to anyone, it simply means 'of our ethnicity' or social grouping or our clan.. they are part of us, and we are part of them, more so than of any other group, by simple genetics and culture.

Unless the police show a much more concerted interest in

Identifying (They have the video of faces and make of car)
apprehending
Charging
Convicting
and SENTENCING

....the Lebanese youths who screamed the "We are going to f*ck your mothers" on national TV and make consipicuous examples of them (Just like the pack rapists) ;they will only have succeeded in convincing that segment of the Lebanese community that it is worthwhile having Morris Iemma on 'their' side, as he 'TALKS' tough, but acts....soft ?

Tim Priests work has clearly shown the absolute and corrupt social bias of some magistrates during the 90s where they would free the perpetrator and blame the police for 'cultural insensitivity'.. its disgusting and outrageous and is the primary cause for such blatant outbursts from those who literally, as a result, think they can get away with murder.

I notice the magistrate 'sent a powerful message' to the 'aussie' community by throwing the book immediately at an Aussie guy for 'carring a branch'.. wow..shock horror.. to defend himself from the marauding car loads of rampaging lebs who have beaten senseless various innocent Aussies in places like Castle Hill and Rhyde.

Every Aussie at the moment would be quite justified in carrying a baseball bat or a concealed licenced weapon as they walk about the street. HOW DARE that magistrate describe it IN PENRITH as an 'offensive weapon'.... SHAME magistrate ! I'll bet he will change his tune when his son or daughter is beaten to a pulp when 5 Lebs attack them at random with baseball bats or golf clubs.

Could anyone who has seen any... list the Lebs jailed for any recent attacks, and describe their sentences ? Please.. I can't find any

we can neither confirm nor deny wether david boaz has been interviewd by azio under the new terror legislation.