enaj,

I don't condone what happened last weekend, but I can see why it happened.

When people do not think they are being protected by a legitimate law enforcement agency, they will try to take the law into their own hands and almost always this power will be abused.

I don't blame the police, it is their political masters who must let them do their job properly. Policing should be about law enforcement not keeping the peace.

Judges also need to hand down heavier sentences so the police feel their hard work is being recognised.

Since law enforcement is a state government responsibility I can't see how it is John Howard's fault, unless you expect him to bring in the army to stop the riots. This is a criminal problem not a racial one.

(PS, I did not mention anything about "our women")

Does anyone else think it is ironic that the people who celebrate violent riots outside detention centres or disrupting world trade organisation meetings are the same ones shaking their heads at the Cronulla violence.

t.u.s

Boazy and "its not easy..."

Rest assured ASIO is doing its job in monitoring incitment to "politically motivated violence" in the community.

I'd imagine the usual means for monitoring the internet is by concentrating on influential sites often frequented by extremists (like this one).

and

its use of global key word searches whould lead it to "hot" strings of sites. Words may include "Lebo, riot, action, patriotic, race, revenge, meeting" etc.

So this string might well be monitored (I hope it is), particularly regarding where some people's thinking is going.

Some may have mates who were/are in high places but look at the history of Northern Ireland and the failure of the Black and Tans, RUC, IRA or other paramilitary (or militia groups) to sort out the problem. Lots of blood and you only breed generations who think it is their religious (including Christian) duty to kill.

Leave it to the Police. If the Police fail leave it to the Army.

Planta..
yes.. I sympathize with your comments. As for monitoring..I also HOPE it is.. because what better way to articulate an argument to the powers to be who might see the unwise direction of 'politicizing' these events in ways which will ultimately have the same effect socially as you are describing regarding extremists? The only difference would be the time factor.
Sooner...or later... comes to mind.

I've tried to keep my contributions completely within the rule of law framework. . Self defence is lawful behavior. I reject the word 'vigilante'. It is a political convenience often used to bad mouth desperate people who are not protected by the state. I am philosophically robust enough to know when I'm being given 'convenient spin' by people with vested interests. (i.e. Tough talk, soft action,for political reasons...Iemma and gang :)

No one gets it completely 'right'. Cromwell is the historic figure I most closely identify with (DEFINITELY not 'Mosely' as Pericles suggests) But I see clearly where Cromwell went too far, and with the benefit of hindsight, such brutal excesses can be avoided.

RANCITAS.. I refer you to my post on 'lawful defence' (other thread) I can see why your mind jumped from my post to the images portrayed in the media. They were as ugly to me as they were to you. Thanx for pointing out the possibility that I could be misinterpreted there.

Lets look at how it might have built up on that particular beach.
1/ Lebs come in small numbers at first.
2/ Some ratbag aussies probably bad mouthed them in a racist way.
3/ Because of this, they came in bigger numbers for better self protection
4/ But when they saw they had 'the numbers' they just turned the tables and mistreated ALL AND SUNDRY 'because they are aussie sluts' etc.
5/ As migration continued, family re-unions, arranged marraiges etc.. the numbers were LARGER.
6/ Now... it is a territory grab.

Can you think of any policy solution ?

No committed Christian would or should be a part of the mindless rampage of Sunday specially against police etc.

1.I think it is simplistic to blame John Howard for the events in Sydney of recent times. He has however demonstrated a breathtaking lack of leadership when it has come to addressing the concerns of the Islamic community as well as those of the rest of the electorate with regard to inter racial tension. He along with Bob Carr essentially fiddled while the flames were kindled around their Rome – Iemma as a relative clean skin will be measured by his response.

In Howard’s initial foray into this mess he refused to recognise the racial element to these riots. He is renowned for his caution in this regard. To his discredit the words he offers when confronted with these issues is usually “Australia is not a racist country” – he is probably right but he refuses to recognise the fact that we have long had a history of racism expressed politically and violently – to accept that does not make us inherently racist it merely faces the facts.

In the great Australian tradition he continues to have a bet each way – he equivocated on the wearing the Hajib – his reason for not endorsing a ban was that it was impractical – too hard; he sort of did not defend the right to wear it and sort of implied if was easy he would ban it in an attempt to keep some faith with both camps.

Similarly he refused to criticise those who, while draped in the Australian flag committed acts of violence – he preferred to say there was nothing wrong with being proud of said flag; I fully expect him to come back to our shores and declare it to be a State matter only – one of failed NSW ALP and the local police policies – technically he would be correct; morally he would just be running for cover – this has happened on his watch

Pt 2
This is occurring to a lesser extent nation wide. If not the violence the underlying sentiments that have given birth to it. It is a national issue.

These pages are full of half-baked theories on Islam. Post after post is critical of Muslims. Racist or not the views represent deep-seated fear and anger. Church leaders, even the shock jocks in their own peculiar way have been pointing to these problems this environment has now brought. These sentiments aren’t limited to these pages. They are part of mainstream opinion - well publicised.

For a government to turn its back on this kind of wide spread disaffection within its own community is negligent; it spent millions on advertising, not the detail of its IR legislation, but the assumptions underlying it and their hopes in relation to it – yet when face with a problem, clouded by concerns over immigration and its handling of it, clouded by the half truths and ghosts swirling around terrorist activity, clouded by misapprehension over religious observances and beliefs, it has sat on its hands. It has offered little if anything other than rhetoric – some have even poured a little scorn on the Muslim community as well.

The riots will stop. Without leadership the sentiments will remain. But there are elements of the community Muslim and non Muslim who are now cowering in their homes wondering where will the leadership come from to sort this mess out. At the moment we have a few salty surfers and the odd rugby league celebrity trying to build some bridges; while it is a start and well meaning that wont cut it. Laying blame on participants at this late stage will achieve nothing as much as a bit of leadership might. Right now we have plenty of the former and precious little of the latter.
kym

Hey Sneeky.
I think you give the shock Jocks some credit for pointing to the 'problem'when you should be critically examining the work of Alan Jones in fanning the flames of racism through his talk back.
The causes for this violent rampage amongst community groups needs proper unbiassed analysis with a view to correcting the problem before hastening to apportion blame and media,State and Federal Government policies and actions should be a part of the analysis.