Thank you Tanveer for this background, which is sadly lacking in the commercial media.

No offence, but I wonder on what evidence you are making your claims about the parenting styles of the Lebanese community, and the effects thereof. It's not that I don't believe you, but I am wary of anyone drawing any conclusions of causation based on their own observation alone.

This means I would trust your subjective experience that young men within the lower strata of the Lebanese community appear to have some sort of discipline problem, although I'm not entirely convinced at this point that it is any worse than within Anglo families. However, what is the evidence that this is solely a result of poor parenting, rather than, say, a toxic combination of parenting, absence of a father figure, Islam, feeling isolated in general and particularly after 9/11, and strong negative social mores in a reinforcement loop (possibly feeding from all the former)?

Trying to establish causation is incredibly important, because it influences how a society should try to ameliorate a problem.

Tanveer, I take it back. On re-reading your words, this stood out.

"It is obvious to anyone who has worked in public education, the health sector or the police in south-western Sydney. I have seen it working in hospitals where children as young as five regularly abuse and swear at staff with minimal retribution from parents. In mental health, young Lebanese boys make up a disproportionate number of those who present in a drug induced or chaotic, violent state. Once the possibility of a psychiatric disorder is ruled out, the patients are inevitably referred to the police."

You still can't prove why it is the case, but this is a pretty good indication.

It reminded me of a conversation I had over 10 years ago with a school friend who was teaching at a school in Sydney with a high proportion of Lebanese students. She told me that her male Lebanese students completely ignored her lessons and attempts at discipline. She claimed this was because the students were taught that women were lesser beings, and that when she spoke to the parents, she got the same sort of lack of respect.

I wrote it off at the time as some sort of racism. And this is the danger - this is why we need fearless, objective and unbiased voices in the media.

The problem Muslims (i.e. bigots) have is much like that a severely overweight person might have around the trim and fit.

Whilst none of the fit people ever overtly or intentionally make the obese one uncomfortable, perhaps the wandering mind of the fat person, by virtue of their obvious difference, intuits that the fit people, by virtue of their fitness, would probably occasionally be thinking critically toward them.

Many Muslims WOULD HAVE TO feel uncomfortable in just this way around us non-burkha tolerant types, around a culture who cannot but think critically of the burkha, despite how much it denies it, for it represents NOTHING BUT the view that women are first and foremost "flesh," for what is "modest" about it?

Furthermore, in light of already existing tensions between feminists or human rights activists and the more conservative Australians, Muslims then come to be thought of as an example of hypocrasy in the wider debate re, say, the middle-class feminist's conception of the so-called plight of working-class housewives. Moreover, since this in turn manifests the inconsistencies inherent in multiculturalism, Muslims will have difficulty in the Western world so long as they have no Luther.

And these difficulties or tensions Muslims experience as a result of this, i.e their alienation, is, as for the fat person, largely the result of a xenophobic disposition to conspiracy and paranoia. Hence the mass hysteria spread by a Trad or Hizbuttputdickhere

Coyote will you please move a bit towards reality? and truth too you appear to want to blame this whole thing on the Australian goverment?
On other than actions that are both out of step and unwanted.
The thread started well and continues to reveal a very real problem in atitude of a few not a neglect by the world just bad behaivior.
Not all ills have money as a cause .

Dear Friedrich
may I take a moment to put to you a hopefully better approach than 'white pride/racial purity' approach, which is so often linked to some of the more violent and unmentionable debate killing aspects of history ?

I identify with what you are saying, but any concept of 'racial purity' is frought with terrible dangers, and is unlikely to be accepted by the majority of the community. We may be 'white' by and large, but culturally and racially we are very diverse. (Scots, Irish, Celtic,AngloSaxon, German, Scandinavian, plus many southern European and Eastern Euro's as well)

I propose for your consideration, a more achievable and less potentially violent direction. (being married to an Asian and having mixed children gives me a rather strong vested interest in this of course)

CULTURAL SOLIDARITY, where we seek to define Aussie Identity in terms of the following: (within a framework recognition of the dispossession of the indigenous, and an effort to reconcile with them)

-Judao Christian values which is the most identifiable link of all the races I mentioned above.
-Early Australian history (pioneers, art, poetry etc) which all have a very distinct Anglo flavor.

The issue then becomes "How" to integrate migrants into this overall framework ? I suggest mainly through education and friendship, but more critically, back at the first base, of 'immigration' procedures.
I would insist on the outlining and study of and committment to (with citizenship dependant on loyalty to) the values of the Judao Christian heritage and ethno-cultural background/flavor of this nation.

Numbers of migrants from anywhere would be strictly controlled such that none could ever become a political or cultural threat. We are enriched by other cultures, this is undeniable. But this must never be at the expense of our own.

For REASON's sake.. there is nothing 'Christian' about a 'racial purity' approach to society so please don't try that hateful ploy again ! Attempting to 'damage' the rest of us by that is despicable. You should ask this "Can you demonstrate your view is Biblical" ? A far less offensive approach !