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The Forum > Article Comments > Adept at puerile politics > Comments

Adept at puerile politics : Comments

By Ted Lapkin, published 21/2/2006

The timing, scope and focus of the Danish cartoon controversy raises suspicions this crisis owes much to cynical manipulation.

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Themistcoles,

Sounds you don't understand commas and inverted commas as well.

Reason why I didn't comment on your stats were as follows:

- You are commenting on nationalities birth rate and not religions (North & West Africans are Christians and Muslims).
For example 3 decades ago Nigeria had majority Muslims now they are almost 50/50 split Muslims/ Christians. Please explain!

- You are ignoring death rates in African countries and life expectancy. Nothing personal but you are always a one sided person in your comments.

- Coming back to Australian statistics: if you don't understand how to analyse numbers then talk to an analyst or just don't talk numbers. Put simply, if the majority of a country is follow religion A, the Higest migration intake in religion A (B, C, D kept at minimum), the highest growth is in religion B over 5 years period (birth rates are irrelevant in 5 years). then the trend in high growth is religion B (not A, C or D).

- When you claim numbers you need to compare to something: I asked you for a comparison of number of kids per household (Muslims/ Catholics/ Jews / Buddhist for example. Then you can have an unemotional analysis of demography and growth.

Sorry go and study maths or statistics before you get into a topic.
Posted by Fellow_Human, Friday, 24 February 2006 9:04:39 AM
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Irfan:

You rather haughtily require that I disassociate myself from an arbitrarily compiled list of people of whom I have never heard. And my response is that your demand is a digression from the issue at hand, and thus pure taurine excrement. You assert that my refusal “to condemn the comments made by some people on these forums leads me to believe you agree with them.” But there is a far simpler way to find out what I believe or disbelieve: read what I myself say.

I am a prolific writer with dozens of newspaper and magazine pieces that clearly articulate my views. So why should I cooperate with your transparent polemical gambit to link me with persons whom I wouldn’t be able to pick out of a police line up? My own paper trail is pretty damn thick, and I challenge you to find anything in what I have written that can be fairly categorized as racist. But of course, you can’t, so you inject irrelevancies into the discussion in a disingenuous attempt to tar me with guilt by association to persons with whom I have never associated.

All in all, it’s a pretty pathetic line of argument. But I tell you what, in order to sweeten the debate deal that I am proposing, I promise to answer all your questions about these anonymous people and their views when we meet in person for our clash of the titans.

Agreed?

You know where to find me. I’ll expect to hear from you next week regarding the details of our upcoming debate. We need to hammer out the title and terms of reference of the event, as well as such mundane logistical details as time, venue and moderator
Posted by Ted Lapkin, Friday, 24 February 2006 11:44:15 AM
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Isn't it about time us Westerners woke up to ourselves, that it is Western intrusion and injustice by us in the Middle East that has been the root cause of Islamic hatred towards us - as Mubarak of Egypt told a British reporter. Made worse, of course, by us calling them those bloody usless dirty wogs during WW1 and 2.

Admittedly, Islam has seen far more enlightening days, which indeed greatly helped the barbarian West become whom we now are. So maybe even with tongue in cheek, we should give a little praise now and again, not stoking up the fires of increasing Islamic hatred, as the Danes should have have known they were up to.

To be sure we must back little Israel, but then again we must agree that if a democratic vote was held over the whole Arab Middle East, the Israelis might need to shift to what we might call Jehovah's New Promised Land, the US of A.

Sorry, fellers, but can't help feeling this way.

George C, WA - Bushbred
Posted by bushbred, Saturday, 25 February 2006 5:47:08 PM
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Ted,

I don't have time to go through hundreds of pages of your writing. But I have read your attempts to attribute the acts of small groups to 1.2 billion Muslims in the past.

All I asked of you was that you confirm whether or not you agreed with the sentiments (as opposed to the appearance of hair colour) of certan named people that you will have read on this forum in relation to your present article and my articles. Your refusal to do so speaks volumes.

As for your invitation to engage in a mass debate, I don't have time growing on trees at the moment.

It makes me sad to say that from what I have read of your material here and elsewhere, you have tried to generate hatred and resentment toward Arab and Muslim peoples. Your writings seek to create gulfs as opposed to building bridges.

It seems that you are more interested in grinding the axes of a fringe minority of extreme-right Israelis and their neo-con fruitloop allies. Australians of all faiths would rather you leave your Middle Eastern polemics in Israel.

Compared to all the other wonderful Jewish people I have met over the years, your literary antics reflect poorly on your faith and your community. It is little wonder so many of my Jewish associates assure me your views do not represent mainstream Jewish thinking.

G-d help you.
Posted by Irfan, Sunday, 26 February 2006 7:22:48 PM
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Irfan:

Pity you are such a wus.

And what a non sequitur: you've read my stuff, but you don't have time to read my stuff.

You demonstrate neither the courage of your convictions, nor even a semblance of logical consistency in your polemic.

You have been tested and found wanting in the seriousness department. The only word that applies is pathetic.
Posted by Ted Lapkin, Sunday, 26 February 2006 9:29:59 PM
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Ted,

My convictions are built upon 36 years of living in what I believe is the best country on the planet. Our Australian values of tolerance and liberty, as espoused in Peter Costello's recent speech, are matched by few Western nations on earth.

The only convictions I have found in your writings are ancient Middle Eastern hatreds that don't belong in our pluralist Australia.

I'm like to think that in person you are a nice enough chap. But your written word, rarely if ever having something positive to say about those against whom your axe grinds, has proven a disappointment.

Some fringe sectors in Israel may regard demonising Arabs as acceptable. Perhaps once you have lived a few more years in Australia, you will learn we Aussies don't find it acceptable here.

No doubt there are people in the Arab world who need to grow up. But to attribute the actions and attitudes of a minority to all people of a particular race and/or religion is infantile and unAustralian. I hope in time you will come to realise this.

In the meantime, I leave you to your prejudices.

Ma salameh. Shalom. Peace.

Irfan
Posted by Irfan, Sunday, 26 February 2006 10:38:31 PM
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