Watch the god bothers pounce. Just remember who have more in common with your Moslem brothers and sister then you do with main stream Australia. Christianity speaks of love but we only ever see hate form these people.

For the Author well done one thing you have to remember though is a jaguar doesn't change his spots. Little Johnny's views have not change from his early years , just now he feels the wind is in the right direction to remind people what they are have a read of his speeches from the 70's.

More power to you Salam - keep on slugging.

To Leigh, Muslim garb is Australian as anything I have seen. It is every where I look. There are now even dedicated outlets for the gear in places like Sydney Road Brunswick a precinct all the richer for them being there.

There will probably come a time when elements of the gear finds its way onto our cat walks - we've poached every other good idea from other cultures - the day of the trendoid hijab and burkha isnt all that far away.

Salam request for people to move past these stereotypes is as reasonable an expectation as us hoping people no longer see us as a bunch of Barry McKenzies or Les Patterson's - although both seem to be alive and well on these pages from time to time.

And Kactuz - I may be way off the mark here but the author strikes me as being a Ms, Mrs or Miss - not a Mr - but hey, what would I know?

And to others when we will get over this "why wasnt I asked?" nonsense. Try paying some attention to the political process and you might gain some understanding of what politicians are thinking - or at least look to what they have donein the past - we have had immigration programs for decades - every election essentially is the opportunity to voice dissent over long standing policies.

To Salam's credit at least she is attempting to open and maintain some sort of dialogue in the face of a bunch of latter day students of Islam sniping at their faith form the sidelines - the inconsistencies in Islam are no more prevalent than the internal contradictions within Christianity for example.

And as reprehensible as the few isolated and relatively inconsequential terrorist attacks over recent years they pale into insignificance to acts of violence committed in the name of the Christian God - the extreme Muslims just seem a bit more transparent in thier intentions

It still amazes we why so many are preoccupied with such a trifling issue.

The day muslims and Aussies can have a barbie together and get on, they are Australians.

Religion will always be the wedge. both sides are blinded by their beliefs and it appauls me.

People have debated for thousands of years on religion to no avail. We are still doing it now. Quit the debating, become an Australian, quit your religion and if you need support and guidance get it from one of the many avenues available. if you want to give back to the community, do it away from your religion.

Religion is like being addicted to herion. You cannot see the other side of the fence, it is hard to break away but in order to live your life in Australia and feel a part of the wider community, you must.

It catches the vulnerable people at vulnerable times and hooks them, their time and their money indefinately. People will kill, steal and destroy things and eachother for it. And it is imported here, whether 200 years ago or now.

Ban religion, you increace the peace and unify the people. This will be overlooked by the fundamentalists brainwashed with religion, as they would be lost without it. Stand on your two feet, your ancestors somewhere along the line did not have religion, and you are here today. If you need to help others or make your peace with the world, great, just dont live on a set of principles given to you.

I will give you some commandments instead if you need it. Call Me 'Realist the Great' and give me money. Cool, this religion stuff is a better business than im in.

1/ For 'pubs' substitute 'malls' and you have the Muslim version.

--- What's wrong with going to coffee shops or restaurants instead of the pub? I used to have a scarf wearing friend back in the UK that used to be a pool shark, though never went near the bar section of the hall.

2/ Pork. ... will you accept a dinner invitation to eat with non muslims if they (out of courtesy) don't serve pork ?

--- I know that I and my wife do regularly, mostly Chinese food or Indian. Nothing can beat home cooked food though. No one can make haggis well here, alas. I have to make do with Lebanese Kibbe instead.

3/ Generally no hankie panky b4 marraige ? (I just about fell over on this one) errr.. for the girls... sure. but the BOYS ? eeeuwww..

--- As the article said, stereotypes are there for a reason, but let's not paint every Muslim guy with the same brush. I know plenty who are not like that.

4/ Obilgated to pray 5 times a day.

Sooo.... in the middle of a highly active production environment, you expect to be 'let off' for prayer ? (I don't agree with cigarette breaks either !)

--- Not necessarily, but if people can have breaks to smoke, why can't we have breaks to pray? Islam allows to combine prayers if there is no alternative, and also to make up late prayers.

Or.. have free time on Friday ? This is one point which makes the practice of Islam highly UNcompatable with Australian life.

--- There are many arrangements that can be made to accomodate this, such as working back a few hours another day, or other days etc. Let's not make out that this is the be-all and end-all of Australianism. Unless you live in a Muslim majority area, I find it unlikely that every Muslim male in the workplace drops everything to head to the mosque on Friday. I know plenty who do, and plenty who don't/can't.

Realist: We do that all the time. My wife and I have friends from "Anglo" heritage (as am I), Chinese background, Indonesian Christian background and a whole host of others and we regularly meet up, hang out and eat food together. We even used to go to Cronulla till all this trouble happened.

Just because it's not reported in the major media outlets does not mean that it doesn't happen.

If you saw the local Cronulla press last week you would see there was an interfaith initiative there uniting people from Muslim and Christian backgrounds, of all major ethnic groups. They all went down to a seafood place at Cronulla after having a series of talks and lectures and ate lunch.

I must agree essentially with kactuz. You sum up this issue very well mate.

One thing though. You say Islam is intolerant. Indeed it is, but so are all religions. It is religion which is the main problem, for Muslims, Christians and any other religious group you care to name. I don't want any one coming to my door or spouting in the media about what are their private beliefs. That's where it should stay, private.

Any organisation which demands compliance to rules which cannot be shown to be effective or useful are simply tools, political tools to control groups of people.

Just look at the cults that spring up and die regularly. I would guess that all Christians, Muslims and other would sneer at those cults, rightly. But they can't see the same in their own cult which is what these groups are. Cults ruled mainly by rich, old men, much the same as politics. As ever.

Islam has no place in this country until it treats all people as equals. The one thing that really gets up the community's nose is the instant squeals of "racism" and "prejudice" whenever anything is asked of their community that some would prefer not to confront.

I don't care who it is, the repetetive claims of racism do no more than continue to deepen the habit in the young, those that have a chance at a new freer life rather than the one their parents etc bring here and reproduce.

I must say that Muslims are not unique in that though, many races gather together for obvious reasons but eh mistake they make is trying to prevent the young expanding their views and opportunites in life.

When and if the Muslim community starts to eject the radicals and stand up to them then they can consider themselves Australian and not outposts of their country of origin.

All of us are subject to prejudice, racism and other forms of exclusion etc. simply for being who we are. It's human nature.