So many anti muslim comments to an article that discussed how to reduce this animosity.

Certainly there is a nasty group who are causing great problems.

But we must differentiate, the majority are not like that. So many Arab Muslims left for Australia to avoid the fanatics. And how are we treating them? Where is the traditional Aussie friendship that my Great Grandparents enjoyed when they arrived here?

1. Coach do you blame the Nazis for portraying the Jews as greedy scumbags who were responsible for Germany's loss in the war?
No? "But that's just how they were!" says the evil, brainwashed Nazi. "They're just telling it like it is".

2. Islam is not the culprit. If it was then why weren't these issues huge 60 years ago? Why were people fascinated with hating the Jews? Every century or so, people find a new scapegoat for their hatred. A new race/religion they can target. Does this mean I get to live to see another holocaust?

3. In terms of intelligence, do you know how much Islam has done since its inception? I mean for medicine, poetry, science etc. Do you know anything or are you really as stupid as you appear?

4. I don't think any Muslim leaders need to say anything to denounce terrorism. What for? It's not their role to counter stupidity and people who are so easily brainwashed into being 'scared' of billions of people in the world.

5. Australia is a very young country. For anyone to assume that it needs to protect its way of life and its “culture” is laughable.
Australia IS a melange of cultures. That's how it will evolve and survive. It cannot remain a nation with the current "values" endorsed by John Howard. We take our “values” and our “way of life” from other countries anyway but we’re unwilling to accept the East?

6. On the Australian census results they have Christians and Non-Christians to group the various religions.
Is that not just as offensive as the term infidel?

7. "We are not all greedy pigs that are anti-Islam"

- Saintfletcher meet Coach. Coach meet Saintfletcher.

8. Lebanese people may claim to be of Phoenician descent. But that’s like saying Iraqis aren’t Arab they’re Babylonian. It’s all the same!! These are ancient, outdated societies, bought up again to psychologically divide the people. I’m sorry but the Lebanese people speak Arabic as well as French, eat Arabic cuisine and share an Arabic culture that is scarily similar to the Palestinians.

fleurette

We are often together. May it always be so. I totally agree with you.

It is a pity that you were a bit agressive to Coach. I can understand why and the same thing happens to me when people have a go at Jews and Israel. Not that I think anyone or group is perfect they all make mistakes and all have "nasties" in their ranks.

As the fourth generation of my family to live in Melbouren Anglo/Christian insularity irks me too.

When you say "I don't think any Muslim leaders need to say anything to denounce terrorism" you are right, and indeed they have. But unfortunately it will be in their interest to do so, and loudly. That is human nature.

Personally I like the East and accept it easily. The melange of cultures has made Australia a unique country of which I am proud. And I love Arabic cuisine and music. It has been widely adopted in Israel too, amongst the European Jews as well as amongst the Muslim Jewish and Christian Easterners.

Trapping Arabs in a cartoon? Are they rats in a rat-cage?

If someone kills for the sake of a cartoon, then they really are like the murderers in that cartoon.

Someone said Islam is a peaceful religion.. Yes, it is a Pieceful religion.. blowing up people into pieces

Fleurette and Logic,
I mostly agree with your views.

About the muslim leaders, I do think that it will benefit everyone if they get deeply involved. Muslim leaders (and the govt as well) should help encourage muslims to get involved in our communities and ask non-muslim Australians to be more accepting.

Stereo-typing in a negative way in cartoons of other ways will have no audience if everyone is involved with everyone. Minority groups are always vulnerable- the best antidote against having vulnerable minority groups that feel alienated in our communities is to help them integrate.

Leigh,
I think that Dr Ata is correct to call us Westerners ignorant about the Arab world. I think that this is not meant as an insult but a blameless fact; but it’s true vice versa as well: Arabs often are also ignorant about the Western world.
Both sides carry responsibility of informing each other about their sensitivities and traditions.

The best thing Australians can do is to accept that there is a difference. I’m not talking about accepting the Islam, but accepting that people are different and giving each other the freedom to be different.

People from different worlds do not necessarily have to have the same ideas to be able to live peacefully in the same country. It should be do-able.

Westerners themselves have not exactly adapted to the culture and values of aboriginals when they settled here, have they? They expected the aboriginals to live up to Western standards and values, not the other way around. Now Westerners want immigrants to adopt their values as well.

The thing that everybody will have to answer to is the Australian law. As long as everyone stays within the law, doesn’t harm others and just accepts each other we will all be just fine.

Despite terrorism and cartoons, the integration and acceptance of muslims in the Australian community should always be encouraged. These are negative things that we just have to set aside and focus on the bigger and more positive picture.

Celivia

I agree totally with you. We already have a number of different cultures. The First Fleet included Protestants, Catholics and Jews. Then Chinese arrived then Muslims. And we already had the Aborigines and the Torres Strait Islanders.

Each group eventually finds its own way and each contributes as it can.

But stereotyping new minorities is very insulting and harmful. It prevents the ulitimate integration and reduces the richness of our culture. I believe in freedom of speech but we are also entitled to ask speakers to show commonsense and respect.