ExpatInSingapore,

I applaud Singapore for banning the wearing of Muslim head-scarves in all state schools. I hardly regard this a 'plight' that women of the Islamic faith face in Singapore.

On the other hand, for Malaysia to enforce the wearing of the head-scarf on non-Muslim women, under any circumstances, is completely wrong and unacceptable, full-stop.

They are not the same plight. It is wrong to suggest otherwise.

Dear Fluerette,

It was the Sieks not the muslims who fought the Hindus in India. I typed Sieks first up and then I made a typing error and accidentally wrote shieks the second time.

Sigh-: Here is my list of territorial tribal warfare in the last 56years obviously you haven’t read it before.

Territorial massacre of Jews by the Germans
Territorial massacre of 15million Chinese by the Japanese
Territorial massacre of 1million Muslims by the Turks
Territorial civil war by Hindus and Sieks for control of India
Territorial massacre of Bosnians by Serbs
Territorial massacre in Somalia
Territorial massacre of one tribe by the other in Rwanda
Territorial terrorist attacks by the Irish catholic tribe(IRA) against the British Protestant Tribe for control of Ireland
Territorial massacre of the Timorese by the Idonesians in East Timor
Territorial fight by the Tamil tigers
Territorial dogfight between the Arabs and Jews in Middle East
Territorial civil war between the Sunni tribe and the Shiite tribe in Iraq(I predicted that’s what would happen before the Americans invaded )
Four territorial coups by the indigenous native population against the ruling Indian government in Figi
Territorial attack against the immigrant Chinese tribe in the Solomons.

Do you see why I say that wars are between tribes over territorial control.

It has gone on right across history . Goin back further of course, it was The Romans, The British, Ghengis Khan, and other territorial males like him for example the warlords(the Kings of history).

Mankind is tribal and territorial and T.V. and technological advances haven’t changed mans inner programming one bit. Every species on this planet has the two big survival instincts. That is the sexual instinct and the Territorial instinct.
You tell me how we are going to have peace in this country if people remain tribal and don’t intermarry. World war 1 also started in the multi cultural Germany when the German Kaiser went down to the Serbian section and was assassinated.
Women have babies, men are territorial providers and protectors. That has been programmed into them by nature. Armies and terrorists are territorial males.

Boaz David,

"Australian" food? what do you mean mate? back to piece of meat and three vegs? NOOOO, please!

Seriously though, food is just one example of what the "newbies" to Australia have contributed, bring it on I say! Variety makes the world interesting, why don't you relax and enjoy?

TurnRightThenLeft - 'Islam is constantly criticised for the content of the Qu'ran'

Isnt that logical? The Koran is the acknowledged holy book of Islam, the immutable words of Allah via Mohammed. It is the guide to life and worship followed by all Muslims – is there a Muslim somewhere who lives his/her life without reference to this book? Since the uproar is so great when some infidel is accused of ‘disrespecting the koran’ we must conclude that it means a lot to Muslims.

'The old testament has issues too'

The Western world has moved on from OT values – in fact, Christian countries (should) follow the teachings of Jesus, not the laws of the OT. The OT accepts slavery, but Christians were the first to declare that slavery is wrong, and campaign to end it. No Islamic country has ever enacted laws against this evil, in fact, there are still slaves in the Muslim world.

'Ostracizing them only leads to more problems'

I think the real problem is that many Muslims have voluntarily ostrasized themselves. Most migrant groups have a tough settling in period, but Australia has accepted all kinds of people. My point is that the Islamic way of life does not fit into Australia in any sense. Islamic customs and mores appear to be diametrically opposed to the Australian way of life. Everything about us 'offends' them.

Of course there are exceptions, but not enough to change the growing perception of Australians that Muslim immigration is of no benefit whatsoever to Australia.

Dee - the three quotes you picked out don't encompass the rest of the post, which I can't help but feel you've missed the point of.
I acknowledge christianity has moved on, but my point was that plenty of muslims have as well, the part you're studiously ignoring.

Abyss pointed out that the goal of radical fundamentalists was to have western society group both moderate and fundamentalists as the one sector, a point I heartily agree with.

Are they succeeding?

Muslim Women Are the Key to Change

Front Page Magazine, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, November 1, 2006

“Ideas can be dangerous. I have learnt that the hard way. But I know that when it comes to freedom and human rights these precious ideas, so valued in the West, are worth fighting for. As a young Muslim woman, born in Somalia, I abandoned my family to avoid an arranged marriage to a distant cousin and fled to Holland. I was just 23 and I had no idea back then that my refusal to submit to a traditional Muslim woman’s life would come to dominate my whole career. So for me, the debate that is raging about the veil, particularly the niqab, which covers most of the woman’s face save for the eyes, goes to the very heart of the matter of liberty for Islamic women…”

At: http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=2521