Readers may be interested in this synopsis of a German bestseller, "Hurra, Wir Kapitulieren," ("Hurray! We're Surrendering")

See:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,462149,00.html

Quote:

"...Today everything has changed, except the resolve not to hurt the feelings of Muslims. ...1.3 billion Muslims worldwide -- many of whom are thin-skinned and unpredictable. At issue is freedom of opinion, one of the central tenets of the Enlightenment and democracy. And whether respect, consideration and tolerance are the right approach to dealing with cultures that, for their part, behave without respect, consideration or tolerance when it comes to anything they view as decadent, provocative and unworthy -- from women in short skirts to cartoons they deem provocative without even having seen them.

Australia is not the only country feeling the heat of Islamo-Fascism. Hopefully we'll start to fight back.

Howard is conducting an assault on the hospitals, medicare, ambulance, the disabled, dental, schools, unis, pensions, firebrigades etc., Then there is the upcoming assault on workers through his new "workplace relations." In a devious way these relations sharply increase everlasting anxiety and boost wage exploitation. Moreover carrying through an unprovoked illegal war of aggression in Iraq. War overseas is always accompanied by a war at home against workers.

Howard uses an old well worn strategy to deflect attention outwards from his criminal workings by scapegoating immigrants or anyone from the Middle East. As well, to divide society along racial bigotry lines. The whole system turns on divide and conquer, divide and rule, divide and steal!

Odd, but most of the same arguments have been levelled against Greeks, Italians, Asians, Jews and even the Irish over the last hundred years or so of our history.

I'm afraid they will just have to put up with it until we find somebody we hate or fear more.

Mindless and rabid denunciations of the Islamic religion aside, I believe there is one aspect to this argument that is being ignored.

Time

As exemplified by meliorator, the experiences of all immigrant groups tend to follow the same pattern.

The immigrant generation grew up in another country in a particular social and political environment, more often than not in total ignorance of the ‘Australian’ way of life. They do not speak English and have not understanding of the social nuances of our society.

So they tend to ghetto- large numbers congregate in specific areas of the city where they can interact with people they understand and can relate to. They attempt, as they can, to interact with the primary population but find that, even if they do understand some of the language, they can not relate to the ‘Australian-ness’ of their surroundings.

Think about it: if you had a basic understanding of English, how on earth do you respond to an Australian who asks you in a pub “what do ya know, mate?”

These people then raise children in this strange culture. They do their best to instill the values they were raised with but these values come into conflict with the wider ones around them and their children pay the price.

This generation understands the culture in ways their parents do not. They try to live like Aussies but find themselves fighting their parents to do it. A young boy sees his school mates act in ways that his father says is bad- what do you do? And they do it in a wider culture that punishes them for their parents ‘unwillingness to integrate’. So, in their youth they are disillusioned and angry. Do they listen to their parents? Do they listen to their mates? Who and what is right?

This is the lost generation.

[...]

But they grow up. They get jobs and settle down. Their children are born and raised as Australians. They still practice their religion but not with the same fervor and they have positive role models. They rank being Australian as their culture. This generation is ‘Aussie-as’.

This pattern has been seen in every wave of immigration and the Muslim immigrants will be the same. It may be rough at times and incidents will happen. But they will be the minority- the majority will get on with life. We do not need to give up our Aussie life- understanding and patience will be enough and a willingness from everyone to meet half way.

Cheap-shots and point scoring from political leaders on both sides helps nothing. It only hardens hearts and entrenches the divisions. Each side needs to exercise some restraint and show some empathy. In the immortal words of Atticus Finch: you never understand a person until you put on their shoes and walk around a spell.

I think we can all benefit from a little walk

Mylakhrion:- "This pattern has been seen across every wave of immigration."

No it hasnt, We havent seen 2nd generation terrorist bombers before. We have never seen massive riots across multiple cities like we saw in France before.
Most of the immigrants who came before with the exception of some jews, rabbis or other priests didnt walk the streets wearing a tribal uniform (The robes,)which segregate them from the rest of the society with the exception of some rabbis or priests. With this lot the women wear them as well and although they've been in France for a few generations millions of them still walk the streets in this tribal uniform.