Hi Foxy,

Good link from the Australian Human rights Commission on the basic question of; "Why are people racists?" Truthfully we are all prejudices to some degree, and tend to both prejudge and stereotype people without actually getting to know them first. Differences breeds suspicion about others, their beliefs, practices and intent. Dutton is a clear example of a person with strong prejudicial views about others, in this case Palestinian refugees, I'm sure there is also a good measure of the political animal in Dutton's call to ban people from Gaza entering Australia, he sees them as a presented opportunity to be used to gain political advantage over the government, and be damned with the consequences. I would have expected this Dutton type outburst from the likes of the known racists Pauline Hanson, and not someone aspiring to lead the country after the next election.

http://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/why-are-people-racist

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Should we accept Palestinians in Australia for humanitarian reasons ?

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It depends on who we are, what we stand for, and what are values are.

Australia is a modern democracy. We are a multicultural country. We are a secular country that guarantees freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

The Golden Rule in Australia is that everyone should have a Fair Go – that means equal opportunity, treated equally – “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

If that’s what we are, what we stand for, and what are values are, we should have no trouble answering the question.

And if we happen to be Christians, Jesus makes it very clear to us :

Luke 10:30-34

30: Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31: A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32: So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33: But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34: He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.
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A Samaritan is a Palestinian from Samaria, the central region of ancient Palestine.

So, maybe it’s our turn to give a helping hand to some of those Palestinians in need today.

http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2011-10-0010-parable-of-the-good-samaritan?lang=eng

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"It depends on who we are, what we stand for, and what are values are".

NO. It depends on what THEY are and what THEY stand for, and what THEIR values are.

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your post and link. It made my morning so much
brighter. Positive and respectful comments tend to do that.

Dear Banjo,

What a beautiful post. I love your reference to the
Good Samaritan. As always - you have the capacity of putting
things so well.

Thank you.

We can't keep blaming others for our own behaviour.

It is a matter of our own values and what we believe in.

To argue about who is racist and who is not is nothing more than
avoiding the main issue.
The issue IS could Amas have slipped one or two of their operatives
into the group coming to Australia.
By putting on a song and dance about them fleeing the trouble in
Gaza is only a distraction.
How will you feel if a couple of them kill ten or twenty people at
an AFL match or blow up a part of Sydney Opera House with part of
the public in the building.
Will you say, well its all the Israelis fault and calm your guilt feelings ?
No, it will be the fault of those that did not detect them.
But whose fault would that be ?