One more point.....

ECONOMIC.
http://epress.anu.edu.au/apem/boats/mobile_devices/ch06.html

"According to the Bajo, shark fin became the main product sought during the late 1960s and early 1970s when market prices in China and Southeast Asia rose in response to growing consumer demand. Twenty-eight men recall undertaking shark fishing voyages in the Timor and Arafura seas between 1969 and 1979, and for some, this was the first time they went sailing to Australia. Two of their accounts indicate the patterns and motivations for shark fishing at the time."

So, lets be under no illusions as to the diabolical nature of this trade.. it catches sharks.. cuts off the fins... discards the bodies and returns to the Chinese traders for 'soup' at expensive Chinese resturants.

It is as bad and foul as taking Tigers for body parts, Elephants for Ivory and Bears for Gaul bladder bile. It's obscene..obnoxious and horrible. The fact that people 'gain an income' from it, and thus might be defended is ludicrious. It's tantamount to defending the Mafia for loss of income when illegal practices are shut down.

Come' on.. lets get serious here. There are so many reaons why Australia's actions are morally and legally right that I don't know why you blokes bother to differ

Another of your least endearing trademarks, Boaz - and you seem to be collecting them like trophies at the moment - is your ability to change the subject as soon as you are caught out.

Let's go back a bit, shall we?

Your starter post was full of self-righteous indignation about Indonesian thievery:

>>people who had made their living STEALING fish from Australian waters... one day we will wake up to ZERO fish in the area slashed and burnt by the Indonesians<<

A couple of posts go by on the same theme...

>>These people are just the thin edge of the demographic wedge which would..if unchallenged, reduce Australia... to a beggar status<<

...and the rationale:

>>I raised this topic for the reasons in the title.. a litmus test for the Left...<<

You make a quick detour into climate change...

>>250million climate refugees....and OUR government is expected to "prepare" for this<<

CJ then points out that fishing might have been a traditional thing, at which point you pull out the article and wave it about.

Up to this point, not a single peep from you about the dog-whistle you are now brandishing about:

>>So.. my point remains absolutely unchallenged. -SECURITY RISK (Islamic extremism)<<

If it weren't so sad, it would be funny.

I haven't read all the responses, and it seems this has already been pointed out, but obviously the original analogy is incorrect - it was their vegie patch, and we stole from it.

Boazy wrote: "Now....if I condemn this mans actions.... (which I surely do) am I 'lacking compassion' ?"

Condemn away, but if you don't seek to understand that man's motivations, yes, you are lacking compassion. You are also part of the problem, not the solution. You're also part of the herd.

I'd also add that of all those asylum seekers who has come to Australia by boat, not one has yet been identified as a terrorist. Plenty have been denied asylum, but none have been security risks. Terrorists arrive on planes, with visas - seeking asylym takes many years. It's a ridiculous suggestion, that terrorists may come by boat. In fact, asylum seekers are seldom extremists; they're usually from a cultural minority who is being discriminated against in their home country.

To be honest, this isn't much of a challenge for the left. Have you got a better one?

The point..... is not that 'Australia stole'... we didn't steal anything.

These people fished waters where they did not find any borders. It matters not that they have been fishing there for some centuries.

The world changes. Indonesia DID NOT EXIST when they were originally fishing. (The Portugese first visited Australia. Should we invite them to form a government?)

Points.

1/ ISLAMIST HISTORY
These people are tribal, Islamist and by history are a security threat. (not by specific actions against Australia,but by history in Indonesia..they already tried to establish an Islamic state. The son of their leader (who was killed in the rebellion) is now trying to gain support...again. They come from Papela because they RAN there from the lawful authorities in Indonesia after their insurrection failed.

2/ ENVIRONMENTAL TERRORISTS.. they are killing sharks and taking their fins.. that is the 'primary' catch. Feeding fat cats in chinese resturants. "Sharkfin soup"

The mentality which 'seeks to understand' them..is as deprived of logical thought, and empty of any reasonable thought processes as this bloke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49h1x-i830Q&feature=related

Black former professor: "I conclude we have to exterminate the white man"

Sean Hannity to Black Panther bloke "Sir..do you support this call...or not"

Black Panther bloke "Its all your (white) fault" and he then goes on to list all the sins of the white man, to avoid answering 'yes or no' to the question "Do you support genocide against whites"

Sorry...but supporting these (Indonesian Bajo) people is:

a) Against Australian law
b) Against common sense.
c) Against fundamental decency and morality.
d) Anti Australian and thus UN Australian.
e) Bigoted, racist and self hating.

While Boazy might desperately want to beat this up into a crescendo of dog-whistles, the fact is that it's a complete non-issue. The so-called 'economic refugees' are being sent home because there is no such thing.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Indonesian-boat-people-to-be-sent-home/2007/12/07/1196812996796.html

Boazy also applies his usual regard for the truth in his scurrilous attempt to paint these unfortunates as "terrorists". They are 3 families of fishers who have struck hard times lately and whose desperate attempt to migrate to Australia was rightly rejected.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Boaz says "the world changes".

Fair enough .

But according to you Islamists can never change and poor Indonesian fisherman and their families evidently will always be a threat.

Of course they can change attitudes.

Enlightenment comes from understanding and compassion not bigotry.