I am sorry to say, but I have had no positive interaction with the average "muslim" in this country, and therefore can contribute nothing on that score.

For those who wish to wax lyrical about the effect of the Afghan Camel Drivers, there is always the "Battle of Broken Hill:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battle_of_Broken_Hill" to deal with. Seems like a typical attack by arabs to me, opening fire on an unsuspecting crowd and then trying to run away...

Fortunately Australian society at the time, recognised how to deal with them.

How many Muslim Generals have we had? How many Jewish Generals have we had? (Well, General John Monash stands out rather a lot).

How many Muslim Governor-Generals have we had? How many Jewish and when (big hint, our first home grown GG was Sir Isaac Isaacs)?

How many Muslim Judges do we have or have had? How many Chief Justices of the High Court? On the Jewish Side we have Sir Isaac Isaacs CJ (Again).

Wait till you actually have some "ACTUAL" achievements to showcase, before trying to blow this up, OK? I'm not on a pro-jewish rant, just showing the difference between the two groups, one has ACTUAL runs on the board, the other doesn't.

For the record, tell me how many jewish men have ever been found guilty of viciously pack raping Aussie girls?

Dear Foxy

I used to live in the Brunswick/Coburg area before moving to the ranges. I had many interactions with Muslim people on a daily basis. I can't think of ever having been treated badly by any - except for one very nasty little boy who was quickly admonished by his Muslim parents.

Sydney Road in Melbourne's north remains a vibrant and wonderful place to shop, eat or simply stroll. I recall one time I was overcharged at a Muslim Green Grocers - I returned, explained and received the correct change. No biggie.

I have also worked with recently arrived Muslim people. Again I found little to take issue - like any other group of people.

I guess my point is that the positive contribution of Australian Muslims is the same as every one else - the majority get on with their lives, are wonderful to interact with and no doubt as they graduate from our schools and universities will make similar contributions as have Vietnamese and many other immigrant groups before them.

I wish to register my disappointment that neither AGIR or Proxy have received any admonishment from management. I came to this thread too late to recommend for deletion the very worst behaviour and comments by Proxy (in particular). Is there a time limit on vile posts? Is it too late for me to recommend a post for deletion? I can see that management has been active here, Ginx being promptly deleted and suspended.

I'll probably get in trouble (again) just for stating the above.

In responce to AlGoreisRich:

QUOTE Grateful is misdirected though, he seems to think positive contributions to AFGHAN charities is somehow 'Australian' ? Grateful, I think Foxy mean't 'in Australia' and 'for Australia'.ENDQUOTE

Your comments are racist. You would not deny Australian Troops are making a contribution to Australia with their reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, as well as their efforts on the battle-field against oppression.

Concerning Shaykhs with a message of hate, there are many Muslims at the 'front line' waging a jihad against the wahabbi sect. They have no strong hold other than through the influence they have been able to purchased with petro-dollars. They are becoming smaller each day.

They are more properly described as Kharijites. Here is an account of the Prophet's encounter with the first of the Kharajites and something to reflect upon before accusing all Muslims of the crimes of a few: cont...

2/3 cont...The first Kharajite
QUOTE

"In order to know the good among the people, one must first examine the history of heresy in Islam. Only by understanding false teachings and their supporters will we appreciate the importance of the people of good (Ahl ul-khayr).



The heresy of the Departers [Kharajites] was the first group of people who deviated from the pure and sublime faith of Islam. The first and worst of those who departed from the Sunni path was the Khariji known as the Dhul-Khuwaisarah. The Companion Abu Said al-Khudri; (r) related, “Once Sayyidina `Ali; (r) sent some gold ore wrapped in dyed leather from Yemen to the Prophet of Allah (s), and he divided it among four people: Zaid al-Khalil, al-Aqra ibn Habis, Unaiyna ibn Hisn and Alqamah ibn Ulathah.



A person among the Companions remarked that they had a better claim to the wealth than these people. When this remark reached the Prophet (s), He said, “Will you not trust me whom the One above the heavens has trusted? Information comes to me from the heavens morning and evening.”



Then a man with sunken eyes, high check bones, protruding forehead, thick beard and a shaven head, stood up and said, “Muhammad! Fear Allah!” The Prophet (s) turned to him and replied, “Woe be to you, am I not the person who fears Allah (s.w) the most?” The man than walked away and Khalid ibn al-Walid (r) jumped up and said, “Perhaps one who observes prayer says with his tongue what is not in his heart.” The Prophet (s) said, “I was not commanded to pierce the hearts or the people or slit open their bellies.”

He (s) glanced at the man who was walking away and said, “There will arise a people from among the progeny of this man who will recite the Qur'an but it will not go beyond their throats. They will pass through the religion as an arrow passes through its target.”


cont..

3/3 cont..

Khalid ibn al-Walid (r) asked the Prophet (s), “O Prophet of Allah (s) this man has all the [athar] effects of sunnah, his eyes are red due to crying, his face has two scars of tears on his checks, his feet are swollen due to standing the whole night in [tahajjud] night vigil, he has a thick beard …” The Prophet (s) replied, “The meaning of this Verse [qul in'kuntu tuhib'bina allah fat'tabiunun;] say if you love Allah follow me.” He asked, “How O Prophet of Allah (s)?' He (s) replied, 'Be kind like me, be compassionate, love the poor and the destitute, be gentle, care and love your brothers and be protective.’”



The cursed man was called Dhul-Khuwaisarah at-Tamimi and he is considered the first of the Khariji; to arise in Islam. The root of his sickness was that he preferred his own opinion above that of the Prophet (s). If he had waited to hear what the Prophet (s) had to say, he would have realized that no opinion can be given precedence over that of The Prophet (s), and it was his individual's tribe men who later rose in arms against the fourth Khalipha Sayyidina `Ali ibn Abi Talib (r).

ENDQUOTE

http://www.sunnah.org/history/The%20Kharijites%20and%20their%20successors.htm

So these Kharajites are NOT following the Prophet and in fact rejected the guidance of the Prophet.

When the Prophet said, above,:

"Be kind like me, be compassionate, love the poor and the destitute, be gentle, care and love your brothers and be protective."

.. he was speaking to us today, as much as he was to his follows over 1400 years ago.

This is why the Kharajites are a spent force: as more Muslims become away of their background they loose their legitimacy and no amount of petro-dollars can buy this legitmacy.

That is the message i'd like those sincere in building bridges to understand.

grateful

Thanks for your input. As an Atheist I am intrigued by those who go on to choose a religious path.

Most importanlty, Christianity and Islam seem not very far apart at all in the essentials -

"Be kind like me, be compassionate, love the poor and the destitute, be gentle, care and love your brothers and be protective."