Csteele,

I admire enormously your personal self-development, it would put many graduates to shame.

Most agree with a tolerant, multi-cultural society. BUT this has to be mutual and extended in all directions.

Csteele,

" Some like yourself claim more specifically that intolerance and violence are innate qualities of the Muslim Arabs"

No, I don't think that intolerance and violence are innate of ANY group - although certain evolutionary theorists would contest my opinion.

But when people live in societies where certain practices are the norm, it is understandable they many, perhaps most, accept these as normative.

I stated that most practices pre-date Islam, are tribal in origin. It is a shame that these have continued, instead of being weeded out. Islam of the Middle East seems to be fossilized.

We have seen pretty ghastly practices in Christianity of the past, but Christians don't burn people at the stake now; at least I don't think so.

Also, I wrote of cultured Muslim who accepted amputation as a form of punishment, because keys could be left in cars, and not stolen.

The seed of the Sydney riot, one no gardener would plant, came from an act others, in another country started.
It will be our fate for such to be the case, for a very long time.
While the seed seemed to be one better discarded, of no worth, it grew world wide in fertile ground.
Others, so small Christianity would have turned the other cheek, while maybe grinning at the feebleness of it all, came that way.
And a speech this early morning in the UN a warning and a plea, from Israel, about a mad man and a country pledged to wipe them out?
IF/WHEN no other action but a lightning strike against the Nuclear installations of that country comes?
A unity Muslim against the rest, will again briefly, see our streets filled with the signs and voices, OF SOME who will in time, be told to stop.
By leaders who say how wrong it was to do that here in the country that gave them shelter BUT! yes again and again BUT.

Belly! Get to the Doctor straight away. I think you caught whatever Under One God has got.

Interesting view from a Pakistani Muslim.

http://www.masada2000.org/Powerful-Jews.html

Well worth the read.

Let's play a hypothetical.

The Gillard government are defeated by a landslide at the next election and lo and behold the Liberals are elected in their own right.

Unshackled from the Nationals they set to work, dropping the Mining Tax, getting rid of mining royalties those pesky states had imposed, allow open slather on foreign investors and appoint John Howard as Governor General.

A cashed up Chinese state enterprise jumps creating Sino-Ore, snatching up a faltering Fortesque, flashing serious cash in front of Gina ('For the children's sake') and getting a controlling interest of BHP. The Liberals impose a small federal royalty and a long term contract.

Awash with funds Sino-Ore gets to work tripling iron ore production, importing much of the work force from China, and employing only Chinese companies to build and maintain the infrastructure leaving the more menial tasks to Australians.

There is a strike by the Australian workers for 'better housing, decent health care and enforcement of' Australian 'labour laws.' Chinese management brings in Filipino strike breakers.

Deep concern and anger in the Australian population quickly ensures that Abbot is just a single term Prime Minister. Once elected Greg Combert calls a meeting with Sino-Ore to discuss a renegotiation of the long term contracts signed by the previous government. He is totally rebuffed. He asks to see audited productions figures to ascertain if Australia was getting the correct revenue owed and is shown the door.

Sentiment for nationalisation quickly grows within Australia and the parliament passes legislation creating Australia-Ore. Combert tries again to negotiate with Sino-Ore proposing a 50/50 ownership and profit share between the two entities based on what had been negotiated between the Chinese and the South Africans. He is again rebuffed despite advice from India, a Commonwealth nation, to the Chinese to accept the deal.

Further strikes and riots ensue and China sends gunboats to protect Chinese property and personnel. They ban all exports to Australia, strip most of their personnel from the mining sites and close all production. They further freeze Australian investments within China.

Cont...