Dear Paul,

Well, I'm going to have my say, naive, as it may be
considered by some people. But here it is:

Of course there are immigants who abuse our system,
just as there are people born here who abuse our
system. The truth is that many immigrants
are people willing to work hard
for long hours to make a better life for themselves and their
families. Our children do not stand to be corrupted by their
values, so much as their children stand to be corrupted by
ours. The scapegoating of today's immigrants makes a
mockery of our "Fair Go For All," ethic. It is a national
immorality when we collectively say no to compassion.
The vast majority of Australians are descendants of immigrants,
yet we often act as though today's immigrants don't
deserve what we do, that we have something to protect from
their encroachment. It seems paradoxical to me that we brag
about our ancestor's coming over by boats, yet condemn
someone trying to do the same thing.

As far as religions are concerned? As I've stated so many
times in the past, what some have done in the name of
religion, projecting their neuroses, even perpetuating
evil on the world, does not make religion as a mystical
phenomenon invalid.

Of course secularized organized religions have become, in
many cases, as calcified as other institutions that form
the structure of our modern world. Our religious insitutions
have far too often become handmaidens of the status quo,
while the genuine religious experience is anything but
that. I have come to see that true religion is internal,
not external. The spirit within us cannot be blamed for the
blasphemies carried out in its name.

I remind both Paul and Foxy I have a right to my view.
You are both treasured mates but in my view blind on this issue.
Pre WW2 many including members of the British Royal Family spoke well of Adolph Hitler.
America too saw very many who thought him great including Lindberg, first to fly from America to you know the rest.
NOW who speaks for me other than me?
I think the use Foxy makes of Migration, her inability to see Muslim and some Lebanese Christian Migration *is not part of Multi Cultures and in no way linked to self imposed separatism Muslims live by*
As for welfare? Modern left of center voters MUST UNDERSTAND that bucket is not endless.
*To provide for the needy we MUST stop feeding the greedy*.
Socialism lost its way and gave too much resulting in some getting nothing and in the end a system with promise died at the hands of do good-ers who did not under stand.
IF Muslims did not threaten us world wide.
IF they did not claim their God gave them dominion over us.
If child brides did not suffer.
IF women became equals not in some cases slaves.
My good friends do not be so sure your thoughts are the only ones be grateful for America and her friends or we would be slaves.
Foxy Paul evidence exists to prove some who came here over ten years ago have never worked.
Do you approve of that? are our true poor and homeless likely to?

If we must compare the teachings of Christ with the teachings of Muhammad then the only conclusion that can be reached is that Christ taught love and compassion whereas Muhammad's teachings are a bit lacking in these virtues.

I'm all for freedom of religion but Islam teaches and glorifies acts of violence that are illegal in our society and there is no place for such among us.

Dear Belly,

I don't have all the answers by any means and as I
stated earlier of course there are people who abuse
the system, just as there are many born here who also
abuse the system. And of course there are problems
that some people cause. However what I feel uneasy
about is tarring everyone with the same brush.
I don't believe that all Muslims are a problem, the
same as I don't believe that all Catholics or any
other religion are a problem. We need to look at
individual differences. Just like saying that all
Australian are alike. Yes we are all Australians - but
we are different. The same applied to Muslims and
people of other religions. What do you really know about
Islam? (Apart from what's in the news)?

cont'd ...

Dear Belly,

Here's an article written by a more
knowledgeable person than myself on the subject,
giving another perspective which may be of interest
to you and others:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/islamophobia-overshadows-bipartisan-multiculturalism-inquiry,5159

Foxy,

I, for one, have studied Islam both in society and as a subject at Uni.
I have a lot of Muslim friends, particularly in India, and I treasure my copy of the Qur'an (a gift from the Government of an Islamic nation)which I treat with respect and have read from back to front; however I am under no illusions as to what happens when Muslims become a political force in any country.
When it happens here, and it will, Australians will rue the day that Islam was allowed to take root.