I have on many occasions railed against the poisonous rhetoric toward our Muslim citizens being aired with seemingly increasing frequency on OLO's forum. George Brandis however would have us believe 'everyone has a right to be a bigot' and people and property are not physically injured by words alone.

The problem is of course that once these virulent views are given oxygen, without being firmly countered, they give licence to those in our community who are prepared to give action to the rhetoric by targeting symbols of the Islamic faith in this country.

There have been a number of incidents over the last few months that speak of troubling times ahead for a nation that use to pride itself on its tolerant and accepting attitudes.

An example is the graffiti attack on a Cairns mosque which was daubed in the words 'Integrate or F_*! off'.

http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/vandal-attack-shocks-peaceful-worshippers-of-cairns-mosque/story-fnjpusyw-1226753192491

Cairns police Sen-Constable Russell Parker said "As a multicultural society, we should take a very dim view of this sort of behaviour." Indeed.

Another is the vandalism experienced just this Sunday by a Canberra Islamic Centre, the second in a fortnight.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-16/clean-up-begins-at-islamic-centre-after-vandalism-attack/5395742

Federal Member for Canberra Gai Brodtmann said; "We will not accept it, there's no place for it in our society, in our community, and Canberrans today have sent a very strong message".

To me incitement should be met with censure and penalty. Ordinary Australians do not want to see any escalation of this type of targeted attack. It is not how they see themselves nor our country.

I do not think it is inaccurate to say dog whistle politics have raised racial and religious tensions in Australia. It will only be through vigilance and determination that we ensure the great ethics of tolerance and acceptance that have for so many years defined who we thought were were as a nation might ultimately be preserved.

It says it was a racist attack. Are Muslims a race now ? What if they find out it wasn't done by whities ?

Dear SteeleRedux,

Dr Eva Sallis discussed this problem way back in 2005
and wrote an article in The New York Times on the subject.
I think it's still relevant today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/17/opinion/17sallis.html

Dr Sallis points out that the policies of mandatory
detention of asylum seekers and or most recent policies
on refugees are strongly linked with border protection
from 2001, and, as most asylum seekers of recent years have
been from the Middle East and Muslim South Asia "border
protection" has become protection from Muslim refugees in
the popular imagination.

Sallis tells us that "like the US, Australia has new
anti-terrorism legislation, first passed in 2002 and
significantly strengthened recently. Such laws have helped
to validate broader community mistrust of Arab and
Muslim Australians."

She says that "our government has done little to substantively
allay fears of Mulsim and Middle Eastern Australians generally
or to increase public understanding and appreciation of their
culture and contribution to Australian life."

We're told that "Arabic is the 4th most commonly used language
after English in Australia and the most commonly used after
English in NSW, Sydney's home-state, yet it is taught in
only a handful of schools and universities."

Sallis tells us that "prejudice creates what it fears by
curtailing young people's prospects. Young Arab Australians
are increasingly ghettoized in Sydney's poor suburbs -
where they struggle for education and jobs. Their families
are often prejudiced against non-Arab Australians, the
racism of the minority and that of the broader society
therefore reinforce each other."

I'll be back with more on "freedom of speech."

@Steele,

<<To me incitement should be met with censure and penalty. Ordinary Australians do not want to see any escalation of this type of targeted attack. It is not how they see themselves nor our country.>>

*EVERY* incident of vandalism should be met with censure of penalty. The <<poisonous rhetoric>> comes in when incidents of this type are singled out as something special whilst attacks on war memorials, political party headquarters or corporate assets & personnel are passed over as just another case of bad behavior.

I remember being in a university tutorial when the incident involving a certain TV personality who claimed to have been racial abused happen. The lecture/tutor/doctor swallowed it with glee and made great capital out of it.Had it been anything else she would have cautioned that we were only hearing one side of the story. But because it suited her political ends –just as the above suits yours Steele, and those who share your political warp–it was hyped to the hills.

LEST/WE-FORGET..His/legs..of..iron,
his_feet..part/of...iron..and/part..of clay...(Daniel..2:31-33)
http://12160.info/profiles/blogs/us-committing-treason-in-order-to-favor-israel

Passover/HOLOCAUST/palistein.jesus
http://bit.ly/P4UOsW
.“The point..of cleaning...OUR Heart..for Pesach
is..to remember..that we are leaving..comfort-zones..of HEARTH/home ,leaving..the things that..constrict us...[spiritually.]”–Rabbi Shimon Raichik

“The message..of Passover..is Freedom is won/not..on the battlefield but..in the classroom..and the home...Teach your children the history of freedom...if you want them TO live it.” -- Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks

“Pesach..is not only/about..that good of "freedom from."
It is about..our having the freedom.."to"..[make the world a more sacred place..by expanding OUR Awareness..OF God's presence..living of/on/WITH/in...ALL OF it.” – Rabbi David A. Teutsch

“This is..OUR ONE TRUE true freedom:..Our ability to shape reality.

We Gave..to you..the power to initiate,.create..and change your/OWN reality..rather than only react..and,,SEEK/TO..survive it...How can we all educate..all/our children...to ///more fully/realize/true freedom..lies if freeing other?

Teach them..not to look at reality..as defining their acts
but to look...at their acts..as COLLECTIVELY re-defining reality.” – Yaacov Cohen

"Freedom..is within our grasp,..and Pesach reminds us..that we need find the will..to Teach."..TO REACH..Above our station-- Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson

Passover.is a time of reflection..and..recalling joy.
When we emerge..from our cocoon's/..Of doubt to fly freely
On the wings..of loving service..to other.

Blessed be ye..of the LIVING Lord
Who made heaven and earth...LIVE BY ENDLESS rebirth.
Happy CROSS-over!

Passing-over Celebrates/God's Gift of..life/logic/light and Love
May you see..His mighty hand..In every detail..Of your life..WITH/in others living...Happy P*assover

Shalom..from the prince/who Sought/THE PRICE.of /PEACE
On Passover and always..May you rejoice in..the living peace..only love of all..GODS pieces.[other] brings

“The mere thought..hadn't even begun to speculate
about..the merest possibility..of crossing..FROM..within/my SLEEPING mind.”

Douglas Adams

I Like/this quote
I dislike/THAT

this quote.“If man...could be crossed
with the cat,..it would improve man...but deteriorate..the dog.”

Mark Twain quotes

I have noticed..even people..who claim
that...everything is predestined,..foreordained
and that....we can do nothing..to change it,.YET/..EVEN..They.look before..they cross the road.”

Stephen Hawking

“The word.''Christianity''..is already..a misunderstanding
in reality......there has been..only one Christian,..and he died on the Cross.”

Friedrich Nietzsche

“Like two..doomed ships..that pass..in storm..
we...had crossed/each other's way:...but...we made no PEACE-sign,..we said no word,.we..had no word...to say.”

0Zcar wild

by..their works..will ye know them..\this quote/..as was rote..
http://desertpeace.wordpress.com/2014/04/16/a-look-at-the-new-warsaw-ghetto-we-know-as-gaza/
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=24914
http://gulfnews.com/news/region/palestinian-territories/israel-blackmailing-palestinians-over-projects-1.1320266
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hfBla6r_CwE
http://rinf.com/alt-news/latest-news/rigging-game-palestinians/
http://investmentwatchblog.com/what-happens-when-all-assets-have-become-too-expensive/
brand-new..accounts/at..YouTube,with..no subscribers,..most..using actors'-names..are mirroring/economic..and..war/themed..videos,[hundreds,..a day]
http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/something-very-strange-is-going-on.html#.U023Xhw3Udq
http://rss.infowars.com/20140416_Wed_Alex.mp3

@SteeleRedux, Wednesday, 16 April 2014 11:32:05 PM

The two reports demonstrate the opposite of what you appear to be alleging.

There is abundant evidence that the vandalism is unusual and that Australians do not find it acceptable at all.

No-one in their right mind would ever believe that Senator George Brandis would ever encourage such lawless behaviour, or that anything he has ever said or done would have that effect.