"Two persons refused to stand for the judge". Big deal. Is the judge some sort of God? Is that court of law some version of Heaven that one must bow down to or stand up in the presence of? Of course NOT. The ONLY thing that matters is whether the accused are guilty or innocent, and whether they stand or sit is 100% irrelevant to the correct administration of justice.

Laws and resulting penalties regarding whether a person stands or sits in the presence of anyone whatsoever, are a throwback to ancient times when those in authority commanded that the peasants bow and stand in their presence. We "should" be more civilised these days.

Bowing and standing are not a sign of respect. They are a sign of subjugation.

The problem with your thinking, Pesky Boy, is that if everyone entering the courtroom has their own interpretation of how to behave we end up with chaos.

There are formalities that out of respect we all follow; it doesn't make us subjugated just because we agree to accept the rules of engagement. Okay, some of it is simply traditional and yes possibly a throwback to earlier times. But it is what it is, so just go along with it and there isn't a problem.

This particular case of the two Muslim men refusing to stand is not an isolated incident, Another Muslim man (convicted criminal) also refused to stand for the judge back in May of 2013. In my limited research I cannot find another example than these three people who happen to share a common religion and also used that religion as an excuse to disrespect the judge.

How do you think you would fare in any foreign country if you refused to behave the way their courts expect you to?

Pesky Boy,

One stands in Court as a sign of respect for the Law, not the judge in particular.

One stands when a woman enters a room for the first time, sign of respect for her and women in general.

One stands and offers one's seat to an elderly person or a pregnant woman, sign of courtesy and good manners.

How do you feel about soldiers saluting officers?

Is Mise, to take your points one by one:
1) Incorrect. It's done as a sign of subjugation to the law.
2) Incorrect. That's a sign of disrespect. A sign that society believes women deserve 'special' treatment in that area because society considers them inferior in most areas. In other words, it's compensation. Luckily, practices like this are dying out as women slowly advance in society.
3) Partially correct. That's simply a decent act to help out someone not in the same position as you to physically cope with a particular situation; it goes WAY beyond mere courtesy and good manners, and so it should.
4) Soldiers saluting officers is a sign of subjugation. Without subjugation, military discipline would collapse.

CHippie, I did not refer in any way to everyone entering a courtroom having their own interpretations of how to behave. I referred only to the practice of standing when the judge enters, nothing else. Standing is the public display that you accept subjugation under the law, it's got nothing to do with respect for the law. This is not North Korea or China where behavioural sanctions/subjugation is rife, so if any defendant in Australia chooses not to stand when the judge enters they should not suffer criminal sanctions. Whether or not they stand has ZERO relevance to their guilt or innocence. In a free country like Australia the only thing that ultimately matters in a court of law is guilt or innocence, nothing else. Let's keep Australia free from petty bureaucratic subjugation and forced legal symbolism ... leave that to China and North Korea.

Pesky Boy, your right there, the wigs, the gowns, the titles, the court room itself all goes to create the legals persona of superiority. At one time half the legal profession in NSW were pedophiles, praying on rent boys.

Is Mise asks; How do you feel about soldiers saluting officers?
From what I read the army superiors have been demanding a lot more than a "salute" from their subordinates, in many cases, and it requires a Royal Commission rather than a salute.

Is Mise, you know where I stand on the gun happy brigade, our mob won, your mob lost. End of story. Go and check than Lance Boyle, its all a done deal.