The first anti Islam marches in Australia over easter. - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14546703
We have racism and institutional racism against the aboriginal people in Australia so it is no surprise that there is a rise in Islamophobia.



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Unease with Australia's Islamophobia

Recent 'Reclaim Australia' rallies and counter-rallies across country highlight social tensions and xenophobic fears.

Melbourne, Australia - In Christian majority countries like Australia, Easter is usually a time of family gatherings and celebration.

However, a day before Easter Sunday, hundreds of people took to the streets in major Australian cities to protest against what they see as the rising influence of Islam.

Under the banner "Reclaim Australia", protesters, many waving Australian flags, chanted against Islamic law and held signs reading "No More Mosques" and "Islam is an Enemy of the West."

In Melbourne, the 500 or so anti-Islam protesters were outnumbered by the over 1,000 who attended a counterprotest against Islamophobia and religious bigotry.

Local Socialist Party councillor Stephen Jolly, who was one of the organisers of the counter-rally, told Al Jazeera that it was important that people came out to show their support for the Muslim community.

"We're here to make a stand against stupid explanations for Australia's problems. To suggest that the problems we are facing with unemployment, education and healthcare are because of the two percent of the population who are Islamic, is completely irrational," he said.

Counterprotesters outnumbered the anti-Islam protesters.

Already high tensions at the rallies built throughout the afternoon as members of the counter-rally sought to block off the anti-Islam protesters. The hundreds of police deployed were unable to stop violent scuffles breaking out at times as the groups clashed.

Maree Adgemis was one of a handful of visibly Muslim women who braved the counterprotest. She told Al Jazeera the use of Australian flags as an anti-Islam symbol was "complete foolishness and ignorance".

"We are not a threat to people, we are normal people, we want peace. Yes, there are some people out there who don't want that, but that's in every community. We're much more similar than we are different, but the media is showing our differences to separate [us] and to use fear," she told Al Jazeera.

Similar to the PEGIDA movement in Germany, rally organisers attempted to brand the rally as not about race, but instead about what protesters considered to be "regressive Islamic cultural values".

Among the anti-Islam protesters were extremists, like skinheads and men bearing neo-Nazi tattoos, however there were also seemingly average families.

Rally participants justified their fears by explaining that they stood against extremism [Snehargho Ghosh/Al Jazeera]

Margaret Rowe-Keys, a 52-year-old artist, told Al Jazeera the rally wasn't racist but was in "defence of Australian values".

"We're not anti-ethnic, we're not racist. We're trying to fight for our culture, rather than have someone come in and say you have to change your culture. We do have an Australian culture and it's quite embedded in what we've built on for over 200 years," she told Al Jazeera.

Another protester, Phil Athanasiadis said that he wasn't against all Muslims but was only concerned about "religious extremism".

"We just love our way of life, we live in the best country on earth and we see examples of where it's deteriorating overseas. We see the large Muslim presence in a lot of the European countries that is causing a lot of problems," he said.

There has been no significant push to implement Islamic law by Australia's small Muslim minority or to enforce Islamic religious teachings or norms on the broader society.

Among the many issues raised by protesters was Muslim women wearing face coverings in public, which some said was a security threat.

This is first time Australia has seen national anti-Islam rallies. The rallies come amid a heightened terrorism warning in Australia and also in wake of last year's Lindt cafe siege, where a lone gunman took over a dozen hostages in a Sydney café, two of whom were killed when police stormed the building.

Following the siege, a Twitter campaign using the hashtag "IllRideWithYou" took off with citizens offering to take public transport with Muslims who felt unsafe.

However, the large scale anti-Islamic backlash many feared didn't immediately materialise, partly because the gunman was such a fringe figure not accepted by the Islamic community and community members had previously reported him to intelligence services.

Away from the rally, the rising anti-Islamic sentiment has had a real effect on everyday life in some Muslim communities.

Mariam Veiszadeh, from the Islamophobia Register of Australia, told Al Jazeera they have been receiving a high number of reports of verbal and physical abuse on the street, particularly against hijab-wearing Muslim women.
"We have heard of cases of women, who are otherwise confident and deeply devout, who have taken off their hijabs in response to the current climate," she said.

Some have also accused the federal government of contributing to the rising anti-Islamic sentiment. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has on several occasions accused mainstream Muslim community leaders for not doing enough to condemn extremist elements of Islam.

No senior federal government official has commented on the Reclaim Australia rallies.

Multiculturalism and Muslim Studies academic Shakira Hussein told Al Jazeera that while the extreme hardline racism at the rally was not representative of broader Australia, a milder anti-Islamic attitude was more pervasive.

"During the 1990s we saw a lot of racism directed at Asians and that was based on the fact they came from a different country and that their skin wasn't the same colour as white Australians.

"After 9/11 it became more specifically directed towards Muslims and that's been regarded as a more respectable form of racism because it's not just based on genes and the colour of your skin and factors you can't control, it's supposedly, though often dubiously, meant to be based on people's behaviour," she said.

Violent scuffles broke out at times as the groups clashed.

Hussein said that international events meant that it was difficult to predict whether the anti-Islam movement would continue to grow in Australia.

"Unlike with previous migrant groups, the difficulty for Muslims living in Australia is that events overseas, and not only in their own country of origin but in any Muslim country around the globe, continue to have ongoing ramifications here."Events in Syria and Iraq have played into life in Australia in a way that Muslims living here can do very little about. With no end date in sight to events in the Middle East, it makes it very difficult to see where anti-Muslim racism in Australia might end up because they're connected. This might sadly be the new normal," she said.

Source: Al Jazeera


http://aje.io/zfxj
#14548462
There is a difference between being critical of certain tenets or ideas from Islam, and being scared of the brown people with their funny religion.

These people are just racists and it's a shame they make it almost impossible to have a reasonable dialogue about the middle east.
#14548470
Dagoth Ur wrote:That is true but opposition to Islamic concepts is almost always just a smokescreen for racism (especially when deployed by other Abrahamics) rather than a separate chauvinism. Hitchens and Dawkins are/were chauvinists, these protesters are simple racists.


Many Westerners are worried about an eventual Muslim demographic majority. They know that it could happen due to dwindling European and America birth rates, along with increasing decadence in those societies. In my opinion it is a legitimate concern because whenever we see big demographic shifts, notably the influx of one ethnoreligious group into a certain national context, some big problems arise. Just look at Malaysia as an example of how things can develop. How will it be possible for a society to function when it is 50% one ethnoreligious group and 50% another? There will be competition for political power and economic opportunities. It will not be a harmonious society.

Sadly Westerners aren't allowed to voice any opposition to the liberal capitalist multicultural project. The only acceptable position we may take is wholehearted support lest we be written off as racists.

In my opinion these right wing groups should stop focusing on Islam as a religion and start viewing mass immigration itself as the main threat. Doing so will result in them directing their ire at the political class and not against minorities who are merely trying to seek a better life. They should certainly not be giving immigrants or non-whites a hard time just because they are annoyed with the policies of their governments.
#14548618
Maybe when muslims start forming off-limits areas in their communities, having massive numbers of children, blowing themselves up or shooting up newspaper offices, transport links, etc, the idiots who are opposing this action will curse their stupidity. One can only hope they will be the ones for the literal chop, islamists being so nondiscriminatory in who they kill.
#14548623
Could it have to do something with incidents like this one, I wonder?

The Telegraph wrote:Australia arrests five teenagers over alleged terror plot

Police arrested five teenagers in the country's second-largest city of Melbourne over an alleged terrorist plot to target police officers

Five teenagers in the Australian city of Melbourne have been arrested on suspicion of planning an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack, to coincide with the centenary of the landings at Gallipoli during World War One.

Two hundred police were involved in months of surveillance of the gang, but police swooped on Saturday morning when they learnt an attack was imminent. It is believed they were planning to target police, and senior officials said that they found “edged weapons” including a sword and knife during the raids.

“The act that we believe was in preparation involved attacks against police officers on Anzac Day,” said Tony Abbott, the Australian prime minister. April 25 will see a series of commemorations across Australia to mark the Australian and New Zealand entry into the war.

Neil Gaughan, the counter terrorism chief for Australian federal police, confirmed they supported Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil).

“At this stage, we have no information that it was a planned beheading,” he said. “But there was reference to an attack on police. Some evidence that we have collected at a couple of the scenes, and some other information we have, leads us to believe that this particular matter was Isil-inspired.”

All five, aged 18 and 19, were said to have links to Numan Haider, an 18-year-old who stabbed two Melbourne police officers and was subsequently shot dead in September. Haider had caught authorities’ attention months earlier over what police considered troubling behaviour, including waving what appeared to be an Islamic State group flag at a shopping mall.

The arrests emphasise Australia’s growing jihadist problem – despite its huge geographic distance from the battlefields of Syria and Iraq.

On Thursday Mr Abbott announced that Sharky Jama, a 25-year-old model and keen football player from Melbourne’s Somali community, had been killed while fighting for Isil in Syria.

His family said they received a text message and phone call from someone on Monday informing them that he had been killed. He is the 20th Australian known to have died fighting for Isil.

At least 110 Australians have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside extremists, backed by about 100 Australia-based “facilitators”, and the nation’s security agency is juggling more than 400 high-priority counterterrorism investigations – more than double the number a year ago. A third of all terrorism-related arrests since 2001 have occurred in the last six months.

In February, two men were charged with planning to launch an imminent, Isil-inspired terrorist attack after authorities said they appeared on a video threatening to stab the kidneys and necks of their victims.

In December, Man Monis, an Iranian-born, self-styled cleric with a long criminal history, took 18 people hostage inside a Sydney café, forced them to hold up a flag bearing the Islamic declaration of faith and demanded he be delivered a flag of Isil. Monis and two hostages were killed.

And in September, a man arrested during a series of counterterrorism raids was charged with planning to behead a random person in Sydney. Canberra raised the national terror threat level to “high” after the attack was thwarted.

“This is a new paradigm for police,” said Michael Phelan, federal police deputy commissioner. “These types of attacks that are planned are very rudimentary and simple.

“All you need these days is a knife, a flag and a camera and one can commit a terrorist act.”

But Mr Abbott urged Australians not to be cowed into submission.

“The best sign of defiance we can give to those who would do us harm is to go about a normal, peaceful, free and fair Australian life,” he said. “And I say to everyone who is thinking of going to an Anzac Day event, please don’t be deterred. Turn up in the largest possible numbers to support our country.”


It seems the religion of "peace" isn't such a good model for Australian youth. If I was Australian, I would be worried about such a destructive ideology in my country.
#14548628
ComradeTim wrote:Maybe when muslims start forming off-limits areas in their communities, having massive numbers of children, blowing themselves up or shooting up newspaper offices, transport links, etc, the idiots who are opposing this action will curse their stupidity. One can only hope they will be the ones for the literal chop, islamists being so nondiscriminatory in who they kill.


I'm much more pessimistic. I fully expect the stupid to just get stupider as the situation deteriorates.

Also, loling at the double standards here. When Muslim terrorists kill a bunch of people, we're not supposed to judge all muslims by their actions. But when anti-Islam protestors take to the streets in peaceful protest, then they are all invariably mindless racists, chauvinists, and nazis.
#14561035
It was bound to happen sooner or later, the genesis of a movement has been smouldering away for years. The Martin Place siege being the first high profile terrorist attack here was bound to galvanise those already inclined towards anti-muslim feelings. The real issue will be what well happen when a large scale 'spectacular' attack occurs somewhere in the west.

It is only a matter of time considering the sheer number of western recruits ISIS have, and the money at their disposal.
#14561091
mikema63 wrote:There is a difference between being critical of certain tenets or ideas from Islam, and being scared of the brown people with their funny religion.

These people are just racists and it's a shame they make it almost impossible to have a reasonable dialogue about the middle east.


While some of these people might indeed harbour racist sentiments, you've yet to present a solid argument as to why this demonstration and these people are indeed racist. Honestly, this remark of yours almost gave the impression of someone muttering to themselves in jerking head motions while they were shambling through the streets and pushing people aside.
#14561114
Pants-of-dog wrote:Anti-Muslim sentiment is bigotry.

The fact that it bases its prejudices and discriminations on religious differences rather than racial ones does not make it somehow more noble.


If those religious differences turn out to be stoning of women and young girls for meaningless things,than we have every right to express Anti-Muslim sentiment.

Of course, you would defend Muslims even while they are taking you to be stoned.

God, of all PoFo members, I really do not understand you at all.
#14561117
Azure Angel wrote:If those religious differences turn out to be stoning of women and young girls for meaningless things,than we have every right to express Anti-Muslim sentiment.


And if a Muslim did not believe in stoning women or in honour killings, there would then be no problem?

layman wrote:Funny, noone ever said that about anti-christian opinions. Any minister or priest who tried that "bigot" tactic was given the

It is because it is a 3rd world religion and some of the followers are brown.


As soon as there is a thread about anti-Xian marches in Australia, I will be the first to point out the anti-Xian bigotry.
#14561119
Pants-of-dog wrote:Anti-Muslim sentiment is bigotry.

The fact that it bases its prejudices and discriminations on religious differences rather than racial ones does not make it somehow more noble.

All religious tenets of Islam are bigotry.

The fact that it bases its prejudices and discriminations on a reverence for the alleged 'creator of the universe' and a desire to abolish the right to be different rather than a loathing toward any particular tribe or race, does not make it somehow more noble.

Islam QA, 'Will the repentance of a witch be accepted?', 18 Apr 2011 wrote:Learning witchcraft and practising it constitute kufr. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “They followed what the Shayaateen (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaymaan (Solomon). Sulaymaan did not disbelieve, but the Shayaateen (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Haaroot and Maaroot, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, ‘We are for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).’”

    [al-Baqarah 2:102]

A practitioner of witchcraft may do something that makes her an apostate, so she commits kufr and should be executed for her apostasy. Or she may practise witchcraft by doing something that does not constitute kufr. In that case there is a difference of scholarly opinion, but the correct view is that she should also be executed if it is proven that she is a practitioner of witchcraft. [...]

What's your view on this, Pants-of-Dog? Is it my imagination, or am I the one being targeted for execution in this teaching?
#14561124
Calling people racists and bigots because they prefer their culture to another is racist and bigotry. I do not understand how people can honestly say these things without realizing the hypocrisy involved.
A culture does not have to be right or wrong in your opinion. Right and wrong have nothing to do with it. A group of people decide they do not like the influence another group has on their community. I do not feel any differently toward fundamentalists Christians as I do fundamentalists Muslims. If they want to take over my community with their ideology then I will fight them. It is a matter of how I want to live, not a matter of what is right for them.
#14561125
Pants-of-dog wrote:And if a Muslim did not believe in stoning women or in honour killings, there would then be no problem?


Stoning women is a part of Sharia law and it is a part of Quran, will you deny this?

It does not matter if some individual Muslim supports stoning or not, for at the end of day, when his more radical Muslim friends come to stone a woman, he will simply be silent.

This happens all over Middle East, do you even know who and what are you defending PoD?
#14561127
Rei Murasame wrote:All religious tenets of Islam are bigotry.


Really? Please explain how their refusal to charge interest is a form of bigotry.

The fact that it bases its prejudices and discriminations on a reverence for the alleged 'creator of the universe' and a desire to abolish the right to be different rather than a loathing toward any particular tribe or race, does not make it somehow more noble.


Yes, it is like other religions in this way.

Rei Murasame wrote:What's your view on this, Pants-of-Dog?


It's irrelevant, since Australian law allows for freedom of religion. There will be no killing of people who are gullible enough to follow esoteric traditions.

-------------------

Azure Angel wrote:Stoning women is a part of Sharia law and it is a part of Quran, will you deny this?


It is also part of the history of Jews and Christians.


Azure Angel wrote:It does not matter if some individual Muslim supports stoning or not, for at the end of day, when his more radical Muslim friends come to stone a woman, he will simply be silent.


If you do nothing while a murder happens in front of you, you can be charged with being an accessory to crime.

This happens all over Middle East,


Good thing we are discussing Australia, then.
#14561134
Pants-of-dog wrote:It is also part of the history of Jews and Christians.


You are right, it is part of their history.
But it is not part of their modern history, while to Muslims it is part of modern history.
Where in Western countries are women stoned to death every day for heresy or adultery?
Do Jews do this act today?

Pants-of-dog wrote:If you do nothing while a murder happens in front of you, you can be charged with being an accessory to crime.


Indeed, that is why we see so much people in jails in Muslim lands for taking part in stoning.
Oh wait, we do not.


Good thing we are discussing Australia, then.


Good thing, for if Australians do not wish such cultural enrichment in their lands, they ought to fight against it.
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