Let's hear it for Australia
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face a crackdown.
Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for you", he said on national television.
"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another the Islamic law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it, perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.
Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should "clear off. Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well then, they can basically clear off", he said.
Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians." "However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the 'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a better life by coming to Australia." "However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand." "This idea of Australia being a multicultural community has served only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own language and our own lifestyle." "This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society, Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."
"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like "A Fair Go", then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change, and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
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tust me ,the muslims won't take this lightly
This is not racist. Its being nationalist!!
I find all religion bollox, and the paragraph about god and christian principals is quite frankly laughable.
No, i don't want our country completely overrun with immigrants, i would like greater controls to be put in place, and i don't want this country to lose its identity either.
But by large, its the current diversity mix that helps makes this country a better place to live, and i would never want to lose that. That message is thinly-disguised call for an all-white, all christian nation, and that's something i wouldn't want.
I would be interested to see what the reaction would be in a muslim country if a girl from the UK went to school there dolled up in makeup, skirts and white shirts etc.
Anyway, i'm leaving this now otherwise i'll get royally wound up
Yep, this has been doing the rounds for months.
My ancestry is a right "Heinz 57" as I'm part Scot, Irish, Polish, French, Romany, English and a few others I cant remember, but when some of my relatives settled in the East End in the late 1800s they integrated with English society. They didn't ignore their Jewish Polish roots and traditions, but they learnt English and adapted to the way things were done.
My surname is Hugonet and was originally Poltain (meaning colt) but was anglocised when they arrived in the 1600s so they would fit in.
So yes. Go ahead. Prey to your god, speak your language, celebrate your heritage, but just as were excepting of what you want and your beliefs, then have the decency to respect the beliefs and customs of the majority whose families have lived here for generations and are happy with the way of life. If you don't like it don't expect the majority to change what they are happy with just for you.....Which is exactly what these Islamists want. Britain ruled by Sharia law
That's what this is saying....."When in Rome do as the Romans do. If you don't like Rome, feel free to leave to somewhere that matches your beliefs on how society should be."
was it i didn't realise
That aside I would be interested in why you think what he allegedly said was wrong and why that labels him as a right-wing nutbag?
He has used the race issue very successfully to win Federal elections in the past (try googling "Tampa incident" or "Siev X Children overboard"and see what you find) in 2001 and again in 2004 and despite the fact that the above story is largely fabricated most people here in Oz thing he will try and leverage the anti-Muslim sentiment to get him over the line again in October/November.
Muslims in Australia are a very, very small minority and are located mainly in pockets of western Sydney and parts of Melbourne, other than that you would be hard pushed to find many. The Muslim population here in Brisbane is around 30,000 from a population of 1.4 million.
Despite all that and the fact that this country is facing massive problems with the longest drought in history, a disastrous war in Iraq, skyrocketing housing prices which have created all-time housing affordability problems, an ageing transport infrastructure, a crippling skills shortage that means essential workers are having to be brought in from overseas (we imported 300 UK Ambulance personnel last year and 50% of doctors are now from overseas) and a looming energy supply crisis what do Howard and his ministers spend a disproportionate amount of time talking about? That's right, Muslims.
Yes, that will really solve all the problems of the 21st century that this country is facing, bash a few Muslims and stir up a bit of hate and hope the punters forget about the very real problems facing this country.
I call him a right-wing nutbag because just like his great mate GWB he uses the anti-Muslim card to destructive effect by generating racial hatred amongst his countrymen despite the long-term damage that this will do to his country. If that's not nuts then I don't know what is.
The Federal/State government is a flawed system and I would not mind seeing the states abolished in favor of greater regional government, that might solve a few problems.
The skills shortage is complex but in terms of Doctor training, the government funding for Doctor training (which they provide to the states) is woefully inadequate and because it is cheaper to import foreign doctors than it is to train new Australian ones then the Federal government are not interested in providing extra funding, especially when the Labor state governments will get the credit for the improved health services.
The drought/climate change thing is crazy because neither Howard nor many of the Unions want to touch it because it will mean losing a lot of mining/timber jobs!!! Just look at Rudd's Tasmanian forestry policy for proof of how terrified Labor is on this.
You rightly identify the IR Laws as crucial and I think this may be the straw that breaks the camels back with middle Australia. I have been here 10 years and many of the clue collar Howard supporters amongst my friends/colleagues are now well offside with the Libs over this policy. In particular, killing overtime rates is a massive mistake because many families really depended on the OT and shift-loading money to keep their heads above water and that's all gone now.
Interesting times indeed and I do not think that Rudd or Labor will provide the whole answer but in the short term they might bring the country back into the middle ground from its current hard right turn.
Anyway, if Howard had looked after Aborigines a lot better rather than send the police into their reservations and slash aid and education budgets I might take him more seriously.
I was wondering the same thing. Irrelevent of whether it was said or when, what is actually wrong with those comments?
And before AFKA sinks the thread. Six years inside for the Danish Cartoon protesters. Glad they were convicted but 6 years? You get less than that for some murders. Where were the freedom of speech lobby then?
Freedom of speech is one thing, preaching and chanting racial hatred and death to non-believers is something else, whether they be white / brown / black / yellow / blue.......
I agree but strange that I don't hear the right wingers defending their rights to sat these things.
You're like a prophet Henry - glug glug glug!