Posted on 09/05/2006 12:25:23 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
Australian Muslim representatives are voicing outrage at comments by the country's two top politicians, who urged immigrants from Islamic societies to fit in, learn English, treat women with respect, and shun extremism.
An Islamic leader warned that the remarks could antagonize Muslims and lead to a repeat of incidents such as the rioting in a Sydney beachside suburb last December, when groups of youngsters -- described as having a Middle Eastern background -- fought with whites.
Prime Minister John Howard late last week said migrants should integrate into the way of life in their new country but that a minority of Muslims was opposed to accepting Australia's values.
"Fully integrating means accepting Australian values -- it means learning as rapidly as you can the English language if you don't already speak it," he said in a radio interview.
"People who come from societies where women are treated in an inferior fashion have got to learn very quickly that that is not the case in Australia."
Howard's remarks drew a swift and critical response from Muslim leaders.
Ameer Ali, chairman of an advisory group set up by the government to combat extremism in the 300,000-strong Muslim community, told a radio station the remarks could stoke violence.
"We have already witnessed one incident in Sydney recently in Cronulla," he said in reference to last December's riots. "I don't want these scenes to be repeated because when you antagonize the younger generation ... they are bound to react."
Other Muslim community representatives said the line adopted by Howard was encouraging racial tension.
But Howard stood by his position, denied he was singling out Muslims, and refused to apologize.
"No matter what the culture of the country from which they came might have been, Australia requires women to be treated fairly and decently and in the same fashion as men," he told reporters later.
"If any migrants coming to this country have a different view, they'd better get rid of that view pretty quickly."
Howard said while "99 percent" of Muslims in Australia had integrated, it was "self-evident" that a small section was unwilling to do so. "It's up to all of us to try and overcome that resistance."
He said the critical Muslim spokesmen were "missing the point."
Howard also addressed the issue in an op-ed piece published Saturday, in which he said those who reject integration viewed calls to integrate "as some kind of discrimination."
"It is not. It is commonsense and, importantly, it is also a powerful symbol of a new migrant's willingness and enthusiasm about becoming an Australian."
Howard's number two and possible successor, federal Treasurer Peter Costello, endorsed the prime minister's comments, and added some of his own.
Costello said in a television interview Sunday that Australia's successful integration of migrants was attributable to "the attitude that when you come to Australia, whatever arguments you might have had in the old country, we start again and we start again with a common set of values and a common language."
He also said Islamic leaders should be more public and unequivocal in denouncing terrorism being perpetrated "under the cover of religion."
They should also make it clear to prospective converts to Islam "that when you join this religion you do not join a radical political ideology," Costello added.
His comments brought additional condemnation from Muslim representatives, who said they would only further alientate the community.
Writing in Sydney's Sunday Telegraph, conservative columnist Piers Akerman denounced what he called "shrill cries of outrage from self-described leaders in Australia's Islamic community."
In Australia, he wrote, as was the case in the U.S. and Britain, "Muslim organizations have deliberately installed themselves as permanent aliens and adapted a culture of constant carping about the majority, from whom they maintain their isolation with such bitter determination."
ping
The muslim way of fitting in:
Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal. Churches are illegal.
Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship.
Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam.
Egypt - Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship.
Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.
Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.
Sudan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death.
Pakistan - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims. Christians regularly put in prison for charges of blasphemy. Islam is the state religion, and in a court of law the testimony of a Christian carries less weight than that of a Muslim. Section 295(c) of the Penal Code calls for a death sentence for anyone who defiles the name of the Prophet Muhammad and requires the testimony of four Muslims for a conviction. This fosters an environment in which Muslims can feel free to use intimidation and violence against religious minorities for personal gain.
Qatar - Islamic instruction is compulsory in public schools. The government regulates the publication, importation, and distribution of non-Islamic religious literature. The government continues to prohibit proselytizing of Muslims by non-Muslims.
Malaysia - Under Malaysian law, any convert to Christianity must apply to a shariah (Muslim law) court to legally renounce Islam. Many Christians prefer to remain silent converts rather than take their battle to the shariah courts, where apostasy or conversion out of Islam is punishable by whipping, fines, imprisonment and--in the most extreme application--death.
The Maldives - In the island paradise visited by tens of thousands of tourists each year, Christianity is simply not tolerated. While local Christians – said to number around 300 out of a total population of 300,000 – do get together to worship, they do so at the risk of imprisonment or worse if discovered by the Muslim authorities. Bibles are banned, and tourists can be arrested for trying to bring them into the country.
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/hr/
Hahahahahahaaahahaha! Islamics don't fit in anywhere.
If they riot I have a feeling it will be one riot too many. I don't think the Aussie's will put up with the nonsense.
Might as well ask Ted Kennedy to stop drinking, Bill Clinton to stop philandering, and Jesse Jackson to stop playing the race card.
When is the West going to learn that the best way to deal with the Islamist problem is to not allow them in to begin with?
I'd rather they fit out. As in outside civilized countries.
I certainly hope so!
The only way the maggots can intimidate their hosts is to outnumber them.
A result that is unlikely to be allowed in any non muslim country now.
Having begun as a penal colony, they quickly developed their own brand of keeping the law. I don't imagine there's much empathy there for 'ne'er do wells.'
What side did the Australian feminist take? Did they take a side?
Bump!
Learn English, treat women with respect, and shun extremism. I have to say these politicians are asking too much from the Muslims.
"I am outraged! How dare you ask me to respect women and to not demand the death of all infidels!"
Go Howard!!
I certainly hope so!
The only way that maggots can continue intimidating their host culture is to outnumber them.
A result I believe is no longer likely in any non-muslim country!
I swear, there could be headline authoring software using dropdown menus. This particular phrase is being way overused.
Exactly. Islam says that it is OK to get along when you are in the minority. Then, one day, you tell folks, "You are outnumbered, suckers. We are in charge now. Convert, die, or be a dhimmi!"
That is the danger of them "fitting in". We just THINK they are like us. They even lie at that.
"Anybody who gets "outraged" when asked to act "civilized" is showing their suitability for deportation."
Exactly. I wish Bush had the balls to say the same about Muslims here.
The fought with whites because the Koranimals were raping white women, and the local boys got pissed.
I sure wish Bush had the balls of Howard.
The Muslims have no intention of becoming like the host country. Their intention is to make the host country like them.
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