With Australia’s Senate looking more diverse than ever there is a lot of talk about Pauline Hanson and One Nation’s desire for a Royal Commission into Islam.
While most think the idea is a preposterous one there is actually a certain amount of merit to it. Perhaps a closer look at those falsely calling themselves Muslims and preaching radical hate and extremism is warranted.
The principal feature of this kind of extremism is religious intolerance. The absolute hatred of any religion that is perceived to conflict with their own beliefs. This intolerance often turns into violence and other criminal and occasionally terrorist-style behaviour, although incidents of this kind have been very few and many would argue that they are more grounded in mental health issues than religious matters.
However, given public safety may be put at risk by this kind of extremism perhaps a Royal Commission is not only warranted, it is imperative.
Pauline Hanson – Wants a Royal Commission
Image – AAP
Where I differ from Hanson though, is that I think that the Royal Commission should not be restricted to Islamic extremism, it should cover all organisations promoting religious intolerance. In fact, Hanson’s singling out of the Islamic faith could be perceived as religious intolerance and therefore be something the Commission looks at.
We could call it the Royal Commission Into Organisational Religious Intolerance, or RIRC for short.
If there is one thing that has become clear lately religious intolerance promoted through violence has become an unwelcome part of Australian culture lately. Contrary to what people like Pauline Hanson would have you believe Islam is not the aggressor in these violent clashes, Islam is usually the target.
These poor respectable young men are scared of Muslim children
Image – SBS
Last weekend we saw an organised group of men storm an Anglican Church on the NSW Central Coast. The offenders wore mock Muslim attire and as one can imagine, scared some of the elderly congregation half to death. The group’s leader was even cut off in an on-air interview with Andrew Bolt when Bolt lost his patience. Bolt was seemingly furious that this group of bizarre extremists were going to make to regular bigots and racists look bad. After all, he would hate to see all bigot’s tarred with the same “extremist” brush. That brush is reserved for Muslims.
The reason for this foolish act was that the church involved had spoken out against the harsh treatment of refugee children on Nauru. The offenders clearly think that the conditions Muslim children are suffering on Nauru are not harsh enough.
The group’s name is even more idiotic than its actions when you consider its cause, they ironically call themselves the Party For Freedom. This is not the first time the Party For Freedom have staged a dumb stunt, some may remember when some of its members tried to make it past Parliament House security in Canberra wearing a Burqa amongst other things.
Anti-Islamic idiots outside Gosford Anglican Church
Image – ABC
However it is via organised hate groups such as Reclaim Australia that we have seen Anti-Islamic protests turn violent on many occasions.
It is groups like Reclaim Australia that seek to provoke and push Muslims to the point where they react and fight back just so Reclaim Australia can point the finger at them and tell us how they warned us… Thankfully Muslims have not been that easily manipulated and have not retaliated.
There is Party For Freedom, Reclaim Australia, Q Society, United Patriots Front and political parties like Rise Up Australia, Australian Liberty Alliance, and of course One Nation.
In a multicultural society such as ours, religious intolerance should not be acceptable, and perhaps a closer look at some of these groups and political parties is a good thing. Any links to criminal elements, any instances of promoting violence or other criminal behaviour, these are all things that could be looked into and addressed publicly.
Recently Victorian Police raided premises in Melbourne arresting a man in anti-terrorist raids. This was not an Islamic terrorist, this was a right-wing extremist.
It is not just fringe groups and political parties involved either, some of our larger political parties could also find members facing scrutiny of some of their own actions. People like Cory Bernardi and George Christenson could find themselves explaining their Anti-Islamic stance which borders on fanatical. In fact only today did it hit the press that Cory Bernardi is to introduce a bill to wind back the Anti-Discrimination Act seeking to allow racial vilification.
For those thinking it is only the right-wing parties involved in religious intolerance and racism, think again.
While the Greens are quick to point the finger at Pauline Hanson and call her a bigot or Xenophobe, you don’t have to look to hard to find similar sentiments from the Greens regarding those of Jewish faith or from Israel. Deputy Leader Scott Ludlam has even referred to Israel as a “rogue state”.
The Greens have been criticised for their anti-Semitic hate speech campaign for many years. Recently Lee Rhiannon was even criticised for spending taxpayer funds on Anti-Israel propaganda.
Lee Rhiannon – Jew bashing at a Sydney rally and billing the taxpayer
Image – news.com.au
One wonders what the Greens position on Asylum Seekers would be if they were primarily Jewish families held on Nauru.
Those of Jewish faith would not see a lot of difference between going to a Pro-Palestinian event and attending a Reclaim Australia rally yet the Greens are quite comfortable attending these events while boycotting Jewish events.
Is there really a great difference in mentality between boycotting Halal products and boycotting Israeli products?
It seems the Greens are fine with racial vilification, stereotyping, and xenophobia, as long as it targets a nationality or religion they don’t like.
In Canada Greens leader Elizabeth May is threatening to cause a split in the Party by stepping down from her role saying she does not want to lead a party that was Anti-Israel and Anti-Semite, after the Greens voted to boycott Israel and have sanctions against Israel as policy.
I have to hand it to May for taking such a stand against bigotry in her own party, while in Australia the Greens leaders tolerate and pander to the bigots amongst them.
Next time you see one of the Greens with that fake look of frustration on their face talking about Pauline Hanson or racists, just remember the line between the Greens and those they frown on is a thin one if it even exists at all.
Pauline Hanson needs to understand extremism isn’t a one-way street, and the public need to be aware that religious intolerance comes in many flavours and colours. Perhaps bigots from all sides should be forced into the spotlight to explain themselves.
A religious intolerance Royal Commission, bring it on.
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Just a quick note for the Author.
Q society seeks to undo all the halal certification scheme/scam going on, and to end the deliberate
and often misleading information regarding Halal.
Q society also do a lot of work to end animal cruelty regarding slaughtering of the animal.
Muslims can make all foods and stuff Halal simply by saying Bismallah over it.
Just FYI Author.
Jut a quick note for NFP.
I think you mean ‘Bismillah’. And despite what that renowned expert on all things Islamic, Pauline Hanson says, saying Bismillah does not make haram foods ‘and stuff’ permissible.
http://www.albalagh.net/qa/suspicous_meat.shtml
Just FYI, NFP.
You lost me when you got to Greens-bashing again. Campaigning for justice for Palestinians is not the same as being anti-Semitic. Perhaps you don’t know the conditions of the Israeli occupation under which the people of the West Bank and Gaza live (and die). I respectfully suggest you read up on it and consider re-writing this article and sticking to the subject on which you started out extremely well.
Thanks Robyn, I know it’s tough for the Greens to accept responsibility for their own actions and words, it’s much easier to point the finger elsewhere.
I do know quite a bit about the Gaza situation and the conflict, and I still don’t see how any Jews in Australia are harming anyone on the West Bank or anywhere else for that matter.
I do know the Greens love to label it as Greens-bashing when anyone is critical of them or holds a light to their hypocrisy, but yet criticising anyone else is seen as fair game.
It must be good to have a membership that will accept that kind of childish attitude
Thanks for responding Peter. For the record, I am not a Green, just a supporter of a fair go and equity for all – Jews, Arabs, whatever.
That’s where I sit too Robyn
I’m ok with any person of any religion as long as they are not harming others or trying to force their beliefs on me
This comment was emailed to me by Owen as he was having trouble with commenting on the site, I’ll put my responses under his points with my initials before them.
hmmm … Is there really a great difference in mentality between boycotting Halal products and boycotting Israeli products?
yes there is a difference – and someone of your intellect should know better Peter.
if you want to compare Halal with something, the obvious one would be Kosher, not Israel (Israel is actually a country, whereas Halal and Kosher are laws governing what food people of particular faiths can eat).
PW – Yep, totally agree there is a difference in that regard, but I was referring to the mentality behind the boycott, and I still see them as being as infantile as each other
boycotting products from Israel if you believe that Israel acts as a “rogue state” does not necessarily mean you are anti-Semetic. … there are plenty of Jews who are not supportive of the political positions of the Israeli government.
… and i’m pretty sure being non-Zionist does not automatically make these people anti-Semetic Jews.
PW – Agreed again, and that’s what makes a Israel boycott so infantile, it is tarring all Israelis with the same brush no matter what their political view. It would be like boycotting Australian businesses because of what Dutton is allowing on Nauru.
add to this the fact that “The religious affiliation of the Israeli population as of 2011 was 75.4% Jewish, 16.9% Muslim, 2.1% Christian, and 1.7% Druze, with the remaining 4.0% not classified by religion.”
it should also be noted that the last time Pauline Hanson was elected is was on an anti-Asian platform. where is that now? have our Asian brothers and sisters all departed and been replaced with those of Islamic faith? NO … this is not the case.
small minded people looking at a big picture the size of a postage stamp will no doubt disagree, but this is little more than racist fashion.
PW – Hansons followers are protesters looking for a cause, as you point out before Muslim’s it was the Asians, before that the indigenous, where to next, who knows… There will always be those easily led and angry at the world and that’s the platform she uses to self-promote. Fear is always a good tool, that’s why political parties run scare-campaigns
and yes Peter, your theme is laudable – that we should seek to clarify and beautify our policies concerning racism … however i think the philosophical holes in your argument require a rethink.
keep up the good fight brother.
owen
PW – Thanks Owen
The Israelis are unofficially sanctioning shooting of journalists not to mention imprisoning children of all ages. This David and Goliath game has to stop. This slow form of Genocide does not do Israel any credit. If Palestine ceased all violent activities I think Israel will agitate to create another excuse to maintain land invasion.
I’m not saying I agree with the Israeli governments actions, not in the slightest. But I’m intelligent enough to realise that it doesn’t involve Jews trying to make a living in Australia.
The Greens and Labor have been highly critical of the Sri Lankan govt and military over genocide and war crimes, however we don’t hold that against Sri Lankans here. The same goes for Syrians. Yet the Greens single out Israeli’s and Jews for special criticism.
That is textbook bigotry.
Hi Peter.
Australia is more of a Rogue State than Israel, relatively speaking, and as an Occupied Aborigine (Declaration of Interest), I feel Sympathy for the Stateless Palestinian.
“Rogue State”, as used by We Aggrieved (including the Greens Nasties, for whatever Reason), may not be the Official Adjective, but it sure comes close to breaking my Morality Detector.
Cheers.
Can someone ask the redhead to please explain.
1. What is her perception of Islam that warrants a Royal Commission.
2. What does she think the outcome would be.
3. And does she have any solutions to the problems she perceives.
And I agree with this article, bring on a RICR.
I just wish we would all do more research on subjects before we pass judgements. How many of us know what the Koran says about violence? The old testament in the Christian bible depicts some violent acts against others and are supposedly justified by God. Through understanding and really listening to what Jesus said we realise that love is the important truth and that we can be better than we have been. Understanding, acceptance, respect and love-what a wonderful world it would be!!!
Whenever I hear people talking about the evils of Halal I’m reminded of the work of Wally Butterworth – a one-time US DJ and quiz show host during the sixties.
He fronted The American Voters and Buyers League who wanted to expose Kosher rorts and boycott Jewish products for almost the same reason.
They saw Kosher as part of a global conspiracy to undermine and threaten the American Christian way of life. His recordings are available on the Internet.
He was also the recruiting shop-front for a conservative political movement that wanted American Jobs for Americans, and end to immigration and almost all the same former One Nation policies (“with the addition of No Welfare for known drug users”).
That political group was known as the Ku Klux Klan.
Religion is poison to any society but acceptable if it’s kept isolated from political influence but intolerance is the source of almost all social problems,