Posted on 10/26/2006 3:55:29 PM PDT by blam
Australia's Muslims fear backlash
By Nick Bryant
BBC News, Sydney
Sheikh Hilali's remarks come at a sensitive time in race relations
A few weeks ago, I happened to interview Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali outside the Lakemba Mosque in Sydney where he delivered his controversial sermon.
A softly-spoken man, who clearly commands both enormous respect and affection within his community, the Egyptian-born cleric discussed the government's recent proposals for an Australian citizenship test - an examination which many Muslim immigrants believe is targeted at them.
His English is poor, and it was difficult at times to make out precisely what he was saying.
But he told me he was keen to encourage the greater use of English in mosques and for Imams to gain a much greater understanding of Australian history and culture.
'Aussie imam'
Though he did not agree with Prime Minister John Howard's contentious view that sections of the 300,000-strong Muslim community are not doing enough to integrate themselves into the mainstream of Australian society, he seemed prepared at least to address the criticism in a constructive way.
Sheikh Hilali referred more than once to the idea of "the Aussie imam", as he called it - model clerics with a broad knowledge of Australian culture and history.
Neat, snappy and eminently quotable. Just the kind of epithet which sticks in a journalist's mind.
Now some of the cleric's fellow Muslims, including the Islamic Council of New South Wales, are calling his comments comparing immodestly dressed women to "uncovered meat" as "unIslamic, unAustralian and unacceptable."
Far from building bridges with the wider community, he seems to have dug himself an almighty hole.
'Values debate'
Senior figures in the governing Liberal Party have seized upon his remarks, citing them as proof that John Howard's criticisms of sections of the Muslim community are founded in fact.
Treasurer Peter Costello, a critic of what he calls "mushy multiculturalism" and a prime ministerial hopeful, was strong - and early - in his condemnation.
Pru Goward, the country's outgoing Sex Discrimination Commissioner, also weighed in, calling for the cleric to either be deported or prosecuted for incitement to rape.
SHEIKH TAJ EL-DIN AL-HILALI
* Born in Egypt
* Aged 64
* Imam in Sydney
* Appointed mufti of Australia in 1989
A leading light in the Liberal Party, Ms Goward is a parliamentary candidate and is said to harbour prime ministerial ambitions of her own.
She will not have done her chances any harm by speaking out so forcefully on this issue.
By drawing attention to what it regards as instances of Islamic extremism, the Liberal Party clearly believes it is on the right side of the "values debate" and speaks for a large section of the electorate.
The Labour leader Kim Beazley also demanded a retraction.
Backlash feared
Sheikh Hilali has not only given his critics ammunition. His remarks seem all the more extraordinary given the sensitive nature of race relations in Sydney right now.
Last year saw race riots at some Sydney beaches
The city is approaching the first anniversary of the ugly race riots on Cronulla beach last December, when white youths attacked people of Middle Eastern background - sparking a number of retaliatory attacks.
Only this month, the New South Wales police launched "Operation Beachsafe," assigning a flying squad of some 80 officers to patrol known trouble-spots in the hope of averting further trouble.
The fear in Sydney is that rising summer temperatures could be accompanied by a rise in racial tension.
Certainly, many Muslim leaders fear a backlash.
"I am expecting a deluge of hate mail," said Walid Ali of the Islamic Council of Victoria. "I am expecting people to get abused in the street and get abused at work."
Good. It's about time the fear factor should be a two way street.
Why is it every time these lunatics pull another stunt, some supplicating reporter "fears a backlash".
The reality is these nutters fear having to take responsiblity for their actions. Societal approbation is not the same thing as a "backlash".
continued the imam..."however, if it is our muslim yoots who are abusing infidels in the street, we'll overlook that as simply "boys will be boys""...
They can always leave and go back to the Turd-World hellholes that they came from.
The Telegraph (UK)
By Mark Chipperfield in Sydney
Last Updated: 11:48am BST 26/10/2006
Australia's most prominent Muslim cleric was threatened with deportation today after he was reported to have said that women who "sway suggestively" and do not cover up can provoke sexual assault by men.
Sheikh Taj el-Din Al Hilali
In a sermon marking the end of Ramadan, Sheikh Taj el-Din Al Hilali told worshippers in Sydney that women who display their bodies were like "uncovered meat". He said that women should stay hidden at home, or wear the hijab, or Islamic scarf, in public.
"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park ... and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it?
"The cats or the uncovered meat?"
Sheik Hilali's remarks are a clear reference to a high-profile trial involving a group of Muslim teenagers who committed a series of brutal gang rapes against Australian women in Sydney six years ago.
The Egyptian-born cleric was roundly condemned by the more moderate sections of Australia's Islamic community - including many prominent Muslim women.
John Howard, the prime minister, described Sheik Hilali's comments as "appalling and reprehensible".
The cleric promptly issued a statement claiming that his sermon had been incorrectly translated and misunderstood. He went on to condemn rape and said that he respected the right of Australian women to dress as they saw fit.
But the government's sex discrimination commissioner said she believed his remarks warranted tough action.
Pru Goward, a close confidant of Mr Howard, alleged that the sermon amounted to an incitement for Muslim men to rape women who they deem immodest in their dress or behaviour.
"It is an incitement to a crime," she said.
"Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court. It's time we stopped saying he should apologise. It is time the Islamic community did more than say they were horrified. I think it is time he left."
Relations between Muslims and white Australians have become increasingly strained, spilling over into pitched battles between gangs of Lebanese and white youths in December last year.
Earlier this year Mr Howard told authors of a book about his premiership that the minority of Muslims in the country who "rave on about jihad" and hold "extreme attitudes" towards women do not fit into Australian society.
You could feel the reporter's sympathy for the poor, misunderstood muzzies just oozing from every pore.
It seems as if the Aussies are several steps ahead of us in their expectations of immigrants, and msny of the Imams have gotten the message.
Why is it every time these lunatics pull another stunt, some supplicating reporter "fears a backlash".
I couldn't agree more-it seems to me that the Muslims spend an inordinate amount of time "fearing backlash!"
Anybody ever wonder why?
Since when is Muslim a race??
Perhaps they should spend less time creating backlashes...
How come no one ever points out that a backlash is a response to a lash? These complaints all amount to, "No Fair! You're trying to hit me back!"
I wonder if we could talk her into running for office in the U.S. We need a few politicians with backbones.
"Only this month, the New South Wales police launched "Operation Beachsafe," assigning a flying squad of some 80 officers to patrol known trouble-spots"
Why is it that muslims can rape, rob, murder, beat people up and torch cars with impunity, but as soon as someone fights back, the local governments spring into action and fly cops in to protect the muslims?
Spread this. Time to start fighting back.
http://www.americancongressfortruth.com/
I like how the "journalist" claim whitey started the race riots. It was actually muzzies who harassed filthy bikini clad infidels and beat a life guard
Mmmmm.... Uncovered Meat....
Nice tag line :)
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