Scenes from the riots last weekend
by MESHEL LAURIE
I think I finally know what it feels like to fear for my way of life and to want those who threaten it sent far, far away.
I’ll never forget my first visit to Melbourne. The sights, sounds and smells of a truly great, multicultural city made me feel like I could travel the world in a day, and when I did travel the world some years later, I knew for certain that all the best bits had been hand delivered to Melbourne.
For almost 200 years people have made their way from all points around the globe to the sometimes climactically inhospitable city perched on Port Phillip Bay. From adventurers, enduring months at sea for a crack at Victoria’s Gold fields, to the scarred survivors of famine and fighting, Melbourne has embraced them all in what used to be known affectionately in this country as it’s “cultural melting pot”.
It’s officially the world’s most livable city, for the second year in a row, and any Melbournian can tell you why. It’s the lifestyle that makes up in warmth what it lacks in sunshine. It is even more than the some of its parts, and its parts are made up of the whole world.
As a sensible human being I understand that the individuals who rioted in Sydney last week do not represent Australian Muslims, any more than those marauding ferals in Cronulla represented me. In truth though, I’ve come to expect skirmishes in Sydney, in which for whatever reason, people seem to create quite a bit of friction as they rub up against each other. Maybe it’s because everyone in Sydney moves so fast!
Some images from last weekend’s riots:
From Adam Boland on Twitter (@postboxadam)
Perhaps naively, I would not expect to see such a display in Melbourne and yet, as I type, the dreaded text messages are circulating. One, calling on “Australians” to “battle for our rights and our land” is aimed at assembling non Muslims to meet in the city and confront Muslims protesting that stupid movie.
However, a message circulating around Melbourne’s Muslim community implores them to “Please BOYCOTT the Melbourne protest on Sunday 23rd September because the Muslim community HAS NOT ORGANIZED IT”.
I never thought that Melbourne of all places could host a race riot and if it can, well, then I don’t think I know much about Australia at all anymore.
As an Australian who treasures my peaceful, multicultural community, and the lifestyle it affords me and my family, I implore anyone who is considering attending this or any event like it, to refrain. Refrain because you know damn well it’s stupid, because it’ll make you look like an embarrassing lunatic who everyone wishes would go and live on the moon, and because absolutely nothing good will ever come out of it.
If you know someone who is considering attending, please talk them out of it.
Meshel Laurie is a comedian and broadcaster. You can catch up with her on Nova’s Drive Show with Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold 4-6pm on weekdays.
Comments
67 Comments so far
Let’s get the vague and ill-defined language of Islam straight. Safiya stated that the majority of Islamic followers “proclaim peace”. How vague is this statement? Peace to these people means “Ummah”. Ummah means the systematic destruction of western civilisation. This is their “peace”. All Islamic discourse is vague and ill-defined, and this is a very good example.
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A reminder to all of us how fortunate we are to live under a democracy http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/saudis-sentence-australian-man-to-500-lashes-for-blasphemy/story-fn59nm2j-1226216008331
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My Dad is an Irish Catholic. My Mum is English and Prodestant. When they married in the ’60s they encountered a huge amount of opposition and hate, due to their “mixed marriage”. You wouldn’t believe how much they had to put up with, and the 60s and 70s were a particularly bad time for such a partnership.
They moved to Australia for many reasons, but one was because of them was because they didn’t want my brother (I wasn’t born yet) to see such hate directed towards them because of their different religions. In Australia, no one cared about their different religions and no one made comments or passed judgement about it.
I do believe that Australians, on the whole, really don’t care about your religion, as long as you don’t try to push it, or your religions problems, on others.
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I have just finished reading My Journey by the awesome Jim Stynes. He speaks of something similar, that when he came to Australia, he couldn’t believe that no one even asked him what his religion was, it was a complete non issue. He then mentions all the different races all fairly happily muddling along together in Melbourne. Let’s hope it can stay that way!
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They aren’t race riots they are riots based on religious beliefs.
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It frightens me so much to see people behave like this. I don’t understand is what people are fighting for. Don’t we all want the same things in the end? Why do we as individuals persist in believing that we are better, that we’re smarter, more holy, are richer, cooler, more fashionable, pretty, thinner and generally something more than we are? We’re all the same! For God’s sake, we’re all the same! What are we doing? What sort of future do the children of today have to look forward to? Stop your fighting and be with your family this weekend. This behaviour is not acceptable.
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They are killing people over a person, Muhammed, who is dead. Ridiculous, really, when you think about it.
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G’day Safiya,
It’s good to get your input. Perhaps you’d help us to further develop our
knowledge and understanding by commenting on the following:-
http://www.news.com.au/national/video-of-8-year-old-jihad-girl-urging-islamic-uprising/story-fndo4bst-1226476305453
Many thanks.
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600 ‘moderate’ Muslims sat and listened to this. We are mad if we believe a word they say about wanting to live here in peace.
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Only mad if you believe it from people who encourage this, which, as you point out, is 600 people.
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This says it better than I ever could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9uUcjx5LD4&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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‘We’re supposed to show tolerance and respect for a religion that shows neither tolerance nor respect for anything.’
Great link.
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Are you kidding?? This Pat Condell is full of nothing but racist hate. Yeah, I’m sure that’ll fix these all the problems, carpet bombing people. Yes people. We are all just human. Hatred fixes nothing.
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I think Frank Lowy’s address is worth reading. Multiculturalism comes with problems and if people aren’t going to becaome Australian and leave their prejudices and hatred behind then our Nation will suffer. We are bending over backwards to accommodate every conceivable need for Muslims but it is a two way street.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/two-sides-to-the-blend-of-cultures-20120919-266xb.html
The mother claiming not to know what the sign said has been here two years. My Scottish friend’s step son has to sit an English exam before he can stay.
The men at the demonstration are known to police, ASIO and home security. We have people in our community who shouldn’t be here. Why does the government insist on putting our families at risk? Why aren’t the bad apples shipped out? Why are clerics allowed to spew their hatred and indoctrinate another generation?
Kindness and tolerance shouldn’t be confused with weakness. The government needs to act. Australians will not have Muslims calling for the beheading of infidels or calling for jihad.
This is Australia, my home and the home of my children and family. If I want to protest and march and demonstrate to make the government acknowledge my concerns and the radical Muslims know they are not welcome then I will.
If you think I should be better than that, bad luck.
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I am glad you linked that article because I was just about to once I read that in the Tele tonight. Wonderful stuff – I think we should pay attention to what Frank says.
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Meshel you are a great writer & have summed up my feelings as well.
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They must be so proud ….
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Dear Confused,
You will be less confused if you have information
so you might think about doing some research
e.g. borrow from your local library. Google a variety of keywords be sure that you get a balance between Muslim and Non Muslim commentary.
We get very little info in this country unless we do the work ourselves.
(You will of course, have to read history )
Our ignorance and confusion both need to be addressed. It’s up to us.
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Well said Meshel, I don’t want to see anyone in Australia being abused because of their race or religion.
(Also, pet peeve: Melbourne is “even more than the some of its parts” should be SUM of its parts. The saying is about adding up the parts, like in a sum.)
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Meshel, how about asking the Muslims and Greens to cancel their demonstration outside the Max Brenner store in Parramatta? The police are shutting streets and moving an enormous bus interchange. Businesses, shoppers and commuters will be worried and inconvenienced.
Why? So that the continued vilification of Jews can be paraded on the streets of Sydney in 2012. Can you imagine if this happened outside a mosque?
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I think when companies like Max Brenner, and their parent company Strauss take the political position of offering vocal support and funding to the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Force then it is not a surprise when they get a political response. Also, voicing opposition to the actions of the Israeli government does not equate to ‘vilification a Jews’.
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“voicing opposition to the actions of the Israeli government does not equate to ‘vilification a Jews’.”
It shouldn’t, but unfortunately it does seem to work out that way sometimes (depending on how the opposition is expressed).
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Do you know what it is about? They don’t support Israel because of the apartheid like government they are. Bulldozing homes, indiscriminately fire bombing homes. They recently killed two security officials who protect the borders? Why?
Do not confuse Jews and the Israeli government. They are different.
There problem with Max Brenner is that the company supports the IDF and the killings.
You don’t need to know too much to understand that what Israel does to the Palestinians is wrong. Anyone with a heart would know that.
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exactly.
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So, because Muslims murdered 5 US diplomats we’re within our rights if we demonstrate outside Mosques?
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They are two completely different issues. What is happening to the Palestinians is an absolute disgrace and I would protest peacefully on their behalf. How the western world sucks up to Israel and turns a blind eye to this mass murder disgusts me. And I am a 6th generation Aussie.
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Max Brenner is a chocolate shop, it’s not like they were outside a synagogue!
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it was peaceful anyway – there were no dramas last night.
Ive seen it happen outside the ‘max brenner’ Newtown shop too a few months ago. Im glad there are people who care enough about it to peacefully protest!
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Safiya, both sides are wrong. Not just the Israelis. The Palestinian mothers who preach hate to their children and let them parade with guns, the suicide bombers who kill innocent civilians not soldiers etc. or I guess you are going to justify their actions? Both sides! Israel has a right to exist just as much as the Palestiniens have a right to exist and there isn’t reason that they can’t get along. I am sitting here seeing the violence and riots and it’s de ja vu, just lucky that they can’t pin them on the Jews this time hey. No, they justify it on some diallusioned youth.. You have got to be kidding me! Do you see anyone rioting against Australia for sending money and assistance to the Palestinians? By the way, I am an Israeli Australian. To get a resolution to any situation, both sides have to get their heads out of the sand.. I’d say you are a long way away from that
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if your parents and family had been killed and oppressed, lost their homeland and rights to their property Im sure you would make sure the future generations know about it…so dont go blaming Palestinian Mothers about preaching hate….
It seems in Australia we are only taught about WW1 and WW2 , the holocaust , what happened to the Jewish people but never what atrocities our allies the USA and UK have enticed and allowed to happen in the Middle east and South America…
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well said – people need to have an open mind about what is happening in our world.
Our main media stream reports nothing in detail …not suprising since most of their news comes from American channels…our main TV stations show their news at 6pm and that lasts about 15min then they go onto sport…shocking!!!
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I love Jewish culture, respect the religion, but can’t stand the politics. So by applying your logic here OP, if I voice my opinion on the politics, it automatically means I hate the culture and the religion? I find that a bit unfair.
I’m also unimpressed that you have hijacked a wonderful piece of writing about inclusiveness and multiculturalism in Australia by comparing cultural protests.
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I agree with Meshel that we should be ‘better than that’ and any sensible person will probably avoid going to the Melbourne demonstration this weekend, regardless of their beliefs.
I think her impression of Melbourne as a cosy multicultural haven compared with Sydney is a little simplistic, though. Sure, it’s not an all out riotfest, but there are clashes between cultures now and then (Serbs vs Croats at the tennis, anyone?) just as there are in any big city.
Also, on a lighter note, enough of the ‘Melbourne-where-the-sun-never shines’ analogies.
Come and live here in summer!
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Lizi, I agree with you 100% on all points. Thanks for writing that so I didn’t have to
And yeah, it’s trivial, but I am also sick to death of the “Oooh, Melbourne is SO cold” thing too. It’s just another form of stereotyping, like saying all Muslims are terrorists. We have cold winters, but spring, summer and autumn are mostly glorious, and even hot (and with no hideous humidity!). Cool today here, but was 23 yesterday and is 23 again tomorrow- and that’s September.
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I am confused and must live in a different Melbourne to you guys. It is so cold, that’s not a stereotype, it’s a fact (for Australian standards anyway, I’m not comparing it to Russia here). Coming from Perth, I find Melbourne absolutely freezing. Spring is usually just and extended winter with the ocassional nice day here and there and summer can be very hit and miss, whereas in Perth you are guaranteed months and months of sunshine every year. It’s all relative, isn’t it?
Anyway, I digress…
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Try Tasmania then.
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He he Perth people have always had a chip on their shoulder about the eastern states.
Depends what’s important to you. If you want nice weather and to die of boredom, live in Perth.
If you want to freeze your butt off but get some culture and refinement, live in Melbourne. Each to their own.
BTW… well said Mechel, my sentiments exactly.
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All I said was that Melbourne was cold by my standards, didn’t criticise it any other way, I actually think it’s an amazing city.
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Ooops, didn’t mean this otherwise fabulous and thoughtful piece to descend into a discussion about the weather! Look, maybe it is all relative- I lived for 3 years in Edinburgh and then two in Montreal, and they are SERIOUS freeze your-butt-off cities. I just get sick of hearing Melbourne described as having a “lack of sunshine” and “climactically impossible” when (I think) it’s really pretty good. 23 tomorrow!
And great piece Meshel. I hope everyone in Melbs heeds your words. x
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Neither did I! Thinking about it a bit more, I think my concern is that we in Melbourne might get a bit smug about our multi cultural image and not be vigilant about improving relations between different communities. There’s always room for improvement.
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Everytime I go to Sydney I am amazed at the segregation of different cultural groups. On our last trip a friend I was travelling with was told to “go back to where she came from” and “don’t breed here” (country Victoria?) because of her Indian appearance.
Having lived in Melbourne for five years we were amazed because she’d never encountered it here.
I don’t know what it is about Sydney… are there geographical boundaries? Was Melbourne a non-Anglo migrant destination from earlier on? (Gold rush, etc…)
What do Sydneysiders think?
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I live in an area of Sydney that has a huge Indian and Chinese population. Their children are wonderful and have become ‘Australan’ within one generation. They’ve integrated really well. The problem is more with the racism of their parents. Inter-racial relationships are very difficult to sustain. The rudeness and exclusion of the parents towards kids that are from a different race makes it unpleasant for everyone.
I can’t see segregation or racism where I live. There are always groups of young people around and they contain all races.
I just have to say that, regarding Muslim immigration, most of the comments I’ve read and heard are by newer immigrants who have come here to start a new life. They have experienced the dark side of Islam and we’d be idiots not to listen to them.
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Its unfortunate that humans cannot unite with this type of energy and protest against things such as carbon tax, electricity bills going up, cost of living in general, greedy banks… what about the price of PETROL? has that t gone off the radar?! Or how expensive a can of RED BULL IS at 7-11? $5 bucks man!
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People did protest with this sort of energy against the carbon tax or have you forgotten it?
As for the red bull,it’s crap anyway.
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Lip service from the Muslim Community – I don’t buy it. Their PR machine is in full swing, they’re saying what we need to hear.
And I’m actually sick to death of hearing comparisons between the riot on Satuday and the situation that occurred in Cronulla a few years ago.
Firstly, lets not forget how the Cronulla situation started. Young disenfranchised Middle Eastern / Muslim men behaving aggressively and posturing violently toward the Cronulla locals (including young families) week after week after week until it errupted. Im not condoning it, but what happened there is NOTHING like what happened in Sydney on the weekend.
Secondly, the Cronulla situation wasn’t supported (inflamed if you like) by a archaic religion and thousands / millions of people rioting (murdering) in 20 countries across the globe.
The essay Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote for Newsweek says :
The Muslim men and women (and yes, there are plenty of women) who support—whether actively or passively—the idea that blasphemers deserve to suffer punishment are not a fringe group. On the contrary, they represent the mainstream of contemporary Islam. Of course, there are many Muslims and ex-Muslims, in Libya, Egypt, and elsewhere, who unambiguously condemn not only the murders and riots, as well as the idea that dissenters from this mainstream should be punished. But they are marginalized and all too often indirectly held responsible for the very provocation. In the age of globalization and mass immigration, such intolerance has crossed borders and become the defining characteristic of Islam.
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Rioters represent only 0.05% of Australian Muslims.
But let me get this right. You want to believe what 200 people said and did at a protest but want to ignore the majority who proclaim peace.
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Unfortunately sometimes actions speak louder than words, and sadly the actions that we are seeing from around the world are speaking far louder than those proclaiming peace. It may not be right, but it is what happens.
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Exactly what do you mean by “peace”, Safiyah”? What kind of “peace” do the other Moslems “proclaim”? To an intelligent westerner these questions are critical. Define what you mean by “peace” please, otherwise you will be misunderstood and even accused of evasive statements. Peace might mean something quite different to an Islamic person than it does to me.
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I must be terribly naive because I DO NOT understand why people are protesting in AUSTRALIA a movie that was created in the US and is on YouTube (not being shown in theaters) YouTube is a place for personal views, NOT public views…. YouTube MUST have a report function, the ability to request removal of inappropriate content.
A sensible protest mission would have been to flood the website with requests for removal and have the offending upload taken down.
By protesting in this manner the community have made this movie HIGHLY publicized to people who may have NEVER been exposed to it!!
A very cautious person might question WHO actually started these texts and call to action, because, really, now sooo many more people know that this movie exists and many more will want to access it just to see what all the fuss is about!
I hope those who allowed their strong emotions and love for their religion to be used in this way, to behave in a manner that brought disrepute to their religion and more fear to those who do not understand muslims, and believe all the propoganda created to incite fear; I hope all those who attended are feeling just a little ashamed, as I truely believe that ALL those with strong religious beliefs would have supported a calm call to written action of complaint…
But I am probably just very naive….
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I thought the protesters started at the US Embassy? To join their international kin who were doing the same.
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this isn’t the first time someone has protested an event in another country. The internet is global. Why is an australian not entitled to an opinion on something that happens in another part of the world? just because our country is a little geographically isolated does not mean we are not part of the world. You only don’t understand cause it isn’t something that directly effect or offend you.
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I totally agree with confused. I have not clicked on the clip, I am not sure why anyone would want to watch it anyways? It was created by a totally ignorant bigot. How protests in Australia are going to have any effect on this persons biased racist views will have any impact is beyond me.
Shouldn`t people be putting their energies into contacting you tube to remove the clip?
I am guessing that the police who were bashed last Saturday are wondering how a “peaceful protest” will impact you tubes policy?
I also do not understand how a peaceful protest turned feral, maybe the pre made signs re beheading were an indication that the protest was never intended to be peaceful?
I have never attended a peaceful protest fully prepared with signs that incite further hatred, have you?
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Organisers of the protest cancelled it. She, yes she, wanted to protest racism and decriminalizing she recovered daily.
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Well said Meshel. And I completely agree with your sentiment “that the individuals who rioted in Sydney last week do not represent Australian Muslims, any more than those marauding ferals in Cronulla represented me”. I lived in the Shire at the time of the riots and for about three months after I used to lie to strangers and say I lived elsewhere. Just didn’t want to be tainted with it. I’m not saying I don’t know individuals who are from there and hold those racist views (and I say “know”, not “they’re my best friends” – acquaintances or friends of friends) – but I am not one of them, and I encourage everybody to understand that of the Muslim community as we go through this next racist “issue”
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It seems like a lovely sentiment that Melbourne has been welcoming people from all over the globe for 200 years. The reality is there was a White Australia Policy in place until the Whitlam Government dismantled it in 1973, though it was relaxed in the 60′s. So yes it has welcomed white people for that length of time.
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I take your point, however Prior to the White Australia policy which was in effect from 1901 until 1973, people came for all points, including decidedly non-white China during the Gold Rush.
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That’s some nice labor party propaganda you have going there,but here are the facts…..the Menzies and Holt governments effectively dismantled the white Australia policy betwen 1949 and 1966.
In 1973 the Whitlam government passed laws to ensure race would be totally disregarded as a component for immigration!
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Well said!
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I hope your message works. It’s just a sad state of affairs really.
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People no longer trust the Government. They read about the effect of Muslim immigration on European countries. Australians aren’t as easily fooled and placated as the Government would have us believe.
Many Muslim leaders have spoken over the last few days. Many have called our soldier’s attempts to free Iraq and Afghanistan an invasion and condemned them as killers of their civilians.
Australia has provided a sanctuary for millions of people. We have been able to join and live together in peace and harmony.
For the sake of my children, I pray that continues.
http://europenews.dk/en/node/34368
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You only able to see one side of the.view. I feel sorry for you.
If you live in Afgahnistan or Iraq, you probably felt that you were invaded. Your life is more dangerous than before. So understand what the people feel. I don’t like either wars and we are killing our own soldiers sending them there when most citizens are against it.
Also, Europe’s problems with Muslims are different and not applicable to Australia. We do not have the limited opportunities for immigrants like Europe. We do not exclude Muslims. If you create barriers you create “us and them” syndrome.
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I’ve heard the same from prominent Muslims who have never lived in Afghanistan or Iraq. They were born and educated here but condemn our soldiers. Their loyalty is to Islam, not Australia. If we are not wanted then we should leave and let them do what they want. With their charming habit of poisoning school girls and stoning women I guess it will be a better place with our uncivilized soldiers there.
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The link you’ve provided took me to an article claiming Muslims “inbreed” and are therefor of “low intelligence.” If this is the source of your information about some of your fellow Australians, I’m not surpirsed you’re alarmed! May I respectfully ask you to consider the “radical” and “extremist” nature of that website? May I impose further and suggest you meet some Muslim people and judge for yourself?
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This is a lot politer than how I would have said it!
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Unfortunately, there is a lot of truth in these assertions regardless of the particular leanings of the website they were taken from. It is no secret and widely known.
I have worked as an integration aide in an area of Melbourne that has the highest Muslim population. These problems are acknowledged. The children we are often assisting are the children of first cousins.
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Ten children, four of them *severely* disabled, the rest with less severe problems and still the parents refuse genetic counceling. This is one of many cases.
Towns in the UK have populations with first cousin marriages running as high as 75%. And remember that their parents were first cousins and their grandparents and theirs before them.
The facts mightn’t fit with your rose coloured view of the world but the information contained in that link is widely accepted by the medical fraternity.
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Up until about three generations ago my white, upper-crusty, English as they come family was all kinds of inbred. I didn’t have to go back nearly as far as I thought I’d have to before I found a few cases of siblings marrying.
I still know some reasonably young white Aussies who have married their second cousins or have had relationships with their first cousins. Muslims aren’t the only ones who marry their cousins, it’s hard to find a culture that doesn’t have a huge history of this and it’s only relatively recently that this has become a real taboo.
Our Queen is married to her cousin. It’s a miracle our Royal Family aren’t mutants given their history of inbreeding. Given we apparently view those people as fit to reign, I really don’t think we can look down on anyone else.
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