BLOGS: It's all black and white ...

Reporting crime statistics isn't an easy job. The Victorian police haven't been as proficient in this area as they could be. Hence when the Victorian Opposition Leader asked the Victorian Ombudsman to look into the matter in April 2008, it was taken seriously. You can read the Ombudsman's full report here.

The goals of the Ombudsman's investigation are summed up in his report as follows:

... it was my view that uncertainty regarding the validity of crime statistics and police numbers needed to be resolved. Ongoing debate about the integrity and accuracy of this data could undermine public confidence in Victoria Police and have a deleterious effect on the quality of public debate regarding law and order issues.

My investigation was concerned with two key issues. Firstly, do Victoria Police crime statistics accurately reflect the community’s experience of crime as it is reported to police? Secondly, can the public have confidence that the information about the number and availability of police in Victoria is accurately reported?

I confess that I haven't read the full report. I'm not sure if Herald Sun blogger Andrew Bolt has. However, he's already drawn some conclusions.

And what are these conclusions? Do they merely concern the alleged massaging of crime statistics? Was it just about police numbers? In fact Andrew's concerns are also about whether ...

... the crime rate among African refugees was not higher than for everyone else ...

... and about how ...

... police and court protocols in dealing with minorities.

Again, I admit I haven't read the full report. But it might have been useful for Mr Bolt to have pointed out precisely where the Ombudsman talks about crime amongst African and other minorities.

Andrew's commenters have less hesitation in pointing the fingers ...

rick9 replied to Barry Bones Wed 11 Mar 09 (05:40pm)
stats on whites are easy to find, and are not being hidden by PC police management. When the ‘force’ tries to shy away from doing their job and becomes an instrument of mushy multiculturalism, society has a BIG problem

Second alleged murder in Adelaide by African men. Both against fellow Africans. That is 2 murders this past year for an ethnic group only numbering 2000.
crime rep (Reply) Wed 11 Mar 09 (07:29pm)

And so a legitimate discussion about crime statistics and police numbers becomes an exercise in trying to prove that African migrants are more crooked than the rest of us. But don't dare call this racism lest you be accused of being "PC" or "bleeding heart" or a "lefty". Or worst of all, a "Muslim".

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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BLOGS/HATEWATCH: Bolt's bloggers on African and Pakistani taxi-drivers ...

Thanks to the Pure Poison blog on the Crikey website for alerting these to its readers. The following racist comments have been on Andrew Bolt's blog since November 2008. There is simply no excuse for these comments to have been published in the first place. Unless, of course, Bolt and his friends at the Herald Sun don't regard these comments as racist.

rossco replied to Tony
Wed 26 Nov 08 (07:24am)
Of course there’s one simple solution - don’t get into any taxi with a black driver.

Er, Andrew, how is this comment not racist?

On the offchance that I ever visit Melbourne I’ll be definately ensuring that any cab I catch has a non-African driving it. I’m not being racist, just practical - its hard enough to keep one’s cool when city driving is pretty full-on at the best of times, what with road-rage and traffic congestion and idiot drivers making foolish and reckless decisions. The last thing a passenger needs is to be worried that their taxi driver may go ‘postal’ on them (or other drivers) due to the stresses he is enduring during the course of performing his job. Not a good decision by that tribunal, and will certainly have broader consequences. Rosemary of Queensland (Reply) Wed 26 Nov 08 (07:24am)

Yep, nothing racist about that. But why stop at race? Why not double the prejudice with a good old fashioned dose of sectarian hate-speech?

Relax infidels, you are just as safe in this brothers cab as in any other fundamental Moslem’s one. Islamic Rage Boy of Insane.... or fulfilling Mo's obligations? (Reply) Wed 26 Nov 08 (07:57am)

Religion does tend to make things a little to complex. How about we just keep things black and white.

Simple. Just don’t accept a cab driven by an African. Rod of Singapore (Reply) Wed 26 Nov 08 (08:32am)

What could be simpler than that, Rod? Maybe this ...

If I see ANY African driving a taxi , I will not entering it. Many do not speak or read English, have no idea how to drive safely and certainly do NOT know anything about the cities they drive in. Oh.. once again...no apologies ..
frankly fed up of melbourne (Reply) Wed 26 Nov 08 (12:59pm)

And so once again the Herald Sun has become a forum where all kinds of crazy xenophobes can have their say.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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BLOGS/HATEWATCH: Blair's buddies call for terrorism and mass conversion ...

What kind of blog comments are worth moderating and posting? In Tim Blair's case, they include comments that support terrorism (assassination of world leaders) and mass conversion of people to Christianity.

Blair, opinion editor of Sydnet's Daily Telegraph, hasn't been a happy man of late. At around 7:50pm on the evening of 24 February 2009, he called me to advise I’d made an error in Crikey. Apparently I’d claimed Blair had alleged anonymous leftist were leaving nasty messages on his blog to make him look racist. Blair said that it was not he who made this claim. It was Andrew Bolt. Blair subsequently wrote on his blog about my error, also speculating about my “body weight”.

Blair. of course, doesn’t have nasty leftists on his blog. One of his posts on the terrorist attacks in Pakistan carried this interesting comment exchange:

Nora Charles replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09
(04:08pm)
Ann Coulter had the right idea in her column on September 13, 2001.
We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.

hayesy replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09 (04:15pm)
... Nice try, troll.

Walter Plinge replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09
(04:31pm)
hayesy - you’re a newcomer to this forum I see.
Norah is a long-standing contributor of the highest integrity. Most definitely not a troll.

Infidel Tiger replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09 (04:59pm)
When Coulter first said that it sounded crazy. Now, not so much.

Apparently the comment wasn’t serious. Yeah, right. And apparently supporting terrorism makes you someone of "the highest integrity".

Nora Charles replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09 (05:01pm)
Hi hayesy, The quote from Ann is accurate. My use of it is somewhat tongue in cheek. I’m sorry for the confusion ...

murph replied to Brett_McS
Wed 04 Mar 09 (10:35pm)
I agree Norah. I said on Sept 11 2001, that we should establish beachheads in Morocco, Lebanon & Basra and conduct a war of annihilation as we did with the Nazis and the Japanese in WW2 - destroying and demoralising their culture and their will. We should have let the Indians off the leash as well. The war should have been taken directly to them.

The fact is that we are going to have to do this at some time anyhow. We should have done it whilst we have the upper hand.

The Ann Coulter line of invasion, assassination and forced conversion is up there with her claims that Canada sent troops to Vietnam and that Jews need to have their faith perfected ...



And in case xenophobia and genocide is your cup of tea, you can read plenty more comments comparing Muslims to Nazis and calling for their elimination at Andrew Bolt’s blog.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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HATEWATCH: More blog madness at the Herald Sun

Andrew Bolt has blown the whistle, and the dogs of war, hatred, genocide and xenophobia have come out barking on his blog. His post entitled Cricketers shot (as if the policemen, the 2 by-standers and the Pakistani umpire were just killed and wounded by aliens from the Planet Fnkjgmnv) again shows the madness that is blogging at News Limited tabloids ...

craig of brisbane shares with us his sophisticated analysis:

You nailed it Andrew - the ‘role of Islam’. It’s true that not all Muslims are terrorists. But for some reason, out of all the worlds faiths, Islam seems to produce the most terrorists. The question has to be asked why. I can’t think of many places in the world that has conflict that doesn’t have ‘Islam’ lurking around somewhere. The Christian reformation brought on critical thinking and interrogation of belief. That has never happened with Islam. And it won’t happen, because Muslims are forbidden to question their faith. But they need to. And if they don’t, someone else should. Islam needs to come under vigourous and public interogation. Mohammed and some of his activities need to be publically exposed and interrorgated. Very hard questions must be asked of Muslims in a very public way. Muslim children should be taught some of the more unfavourable parts of the Koran so they can make balanced desicions as they get older.
Interrogation of belief will upset some - but if it forces muslims to think - then so be it.
craig of brisbane (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (10:25pm)

Indeed. Why blame lax security when it is so much easier to blame religious texts? And we all know what profound impacts the Reformation left on Christians in South America and the Eastern Orthodox lands. Generalisations are so much fun.

Another chap named adam of bris had this to say:

Its getting SeriousLy hArd to ignore what is Most obvious.
adam of bris (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (10:46pm)

Yep, blame it on the religion of those who died. Makes lots of sense.

Queensland seems to have a fair share of wackos leaving messages on Bolt's blog. Here is what JimmyB of Brisbane has to contribute to the debate:

All immigration by muslims from ME countries should be banned forthwith. Any mad mullahs preaching jihad against western society should be deported yesterday. Shake Rattle and Roll Hilaly should be the first to go. Any apologists should accompany them on thear trip home and stay with them.Anyone of Christian,Hindu, Buddhist faith/religion are quiet welcome. Before I’m labelled a racist or bigot, my wife is Hindu and I’m RC.
JimmyB of Brisbane Wed 04 Mar 09 (01:33am)

Some poor chap named Simon at Albert Park tries to inject some reasoned discussion. Here he goes ...

ANDREW -
Could I respectfully say that bigotry like this only inflames conflict & the divide between people for the long-term - it does nothing to help anyone, it does nothing good.
I am born in Australia, decended from the First Fleet, I speak english, have white skin, pay my tax and work for a living. And I am a Muslim who attends the Mosque every Friday.
If I knew confidently - that another Muslim was intending to do something insane like this - then I would contact the Police, no doubt whatsoever.
My observation of the Muslims I know, are that they are harmless, read a lot and probably would not be involved in a pub-fight, let alone know which end of a gun to point. We are happy to be law-abiding citazens and we are offended when the media generalizes about us and makes a huge controversy about the smallest mistake any of us make.
Please modify your viewpoint.
Simon of Albert Park (Reply) Wed 04 Mar 09 (07:22am)

I'm not quite sure why Simon bothered. Here is what he gets in reward for his respectful submission:

Dave replied to Simon Wed 04 Mar 09 (09:47am)
As soon as someone starts their post on this blog with “Andrew” you just know it is some condescending prat who feels the need to educate us all.
Can I as you a question; those who were wise enough in the 1930’s to question the Nazis were they also “bigots”?

Mattmax replied to Simon Wed 04 Mar 09 (09:57am)
Are your Friday prayers conducted in English? What Mosque do you attend ? I’ll come and attempt to corroborate your assertions. Is any Friday OK?
Otherwise what you say reads like a lot of tosh or some snazzy trolling.

Dale replied to Simon Wed 04 Mar 09 (10:14am)
Simon,
Thank you for sharing your point of view (and that of your local community) but surely you cannot deny that there is a serious problem within the worldwide Muslim population.
Your viewpoint that those around you are law abiding peaceful citizens and Andrews viewpoint that Islam holds a role in polital violence are not at odds and neither requires adjustment.

Mattmax replied to Simon Wed 04 Mar 09 (01:47pm)
P.S Simon I will see at the Mosque on Friday . Is it OK if i bring a Jewish friend who understands Arabic?.I guess as there are no sacraments we can’t offend just by attending and listening in silence?

Dave of Bathurst has recently travelled in Dr Who's machine to prehistoric times ...

The one thing you are confronted with as soon as you point out just how backward and violent Islam is, is someone saying “Look at the Christians with their Crusades and Inquisition”. Yes we must condemn religious violence no matter where it comes from. However the Crusades etc. Were hundreds of years ago, how many Catholic suicide bombers and mad gun do we have today? So let’s put that stupid counter “argument” behind us and look at the very real problem with Islam and start doing something about these cavemen.
Dave of Bathurst (Reply) Wed 04 Mar 09 (07:23am)

Amongst all this madness, there were two sensible comments:

Let’s just have the “Islam vs. the rest of the world match” that the madmen seem to want and get it over with.
perturbed of NSW (Reply)
Wed 04 Mar 09 (09:16am)

The crazy factor on here is even worse than usual.
This thread suggests
1) Genocide as a solution to Islam- not a distinction between radical and mainstream Islam either.
2) That Muslims are “subhuman”
3)That to suggest that Bush is at all to blame for the radicalisation and growing crisisin Pakistan for the last… 8 years or so… is somehow an intellectual stretch.
You people are stark raving mad. Your stupidity and ignorance is approaching that of radical islam- which only a proper, nuanced approach will ever come close to resolving. More will be achieved by funding a secular education system in Pakistan than sowing fields with salt ever will.
And the moderators here should lose their jobs for allowing the carthage comments through, especially when further comments meant that ignorance was no longer an excuse.
Phoebus (Reply)
Wed 04 Mar 09 (02:37pm)

And here is my comment on all this, which I doubt Andrew Bolt will allow to be published:

I wouldn't bother, Phoebus. Andrew Bolt has blown the whistle and all the dogs of genocide, xenophobia, racism and bigotry are barking like crazy.

The Herald Sun's advertisers would never get away with having such hate speech published on their servers. I know this because I'm an employment law solicitor who has acted for companies and government departments that have disciplined staff for making racist remarks on e-mail servers and intranets. I've also acted for workers who have been disciplined and/or sacked for sending online content deemed racist.

The Herald Sun publishes comments that, 70 years ago, would have been published in German, Dutch and other European papers about Jews.

The Herald Sun thinks it is above the law. Its advertisers should not have to fund such hate-speech. I suggest copies of these comments should be printed out and posted to all Herald Sun advertisers. Perhaps when the money stops rolling in, Andrew Bolt and his colleagues will change their ways.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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BLOG: Bolt blames Islam, ignores terror victims ...

I've already referred to the genocidal comments Andrew Bolt and his colleagues at the Herald Sun have allowed to be published on his blog. But what did Andrew Bolt himself have to say?

Bolt's response can be read here. At the time of writing this, there are 11 updates to his initial post. Update 11 contains these words ...

I think the apologists are running out of excuses. The US, we were told, brought 9-11 on itself through its aggression. We invited Bali on ourselves by siding with the US. India provoked the Mumbai slaughter by discriminating against Muslims. But the Sri Lankans? How on earth can even the barking mad blame them for this? Now, can we start discussing the role of Islam in political violence, and without the usual shut-ups of “racist!”.

So while terrorists have attacked cricket, Bolt wants to talk theology and its alleged role in promoting terrorism. But how serious is he about terrorism? After all, what can terrorism be if not the slaughter of innocents? Yet in his entire post, not even once does Bolt mention those killed in this attack. He doesn't spare a word for those brave Pakistani police officers and the 2 innocent passers-by who died in the attack.

Bolt wants to blame Islam and the Koran at a time when the victims' relatives will be reciting chapters from the Koran and praying to God that these victims are shown God's mercy and entered into paradise. Bolt wants to blame the religion of the victims.

Bolt has given the green light for the miscellaneous bigots that crowd his blog to spray their filth on the Herald Sun's website. But before that, Bolt and his buddies must moderate what are clearly the comments of trolls:

Ah, the rich and vibrant tapestry that is Islam. Every day another majestical experience...
Infidel Tiger (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (03:58pm)

kristof replied to Infidel Tiger
Tue 03 Mar 09 (06:11pm)
oh come on, these sorts of things happen all over the world and you are blaming islam? this is really terrible and cant be defended BUT people get slaughtered in every isla.. oops sorry every country every day what is so special about a bus in lahore? are you racist?? islam would never permit this. it must be jews. this could happen in a christian country and it could be nuns and you are drawing strings..... sammer will explain.

Still, who needs trolls when naked hatred will do the trick?

One disagreement, Andrew. It isn’t Pakistan that’s being lost. It’s everywhere there is islam. Including right here in Oz.
Appeasement was the entrance door to WW2. Now it beckons another even larger conflict.
Terry of Sydney (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (04:07pm)

Red Baron replied to strange days indeed
Tue 03 Mar 09 (07:21pm)
What do you mean by “Pakistan being lost?”
Pakistan was never “won” in the first place. Pakistan is build on Islam and nothing but Islam, it never had an economic base, it doesn’t have a language or culture of its own, it seceeded from India and is dependent on the jiziyah, the tribute from Western, infidel countries that have sustained it till now.
Its the same in Bangladesh.
Pakistan is another failed state. Because of Islam.
But hey, call me ‘racist’ or ‘Islamophobic’- like I care!

No, clearly Red Baron doesn't care. After all, this is his blog. And the moderators of this blog have no problem with hate-speech, even if they have a problem with swearing:

Verax replied to Bill
Tue 03 Mar 09 (06:04pm)
SNIPPED - swearing.

And then there is this classic.

Apart from Double dealing, Hatred, Misery, Depravity and Fanaticism what else is Pakistan famous for? ...
JV of North Essendon (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (05:42pm)

Well, I realise this isn't quite relevant to the present discussion, but Pakistan is famous for producing some world-class cricket and for manufacturing cricket equipment. Anyway, back to the hate-speech:

Perhaps a few people of all kinds will now begin to wake up to the horror that is islam.
Appeasement has to stop in all Western nations and these multitude of muhammadans, who we keep being told are a minority, who have hi-jacked the ‘religion’ must be imprisoned and sent back to their respective nations.
A halt has to be called on immigration of muslims to Western countries. I’m sorry for any who genuinely want out and would integrate, but they must really stay and rectify their own lands.
We have imported enough trouble and it has to stop if we want to continue to have freedom of speech, freedom of action and just plain decency.
I, for one, don’t want to see my children growing up under the yoke of islam, which is an evil political ideology not a religion.
Marilyn LeBez of Australia (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (05:54pm)

I'm sure Bolt would have allowed a similar comment about Jews during the Israeli bombardment of Gaza. No? He wouldn't have? I'm glad. Because such a comment would have been grossly unfair. But when it comes to certain groups Bolt isn't exactly fond of, fairness can go get ...

Tonight the ABC had the story of the Sri Lankans shooting followed by kev’s 20
million rebuilding gift. My conclusion, muslims declare war on the world and the
world say’s, here’s more money, so you can do a better job.If this is not a
declaration of war, God only knows what it is, just as well the Indians didn’t
go.
ark (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (07:54pm)

What’s the excuse of the
muslims this time? Occupation? Foreign policy? What is it now?
Ben of
Springvale (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (07:55pm)

And then there are some crazy people who still think Colonel Gaddafi is some kind of pro-Islamist terrorist involved in a deep dark conspiracy ...

Ironic but significant - the attack was made near the GADDAFI stadium…
Could someon please tell me what exactly is so attractive about the Islamists to people who refuse to “see” them?
Is it the cunning way they use weapons or what?
dowp (Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (08:25pm)

This is freedom of speech, Andrew Bolt style. Throw the statutes out the window. Defend democracy while ignoring the rule of law. Regard yourself as above the law. And start pointing fingers at 1.2 billion people before anyone has even named a suspect and any group has claimed responsibility.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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BLOGS: Eight Pakistanis die but Bolt's bloggers want more to die ...

Well, the news from Lahore isn't good. Sri Lankan cricketers and their Australian coach wounded in a terrorist attack on Pakistan's cultural capital. Six Pakistani police officers were shot dead, as were two bystanders.

And Andrew Bolt's friends want more to die. Pakistan is a nation of 200 million people. But at the Herald Sun, it's clear that wiping Pakistan off the world map isn't regarded as terribly extreme. Here are the first 2 moderated comments ...

Pakistan was lost many years ago, Andrew. Probably around
the time it was a created as nation for Indian Muslims. Pakistan
has long been a safe haven for terrorists and they are hiding there
in droves waiting to some out. India was
right in its verbal attack on
Pakistan after the Mumbai massacre and if India
sees fit to go to war with
Pakistan, then we should support them.

George
P of Albert Park
(Reply)
Tue 03 Mar 09 (03:55pm)

Peter of Mt Eliza
replied to George P
Tue 03 Mar 09 (08:30pm)
Time for a Carthaginian solution.

If you don’t understand, brush up on your history. It works. Brutal -
yes. Effective - Yes

The Cathaginian solution? What did the Romans do in Carthage? Well, Carthage was a city in northern Africa on the Mediterranean coast. Its ruins are located in what is now Tunisia. The city was destroyed by the Romans in 146BC. According to this report:

The city was besieged, and after two years of furious fighting was stormed and sacked and utterly destroyed.

And what happened to Carthage? What did the Romans accomplish at Carthage? Writes Ben Kiernan:

Rome soon began a three-year siege of the world's wealthiest city. Of a population of 2-400,000, at least 150,000 Carthaginians perished. Appian described one battle in which '70,000, including non-combatants' were killed, probably an exaggeration. But Polybius, who participated in the campaign, confirmed that 'the number of deaths was incredibly large' and the Carthaginians 'utterly exterminated'. (In 146, Roman legions under Scipio Aemilianus, Cato's ally and brother-in-law of his son, razed the city, and dispersed into slavery the 55,000 survivors, including 25,000 women. Plutarch concluded: 'The annihilation of Carthage ... was primarily due to the advice and counsel of Cato' ...

Its policy of 'extreme violence', the 'annihilation of Carthage and most of its inhabitants', ruining 'an entire culture', fits the modern legal definition of the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention: the intentional destruction 'in whole or in part, [of] a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such'.

And what kind of thinking led to the complete destruction of Carthage? According to Ben Kiernan:

Some features of the ideology motivating the Roman destruction of Carthage in 146 BC have surprisingly modern echoes in 20th-century genocides. Racial, religious or cultural prejudices, gender and other social hierarchies, territorial expansionism ...

Peter of Mt Eliza has posted a comment calling for the complete annihilation of Pakistan as a nation. He calls upon readers to brush up on their history. I've just brushed up on mine. The results are frightening.

The Herald Sun newspaper has moderated and allowed a comment to be published on its most popular blog of its star columnist which calls for genocide. This is Australia's biggest selling newspaper, part of a multi-billion dollar media empire.

UPDATE I: Why stop at Pakistan? Just murder all those bloody Muzzies. Announce a genocidal war of Armageddon-proportions on the Herald Sun's most read blog. Allow your hatred to be read by over 1 million readers per month. This is where Peter of Mt Eliza left off ...

Heretic replied to George P
Tue 03 Mar 09 (10:16pm)
Have to agree Peter. In my readings of history,
the only ruler who came close to destroying islam once and for all was Genghis
Khan, when his forces swept accross central asia. And he didn’t do it by being
nice. He did it by simply laying waste to everything in his path. Legend has it
nothing bigger than an insect survived wherever his forces passed. One day soon,
the jihadists will push the US, or India, or Israel too far, and their
supposedly peaceful supporters will pay the price.

murph replied to George P
Wed 04 Mar 09 (12:57am)
Cartago delende est!
Islamabad delende est!
Mecca delende est!
Medina delende est!
Damascus delende est!
Jeddah delende est!
Tehran delende est!

Brett Coster replied to George P
Wed 04 Mar 09 (01:24am)
Ah, yes Peter: genocide, the, shall we say,
Final Solution?
And the Boltaverse moderators let that through?

Peter of Mt Eliza replied to George P
Wed 04 Mar 09 (08:30am)
Dear Brett Coster, Quite different to the
“Final Solution”. Circumstances quite different. Solution quite
different.
Read your history and try and wrap your mind around the
differences. Hint: Google Punic Wars.
Not Genocide - that’s what the
Islamic extremists would want to visit upon all unbelievers.

nigel replied to George P
Wed 04 Mar 09 (10:04am)
Just heard a commentator, from Pakistan, trying
to put the blame on India.They are so pathetic that their first thought is to
try and pay India back for accusing Pakistan based terrorists of being
responsible for the recent attack in India.Funnily enough they were.Pakistan’s
only successful business export is islamic terrorists and Britons now live in
fear and have to spend countless millions weeding out and tracking, home grown,
or imported Pakistani killers.They have caved in to the extremists internally
and their political and civil society is amongst the most corrupt in the
world.Britain did India a favour by getting rid of these islamic crazies, all
those years ago.However having them on your borders has cost many lives."Drop
the bomb,kill them all”.

A quick lesson in Latin - delende est means "must be eliminated".

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf




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HATEWATCH: Ethnic crime and xenophobia on Andrew Bolt's blog ...

Andrew Bolt is somehow able to link three Sydney incidents on his blog:

1. A number of boys going on the rampage at a Catholic independent school in Auburn;

2. A 16 year old boy who might be charged with murder by police; and

3. A brawl at a Sydney cinema.

And what was Bolt's conclusion?

That police seem to play down the violence, and that the tired counter-accusation of racism is used, only makes clearer some of the reasons we got to this point.

Er ... um ... the reasons? What are those reasons? And what does racism have to do with it? Why bring race into it?

Perhaps some of the comments on Bolt's blog have something to say about this ...

These are the sons or grandsons of the men who reduced Beruit to rubble. Governments have allowed them into this country and need to explain their actions to the average Australian who is going to bear the brunt.
Observer (Reply)
Mon 02 Mar 09 (02:38pm)

Yep, they all came from Beirut. Not Tripoli or Baalbek or the Chouf Mountains. But why stop at identifying cities? Why not go for entire religions and regions?

Alan of Sydney replied to tony
Mon 02 Mar 09 (03:25pm)
Hmmm.
Catholic School targeted in Auburn, hotspot Muslim and Pacific Islander trouble spot.

And let's throw in some homophobia for good measure.

Case replied to Wacko
Mon 02 Mar 09 (05:46pm)
Lok at it in a positive light-Sydney leads the rest of Oz again.
Well, at least as far as mardi grARS it does!

Those poor victims who went to Cronulla Beach and shouted "F*ck The Lebs" and "F*ck The Wogs" must be exonerated. And what better place than on a blog hosted by Australia's biggest selling newspaper?

the rioting outside a cinema screening a film about Lebanese (muslim )gangs has me puzzled. As the film industry is very left wing in its views, and the left blame the Cronulla riots on the white Aussie boys, and blame all of us for the failure of muslims to integrate ( we are so racist you know), surely the film will show the lebanese gangs as poor, hard-done-by, misunderstood and gentle fellows who just want to be like the rest of us apart from downtreading their women folk and pack-raping white girls.. so who is objecting to the film? could it be white Aussies? surely not? if it’s the nice lebanese Muslims what would they be objecting to? have they actually seen the film?
lethal of WA (Reply)
Mon 02 Mar 09 (03:20pm)

Returning to migrants from a certain nearby region ...

Pacific Islanders are probably the most common suspects in Sydney home invasion imo using their bulk.
Crime Rep (Reply)
Mon 02 Mar 09 (03:36pm)


Crime Rep replied to arnie
Mon 02 Mar 09 (06:41pm)
There is an element for sure. Islanders are heavily over-represented in home invasions.


There’s been a few other incidences of Islanders invading homes.
Mostly pistol whipping people and robbing them.
The worst was in the Suburb of Claymore where a woman was raped deliberately in front of her kids. This was a few years ago. The one man caught was named [name deleted] ...
Crime Rep (Reply)
Mon 02 Mar 09 (03:42pm)

So if you are from Beirut, are Lebanese, Lebanese Muslim, Pacific Islander and/or homosexual, the Herald Sun has just allowed you to be vilified. Now if any of the Herald Sun's advertisers allowed their employees to place such filth on their intranets or their e-mail servers, they'd be in huge trouble. But this is the Herald Sun. Its staff are above the law. It is a company above the law.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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MEDIA: Yet another tabloid Muslim monolith story ...

The Daily Telegraph ran a story today about a woman wearing a judge’s wig backwards who was forced by her dad and an imam to get married to a Canadian man. Serious. Here is a picture of the women with some other women dressed as judges.


Assuming the report is correct (and yes, I know that is a difficult assumption to make given we are talking about the Tele), the following points arise out of this story:

# The woman is an Australian citizen aged 27 years and working as a public servant.

# The woman first met the man, a divorced financial planner aged 39, when he arrived at the airport.

# The man was a divorcee from Canada.

# The woman was said to come from “a traditional Islamic family”. No clues are given as to the women’s ethnic, linguistic or cultural background.

# Three years after meeting the man, the woman again met him at her home.

# An imam of undisclosed ethnicity also attended the woman’s home on that occasion. He was found to have tricked a woman into signing some papers.

# The "couple" thought the papers were for an engagement.

# The papers in fact included a marriage certificate.

# There are two quotes in the story, these being ...

We are a traditional patriarchal family and it would not be appropriate for me to question my father or the imam.

... and ...

because in our culture it is not acceptable that women speak to men not in their family.

# The words “appropriately” (relating to the bride’s dress as ordered by her father) and “bundle of papers” (referring to the papers brought by the imam to the family’s home.

# The woman and man both agreed to the "engagement" off.

# The woman approached the court to have the marriage annulled under the Family Law Act, and her application was successful.

# The marriage was never consummated.

According to the Daily Telegraph, this story was yet another example of a monolithic "Muslim" culture. Yet none of the quotes from the woman’s brother or from the woman herself indicate anything about their religion. Yes, culture is mentioned. The brother even said that their family was “a traditional patriarchal family”. But any element of Islam or Mulimness was inserted by the reporter and/or editor.

Apart from the presence of an imam, what exactly about this story made it Muslim? Would this have been a "Christian" story if the marriage celebrant had been a reverend? Did the applicant or her family members refer to religion? Did the judge refer to religion? Here is how the Tele reported the judge’s observations:

The names of the couple and the imam have been suppressed by the Family Court. It is not the first Muslim "marriage" ruled void by the court.

Justice Nahum Mushin said there had been previous similar cases, including one in which the couple became married when all they thought they were doing was becoming engaged.

What did Justice Mushin say about religion? We only know the context which the Tele reporter decided to place the judge’s words in. The judge mentioned “similar previous cases”, but did he say that these cases involved Muslims?

The Tele has manufactured yet another “Muslim” story, trying to paint this as an example of a singular “Muslim” culture that simply doesn’t exist. This was the Tele’s goal, and it certainly achieved this goal judging by the comments accompanying the story. Just check out some of these moronic and almost xenophobic comments which have been moderated by the Tele on its website ...

Islam is not a religion,its a culture,ideology...
Posted by: Charity Box of Canberra 9:44am today
Comment 20 of 23

The whole philosophy of Islamic culture is one centred around male insercurity and their need for control to compensate for their inadequacies. If Islam was a culture based on equality millions of women all over the world would actually be enjoying life a lot more, for example, not having to hide their face because their 'husband' is afraid some other bloke might want to shag them.
Posted by: meremale of Lara 9:24am today
Comment 17 of 23

Scottie of 'Nulla is right, i mean, it's not just Muslims that do this its....... oh...... Bahai? wait.... no, Catholics..... no... Buddhists?... um... Scientology people?.... never mind.
Posted by: Bob of Melbourne 9:12am today
Comment 15 of 23

These people should be abiding by Australian laws and customs not some islamic law that doesnt exist in Australia. If they dont like that they should go home.
Posted by: Daniel of Sydney 8:27am today
Comment 7 of 23

The Tele has used stereotyping and prejudice to generate hits on its website, to attract readers and therefore advertisers. It has then moderated comments that further this prejudice.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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HATEWATCH: Herald-Sun moderates hate-speech on Andrew Bolt's blog ...

Andrew Bolt hates stereotypes. He never engages in spreading them. he never suggests or even implies them. And he certainly never allows them to be perpetuated by persons congregating around his blog.

Bolt and the Herald-Sun team are extremely careful to ensure that racist and xenophobic comments appear on blogs hosted by them. The Herald-Sun is well aware of its legal and ethical responsibilities in this regard. For this reason, only hate-free comments are allowed. Here are a sample ...

This post confirms what us bloggers from the right have been saying for so long. Yet our lefty opponents kept telling us we were mistaken.

These are the sons of men who left Beirut in rubble, and whom Malcolm Fraser decided to accept here - on refugee visas!

mh (Reply)
Sun 01 Mar 09 (11:34am)

OK, that must have been an exception. I doubt the Herald-Sun would allow anymore such remarks to be hosted on their site. Let's continue ...

Brett_McS replied to mh
Sun 01 Mar 09 (01:48pm)
Exactly, mh. And does this film in effect slander the Christian (Maronite) Lebanese who came over in the 50s and 60s on their own merits - mostly professional people - and who have fitted in well and contributed greatly to Australia? We know who the trouble makers are and they’re not “Lebanese” - they’re Muslim Lebanese.

See, this isn't racial vilification. It's ethno-religious vilification. Lebanese Muslims are "the trouble makers". All of them. Each and everyone of them. Continuing ...

Well I don’t know of course but you get the impression that there is a number or an above average percentage in the Lebanese/Arab/ Muslim of South West Sydney who are short tempered, relatively thick, criminal, and fundamentally violent with a huge sense of undeserved entitlement as compared to other communities.

Age of Stupid (Reply)
Sun 01 Mar 09 (12:34pm)

And then there is some classic historical revisionism to reinforce the racism.

My Lebanese mates are not Arabs. They are descendants of the Phoenicians, which race dwelled in Lebanon well before the Arabs arrived (though this type of fact tends to be ignored by lefties, unless Aborigines are involved).
What’s even more relevant, they are not Muslims, they are Maronite Christians. It’s the Muslims that cause trouble, as Bret_McS has pointed out elsewhere.

Mick of Wiley Park (Reply)
Sun 01 Mar 09 (02:55pm)

We'll keep an eye on this one.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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MEDIA: The future (if any) of metropolitan newspapers ...

A host of American newspaper groups has gone broke. The New York Times has been forced to mortgage its own premises. And now Fairfax has posted a $365 million loss for the first half of this financial year. Why is all this happening? Apparently classifieds revenue has hit an all time low.

Imagine waking up one day without the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and the Australian Financial Review.

If the Howard government's policies couldn't destroy media diversity, it seems the Global Financial Crisis could well kill off private media organisations one at a time.

Words © 2009 Irfan Yusuf


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CRIKEY: What a Muslim looks like, by the Daily Telegraph ...

An oldie but a goodie ...


Yesterday’s front page of The Australian carried a story headed “Muslim refugee home rental probe” about an investigation into the allegedly dodgy involvement of the Islamic Council of NSW in a NSW Department of Housing scheme for refugees.

People who engage in this sort of behaviour should be exposed regardless of their ethnicity or religion. The ICNSW is one of three competing Councils vying for representative status of Muslim New South Welshmen and women.

The story was repeated in The Oz today and also reported in the Daily Telegraph yesterday. The Tele’s website carried the following graphic showing a woman wearing a face veil:



What the …? A woman wearing a face veil? Was this a story about women? Or about belly dancers? Or about veiling practices? Not exactly.

The Oz for its part carried a photo of Ali Roude, the ICNSW vice-chair at the heart of the scandal.

You’d think by now that I'd be used to this kind of inane stereotyping. But this time it really got on my nerves. So I rang the Tele and spoke to their online editor Ricky Sutton yesterday afternoon.

The conversation started out OK. I asked Ricky why, of all the possible images he could put with the story, he used this one. After all, it was a story about the alleged abuse of community housing by two blokes. Here’s my recollection of how the conversation went:

RICKY: Look, it’s a story about Muslims and refugees and that. So we had to use a Muslim image. What’s wrong with that?

ME: What do women in face veils have to do with Muslims?

RICKY: Well, don’t all their women wear that kind of stuff?

ME: Really? And do you have any evidence to back it up?

RICKY: Listen, if it had been a story about a housing scandal in the Church of England, we’d have run a picture of a crucifix.

ME: So you’re saying that a woman’s head dress is the equivalent of a crucifix. Isn’t that a bit tabloidish?

RICKY: Now you’re the one doing the stereotyping. Are you saying the newspaper I work for is a tabloid?

ME: Well, yes. As a matter of fact, I am.

It all got a little Middle Eastern from there. I pointed him to each story and showed how each graphic made sense. A story about John Howard showed a picture of Howard. A story about the RAAF showed a picture of a fighter jet, etc.

It makes me wonder: how would you illustrate a story about The Daily Tele's approach to Islamic issues?

First published in Crikey on Wednesday 8 August 2007.

Words © 2007-08 Irfan Yusuf


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