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thanks from me as well

Reader comment on item: Exclude Islamists from the West?
in response to reader comment: Thank you Mr Costello

Submitted by Mark (United Arab Emirates), Mar 13, 2006 at 10:49

I am an Australian holding 2 passports. The other passport is Canadian. I am proud to hold the Australian passport and would certainly not consider exercising my other citizenship. I am an immigrant to Australia.

One of the things I have always liked about Australia is the no-nonsense attitude to public debate. Peter Costello is on the money here. When I was last in Australia I was shocked to hear a young Australian Muslim, well educated, Australian accent professing his allegiance to Allah above Australian law and waxing whimsical over the idea of Australia eventually becoming an Islamic state and all on National TV.

Well I guess the cards are on the table. The interview I saw featured as I mentioned a young man who had abviously been in Australia for a long time who simply didn't get it. He hadn't figured out what being Australian meant. Not for want of intellect or education, both of which he seemed to be well endowed with. He just saw things a different way. The islamist way.

I work in Dubai with colleagues who hold Australian passports but who originate from Palestine and who openly support Hamas. I guess that might not be so suprising since a popular vote in Palestine has elevated Hamas to public office, by a landslide. But it is illustrative of the new and potent influence of Islam amoungst Arabs in and out of the middle east..

Personally I find Arabic people to be charming, generous, honest and just great people to be around, including my colleague I have mentioned above. It is just the religion thing that seems to get we 'westerners' going and bent out of shape.. I wish I knew the answer, but I think a renewed emphasis and insistance on secular government and society ala Costello may be the right direction.
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Reader comments (15) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
NOT JUST MONIQUE, CHRISTIANS, WAKE UP! [372 words]Nur el Masih ben HaqMay 25, 2015 15:32223514
A weakpoint [58 words]David W. LincolnJan 13, 2015 13:41220340
There is no such thing as an "Islamist" [130 words]Michael SJan 13, 2015 12:06220334
sharia in australia [199 words]rwMar 12, 2010 04:41170007
1On track for Islamization!!! [74 words]JaladhiMar 15, 2010 15:41170007
1Simple - don't allow any Muslim to live in non-Muslim countries!! [41 words]JaladhiMar 3, 2010 15:23169633
we should talk . . . [106 words]Phil GreendDec 29, 2007 19:48117090
Crumbs of Appeasement [26 words]Brit PatSep 5, 2007 13:14107827
Restrictions on Fanatics [68 words]Ajay KaurAug 28, 2006 19:2254197
This is what happens... [105 words]DanielMar 17, 2006 00:0940495
well said [22 words]Jewel BocksNov 11, 2006 13:3440495
exclude Islam from the West? [19 words]donvanMar 16, 2006 16:4540448
Thank you Mr Costello [250 words]John GiannascaDec 12, 2005 20:4929842
thanks from me as well [302 words]MarkMar 13, 2006 10:4929842
to Mark [222 words]SiddaMar 14, 2006 10:0729842

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