Check out what's going on in Aussieland.

[The Spleen]

LET'S HEAR IT FOR AUSTRALIA ...

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on
Wednesday to get out of Australia, as the government targeted radicals
in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.

A day after a group of mainstream Muslim leaders pledged loyalty to
Australia and her Queen at a special meeting with Prime Minister John
Howard, he and his Ministers made it clear that extremists would face
a crackdown.

Treasurer Peter Costello, seen as heir apparent to Howard, hinted that
some radical clerics could be asked to leave the country if they did
not accept that Australia was a secular state, and its laws were made
by parliament. "If those are not your values, if you want a country
which has Sharia law or a theocratic state, then Australia is not for
you", he said on national television.

"I'd be saying to clerics who are teaching that there are two laws
governing people in Australia: one the Australian law and another the
Islamic law, that is false. If you can't agree with parliamentary
law, independent courts, democracy, and would prefer Sharia law and
have the opportunity to go to another country, which practices it,
perhaps, then, that's a better option", Costello said.

Asked whether he meant radical clerics would be forced to leave, he
said those with dual citizenship could possibly be asked to move to
the other country. Education Minister Brendan Nelson later told
reporters that Muslims who did not want to accept local values should
"clear off Basically people who don't want to be Australians, and who
don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well
then, they can basically clear off", he said.

Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by
saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques.

Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It.
I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some
individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali, we
have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of
Australians."

"However, the dust from the attacks had barely settled when the
'politically correct' crowd began complaining about the possibility
that our patriotism was offending others. I am not against
immigration, nor do I hold a grudge against anyone who is seeking a
better life by coming to Australia."

"However, there are a few things that those who have recently come to
our country, and apparently some born here, need to understand."

"This idea of Australia being a multicultural community has served
only to dilute our sovereignty and our national identity. As
Australians, we have our own culture, our own society, our own
language and our own lifestyle."

"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles,
trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought
freedom"

"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to
become part of our society, Learn the language!"

"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right
wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on
Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly
documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of
our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another
part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our
culture."

"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask
is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment
with us."

"If the Southern Cross offends you, or you don't like " A Fair Go",
then you should seriously consider a move to another part of this
planet. We are happy with our culture and have no desire to change,
and we really don't care how you did things where you came from. By
all means, keep your culture, but do not force it on others.

"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow
you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done
complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our
Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take
advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO
LEAVE'."

"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come
here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."

*****

Maybe American, British and New Zealand citizens and their political
leaders will find the backbone to let radical Muslims in their
countries know that the line has been drawn.

******

[XMEN Gambit]

Not sure I like the mosque-monitoring bit. Today Muslims, tomorrow Mormons, then Methodists?

But I sure do like the rest of it. Is this real and not an emailed rumor? We got a linky?

[The Spleen]

Found it on Snopes while killing time this morning.

Seems legit.

I wouldn't worry too much about monitoring the Mormons or Methodists.
They don't advocate the "embrace my faith or die and burn in hell" doctrine.

Now the Baptists, on the other hand........

Just kiddin.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/australia.asp

[XMEN Gambit]

It's the slippery slope principle, Spleen.

[The Spleen]

Probably so.

Fortunately, most American Muslims I know love this country as much as I do. They realize the importance and necessity of church and state seperation/freedom of religion.

Honestly, though, it would be un-nerving to see armed Homeland Security officers hiding in the baptistry every Sunday morning. Monitoring prayers, and such.

I wouldn't like it either, but we're probably only one major terror attack away from something like that.

[Spinning Hat]

Good for the Aussies... It's just a shame we'd almost never see that here... Too much money in governemtn by lobbyists...

[XMEN Ashaman DTM]

Yeah. They don't make any of our jobs easier.


On the bright side, I doubt anyone in the government would actually pursue this. It would be political-suicide. Because of the slippery slope argument. And the way our Constitution is set up, it's pretty much impossible to justify that kind of monitoring in any case. Unless someone can prove that the church is actually a front for some bad guys. Just like any other kind of surveillance activity: you need a justification.


Personally, I would not like a country that presumes guilt until proven otherwise. What I would like is better enforcement of what we have. There's too much distrust, dishonesty, and lack of respect these days.