Diversity, Australian Style By Peter Ewer

     In no way being critical or making any adverse comment at all, I refer the gentle reader to this article where various individuals appear to be raising objections to Australia’s joyous  diversity, but I do not know why and am afraid to ask. In fact, I type this from the shelter of the dark nether region under my bed:
  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6966531/Radical-Muslim-group-Hizb-ut-Tahrir-bans-media-Unapologetically-Muslim-conference-Sydney.html

“A radical Muslim group held a conference on Saturday afternoon discouraging members and their children from singing the Australian national anthem – while refusing to condemn ISIS. Global Islamist political party Hizb ut-Tahrir, which is campaigning for Sharia law, hired a community hall at Campsie, in Sydney's south-west, for the event. Yellow taped lines were placed on the carpet segregating men at the front from women at the back, with Daily Mail Australia witnessing ushers directing men to sit at the front of the auditorium. This was despite a 2016 New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruling which found Hizb ut-Tahrir's gender segregation policies at public events were a form of unlawful sex discrimination. After taking a seat Daily Mail Australia was asked to leave the Orion Function Centre as about 300 Muslim men, women - all wearing either hijabs or niqabs - and children were arriving. Asked why the media wasn't allowed at the four-hour 'Unapologetically Muslim' forum, this reporter was informed it was an 'Islamic conference' and complied with directions to leave.

Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia, an unregistered political party, live streamed the event on Facebook, featuring high school English teacher Sufyan Badar on stage interviewing Wassim Doureihi. Mr Doureihi told the audience he discouraged his children from singing Advance Australia Fair at school. 'My kids go to a public school and every so often, I think it's once or twice a year, whatever it is, they play the national anthem,' he said. 'Personally, out of respect, my kids will stand up but they won't sing.' Mr Doureihi, a leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia, declared the national anthem was oppressive to Muslims. 'Should we stand up and sing along? Or should we take a position that expresses our resistance against what the national anthem represents? It's colonialism,' he said. 'As Muslims we are under the spotlight and as Muslims we have to take positions on things that are not going to be comfortable.' 

In another part of the conversation, Mr Doureihi laughed when Mr Badar asked him if ISIS should be condemned. In 2014, Mr Doureihi repeatedly refused to condemn ISIS in an ABC Lateline interview. On Saturday night, he likened denouncing the Islamic State terror group to being asked to disown paedophilia. 'Imagine someone comes into the room and looks at us both. Looks at us both and says these two are a bunch of paedophiles,' he said. 'And they come up on stage and they say, "Do you condemn paedophilia?" 'Would I actually respect that question and give a yes or a no? Why would I do that? 'Why would I humiliate myself and accept to be framed in this way?’”

     Yes, I understand your position of cultural diversity and respect the intense enrichment such diversity brings to our vibrant multicultural society.

Authorised by K. W. Grundy
13 Carsten Court, Happy Valley, SA.