JCCV reaffirms support for multiculturalism
The Jewish Community council of Victoria has voiced concern about the visit to Australia of Dutch MY Geert Wilders…with the full support of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
Geert Wilders
The JCCV issued the statement as a member organisation of the Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia.
The statement, issued on February 14, reads: “JCMA, founded in 2003, is committed to the promotion of understanding, mutual respect and peaceful relations among members of our faith communities. We are unswerving in our support for the democratic values that underpin such relations in Australia and in other democratic countries. These values include the defence of individual human rights, freedom of religion and freedom of worship.
In light of the forthcoming visit of the Dutch MP Mr. Geert Wilders, and as a result of some of his previous rhetoric, we are concerned that the visit of Mr. Wilders will be used to introduce overseas hatreds into the local community.
These hatreds have no place in Australia.
Australia is proud of its multicultural society, wherein people from over 150 countries and many faiths live together in harmony. As a civil society, we are served when we see diversity as a strength not a liability.
In a spirit of dialogue we invite Mr. Wilders to meet with a small representative group from JCMA. We hope he will be open to hearing all that is good, true and beautiful about our life together in Australia.”
Yesterday a coalition of organisations and individuals from across Victoria reaffirmed in a joint statement their support of Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith community.
This is their joint statement:
Victoria is a multicultural and multifaith society in which racial, religious and linguistic diversity is embraced as a strength. This vibrant diversity has generated social, cultural and economic benefits for all Victorians.
Victorians hold a diversity of views and beliefs, observe many different cultures and traditions and speak an impressive range of languages. The 2011 ABS Census illustrated our cultural diversity: 46.8% of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas; 23.1% of Victorians speak a language other than English at home; and Victorians follow more than 130 different faiths.
Community harmony in Victoria is strengthened by a long-standing, shared commitment across government, community and business – and in a range of settings, including on the sporting field – to respect and embrace difference, to respond appropriately to unjust treatment and vilification, and to recognise and celebrate our common bond as proud Victorians and Australians.
We have a collective responsibility to respect our fellow citizens and preserve the social cohesion and harmony that characterise Victoria and makes our society great. We also encourage genuine and constructive engagement and dialogue as a means to achieving greater understanding and acceptance of diversity.
We welcome challenging ideas and debate, however, inciting hatred and animosity towards specific cultural or faith-based communities has no place in Victoria. All Victorians have a right to practice their
faith and observe their cultural traditions and languages.
The organisations endorsing the statement:
Adult Multicultural Education Services
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
Australian Football League
Australian Multicultural Foundation
Baha’i Community of Victoria
Buddhist Council of Victoria
Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria
E-Vam Buddhist Institute
Faith Communities Council of Victoria
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Interfaith Centre of Melbourne Islamic Council of Victoria
Jewish Community Council of Victoria
Lutheran Church of Australia Municipal Association of Victoria
Rabbinical Council of Victoria
Religions for Peace Australia
Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
UNESCO Chair – Interreligious and Intercultural Relations, Asia Pacific
Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Victorian Council of Churches
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Victorian Multicultural Commission
The ECAJ responded quickly to the statement issuing one of their own…
The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), the national peak body of the Australian Jewish community, its State constituent bodies and the B’nai B’rith Anti Defamation Commission, endorse the recent statement made by a coalition of organisations and individuals from across Victoria in support of Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith community and, applying that statement to Australia, affirm the following:
Australia is a multicultural and multifaith society in which racial, religious and linguistic diversity is embraced as a strength. This vibrant diversity has generated social, cultural and economic benefits for all Australians. Australians hold a diversity of views and beliefs, observe many different cultures and traditions and speak an impressive range of languages as demonstrated by the 2011 ABS Census.
Community harmony in Australia is strengthened by a long-standing, shared commitment across government, community and business – and in a range of settings, including on the sporting field – to respect and embrace difference, to respond appropriately to unlawful treatment and vilification, and to recognise and celebrate our common bond and shared values as proud Australians.
We have a collective responsibility to respect our fellow citizens and preserve the social cohesion and harmony and democratic values that characterise Australia and makes our society great. We also encourage genuine and constructive engagement and dialogue as a means to achieving greater understanding and acceptance of diversity.
We welcome challenging ideas and debate. However, inciting hatred and animosity towards specific cultural or faith-based communities has no place in Australia. All Australians have a right to practice their faith and observe their cultural traditions and languages in accordance with the law and free from discrimination or vilification.
Endorsed by:
The B’nai B’rith Anti Defamation Commission
The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria
The Jewish Community Council of Western Australia Inc.
The Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies
The Jewish Community Council of South Australia
Hobart Hebrew Congregation Inc.
The ACT Jewish Community Inc.
Raoul,
You are ignoring the main thrust of my comments. I am not interested in defending Islam as a religion, nor am I interested in debating theological points. I’m interested in making a difference to the influence and spread of Islamic rules and beliefs in countries where they’re not the norm. I’m interested in Muslim migrants being brought to the understanding that if they choose to live in another country, such as Australia or the Netherlands, then their religion is for private and personal practice only, and they must actively endeavour to assimilate in that country with regard to the values and rules of that country. I’ll say again that that’s what Wilders should concentrate on. And if he doesn’t, and we all get bogged down in an Islam as religion hate-fest, then we’ll chase our tails in angry circles and it will come to nothing.
I don’t think the Koran calls the Prophet Muhammad a paedophile?! Correct me if I’m wrong. I have no particular interest in protecting the name of this Islamic prophet, but please let’s be as accurate as possible and concentrate on the important issue here and not go into overdrive, which is what Wilders has done in this regard, thereby undermining his good intent.
I myself do not speak of Judaism and Christianity with the same breath, and don’t wish to be associated with the idea of a duality here. They might share the Old Testament (Torah), but that is all. As for Jesus, he was a Jewish revolutionary (lived and died a Jew), whose name has been used many years later, under the original machinations of Paul, in what I consider a dishonest political scheme to hoist the new religion of Christianity. As it stands, it’s a mythology rather than particularly true. Don’t get me wrong, I love mythologies for all kinds of reasons, although do not care for Christianity. I, personally, find it a hypocritical and destructive religion, based on a very tenuous premise.
What has happened in this century, and the last, is the upsurgence and spread of Islam, with all kinds of terror and evil being perpetrated in its name by all manner of men and women, and this an evolutionary thing. For hundreds of years before that we had Christianity exercising its power and evil doings by those who believed so fervently in it, viz. the Crusades, burning of women as ‘witches’ through the centuries, likewise for the inquiring men of science, not to mention the handing down from pulpits through the ages hatred of the Jews, sewing the seeds for the Holocaust. Not that Hitler, or many of his cohorts were religious – however by the time they came to power the stereotyping of Jews was endemic in the population and anti-Semitism, which is always there and dormant, rose to become the ugly, compliant thing it did, enabling the genocide that took place under Nazi rule. There is no doubt that Christianity contributed to this through its rabid believers of the past. I know that Islam does not respect Judaism or Christianity, however neither does Christianity respect Judaism, not really, as much as some say differently.
I do not believe in sweeping anything under the carpet, and am quite capable of of facing up to things that are ‘not nice’ as well as saying things that are not nice. I also do not have any human heroes – there are human beings of differing degrees of merit and courage, that’s all.
I fully support Geert Wilders’ brave attempts to speak as he does about the spread of Islam and the dangers that represents in so many countries and societies in the world. (A well-known Italian journalist/activist, Oriana Fallaci, who died some six years ago, has also been extremely outspoken and active with this.) It is a very real threat and a great worry. The political correctness associated with turning a blind eye to this and spouting multiculturalism, tolerance and diversity (all of which in general I endorse) as a cover for living in denial in regard to Wilders’ assertions, is becoming the biggest threat of all. For that reason Wilders should focus on the effects and impact of Islam on the countries concerned, and cease speaking of Muhammad as a terrorist and paedophile. These references are dramatic, and unnecessary – all it does is inflame, and in fact divert attention from the more important issue of what extreme believers in Islam are actually doing, and seeking to do, in the name of their religion. This is the Achilles heel for Wilders and the reason he is being passionately branded a hatemonger. For someone as astute and intelligent as he is, one would think he would recognise this. If in fact he is attempting to dismantle a religion and delegitimise it by making these kinds of remarks about its major prophet and calling it an ideology only, as well as curb the effects of the Islamisation of the world, then it’s just too much. He won’t succeed on either score, because one will cancel out the other. Best he stick to the real worry, which is the problem in concrete terms Islamic influence is having on societies in so many countries of the world that have large Muslim populations.
The Islamic scripture confirms everything Mr Wilders says about Mohammed and Islam. Mohammed is regarded in Islam as THE ideal human being, who’s ways and actions are to be admired, copied and followed. Unlike the TaNaKh or the Christian bible, the Koran is not a collation of stories of the time told by mortal humans, but a true copy of the book Allah has in front of him. The only parallel is the 10 Commandments as both Jews and Christians regard this as the direct words of G-d through a prophet to mankind. For observant Muslims the Koran is a compendium of direct words from aove, a miracle book of clear and present commandments and the living eternal word of their deity.
But Allah is not the G-d of Moses, Abraham or Jesus. And Islam disrespects both Judaism and Christendom from the very centre of its ideology. There is no Golden Rule in Islam.
If you do not understand this fundamental difference, if you think Mr Wilders and others should sweep this unpleasant fact under the carpet to not offend the perpetually offended, you only blind yourself and follow a delusion.
The truth must be said and it must be understood by more people. If we don’t understand and accept the reason for this great schism, we will not be able to resolve it.
Shlomith
You are so spot on “multiculturalism is a failed experiment”
The Jewish community representatives are trying to hang on to it for dear life. They still live in the 1930,s 40,50,s and 60,s when refugees and asylum seekers came here from Europe and Asia and mostly integrated , didn’t bring with them their intolerant , violent , racist baggage that the current wave of refugee asylum seekers have .
Time to move on .
How right you are Michael. I am sick to death of it. We get more support from outside the Community as Raoul here shows and my good friend Rita who posts here too.
I am posting here the item which was published in the AJN after the dreadful performance at the so-called Solidarity Rally were instead of holding our heads high and proclaiming our support for Israel, we were hidden away in a shul. I and so many people walked out.
This is the letter
“I thank and congratulate the ZCNSW for organising the Solidarity Rally last weekend so well and so quickly
Though I am ashamed.
Ashamed that it was deemed necessary to hide away one third of the people who attended the rally for supposed security reasons .
Whose security pray tell?
Seeing as to how two thirds of people were in the park?
I enquired about the people outside, to be told they would have to cope !
So then whose security were we speaking of? The elite few?
If it was such a security risk, why then were there only so few Police in attendance.?
Haven’t we done with hiding and running away?
Haven’t we done enough of that down through the ages.?
No more running. We should be finished with that.
Haven’t enough died.?
Why aren’t we openly displaying our support for Israel ?
People like my father who proudly and openly proclaimed their Jewishness in the East End of London, in the face of Oswald Mosley and his Fascist Party, must be turning in their graves.
I can still clearly see ‘the Blackshirt’ newspaper sitting on the kitchen table, showing a photo of my father with the words “We have to put an end permanently to this man, not only is he a Communist, he is a Jew”.
My father never hid, he never cowered. He stood proud and tall. He refused protection. It was instilled into me never to be afraid even whilst the death threats were current and I was only allowed out with Police protection.
Let’s stand up and be counted with no more hiding.”
Raoul
I’m afraid you are wasting your time it’s a
Lost cause
Political correctness is a disease .
By the way JWire-niks the term is ‘multiculturalism’ not ‘multiculturism’.
This article espouses ludicrous sentiments. Mr Geert Wilders, a man I highly respect, has one main agenda: the anti-islamisation of the West (i.e. the preservation of our wonderful, freedom-loving Judeo-Christian way of life).
To muddy his message with the broad brush of “multiculturalism” is to miss his astute policies and his bravery for saying out loud what so many people feel and think.
“Mutilculturalism is an experiment which has failed.”
It’s interesting that a religion that bans intermarriage, eating and drinking with, or even looking like people outside the religion, pretends to approve ‘mulitculturalism’ – it’s good enough for the goyim but not good enough for us! Bah humbug!
Support for multicult is advancing the destruction of our Judaeo-Christian and Humanistic civilisation. Multicult is nihilistic moral relativism. It turns suicidal when it comes to the one totalitarian ideology, which has the destruction of Jews and Israel at its very core. These self-proclaimed community leaders remind me of what can be said about the Judenraete. The Muslim Brotherhood, Ahmadinejad and Hizb’Allah will be laughing all the way to Al Quds.
You may want to keep the active participation of JCCV & Co in the demise of our Western civilisation in mind when they send out their next “please donate” letter.
If you do not understand the matter from an Islamic point, do yourself and your kids a favour and read the book ‘Al Yahud’, which was written by the fellow speaker of Mr Wilders Australia Tour, Sam Solomon, a former Koran scholar. It is available via Amazon or here: http://skipngirl.com.au/qshop/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=55
I’m still trying to come to terms with what this is all about
Geert Wilders came here to speak about the true nature of Islam and our official organisations have gone into panic mode.What in heaven’s name for.? And they are raving about how wonderful multiculturalism is. Could have fooled me. It has ruined this country
I feel like I am living in some far distant land. It feels like that if you venture out of the comfort of the east, one is hard pushed to find a person who can speak and understand English
Let’s hear our official organisations come out loud and strong against this Muslim event in Melbourne in a few weeks time.
Some hope. They are afflicted what is known as the ‘British Jewish Disease’
What is the matter? Haven’t we had enough, I can see history repeating itself, we cower, cringe and hide.
We need to stand up and fight
It seems everyone has it right and we have it wrong. All I have seen around blogs and web sites is people asking why we aren’t in support of Wilders.
Andrew Bolt says
“The first step in dealing with Islamic agitation is to commence prosecutions for hate speech. Wilders has not said anything like this:
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/if_wilders_is_wrong_explain_this_conference/
Bolt asks:
“But for me there are even bigger questions. Why are politicians, journalists and Jewish leaders now demonising Geert Wilders for warning against exactly the ideology of Islam as preached by many speakers at this conference?
Why do they pretend Wilders has misrepresented Islam when the very things he describes are preached openly?
Why are they silent over or even complicit in attempts to silence or frighten Wilders – who has not advocated violence – yet apparently happy that true hate-preachers who preach death for gays, Jews and enemies of Islam may speak freely in this country?
Why the hypocrisy? Why the fear?”
Hi Ben thanks for response I have digested it and
Totally reject your way of thinking it is some thing I would expect from waleed aly
Jccv should be Ashamed not only Te they directly supporting one of the most anti Israel activists in Australia ajds they are now acting on behalf of the muslim community As their spokespersons
I think the Jewish community here is following the
Dhimi line of the uk Jewish community
I want nothing to do with them they are cowards .
Oy this doozy “In a spirit of dialogue we invite Mr. Wilders to meet with a small representative group from JCMA.”.
I drool at the prospect of an encounter between the astute Geert Wilders and these JCMA dhimmis. Is this mere posturing by the JCMA so they can say that they were prepared to talk to Geert Wilders but he didn’t have time for them?
Bring it on I say -it would be a delight to watch the lovey-dovey dhimmis justify their vacillatory actions in the face of the pervasive reality of totalitarian Islam.
Ben I ask you leading up and during during WW2 were our enemies the Germans or the Nazis?
Were all good left wing Jews in the 1930’s & 40’s running around like the ones now defending the Muslims saying the Nazis were a fringe group , extremist party only a Minority, not all Germans are Nazis and we should not stereo type or incite hatred towards all Germans.
I guess its a bit like the families of the Victims of Israeli and American 9/11 terror attacks should be grateful that their loved ones were murdered in cold blood by only a fringe group of extremist Muslims.
Burdy
Michael,
I think your first point supports what I’m saying. Our enemies are Muslims extremists (Nazis in your analogy) and not ordinary Muslims (in your analogy, Germans who were not Nazis sypathisers). By attacking Islam at its core, Wilders makes no distinction, and offends plenty.
In your second argument, are you seriously suggesting that 0.25 % of the Australian population will somehow be able to stage a Nazi style putsch, take over Australia, introduce Sharia law and send all Jews to the gas chambers ? (0.25 = 10% of the 2.5% Muslim population who might, on highly conservative figures, be extremists). Had no idea I posting to the Herald Sun.
This is my last comment, so will sum up by saying that while I agree with Wilders that we need to be highly vigilent of extremist elements, his whole approach is dreadful and wrong. Not all Muslims interpret the Koran in an extremist way. The fact that he cannot see how his remarks would be considered insulting to ordinary moderate Muslims suggests he may not be a smart as people seem to think he is.
The JCCV is to be commended for its measured response. Had they not co-signed the letter, the entire Jewish community would in my view be open to an accusation of bigotry and hate mongering. I hope the JCCV does not back down in the face of some of the rather poor and overused arguments below.
Ben David
[I made two comments that are still showing as Awaiting Moderation. I had originally not submitted my Family name (not denoted as a Required field), but I responded yesterday to an email from Henry Benjamin from JWire and as requested I provided my full name. I do not understand now why my remarks are not being published.]
Join the club. I’ve spoken about this on numerous occasions with Henry
Danny,
Islam as practiced by moderate Muslims cannot be compared with Nazism. A Muslim who does not follow Islam in some shape or form is not a Muslim. Therefore if you claim that Islam = Nazism you are essentially calling every moderate Muslim a Nazi – plainly, a false and revolting thing to be saying.
I used the Zionism/Judaism analogy to make what I assumed would be a very simple point for most people, namely that you cannot tar everyone with the same brush. I am sure there are many other analogies that can be used to make the same point if you don’t think it was appropriate.
I dont however agree that it was inappropriate as there are aspects of Zionism as propounded by, for example, Bennett and Meir Kahane than even many Israelis reject as appalling. Does that mean that everything about Zionism is wrong ? Of course not, but if you are filled with prejudice – as many on the far left are – you will not think deeply enough to make that distinction. All I am saying is that nor does Wilders in relations to Muslims.
Ben David
Ben David, the historical connection between Muslim leaders and the Nazis is well documented. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Amin Al-Husseini threw his lot in with the Nazis and went to visit Hitler in Germany during the war. See http://www.zionism-israel.com/dic/Haj_Amin_El_Husseini.htm
Geert Wilders in his book ‘Marked for Death’ explains the similiarity between Islam and Nazism by the fact that Islam is a totalitarian system aiming for political domination of the world. Adolf Hitler lamented that the Germanic Franks had won the battle in Tours in 732. “Had Charles Martel not been victorious, “Hitler told his inner circle, ” then we should in all probability have been converted to Mohammedanism, that cult which glorifies the heroism and opens us the Seventh Heaven to the bold warrior alone. Then the Germanic races would have conquered the world. Christianity alone prevented them from doing so.”
Both Albert Speer and Heinrich Himmler also saw benefits to Nazism from the tenets of Islam, with documents in German Federal Archives confirming that the SS leadership considered Islam to be “a practical and sympathetic religion for soldiers” because “it promises heaven for those who fall in battle”.
Moreover Hassan al-Banna the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood was a strong supporter of Hitler. After the war al-Banna referred to the mufti, “this hero who challenged an empire and fought Zionism, with the help of Hitler and Germany”. Read Paul Berman’s excellent book ‘The Flight of the Intellectuals’ for the full story of the Islamic embracing of Nazism.
David,
Am very familiar with that history but there is a mile of difference between saying that certain Muslim groups have and do support Nazism and then saying that Islam is at its core a fundamentally Nazi belief system. The latter is just false and gratuitous statement.
Ben David
Ben David, who is saying that Muslim groups have and do support Nazism directly? Most assuredly Muslims would want to disguise any link with Nazism, but what is important is to highlight the strong connections and similarities between the two ideologies.
Foremost, the commonality between Nazis and Islam is that both believed that the world belonged to them and it was their duty to submit the world to their rule. Muslims began their effort to rule the world in 638AD and have been at it ever since.
Strategy one is the permeation of Muslims throughout the world. Nations in Africa have been overcome by Islam while millions of Muslims have immigrated to Europe – their strategy to implement Sharia laws. The second strategy has been led by al-Quaeda.
Translated versions of Mein Kampf are very popular in the Arab countries. Mein Kampf was translated into Arabic (and many other languages) in the 1960s and has been popular for decades in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, the Palestinian terrorities – even in Indonesia and the Muslim far east. Historically, it is the sixth best-selling book of all time among Palestinians. It also influenced Ba’athists and other Arab nationalist movements.
I first heard about the Q- Society when they were objecting to a Mosque or Islamic Prayer centre being built in Alma Rd the heart of the Jewish Community . Ironically the multitude of Jewish day schools , Synagogues and community centre’s in the neighborhood all required security against possible attacks from rogue elements in the Muslim Community . There were many Jews who objected but too afraid to say so publicly for obvious reasons. I wonder what the reaction would have been if Chabad wished to open a synagogue in the main street of Lakemba, Preston on Broadmeadows.? I don’t suppose the ICV [ Islamic council of Vic ] would go out to bat for the Chabadnicks at council as did our wonderful ADC even against most of their own constituents pleasure. Oh we Jews are so accommodating…
On another occasion once again the Q- Society fighting battles on behalf of the Jews , this time the Marrickville council. This racist council working on behalf of the Palestinian/ Arab/ Muslim community promoting BDS anti- Israel boycotts.
The Q- Society put together a petition against them supporting Israel since no Jewish organizations had bothered to do so .
When I heard the Q- Society were hosting Geert Wilders I was curious and decided I wanted to hear what he had to say considering what he was speaking about effected my life and family on a daily basis. . I had previously met his fellow Parliamentarian and friend the very beautiful , smart and brave Ayaan Ali Hirsi who was brought out here to speak by AIJAC. She also has a Fawta on her head by intolerant Muslims who are trying to kill her she also requires 24 hour security and now lives in the USA.
I had the opportunity to meet Geert Wilders for Lunch along with another very high profile Journalist renown for standing up for Israel and the Jewish community . We were only given the address of the restaurant hours before and we met Wilders surrounded by his guards we had a fascinating few hours eating and talking about issues relating to Wilders visit. Most of my conversation turned to issues relating to the Jewish community in Holland , Europe and Australia. We all faced the same problems all lived under a siege like mentality requiring security at our Schools, Synagogues, Community centre’s, even for visiting Jewish and Israeli speakers, Entertainers , sportspeople and Politicians.
Wilders has been to Israel many times has even spoken at the Knesset and admires what Israel has achieved particularly in contrast to Israel’s backward neighbors.
He and the high profile Journalist both commented on how disappointing it was for Wilders to be snubbed by the Jewish community leadership. Partly Political correctness, Partly fear, Fear of association but mostly naivity, misguided and wishing to be on the wrong side of History.
We went to see Wilders the following night once again not knowing where the venue was to the last minute . However the rat bags had already found out and when we arrived at the Somerton venue we were met with a very violent reception which in one way just verified Wilders views about the intolerance and violence associated with these people.
It is well known that our Government has issued visas to extremist anti -Semitic Clerics hosted by the Muslim community none of which have problems with a venue none of which require 8 armed guards, none of which attract the angry Fascist , racist Jew hating mobs that we encountered on Tuesday night .
The mob consisted of exactly the same faces I have seen outside the Max Brenner , state library, city Square protests, Socialist Alliance, Socialist alternative, Students for Palestine and local Muslim community members.
We got shaken up quite a bit one woman I know from the Jewish community got hurt but eventually the weight of the police presence particularly on horses got us through.
Wilders message was similar to his interview on late line the other night only he must have mentioned Israel a dozen times reiterating Israel was on the front line of Jihadism. Wilders asked the audience which county in the Middle eats treated the Christians the most fairly, Israel of course he said . Wilders then went on to urge Australians to support the only democracy in the Middle East Israel. Strangely notwithstanding the audience was nearly all non Jewish [may be a few dozen Jews out of about 400 audience] this statement drew the loudest applause .
It baffles me why so many people including Jews are so matter of a fact about the conga line of Muslim extremist speakers that are invited here by the Islamic community and their off shoots who have a history of vilifying Jews and and that is just accepted .
WE found out later the owners of the Venue who are Syrian Christians were now under threat ……
Oy this doozy “In a spirit of dialogue we invite Mr. Wilders to meet with a small representative group from JCMA.”.
I drool at the prospect of an encounter between the astute Geert Wilders and these JCMA dhimmis. Is this mere posturing by the JCMA so they can say that they were prepared to talk to Geert Wilders but he didn’t have time for them?
Bring it on I say -it would be a delight to watch the lovey-dovey dhimmis justify their vacillatory actions in the face of the pervasive reality of totalitarian Islam.
“If Wilders is wrong, explain this conference”
http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/if_wilders_is_wrong_explain_this_conference/
Geert Wilders came to express his concerns about what has happened in Europe…where the Islamification of countries such as Belgium, France, England, Holland, Sweden and Norway have led to a “state within a state” situation. This is not a myth. It is verifiably true. All one has to do is to travel to any of these places and witness “no-go zones”, where whole areas are too perilous to enter unless one is visibly Islamic, where a woman in Western dress dare not appear, where hate crimes against Jews and other non-Muslims have risen greatly, genital mutilation, honour killings too! Verifiable facts. He warns against tolerance for the intolerant.
Let us ask the right questions…are non-Muslims considered in Islam to be equal to Muslims, to be treated with exactly the same respect and honesty? Are Muslims who wish to convert to another religion, free to do so? Are women equal to men in Islam? Are homosexuals permitted to live? We are a tolerant, Judeo-Christian society where people are free to be themselves as long as they do not impinge on others rights or break the law of the land…which is based on Judeo-Christian ethics. The Koran does not teach Judeo-Christian ethics, it teaches that we should all be Muslims…the whole world is required to be a caliphate and there is no room for multiculturalism in the Koran, no matter what anyone says. The law which takes priority for a Muslim is Sharia law. It must be. Ask a Muslim what a Keffir is, what Jizya is, and finally what taquiya means. Ask a Muslim what the Koran says about Jews.
These Jewish Organizations mentioned in the article are afraid that by singling out Islam, the Jews will be targeted next in Australia . We must fight against this dhimmi mentality and listen to what Geert Wilders is warning us about.
Islam is taking over in the UK and Europe and it will happen here in time. Islam is not so much a Religion as a Totalitarian Ideology which aims for a World Caliphate and Sharia Law — back to the C7th. Western progress in every field of endeavour e.g science, art , architecture etc. will be nullified — a bleak future indeed.
I admire Geert Wilders and others who speak out against the dangers we face.
Read Melanie Phillips, Caroline Glick, Atlas shrugs, Jihad Watch etc
I recommend reading Andrew Bolt’s article on his blog today, titled:
If Wilders is wrong, explain this conference:
Recommended reading: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/if_wilders_is_wrong_explain_this_conference/
Geert Wilders, the Dutch political leader now on a speaking tour of Australia, has not only had his speeches blockaded by violent demonstrators trying to stop Australians from hearing him.
He has not only been vilified in the media for trying to warn that Islam as an ideology is a menace to Western values and freedoms – from the freedom to speak to even identify as gay.
Depressingly, he has even been shunned by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott and Jewish community leaders. It seems to me that political or community advantage is being put before principle – and fear is preventing a rational discussion of Wilders’ message …[…]…
If interfaith visitors do visit the Melbourne Showground for the ‘Peace Conference’(to be held from 13- 15 March 2013) they might inquire what Koranic verses they are being asked to listen to, and whether the following passages will be included:
Jews are pact breakers – Sura 5:13 and 2:27
Allah turned some Jews into apes (and pigs) (the inference being that some of today’s Jews are descendants of those people who were turned into apes and pigs: hence they referred to as ‘grandsons’ or ‘descendants’ ‘of apes and pigs’) – Sura 2:65, 5:60 and 7:166
Jews are murders of the prophets – Sura 3:181, 2:55
What sense are the people of Melbourne meant to make of the proposition that they needn’t worry that the preacher [ Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid, who will recite the Koran at the conference] has called for the annihilation of Jews, because he was only speaking Arabic?
But for me there are even bigger questions. Why are politicians, journalists and Jewish leaders now demonising Geert Wilders for warning against exactly the ideology of Islam as preached by many speakers at this conference?
Why do they pretend Wilders has misrepresented Islam when the very things he describes are preached openly?
Why are they silent over or even complicit in attempts to silence or frighten Wilders – who has not advocated violence – yet apparently happy that true hate-preachers who preach death for gays, Jews and enemies of Islam may speak freely in this country?
Why the hypocrisy? Why the fear?
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The abvoe are extracts from here: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/
That there is a grave problem with radical political Islam is just the simple truth
Ordinary Muslims suffer the most from this
Espicially the women and kids
Multiculturalim does not mean equal time for intolerant and hateful ideology
Once again the leadership is letting us dpwn by not taling the opportunity to say this without equivocation
They are letting down all Australians, including Muslims
Wilders is a brave man who deserves to be heard
These ‘self-appointed leaders’ of the Jewush communities don’t speak for me nor for any of the Jews we know. A ‘Jewish Christian Muslim Association’? What part of the mitzvotim “don’t listen to false prophets” and “expel such from the community” don’t these impious and irreligious ‘pretend’ and super-liberal Jews understand. Next there’ll be a ‘kosher Nazi’ Association, after all didn’t Hitler like (Aryan) children and dogs? So he can’t be all bad.
The brave Dutchman, Geert Wilders, risks his life everyday as a kind of prophet, warning people and natiuons what is coming and is already here. We need to listen to Wilders before it’s too late. What Wilders is trying to do now is what the saintly, righteous, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian minister tried to do in the 1930’s and ’40s, warning his own and other people of the dangers of Nazism – of course, Bonhoeffer was murdered just before the end of the war, in a concentration camp prison. I pray G-D protects Geert Wilders. Any Jews attacking or condemning Wilders need a reality check!
Maybe I am missing something but on that list of JCMA Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia organization sponsors above endorsing failed Multiculturalism and criticizing Geert Wilders I don’t see the ICV Islamic Council of Victoria’s Name , they are listed on the JCMA web site as original founders of this Fringe left wing group. ..ICV are the largest Muslim group in Vic
Does that mean they do not endorse that loony statement above ? What are the other Muslim Orgs that do ?
Burdy
“Australia is a multicultural and multifaith society in which racial, religious and linguistic diversity is embraced as a strength. This vibrant diversity has generated social, cultural and economic benefits for all Australians.”
I fail to see how misogynistic attitudes benefit those Australians who happen to be women.
Everything Geert Widers has said about Islam is absolutely correct!
And the latest news:
While Geert and Sam have landed now safely in Perth, our host from last night is enduring intimidation,
vilification and foul abuse from some elements of the Islamic community.
The same bigots would run a boycott against German cars as one of Germany’s finest drove Geert around,
and a certain Australian supermarket chain would get a fatwa, after they sold Geert a bottle of water.
Really crazy stuff, but for Sami and his brave family this is now a sad reality.
It should be added that this same crazy mob are also involved in violent anti Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions protests around the country, using same tactics of intimidation and abuse against Jewish shops, visiting Israeli academics, artists and their supporters.
I cannot help wondering Dear Friends;
I hope everyone made it home safe and sound last night – what a remarkable evening it was.
Nothing any of us will forget easily.
While Geert and Sam have landed now safely in Perth, our host from last night is enduring intimidation,
vilification and foul abuse from some elements of the Islamic community.
The same bigots would run a boycott against German cars as one of Germany’s finest drove Geert around,
and a certain Australian supermarket chain would get a fatwa, after they sold Geert a bottle of water.
Really crazy stuff, but for Sami and his brave family this is now a sad reality.
It should be added that this same mob are also involved in anti Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanction (BDS) protests using same tactics of intimidation and abuse against Jewish shops, Israeli academics, artists and their supporters.
As for JCCV association with JCMA (Jewish, Christian, Muslim Assoc) how could they reconcile this with the recent Gaza visit by leadership of the Islamic Council and their praising speech and encouragement they gave for Hamas, or with the fact that some the signatories, i.e. Uniting Church, Council of Church are supporters of BDS movement and patrons of the notorious anti Israel Sabeel http://www.sabeel.org.au/patrons.html and
http://ngo-monitor.org/article/sabeel_ecumenical_liberation_theology_center and see:
I’m still at odds trying to work out why the JCCV and the ECAJ have put this statement out?
It doesn’t make sense.
What’s the issue?
What are they afraid of?
Many countries are coming out and saying multiculturalism doesn’t work and here we have these organisations saying it does.
Multiculturalism asks for people to bring their ‘culture’ and that they never really need to become ‘Australians’.
Multiculturalism implies that people can change this country to suit their values, which becomes unacceptable.
British Prime Minister David Cameron said during a panel discussion attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
“Under the doctrine of state multiculturalism, we have encouraged different cultures to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream,”
“We have failed to provide a vision of society to which they feel they want to belong.”
He said the “hands-off tolerance” in Britain and other European nations has encouraged Muslims and other immigrant groups “to live separate lives, apart from each other and the mainstream.”
He further said “Multiculturalism, was undertaken for the highest of motives. It was intended to create a more tolerant society, one in which everyone, regardless of colour, creed or culture, felt at home. Its effect has been precisely the opposite
Multiculturalism, entered into for the noblest of reasons, has suffered from the law of unintended consequences. By dissolving national identity it makes it impossible for groups to integrate because there is nothing to integrate into, and by failing to offer people pride in being British, it forces them to find sources of pride elsewhere.”
This has been echoed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy
What Wilders is saying about Islam and Muslims goes well beyond what Cameron and others have said about multiculturalism. Cameron and Merkel certainly do not share Wilders’ views on Islam; nor do they use incendiary language by calling their prophet Muhammad a “barbarian, a mass murderer, and a pedophile” or referring to Islam as a “fascist ideology” which is “violent, dangerous, and retarded”.
At least the JCMA have done something to restore integrity in an otherwise shameful week for our community.
Ben David
I suggest you get stuck into some heavy reading, that’s how I came to my opinion. Plus I might add I’ve been on the receiving end of a couple of incidents
The Koran, The Hadith and the Reliance of the Traveller.
Everything being presented by both the JCMA and JCCV about multiculturalism in Australia – the same multiculturalism that European leaders admit has been a demonstrable abject failure in the countries they lead – points to a profound misunderstanding of what multiculturalism is.
Everything being presented by both the JCMA and JCCV about Geert Wilders’ message demonstrates that they either have never heard what he has to say or have heard but not listened.
Read his lips: It is not about muslims. it is about islam.
You will find apostate muslims and non-musim migrants from muslim countries among Wilders’ supporters. Listen to them.
The fact that so many venues cancelled his appearance out of fear shows that Australia has succumbed to fear.
Not all 1938 Germans were evil. That was not about Germans. It was about nazism. Read the quran, listen to the imams’ sermons. They are indistinguishable from Mein Kampf and nazi rants.
That is what Wilders and the Q Society which brought him out here, are about.
Danny, Wilders’ attempt to quell the accusation bigotry by saying he is against Islam not Muslims is disingenuous nonsense. The two are intertwined and he knows it. It is like people who say they don’t dislike Jews, just Zionism. The distinction is between extremist and non extremist Muslims or interpretations of Islam (just as there are extreme and non extreme forms of Zionism). If he can’t make that distinction, and wishes to tar them all with the same brush, that is bigotry, end of story.
Ben David
You obviously haven’t heard him being interviewed or read the article that was in the Australian a few days ago, or for that matter anything else about him, other than no doubt from the loony left
Have read his article Shirlee. He quite clearly does not make the distinction I am referring to. By attacking the whole of Islam and refusing to accept Muslims regardless of their level of extremism, he paints all of then as as rotten and deserving of equal exclusion and restriction. To Wilders, unless they renounce their religion – an absurd demand by any standards, except perhaps for the Catholic Church during the Spanish Inquisition – they remain condemned. His distinction between Muslims and Islam is in practice meaningless.
Wilders said nothing negative about Muslims. He spoke of the consequences of mass immigration from Muslim countries and he spoke of Islam as a totalitarian ideology…which of course it is.
Judith
He said a great many bad things against Muslims that offended moderates and it hardly lies in his mouth to say otherwise. How many moderate Muslim supporters does Wilders have ? That should tell you whether they have taken offense.
Rationalizing this as an attack on the religion but not Muslims is self delusion – the two are inseparable. He cast his net too wide and has lost support for this.
Ben David
David, your comparison to Jews and Zionists is inappropriate as neither Judaism nor Zionism are evil ideologies.
An appropriate comparison is Germans and Nazis. Not all 1938 Germans were evil while nazism was and all Nazis were. Not all muslims are evil while islam, demonstrably, is. Since 1948 islam has been responsible for an average of 3000 deaths per week. Do the math: just the Iran-Iraq war, 8 years, 1,000,000 dead. Do the math. Islam is evil. Like nazism, islam is a supremicist, intolerent, hateful, extremely violent ideology. If you can’t appreciate that from every evening news telecast or simply from reading the quran (you should if you haven’t) you need to hear Geert Wilders.
It’s not like that at all…like that would be…I’ve got nothing against Jews but I am against Judaism…that is an equal statement. Zionism is the Jewish aspiration for Israel as homeland. Clear thinking and knowledge give us power…there is no “interpretation” of Islam. Islam is Islam full stop. It is, as you will find if you read it, a complete political, social, cultural, religious ideology and it is very clear about what Muslims are obliged to do…and there are …as I have said…no differing interpretations…anyone trying to criticise, change or modify anything would have a fatwa issued against them. Anyone attempting to criticise Islam risks death. And plenty of people have died because of Islam too. There are people who adhere to the teachings of Islam strictly…they are the radical Islamists…and then there are the rest of the Muslims who may or may not be moderate. It is not bigotted to recognise and realise what is being taught in the Koran, Hadiths and Sura. But it is bloody scary! Have a look if you dare.
If this list of organisations feel they have the need to publish such a statement, I’d say they must be insecure in thinking we have such harmony in Australia.
We did, but no more. Geert Wilders is here to highlight that.
The Jewish Community council of Victoria has voiced concern about the visit to Australia of Dutch MY Geert Wilders…with the full support of The Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
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So, havey they now? And they obviously welcome that Australians who wanted to go and hear Mr. Wilders speak were physically attacked, at least one middle aged person was kicked to the ground, tickets to the speech were torn, faces were spit on?
And you obviously are in full solidarity with the cowardice and vulgarity of ALL Australian politicians, who did not even show the basic good manners due to a visiting democratically elected member of the Dutch parliament, one of the oldest democracies in the world, and the leader of the 3rd largest political party in Holland?
Geert Wilders who has received so much animosity because of his public support for Israel and the Jews? To take a clear stand like that is not fashionable these days, even in Australia you know. And those, who physically attacked law abiding citizens of this country who wanted to hear Geert Wilders speak, have also – surprise surprise – shouted their classical Jew hating slogans about “occupied Palestine”.
You know what?
If I were Anne Frank, I’d feel safer in Geert Wilder’s Holland, than in your Australia.
Shame on you and Pfui!
BRAVO!!! I support you all the way, I have wrote a letter to Jewish Council and told them that they have no right to condemn Mr Wilders in my name and the letter I got from them are sickening, all in the name to crawl up to politicians in Australia, we have to get reed of this people as they don’t represent the Jewish people in Australia only they own agenda.
One more example of Political correctness without any references to what is really happening in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Americas . Time after time corporatised Jewry leading people to destruction and gas chambers. Was it not enough before?
Am I missing something? Not a single Muslim Organization appears to have supported the joint statement quoted in this article.
No Jake, you are quite correct not one
Islamic Council of Victoria is not a Muslim organisation ? Look on their website to find the original letter. But of course why bother to do the research when this could jar with your prejudices.
Ben David
You are obviously blind or stupid. I don’t see any Islamic Council of Victoria
Scroll up the page – nah better still read here.
The organisations endorsing the statement:
Adult Multicultural Education Services
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
Australian Football League
Australian Multicultural Foundation
Baha’i Community of Victoria
Buddhist Council of Victoria
Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne
Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria
E-Vam Buddhist Institute
Faith Communities Council of Victoria
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
Interfaith Centre of Melbourne Islamic Council of Victoria
Jewish Community Council of Victoria
Lutheran Church of Australia Municipal Association of Victoria
Rabbinical Council of Victoria
Religions for Peace Australia
Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria
UNESCO Chair – Interreligious and Intercultural Relations, Asia Pacific
Uniting Church in Australia, Synod of Victoria and Tasmania
Victorian Council of Churches
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
Victorian Multicultural Commission
I’ve been reading a great deal over the past 5 or so years about the so-called ‘Religion of Peace’. I follow websites and blogs. I’ve had two personal incidents here in Sydney in the past couple of years too. On someone I have known for over 30 years, who found out was Jewish
Here are two *very* mild recent comments.
“We should be grateful to Allah, yes, but this country providing us with healthcare and other services should not be a means of us feeling any sense of loyalty to it, or love for it.
Sometimes, people get so overwhelmed by the generosity of this country that they develop a pride in calling themselves Australians, conveniently forgetting that this is also a country at war with Islam. “.
“Islam has regulations relating to war & peace, depending on the situation at hand, as do pretty much all ideologies. The idea that Islam attempts to present itself as being purely peaceful is a Western construct, not an Islamic one.”
What is this organization named ‘Interfaith Centre of Melbourne Islamic Council of Victoria’? It sounds like a front for the Islamic Council that goes out to play taqiyya politics with the minds of those misguided dhimmis in the JCMA.
What is this organization named ‘Interfaith Centre of Melbourne Islamic Council of Victoria’? It sounds like a front for the Islamic Council that goes out to play taqiyya politics with the minds of those misguided dhimmis in the JCMA.
Perhaps Muslim Organizations dont want to be seen in the compagnie of Dhimmies.
Who are you people to say who others can listen to or not, I find christians and jews the biggest bigots and most judgmental and hateful of all peoples, if you don’t like it nobody is allowed to do it. You don’t believe in freedom or freedom of speech, you only beleive your narrow minded and hateful beleifs. I think Geert Wilders should ba allowed to speak freely in Australia and we should understand what it is he is trying to say.
Foz
I think you need to learn to read and comprehend what you read.
No one has said said anyone can’t listen or read to anything. They are voicing their personal concerns, albeit s far as many people are concerned unnecessarily and they should be directing this statement to a whole other group of people.
The people picketing this mans meetings are aggressive, abusive and spray hateful voices at those attending his meeting. try to tell me you don’t want people to listen to him. Religions are the problem
It’s laughable to see the Rabbinic Council of Victoria sign their name to a document calling for “achieving greater understanding and acceptance of diversity” when they made a submission to the Senate of Australia countering changes to the Marriage Act allowing same-sex couples to get married. Clearly they are subscribing to a qualified form of diversity, one on their terms only.