Miguel’s Weblog

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.
Prime Minister 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”.
“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”.
“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”.

Source: Galo Verde

Read also the following article:

By David Humphries
February 25, 2006

MIGRANTS are obliged to “be Australian” and social integration must be pushed harder, John Howard has declared.

In an interview marking his 10th anniversary as Prime Minister, Mr Howard also describes the burqa, the full head covering worn by some Muslim women, as “confronting”.

Mr Howard yesterday defended as “fundamentally accurate” a controversial speech by his Treasurer, Peter Costello, on core Australian values.

But Mr Howard’s interview with the Herald, conducted before the Costello speech, confirmed that the two men are singing from the same song sheet in expressing trepidation about a divide between some Muslims and mainstream Australia.

It also illustrates the futility of some Muslim leaders appealing to Mr Howard yesterday to censure Mr Costello for the speech on Thursday.

Mr Howard told the Herald, “when you come to this country, you become Australian”. Similarly, Mr Costello had said: “Before becoming an Australian, you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objections to those values, don’t come to Australia.”

In the interview, Mr Howard said multiculturalism had become distorted and too often stupidly meant “a federation of cultures”. And he said Muslims must work at avoiding their alienation. Mr Costello condemned “confused, mushy, misguided multiculturalism”.

Initially, the Costello comments - including stripping citizenship from people who advocate Islamic law over Australian law - were judged to be at odds with Mr Howard. On the same day, Mr Howard had spoken of the contribution of “all of those who weren’t born in this country” and extolled Australia as the least discriminatory country. In the interview, however, Mr Howard said integration was underdone, even though Australia was “very socially cohesive”. Yesterday Mr Howard said Australia’s core set of values flowed from its Anglo-Saxon identity and the Treasurer’s essential point - that people should not migrate to countries they do not appreciate - was unexceptional.

Mr Howard said Australian Muslims overhwelmingly were committed to Australia, and terrorism was based “upon an evil, distorted interpretation of Islam … But that doesn’t mean you can’t identify areas of concern, and I think the reaction of some in the Islamic community … is quite unreasonable.”

Costello backers said his remarks were intended to brand him as conservative enough for a legitimate shot at the Liberal leadership. Yesterday Mr Costello continued to promote the cause for a more demanding citizenship test. On Sydney radio he brushed aside the leadership question when asked if he was positioning himself by making remarks that some would consider to be racist.

Despite a chorus of protest at the Costello speech, NSW’s Labor Premier, Morris Iemma, called it reasonable and practical and said immigrants should “leave the disputes, leave the extremism and leave the fights behind”. This endorsement is a sure sign that Labor polling identifies the Muslim divide as a potent electoral issue.

Pauline Hanson, the former One Nation leader, said she was vindicated by Mr Costello. She added that “he needs to throw these people out of this country who do not embrace Australia”