Muslims terrorising your neighbourhood?
Paul Sheehan's opinion piece on the Sydney Morning Herald, here, represents a new type of article that you would never have seen in an Australian (or probably UK) broadsheet newspaper six years ago. We are starting to see that rarest of beasties: the publication by secular liberals of articles that criticize Muslims.
In the article, Sheehan speaks of the aggressive pattern of behaviour of some Middle Eastern Muslims who are forcing older residents of particular suburbs out of their houses by intimidatory behaviour such as verbal abuse, or throwing objects at windows and roofs. After the terrified individual caves in and leaves, the house is taken over by Muslim renters or buyers.
Sheehan also draws attention to the racism that managed to lump together Middle Eastern Muslims and Middle Eastern Christians in an unfortunate piece of non-discrimination.
I wrote in with this (unpublished) response:
Dear editor,
Thanks to Paul Sheehan for drawing our attention to the important distinction that exists between violent members of the Middle Eastern Muslim community, and peaceful members of the Middle Eastern Christian community. It's bad news that they end up being tarred with the same racist brush.
However, I also want to point out that there are numbers of peaceable Middle Eastern Muslims in Sydney who are interested in thoughtful and friendly interaction with Christians of any race. I know because I've met some, and I know of many more. Many Muslims are prepared to consider the claim that Jesus died and rose again—a claim that, if true, directly undermines their religion. That's impressive, and beats the pants off a number of the easily threatened secular humanists and atheists I've had dealings with.
Yours etc.