DAR AL HARB - AUSTRALIA: IF TOO MUCH PRESSURE IS EXERTED, IT WILL BACKFIRE

Pressure to assimilate won't work, leader warns
Richard Kerbaj

PUSHING for more Muslim integration into the Australian mainstream will only promote additional barriers and further isolate the Islamic community, according to a prominent Muslim leader.
The Islamic Council of Victoria spokesman Waleed Aly warned against pressuring Muslims to assimilate, saying they would only resist such moves.

"When you feel you don't have to justify your existence, then your performance improves," he said at the weekend gathering to examine Muslim and non-Muslim attitudes. "Life will make you integrate, you cannot separate yourself from your environment. It's just a natural process ... give it room and it will take place."

Sociologist Katherine Betts from Melbourne's Swinburne University, who joined Mr Aly at the "Islam phobia/West phobia" panel discussion, said the concept of a "fair go" was being undermined by fearful global events linked to Islam.

She said mainstream Australia and Muslims needed to break down barriers to engage on a personal level.

"Most people are prepared to give others a fair go if they know each other as human beings," said Associate Professor Betts.

But co-founder of Australia First Party Denis McCormack argued that Muslim immigration into Australia was problematic and that the nation was set up to "remain predominantly white".

"This is an immigration problem that has gotten out of control," he said.

Mr McCormack later told The Australian some Muslims exploited the West to "advance their own agendas".

He said the gap between Muslim and non-Muslim birthrates in Australia would only be exacerbated by immigration.

Mr Aly said Muslims were working with police and other authorities to ensure the security of the country. But he said Muslim hardliners operating "under cover" were difficult to point out because they excluded themselves from the community.

"I think there seems to be this assumption that all Muslims know exactly where the troublemakers are," he said.

"I think Muslims are doing as much as they can ... but it's not ultimately their responsibility. They are not the police."


1) We are not assimilating so we could remain pure moslems/jihadists...

2) If you put too much pressure on us to assimilated, we will become jihadists that much faster...

A no win situation, time for The West to really think about harboring these enemies of Western Civilization and it is definitely time for the veneer of civilization to slip and engage these people in ways that they understand...

Pertinent Links:

1) Pressure to assimilate won't work, leader warns