Thread: Australian PM backs Muslim comments by Treasurer Costello

Folks, I looked this info up, for another thread per request of Hope2006. It's been suggested that it would be better posted as a new topic, so here you go.******************

Here it is...boy, did it take time to find it...in searching almost took 3 links re illegal immigration stories that sound like the USA. Globalism and lowering wages, for one.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/ ... 38222.html

PM backs Muslim comments

February 24, 2006 - 10:48AM

Mr Howard says Mr Costello's comments were "fundamentally accurate".

Prime Minister John Howard has refused Muslim calls to censure Treasurer Peter Costello over comments he made about Islamic extremists.

And Mr Costello has challenged Muslim leaders to pledge their allegiance to Australia before they criticise him over his comments about citizenship.

Muslim leaders have called for Mr Howard to censure Mr Costello over his speech last night to the Sydney Institute in which he said anyone who believed Islamic sharia law could co-exist with Australian law should move to a country where they felt more comfortable.

Islamic Friendship Association president Keysar Trad said Mr Costello had unfairly singled out Muslims and was promoting division and Islamophobia.

But Mr Howard said Mr Costello's comments were "fundamentally accurate".

"He's not trying to stir up hostilities with Islamic people any more than I was when I made some comments three days before the Cronulla riots," Mr Howard told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne.

Mr Costello said Muslim leaders should be pledging themselves and their followers to Australian values before they started criticising him.

"Rather than try and censure me ... they should make a clear statement that they subscribe to all of these views - that they are loyal to Australia, they respect the rights and liberties of others, they believe in democratic government and they believe that all Australians should live unequivocally under the one law made by the Australian parliament - and endorse these values and recommend them to their followers," Mr Costello told Southern Cross Broadcasting.

"Pledge themselves unequivocally to these values first of all, and then call on their followers to pledge themselves unequivocally to these values.

"This is what I would invite them to do, rather than to criticise me because all Australians should in my view subscribe to these values."

But Mr Trad said nobody was protesting against Australia's secular laws through any other means than the normal democratic process.

"We have not asked for sharia law to be imposed," he told ABC Radio.

"I don't know anyone in this country who is asking for sharia law to be imposed and I don't known anyone in this country who has rejected the rule of law.

"I am genuinely hopeful that the prime minister will censure the treasurer over these ridiculous comments, that the treasurer is grossly out of line.

"Rather than try to promote understanding and harmony in this society, his comments are highly divisive and he is stirring up Islamophobia, and these comments should really be beneath any decent politician."

Mr Trad said the Muslim community in Australia had disowned Islamic fanatics.

In his speech, Mr Costello said where there was reason to believe people were not truthfully or honestly meeting their citizenship test, there was every right for them to be denied citizenship.

He likened entering Australia to entering a mosque, with people entering a Muslim place of worship expected to take their shoes off as a mark of respect.

"If you don't want to take your shoes off, don't go into a mosque. If you want to come into Australia, you will be asked respect for its values," Mr Costello told the Nine Network this morning.

"If you don't have respect for those values, don't ask to come into Australia.

"This is what we ask of people. We have to preserve a way of life which makes us the greatest country in the world."

He said more demands should be made of people wanting to become Australian citizens.

AAP

He said more demands should be made of people wanting to become Australian citizens.

The United States use to have what I thought was a fair demands for U.S. citizenship. Learn some American history, speak and write English at an eight grade level, and swear alligence to the United States and our flag. Those demands and expectations have been the backbone of immigrant assimilation in the United States for a lot of years, but now the pro-illegal immigrant/open border crowd think we're being unreasonable in our demands. They do not demand, nor expect alligence to our country and flag, they do not care if immigrants speak or write English, and they could certainly care less if anyone knew anything about American history. In other words, assimilation, alligence, patriotism, and loyalty are quickly becoming out of vogue. Why is that? I'll tell you why that is - we are no longer a country of principle and law - we are now a country of greed, pandering, and self-gratification. Moreover, our elected officials lack the moral integrity, values, and principles that are necessary to responsibly run a great country such as ours.

We gave up all these principles when we allowed the ACLU's and other like them to extirpate them from our society under the name of pretentious laws.

This is what we ask of people. We have to preserve a way of life which makes us the greatest country in the world."

He said more demands should be made of people wanting to become Australian citizens.

AAP

George Bush travels around a lot. How long since he's been to visit Prime Minister John Howard ? Never that I can remember. Let's call for this trip and a return visit of Prime Minister Howard to Washington.

Better yet, we can all e-mail him and invite him ourselves !! We can send copies to President Bush.

Form letter ?

I say it's time we start picking his friends for him, since he has so much trouble in that area.

Originally Posted by LegalUSCitizen

I say it's time we start picking his friends for him, since he has so much trouble in that area.

Pat ,
Thank you very much . I was thinking this story could be a nice push - to learn about the government which supports the laws and integrity .

About picking the friends for Bush - this is funny , but I was thinking - if we could invite Mr.John Howard to visit us for a couple of weeks , then our illegal immigration problems would be straightened out .

I was told today that 17 states in US were thinking about tightening the immigration policy and a friend of mine told me again - " this is not your fight . This should be gone on the Government level "
I said : I am one little thing , then someone else will join . We do not need to worry about results .
Just apply the right efforts and positive energy - and results will come

That's a great post. Thanks to both of you for reviving it.

Legal - maybe a form letter would be a good idea.

After all, the Aussies backed us up on Iraq. Inviting their PM for a visit would be perfect. And if he accepts, how can the shrub deny him?