Punch on: Open thread 20/02/2013

Jane says:

07:35am | 20/02/13

Because it’s not how hard you study… but how hard you play Football!

gobsmack says:

07:44am | 20/02/13

He didn’t try to speak his mind.  His security ensured he did.

There is no need to make him out to be a martyr.

Mik says:

07:50am | 20/02/13

Indeed cool heads required all round. Islam is changing from within (keeping in mind there are many forms of Islam, it is not homogenious).
Imran Khan is correct with what he said in Pakistan on Monday “If you carry out this terrorism in the name of Islam, then you couldn’t be greater enemies of the religion”, and “Islam is the religion of peace. Attacking innocent civilians is outright terrorism.” (DAWN.COM).
This is a Muslim man speaking out, as some of the writers have, and there will be more to com. Fundamentalist may want to hide back in Allah’s time (when lives were extremely tough and almost all rulers absolutely ruthless) but the world has moved on and so are many of those who practice the faith. It is the fundamentalists who degrade their religion by causing terror to their own and others.

Mik says:

08:15am | 20/02/13

Correction, my original comment should have read ‘in the days of Muhhammed’

subotic the placard kid says:

08:17am | 20/02/13

Behead all those who insult the hair of the Dutch MP!

Wait… what?

Chris L says:

08:48am | 20/02/13

@Ronny - The protest seemed religious in nature, not political. Is it just a reflex action to blame everything on the left?

ronny jonny says:

09:00am | 20/02/13

gobsmack, you’d think with his opponents being such lovers of peace and freedom, he wouldn’t need security.
It’s the standard left tactic, don’t engage in debate, just shut the debate down. I wonder if the homosexuals in attendance understand how they would be treated in Islamic countires?

AdamC says:

09:01am | 20/02/13

Ronny Jonny, yeah, I cannot help but think that too. When queer activists, for example, try to shut down someone who is, in essence, simply opposing theocratic oppression, you really have to wonder what is going on in their minds.

I can only put it down to the most desperate ignorance on their part.

Nostromo says:

09:25am | 20/02/13

Since when did Islam become the religion of peace rofl? I think Buddhism would be the closest to that. Note the comment “Attacking innocent civilians is outright terrorism” & what’s not being explicitly said there. Any religion that allows for war or armed conflict under any circumstances can hardly call itself the religion of peace.

And then there’s the whole American Indian saying about actions speaking louder than words, which I don’t always agree with, but there come a point when words become meaningless in the face of so many ‘blind eyes’ turning away. E.g. why didn’t all the good, righteous, peaceful Pakis arrest Osama for terrorism & have him tried for crimes against humanity the moment he stepped foot in their country, never mind giving him safe harbour in a military complex & treating him like a royal guest…? Pfft.

All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing - never mind apathetic or selfish men, or the evil ones who pretend or truly think they’re good!

egg says:

09:26am | 20/02/13

@ronny, and lefties just HATE the Dutch, eh?

GregE says:

09:29am | 20/02/13

Lefty rent a crowd! Spotty faced white university kids with too much time on their hands and GetUp funding.

It’s wriong that the police should have to waste their times with idiots.

subotic says:

09:44am | 20/02/13

Rubber bullets.

Works every time….

Nostromo says:

10:37am | 20/02/13

@subotic: I know you really mean rubber bullets with deleted uranium cores - you can’t pull the wool mate! ;-p

gobsmack says:

10:45am | 20/02/13

I’m not denying that there are those who want to silence him.

I am simply correcting your incorrect reference to him “trying” to speak his mind.

Personally, I’m quite happy for him to be given a forum in which to express his views here.  I find some of those views quite interesting.

subotic says:

11:15am | 20/02/13

I don’t know which is worse really -

1. The crazy Dutch guy channelling Giorgio Tsoukalis’ hairdo, or

2. the “ever peaceful” Islamic fundies wanting to kill anyone who speaks out against their one-eyed interpretation of the Will of a dead prophet.

And people wonder why politics & religion just don’t mix with sane rationality….

marley says:

11:57am | 20/02/13

@subotic - I’ll tell you what’s worse than either of them.  Politically- correct Australians arguing that the Dutch MP, with or without dubious hair, should be silenced because what he has to say might inspire extremism in others.  Where the hell is the commitment to free speech in this country?

Anubis says:

12:16pm | 20/02/13

@ Nostromo - I think “rubber bullets with DEPLETED uranium cores” would probably be more effective

subotic says:

12:29pm | 20/02/13

Where the hell is the commitment to free speech in this country?

Migrated to New Zealand of all places…

Mouse says:

12:43pm | 20/02/13

@Anubis, maybe not more effective but definitely not as messy! lol :o)

Nostromo says:

12:47pm | 20/02/13

@Anubis: that one got past the sp3llch3ka…obviously! ;-p

But in subotic’s case, he might want to kill them slowly of radiation poisoning, so I may have got it right lol!

Nostromo says:

12:56pm | 20/02/13

@subotic: you meant that other anagram of NZ ‘speech’, dropping the ‘c’ letter….right?

Sanity says:

04:44pm | 20/02/13

For all the complaining about Islam being a religion of violence, I can see some examples of Christian hatred and intolerance. Of course, me mentioning those would make me a religion-hating nazi correct?

sunny says:

04:56pm | 20/02/13

It gives me a bit of a warm feeling really. How many nations in Africa and Asia did the Dutch move into, set up shop and milk dry back in colonial times! Now they’re getting their own back - albeit in a much smaller dose. Maybe the immigrants should set up The Moroccan East Netherlands Company and enslave some of the local Dutch to harvest spices for them.

Meh says:

07:37am | 20/02/13

Tele spam. Yawn.

gof says:

07:55am | 20/02/13

#Zack,
“Labor even screws up how it handles the Xenophon saga”
Xenophon screwed up and created his saga! Nothing to do with Labor, and like coalition policy releases, nothing to see here!

Mr Sam says:

08:49am | 20/02/13

Of course Carr won’t address the fundmental issue, he doesn’t have what it takes to challenge a gutsy Malaysian government. This is another massive problem Gillard doesn’t need on her plate right now but I’ll bet it will be forgotten in a few days because they have too much too deal with. I can’t believe how much we are paying these twits, in the private sector they would be fired in 30 seconds!

TimB says:

12:15pm | 20/02/13

@ AASQ/Meh

Sockpuppet spam. Yawn.

Alfie says:

01:21pm | 20/02/13

Carr Screws Up.

Not the first time that’s been in the Telegraph.

marley says:

07:46am | 20/02/13

@Mahrat - my mother refused to join the Silver Threads (a senior’s outfit) because it was all “old people.”  She was 79 at the time.  She now concedes that “getting old isn’t fun.”  She’s 95.  I reckon, age is in the mind as much as in the knees.

Elphaba says:

08:30am | 20/02/13

Definitely disgracefully…

subotic says:

09:31am | 20/02/13

Grow old?

Pffft. Be buggered if Imma grow old.

I decided to stay at age twelve since I turned twenty-six, and Imma die as twelve as well.

You only grow old if you want to. I know I sure as hell won’t be getting “old” anytime soon…

Rebecca says:

02:07pm | 20/02/13

Depends on your definition of graceful and disgraceful. Personally I think graceful but awesome is the best plan! I fully intend on being a grandma who snowboards. And bakes cake.

pa_kelvin says:

02:19pm | 20/02/13

I just wanna get there…

OverIt says:

07:48am | 20/02/13

Very best of luck, Pa, hope it all goes as well as it can do.

Loddlaen says:

07:52am | 20/02/13

Good luck Pa!
Hope it all works out for you and look forward to your return to The Punch!

Chris L says:

07:56am | 20/02/13

Best of luck Pa, and don’t be too cheeky with the nurses.

Mik says:

08:09am | 20/02/13

Best Wishes.

Meph says:

08:28am | 20/02/13

Give the Gorgon a kick in the nuts for all of us!

Mouse says:

09:22am | 20/02/13

Have fun pa_k!  (I can say that :op) ma_k and daughter will be there too? You will be fine, just remember to take it easy until you know how it is going to go for you.  I am sure they have told you that your bodily fluids are now toxic so remember that rubber is your friend.  That is of course, if you are feeling up to it!  lol ;o)
Never let your humour fade pa_k, it will get you through this with flying colours.  Just think of me and that should bring a smile to your face. If you start getting morose and feeling sorry for yourself, I will pay you out sooooooo bad that you will never get like that again!!  hehehehe :oD
See ya on the return xxxx

subotic says:

09:33am | 20/02/13

Take a good hit of the “green” before you go in pa.

Don’t forget to exhale….

Chillin says:

09:35am | 20/02/13

Enjoy the food!

Pa_Kelvin says:

09:44am | 20/02/13

I’m sitting in the HOCA ward and have just been told that my testosterone levels are to high to start the trial today…
They are giving me a high dosr injection of hormones to reduce levels..
Frustrating as all shit, wont be starting today….
Mouse Told you I was a manly man, and not a Princess…

TheRealDave says:

09:54am | 20/02/13

Best Wishes Pa!

Jim Moriarty says:

10:09am | 20/02/13

Good luck, pa_k!

Mouse says:

10:25am | 20/02/13

*giggle giggle* Sorry pa-k, looks like we are in the same boat! They have put me back a week too, don’t start until NEXT Monday now. *sigh*  Chin up tough guy, take your girl drugs like a man and hopefully all will be well for next week. Seriously though, I can understand your frustration. Hang in, it’ll get here soon enough.  :oD

Alfie says:

10:44am | 20/02/13

Chin up pa!

pa_kelvin says:

11:59am | 20/02/13

Mouse ...More full bloodtests early Tuesday morning, and my clinical nurse will ring with the results in the arvo. If the level has dropped then will kick-off the chemo wednesday, otherwise I will have to have more scans before starting….
The level needs to be 0.5 and mine were 0. friggen 74…
Not happy as I had built up to it….
To everyone else thanks for your support….

marley says:

12:50pm | 20/02/13

Pa - sorry I’m a bit late but I hope it all gets sorted soon and everything works out.

Mouse says:

01:27pm | 20/02/13

Yuck…..it’s like the big anticlimax, isn’t it? You must have felt like saying how close it was to 0.5!!  Grrr. 
Never mind, next week should be good to go. Play up on the weekend to make up for it then, there has to be a plus side to everything that happens!
Keep smiling pa_k   :o)  :o)  ;o)  :o)  :oD

Chris L says:

01:36pm | 20/02/13

You were too much man for them, eh Pa?

pa_kelvin says:

02:16pm | 20/02/13

Chris L Thats me…
Mouse this is the trial http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDQQFjAB&url=http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01308567&ei=m0ckUee7E4myiQfhwIDwDQ&usg=AFQjCNHzE7uXsXERLBqqIE7smYAiHPuGaQ&bvm=bv.42661473,d.dGY&cad=rja
Any how I’m of to buy a floral shirt and a nice bunch of flowe….
Umm I mean some new denims…

Meph says:

02:36pm | 20/02/13

@pa_kelvin

No shoes or other accessories? methinks you need more medecine!

AJ in Perth says:

02:53pm | 20/02/13

just take each day as it comes, pa_kelvin!!!  holding my thumbs, ears and toes that all goes according to plan next week, and it at least get started so that you know what to expect next time

mouse

I’ve seen your “short story” on the weekend punch …  scary, but in a good way hahaha

I was undecided up till now whether to retaliate and let this feud continue to see who can reach the character limit first on the punch (or is this one the race to the bottom of the pool of intelligence???  oh sorry, my bad, that’s the one with Colin … as is everyone)

but against my better judgement, and the salient advice from my physiologist … uhm, sorry, my *lawyer*, it will have to be, because it looks like jokes will be needed with all these delays, and tests, and what not … and, I’m sure you’ll agree, the Labor government used to supply ample laughs on this forum, but not anymore … they’re just sad, which makes me glum …
hehehehe <———that’s my evil laugh for in case you didn’t know …  did I say glum?!  :o)

pa_kelvin says:

03:23pm | 20/02/13

Meph ... More medicine??? I might self medicate with *medicine* in about an hour methinks…..
Thanks AJ Its all I can do, but it just spreads the stress….. Ahh what the heck… more *medicine* ...

sunny says:

05:21pm | 20/02/13

pa_kelvin - hope it all goes well.

When you arrive at the hospital - this is the best way to greet the Matron of your ward. She will provide you with much better care after that..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heB2g0IvOMg

Mouse says:

05:49pm | 20/02/13

AJ, glum? Is that a glorified plum, or a glass drum, maybe gluggy rum? (I know, don’t give up my day job! lol)
I reckon we had better keep the joke feud for the weekends, too many grumpy buggas otherwise! So weekend OT will be it. Jokes at 20 paces, may the most cracked win. hehehehehe (While that is your evil laugh, it’s my titter…. more along the confused, slightly demented line than the maniacal one!)  LOL :oD

Mr Sam says:

08:53am | 20/02/13

The ALP and those associated with it have to remember that having a shameful historic political legacy won’t just be a burden for them to carry, it will tarnish those close to them. Whitlam must be so relieved to know his historic standing is suddenly heaps better than this current Rudd/Gillard/ALP mess. All the spin and a God she doesn’t believe in won’t be able to save this ALP car crash!

Nostromo says:

09:36am | 20/02/13

Time for a change indeed!

Good summation of the salient points points to date GregE.

I have a ‘what it’ scenario though: if we put aside all the economic & financial mismanagement the ALP has perpetrated on our country & ignore the national debt, etc, where would that leave the ALP vs NLP on policy, laws, human rights, etc?

Just curious if someone has a short list of royal fark-ups Juliar & Co should answer for as regards non-fiscal matters. The main one that comes to mind is shipping fellow human beings, some of who are presumably actual refugees, to the middle of the pacific, in some cases further away from Aus than where they came from!

Conversely, can any non-ALP-luva actually point to some effective, worthwhile work that the ALP has done, either under Rudd or Gills, since 2007? No really, I’m curious what we got for our vote & our tax dollars.

GregE says:

10:10am | 20/02/13

@Nostromo here’s a start:

1. Grocery choice - $13m - delivered nothing
2. Fuelwatch - $21m - delievered nothing
3. promise to build 260 childcare centres - never delivered
4. promise of root and branch tax reform - Henry report largely shelved
5. The resources tax - complete dud - epic fail
6. Cash for clunkers - scrapped
7. Green loans - debacle
8. Insulation scheme - deaths - taxpayer cost $4billion
9. Promise to provide a coast guard - not delivered
10. The East Timor Solution - announced but never existed. ALP didnt even talk to the East Timor Government
11. Malaysian Swap deal. Taxpayer cost $200m. deemed illegal
12. Pokie machine reform - promise, backflip
13. Promise of reduced consultancy costs - costs have skyrocketted. Biggest public service in history
14. Promise to reduce political advertising - $13m on propaganda mailout for carbon tax. $10m to establish the climate change institute
15. Promise there will be no carbon tax - lie
16. promise of a citizens assembly into climate change - lie
17. Written committment to health insurers that the ALP would not touch the private health tax rebate - lie
18. I fully support PM Rudd, I have more chance of playing FF for the Dogs, I new nothing about it until the day - lie
19. “I’m a fiscal conservative” - ah no, you’re actually the biggest spending Prime minister in teh nations history.
20. “no ifs or buts” surplus - Epic fail
21. No child shall live without a laptop - not delivered in full
22. Cheaper better Childcare - costs up particularly in NSW
23. Make the big polluters pay - but cost born by the big taxpayers. Handouts to ALP demographic regardless of how they pollute
24. Craig Thompson - PM support on numerous occasions despite Fairwork Australia findings
25. Peter Slipper - PM stands and supports him in parliament despite sexist text messages becoming public
26. NDIS - not budgetted, not costed - potential taxpayer funded black hole
27. Gonski - not budgetted. Wealth redistribution scheme
28. Free dental health care - not costed not budgetted
29. Two federal ministers admit to accepting freebies from the Obeid’s
30. The AWU scandal
31 The HSU scandal
32. The governments poor handling of the Qantas dispute
33. The cost benefit of the 2020 summit

How’s that for starters?

Jamo says:

10:39am | 20/02/13

GregE, 33 very good examples of why this government has been way out of its depth for its entire existence

Nostromo says:

10:44am | 20/02/13

@GregE: but, but, but…where’s the good stuff?

To be fair, a lot of your list is mostly fiscal policy with resulting losses/seepage. But it is a pretty extensive list just for ‘starters’ lol!

I can only think of one positive Julia has done for us, which is the NBN, ignoring the massive overruns, snouts in troughs & whatnot. Any others? Labour relations, education, healthcare, foreign policy/relations…surely someone here can point to some tangible good this administration has done in the last 6 years…surely…?

Jamo says:

10:59am | 20/02/13

Nope the cupboard is bare, even the handling of the NBN is questionable, another great idea, way behind the rest of the world and much like everything else, balls up, not their biggest which makes it look good by their standards

Rob says:

02:17pm | 20/02/13

@Nostromo

Keeping the Abbott LNP on the Opposition benches for 6 years is the best achievement any Government could ever make.

I hate pies says:

02:20pm | 20/02/13

I’ll help - they did give us an economy that’s the envy…blah blah blah, blah blah blah. I can’t even be bothered writing the spin. You’ve heard it enough times, you know how it goes.

Nostromo says:

02:57pm | 20/02/13

@Rob: is that’s the best you got mate, then good luck with that come September lol! ;-p

Nostromo says:

03:08pm | 20/02/13

@I hate pies: let me know finish that for you mate:

“they’ve given us an economy that’s the envy of most small African nations”. I can’t even keep a straight face while writing that ROFLMFAO!

Rob says:

04:57pm | 20/02/13

Good luck for the last six years.

Rob says:

06:07pm | 20/02/13

@nostromo

Good luck with the last 6 years mate.

subotic says:

08:16am | 20/02/13

I can’t wait for Radio 4KKKRudd.

Radio 4KKKRudd…All KRudd… All the Time!

Meph says:

08:32am | 20/02/13

@Alfie

Considering that the Australian parliament is beginning to look like a bad (good?) episode of Fawlty Towers, I can’t say I blame him.

Mouse says:

09:29am | 20/02/13

You know how bad the government is when just the thought of Rudd as Labor leader doesn’t make you fall off your chair laughing any more!  lol :o)

Nostromo says:

09:30am | 20/02/13

Yes Minister!?

Zack says:

03:24pm | 20/02/13

Most ALP politicians don’t advertise they are from the ALP. That is how bad it is for the Gillard mob.

gof says:

08:01am | 20/02/13

# Fred,
Well there is now a whole heap of lunatic extremist left policies which with a little tinkering could become moderate right discussion papers going cheap that Tony can pour over and research in his spare time, which going by his public appearances, he has a lot of..
Wheeere’s Tony?
All huff, no puff!

GregE says:

08:10am | 20/02/13

With all this talk about a Rudd challenge, it’s worth reminding ourselves of a few things.

Oakshott and Windsor, both said that their deal was with Gillard. If Rudd returned, all bets would be off. Would they stand true to their word?

Adam Bandt in the lower house?? What’s he doing to back up Milne’s words?

And given the comments of senior members of the cabinet, Albanese, Crean, Bourke, Combet, Roxon etc about the fact that Rudd was the reason the ALP had “lost it’s way”, how could the ALP ever return to him? The cabinet would fall apart, the party would be split and the ALP would lose even more members. Faulkner, Tanner, McClellan already gone. All their leftioes would be cleaned out as well.

What a complete mess and joke this federal ALP is. Truely the worst gvernment in our nations history!

The best thing would be for someone to force an election today and for the Greens to block supply so we can clean them out of the senate with a double d poll.

Alfie says:

08:29am | 20/02/13

If her brains were dynamite, whe wouldn’t have enough to blow her nose.

Mr Sam says:

08:54am | 20/02/13

huff and puff? Is there a carbon tax on her emissions…....quick someone alert Gillard!

Jack says:

09:04am | 20/02/13

@greg

John Howard’s government was the worst in our nation’s history.

Mr Sam says:

09:42am | 20/02/13

Jack your opinion is a minority opinion and thank God for that. Gillard/Rudd are beyond terrible. Say G’Day to acotrel for me at the next treehouse meeting.

Meph says:

10:22am | 20/02/13

@Jack

“John Howard’s government was the worst in our nation’s history.”

Funny though, people kept voting him back in time after time. Four full terms in government is kinda difficult to overlook.

Jamo says:

11:20am | 20/02/13

Meph, 4 terms is hard to overlook in itself, but it’s thanks to those 4 terms that we have unsustainable house prices and therefore mortgages. This is the reason ‘Australia is capital poor’ according to Swan, and one of the reasons we have virtually zero ownership of our mining industry ( no dividend cheques landing in Aussie letterboxes instead going overseas ), enter the mining tax. John Howard knew how to win an election, but I’m with jack, behind this lot Johnny is next worst, he made a huge contribution to the unsustainable position we’re in, but he helped make the big banks rich, big supermarket chains rich pumping up the stock market and therefore superannuation. I think that’s why alot of the baby boomers blindly kept voting him in.

Fred says:

11:47am | 20/02/13

@ Gof…is the constant belching of methane that comes from your head taxed under the carbon dioxide tax?
If Goose is looking to salvage a surplus maybe they could open up the carbon tax to cover your emissions.

GregE says:

12:34pm | 20/02/13

@Jack - why’s that? Did you have to work for your money?

Mouse says:

12:39pm | 20/02/13

Alfie,  ” If her brains were dynamite, whe wouldn’t have enough to blow her nose.”
Oh dear, that made me splutter my coffee!  Good one, Alfie   LOL   :oD

Jack says:

02:07pm | 20/02/13

@Meph

I bet you voted for Joh Bjelke Petersen too.

Meph says:

02:26pm | 20/02/13

@Jack

“I bet you voted for Joh Bjelke Petersen too.”

Nice try but no, you greatly overestimate both my age, and where I lived when old Jo was kicking around the QLD parliament.

gof says:

02:48pm | 20/02/13

#Fred,
“belching of methane that comes from your head taxed under the carbon dioxide tax”
So you don’t expel methane or CO2 #Fred, I take it then that all that comes out of your mouth is sh!t then!
did you know that there is enough Carbon in a human to make 300 lead pencils! The best they would get from you would be a small crayon!

Jack says:

06:05pm | 20/02/13

@Meph

In that case I bet you would have voted for Joh Bjelke Petersen too.

AdamC says:

09:59am | 20/02/13

They love sliders in the States, don’t they? I actually had some nice ‘meatball sliders’ at a restaurant in Disneyworld a couple of years ago.

Meph says:

10:40am | 20/02/13

Obviously she wasn’t as good at driving stick as she thought.

Alfie says:

10:55am | 20/02/13

Just proves that women are no good at multi-tasking.

pa_kelvin says:

02:31pm | 20/02/13

Maybe they were just trying to “get a room” 

Mouse says:

04:29pm | 20/02/13

hahahahahaha, they certainly got that pa_k!!
My question is - if she got hit by falling debris and he was unharmed, where the hell was he at the time of the crash???? 
The mind boggles…..LOL :oD

pa_kelvin says:

05:25pm | 20/02/13

“charged with careless driving”... Maybe it should have *reckless abandameant* 

Meph says:

11:21am | 20/02/13

@Shane

With the largest standing army in the world, I think they can afford to be a little pushy.

It’s the eternal problem of anyone who comes to the realization that they are actually kind of a big deal.

Fiddler says:

11:21am | 20/02/13

China has become VERY hawkish just this year (yes, I am aware this has been going on for a while)

I wonder if it is the new 1st Secretary Liu Yunshan.

Regardless, the generic response of “China is not a threat” may need to be re-visited.

gobsmack says:

12:25pm | 20/02/13

They’re still sore about the West pinching their gunpowder invention.

Meh says:

02:11pm | 20/02/13

@chilin

How exciting.

Jamo says:

12:54pm | 20/02/13

Well it’s like this, you have to stand up for the right of someone to express their desire to cut your head off, but don’t expect for yourself or anyone else to have the right to express that you don’t like it. It’s easy, it’s all about rights mate, and basically you have none. Hope I cleared that up for you

Jamo says:

01:52pm | 20/02/13

Couldn’t agree more, well said, I will say though, I know plenty of people who have made these basic observations. Being able to talk about it without being shouted down is a different story. This is what Wilders, and the rest of us are up against

Chris L says:

02:09pm | 20/02/13

@Jamo - It wasn’t a problem for a recent atheist convention in Australia. A group of muslims arrived to chant and protest against them, the atheists began chanting back with “Where are the women?” and other such responses. You can see a recording of it on youtube if you’re interested.

Tell It Like It Is says:

02:19pm | 20/02/13

Very good post @Adam, replete with reason and truth.
It is a pathetic indictment of our p.c. society and government that such intellectual dishonesty prevails. Therefore, any expression of concern about radical Islamists (who make no apologies for or have any hesitancy in professing and acting out their objectives) equals, in their blind eyes, being anti-Muslim, anti-multicultural, intolerant (certainly not how I am personally disposed or live my life).  All by way of shutting down any debate and rational discussion.
Meanwhile the oh-so-always-tolerant radical left are prepared to tolerate and exercise extreme intolerance.

subotic says:

02:27pm | 20/02/13

the problem are caused by just a few extrmists who misinterpret Islamic scripture

I disagree AdamC. A brief look at most text contained in the Koran gives pro-active support to the militant Muslims, not the well-integrated western Muslims.

If anything, the well-integrated western Muslims are letting the Team down.

Mind you, I have yet to see any Muslims take as hard-line a stand as Jehovah’s Witnesses do on blood consumption. The Koran clearly states (as the Bible does) to abstain from blood, but I have a dollar on table that not a single militant Jihadist would knock a blood transfusion back.

Militant? Hardline? Bah, not even close….

subotic the placard kid says:

02:57pm | 20/02/13

Behead all those who insult Chris L’s profit margin.

marley says:

03:06pm | 20/02/13

Profits are sacred;  prophets, not so much.

Jamo says:

03:21pm | 20/02/13

Yeah oops, thanks for the spell check, silly old me, I meant prophet of course

Chris L says:

04:30pm | 20/02/13

Just pointing out where a group was able to not only able to proceed with their gathering despite the protests, but also use the protest to make a point of their own.