Pauline's peddling the hate again

My late father had friends back in the twenties who were Muslim. As I child I loved going to their home for the warm welcome and fine hospitality they showed us. Religion was never an issue and I only thought about when I attended their funerals at the Mosque. The fifth generation of that family continues to contribute quietly to our way of life.

Please, please help this article go viral. Thank you Rachel

When I watch her face and listen to her talking I can't help but wonder what things have happened to her in the past which cause her to behave in the way she does today. After reading her personal revelations in the Wikipedia article I thought what a powerful person she would be to have working for positive goals in the community instead of focusing on the negativity which currently surrounds her and seems to attract some people. At least she is providing a vent for the expression of the fear, hate, and anger which exists within our community, the extent of which I suspect many, like me, had not realised existed.

Rachel, thanks for your wise words backed up by research and not just emotions. Who would have thought that this way of thinking about our world might actually lead to a respectful conversation!

Dr Woodlock correctly arts that Hanson legitimises that which she seeks to oppose...Islamism. But her Party's numbers in the Senate legitimize her opinions. Her influence via her voting bloc will grow. One Nation is now a true political force and must be opposed. The future looks grim.

Wonderful article. Hating races should not give a person the privilege of a parliamentary wage.

A great article, Rachel. Tragically not going to be seen by many who believe Hanson's diatribes. Would that the Murdoch tabloids throughout Australia would re-publish!

I wish Dr Woodlock's words will receive as much publicity as Pauline's. Rachael's words are truth. Pauline's words will take our great diverse culture back 50 years of difficulty worked through issues to be the country everyone would love to live in. It's a great place mate alright

I enjoyed reading your article and agree with your assessment on Hanson.

Rachel Woodlock has put this well - Pauline Hanson gives an advantage to the minority of violent extremists among Muslims, by speaking as if they represent a majority.

Love this article - so true, so compassionate - and so funny. Would love you to debate Hanson face to face and have you take all the hate winds out of her sails. Perhaps then she could use her position as Senator to unify rather than destroy, help rather than hinder.

The mind-set of Pauline Hanson and her supporters is like that of babies who love what they bonded to, and reject everything else. But progress is usually made when cultures clash, and find a new synthesis. Failure to adapt leads to stagnation and death. Both sides need to adapt, of course, and not stay stuck in old out-dated traditions that are no longer relevant.

This giving of support to extremist interpretations of the sectarian minority by Hanson gives oxygen to those who peddle hate and prejudice, be they self-proclaimed "Muslims" or self-identifying "Patriots." She threatens social cohesion in this country which has become, despite so much opposition, an inclusive democracy. She threatens our way of life.

Seems like a hate Pauline Hanson column to me. Sadly no balance or looking at the real problems. (No, I'm not a fan of PH but that's beside the point.)

Although I do not agree with Ms Hanson on much of her agenda, I think that there may be legitimate concerns with the Wahabi sect and the literal way it and other groups may interpret the Koran and focus on apocalyptic verses and prophecies which may reinforce an antagonistic approach to other religions ideologies.There needs to be a way of addressing legitimate concerns about interpretations in Islam without everyone being labelled a racism who may raise this issue. That being said it should be in the context of highligting what a great contribution the muslim community is making and how the majority of muslims have a balanced approach to interpretation of their texts especially the sufis who see the place of the internal struggle with the infidel of our carnal desires and not an outward struggle with infidels, see Rumi's poems. Anooshe Mustaq a counter-terrorism expert has outlined this as a problem with integrating some muslims. Christianity and Judaism also have apocalyptic texts but as far as Catholicism goes, literal interpretation is not promoted in education and there have been Vatican pronouncements to warn against literalistic interpretations of the gospel.

Francis Armstrong - interesting list of characteristics of what you term Islam, but are more accurately perhaps the tenets of the extreme Wahabist or even more extreme Salafist sects (or things found on 'hate halal' websites). Have you also noticed that if you replaced the word "Islam" with the word "Fascist" in your list, you have a more than accurate description of the general mindset and obsessions of Fascist regimes too, certainly of the Nazis. It is not for nothing that the jihadist extremists - who cannot be taken as representative of mainstream Islam - are often termed "Islamic Fascists". Come to think of it, most of the attitudes you describe probably also apply more than incidentally to many extremist right wing or neo-fascist ideas suddenly finding legitimacy in Australia and the West right now. Perhaps both of these apparent extremes of generally poor education mixed with a good dose of monomania are demonstrating that hoary old saying, "It takes one to know one."

Nice article and enjoy Ireland Rachel. However there is a fatal flaw in the arguing and many of the comments. It goes like this: "we are reasonable and rational and reason ought carry the day". Many or most religious, bigoted, sectarian and like arguments are not based on reason not able to be managed by reason. These matters are prejudices, pre-judgments in the mid brain not the reasoning section of the mind. Many of the sentiments above are fine, but they are no more solutions than water is a solvent for oil. We need to understand more about the irrational, the arrational and the effects of belief on behaviour. These are matters of symbolism, of the arts, of culture and matters of the heart. They also require leadership and symbolic events at a high level. Hanson is not interested in logic any more than are sellers of Lourdes water. We ought to know that and be more investigative about how to manage her and followers. Ultimately we have freedom of speech and freedom of belief. We need to be better educated in what is beyond reason.

At present, it is the media (sadly) giving Pauline Hanson the oxygen to expound her vitriol. It is time the media cut of the oxygen supply to her, once and for all time.

I could not agree more, Rachel, with many of your comments. Having worked with a number of Muslims in Australia and lived in a suburb with many Muslims, a mosque and school. There were small points of friction with society and the law but nothing major. The problem arises with the Saudi dominance over many mosques and the resulting strict observance demanded of the flock. If Australian society is characterised as dissolute and depraved by the imam then a tendancy to stick together becomes isolationist and good ground for the minority of radical Muslims to dominate -- with result obvious in Paris, Brussels and London. It seems to me that this is more of a problem in Europe than in Oz, but the only antidote is full assimilation into society and Australia is good at that. Good Bye, Best Wishes John.

Speaking of "Muslims" as an entity is like speaking of '"Aborigines" as an entity, disregarding the fact that they are made up of many and varied languages and cultural influences.

great article. thank you Dr. Woodlock. What a boring country Australia would be without its cultural diversity

Thank you, your article was a good read. I'm glad you (and other Muslims) aren't getting beaten down by the idiocy that is Hanson's racism. I want you to know that many non-Muslims, like me, also walk the streets, knowing full well the bull of all the radicalised claims against Islam. Stay Strong. <3

I unreservedly concur with your depiction of Ms Hanson, Dr Woodlock, but as a denizen for nearly two decades of my life in a country with a substantial Islamic minority (India), I have found it peculiarly susceptible to many of the religious prejudices and appeals that were employed by Ulster Unionists to make political life implacably difficult for Irish Catholics. Indeed, as a Political Catholicism scholar and academic, it is hard not to be drawn into making comparisons between the more powerful and influential aspects of Islam (as opposed, say, to William Dalrymple's famously mellower Sufism) and the more extreme and intemperate expressions of Calvinism that have plagued the world for over three hundred years. Even in East Africa, which lacks a significant Irish presence, the zealotry of Muslims has been compared with that of the more fervent and exclusive Voortrekkers and their descendents. One might reasonably speculate, given the tendency of Sufism and other sects to be brutally obliterated at the hands of other more intemperate Muslims, what the chances are for the emergence of a new and more modern Q'uranic tradition, ready and willing to take on the established orthodox order, particularly in defence of women and gays?

It's really nice comments, Pauline is creating a problem between peaceful nations. I'm agreed her hate & diplomatic statements in parliament keeping her headline on news and media, and that's what she wants to get people attentions and vote for future. But I'm surprised to read her childish statement as she says; we needs to kick all Muslim immigrants out of Australia. But Pauline grandparents were also immigrant, she should be aware how they came to a Australia. It's not a matter of Muslim or Christian, it's important to be a good human first, if you are good human you will be automatically be a good Muslim / Christian and Good Australian. Love you all, God bless all of us and Australia. Regards Akif ( Aussie Muslim)