Thursday, December 22, 2005
BEACH RAGE CONTINUES
Two Australians innocently driving along a beachfront road this week were menaced by men, possibly of Middle Eastern appearance, who pursued the pair before ramming their car and driving away.
This happened in Kuwait, by the way. I blame John Howard. Meanwhile, in local riot-related developments:
* A 33-year-old man—unnamed—has been charged for sending racist and inflammatory text messages.
* “Everybody knows the coppers hate Lebs,” says a Lebanese-Australian youngster. “Muslims are blamed for everything,” says another. “I can’t stand this country. I want to go back to Lebanon,” says a third.
* A 17-year-old faces charges of affray and riot following attacks on Lebanese-looking train passengers.
* Sydney beaches will soon feature police buggies.
* Two men have been charged for burning an Australian flag.
* Razi Azmi in Pakistan’s Daily Times: “Does Cronulla show that Australia is a racist country? Of course, some Australians are racist. But their numbers are miniscule ... Few countries today can boast such a record of fair treatment of all its citizens, regardless of race, religion and origin, both in law and in practice. And none of those countries are situated in Asia, be it west, east, central, south or southeast.”
* Here’s a twist: “In Hawaii, the centre of the surfing world, ‘haoles’, or blond surfers, are banned from certain beaches by local toughs.”
* Sing along with Professor Bunyip!