Australians Win Battle Against Islamic School — for Now
Following widespread protests, the Australian Quranic Society was denied permission to build an Islamic school in the Sydney suburbs. But they'll be back to fight another round.
Although the newspapers announced that the Camden City Council had decisively rejected an application by the Australian Quranic Society to establish an Islamic school in that suburb of Sydney, Australia, in reality the fight was far from over. An article by the Sydney Morning Herald was typical of the accounts that suggested that the matter was closed. What had ended was the opening round.
About 200 Camden residents cheered wildly as their council formally decided to reject an application for an Islamic school in their area last night. … A council report recommended that the application be refused after more than 3,000 submissions had been received from the public. The vast majority opposed the development.
The Council’s ostensible grounds for rejecting the application to build a 15-acre Islamic school for 1,200 students in an area where only 380 Muslim families live were a) the unsuitability of the low-lying land and b) the lack of proper infrastructure to accommodate the fleet of buses which its proponents explained would be needed to bring students into the area. But behind these formal reasons lay reason c) a deep undercurrent of suspicion between the Islamic proponents and the local objectors.
The Quranic Society, which is the proponent of the school, arrived from the outset with heavy artillery. They had already purchased the land — deemed so valueless by the Camden Council that it did not even charge rates for it — for more than US $1.4 million. They paid US $240,000 in applications. They had hired former Sydney Lord Mayor Jeremy Bingham to act as their spokesman for the project. It was a Hollywood-perfect example of well-resourced outsiders coming into a community to get what they wanted. And once the school was in, many Camden residents feared it would attract an influx of even more Muslims until it became like Lakemba, a suburb where even the Chinese restaurants lettered their shop windows in Arabic.
Thousands of signatures were gathered to oppose the proposal. An unusually large crowd attended the vote on the measure from the gallery. When the application was rejected by the Camden Council, the locals broke out in applause, but the Forum on Australia’s Islamic Relations (FAIR) called it “a reflection of unwarranted fear and ignorance about Islam” and a “victory for racism.” The Green Left Weekly seconded the motion, branding the rejection “organized racism.” The Age warned that Camden only proved that racism was alive and well, that it had cunningly disguised itself in innocent forms. “Gone are the images of angry young men draped in Australian flags and brandishing beer bottles as they rampage through Cronulla terrorizing anyone who looks Middle Eastern. In their place is middle-aged, earnest-looking Kate McCulloch, wearing a large Akubra hat plastered with Australian flag stickers.” That is to say, racists had disguised themselves to look like one of the objectors to the Islamic school proposal. In the media’s view the beach riot that took place between Muslim and non-Muslim “youths” in Cronulla — with each side blaming the other — had been taken up by Islamophobic mothers in suburban Sydney.
Few noticed that the story was far from over. After the Camden Council announced its decision, the Quranic Society announced its intention to appeal in the land and environment court. The court can reverse the Council’s decision. While the ladies in Akubra hats went home, one of the Quranic Society’s more prominent members, Imam Abdul Quddoos al-Azhari, left immediately for Malaysia to raise more money for the fight. Malaysia is a major hub for funding dawa, or Islamic missionary activities, aimed at Australia. There, funds were available not only from the Regional Islamic Council for Southeast Asia and the Pacific but also from charities funded by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Libya. They would be back and with more resources.
When I asked an expert on Islamic charities whether this was a “David and Goliath” battle, he said that described it exactly, but added that the Camden City Council was in reality little David while the Quranic Society, despite its low-profile nature, was actually Goliath. Camden would soon find out that former Sydney lord mayors were only good for the undercard. The main event had yet to start.
At the Quranic Society plans were afoot for an alternative site for the school in case its appeal was rejected. But the Muslim leaders were not looking to lose. They clearly wanted to reverse the Camden decision, not simply to establish their school but to teach every other council which might reject them that resistance was futile.
From the Quranic Society’s point of view, the opposition to the school was simply a sign of ignorance on the part of the residents. Once enlightened, they should want an Islamic school, preferably one as large as possible, established in their area. In the days after September 11, Imam Abdul Quddoos al-Azhari wrote:
As the chairman of imams, I would like to advise all the other imams, and also fellow Muslims, that we are here in this country, we should live in peace and a harmonious relationship with all inhabitants of this continent. Australia has provided us with a peaceful atmosphere to come and settle here, and we are really grateful for that. And we have to be grateful to these people. And we should repay them. But how can you repay? You repay by the best thing you have. And what is the best thing you have? The best thing you have is Islam. Inform them about Islam, talk to them about Islam, and so that it will clarify some of the misunderstandings.
Richard Fernandez's portal is at Wretchard.com.
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16 Comments
1. jeff:What is the point of publishing this article? It gives us no context for the dispute: no background information about the Quranic Society, no explanation of why the locals opposed the school, nothing at all.
Is the author trying to suggest that racism was the only motive for the opposition to the school? Surely most of the school’s opponents would deny that — but why were none of them quoted or interviewed? And why was no one from the Quranic Society interviewed either?
Jun 8, 2008 - 6:47 am 2. john:Point of this article is that the people who have lived in the nation for generations have found a voice as a community to contest the introduction of a private madrassa that would not be teaching educational courses with anything like the energy to teach religion. And some politicians finally heard them.
Jun 8, 2008 - 9:16 am 3. tanstaafl:On the other side of the argument is the imam who ran off to Malaysia to get more money to buy more political power (see former mayor). It is that oil money which will eventually force the local community to lose their say because of judicial fiat.
That is why this is a story. Man bites dog gets more media play.
Point is also that buying up property in secular, western countries and establishing (private) schools on those properties is one of the less violent dimensions of the spread of the Ummah/jihad. Point is that “western” countries and lands have been targeted for takeover, increment by increment.
So there could be a school in Camden, Australia where the map in world geography class doesn’t even show the state of Israel, and the word “Palestine” is written across the entire region.
Just as such a map might very well exist in world geography class at the (private) Saudi Academy in the U.S. state of Virginia.
And we should repay them. But how can you repay? You repay by the best thing you have. And what is the best thing you have? The best thing you have is Islam. Inform them about Islam, talk to them about Islam, and so that it will clarify some of the misunderstandings.
Having studied Islam since September 11 2001 and having read the Koran twice, I would vehemently disagree with the Imam’s assessment of the value of Islam.
Jun 8, 2008 - 6:38 pm 4. Benson:If you don’t understand the point of this article, then you need to learn a few facts about Islam, the Koran and hadith, and the Islamic effort to eradicate Western Civilization. Google “melanie phillips” for starters, and then try “laura mansfield” and “robert spencer.” Then take a look at the Canadian experience: Mark Steyn’s trial and the crushing financial burden imposed on Ezra Levant. Make a reading list, and put one of the best accounts of the insanity that underlies Islam at the top of it: Sam Harris’s book, The End of Faith.
The Australian situation is instructive, because the ultimate weapon of Islam is demographic. Terrorism is a tactic employed by a tiny minority of the world’s Muslims, and it is almost certainly the least effective one Islam employs.
While the West deludes itself that Islam will be a good neighbor if only “moderate Muslims” prevail, it is losing to a kind of Koranic judo: using the laws and traditions of the West against the West, Islam is penetrating and weakening its ancient enemy. The goal is clear. In a few generations, Muslims hope to put into universal effect the express, unambiguous will of Allah. All non-Muslims in the world are to be in servitude (Google “dhimmi”) — or will have been murdered. Literally.
This is an accurate description of the future devoutly hoped for by all those of whatever ethnicity who believe in the divine origin and inerrancy of the Koran.
The question, “What is the point of publishing this article?” should tell non-Muslim Australians that the ramparts need repair. Australians’ children and grandchildren are the targets of a thoroughly tyrannical belief system that intends to prevail, no matter how many centuries it takes.
We know this disturbing truth because the Koran says exactly what it means, and means exactly what it says. All those passages about peace and kindness and charity describe the relationships that Muslims are to have with each other; the divine creator repeatedly enjoins Muslims to fight against infidels, not to tolerate them. The concept of “the moderate Muslim” is a Western fantasy that very incorrectly describes the millions of Muslims who are not building bombs or training as sharpshooters. At base, Islam is a death cult. Do some reading, Jeff.
Jun 8, 2008 - 10:01 pm 5. Andrew X:We are, I think appropriately and I hope, moving toward a point where ANYONE who mentions or accuses racism is immediately considered to be dubious in motives and analysis, and likely dismissed as such. Hopefully, we will soon be where we are culturally when someone you hear someone say “you are backed by or affiliated with COMMUNISTS!” (gasp!)
Well, just because someone says it makes it neither right nor wrong, but even conservative types have to stifle a roll of the eyes when they hear such a statement. So to must it be with this “racism” charge.
Racism still does exist, and still must be confronted (just as communism does), but the legions of those who wish to fight it are so hopelessly infected by ranks of people with no sense of perspective at all, who are so invested in proving and re-proving how wonderful they themselves are to be “anti-racist”, swho are so aware that the racism club can be useful for attacking on about a billion different fronts that have nothing whatsoever to do with racism, who are so understanding of how it can be used as a weapon to benefit specific sub-groupings and set them against each other, and who are just so damn blinkered, close-minded, self-righteous, and just plain stupid about the issue that they are forcing millions of us to dismiss them straight out of hand. As we should.
My chances of voting for Obama are about 1 in 100, based entirely on ideals, but if he does win, I do believe that one salutory effect will be that millions of people who are not racist and never have been, but are all to prone to curl up on the floor like cheap cellophane for fear of even being accused of it, specifically because they are actually downright ANTI-”racialist”…
These people will stand on much firmer footing to call their racial accusers what they are: despicable hucksters literally preying on others desire to be a good person and to do the right thing.
Jun 9, 2008 - 6:47 am 6. JOhn Maccas:Camden Council rejected this proposal overwhelmingly on virtually every possible planning ground, including 5 State Govt. Dept. rejections.
Jun 9, 2008 - 3:45 pm 7. Andrew X:The Quranic Soc. while their is a large pool of Isalmic Money around world wide are base level shonks. They did not provide financial statements for the last 6 years covering the land purchase,etc. They lied to the community when the land was first purchased by publicly stating they had no firm plans for the site. They did not seek Council advice on land use prior to the purchase. The school would have an effective height of up to 11meters and would be more suited to an industrial area rather than a flood plain. The society runs an illegal prayer centre in their Lakemba headquarters. The Soc. are adherants of Tablighi Jamaat, a hardline Islamic strain and are not mild Muslims. One of their adherants threatened to kill a rival Imam in a territorial dispute. When the decision went against them, they called racism. They could not take it like a man. I would be disgusted if a christian group had the same attitude after losing. Camden community opposes all unsuitable development and this was the most unsuitable development of all. WE rejected two MacDonalds applications in the last 10 years. But, that doesn’t make us anti-American and no one is vilifying us for this.
Australian Muslims have a record of bad and shonky development attemps and this is just another one of their failures.
You rejected two McDonalds?!?!?
Communists!
Jun 9, 2008 - 8:53 pm 8. tanstaafl:CORN FUCIUS SAY:
“He who rejecteth Golden Arches in neighboUrhood is likely very smart man.”
Thank you for the expansion, John Maccas. I like that word, “shonky”.
Jun 10, 2008 - 11:32 am 9. kactuzkid:So the rejection of the application is “a reflection of unwarranted fear and ignorance about Islam”
The fact is that no matter how much you study Islam, no matter how many times you read the Quran and ahadith, or how much time you take to understand the early “authoritative” works about Islam (Tabari, Hisham, Kathir, etc…), Muslims will always say you are ignorant or don’t understand. If you point out the hate and anger in the Quran and hadith, if you tell them that their own works say that their dear prophet raided, murdered, killed his critics, enslaved men, women and children, raped women, and even beat his own child-bride (unless “he hit me and caused me pain” means something else), Muslims will either deny it or try to silence you (threats, legal action and murder is OK, too).
Islamic values are not Western values. The ideals of freedom of speech, equality and human rights are contrary to Islam. The people of Camden may have racists in their midst (probably do), but it is nothing compared to the hate and violence that is intrinsic to Islam and Muslim societies. Look at Islamic countries! Look how their treat others. Look at what Muslims are doing to Europe. Look at the attempt to end free speech in Canada. This is not rocket science. It is simple common sense.
There is no such things as a “moderate” Muslim. Remember, the nice, kind, liberal Muslims among us also love and respect Mohammad — and consider him to be a great moral example. His evil deeds do not bother any Muslim. They do not denounce the many vile actions recorded in their own writings. Killing or conquering infidels is mandated in the Quran. Immigration is just a slow-motion jihad. Figure out, if you can, what that means. Watch your rights and freedoms being taken away, one by one. Watch Muslims asking for special rights and privileges.
We must speak up. We must tell Muslims the things they don’t want to hear. We must ask them about the hate and violence in the Quran and hadith. We must hold them accountable fopr their actions.
We must also study and learn about Islam — I have studied it for a few years and the news is not good. Muslims, all Muslims, lie and distort their own doctrines and history. They are not honest.
http://www.kactuzkid.com/lies.html
The future will not be nice.
The Camden school issue is not over. The Muslims will be back with more money, lawyers and PC-government officials to support them. They use our own freedoms against us.
Bad times are coming, and I blame Islam.
Radical Muslims kill, moderates make excuses and lie.
Bye now, Kactuz.
PS: On the other hand, Islam can be fun, or at least, entertaining:
Jun 11, 2008 - 9:52 am 10. Dawn:http://www.kactuzkid.com/stupid.html
Let this be a lesson for all countries. Muslims are sliding in the “black door” and trying to eradicate the western culture and religions. When called on their actions, they scream racism or islamophobia. If Muslims want to live in any other countries except their own, they can learn to fit in not stand out. Putting together Islamic societies should not be acceptable. Assimilation or don’t bother.
Jun 11, 2008 - 10:03 am 11. Eric:Our most dangerous enemies are the Liberal/Leftist in or midst that trot out the “ist” terms to try to intimidate non-Liberals into submission. It is not Islam alone. Were it not for the multi-culti, cultural Marxists Islam wouldn’t be a threat.
Jun 11, 2008 - 9:17 pm 12. Bas:In the Netherlands of 1960 there were many problems.
Jun 11, 2008 - 11:07 pm 13. nobozons:Raging from support for the war in Vietnam to disability pensions.
An on top refuges from mostly Islamic background country’s.
Now ,50 years later ,the Netherlands is a country in a Change position.
From Christian to Islam .
The process of change was political supported from all levels ,but , prominent from the left .
An ,most important,oil drilling contracts from rich Islam states for the Shel an others, in exchange for support for the same thing as in the leading article.
The dialog in the Netherlands ,not yet in politics,well in the papers
is full of the time of occupation in WO 2 ,en similarity
is noted ,to late ,by the locals .
What alternatives do you have when your government has rendered itself impotent to protect the indigenous culture? Replace the government! Kill the lawyers!
Jun 12, 2008 - 7:20 am 14. B.Lips:O yes, the “best thing” in the fundamentalist mind of Abdul Quddoos al-Azhari is… islam!
Jun 12, 2008 - 11:09 am 15. Muyiwa:Believe it or not: that’s TAQIYYA.
Message to all Australians: WAKE UP.!!!
Remember: all muslims will never learn to debate.
They just practise TAQIYYA every day of the year.
http://tinyurl.com/9q4xe
Present for Dutch readers in Australia:
http://tinyurl.com/2whlun
PASS IT ON…!!!
Greetings from the Netherlands.
Im really fascinated about this sorid point!! why do Muslims feel they have a right to implant themselves into others society and cultures and expect they have a RIGHT to do so while oposing and raising entry barriers to their so called holy lands? this to me is another sickening two faced approach of muslims to living at peace with their neighbours
Jun 12, 2008 - 11:31 pm 16. Ed K.:Look at the state of Europe, you have to watch this for a few minutes. Do we want australia to become like this? (parts of) Sydney are on its way
http://tv.nationalreview.com/uncommonknowledge/post/?q=YTg3ZTAxYzQxZmIxZTcxN2NhMjNiYzI0NWM2NjMxYmY
Jul 11, 2008 - 12:45 am