Quote:So who’s singing Australia’s song?
The Australian
12:00AM March 8, 2017
Gary Johns
A favourite image of the ‘‘Real Australians say welcome’’ (to refugees and migrants) crowd is that of the 19th-century Afghan camel driver: a much-admired poster in inner-city eateries.
I could post some of my own. How about one of the 500 or so Australians of Muslim background who have left Australia, or attempted to leave, to fight with Islamic State? How about one of the thousands of Muslims in Australian jails? Muslims in NSW and Victoria are in jail at almost three times their presence in the population.
Not so admired, hey?
How about one of the Muslim students who refuse to shake a woman’s hand? How about Keysar Trad for his “traditional” Muslim attitudes to women?
Or Yassmin Abdel-Magied, the public broadcasters’ pet “handkerchief glamour” Muslim (a beautiful description by Tanveer Ahmed) for her studied ignorance of Islam’s attitude to women?
Somewhere between allegiance to Australia and the Muslim identity sits you and me, middle Australia. So, who should real Australians say welcome to? A group that we do not trust?
In a 2014 Scanlon (local area) survey, of the 48 per cent who moderately endorsed multiculturalism, only 23 per cent were positive towards Muslims; by contrast, 43 per cent were positive towards Buddhists.
Feminists argue that criticising Muslim attitudes to women is a ploy to criticise Islam. And what is wrong with that? What do you support, women’s equality or a religion that appears to damn it?
Frank Salter points out that while 500 Australian Muslims volunteered or attempted to volunteer for Islamic State or other Islamist military groups, only 100 Muslims volunteered to serve in the Australian Army.
The politics of this tension between allegiance and identity is quite straightforward. I can assure all politicians that national allegiance beats religious (or cultural, racial, ethnic) identity every time.
Pauline Hanson has vowed to resolve the tension by threatening to ban Muslim immigration. This stance is too illiberal for a liberal democracy but, nevertheless, Australian leaders are bound to assess the risk associated with Muslim (and all other) immigrants.
At present, immigration officials assess character, mainly to keep out criminals. But how to assess values? How do we know who is a real Australian?
Since 2007, when applying for selected visas, applicants have been required to sign an Australian values statement (Life in Australia: Australian values and principles) confirming that they will respect Australian values and obey the laws of Australia.
Few Australians know of its existence.
It may be some years before it is known whether this affirmation of Australian values is sufficient to quell disquiet or, more important, to keep out those who are unlikely to show allegiance to Australia.
Meanwhile, for those in Australia, the struggle between allegiance and identity goes on.
The frontlines are schools and women. These little battles for allegiance will, in time, help make plain the meaning of Australian values, which are set out in broad terms in the Australian values statement.
The NSW Education Department is in the middle of two such battles. It defended the principal of Hurstville Boys School who, at the 2016 presentation day, explained to guests making awards that some Muslim students “may place their hand across their chest instead of shaking hands”.
A small victory for identity.
Mark Scott, NSW Education Department director-general, has confirmed that Punchbowl Boys High School refuses to participate in a government-funded school deradicalisation program.
Another small victory for identity.
Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School in Melbourne allowed Muslim children to leave the room at the singing of the national anthem during a holy month of mourning. The principal said during the month of Muharram, Shia Muslims do not take part in joyous events such as listening to music or singing.
Another victory for identity.
The Australian International Islamic College in the suburb of Durack, in Brisbane, ruled that Advance Australia Fair was against the Islamic ethos. A memo was sent to parents announcing the singing of the anthem would be suspended.
In overturning the suspension, school board trustee Trad, everywhere man, conceded that the outgoing school principal, Azroul Liza Khalid, had “put on hold” the playing of the anthem at school assemblies.
Another, albeit short-lived, victory for identity.
The fight over section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act is, of course, a big battle for identity.
Muslim voters in a number of seats in western Sydney persuaded Tony Abbott to abandon his promised amendments. Malcolm Turnbull faces the same dilemma. The answer is quite straightforward: support allegiance to the liberal nation, not an illiberal identity.
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