Criticism of Islam forbidden in Australia

THE Australian National University has cited international violence in the wake of the Danish cartoon and Innocence of Muslims controversies in justifying its decision to force student newspaper Woroni to pulp a satirical infographic which described a passage from the Koran as a "rape fantasy".

The university also threatened student authors and editors of the infographic with disciplinary action, including academic exclusion and the withdrawal of the publication's funding.

The piece was the fifth in a satirical series entitled "Advice from Religion" which had previously discussed Catholicism, Scientology, Mormonism and Judaism.

No complaints were received about any of the earlier instalments.

In the April 16 edition of Woroni, authors Jamie Freestone, Mathew McGann and Todd Cooper posed the question, "How should I value women?"

Their answers referenced Aisha, the prophet Mohammed's nine-year-old wife, and described the 72 "houris" - women depicted in the Koran as large-bosomed virgins who are a reward in paradise - as a "rape fantasy".

The following day, Freestone, McGann, Cooper and Woroni's eight-person board of editors were summoned to a meeting with members of the ANU Chancelry, including pro-vice-chancellor (student Experience) Richard Baker, following a formal complaint from the ANU Students' Association's International Students' Department.

The Chancelry then issued a statement to Woroni, maintaining the infographic breached university rules and Australian Press Council guidelines, as well as posing a threat to the ANU's reputation and security.

"In a world of social media, (there is) potential for material such as the article in question to gain attention and traction in the broader world and potentially harm the interests of the university and the university community," the statement said.

"This was most clearly demonstrated by the Jyllands-Posten cartoon controversy ... and violent protests in Sydney on September 15 last year."

Woroni responded by publishing an apology on its website to any readers who felt they had been victimised, but noted that the piece was intended to be satirical.

At a subsequent meeting with deputy vice-chancellor (academic) Marnie Hughes-Warrington, the editors and authors were threatened with disciplinary action if they did not immediately remove the offending page from the online version of the newspaper.

The editors co-operated and the threat of disciplinary action was consequently withdrawn, but concerns remain about the precedent the incident has set for freedom of speech on campus.

The Australian understands that during the controversy, a member of the International Students' Department told Freestone words to the effect, "I don't think you understand the seriousness of this. In Pakistan, people get shot for this kind of thing." (source)

Muslim radical on child porn, terror threat charges

A convert to radical Islam has appeared in a Sydney court on charges of possessing child pornography and making a hoax terrorist threat against the city's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Ibrahim Siddiq-Conlon is accused of posting the threat on the Facebook page for 2Day FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show.

Police also allege he viewed child abuse material on the internet using his laptop computer between July last year and his arrest on the night of the Mardi Gras parade.

Siddiq-Conlon has previously come to attention in the media for his outspoken views, particularly his call for Australia to become an Islamic state ruled by sharia law.

He faced Burwood Local Court this morning and was granted bail to re-appear in May.

Speaking to reporters outside the court, Siddiq-Conlon said he had posted the hoax threat in a moment of passion and had not meant it.

"It was just a moment of passion and I didn't mean it and that's all," he said.

He denied accessing child pornography from his computer.

"Nothing to say on that - of course is that police believe they have some evidence but you know of course we don't have any of that stuff," he said. (source)

Aussie Muslim women find own voice

(Note the criticism of Muslims/Islam with "Racism")

SYDNEY – Taking the full brunt of racism in the post-9/11 era, young Muslim women in Australia are developing a strong sense of identity to tell the public about themselves and their faith.

“There’s now a generation of young Muslim Australians who have grown up in the shadow of September 11,” Christina Ho, a researcher on migration and cultural diversity, told ABC News on Wednesday, March 7.

Ho said Muslim women have taken the full brunt of racism and abuses following the 9/11 attacks in the United States.

As they faced growing suspicion, Muslim women began to speak out to clear their image and highlight the true face of their faith.

“Muslim women say that they’ve had to answer a lot more questions since September 11, and that obviously is a burden for them,” Ho said.

“But on the other hand it’s also given them an opportunity to speak out.”

Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7 percent of its 20-million population.

In post 9/11 Australia, Muslims have been haunted with suspicion and have had their patriotism questioned.

“Muslim women in particular, especially those who wear the hijab or the headscarf, have been quite visible so they have often borne the brunt of the anxiety and racism towards Muslim Australians,” Ho said.

“There have been some pretty horrific cases of abuse, both verbal and physical abuse.

“For instance women have been followed home, people have chased them in cars, screamed at them, pulled off their hijabs. There are a lot of those kinds of stories out there.”

A 2007 poll taken by the Issues Deliberation Australia (IDA) think-tank found that Australians basically see Islam as a threat to the Australian way of life.

A recent governmental report revealed that Muslims are facing deep-seated Islamophobia and race-based treatment like never before.

Articulate Muslims

Facing a growing Islamophobic environment in the post-9/11 era, young Muslims began to speak out to clear misconceptions about themselves and their faith.

“A lot of Muslim women say the flipside to the racism is that a new space has opened up for them to actually talk about themselves, to explain what they believe, and to try to demystify their culture amongst ordinary Australians,” Ho said.

“I am noticing young Muslim women in particular have really become very articulate in talking about these issues, explaining who they are.”

The researcher, who migrated from Hong Kong, says she understands the difficulties that faced Muslims in the 9/11 era.

“My family migrated to Australia in the 70s from Hong Kong, so I guess we were a part of that early wave of Chinese migration to Australia,” she said.

“I always had a sense of culture and of difference, and I suppose I’ve always been drawn to people who have similar stories.

She recalls being approached by a Muslim women group to document their experiences in Australian society.

“A few years ago we at the University of Technology Sydney were approached by a Muslim women’s association which wanted us to document some of the experiences that their members had been having, particularly after September 11 and the fallout from the War on Terror.”

As she got closer to Muslims, Ho found that Muslim women have developed a strong sense of identity to tell the Australian public about themselves and their faith.

“There is this sense of identity about these young people, because they’ve grown up having to answer all these questions and being very visible in public,” Ho said.

“For a lot of women, I think that’s lead to a new sense of being able to articulate their sense of self.

“Because they are often more visible, they are required to take on these roles of speaking out. So I think there’s actually quite an amazing generation of younger Muslim Australian women who are really finding their voice in the community.” (source)