Since none of this has gone on before, it is likely the newest non-Christian arrivals to Australia that they are attempting to placate. From CNSNews.com, with thanks to all those who sent this in:
Pacific Rim Bureau (CNSNews.com) - The lord mayor of Australia's largest city was under fire Friday over a decision to limit spending on Christmas celebrations, a move some critics see as an attempt to avoid offending non-Christian immigrant communities. Christians have decried the trend to play down the importance of the season as anything other than a time of consumerism and overindulgence, with all references to the Christian message removed.Lord Mayor Clover Moore's decision to restrict city council spending to about $465,000 means the city hall has been decorated with a single illuminated tree, which is perched on a balcony over the building's entrance.
Other low-key decorations have been put up elsewhere in the city, as have banners with the words "Season's Greetings" in English and eight other languages, but no specific reference to Christmas.
Under a headline "Where's our Christmas?" the Daily Telegraph, a Sydney tabloid, published front-page pictures Friday contrasting Sydney's lone tree with the lit-up streets of New York, London and Paris.
A public row deepened after the paper erroneously quoted Moore as saying the council was "just trying to keep a generic approach without trying to push one religious belief."
The quote actually came from an unrelated news story, but an editing error mistakenly attributed it to Moore.
The mayor's office sent out a statement calling the quote a fabrication, but the damage had already been done as the quote had been reproduced in stories circulated by wire agencies.
Prime Minister John Howard, a resident of the city of almost four million people, entered the debate in a radio interview Friday, saying that Moore's plans were "silly" and should be reconsidered.
"I have never met a Jewish person or a Muslim Australian who wants us to stop celebrating Christmas," Howard said. "You can't have a generic approach to Christmas -- it celebrates an historic event, it celebrates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and it has become a focal point around the world for families to get together, to celebrate. You can't replace that."...
Last year, a fundamentalist Wahabi group said Australian Muslims should shun everything to do with the holiday and not even wish their non-Muslim neighbors "Merry Christmas." The call was repudiated by a senior Islamic leader.
Earlier this week, a fast-food chain came in for criticism after head office management ordered the franchise owner of a Sydney store to remove from his counter a nativity scene including a model of baby Jesus, Mary and the Magi.
Jeff Fisher, chief executive of the Oporto chain, was quoted as saying company policy was supportive of "generic" decorations such as trees or tinsel.
"Oporto respects the multicultural nature of Australian society and therefore does not promote one religious expression over another," the company said in a statement.
After a public fuss, however, the company backed down and agreed that the franchise owner -- a Roman Catholic originally from Malta -- could restore the display.
Gimme a break, Oz. I've never griped about people celebrating Channukah or Passover, or the shop windows in my old home town (which had a large Jewish population) putting up large displays at those times, or elected officials wishing the Jewish community a happy Channukah. I myself have even wished people Id Mubarak.
Then again, I think I'll really celebrate when all those pseudo-multikulties for whom everything is no more than skin-deep are put off the public payrolls and set to work doing something useful in private business--like washing dishes or flipping burgers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's the irony - we were forbidden to say or write
Merry christmas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the Eighties and early nineties when I lived there, now I'm not allowed to do it here in England.
I beg your pardon, Eighteen21,
you are not allowed to wish someone "Merry Christmas" in merry old England??
Eighteen21 is being dramatic; I think he/she's referring to the pc chistmas in England, i.e. santa being banned from shopping centres in places like Birmingham, so as not to offend the muslim populace.
I am just appalled at the way this world is becoming the world of "1984", I think I will go back to bed and cover my head. Do none of the people in power have a brain?
MERRY CHRISTMAS NASEEM AND REZA
Our Saviour has come not just to save mankind but also the evils of "the religion of peace". Jesus died for your sins Naseem and Reza, not Mohammed.
Notes from Down Under.
In the 1980's tens of thousands of Muslim Lebanese were given Refugee visas to escape their civil war. The troubles we have had since are very much as you can predict. The "Lebs" are infamous in Sydney. Everybody seems to have their own "Leb story" - even the Asians.
The most dangerous areas of Sydney are the Muslim areas (surprise surprise). In 2000 a large gang of Muslims went out looking for "Aussie" girls to rape - they found several. Since then we have had the usual terrorist arrests, riots etc. - or should I say, the normal "valuable contribution" that Muslims make to the West.
I talk to Muslims at work. They "hate Americans" (so they say). But of course, anybody that says they hate Muslims is a racist! But they are free to hate over 300 million people (the USA) if they so wish. But God forbid anybody should hate 250,000 "Australian" Muslims. And why do they hate the USA? The usual issues... and yet everything they hate the USA for they can just as well hate Australia for. IE: Voting for Israel in the UN, Anglo Saxon capitalism, Christianity, the war in Iraq etc.. indeed, the USA & Australia are closely linked in so many ways. They won't admit to hating Australia (to Australians) and yet.... based on their arguements, they must do. I once saw some Muslims giving out leaflets near where I live. I told them that we were a peaceful area and that we didn't want them around here. Their reply was "up your arse!" (very spiritual!) "We want this to be our coutry." Muslims at my work also freely admit to knowing loads of Muslims that "hate Aussies".
But it's not all bad news. Howard (our PM)isn't a fool and in order not to end up like the Pomistan or the Islamic Republic of France, they are doing some clever social engineering here.
Nowadays Christian Somalis (from the south of that country) are coming in in droves. 8,000 this year alone and next to no Muslims. These Somalis don't like Muslims because they were persecuted by them and they also have huge families. They can match Muslims baby for baby. Whether this Somali influx will cause new social problems is another issue, but it certainly means that at this rate the Muslims will not grow much beyond the 1.5% of the total population. (30 years ago there were only 4,000 Muslims here by the way.)
I am also sure that the 2nd generation Somalis, whatever they get up to, will not hate America (Australia?), hate Israel, riot, and talk about how great suicide bombers are.
I have put up a Christmas display outside our house to rival the Griswalds....complete with 5 foot tall manger figurines, MERRY CHRISTMAS lit up everywhere I could fit it, I will wish everyone MERRY CHRISTMAS, not 'happy holidays' and that includes the woman in the black bedsheet behind the counter at Chapters...I will not be PC, Christmas is my favorite time of year and I am not about to let anyone spoil it...and if my overzealous Christmas display or Christmas spirit offend any local muslims...well I guess I will just consider that an early gift. If they are offended by my Christmas display, my neighbors menorah must really piss them off....what a bonus, Christians and Jews can celebrate their holidays AND offend muslims at the same time! I just love this season.
Silly leftie twit, Clover Moore does not speak for the majority of Australians. Unfortunately, we too here in Oz, are inflicted with these nongs like any other country. Only thankfully we don't seem to be infested with as many of them as Canada or some European countries. Talk-back radio lines across the country were burning up with indignant and furious Aussies who think Clover should get stuffed. John Howard spoke up for the majority of Australians with his comments about this silly PeeCee idiocy. I heard that Moore was on the radio defending her policy and was near tears. Good!
Good on ya, USAGirl with your Christmas display. Hubbie and I were at a hardware store yesterday, and we went crazy purchasing more lights. I've always wanted those icicle ones, so we got them. And I found some snowflake lights and really liked them. So we bought those too. Along with about another thousand lights for the front yard trees and shrubbery. Too bad we don't live in the same city as that dreary grinch, Clover Moore. I'd love her to see our lights. I consider it a great big finger to her and her miserable ilk.
Merry Christmas world!
I'll send out merry x'mas greetings by email to the entire staff and student body at my univ. using the 'send to all' button. Muzzle that if u can, CAIR!
More Good News From OZ - NOT!
Muslims here may claim that amongst them only an isolated minority mouth off about Jihad etc. -not so.
Take for example, that beacon of spiritual light, the country's most senior Muslim leader, Sheik Taj el-Din Al Hilaly, the "Grand Mufti of Australia" no less, who on a recent trip to Lebanon reportedly called for a jihad against Israel. He is known to our police for "assault" and "resisting arrest". This happened when he was stopped for being in an illegaly driven car. He showed his sensitivity to the ten Australians that died in the Sept. 11th attacks by saying that it was an "act of God against a oppressor". His latest outburst is against our PM - who he calls a "racist". Why? An inter-religous peace confrence was being held in Indonesia. The Australian government rightly thought that the Sheik was not best suited to talk about peace and harmony with non-Muslims and sent a sane Muslim intelectual/writer instead, to give the Muslim point of view for Australia. This of course was an attack against Islam!
Most Australians are sick of this kind of thing. That's why we keep on voting Liberal because the Labor Party got us into this mess in the first place. Why do we never hear of the religious leaders of the Sikhs, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists etc. causing any trouble here? Answer = BECAUSE THEY DON'T!!! Is it because of some form of racism that we should find some fault in Islam? Then if this is so, surely all non white groups would get the same? And yet they don't - not here in Australia at least.
Another problem we have here is with free speech. Even writing this puts me in some danger; the law is strict. Muslims say whatever they want of course. Example... A church group organized a discussion on Jihad. The Muslim community guessed that they were not going to praise them, so they went to the courts and stopped it! Proof, if it were needed, that Islam and free speech does not mix.
USA Girl: I'm a hardcore Calvinist myself, and don't go in for holiday displays. However, may you have a blessed time remembering that God became flesh and dwelt among us to bring us salvation. That goes for the Muslimah at Chambers, too, and may her whole house recognize that God's final revelation came 600 or so years before that travelling salesman from Mecca, what's-his-name?
Feralee: Since you speak of silly Leftist "nongs", did you know that "nong" (at least in a certain tone) means "pus" in Thai?
Kepha1: LOL! How appropriate, really. In Oz, nong comes from the term "ning-nong", meaning idiot. An old Yorkshire expression, I believe. Incorporated into our lingo some time ago. But in the case of the Left and the pustulent things they get up to sometimes, in the name of their god PeeCee, PUS certainly comes to mind. Along with any other revolting, disgusting terms.
Hey, now I know a Thai word. Nong.
Timbo
do you know who let these Lebanese Muslims into OZ?
How about the Maronite persecuted lebanese Christians - were they also allowed in?
was there positive discrimination for muslims ?
The Maronites after all were the real victims of the Lebanese catastrophy.
On a lighter note - Clover Moore was beseiged by crowds of people waving tinsel, and inundated by 'Christmas' cards supplied by the Daily Telegraph. Other parts of Sydney are decorated for Christmas.
I get the impresssion that its more the feral Left rather than immigrants doing the complaining. They succeeded in having Christmas taken out of many schools and kindergartens, now they're starting on the public domain.
George: it would have been the Hawke government who allowed Lebenese Muslims to come to Australia. I recall Lebenese Christians (who have been here for a long time) being appalled and asking what was the government thinking of.
Hawke was famous for fits of sentimentality (like inviting in tens of thousands of Chinese 'refugees' from Tianemen Square, most of whom were fakes).
In Canada, about 2 years ago, they said "no more Christmas" and now it's "Seasonal parties", "12 days of giving", and "holiday cards". I hate it. It's because they're forcing Islam down our throats.
Meanwhile, that's a good idea to send out a Christmas wish to everyone. I think I'll do so.
Ibn Rushd:
I think you exaggerate a bit. When the silly servants of Toronto tried to go PC on the big tree in Nathan Philips Square, (Jewish) Mel Lastman uttered one of the few intelligent things he had to say during his two terms as the mayor of the megacity: It's a Christmas tree, people. Call it that. And the parade from Christie Pits to the Bay two weeks ago was the Santa Claus parade.
One thing the Jews, Confucians and the Hindus have over the Muslims in the multi-culti scene is that our lunar calendars are adjusted so our winter festivals -- Chanuka, Tet and Dawali (apologies if I have misspelled) all fall around the same time every year, give or take a week or two. The Muslim lunar calendar, however, is unadjusted so their festivals can fall at any time of the year. How very clever of this supposedly more scientifically advanced culture that came along a couple of milenia later than Judaism and Hinduism.
George,
I'm no expert on Lebanon, it sounds as if you know more than I do. What I do know about is how they behave here. Diana C is quite right, the few Christian Lebanese I have met seem to be good people. I would say that about 80% are Muslim though - but this is a pure guess.
Last year, Muslim Lebanese gangs started having turf wars with each other. The bodies started to pile up and minor gun battles were reported in public places. A Sydney newspaper ran the headline WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO OUR CITY?
I could go on and on, but I think that anybody who lives in a city (anywhere in the world) with a large Muslim minority suffers much the same as we do here.