So am I, Iemma. So am I -- particularly when all over the Western world, including Australia's Victoria State, frank Islamocritical discussion of the origins of the global jihad is being deemed unfit for public eyes and ears. An update on this story: "Iemma puzzled by terrorist manual ruling," from AAP, with thanks to JE:
NSW Premier Morris Iemma wants to know how books setting out how to conduct terrorist attacks do not breach sedition laws.The Australian Federal Police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions have ruled that a number of controversial books found in bookstores in Lakemba and Auburn, in Sydney's west, late last year did not incite violence.
One of the books, Defence of the Muslim Lands, carried an endorsement from al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden on its back cover and promoted "wiring up one's body" with explosives, according to reports today.
Mr Iemma today said he had asked the federal government to review the DPP's ruling.
"Whether it is a book or a manual or other material that is publicly available, that gives people information on how to construct a bomb or commit a suicide bombing or some other form of terrorist act, (that) is a huge concern," he told reporters.
of course is. Or ought to be.
Is this step 1 of recognizing the threat of Jihad?
This is, of course, the same Morris Iemma who in the immediate past was recommending more More muslims join the police force.
but it is an interesting debate...
How can you (and i am asking this of myself)
Demand no books on explosives...
Demand no books on Jihad
Demand no books on racism
But at the same time
a. Encourage freedom of the press
b. allow almost anything to be published under freedom of speech.
c. allow any behaviour under freedom of expression
I dont pretend to have all the answers..
but we are now in an intersting pickle...
Unless we are willing to admitt that
Anything that we deem dangerous ...
Islam
Islamic terrorists
Islamic clerics
Muslims
the koran....
Needs to be banned...
Then if we do this wont we end up like the islamic countries or the socialist left?
Just asking...
because i really dont know where the line can be drawn....
Unless you wanted someone to lay it out..
in the terms above...
jingoist, good comment. I would say that unless books clearly violate clear laws, it is a slippery slope trying to ban them. What is the big deal about books anyway - I thought we had gone past the book-burning stage in our history? The more these people advertize and publish the more clearly others see what they are about. The key thing is to keep a close eye on them.
This case demonstrates the enormity of the gap between Australians and those 'in authority', like the Federal Police.
The only reason I can think of for this decision is to give the jihadi creeps false confidence and to attract more rats who think its safe to produce hate literature and plan jihad while they sponge off Australian taxpayers.
If this is not the reason, and the decision is genuine, then these authorities are so far out of step with the rest of Australia that it would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous.
Everyone I have spoken to wants the whole nest of rats cleaned out and their filth banned as hate literature.
Iemma wouldn't know s**t from clay. He is part of the problem. If we dug deep enough we would find that a generous gift of tax payers' money was given to a section of the muslim community to help them celebrate their culture (oxymoron?). The muslim community would have been free to distribute that money they way it wanted to. I'll bet that a slice of it was provided to set up this bookstore in order to promote the wonderful and peaceful religion of Islam.
And I wouldn't mind betting that as Iemma was doing the spade work to build his profile as an MP he probably cut the ribbon to open this store.
Our perfidious politicians make Mr Alfonce Capone look like an altar boy.
Don't believe a word Iemma says.....he doesn't.
jingoist,
Good points and sums up how I feel on the matter. Of course, like many others I would love to have these books disappear from bookstores but where will that lead us? Who determines what is allowed or what is defined as seditious? Will Australia have the same rules as other coutries? If not, what about the availability over the internet?
Isn't it easier to monitor sites that are making material such as this available and crack down on the behaviour of those who are being incited to violence? This all relies on intelligence services and policing bodies to be capable and willing to take action when required and not be as lenient as they sometimes are.
This is a terrible situation...
Please follow along i will try to be brief...
1. We cant profile as thats racist...
2. we cant close the borders thats racist..
3. we cant listen in on phone calls that invades privacy even if its bin laden calling the DNC..
4. We cant stop the publication of books espousing jihad... thats discrimination
5. we cant allow anyone to publish the so called cartoons as the muslims will become violent...
6. we cant profile based upon names (and yes a ton of muslims are named mohammed)...
7. we cant disallow muslims from saudi arabia to come into the usa (because it might offend them)
8. we cant disallow the publication of jihadist manuals teaching bomb making 101 or beheading and infidel for beginners as thats racist..
But if we do what is required (meaning some draconian measures)... then we may be safe for the moment ...
Until the next time its christians who will be targeted by our own government (which the liberals already are drooling over that prospect)
It is a dangerous slope for which i am not sure there is a cure....
To do so is dammned..
To not do so is Suicide..
I wonder what it will take (4 million dead) by the Islamic bomb before we wake up...
And then if we do what will we become...
Like i said an interesting pickle..
Salad_in
you are right!!
New South Wales has let the islam problem go on for over ten years!! End result - Cronulla riots. Iemma is relatively new to the job and no doubt wants to make a name for himself. Sydney-ites hate this situation...wouldn't any sane person? The police are no good,,,, scared stiff!
Perhaps it is better to monitor who buys these books in an open way,,I don't know. It just annoys me they took Bibles out of hospitals and schools the same day this was ok-ed by the federal attorney. Makes me sick!
Read Andrew Bolt's column in the Herlad Sun.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,19159365%255E25717,00.html