Look to the influences
Ken Lambert writes: Re. “Malcolm turns over a new leaf on Muslim relations, but it needs work” (Monday). Frankly I am sick of hearing about muslim leaders and communities. I suspect the “leaders” who do talk to the media know little of what is really going on in and around the mosques in question, and if they do are too scared to say or do anything meaningful. The main reason silly 15 year old kids are getting their heads filled with homicidal thoughts, is that there are real persons and social media exerting powerful toxic influences; both of which are being tolerated in pockets of our society.
Who’s the fool?
John Richardson writes: Re. “Malcolm and Scott, drop the penalty rates obsession and start investing” (yesterday). Our ever ebullient Prime Minister for the 21st century, Malcolm Turnbull, believes that Australians should be thrilled by the signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. It’s been said that the Prime Minister’s namesake and an earlier colonial administrator, William Bligh, saw fools about him too easily. While nations inevitably act in their own best interests, especially “special friends” like the United States and given that the agreement remains secret, it will be left to history to judge whether Malcolm’s “foundation stone” will really turn-out to be a mill-stone and whether Australians really are the fools he obviously believes them to be.
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For once (it might actually be a first) I agree with Ken Lambert. 15 year olds do a lot of silly things, and they also are prone to rebel against authority. Authority figures, whether Christian or Muslim clerics, would have little idea what any of their congregation believes. As an analogy, does any parent of 15 year olds have confidence that they know what their offspring believe?
Thanks Wayne….your support is gratefully accepted..