Musings:Racism?

There is no doubting that some members of the Lebanese community who have arrived here in the past 30 years have never adjusted to the Australian way of life. And sadly, it seems some of their sons, native Australians, have been brought up to believe being male entitles them to unearned respect from all others, especially women. These riots were clashes that appear to be based in culture, rather than race or religion. None of this excuses, but may explain, some of the context of the Cronulla riot, and Monday night's counter-attack when gangs of Middle Eastern youths swarmed across seaside Sydney attacking property – and people, if they got a chance. These were are all appalling affrays, insults to Australia's well-earned reputation as a safe haven for people from all over the world. But they do not demonstrate Australia to be burdened by race hatred or led by politicians who pander to prejudice. The best way to demonstrate this is for the worst offenders in the recent riots to be prosecuted – and treated exactly the same before the courts.
Isolated and angry
Experts say that some Lebanese attitudes - including the attitude towards women - have also contributed to their failure to integrate more fully with mainstream Australia. University of Sydney sociology professor Michael Humphrey says that his experience interviewing Lebanese families led him to conclude that many have a "preoccupation" with what they believe to be the promiscuity of Australian women. "There's a fantasy about Western sexuality," he says.
The ANU's Jupp agrees. "There is no doubt some of these young Lebanese guys have an aggressive attitude towards women," he says. "They get this from their parents: women in the Middle East are often seen as sisters, mothers or whores.
"While I agree there is no justifying excuse for the violence and breakdown in order that occurred at Cronulla, it needs to be put in context. Unless you live in an area like Cronulla, Brighton-Le-Sands or Bondi, you have no idea what it is like to have one's suburb regularly inundated with large groups of young Muslim men from the western suburbs who proceed to shoot people [as has happened in Brighton], intimidate people, regularly threaten people within their vicinity with violence, drive around in large groups screaming abuse at people from cars with their music blaring, regularly brawling, etc."

This young woman recounted that all of the girls in her family (except the youngest) have been "subject to harassment inflicted by groups of these men - comments on our appearances, racist comments on our Australian background, unwanted touching, being followed while walking home by groups of men in cars (I was once followed all the way home - have never been so scared in my life), sexually explicit remarks while alone, with friends or with boyfriends, unwanted called-out invitations to have sex with groups of them, etc".