“When we hide discrimination under the guise of ‘religious freedom,’ we make a mockery of human rights.” – DaShanne Stokes – There’s been a lot of talk around our fair isle about preserving ‘religious rights’ and ‘religious freedom’ in the last few months. The fear is palpable and has been used to keep campaigns alive…Continue reading Have Your Cake And Eat It Too: Protecting Our Religious Rights!
Tag: refugees
A Thrill of Hope
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. – Adolphe Adam – Simeon’s Moment by Ron Dicianni It’s that time of year again. While some folks claim there is a ‘war on Christmas’, it takes very little research to discover that this apocalyptic, deluded conspiracy theory holds…Continue reading A Thrill of Hope
Remember with Purpose
You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember, you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt. – Exodus 22:21 – Part of the problem in reading an ancient sacred text with modern minds is that there is a disconnect and dissonance in context, culture and thought. When reading the Bible, for…Continue reading Remember with Purpose
A Tribute to the Exiles Past and Present
“Exile is more than a geographical concept. You can be in an exile in your homeland, in your own house, in a room.” – Mahmoud Darwish I remember those in exile from my childhood days. They became outcasts because they protested when people were oppressed and marginalised because of the colour of their skin. They were…Continue reading A Tribute to the Exiles Past and Present
A Tribute to Elie Wiesel
On Sunday, I woke up to several unpleasant realities: Australian politics was in chaos, Pauline Hanson had been returned to power, just like Voldemort, and the world has lost one of its most profound voices of conscience – Elie Wiesel. Eliezer Wiesel was born to Shlomo and Sara Wiesel, on the 30th September, 1928, in…Continue reading A Tribute to Elie Wiesel
The ‘Others’: Ideas that Shape Australia’s Attitude and Policies on Asylum Seekers
This past week our world was again reminded of the stark and devastating reality that we are facing a crisis of displaced people, due to war and natural disasters, unparalleled since World War Two. The image of a tiny Syrian boy, drowned at sea whilst seeking refuge, whose body had washed up on the idyllic…Continue reading The ‘Others’: Ideas that Shape Australia’s Attitude and Policies on Asylum Seekers