‘Australia once banned Catholics from mass and vilified the Irish. Haven’t we learned anything?‘ Guardian Australia, 22 July 2016
Reminiscences about the historical treatment of Irish in Australia – and other immigrants – and draws some parallels with treatment of Muslims today. Drew nearly 500 comments across a range of opinions.
It is not enough [says the author] to say to my Muslim neighbours, “I know you’re Australians too, like me”, or to say, “times change and it won’t always be your turn”. We’re largely a nation of immigrants and their descendants. We should be better at this by now; better at distinguishing difference from threat, and better at valuing the great things difference can bring.