Australian Senator Echos Irrational Fears About Muslim Immigrants
This is Senator Pauline Hanson. Image credit: The ConversationBY: Marissa Ovassapian/Contributing Writer
While Americans are being faced with questions of mass deportation, immigration reform, and bans on Muslim refugees ahead of the November elections, Australian Senator Pauline Hanson believes her country has a similar issue.
According to the Senator, “[Australia] is in danger of being swamped by Muslims.” Hanson added that people would be “living under Sharia law and treated as second-class citizens if urgent changes weren’t made to immigration policies.”
After making this brash statement, Hanson elaborated on her fears and extremist view on Islam. She expressed that Muslims were incapable of assimilating with Australian culture because they possess an ideology that differed too greatly from most Australians.
The Senator was also eager to propose, “sending all Muslims to an airport and waving good bye” to them.
Hanson’s remarks had a strong effect on her fellow senators, albeit most likely the adverse effect that she wanted. Many senators exited the room when she began her hateful speech, but that did not deter her from spreading her unwarranted views to those who remained in the chamber.
These comments came the same day Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said, “Will there now be a third Islamic attempt to conquer Europe? Many Muslims think that and want that, and they say ‘Europe is at the end’”. Without remorse, these national leaders are using their platform to enforce extremist understandings of Islam and its followers, thus negatively affecting the everyday lives of average Muslims around the world – including anyone who might only “appear” Muslim.
Senator Hanson believes that Australia is becoming a violent place full of destruction, hatred, and intolerance, which is arguably correct. The difference is that while she believes the negativity stems from increased immigration of Muslims to the country, it is actually a result of ignorant Australians who have begun to treat newcomers as second-class citizens. This treatment perpetuates the cyclical prejudice and racism that is seen in many societies around the world today.
Others share the Senator’s supremacist attitude, which is unfortunate. She made similar statements about Asians living in Australia a few weeks prior to her Islamophobic comments about Muslims, and has continued to preach to the Australian public that the nation should remain fearful and on alert.
Islam is not a religion that is taught in most secondary schools in Australia, or America, which could be a large contributing factor to widespread unfamiliarity on the religion.
Mosques are frequently vandalized and systematic racial profiling is the new norm at airports and other public venues. Arab Americans throughout the United States, especially in predominately Arab-populated areas, are no strangers to these civil rights abuses. With irrational fear projecting from the platforms of powerful people throughout the world, particularly in Western countries like the U.S. and Australia, the need for accurate, in-depth understanding and two-way communication is higher than ever.