Early yesterday morning, I was fishing at Nudgee Beach just off the edge of Moreton Bay, adjacent to the Brisbane River and Airport. It’s a grubby little area and is just 20 minutes from Brisbane City, so it is very accessible.
It’s my release. A way to get away from all the humdrum. The noise. To be one with nature. The gentle breeze. The mangroves and the white-faced herons that can stand still for what seems an eternity, unlike most of us that struggle to be still for a few seconds.
It might have been a fishing village 50 years ago and the décor would be similar. But unfortunately, there is not much left of that, nor much fish left just the same.
I looked forward to being alone. But fate had other ideas.
For whatever reason, there were just the two of us. Me and another “old bloke”. Well, an even older bloke it later turned out.
Naturally, after some small talk, we got to talking about the recent horrific events of Bondi.
We didn’t talk about who or what was to blame. Or grand solutions. We just shared in the tragedy.
The old man was heavily accented, which made me curious. So I asked him what country he was originally from.
He immediately told me he was a “nationalized Australian”. It was almost as if he had rehearsed that line, or had used it so often it had become second nature. For whatever reason, he didn’t really want to tell me. Or maybe he really wished he could.
We ended up speaking for about 3 hours on that jetty. We covered so much territory. He was 83 and his wife was in her 80s, and he hinted at her dementia without wanting to go into much depth. He was a retired fitter and turner and a very intelligent man.
Eventually, after sizing me up to see what I was like, he admitted he was Palestinian. The fact that he went through a vetting and screening process to tell me his country of origin probably explains the sensitivities he experiences in a society that does not understand much about Middle East politics and culture.
He explained as a Palestinian, he was essentially a blood brother of all the Arabs. He felt some similarities with our own Indigenous people in Australia, but for him it was the Middle East. He was a long-term devout Muslim, but converted to Christianity because his wife was a Christian and found the teachings inspiring. My feeling was he was both proud and embarrassed about his heritage because he was acutely aware of how it was perceived after living in Australia for many years.
However, he was sympathetic to the Islamic cause and explained to me some of the subtleties of the various factions, from the Lebanese, Syrians, Qatar, Egypt, Iran and, of course, the Jews.
He had no time for the terrorists or the terrorism of the region, but explained how deeply ingrained they were in their thinking. We quickly agreed that the Catholic Church was probably one of the most corrupt institutions on the Christian front (my whole family — wife, me and all our kids — are Catholic, so don’t get lost on that). He did also say he believed Jesus’ teachings were the most justified of all the religions.
One thing that came out of our discussion was not the importance and the damage religion can do, but the need for many to have faith in something when it appears there is nothing else to place your hopes on.
My personal view is that the people that come into these discussions on forums like ours have little understanding of the need for faith for some of these people, who we seem to treat as statistics, and not understand their lack of alternatives in a life that has passed them by.
In between these deeper conversations, we got to the real business. One that two men needed to do. Fishing lol.
We only caught one fish between us but shared our bait and ideas. Our aligned common sense was a constant in the whole discussion.
The one fish was caught was by me. Maybe, that made me feel better after everything I learned from him. It was about 3 inches long, a little bream. I live-baited it and left it on a sleeper rod trying to catch something bigger. It was on for 40 minutes or so and was not taken. My view, when I wound it in after inspecting it a number of times, was he had done a pretty good job, so I took the hook out. I let it go free and he swam away, seemingly unaffected by the ordeal. When I was younger, I never would have let it go and let it be free.
Now, if two old bastards from entirely different cultures can get on a jetty for a few hours and agree on most things, it goes to show there must be some hope for this world.
PS: I originally posted this on the Bondi Massacre blog but was advised I should put it to a wider audience. It’s a terrible shame that the children of the current generation are fighting these pointless battles and cannot shake their parents and grandparents out of this recycling of violence and destruction. I accept they may have been quasi-brainwashed, or committed to a cause of revenge or justice. But today’s generation has enough information readily available — at their fingertips — to put a stop to these vicious generational cycles. There are no excuses. Tell your children, but explain to them they have a responsibility to get it right, because the current generations and their predecessors for the past 3,000 years or so have really screwed it up big time, and it’s time to let it go and move towards a better future.
Replies
Frankie are you afraid Ahmed El Ahmed, a devout Syrian-born Muslim, and his family are going to blow you up?
So because we have one fine Muslim it means that Muslims don't pose the biggest threat to western countries when it comes to terrorism?
I guess the reason why Jewish schools and synagogues in Western countries including Australia need security guards because all Christians , Hindu's and Buddhists want to attack them right ?
I guess all the Christians who are getting slaughtered in Africa are being slaughtered by Jews and Hindus right ?
No doubt all the Catholic and Christian churches that get either set on fire or vandalized in Europe are done by Jews and Buddhists right?
Na we have one fine Muslim and all of a sudden western society has nothing to worry about.
I am way more scared of the incipient Autocratic Theocracy in the USA that is betraying Ukraine (dishonoring Budapest Memorandum security assurances) and threatening it's allies and neighbours in an increasingly bellicose manner, all to the cheers of enthusiastic Right-wing christian fundies way more than any Muslim horde.
Renaming the DoD to the Department of War....onward christian soldiers my arse
Frankie, perhaps when you are all out fishing you might catch some of Poppa’s central message. He is a good person, and so are you.
It's not just Ahmed el Ahmed the Brave, the devout Middle Eastern Muslim. Almost all Muslims, out of say 2.2 billion people, let's say over 99%, are not terrorists, militants, bombers, or extremists, and they overwhelmingly condemn the violent examples and terrorism you gave.
What you are doing instead is hand picking the very worst eggs and then judging the entire basket by them.
If that is the gold standard, then let us apply it consistently. It is an easy game to play, about as common as fish and chips and farts. And I'm happy to disagree agreeably, as Charlie Kirk once told a prominent Leftie.
Below are ongoing examples of right wing "extremist" violence, including attacks on Jews, Muslims, children, mass killings, and bombings, spanning decades and continents. I wouldn't be surprised if make excuses (e.g. they're actually Lefties or that's different or that's ABC fake news, etc etc...).
1958 | Notting Hill race riots killing (UK) | Racial minorities · (by far right racists)
1963 | Birmingham church bombing (USA) | 4 · Black children · (by white supremacists)
1964 | Freedom Summer murders (USA) | Civil rights workers · (by KKK)
1970 | Kent State shootings political backlash context (USA) | Student protesters · (by state aligned right wing violence)
1974 | Piazza della Loggia bombing (Italy) | 8 · Anti fascist rally · (by neo fascists)
1977 | Atocha massacre (Spain) | 5 · Left wing lawyers · (by far right extremists)
1978 | Assassination of Harvey Milk (USA) | 2 · LGBTQ & officials · (by far right extremist)
1979 | Greensboro massacre (USA) | 5 · Anti racist demonstrators · (by KKK & neo Nazis)
1980 | Bologna train station bombing (Italy) | 85 · Civilians · (by neo fascists)
1981 | Oktoberfest bombing (Germany) | 13 · Civilians · (by neo Nazi extremist)
1982 | Rue des Rosiers attack (France) | 6 · Jews · (by far right antisemites)
1983 | The Order assassinations (USA) | 2 · Jewish host & officials · (by neo Nazis)
1984 | Portland neo Nazi murder spree (USA) | 3 · Jews & minorities · (by neo Nazi cell)
1984 | Brighton hotel bombing far right reprisals context (UK) | Political figures · (by far right extremists)
1985 | MOVE bombing Philadelphia (USA) | 11 · Black activists · (by extremist state action)
1986 | Sydney Turkish consulate bombing (Australia) | Civilians · (by ultranationalist extremists)
1987 | Lynching of Michael Donald (USA) | Black American · (by KKK)
1988 | Skinhead murder spree Paris region (France) | Immigrants · (by neo Nazi skinheads)
1990 | Carpentras desecration & linked killing (France) | Jewish community · (by far right extremists)
1991 | Laserman shootings (Sweden) | Migrants · (by white supremacist)
1992 | Mölln arson attack (Germany) | 3 · Turkish family · (by neo Nazis)
1993 | Solingen arson attack (Germany) | 5 · Turkish family · (by neo Nazis)
1994 | Loughinisland massacre (Northern Ireland) | 6 · Catholic civilians · (by loyalist paramilitaries)
1995 | Oklahoma City bombing (USA) | 168 · Government & children · (by anti government far right)
1996 | Centennial Olympic Park bombing (USA) | 2 · Civilians · (by far right anti abortion extremist)
1998 | James Byrd Jr lynching (USA) | Black American · (by white supremacists)
1999 | London nail bombings (UK) | 3 · Minorities · (by neo Nazi)
1999 | LA Jewish Community Center shooting (USA) | Jews · (by white supremacist)
1999 | Sacramento synagogue arson spree leading to deaths (USA) | Jewish community · (by neo Nazi extremists)
2000 to 2007 | NSU mass murder campaign (Germany) | 10 · Migrants · (by neo Nazi cell)
2001 | Anthrax letters mass murders (USA) | 5 · Media & government · (by far right extremist suspect)
2002 | Düsseldorf S Bahn bombing (Germany) | Immigrants · (by neo Nazis)
2003 | Neukölln nail bomb attack (Germany) | Immigrant families · (by neo Nazi cell)
2006 | Seattle Jewish Federation shooting (USA) | Jews · (by white supremacist)
2008 | Kauhajoki school shooting (Finland) | 10 · Students & staff · (by far right influenced gunman)
2009 | Holocaust Museum shooting (USA) | Jews · (by neo Nazi)
2009 | Reggio Calabria neo fascist riot killings (Italy) | Migrant workers · (by far right mob violence)
2010 | CasaPound stabbing deaths (Italy) | Political opponents · (by neo fascists)
2011 | Breivik massacre (Norway) | 77 · Youth & government · (by far right white supremacist)
2012 | Oak Creek Sikh temple mass shooting (USA) | 6 · Sikhs · (by white supremacist)
2013 | Murder of Pavlos Fyssas (Greece) | Political opponent · (by neo fascist)
2014 | Las Vegas police ambush (USA) | 2 · Police · (by anti government far right)
2014 | Overland Park Jewish Center shootings (USA) | 3 · Jews · (by neo Nazi)
2014 | Waco biker mass murder shootout extremist nationalist gangs (USA) | 9 · Civilians · (by extremist nationalist gangs)
2015 | Charleston church massacre (USA) | 9 · Black Christians · (by white supremacist)
2015 | Planned Parenthood shootings (USA) | 3 · Civilians · (by far right anti abortion extremist)
2016 | Murder of MP Jo Cox (UK) | MP · (by far right extremist)
2016 | Munich OEZ mall shooting (Germany) | 9 · Migrants & minorities · (by far right racist)
2017 | Quebec City mosque mass shooting (Canada) | 6 · Muslims · (by far right extremist)
2017 | Portland train stabbing (USA) | 2 · Bystanders defending Muslims · (by white supremacist)
2017 | Finsbury Park mosque vehicle attack (UK) | Worshippers · (by far right extremist)
2018 | Chemnitz riot killing (Germany) | Migrant · (by far right mob violence)
2018 | Tree of Life synagogue shooting (USA) | 11 · Jews · (by neo Nazi)
2019 | Christchurch mosque mass shootings (NZ) | 51 · Muslims · (by white supremacist)
2019 | Poway synagogue shooting (USA) | Jews · (by white supremacist)
2019 | El Paso Walmart mass shooting (USA) | 23 · Latinos · (by white nationalist)
2019 | Halle synagogue attack (Germany) | 2 · Jews · (by neo Nazi)
2019 | Bærum attack aftermath killing (Norway) | Family member · (by far right extremist)
2020 | Hanau racist mass shooting (Germany) | 9 · Migrants · (by far right extremist)
2020 | Boogaloo murders Oakland (USA) | 2 · Police · (by anti government far right)
2020 | Volkmarsen car ramming (Germany) | 2 · Civilians · (by far right extremist)
2021 | Capitol insurrection deaths (USA) | Multiple · Democratic institutions Left wing · (by far right extremists)
2021 | London Ontario vehicle attack (Canada) | 4 · Muslim families· (by white supremacist)
2022 | Buffalo supermarket shooting (USA) | 10 · Black Americans · (by neo Nazi)
2022 | Bratislava LGBTQ bar shooting (Slovakia) | 2 · LGBTQ · (by neo Nazi)
2022 | Allen outlet mall shooting (USA) | 8 · Civilians · (by neo Nazi sympathiser)
2023 | Jacksonville racist mass shooting (USA) | 3 · Black Americans · (by white supremacist)
2023 | Duisburg racist stabbing deaths (Germany) | Migrants · (by far right extremist)
2023 | Paris racist stabbing killing (France) | Minority civilians · (by far right extremist)
2023 | Belgrade school shooting ideological links (Serbia) | 9 · Students & staff · (by ultranationalist influenced attacker)
2024 | Paris suburban racist stabbing killing (France) | Minority civilians · (by far right extremist)
2024 | Rome neo fascist street attack killing (Italy) | Political opponent · (by neo fascist)
2024 | Reichsbürger linked killing during police operation (Germany) | Law enforcement · (by far right sovereign citizen extremist)
2024 | Malmö extremist arson attack resulting in deaths (Sweden) | Migrant residents · (by far right extremists)
2024 | Sydney Bondi Junction attack ideological links debated (Australia) | Civilians · (by extremist misogynist far right influenced attacker)
2024 | Racist murder charged as terrorism (France) | Minority · (by far right extremist)
2024 | German far right arson wave causing fatal fires (Germany) | Migrant families · (by far right extremists)
2025 | Neo Nazi youth cell linked killing during anti migrant violence (Germany) | Migrant civilian · (by neo Nazi youth extremists)
2025 | Far right conspiracy influenced family mass killing investigation (USA) | Civilians · (by far right influenced attacker)
If you need more, I can keep going...
So are you going to post what Muslims have done in the world ? Or are just going to talk about the white Christians? Maybe you can post how western countries have benefited from Muslim migration ?
Actually I have a better idea , how about you post what the western world has benefited from Muslim migration versus what the western world has benefited from Jewish migration ?
Frankie, decent questions and ideas. But they miss the main issues.
Honestly, it’s best if you, not me, prove your claim better that Muslims are “the biggest threat” to Western countries. Unless you’re happy to just go with “talk”, vibes and feelings. And stop there, which is okay, too.
As an idea, it’s still foggy. Weakly supported. But where it gets even worse is on realistic and practical levels.
Even though your lists are shorter than the right-winged violence list of mass shootings, massacres and bombings list, that’s not actually what the flaws are.
I struggle with ethics and morals when dividing people by religion. I understand where your coming from, and its a nice sentiment, but Christians have been hurting christian's for millennia, just as any religion has to its own people. The systematic hurting of children by priests comes to mind, the coverups and secrecy of mass wrong doing, it blows my mind. I think there are bad apples in every religion or faith, most in the main are sensible and respectful, but it still comes down to, i think they are lied too and all religions are coming from that start. It just dosnt add up and those lies form the foundations. I can't help it, it always seems off too me.
People say that walking on water is a miracle, I think just walking on earth in peace is the miracle.
True, Bluey your a good man, your rewards will come in Karma, I am sure, so is Frankie for that matter, I think I know of him on here as the first to commiserate and offer help when circumstances arise. Notwithstanding our petty disagreements over football. LOL
We need to understand these people better at the same time a probationary type period where dysfunctional religious or past country's relationships means an instant rejection and return to place of origin or sorting them into an isolation, where they will do every thing possible for themselves to go back from where they came from.
Probationary Bonds where the sponsor forfeits if dysfunctional behaviour occurs.
That took me 5 minutes of half arsed thought, so I am sure there are better ideas out there.
I think sometimes about how the world turns, it was not that long ago that those that wanted to hurt us were of German and Japanese origin. Russia was an ally so too China. India was British through and through. Today Germany and Japan are some of the closest allies now, we fear Russia and China and India seems to lean more towards Russian influence.
The Italians were Allies during the first world war and enemies just 20 years later during WWII.
Time will reset who we trust and who is a foe, it seems the way of the world constantly evolving.
Whats true for this generation may not be true for the next.
Testify brother.
We are either the religion of our parents, which is mostly decided by geography, or you hit rock bottom and use religion as a base to rebuild your identity. No-one really just walks into a church and comes to god as an adult because the pamphlet inspired to it.
Born into it or scraped off rock bottom....thats how they get ya
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
of 5 Next