Far right protests as Penrith council votes to allow construction of Muslim Community Centre

Richard Jackson writes Far right protests as Penrith council votes to allow construction of Muslim Community Centre.

Protest and counter-protest descended on Penrith on December 8 as Penrith’s council voted to uphold their decision to allow the construction of an Islamic community centre in Kemps Creek.

The reasons given by the protestors reflect the lies told in the media about Muslims. So, we have a situation in which the purveyors of these falsehoods, and the believers are vilified. No wonder people are confused.

This is the sleight-of-hand pulled by modern racism. The rich and powerful can slur a minority with impunity. These slurs are blessed by the priesthood of the ideological superstructure: academics, media presenters, bloggers, commentators, etc. And yet the people who trained to listen and obey their betters, are vilified for believing and acting on this nonsense.

Yet, racism has a very long history, and is deep-rooted. People born here cannot escape its trendrils. That people are racists is an accident of birth.

To remain racist is a sign of intellectual laziness. Self-education and reflection are the best cures for this. It is a painfully slow road as one confronts the lies told by people that one respected and revered. One has to be prepared to sever ties with loved ones. No wonder it is easier to go on sprouting hatred than to confront the ugly truth of one's life.

And that ugly truth is that white live in a life of privilege immersed in lie after lie about non-whites. And these lies justify this privilege. So the implicit contract is that continuing belief and propagation of these lies is necessary for the continued enjoyment of that privilege.

I would rather be a human being than a white person. Humanity is far more important than privilege. And as I keep saying, the nourishment of humanity within oneself requires the acknowledgement and respect for the humanity in others.