and another thing...

Here's a tidy little vid from the recent Uniting Australia Sausage Sizzle that was held in Brunswick (cf 'neo-nazi bikini party' below).
It shows, far better than my words, the success of the day.
Take that, bone heads!
(pity about the michael jackson music at the start, though...)
To be honest, I'm not religion's number one fan, but I believe everyone has the right to practice their religion if they're not harming anyone else in doing so and to exhibit the cultural traits and practices that are associated with a religion or faith with pride and not fear.
This is something that the 'Australian community' could be better at fostering and the sausage sizzle was an excellent example of just that.

neo nazi bikini party

Yesterday I went to an open day at a local Muslim prayer room.
It's unfortunate that Muslims in Brunswick need to take such measures to protect themselves from neo nazis.
The story is, if you're not from round these parts and/or hadn't heard, a 'bikini veteran' grandmother thought it would be appropriate to have a bikini march to show how proud she is of being a woman in Australia who can wear a bikini. This was meant to be in opposition to Muslims who apparently don't allow women to dress themselves. Hmmm... not sure what planet she lives on.
The event was 'postponed' possibly after she freaked out from the number of neo nazis expressing interest. But the bottom line is that there was going to be a march on the prayer room to commemorate the Cronulla riots. Obviously not a good thing.
Hence, the community open day / sausage sizzle, which was a friendly and successful and peaceful event, because the bone heads maybe realised that they are not welcome in Brunswick. Or anywhere else for that matter.
I look forward to a time when this kind of violent bullshit doesn't happpen:
Cronulla riots and neo nazi bikini parties... Not in my lifetime... Not ever...
But watch this space and @ndy's blog because I'm told the 'bikini veteran' grandmother is planning a march in Melbourne's CBD planned for Invasion Day (January 26th).
I'll leave you with the words she said to a friend of mine who rang her up as an indication of her state of mind:
"We're not against all Muslims ... Just those who want to rape our children, our women and blow us up."