Stop Musliming all over our Australia Day

A billboard was pulled down in Melbourne after members of a far right group complained of the ad showing Muslim women celebrating Australia Day.

Needless to say, Facebook lost it’s shit in a very predictable manner. Those that agree, those that vehemently disagree, those that think it’s great, something about Pauline Hanson and of course the outrage. So. Much. Outrage.

I would love to contribute to said outrage but I’m so tired. I’m tired of defending Muslims. I’m tired of having to justify my existence in this country. I’m tired of reading comments sections and being swallowed up by the outrage.

I am curious though. You hear so much about people complaining that Muslims don’t integrate. They need to assimilate and take on our way of life.

My favourite bumper sticker, If you don’t love it, LEAVE!!

So here was a billboard showing these women integrating. They were taking on the Aussie way of life, loving it sick.  But a select few groups of people still took issue with that?

It leads me to think that perhaps there’s more to this. What is it that these groups are so angry about? Do they feel as though they are losing their identity? That they aren’t being represented? Or perhaps they feel unloved? Why is there such a strong point to be made on ownership of our country’s culture and way of life? Surely that’s a collective result of a diverse people. Who is even in a position to make such a definition? Or oppose it?

Maybe we, as a community, need to shift our attention. All I can see in the media is everyone shouting over each other trying to persuade the masses that they are right and the other, whoever that may be, is wrong. The divide is getting bigger, the rage more intense and shit is going to get real.

Can everyone calm down? Stop trying to make your point. Ask more questions and listen. What is going on with people? Where is all this fear coming from?

When people have a compulsion to make a death threat to a company due to offence taken from a depiction of multiculturalism, we need to shut up and ask some serious questions as to what is actually going on.  We need to work together and address this. That can only be done with patience and empathy.

For as long as we beat our chest and remain adamant that we are right, nothing will change. This isn’t about winning an argument; it’s about living together and not having Trump as president.