Muslim violence in Australia doesn't rate

My point is that Australians regardless of religion, and like many other countries in the world, have a record of violent protest.

So what makes the recent protests different? Is it religious or xenophobic issues or just how it plays in the media? Is it a combination of all three? It is the media reporting that I have most issue with.

Australians can no longer be described as xenophobic, although a relic does exist among us. We have had Muslim communities among us for over 100 years without problem. While we are Christian based and a liberal democratic society those Muslim communities have adapted over time and have tended to accept our over-riding culture while maintaining their religious practice.

At best I've found the mainstream reporting of our 'violent' protest exaggerated and sensationalist. It more than matches the many screaming and unfounded headline claims of 'violence right across the Muslim world' in the international media.

At worst Australian reporting has had anti-Muslim bias and at best it has been irresponsible. It is clearly unfair. Even though I have seen many reports of Muslim clerics and leaders condemn the violence, the slur of violent Muslim protests, in the headlines, remains in my consciousness. I think that would be common with most Australians and is evidenced in talkback radio and the letters pages of our newspapers.

We need to change the demonstrated bias with our usual rational and sensible debate and an absence of headline sensation.