Black and white flag

In contrast just last month police shot dead a man at point blank range instantly to end the Carlisle hostage drama in Perth. In contrast the Adelaide Siege of 2011 claimed more innocent lives but received a fraction of the coverage. So what's going on? Academics like Scott Poynting from University of Western Sydney will tell you that there is a populist propaganda campaign against certain groups which eventually leads to a culminating event such as the Cronulla riots of 2005.

Speaking of which the Australian Defence League a registered not-for-profit is apparently promising another Cronulla, an event that shamed the good name of this nation and made us a global laughing stock.

Edward Bernays the father of modern day propaganda - famous for engineering media stunts to overthrow the democratically elected government of Guatemala only to install a congenial dictator, and conning women into taking up cigarettes with the slogan "torches of freedom" - would be proud to see his diabolical tactics re-used in the modern day. These tactics inspired one of the most evil men in history, the Nazi Minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels. Personally I am sick to my stomach, because I know Australia is much better than that.

The right to be bigots

George Santayana famously said "those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it" - so let's not forget the honoured work of Raphael Lemkin. Lemkin lived through the horrors of the Nazi Holocaust and dedicated his life to identifying and fighting genocide. He concluded that genocide happens in stages and preventative measures should be taken at each.

The first stage is classification: us vs them, the second is symbolisation: distinguishing by dress, colour or icons, and the third step is dehumanisation: they don't share our values and therefore are not human like us. After this it is a very slippery slope.

So before some scoff at the comparison and cry "beat up!", try walking a mile in someone else's shoes. The pattern is chilling and some doors should never be opened, not even out of innocence for we might find ourselves confronted with demons that we cannot control. Is it time to pause and reflect or just carry on blindly?

Indeed those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it, so do we remember the "birth" of this "death cult"? The bigots initially wanted to remove Saddam, through military force and links to 9/11, and when there was no connection, the argument changed to weapons of mass destruction and when none were found the argument changed to Iraqi liberation. Now that the entire region is worse off inspiring terrorists all over the world, the bigots blame everyone but themselves.

Let's not forget last year the bigots supported the Islamic Syrian Liberation front (ISLF) against the Syrian regime, as the world's super power pumped millions of dollars and arms into the belly of this beast. The beast bit back, as it always does and this strategic ally became a strategic liability. Enter ISIL, ISIS or IS depending on how you wish to scramble the letters.

This "franchise of terror" continues and unfortunately maintains shareholders all over the free world. Branding is very powerful both the extremist and bigots realise this. The extremist call themselves the 'Islamic State' the bigots ratify and support their claim by confirming the name.

It seems the French can see further and understand the consequences of such reckless branding and have refused to play this game of terror, and chose not to ratify the brand hijack. France's foreign minister has said for good reason don't call it Islamic State, because it creates confusion and fear. Who gave these heretics the right to use the name of Islam and who gave the bigots the right to ratify this gross misnomer?

It is true that religious fanatics in their infinite stupidity desecrate the name of the holy and pull the disenfranchised to their cause, but it is also true that bigots in their infinite stupidity abuse their freedoms and push the disenfranchised to the fanatical cause. Both serve as a recruitment ground for the other. Both bigots in their own right. Both a cancer to humanity.