I'm writing to ask for your support for a new group and website I have set up with my friend Linda Briskman. The group is called Voices against Bigotry, and has been formed because of our concern with the increasingly hostile climate for Muslims living in this country. We are particularly worried about a new anti-Muslim political party that will launch in October this year.
The Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA) is associated with the Q society, the group that has run strong campaigns against mosques and halal food. This group is very organised, well financed and connected with anti-Muslim groups in the US and Europe. Extremist Netherlands politician Geert Wilders is providing them with advice and will attend the launch. It would be a serious mistake to underestimate the amount of support this party could garner and the damage they could do by further normalising hate speech against Muslims. They are much more sophisticated than the Reclaim Australia group and have a broad range of regressive policies which are detailed on our website.
Our political leaders have failed to stand up against anti-Muslim bigotry, so we have decided to organise ordinary people to do it. We do not want to give the ALA publicity, but it will inevitably attract publicity and when it does, we want to provide a strong opposing voice. If non-Muslims don't speak out, Muslims can mistakenly think that groups like this have broader support than they do and feel unwelcome in their own communities.
We have set up a website where people can endorse the statement:
Voices against Bigotry condemns the vilification of Muslims. Australian society has greatly benefitted from a diversity of cultures and religions. We oppose bigotry directed against one part of our community for political ends.
Please visit http://www.voicesagainstbigotry.org/ to endorse the statement, share it with your friends, and find out more.
Thanks, Susie Latham.
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