One dimly recalls the September 15 riot, which was catalyzed by an anti-Islamic film in the US but really resulted from pent-up hostility. One hopes that authorities throughout Australia have been developing new approaches to integrating the Muslim community and dealing with disaffected youth. Apparently, one's hope would be misplaced.
Australia has an incredibly welcoming society. I live in the Central Business District alongside people from every nation on earth. I can't even count the number of languages spoken in my apartment building. I work at the University of New South Wales, which has an incredibly diverse student body and faculty. Only the United States has a more generous policy toward asylum
seekers--Australia's very open policy brings in large numbers of
Muslims. Their next-door neighbor, Indonesia, is a Muslim country of 240
million.
Yet even here, immigrant youth from the Middle East can find reasons to feel marginalized. The blessings of life here, which include universal health care and numerous safety nets, do not seem to result in any sort of gratitude. Australian policy-makers need to get a better understanding of this. The impacts on this Commonwealth nation are only beginning to be felt.
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