RACE RIOTS DOWN UNDER

Foster's. Australian for mob fuel.

After following the news coverage of the so-called "ethnic violence" in Australia that has continued over the past 48 hours, any person would be left with the impression that the perpetrators of the violence are all "Muslim," "Arab," or "Middle Eastern" youth rioting in Australia.

For example,

• This UK Times article suggests that the "Gangs of Lebanese Men" are "hooligans and criminals" that should allow the police special powers to enforce city-wide lock-downs.
  
• This Sydney Morning Herald article discusses how "Arab Christian, Arab Muslim and community organisations have called for a weekend curfew" in order to stem the violence.
  
• This Herald Sun article presents the conflict as one between "Muslim youth" and the "surf movement."
  
• This ABC News article covers how the Sydney police are increasing their presence in Sydney to control the "ethnic gangs" and discusses what "Sydney's Arabic community" is doing to try to calm down their members.
• This AP article focuses on the "carloads" of "young men of Arab descent" that were attacking vehicles and throwing bottles through windows.

What the coverage fails to highlight, however, is the fact that the unrest started on Sunday when 5,000 white people -- apparently rallied by neo-Nazi groups and cellphone text messages -- violently attacked a few innocent people on a local beach believed to be of Lebanese descent.

Very few articles even mention the fact that the majority of the victims and targets of the unrest and racial animosity are members of the Australian Arab community and people perceived to be Arab.

So to recap, according to what passes for balanced journalism today:

• "Carloads" of rioting Arab youth = ethnic gangs, anti-Anglo violence typical of Arabs/Muslims

• Angry mob of 5,000 white youths fueled by neo-Nazis = the surf movement

In other news, I am now crossing Australia off my list of potential honeymoon destinations.

--Junichi