kolubara - I have a friend who is a 'blue helmet' soldier - (or was, last time I spoke with him was about 4 years ago - he might be retired now and there maybe no more troops in the former Yugoslavia). He was then based in Bosnia. His principal job was still to 'look after the Muslim locals' who were very grateful for the continued protection. During the Yugoslav wars they faced the fact that their non-muslim co-villagers were killing them at every opportunity and - given half a chance - raping their women, - and they still didn't feel safe even years after the war in Yugoslavia. Only this week Ratko Mladic, who led the killings of Muslim men and boys at Srebrenica has been convicted of crimes against humanity and he will now spend he rest of his life in prison -
I don't want to bring up the pros and cons of the creation of Kosovo (I personally believe it was unjust) - but Muslims had a hard time in many European countries, also in Russia.
I am not educated on their issues in many of those countries but a lot had to do that they faced persecution first and the militancy in some of them is a reaction. We should be aware of that, but it is a danger, just the same, we need to protect against.
I thing this business about a 'halal tax' has been explained before - there is no such thing.
Re the clothing: If I choose to react 'offended':
I am offended - by the awful clothing so many young Australians wear, by facial jewellery (even one of my granddaughters wears), by tattoos, bad hair cuts -colours.
When I first came here, I simply couldn't understand why women were plastering their faces with makeup which stopped at the jawline, but were otherwise well dressed.
I am offended - if I care to be so - by every fat person who chooses to show rolls of their fat to the public. I am offended by the silly and unbecoming hats which everyone seems to wear now against the sun - why don't we wear something fashionable and beautiful??
We are a reasonably good looking race, why don't we take greater care with our exterior?
But I am not offended - I simply IGNORE all the stuff which doesn't gel with my world view.
