Why we must fight for the freedom to worship
EVERYONE should be safe when praying in a house of worship, regardless of their religion, writes Kate Ashmor.
EVERYONE should be safe when praying in a house of worship, regardless of their religion, writes Kate Ashmor.
On Friday afternoon, the Muslim community of Christchurch, New Zealand, became the latest tragic victim of extremist violence. They join other churches, temples, mosques and synagogues around the world that have endured the horrific scourge of terrorism, fuelled by extremism.
Hatred of the other, intolerance of diversity, is at the heart of why this is happening. And while the methods and reasons behind extremist indoctrination are complex, they are designed to divide societies, to create different tribes pitched against each other, where there can only be one, purist group that drives out, enslaves or extinguishes anyone else.
Sound familiar? We in the Jewish community know better than everyone where extremist hate speech can end up; how creating the “other” and attributing blame to that “other” for everything bad in the world can foment violence and result in mass murder.
The Tutsis of Rwanda know it too, as do the victims of the Cambodian Killing Fields, and the Copts in Egypt.
How do we combat what can appear at times to be an overwhelming tide of hatred? A grassroots approach, person to person contact, is incredibly important. Inter-racial and religious programs, such as those run by the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, create connections across religions and foster empathy, so there is no “other” – there is only “us”.
This does not mean we can’t criticise different religions and cultures. And it doesn’t mean we are racists if we dare to talk about immigration and population policy. On the contrary: free speech is paramount in a pluralist, democratic society. But when the purpose of that criticism is to encourage hatred, to incite violence and to divide us, it is unacceptable and it must be called out.
The price for calling it out has become very high. In addressing the Australia–Israel Chamber of Commerce this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison quoted American author Arthur Brooks. “What we need is not to disagree less, but to disagree better.” I can testify to that. In return for my advocacy against David Icke being granted a visa, my inbox, phone message bank and Facebook account have been flooded with disgusting, antisemitic filth, and threats of violence, that ought not be published here.
It only strengthens my resolve. My family were not slaughtered in the Holocaust for nothing. It was not in vain, and I am determined to use my voice, and every opportunity I have, to be a strong, fearless advocate for our people. As a Jewish woman, I feel personally responsible to do whatever I can to help. And with our Parliament losing a giant in
Michael Danby MP, our community must have confidence that we will continue to have a strong presence in our nation’s Parliament – someone not afraid to call it like it is, someone not beholden to any factional or popularist agenda. Straight-talking, credible and always with the community’s best interests at heart.
Keeping our community safe is the most important responsibility of any government. It is why locking in Federal Government funding to complete the security upgrade project at Beth Weizmann was my top priority after gaining preselection last September. That funding was delivered within a fortnight, and was personally announced by Prime Minister Morrison during his visit to our community. I pay tribute to Sam Tatarka and Dr Danny Lamm who prosecuted the case so passionately, for many years.
I have been equally determined to ensure our treasured Community Security Group (CSG) gains the resources it needs to keep people safe, as they go about their lives worshipping at synagogues, studying at Jewish schools and attending events and activities at communal buildings.
This week the Prime Minister announced $55 million in new funding, an extension to the Safer Communities Program, so that people of all faiths can worship and go about communal life with the confidence that they are safe. Grants will be available for security upgrades such as CCTV, fencing, bollards and lighting, and will range from $50,000 to $1.5 million. I look forward to continuing to work closely with CSG and Jewish community leaders, including Jeremy Leibler, Anton Block, Jennifer Huppert and Dr Colin Rubenstein, to ensure funding is received where it is needed most.
Everyone has the right to practise their religion of choice and to do so safely. Freedom of religion is at the heart of the Liberal Party’s core values. It is why our government has invested in record funding for the Independent, Catholic and Jewish schools’ sector, so parents have a choice about how they wish to educate their children. It is why we support school chaplains and special religious instruction.
We stand unequivocally and proudly for freedom of religion, and will continue to do so.
Kate Ashmor is the Liberal Party’s candidate for Macnamara.
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