Augusta, Maine would have to be the coldest place I have ever been to, only Montreal rivalled it. I had long johns on, thermal under-shirt, super-thick woollen socks and I was still cold. It was early on Tuesday morning and I was standing on the top of a hill in Maine with four others. Jeremy, a Cape Codder, came up to me and asked, "What is happening in Sydney? It is all I see on the news."

I had dinner at a Chili's the night before. It is a kind of franchise restaurant, it has relatively cheap food of decent quality. They also have a bar where you can order food and watch sport on big screens. On Monday night I was sitting at the bar having dinner when I saw Bill O'Reilly, the famous hysterical troll from Fox News, was having a section on the "Aussie Race Riots" . I finished my dinner and beer before Fox's take on the Cronulla riots were.

I also had read the Auian blogosphere's opinion on what happened on Cronulla, from the extremism of Western Heart, to Jason Soon's impassioned shock, to Tim Dunlops and Andrew Bartlett's reasoned entries. I had also gone through the mass media depiction of it, but I am a long way away from those events. When Jeremy asked me what was going on, I replied; "Yeh, I used to live down that way, at Maroubra."

"You have the waxheads, and the highway waxheads. The beach is a scarce resource, and those gangs are fighting over it."

Jeremy laughed, and said to his New Hampshire mate; "Hey Jesse, it was gangs that started it".

Jeremy and Jesse must have been talking about it before I got there. Gangs starting civil unrest was an analogy that America understands well.

"The highway waxheads are now mainly Lebanese-Australians, a bunch immigrated to Australia after Beirut. It is their kids causing the problems. Then you get a bunch of racist dickheads who get together at Cronulla and escalate the thing into a race riot. They were hassling anyone who looked muslim."

New Hampshire's state motto is the cry for liberty; "Live Free or Die" . The arbitrary violence of the mob in Cronulla toward anyone that was perceived as muslim carries the anti-libertous and polluted motto, "Live wog and leb free or die". Nationalism begets racism. It is predicated on exclusion, and coercion to assimilate. Nationalism is incapable of accommodating universal liberty, which is why nationalism and monoculturalism ultimately fail it. They are inferior political philosophies. We have had ten years of federal nationalism and monoculturalism, Cronulla is the result.

The NSW state government responded in usual anti-liberty fashion - demanding new laws for the police to be tough on crime. We have the federal government trampling liberties with the anti-terror laws, and now NSW jumping on what remains with new anti-riot laws. The Australian-Lebanese and the Anglo-Australians who clashed on the southern beaches are to be condemned, not only for their violence and disrespect for the local communities; but also for hastening our collapse into a state hostile to liberty.

This will be the legacy of the nationalist monoculturalism which the government and media are selling. More power collapsed to the centre, and more extremist tears in the social fabric. I have warned in the past that we are creating the environment in Australia that makes Saudi Arabia and Iran failed states . Our multi-ethnic faultline was Bali , courtesy of government and media rhetoric, it just moved to the southern Sydney beaches.

The creation of the faultline was only recent, and that the Cronulla rioters were targeting "muslims" which really meant anyone of middle eastern colour, whether they were secular, devout or non-practising. This shows how a faultline has been artificially created by the furphy of the "clash of cultures" rhetoric.

The NSW government passed legislation amending the Law Enforcement Act during a special sitting. This is the Hansard for the Assembly special sitting. This is the legislative amendment. It looks like populist legislation to ward off criticism of the NSW Government, both Labor and Liberal backed it, fearing that they would lose their tough on crime credentials. The Hansard doesn't claim why existing laws are not sufficient.

From the Hansard, Morris Iemma speaks;

These powers are not intended to be used in respect of peaceful protests, union demonstrations and the like. One of the most central parts of this bill is the lockdown powers. These will enable police to declare an area on the basis that large-scale public disorder is occurring or threatens to occur and then employ roadblocks and stop and search powers in or around that area. The disorder need not be constituted by one big incident, but can be constituted by several smaller incidents in different locations. This gives police freedom to nip a developing situation in the bud.

Like the anti-terror legislation, this is giving pre-emptive powers. There were police in Cronulla on Sunday. They had legal powers to arrest anyone who was under a range of infringements, drunk and disorderly, violence, etc etc. This new legislation is unnecessary. While it has oversight powers with the Ombudsman, it creates the ability for the executive to use the police force to lockdown legitimate protests on the premise of large scale "public disorders". This is described as;

public disorder means a riot or other civil disturbance that gives

rise to a serious risk to public safety, whether at a single location

or resulting from a series of incidents in the same or different

locations.

These can be done at the discretion of the Commissioner of Police, his Deputy or the Assistant Commissioner for a maximum of 48 hours. Any lockdown that is longer than that, can only be done through the approval of the judicial. A lockdown of any kind will only serve it inflame passions and indignation, more likely involving others who see this as an infringement of public rights. Violence is already covered in law enforcement, there is no need for the police to have this capability.

Search and Seizure

In addition the expectation to be free of unreasonable search and seizure is turned on its head.

These tough new sentences send a clear message to would-be thugs and hooligans: If you tear up the fabric of our society, you will pay the price - a price that as of today just got a whole lot heavier.

Violence is violence and is already covered. This is escalation of the penalty is another Helmet vs Sanderz, same as the $700 for a speeding offence. The NSW Labor Government has successfully proved it is tougher than tougher than tough on crime by taking things to ludicrous speed. This will not stop mobs gathering and committing violence. Only a quick, and speedy police presence will do that. This solves none of the problems.

From the legislation;

The special powers include a power to cordon off a targeted area (so as to

prevent persons entering or leaving the area) or to set up a roadblock on

targeted roads (so as to prevent persons travelling by vehicle to participate in

a public disorder). In a targeted area or at a roadblock, police officers may

exercise powers to stop and search persons and vehicles, require persons to

disclose their identity and to seize and detain vehicles, mobile phones and

other communication devices for up to 7 days.

The NSW Government and Police own you.

Helmet says;

Ludicrous speed;

The final measure I want to address is changes to the Bail Act 1978. Twenty three rioters charged over Sunday's riots have been granted bail, one of whom had been granted bail days earlier for assault and destroying property. It is unacceptable that such thugs and morons are automatically granted bail, just to be given the chance to wreak further havoc. This bill will help shut that revolving door by creating a presumption against bail for riot and for any other offence that is punishable by imprisonment for two years or more, where that offence is committed in the course of the person participating in a large-scale public disorder, or in connection with the exercise of police powers to prevent or control such a disorder or the threat of such a disorder. That way the police can do their jobs knowing that they will be backed up.

This is populist legislation that will get stuck on the books for far longer than it is relevant. The populism it does nothing;

That is an important point- backing the police. The police can be assured that they have our full support to use these new laws to rid our streets of the violence, the thugs, the hooligans and the criminals who have been responsible for the actions we have seen. Front-line police should not need to look over their shoulder wondering if sound policing decisions will be second-guessed. They will not be. Police will be free to use these powers as intended by this Parliament. Good, firm, effective policing will be rewarded, not questioned.

More like appearing to do something. This is more over the top legislation by populist politicians, fearful of saying the truth, we have laws to cover these problems already. So what does the Liberal party in opposition think, over to Peter Debnam;

The Opposition supports rushing the bill through the House, but there are some difficulties about it. Opposition members do not oppose the passage of the bill but we wish to highlight a number of concerns with it. The bill simply is not strong enough in almost all its provisions.

The NSW legislative process is reduced to posturing over who can be tougher on crime, forget liberty; forget rights; such as due process, such as facing your accuser, such as protection from unreasonable search and seizures; forget property rights. Nope it is a classic Helmet vs Sanderz. Our parliament is conducting itself in the same manner as a scene from a Mel Brooks movie.

A comparison of Bill Leak's cartoon on the ugly face of nationalism and a photograph of Cronulla. The ethnic fault-lines have moved, and the caricature of the violent, dumb, crass, overweight, balding suburbanite is no longer pertinent.

These are the images side by side;

One shows the white suburbanite male which is more suitable to the era of Leo Wanker, and Nino Cullotta's "They're a Weird Mob". The reality is that it is kids, in board shorts, with massive biceps and bronzed chests causing the troubles. The bronzed Aussie is the ugly image now, which under the national myth is harder to dismiss than the slobbish suburbanite ocker.

When I was a kid the multi-ethnic faultlines in Sydney were Cabramatta, Liverpool and Redfern. Cabramatta and Liverpool were definately suburban and more fitting with the image of the suburban nationalist. Nowadays the McMansions and expensive housing of the suburbs are a haven from the violent nationalism of the southern beaches.

By the mid-nineties Belmore and Canterbury were developing as fault-lines. I can recall being at a Canterbury vs Penrith playoff game at Belmore in probably 1995/1996. Apparently there was a riot there, but I didn't see it - and I was there. So I am always dubious of media reporting and police reaction on these things due to my own personal experiences.

The fault-line is now the beach suburbs , we have kids fighting over that piece of Australian mythos known as the beach. The young bronzed Aussies are protecting what they see is theirs. It is excessively juvenile.

Leak's cartoon misses.

Escape from Southern Sydney.

The lockdown areas ;

• Cronulla
• Coogee
• Maroubra
• Bondi

Disgusting. The government is trying to tell the waxheads, highway-waxheads and nationalists who really owns the beach.

Maybe we should invest in a wall around the beach? It is the only way the government can be sure of keeping us "safe".

More

Commentary by Rowan ;

Following on from last week's riots in Sydney, Iemma and the police were warning people to stay away from Cronulla, Maroubra and Coogee beaches this weekend. Not only that, but we were also advised to stay away from beaches in Newcastle and Wollongong. In fact, anywhere that interfaces between the land and the sea was looking dodgy.

Sadly, I live near the beach in Wollongong, and the Premier's instructions didn't go as far as to tell me what I should do. Should I remain indoors (yet still in the vicinity of said beach and said riots) or should I flee inland and potentially expose myself to rioting mobs whilst in transit?

And More

From Sydney cabbie, Man of Lettuce ;

I asked for his [Maronite Lebanese-Australian] opinion about the trouble. ‘I’ll can tell you this’, he said raising his finger. ‘These hard heads aren’t gunna back down till they get what they want’. ‘And what do they want ?’. ‘Respect’, he replied. ‘What, respect through fear ?’, I suggested. He simply shrugged his shoulders as if to say, ‘Unfortunately, yes’.

But they won't get respect, all that will happen is that the government will over-react, segregating and separating more and more of the city - cramping movement. They will increase punitive measures to ridiculous lengths, and give the police complete sway. All out of fear of being seen as weak on crime.

I think all antagonists from last week's mess should swallow a big pill of STFD and STFU.

Beach Gazafication

Talk about systems disruption from one event through the over-reaction of central authorities. This article discusses the gazafication of Cronulla beach by Sutherland Shire community leaders .

CRONULLA'S beaches might be divided into sections to remove some of the tensions that erupted into mob violence this week.

Sunbathers, soccer players and surfers could each be allocated an area on the southern Sydney beach to reduce the chance of arguments and conflict over who controls the sand.

Muslim and Lebanese "marshalls" and elders might also be sent from the western suburbs to patrol the area and sanction troublemaking young men visiting the beach.

Five thousand idiots in a city of four million, and this is the best we can do. As if the locals, blogs, media, government etc haven't all poured scorn on what happened, including its root cause. This is totally unnecessary.

Finally Father Bob

Is this what we want?

Liberty .

It is hard to convey how disgusted I am. With the idiots that started this because they decided violence was to their personal advantage. With the nationalists that escalated this beyond a juvenile clash. And now the NSW Government and NSW Police who are destroying the whole economic, social and cultural fabric of a wonderfully open city through their over-reaction. The government has managed to spread their coercive pollution up and down the coast - far beyond Cronulla or Sydney.

So who will be first to remember that liberty is more important than violent kids, nationalists, police or government? I am a Sydney-sider, and this is not the town I know and love.

Chris Flynn writes how multiculturalism is a worn out policy who's time is past . Not once in the article does he define what multiculturalism is. Multiculturalism is the liberty to pursue your own cultural interests. As a policy it is a natural expression of liberty. The alternative is assimilation, which is by definition coercion.

Multiculturalism replaced the assimilationist policies around the world and for good reason. Some of the assimilationist polices were tyrannical and inhumane. Australia's own White Australia policy was a good example, which included in its policies the removal of half-white children from Aboriginal mothers. While that is an extreme example, it shows the lengths to which coercion will be used to assimilate individuals into the dominant culture.

Much has been written about how multiculturalism has failed with the Cronulla riots being the example. But I saw the biggest problems was kids choosing violence to pursue their goals. The Lebanese-Australian kids seem more immersed in the stereotype of American gangsta culture than Lebanese culture.

American gangsta culture is a pop phenomenon, pushed by multi-nationals like Disney to sell more product to willing, and impressionable youths. Australia is a western, consumerist society that allows international companies to run massive marketing campaigns to sell their wares. The highly saleable American gangsta culture wont go away with assimilationist or monoculturalist policies.

Maybe the assimilationists will hope that the Lebanese-Australian kids will give up their gold chains, WRX's and gangsta attitude for the beach and become surfers. But the multi-ethnic faultline was the beach - it is where the waxheads and highway-waxheads clashed. The Lebanese-Australians were at the beach, soaking in the sun, swimming and causing trouble. They are assimilated in that great Australian past-time already.

The Australian Conservatives have beat a constant drum on the dangers of multiculturalism, and how it has failed, is failing, or causing woe. The newspaper op-eds are filled with articles claiming these ills in our society. The Australian Conservatives seem to roll it out as the reason for everything bad in the world.

Yet, Australians are a people who understand and want liberty - not only for themselves, but for others too. ACNeilson's polling on the issue of multiculturalism found over-whelming support for it . Eighty percent support or strongly support the policy.

A common refrain of the Australian Conservative establishment is that the elites and latte-left are out of touch, and are pushing unpopular and unwanted policies on Australians. On the issue of multiculturalism it appears the Australian conservatives are the ones who have misjudged the Australian people. The Conservatives are out of touch and pushing an unpopular and unwanted policy. Are we seeing the rise of a Neo-Latte-Conservative movement?

It appears the Australian Conservatives do not understand the liberty Australian people demand.

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With Guy reminding us that last year's violence in Cronulla is looking like an aberration, it is also worth reminding ourselves that the emergency police powers bill that NSW passed immediately after the incident remains on the books.

The special powers include:

The special powers include a power to cordon off a targeted area (so as to prevent persons entering or leaving the area) or to set up a roadblock on targeted roads (so as to prevent persons travelling by vehicle to participate in a public disorder). In a targeted area or at a roadblock, police officers may exercise powers to stop and search persons and vehicles, require persons to disclose their identity and to seize and detain vehicles, mobile phones and other communication devices for up to 7 days.