Assimilation

Education Minister Brendan Nelson had the following to say yesterday regarding education in Australia's Islamic schools:

"We want them to understand our history and our culture, the extent to which we believe in mateship and giving another person a hand up and a fair go. And basically, if people don't want to be Australians and they don't want to live by Australian values and understand them, well basically they can clear off."

Nelson plans to meet the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils to discuss programs to ensure those in Islamic schools and all other children fully understood Australian history and values. Nelson does not appear to be discussing similar programs to ensure those in Australian schools understand the history and values of Australia's sizeable immigrant population.

Perhaps it's worth mentioning that government rhetoric toward the Islamic community has become a tad bit more aggressive in the wake of the London bombings.