Unleash the usual cliches

Ah, the modern world, for every delight technology bestows there seems to be a downside. Deep in the heart of Trump Country — Clay County, Kentucky, today — but it has been Melbourne pouring out of the radio. Until yesterday, when the app was geo-blocked without explanation, 3AW had been a staple, bringing daily news of Victoria’s decline and serving to affirm how good it is to be far, far away from the disgrace that is Spring Street.

What’s this they’re saying on the news? That there will be no charges, no accounting, for the 768 lives lost during the Covid hotel quarantine debacle! But not to worry, the stink of that particular scandal will be wafted away by the pongy next one and life in Victoria will go on as usual.

Being neither in the mood to be born gain, every second Kentucky radio station seems to feature a minister hellbent on my salvation, or buy an elephantine pickup truck from the country music stations’ chief advertisers, Radio National’s app was the next option. Once again, the convenience of being able to remain in touch with home was diminished by the news. A 16-year-old Muslim  — another one — had been “radicalised”, as they say, to the extent of going on a stabbing spree that ended with Perth police shooting him dead.

This was followed by an interview with federal MP Dr Anne Aly, billed as a ‘deradicalising expert’, which can be heard in full  here. As the thwarted jihadist had been enrolled for two years in the Countering Violent Extremism program, it was entirely reasonable for the ABC’s Sally Sarah to ask what value Australian taxpayers were getting from the considerable sums and grants invested in persuading young Muslim men not to take the Koran’s bloodier encouragements too seriously. As Dr Aly has been especially and explicitly outspoken about the purported menace of “right-wing extremists”, a broad perspective on threats and what motivates them would seem only fair.

What followed, however, was an uninterrupted stream of commonroom waffle. Waking up one morning intent of knifing random strangers was indeed ‘extremism’, Dr Ali intoned, always  being extraordinarily careful to omit an adjectival qualifier. No mention — not once! — of the words ‘Islamic’ or ‘Muslim’, two words which would seem to have a particular relevance.

As this was the ABC and Dr Aly is of the Left, Sarah stayed any urge to interrupt, as would have been the case with a Coalition guest, put the key question and insist on it being answered. It might have gone something like this:

The Koran features two Muhammads — the  Prophet of the early, outnumbered days, when he just wants everyone to get along, and the later warlord who put his enemies to the sword and instructs his followers to do likewise. As Muslim scripture gives equal weight to both views and as there is no shortage of mosque preachers extolling the latter approach, how exactly do you persuade teens to embrace only the pacific interpretation?

In a few words, isn’t the problem Islam itself?

But, pointedly, that line of inquiry was never pursued, allowing Dr Aly to round up all the buzzwords and sonorous multi-culti cliches at her considerable disposal. While little light was shed it was good practice.There will be plenty of those same words, polished and ready for Radio National, the next time someone goes a’knifing.

— roger franklin