Susie O’Brien: Yassmin Abdel-Magied abuse over Anzac Day post not justified

THE outpouring of abuse and fury against Yassmin Abdel-Magied is not justified. What she said and didn’t say is getting lost amid the furore, writes Susie O’Brien.

The outpouring of abuse and fury against Yassmin Abdel-Magied is not justified. Picture: Richard Waugh

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I DO not believe the outpouring of abuse and fury against Yassmin Abdel-Magied is justified.

Let’s be clear about what she said and didn’t say, because this is getting lost amid the furore.

All she suggested was that there are other groups of people in our community we shouldn’t forget. “Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)”, she wrote.

Abdel-Magied didn’t say we shouldn’t commemorate those who fought for our country on Anzac Day.

She didn’t put down anyone fought or died or marched.

She didn’t say anything like former SBS reporter Scott McIntyre, who savaged Anzac Day for “remembering the summary execution, widespread rape and theft committed by these ‘brave’ Anzacs”.

SBS REPORTER SCOTT MCINTYRE FIRED OVER ANZAC TWEETS

Facebook post from Yassmin Abdel Magied — since deleted.

Surely Abdel-Magied’s comments are a reminder that not everyone in our community has exactly the same views about Anzac Day — a day that I am sure means more to those who have British-European heritage.

The Anzacs, after all, were fighting to save the mighty Empire, not just Australia.

And yet you’d think she suggested Anzac Day should be banned, or renamed Muslim Day, or something of this magnitude.

But she did not.

Clearly, the Right simply can’t stand anyone who disagrees with their views.

They say they stand up for freedom of speech but this clearly has major limitations when people are saying something controversial they don’t like.

Surely the test of free speech the rabid Right is always banging on about involves respecting the right of people to say things that are unpopular and even offensive?

Much mileage has been made out of the fact that Abdel-Magied works for the taxpayer funded ABC.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied.

Just because she works as a part-time presenter for the national broadcaster shouldn’t mean she can’t ever say anything controversial or thought-provoking.

She didn’t make the comment under the banner of the ABC, I note.

In any case, Abdel-Magied has now deleted the post and apologised.

“It was brought to my attention that my last post was disrespectful, and for that I unreservedly apologise,” she wrote after she started receiving objections from followers on Facebook.

Given that she has previously been a member of the federal Anzac Centenary Commemoration Youth Working Group, you’d have to assume she does respect the Anzac tradition, but thinks there are other groups as well deserving of commemoration.

What’s wrong with that?

It makes no sense that she is still being skinned alive by the right who can’t handle the thought of an outspoken Muslim woman.

I don’t by any means agree with everything this woman says. I don’t personally think Islam is the most feminist of religions, for example.

But I think she is being unfairly maligned on this one. The right would love this woman to be removed, and this outpouring of criticism is little more than a campaign against someone who holds views different to their own.

Anzac Day is an important national day for Australians deserving of great respect and reverence. But we should welcome robust discussion from those who want to broaden the debate about what it means to people in this country today.

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