Should Sonia Kruger apologise over Muslim immigration comments?

THE support of Sonia Kruger by unlikely defender Waleed Aly has been rejected by a prominent Muslim community advocate.

THE support of Sonia Kruger by unlikely defender Waleed Aly has been rejected by a prominent Muslim community leader.

The popular The Project host used his editorial segment to defend Kruger’s controversial comments about banning Muslims. He said the Today Extra host “isn’t evil” and that her comments were motivated by fear.

“She’s scared and she’s trying to make sense of the world,” he said on Tuesday night’s program.

But responding to Aly’s impassioned and defensive speech, outspoken Muslim community advocate Lydia Shelly said until Kruger apologised, the community should not excuse “bulls*** racism”.

“You cannot force the responsibility on young Muslims to smile in the face of calls for the immediate halt of Muslim migration,” she said in a written response shared on Twitter.

“This was not a slip of the tongue. This was not an ‘oopsy daisy’ moment.”

Ms Shelly compared Kruger’s language to the “dangerous rhetoric that led to many countries denying safe sanctuary for Jews trying to flee the holocaust”.

“At what point do we stop expecting, especially as privileged Muslims, that Muslims take responsibility for calling out the racist rhetoric that makes a poor poppet of a privileged white woman ‘upset?’,” she said.

Waleed Aly’s defence of Sonia Kruger has been shot down by a prominent Muslim community activist.

Ms Shelly said she disagreed with Aly’s argument that fear was to blame for Kruger’s widely-maligned comments.

“Fear is often used as an excuse to be a racist, bigot or ignorant — even blind to the nuances of serious issues relating to national security,” she wrote.

“Polities and rhetoric and dare I say excuses, based on fear are never beneficial.”

The lawyer and community advocate said Muslims have a right to be outraged.

“When Kruger unreservedly apologises, then we can #sendforgivenessviral. Until then, I am not apologising for calling out bulls*** racism,” she said.

Ms Shelly told news.com.au she believed Kruger should make a public apology, and said the Nine Network should apologise too.

Kruger initially made her comments during a segment on Nine’s Today on Monday, where she was supportive of a column written by News Corp Australia columnist Andrew Bolt suggesting migration of Muslims to Australia be halted in order to address the risk of terrorism.

Sonia Kruger leaves the 9 studios after her morning show today.pic John Grainger

Since the segment aired, the popular light entertainment personality has been swamped with support, abuse, and further calls to apologise over her views.

As controversy continues to circle her, the TV host has been fronting up to work in good spirits, even joking about the situation, according to those close to her.

On air personalities like Today newsreader Sylvia Jeffreys have spoken out in support of their friend, but others have been instructed to keep quiet.

Though pressure is mounting on host and network following Kruger’s self-described “extreme” comments, there is no hint of an apology on the way.

In an emotional on-air statement on Tuesday, Kruger stuck by her remarks.

“There is no simple answer here and if we are to find a solution to the situation at the very least we need to be able to discuss it,” she said.