Matty Johns weighs in on Kruger debate

SONIA Kruger’s media colleagues are divided, with Matty Johns rushing to her defence while Meshel Laurie called her comments “ugly and harmful.”

MATTY Johns from the Triple M Grill Team offered his support to Sonia Kruger today, arguing that she had the right to voice her opinions.

Kruger yesterday stated that Australia should close its borders to Muslims over terrorism concerns, sparking a firestorm of controversy to which she has today responded.

Speaking on the radio this morning, Johns asserted that Australia is “a free democratic country which allows freedom of speech and ideas, and it doesn’t mean people need to agree with those words or ideas, but it is a persons right.”

While Johns supported Kruger’s freedom of speech, he said he didn’t support what she said, arguing that her comments would play into the hands of those who wish to radicalise young Muslim Australians.

“These really destructive individuals who are radicalising these young Australians would have rejoiced yesterday because what it does is it feeds their narrative — ‘See, look, I told you, here’s the evidence right here.’”

Johns said that Kruger had sent a message “to a young Sydney boy whose parents came here from Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion; it’s saying, you might be born here mate, but you’re not one of us.”

“It’s saying to all the practising Muslims: ‘ou’re Australian, but we don’t really want you here’. In 2016, If you’re given an Australian passport, I trust the procedure’s enough to throw my arms open and say welcome to Australia. I don’t care if you’re Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Mormon, Scientologist, or David Icke conspiracy theorist.”

Over on KIIS yesterday afternoon, radio presenter Meshel Laurie also warned that Kruger’s views could be dangerous.

On the 3PM Pick Up show, Laurie and co-host Monty Dimond addressed the TV host’s comments on Today yesterday, calling them “horrible and ugly and harmful”.

Kruger made the controversial remark during the show’s panel segment, where they were discussing a recent article by News Corp columnist Andrew Bolt, which linked terror attacks in France to the country’s intake of Muslim migrants.

Sonia Kruger and David Campbell on Today discussing Muslim migration. Picture: Channel Nine

“Personally, I would like to see it (Muslim migration) stop now for Australia,” she admitted.

The comments sparked an online firestorm, with many people expressing disbelief at her viewpoint — including Laurie.

“Like a lot of people, I’m totally freaked out by Sonia’s thoughts about Muslim immigration,” she said.

“Initially when I heard it, I was just furious and wanted to hate on her. And then I realised, you know what? She is scared and a lot of people are scared and how can we not be? Every time we turn on the TV there are terrifying things for us to see and ordinary people like us in terrifying situations.”

Laurie, who appeared on Today Extra just last week, said she’s disappointed by what has happened.

“I know this is terrifying, but you just can’t let yourself get caught up in hysteria and fear.”

She also pointed out that domestic violence is killing more Australians than terrorism.

“ISIS and these people don’t represent normal Muslims. When it comes to closing the borders I just feel like, Sonia, ‘should we close Australia’s borders to Australian men? Because they murder on average one woman a week’.”

Kruger has stood by her controversial remarks, releasing the following statement via Twitter:

pic.twitter.com/fDit1iRvuj

— Sonia Kruger (@SoniaKruger) July 18, 2016