Letters to the editor March 4 2017

Firstly, whilst he quite rightly attacks the religious extremism represented by radical Islam, anyone familiar with his contributions over the years will know that he has a great deal of difficulty in separating church and state when dealing with Christianity, most particularly Roman Catholicism.

Once you privilege faith over reason in the construction of public policy, it becomes very difficult to denounce someone else’s expression of faith whilst defending your own.  

Either you are for the secular state or are you are not, and if you hold to the latter view, you have given up a great deal of ground to those that would inflict religious violence.

The second form of hypocrisy is one Devlin shares with many other reactionary elements in our society: A treatment of Muslims as if anything and everything they do is defined by their faith.  

So, if a Muslim commits some kind of violence, that is inevitably an expression of the Islamic faith and something shared, presumably, with all other Muslims.  

The same attitude has informed the attitude of dominant classes to all subordinate groups throughout history; women, indigenous Australians, homosexuals and political dissidents have routinely been treated as if there was nothing more to their character than womanhood, Aboriginality, sexuality and ideology.

White Caucasians, by contrast, are rarely treated so cavalierly.  

Their crimes are almost always constructed as expressions of the individual e.g. by reference to their mental health, upbringing, and personality.  

I notice Mr Devlin did not condemn the attack at the Gwynneville mosque, or seek to attach it to a broader, ideologically-motivated hate movement.

 If only he would be consistent and extend the same courtesy to minority groups.  

Brett Heino, Koonawarra

I, and many others, have suspected for some time now that there is something systemically wrong with Australia in the 21st century.

The decision of Fair Work to slash Sunday penalty rates for the lowest paid workers in this country has confirmed my fears.

This outcome is disastrous for those workers, the economy and the very fabric our once fair, compassionate and egalitarian society.

Workers deserve better.

Conservative governments, big business and the power of the market have just gone one step too far.

Vive la revolution!

Tony Heathwood, Kiama Downs

I just read an article about  Animal Justice MP Mark Pearson suggesting that phasing out livestock is more important than the feral cat problem.

He must have two of them. He could not get that silly playing with one.

Animal Justice MP? Where do they get them from?

Warren Fleming, Balgownie

In response to the letter by Barry Swan (Farcical antics’ Illawarra Mercury, Wednesday February 22, 2017, Mr Swan rightly describes as "farcical antics" the performance of LNP Senator Ian Macdonald during the abolition of the Life Gold Pass debate, and for insulting Julia Gillard while she was Prime Minister.

However, are we to believe that Labor and The Greens are angels from heaven?

Seriously, where is the balance?

Adrian Devlin, Fairy Meadow