Sydney siege: Gunman takes hostages in Lindt cafe

[xSilverPhinx]

There isn't much info on the siege going on in a Sydney caf? at the moment, it seems there could be up to two terrorist gunmen holding hostages in Sydney's business district. The Opera House and surrounding areas have been evacuated.  

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-30473983 and http://thenewdaily.com.au/news/2014/12/15/hostage-situation-sydneys-martin-place/

[Icarus]

I do hope that this episode with be dealt with harshly by the Aussies. This is a sad commentary which will cause much grief to the peaceful Muslim community.......if indeed, they are capable of being peaceful.

[xSilverPhinx]

I hope so too, if the perpetrator(s?) doesn't kill himself in the process. The pursuit of martyrdom might cause that to happen.

I think that the Muslim community at large is mostly peaceful. There are a few bad apples just as there are in every community, even if they're more prone to do bad things out of religious motivations.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

I think that the Muslim community at large is mostly peaceful.

Sure, when they are in the minority.  When they are in the majority you have Niya's situation in Pakistan.  When they are in the minority they practice taqiyya and are deceptive about the nature of Islam.  When you see a Muslim majority country truly maintain a free liberal democracy then I will believe that Islam is compatible with liberty.  Otherwise, I remain a skeptic.

[xSilverPhinx]

I think that the Muslim community at large is mostly peaceful.

Sure, when they are in the minority.  When they are in the majority you have Niya's situation in Pakistan.  When they are in the minority they practice taqiyya and are deceptive about the nature of Islam.  When you see a Muslim majority country truly maintain a free liberal democracy then I will believe that Islam is compatible with liberty.  Otherwise, I remain a skeptic.

Hopefully it will come to that and something will happen to bring them out of their Middle Age views but with the surge of radical islamists all over the place it's more like they're going two steps backwards rather than taking steps forward. The fact that their religion is maniacally expansionist doesn't help either...

The primary victims of Islam in those countries are the natives themselves, whether islamic or not.

I'll admit that I'm not that well versed in politics but isn't Turkey somewhat a secular democracy? It seems that those that get offered some real political and economic benefits might evolve faster.    

[Asmodean]

There are a few bad apples just as there are in every community

Bad apples? The whole damned tree is rotten. Now, there may be a few good apples on it, like on any other rotten tree out there, but hidden in the foliage and overshadowed by their putrid peers, they are useless in regard to judging the health of the whole.

[xSilverPhinx]

There are a few bad apples just as there are in every community

Bad apples? The whole damned tree is rotten. Now, there may be a few good apples on it, like on any other rotten tree out there, but hidden in the foliage and overshadowed by their putrid peers, they are useless in regard to judging the health of the whole.

I'll have to agree with that...

Moderate and liberal Muslims who just want to live their lives in peace (yes, I believe that variety does exist) are seeing how a few rotten radical extremists are influencing perceptions on their religion and don't do much to stop it.

[Asmodean]

Oh, not just muslims, although they do seem to have dominated the wrong headlines in the news for this past decade or so. I was going for an umbrella metaphor.

[Firebird]

I think that the Muslim community at large is mostly peaceful.

Sure, when they are in the minority.  When they are in the majority you have Niya's situation in Pakistan.  When they are in the minority they practice taqiyya and are deceptive about the nature of Islam.  When you see a Muslim majority country truly maintain a free liberal democracy then I will believe that Islam is compatible with liberty.  Otherwise, I remain a skeptic.

At one point, there was hope for Turkey to be that country, but sadly that's becoming the Islamic version of Russia. But it's not just Islam.  Any country that relies on religious ideology as part of governance is going to have issues.

[Firebird]

Following this on Twitter. Apparently some people are taking selfies in front the of the cafe. So clearly western civilization has some serious issues to deal with too.

[Tank]

Latest on the BBC. 1 gunman. Up to 40 hostages. 5 hostages have escaped.

[OldGit]

I'm with Icarus, and almost agree with The Gray One.

As for Turkey ... Secular Democracy?  Erdogan's going more Islamist every day, and yesterday he locked up a bunch of opposition journalists.

[xSilverPhinx]

Apparently no one has been harmed yet and the lone gunman is demanding both an ISIS flag and to talk to the Australian Prime Minister. 

[xSilverPhinx]

So Turkey's going to shit, then...it's a pity.

[Firebird]

Turkey has always had issues, but yes it is. When you re-elect someone after he's recorded stealing millions of dollars and locks up journalists and police investigating it, you know your country is in trouble.
14 hours and still no resolution in Sydney. Can't even imagine what that must be like.