December 14 was the darkest day for Australia in my 30-year lifetime.
Islamic extremism struck at the heart of the Australian mythology, Bondi Beach.
I wish not to take up pages from those with more authoritative comments to share, as I have written before, Jewish or not, religious extremism threatens everything we hold dear in the West, but I wish to make one observation.
We shouldn’t be surprised that this happened.
According to the Paradox of Tolerance, theorised by philosopher Karl Popper in 1945, it was an inevitability.
The Paradox states that if a society extends tolerance to those who are intolerant, it risks enabling the eventual dominance of intolerance, thereby undermining the very principle of tolerance.
In his own words:
‘We should claim the right to suppress intolerance if necessary even by force; for it may easily turn out that they are not prepared to meet us on the level of rational argument, but begin by denouncing all argument; they may forbid their followers to listen to rational argument, because it is deceptive, and teach them to answer arguments by the use of their fists or pistols.’
And the rap sheet of tolerances since the October 7th massacre is almost laughable in length:
Oct 8, 2023: Hundreds gather at Sydney Opera House to chant ‘Gas the Jews!’
Dec 2023: Multiple bomb threats are made to several synagogues across Australia.
May 25, 2024: Australia’s largest Jewish school is graffitied with hateful slogans.
Oct 13, 2024: Antisemitic graffiti is sprayed on a Jewish bakery in Sydney.
Oct 20, 2024: A kosher restaurant is torched in an arson attack.
Nov 21, 2024: Cars are set on fire and buildings vandalised in Sydney’s Jewish neighbourhood.
Dec 6, 2024: The Adass Israel Synagogue is torched in Melbourne during an arson attack.
Jan 7, 2025: A man allegedly threatens worshippers at Chabad North Shore Synagogue in Sydney.
Jan 10, 2025: Allawah Synagogue in Sydney is vandalised with swastikas.
Jan 11, 2025: Attempted arson and vandalism of Newtown Synagogue is reported in Sydney.
Jan 21, 2025: A Jewish childcare centre in Sydney is set on fire and vandalised.
Feb 12, 2025: Two Sydney nurses allegedly declare they would harm Jewish patients.
Aug 3, 2025: Activists march across Sydney Harbour Bridge, some of them waving Ayatollah placards.
Sep 9, 2025: A large pro-Palestine rally takes place on Bondi Beach.
July 4, 2025: Shabbat dinner at East Melbourne Synagogue is targeted in arson attack.
December 14, 2025: The mass shooting at Jewish celebrations on Bondi Beach takes place.
If only there had been signs to prompt our leaders into taking action…
What has for so long been tolerated in Australia under the façade of ‘pro-Palestine’ activism or ‘anti-Zionism’ has manifested into antisemitism.
This behaviour can no longer be tolerated, for tolerance will be our downfall.
