Muslims Say That Our National Anthem Is Oppressive According to recent reports from the Australian, the national anthem is part of an oppressive campaign of forced assimilation of the Muslim community. At least, that is the claim that the Islamist activist group Hizb ut-Tahrir claimed at the Innocent Until Proven Muslim conference at Bankstown, the western part of Sydney. The conference was attended by about 800 people. Uthman Badar, the spokesman for the group, claims that the Australian government claims to afford freedom, but seeks to impose values and beliefs on Muslims. Its not enough that you obey the law, no, you have to adopt our values, Mr. Badar told the conference. The conference is just one example of the refusal of Muslims to assimilate to the countries that they choose to be a part of. Is it oppressive to ask that the community show pride and respect for their home? If you dont share those values, why should they be forced to sing it? Mr. Badar continued. Again this begs the question: if you dont share the values of the country you are living in, why dont you choose to live somewhere else? Western culture is not, as Badar claims, an attempt to make Muslims less Islamic. Rather, it is an attempt to guard and protect the freedoms and values that our countries and history was built on. What do you think? Are these claims absolutely outrageous? 