Intolerance at home
On a local news radio station this morning I learned that the communications director of the Muslim Canadian Congress resigned today citing death threats to him as well as his family.Tarek Fatah is quite well known in Ontario for joining the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Hindu Dharma Mission in encouraging the federal government to ban the visit of Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq, a British Imam who was to give a series of lectures in Canada (which they did, citing the criminal code). Shaykh Riyadh ul Haq is said to encourage hated and religious intolerance of "identifiable groups". It was feared this would promote violence within the Canadian communities.
The Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) are a progressive group. I’ve heard Fatah say that only 6% of Muslims living in Canada actually attend their mosques regularly and are devout. He said the rest of them live like all Canadians and spend their time worrying about such things as winning the Stanley Cup (among other things). He also actively fought against the initiation of Sharia courts to replace Canadian family courts for Muslims.
Part of the MCC mission from their website states: “The Muslim Canadian Congress is a grassroots organization that provides a voice to Muslims who are not represented by existing organizations; organizations that are either sectarian or ethnocentric, largely authoritarian, and influenced by a fear of modernity and an aversion to joy.
Members of the Muslim Canadian Congress come from all parts of the world with diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. We are proud of our Muslim heritage and the great contribution of Islam to human civilization. As Muslim Canadians we believe in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the Canadian constitution as our guiding principles.”
So. Here’s someone who’s trying to make a positive difference and incite religious freedom, peace, and tolerance. And he’s been labeled a blasphemer for opposing a visit by someone who promoted hated (which in Islam is punishable by death - blasphemy that is, not hatred (!!)).
What kind of backward, screwed up world do we live in anyway?!?!? Do these people – this 6% - have nothing better to do with their time??? Did they not realize coming to Canada that we’re a “mosaic” country that’s great because of our cultural differences???
Now the big question of the day is whether the RCMP should investigate or if we should write it off as nutcases making idle threats. Would you believe the majority wants to ignore it??? Do they somehow not realize we’re talking about fundamentalist Muslims here??? Idle threats my ass.
This makes me very angry.
Its hard to be a “proud Canadian” with this s—t going on.
posted by Boo @ 3:50 PM
12 Comments:
this is lack of common sense- and religious bigotry. this is what the hard right is talking about when it talks about radical islam but fails to recognize in the evangelical christians and orthodox jews. it is a problem when the religious community rears its ugly head and wants to take over secular governments. they are trying to do it here in the west and in europe and look at the middle east for the last oh 3 milennia.
Angry you should be. Death threats against someone who is obviously promoting peace and reconciliation between Muslims and Jews have no place here. This is a terror tactic that has been imported to promote a fascist ideology.
betmo,
You said "this is what the hard right is talking about when it talks about radical islam but fails to recognize in the evangelical christians and orthodox jews."
Are you suggesting that we should fear christians and jews as much as radical islamists? In news reports from around the world, I have'nt seen many incidents of christians or jews videotaping themselves slitting apostates' throaths or flying airplanes into buildings. Have you been watching and reading the same news reports as the rest of the world?
maybe not now roman, but let's not forget the Crusades...
www.saktiswaroopinimissiontrust.blogspot.com
yours is a faith I have a great deal of respect for uni.
Thank you for the link.
boo,
I know, I know..the Crusades. This is what is always brought up to counter the argument of Islamic terrorist activities. I do not know if this is meant to justify their terror activities or just a counter argument to vilify Christians and Jews and put them on the same plane as the terrorists.
Christians WERE as bad as Muslims, if not worse, in those days. That was then and this is now. We need to deal with current issues as there is not much we can do about past atrocities.
The Crusades, as we all know happened quite a number of years ago and no longer resonate with anyone but historians of ancient cultures.
Even if we go back to the crusades, there can be arguments made for and against the justification of those wars. Islam, to some fundamentalists, was and is, even now, a religion that is "spread by the sword".
We have found that a separation of church and state is an excellent approach for governments. Countries such as Iran agree in principle with Al Qaeda goals to bring about a world wide caliphate.
What is standing in their way? Democratic governments like ours.
no - its not meant as a justification, and I knew it was thin when I wrote it... I guess I'm just trying to say there's intolerance everywhere, not just by Muslims... fortunately, no one else seems to be taking lives over it... at least not as many.
Hey Boo - curious about his quote (or your paraphrase) 'only 6% of Muslims living in Canada actually attend their mosques regularly and are devout', (I'd love to know his references on that one) he states they are devout and attend mosques. Not that they are radicals. What do you think the percentage of devout Christians are? Now how many of those would ever bomb an abortion clinic?
While I do have to agree this behaviour is unfortunate, I could easily see this happening in any religious group and he is fairly far on the fringes of Islam. Think of the cry and outrage (and possibly even death threats) if someone in a position to speak for Catholics was stating that Catholicism accepted homosexuality or female priests. So, more interesting to me is why someone like this is a media darling. Is it solely that his views are perceived to be more palatable?
Your post brought this one to mind, thought you might enjoy - some pretty interesting discussions and people - http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/6/7/23843/50823
I think he's trying to keep Islam as a tolerant, peaceful faith.
He mentioned a poll when he spoke of percentages btw.
I don't think he's speaking out against it either. I wasn't trying to send that message. The group he represents aren't the equivalent of "Fundamentalist Christians for Gay Priests" or some such thing that maybe goes against all the teachings of Islam.
I'm a little on the fence here. I agree with you and betmo that this kind of intolerance can happen with any faith, but at the same time, I agree with roman that Christians and Jews are far less likely to blow themselves up over it.
Maybe I didn't understand your arguement?? He doesn't seem to be on the fringes in my opinion... its the terrorist Islamics that are on the fringes, isn't it?
Boo... you confuse the crap out of me sometimes. just when I think I've got you pegged, you go off and contradict my preconcived notions about you.
Without going too deep on the subject, now relate this story to the post I did about the 11 arabs missing in America. Then read the comments by some and see the mentality that many have about things like this?
There is a broad spectrum and determined effort to ignore the radical Islamic factions out there that currently dominate the Muslim community.
betmo:
Crusades... but they were prompted by the Muslim invasion and sacking of Israel... which was prompted by the departure of the Roman Empire who invaded and sacked it first... which was prompted by....
The Crusades were one event, one scene in the bigger play. They are not a catalyst by themselves for anything, and those that would point to them as such are trying to fog up the history to shed a more favorable light on their own ideology.
If my great great half uncle killed your great great great half brother, does the blood debt still insue?
This is not eye for eye, tit for tat. Nor should it ever be allowed to be labled as. This stuff is a narrow political agenda that is being forced down peoples throats at the end of a sword.
G. I really hope there aren't as many conspiracy theorists in the US as I'm beginning to think there is...
11 Egyptians going missing terrifies me. They obviously planned to vanish - and certainly not for good reason. (At least I can say they didn't come thru Canada and be believed on this one... that rumour is still out there!!)
I don't see the contradiction. I'm saying I support someone who's for peaceful expression of religion, and condemn those who would threaten him for voicing this.
I think they dominate by force, not by numbers. At least here, maybe in the Middle East too. Fear's a great motivator.
I think our RCMP should be investigating - and prosecuting the individuals in question.
What don't you get??
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