Source / Courtesy: Globe and Mail
Why do certain media choose to offer platforms to those who spread malicious lies and instill fear about Muslims? Do they agree with those sentiments? Is it to influence their government’s policies on multiculturalism, immigration or laws banning Muslim institutions and practices? Is it in the name of free speech for Muslim-bashers? To fill space? To improve ratings? Or merely for the hell of it?
Take a look at the Canadian cases of Maclean’s magazine and columnist Mark Steyn, and the Sun Media chain and both Geert Wilders and Ann Coulter. All three warn of the imminent Muslim threat to civilization – that’s good old us, of course – and demonize an entire religion and its adherents by effectively lumping together all the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims as one homogeneous, monolithic, looming, existential menace. Never mind that Muslims live in every country on earth and are divided by sect, nationality, class, language, religious practice, ideology and race.
Categories: Canada, Middle East, Religion
Let me quote a paragraph from the article that, perhaps, further identifies the main Islamophobic characters:
“Similarly, it would be interesting to know why the Canadian Christian College and the International Free Press Society Canada (IFPSC) thought it was helpful to bring extreme right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders to Canada to spread his venom against Muslims. The CCC is headed by the radical social conservative Charles McVety, whose website associates itself with Billy Graham’s Muslim-hating son Franklin and the late Jerry Falwell, a prominent American evangelist.”
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s goals are completely peaceful and have been for 125 years. We have constantly advocated complete separation of Mosque-Church and State.
Those who read the news of abduction of Governor Salman Taseer’s son Shahbaz, should realize the pressing need for moderates to stand together. The son of a prominent Pakistani politician who was assassinated by his own bodyguard after criticising the country’s blasphemy law has been kidnapped at gunpoint in his hometown of Lahore.
If the international community does not genuinely support the moderate Muslims, and instead stereotypes them with the militant extremists, then how can they take on the extremists among their ranks?
It is a call for moderates, be they Muslims, Christians or Jews to stand united against the extremists and hate-mongers among us!
Certainly there is a pressing need for the international community to genuinely support the moderate Muslims, and not to stereotype them with the militant extremists. The moderates from all sections of society, be they Muslims, Christians or Jews must stand united against the extremists and hate-mongers among us!
We the Ahmadiyya Muslims are a completely peaceful and non violent community. We dismiss extremism and believe taking up Jihad by pen, dialogue and bilateral openness. We have always dismissed terrorism in whatever name cause or circumstances it takes place. We stand by our Motto “ LOVE for ALL hatred for NONE”
Of course I agree with all the above comments, just a word of caution: We need to beware of any party that wants to ‘support us’ as they will have ulterior motives not identical with ours.
I believe that for instance the King of Jordan’s “Amman message” was actually not initiated by himself, but by someone from ‘abroad’. Consequently the intention was not pure and that is why it is not successful. (Just a thought, I do not have any prove of that).