Anti-Arab/Muslim hate flows unchecked and unreported in Canada December 16, 2004 By Bahija Réghaï While it is accepted that a well-informed public is a necessary prerequisite to the democratic process, the concentration of media has unfortunately translated into fewer sources of news and views. Canadian media are less diverse in opinion and not reflective of our multicultural society. Community papers and online resources have become the alternative, as national and local newspapers make themselves a little less relevant every day to the average Canadian. The "Liberal Parliamentarians for Israel" are a case in point. It took some 10 months for the Toronto Globe and Mail to catch up with what the Jewish Bulletin published on January 9, 2004 regarding at least 6 "Israel supporters in Cabinet"  even though it is important for the public to know that there is a possibility of undue influence on foreign policy by a lobby working from within Cabinet. Another ignored item relates to terrorism. Anyone convicted of terrorism becomes front page news in North America, except apparently in the case of Israeli homegrown terrorism. As prosecutor Dan Eldad told Ha'aretz, it was the "first time an Israeli court has ruled that there are Jewish terrorist organizations aiming to hurt innocent Arabs, especially children in schools." Other countries found this story interesting enough to report: http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=590435 http://southafrica.indymedia.org/news/2004/05/6021.php Is it self-censorship or a sheer lack of interest in Palestinian victims that North American editors chose to overlook it? In October 2001, Canadian MP Sarmite Bulte told the House: "Expressions of hate have no place in Canadian society. They undermine the fundamental values of respect, equality and security. They cause damage to multicultural tolerant and law-abiding societies. As long as citizens feel insecure and vulnerable to hate and biased activity, we cannot be complacent." It seems that her words have not been heeded. Arab/Muslim-basher Joseph Farah, who advocates that religious doctrine rather than democratic debate should guide policy making, was recently offered a podium for his hateful ideas by the Canada Christian College (CCC). Had a similar event been hosted by Muslim, Arab or any other ethnic, cultural or religious entities, there would have been a general condemnation of it. It is interesting to note that the list of speakers at the CCC event included Federal Conservative Foreign Affairs Critic Stockwell Day, B’nai Brith’s Communications Ottawa Director Joseph Ben-Ami, and Liberal member of Parliament Dan McTeague, Junior Cabinet Minister and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in charge of Canadians abroad. The notion that ethnic cleansing, a war crime, can be advocated by Mr. Farah as a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is racist and hateful. However, those who shared the dais with him were not offended by his ideas or by his having called Gaza as "a cesspool." Evangelical lay pastor Stockwell Day's endorsement is consistent with his religious views, but B'Nai Brith's shoulder to shoulder solidarity with Christian Evangelicals is surprising and smacks of opportunism. It indicates that the objective is to bolster support of the state of Israel, and not of Judaism itself, for Mr. Farah's bigoted pro-Israel stance is motivated less by his love of Jews than by his chosen brand of Christianity that considers all other religions invalid and "that all of Israel will be saved and will recognize that their Messiah is Jesus Christ." Referring to alleged racist incidents at Toronto's Ryerson University, Ontario's Executive Director of the Canadian Jewish Congress Bernie Farber says: "Hate propaganda is reprehensible, it doesn't matter who carries it out [.....] An attack against one is an attack against all of us." (Globe and Mail, Oct. 20, 2004). Great sentiments if supported by action. Unfortunately, Mr. Farah's hatred of Islam has been met by a dreadful silence from the very same people who opposed Al-Jazeerah in Canada, and who made the issue of hate into prolonged front page news following a certain interview conducted by renowned Canadian broadcaster, author and columnist Michael Coren. Mr. Farber claimed to find abhorrent the action of "wish[ing] to create animosity between Muslim and Jewish" communities. His association with Mr. Farah belies this claim. The Canadian Association of Journalists states: "It is our privilege and duty to seek and report the truth as we understand it, defend free speech and the right to equal treatment under law, capture the diversity of human experience, speak for the voiceless and encourage civic debate to build our communities and serve the public interest." (Preamble, Statement of Principles Approved at 2002 Annual General Meeting) I hope that the media will honour this statement by finding the time and the will to follow up on what the Canadian Jewish News and the Jewish Tribune have published below, and I look forward to seeing the results. http://www.cjnews.com/viewarticle.asp?id=5055 http://www.bnaibrith.ca/tribune/jt-041209-17.html Bahija Réghaï is a community and human rights activist. She has worked and traveled in Africa, Europe and North America. She takes interest in issues of equity and diversity and in Canadian public and foreign policy. She is a member of various organizations, including the National Council on Canada-Arab Relations, the Coalition of Arab Canadian Professionals and Community Associations (Ottawa) and the Arab Canadian Women's Association (Ottawa). yayacanada Boycott Israeli Apartheid