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Muslim bid a positive step
Politicians should move mountains to accommodate a request by six Islamic groups that want their help in co-ordinating a meeting of the minds on preventing Muslim young people from becoming radicalized.They suggest bringing together youth groups, imams and community organizations for what Karl Nickner, executive director of the Canadian Council on American Islamic Relations, calls "a concrete plan" to address youth radicalization. The plea was made to the federal and Ontario governments, and to Toronto city council. The Islamic groups said they "care deeply" about Canada's security and support protecting this country. This has no doubt always been the sentiment of the vast majority of Canadian Muslims. While there have been concerns the community hasn't done enough to ferret out radicals, the call for a diverse summit is exactly the sort of signal Canadians should embrace. Such a meeting has potential to go far beyond the radicalization issue. Canada is rightly proud of its multicultural society. But, as Irshad Manji, a fellow at Yale University and author of The Trouble with Islam Today, pointed out in a column in a Toronto newspaper this week, multiculturalism's downside is it tends to make all cultures and religions "off-limits to scrutiny." It can lead to insular groups within the larger society. The trick for newcomers is to maintain one's own culture and still integrate, as we have seen in many cases here in London. This should be encouraged. In the wake of the arrest of 17 people accused of plotting terrorist attacks in Ontario, the Islamic groups are asking politicians for help. This is a huge step that should prompt a positive reply. If you go to the link, read the next editorial and see if you think the editorial staff have the same commitment to "understanding" the United States as they have to "understanding" muslims. Posted by: ryuge 2006-06-10 |
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