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| Great White North | ||
| North American Muslims meet in Toronto to discuss concerns | ||
| 2004-01-04 | ||
Thousands of Muslims from across North America are in Toronto attending a conference designed to spark discussion around the issues of Muslim identity. Since Sept. 11, 2001, many Muslims have said they feel isolated and unfairly singled out by society and law enforcement.
Evidence that you haven’t seen. And if they don’t let you see it, you assume it isn’t there. And just how many Muslims have been arrested, without evidence??? Another concern is the assimilation of Muslims. Last month, French President Jacques Chirac asked the country’s Parliament for a law banning Islamic head scarves and other religious insignia in public schools and the workplace. The suggestion has outraged members of the community. That was France, and this is Canada. Where’s the problem? Jeewan Chanicka, one of the conference organizers, says Canadian Muslims can sometimes feel like second class citizens. I sometimes feel like a third class citizen, especially when they make me pay $5000 a year for auto insurance even with a perfect driving record. "A lot of Canadian Muslims feel that they are Muslims, but they need to justify being a Canadian. To live your daily life feeling that you have to apologize for events you are in no way connected to, that can carry its own amount of trauma." You don’t have to apologize for something you didn’t do. Saying the 9-11 attacks were wrong would be nice though. Key Muslim leaders and police representatives will spend the next three days addressing some of those concerns. I eagerly anticipate the final report. | ||
| Posted by:RW2004 |
| #3 Alaska Paul: A co-worker was downplaying the threat of terror, and denouncing airline security. I reminded him that he drove over a bridge every morning, which saved him over 40 minutes of driving, and asked: what would be your state of mind if Muslim terrorists destroyed that bridge? He declined to reply directly, but in later conversations he took a much harder line toward Islamofascism. It sunk in. Attitude change is gradual, but people are becoming more prepared to sacrifice freedom of conduct, if security will preserve general interests, including other freedoms. If you are suggesting that the WoT is not being sold well, then I agree. A bi-monthly (or so) speech in defense of policy is not going to sink in. Someone is failing when atheistic communists are allying with Islamofascists. How would Indymedia resolve be effected if members learned of the implications of Islamofascist constitutionalism? Leftists are hardly tolerated in the Saudi entity. |
| Posted by: Vlad the Muslim Impaler 2004-1-4 8:00:24 PM |
| #2 Right now the US is fighting the WoT with one hand tied behind its back, with little pigmies with thorns around its ankles. Al-Q and the Islamist have changed their tactics to booming places like SA and Turkey. That will start the slow tide turn. But one hit somewhere in Europe and Mark's comments above will be mild concerns to the wrath of western civilization when it gets its collective head out of its ass. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-1-4 6:39:09 PM |
| #1 Concerns of North American Muslims: 1. We're concerned our compatriots in the Middle East and Southeast Asia misjudged the moral resolution of President Bush, PM Blair, and PM Howard et al. 2. We're concerned our friends on the Left are too weak to halt the war on terror in the near future. 3. We're concerned that portions of the West appear prepared to actually defend their civilization this time around. 4. We're concerned that our previous strategy of calling critics of Islam racists is no longer preventing further criticism of the jihad. 5. We're concerned that too many people are actually reading and understanding translations of what the Koran really says. 6. We're concerned that too many people are becoming aware of the content of our true message; of what we have been preaching and teaching to our children through our mosques and schools. 7. We're concerned we may not develop the Islamic Bomb in time to prevent the USA from it's plan to oppose imposition of worldwide Sharia. 8. We're concerned that we've blown two attempts to take out Perv in Pakistan and that he may feel forced to align himself completely against the radical clerics. 9. We're concerned Iraq and Afghanistan might actually turn to democracy rather than Sharia. 10. We're concerned that Al Qaeda's weekly threat to break the back of the infidel is starting to sound a little lame. 11. We're concerned our ability to influence the dhimmi EU leadership may be on the wane. 12. We're concerned our ability to influence world events through the United Nations may be on the wane. 13. We're concerned our ability to finance terrorism through the efficient use of the international banking system may be on the wane. |
| Posted by: Mark 2004-1-4 6:08:36 PM |