WHY WON’T POLITICIANS SPEAK OUT AGAINST HATE?
Our leaders at all levels must condemn anti-Muslim groups, writes Nakita Valerio.
Imagine, this Sunday, that you were heading to church and you had to worry about armed protesters showing up to terrorize your family and children.
Imagine if, leaving your worship service, you did not know if people intimidating you were the same people who have loaded up on guns, or declared war against your church online, promising to rid “their” country of “your people.” Imagine not knowing if one of them would snap like so many others have before them.
That is the very scenario facing Alberta Muslims this weekend according to media reports, as armed militia groups like the “Three-Percenters” plan on intimidating peaceful Albertans across the province looking to celebrate the end of a month of fasting and self-purification.
Earlier this month, this selfdeclared “patriot” paramilitary group (which boasts nearly 2,000 members online), rallied in front of Calgary City Hall (some of whom seemed to be armed with hand-to-hand weapons), claiming to be the last line of defence for a decidedly racist Canada.
Their toxic, online rhetoric is anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant, and exceedingly violent. Make no mistake: this is a group that wishes to terrorize Canadians, specifically immigrants, and must be treated as such. Their claims of protecting this country from foreigners and the government itself are farcical, but their threats of real violence must be taken seriously.
The claims of violence must be taken even more seriously given what national security experts and a number of investigative journalists have been pointing to; groups like the “Three-Percenters” are arming themselves with semi-automatic weapons and conducting paramilitary-styled training exercises. This is not the behaviour of peaceful Albertans. This reminds us of darker times when innocents were targeted on the basis of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.
This is Canada, not the States. Stuff like that doesn’t happen here. Right? But stuff like this does happen here. And it is happening with increasing regularity and a sharp escalation in the confrontational nature of these incidents. According to the aggressors, it is only a matter of time before things turn violent.
The fact that armed right-wing and neo-Nazi militias like the Three-Percenters and Soldiers of Odin, among others, are gaining membership and are openly targeting members of our collective community with virtually no public outcry against them is outrageous.
Have our law-enforcement officials and elected representatives learned nothing from the massacre at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City, only five months ago? Have they forgotten how easily hateful rhetoric can turn to violence? Where is the solidarity from the steps of the legislature, promised on the night of the vigil for the victims of Quebec? These hate groups make society and public spaces unsafe for everyone and the fact that not a single leader of a political party in this province has yet made a statement condemning them is truly unacceptable.
The leadership in our cities and this province must share some blame for the increasing feeling of insecurity that Muslims and other citizens are having because of these militia groups.
The silence from city hall to the legislature is profoundly painful. Is it just that these right-wing hate groups do not affect our leaders? They are certainly not unaware of what is happening. Have they too purposely muddled free speech with militias who are stockpiling weapons and calling for the extermination of Muslims in Canada? Have they conveniently forgotten the laws in this country?
Let me be clear in speaking directly to those in power and those with a responsibility to ensure the safety of our communities: your silence is your complicity.
And as Muslims in Edmonton and Alberta wonder whether it is safe to go to the local mosque this weekend to pray, that silence is becoming deafening.
The silence from city hall to the legislature is profoundly painful.