Fearful history will repeat itself and refusing to jump on the bandwagon

Wow. It finally happened. For quite some time I have been trying to drive home the point of mutual respect with Muslims in our society. Not asking anyone to agree with the faith, just respect our right to be different and live in peace. I always mention trying not to brush on faith with one broad brush due to the acts of extremists which represent less than one per cent of their faith. I have tried to communicate this point on public media time and time again. Very good friends of mine having to keep their heads low in our society who are Muslim due to the constant anti-Muslim rhetoric that is so alive and well in our community. People constantly cherry picking verses out of the quorum and throwing it in their faces. People who contribute to our society and have the same values we all share that our country was built on. Makes me so sad and mad for that matter.

So on Jan. 29 there was an attack in a mosque in Montreal. Six killed and many more injured. Well there we have it. I suspect people who have respect and tolerance for the differences in our community might be feeling on the defence due to an extremist attack in our own land. Wondering if the world will paint us with one broad brush as Muslim haters due to the acts of an extremist few in our own lands. I don’t care if this was done in the name of Allah, God, or just plain hatred. I don’t care. I don’t care who point’s fingers at whom, which by the way will happen. There has been an attack on our land. Not the first time either. Wondering what we will call our extremists. ISIS the sequel Canadian version?

We may have the right to offend and say whatever it is in our great nation in the name of free speech. For me, when I see all of this intolerance in North America towards Muslims comes down to one thing. Hate begets hate; violence begets violence. Now the shoe is on our foot. We have seen what this kind of rhetoric and intolerance did with Jews. History I fear is going to repeat itself. Something that has happened time and time again of the history of humans.

My views towards this I’m sure will get lost in the sea of antiMuslim rhetoric that will continue in our society. You see, the extremist, unbalanced views I see in our society will yell louder with their right to offend and jump on the anti-Muslim bandwagon.

I’ll keep trying to say what I have to say regardless. I refuse to jump on this anti-Muslim bandwagon.

“Hate begets hate; violence begets violence. Now the shoe is on our foot.”

Roger Marple Medicine Hat