More federal Liberal tomfoolery
Editor:
What is all that Liberal tomfoolery with their Motion C 103 condemning Islamophobia?
Hate speech and hate crimes against any religion, group or individual are already an offense under the Criminal Code of Canada, so why single out Islam, and why not include other religions for equal recognition and protection? Is protecting one religion and its followers more meritorious than another in the Liberal scheme of things?
After listening to the shrill proponents of this motion we must conclude that it is.
If we are going to condemn Islamophobia it would be useful to deÀne just what that means, and what’s in and what’s out. We can all agree that Islamophobia would include hateful speech and acts towards the Muslim religion and its adherents.
But, by lack of deÀnition, would it also include the condemnation of various repugnant and aberrant behaviours which are practiced under the label of Islam?
If Islamophobia includes the criticism of terrorist groups, such as ISIS or Al Qaeda, or the condemnation of practices like forced or polygamous marriage, denial of education, genital mutilation and various other forms of female subordination and exploitation which some legitimize under the label of Sharia law or Islamic tradition, then many of us might eagerly volunteer to be an Islamophobe. Protecting such practices in Canada would be bizarre indeed, especially coming from a fellow who prances around the stage proclaiming himself to be a champion of feminism and human rights at home and abroad.
The failure to deÀne just what Islamophobia is and what it is not is fraught with complications. If this isn’t clariÀed, it may become the thin edge of the wedge to advance the legitimacy of Sharia law and various unacceptable practices in the guise of protecting religion. Separation of church and state has been basic to our constitutional traditions, at least to this point.
Mr. Trudeau and his people are on a slippery slope with this ill-deÀned and poorly crafted motion which seems redundant given the range of freedoms and protections, including freedom of speech and religion, which are well established for all Canadians in both the Charter and the Criminal Code. They’re either being petulant and foolish, politically provocative or deliberately divisive with this ill conceived initiative. Let’s hope it’s the former. John Thompson, Kaleden