Tuesday, February 10, 2015

MONTREAL MOSQUE STRUCK BY VANDALISM - VIOLENCE SHOULD BE THE LAST RESORT


FACEBOOK

February 10, 2015








 
Ardeth Patterson Norman commented on an article.

Google Charkaoui and wonder why he is the spokesperson and protest leader in our city. Rob Lurie on Ctv last week showed the evil book used by the madrassa next to the Chester mosque in NDG. We need more facts about Saudi funding of mosques and community centers and why can't I find out what credentials it takes to be an 'imam' or teacher in a private madrassa.
Vandalism at a Muslim high school in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is raising fears of anti-Muslim violence. Staff discovered a shattered classroom window when they arrived Monday morning at the single-story...
MONTREALGAZETTE.COM



  • Phyllis Carter  Sharia law, stoning, brain-washing, beheadings, murder, burning people alive - These things are anathema to civilized people. The dark shadow of these terrible things has caused fear, rage and hatred against Muslim people all over the world. it is so hard for ordinary people in free countries to figure out what is Muslim and what is terrorism. But if we are civilized, we MUST figure it out and be very careful not to hurt innocent people. Violence must be the LAST resort, not the first. It is understandable that we do not want anyone promoting or plotting islamist acitivities in Canada. We do not want to live in fear that an islamic school might harbor terrorists close to Christian churches, schools and synagogues in our community. It would be best that there be a buffer zone for a while until safety issues are resolved. But DO NOT become a terrorist yourself - or just a damn fool - by doing to a mosque what Islamic terrorists do to churches and synagogues. Canadians take pride in being civilized.

3 comments:

Celine said...

It is terrible and I m angry at the vandals because they chose terrorism and hatred to desecrate a Mosque and/or a Muslim High School. Mainstream media shows terrible inhumane and evil doings of people who use religion as a weapon. They use politics and nationalism because the religious weapon is a new form of nationalism. Islam has become in their head a nationality, it never was and never has been. The nationality of the first Muslims was Bedouin. They spoke Arabic and converted to Islam. Their NATION was Bedouin, their language was Arabic and their religion was Islam hence they are known as Muslim.

The MCQ Muslim Community of Quebec has a grade school and a high school focused on academic achievement, kids learn French English and Arabic. It is a confessional school meaning a private school where religion is taught.

The mosque is very liberal, it offers food programs, hands out food to the needy, helps financially the people in the area. Everyone is welcomed. One example I was helping families affected with Sickle at Ramada (some families were Muslim) and at Christmas the MCW always helped. Family in need got a Christmas and Ramadan food basket which was delivered by volunteers. Those in need of money also got when possible some cash to help. Many when they got a job or got settled gave back to the small mosque. Women do not cover or wear hijab they walk in the mosque and no one bothers them.

They have a girl guide program teach sports to young women soccer and football. One member has a woman's American Football team which has won many tournaments Montreal Blitz. Other women started community suppers where both men and women can cook and eat together once a month.

I know the MCQ Muslim Community of Quebec as I have been there more than once and have worked closely with the people.

For the vandalism I blame the media mostly the French newspaper that broke the story that was NOT fact checked I also blame the idea of secular violence and hooligans who are just as bad as those they accuse of being radical Muslims. The media has caused problems to the Jewish community also and they too have been vandalized by hooligans that claims to be secularist and nationalist Quebecois. You see the dangers of nationalism and politics gone wild done in the name of cultural values. Is this what people understand as being Quebec values and is this the affects of the Charter of Quebec values politics and nationalism gone wild.

The majority of people in Quebec are quiet descent people, they do have problems like anyone else however they are appalled I would hope t see their own city and society becoming violent because of faulty, prejudicial and biased mainstream tabloid journalism.

Yes,it is tabloid journalism and irresponsible host of open lines talk show that promotes violence and hatred. I suggest we get a code of ethics for journalists and fact check all that is written.

Yes, people are suffering in Iraq, Syria and many other countries because of violence and was, may suffer because they are Jewish, Christian, Yazid, Kurd and even Muslim. They attack not only religion both everyone who is against their ideology which is violence and hate. Let us us the madness before it becomes the norm in Quebec. Today a Muslim school tomorrow a Jewish school the next day a Church Catholic, Anglican Baptist> Then it it will be ethnicity, skin tone the size of nose or the curliness of hair. No one is safe when nationalism and politics become weapons of hate.

Phyllis Carter said...

Thank you so much for this erudite background, Celine. We really do not know each other. People tend to mix in their own social circlres, schools, communities, churches, mosques, synagogues, etc., so we really need insights like this to open our minds. At the same time, it seems to me this attack on the windows of the mosque is a new thing, while attacks on synagogues and Hebrew schools have long been a source of sadness and anxiety in Montreal. Let us hope voices of reason and experience like yours will filter through and help us all avoid a spiral of ugly, painful and dangerous activity.

Celine said...

Thank you Phyllis. You have identified the problem we do not now each other. I got to now the MCQ and the mosque because of my field of study the science of religion and the role of women in Judaism and Islam. I was brought up Catholic and I knew some of the problems and preconceived ideas we were taught. I made friends in the Jewish community and later in the Muslim community and I found so many great women and men who were kind and peaceful. Religion did not matter it was the heart of the person that did matter. I was accepted because of common goals, ideas, work we did together.

We do not hear about mosques being vandalized yet there have been a few incidents, no one reports them and there is no lobby or defamation league that will document this acts of vandalism. Also the media will not report some of the events.

I remember my friend's mother telling me that the problems in her homeland Egypt were not about religion but politics. A Muslim friend added it is about nationalism. We all agreed that politics and nationalism create problem. As for language my friends they speak French, English, some speak Ladino (Spanish from North Africa those who came from Andalusia), Arabic, Hebrew, Berber and even Swahili language is an asset.