Posted on 10/25/2004 5:33:12 AM PDT by Clive
Years ago, Jim Keegstra was charged with and convicted of the crime of spreading hatred. It was a seemingly endless case, working its way up to the Supreme Court.
It cost millions of tax dollars, and more than that, was an energetic expression of the government's opposition to racial and religious discord. Libertarians were rightly upset that speech -- no matter how vile -- could be criminalized. But a precedent was set, along with a message.
Fast forward to the present: News out of Vancouver is the imam of the major mosque there, one Younus Kathrada, has been whipping up his congregants each week with anti-Semitic hatred that would make Keegstra sound positively like a Zionist.
Like Keegstra, Kathrada called Jews names -- "we are dealing with a people ... the brothers of the monkeys and the swine ... whose treachery is well known." Calling Jews brothers of monkeys and swine sounds like a schoolyard taunt more than high argument, but his point was clear. And just in case it wasn't, Kathrada made it clearer still: His sermons repeatedly called for the killing of Jews.
Poor old Keegstra. All he ever did was call the Jews power-hungry money-grubbers, and he was convicted of a crime. Kathrada whips up his congregants into a Jew-baiting frenzy -- and tells them to go and actually kill someone -- and he remains free.
There's some evidence that his Muslim acolytes actually followed his instructions, too. Rudwan Khalil Abubaker, who attended Kathrada's mosque, was in a fire-fight with Russian troops in Chechnya earlier this year. At least he took his violence outside of Vancouver.
The question remains: Why was Keegstra's offensive but non-violent anti-Semitism taken to the Supreme Court, but Kathrada's is tolerated with impunity?
Kathrada doesn't just call for the death of Jews. He slams Muslims who dare to believe in peaceful co-existence -- you know, Ottawa's dream of multiculturalism. Kathrada claims such Muslims aren't real Muslims, and no truce with Jews can ever be had.
Kathrada also uses his tax-exempt mosque to trumpet the cause of Hamas, a notorious terrorist group responsible for countless suicide bombings.
Why hasn't Kathrada been charged with a hate crime? Why haven't he and his mosque been charged under Canada's new anti-terrorism laws for promoting and aiding terrorist groups like Hamas? (To date, not a single charge has been laid under this law.)
The answer is obvious. It's easy to pick on a politically incorrect country bumpkin like Jim Keegstra. Some dumb white guy making dumb remarks about Jews -- go get 'em. There's not a well-funded, politically correct Dumb Guy Defence Committee ready to roll for his defence.
But ever since 9/11, liberals throughout the West have decided an anti-Arab backlash would be worse than Arab terrorism itself. So true risks like Kathrada are ignored, in the name of not making a fuss. The liberal thinking is that charging someone like Kathrada would only give a bad name to all Muslims.
Of course, it would do the opposite -- it would point out that not all Muslims are in league with such terror tactics, and that the few who are will be rooted out.
Not charging the handful of Muslims who are haters is like not charging the handful of Italians who are part of the Mafia -- it is a misguided act of political correctness. The majority of Muslims -- we hope -- do not support Kathrada. He should be made an example of, not have excuses made for him. Justice calls for it.
Sorry about that. I had exchanged a couple of posts with someone back in June, and was confusing you with him.
No problem.
BETTER them than me.
Yes, well said!!!
What you don't seem to understand, is that the situation for muslims in this country is very similar to the mafia. Here, the 'mafiosos' are the wahhabi. They have the money and the backing, and the power. Many muslims who come to the US are trying to get away from those radical-types and are surprised to find them here. Do you condemn and not trust all Italians or all those living in a neighborhood where mafia activity is going on, because the people living there are afraid to speak up? Sure, it's in their own best interest to get rid of the 'bad guys', but no one trusts that they'll be protected from the inevitable retribution of speaking up. That's why the mafia was able to gain such a stronghold all these yrs.
If you're interested, here's a link to an interview about wahabbis that was in "Insight". (2002) The man interviewed, Sheik Muhammad Hisham Kabbani is a Lebanese sufi muslim. Very bright. He is very vocal about the dangers of wahhabism in this country.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_37_18/ai_92589581
Exactly.
LOL. WoW. I've never been called that before. Luckily, I have a sense of humor. Unfortunately, sometimes once I get started laughing, I can't stop.
You know what, LOL, I'm gonna have to concede the name -calling, cuz I don't think I came come up with as good a one for you right now. LOL. Everyone I've told so far is laughing too. LOL.
I wonder if President Bush has ever been called " a trojan horse for the murderous Mohammedans." LOL.
Btw - my fight is against bigotry.
Exactly! The bigots claim that there isn't a rejection, but when there is, they run around with their fingers in their ears shouting "La-la-la-la-la-I'm not listening!"
Thanks. I'd missed that article earlier.
Hi nuconvert...
Thanks for the note.
I understand the mafia syndrome (have Italian relatives). I realize their are SOME Muslims living in fear and intimidation. I'm sure some of those I know fall into that category.
What I am saying is that we can never be 100% sure of who falls into that group and who doesn't. What if they all have a big surprise for us one day? Even those who just wanted to live peacefully among us in the present.
Why do those people voluntarily go to hate-preaching mosques? And what about their writings? Have you read their numerous writings about Jews and Christians? There is no getting around it. If they believe that the Quoran is their law, please tell me what they do with those evil rantings about killing Jews and Christians. It is for this reason I will not trust the Muslim community as a whole.
Can you honestly tell me that you trust every seemingly moderate Muslim, 100%? Think about it. There are some I trust because I know them (or at least I think I do). But trust every one because they say they are moderate...na, not me.
As an aside, there are some Italians who do not involve themselves with the mob, but they don't have much of a problem with them either! Not most, but some.
Let's peacefully agree to disagree on this. I appreciate your point of view, but I won't be swayed. Up here in Canada there were numerous Muslims celebrating 9/11...you know, the ones living quietly amongst us, going to work, going to school...
"Can you honestly tell me that you trust every seemingly moderate Muslim, 100%?"
I don't trust everyone of any religion 100%.
No problem. We can agree to disagree.
The lady protesteth too much, methinks. (But we can see right through her burkah.)
I don't think a Trojan horse would wear a see-thru burka.
But let me try to get a mental picture of that.
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