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| Subject: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1 |
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On being Canadian: 1) It´s time for all immigrants to accept basic western values
Fazil Mihlar
Vancouver Sun
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Westerners -- whether in Vancouver, Toronto, London or Paris -- welcome immigrants from different regions, religions, values and traditions, including a large number of Muslims.
But some Muslims don´t welcome basic western values, critical to the functioning of a pluralistic democratic society.
This is wrong. It´s time for all Muslims to accept the values and traditions of the host countries.
Specifically, this means all Muslims have to accept certain basic facts about the societies they have emigrated to:
- Christians and Jews are fellow human beings, not "crusaders" and "filthy pigs" who have to be slaughtered.
In Canada, the most noted critic of multiculturalism is Neil Bissoondath. In his book Selling Illusions: The Cult of Multiculturalism in Canada, Bissoondath argues that official multiculturalism limits the freedom of people of colour by confining them to cultural and geographic ghettos. He also notes that cultures are too complex and must be transmitted through close familial relations.
As far as he´s concerned, Ottawa´s view of cultures as being about festivals and cuisine is an oversimplification that leads to easy stereotyping and is not a heartfelt embrace of differences.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the co-producer of the Dutch film Submission Part 1 and Dutch MP -- a woman who is on the hit list of Muslim terrorists because the documentary is considered by some Muslims to be blasphemous -- argues, "If you take multiculturalism to its logical end, it becomes racist because you are discriminating against women in one group, allowing them to be mistreated as you would not allow others to be mistreated."
While I agree with her assessment and would like to put an end to official multiculturalism, Canada´s version isn´t as big a problem as it is in England and France.
A lot of Canadians live in neighbourhoods with persons of different ethnic and national origins and count them as friends. A majority of Canadians work with people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. And by and large, most immigrants, Muslims included, have managed to maintain certain traditions and values, while integrating into the mainstream economy and political life.
Unfortunately, there are some in the Muslim community in the West who would like to convert all non-believers into Islam, murder Christians and Jews, get rid of the separation between church and state, deny rights to gays, put a veil over the head of every women and generally live in their own little ghettos.
That´s why Heritage Canada, which administers the Multicultural Act, should work on a discussion paper and begin a debate on what it means to be a "Canadian."
It´s past time for Canadians to put down markers about what it means to be "Canadian" and insist that all immigrants accept certain core values.
New Canadians should remember that multiculturalism is a two-way street.
fmihlar@png.canwest.com
- Countries like Canada, England and France have their own rich heritage and culture just as Pakistan, Jordan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Show some respect.
- The triumph of the rule of law over the rule of man is something western societies are justifiably proud of and should be recognized by all Muslims as the cornerstone of civilized nations.
- Equality of rights for women and gays enshrined in the Charter of Rights are not something to be tampered with.
- Democratic processes, not violence, are used to settle differences of opinion in society.
- Separation of church and state isn´t just a slogan, they are words to live by. That means Shariah law is a non-starter.
Many in the West have bent over backward to accommodate different values that immigrants live by. Now, it´s time for us to stand up for western values.
Why make a stand? Simple: Multiculturalism can not survive without adhering to certain universal values like the ones I have sketched out. The onus is on us in the West to guide multiculturalism so that we can "live and let live."
In a research paper titled Ethnic Diversity and Economic Performance, Professor Alberto Alesina of Harvard University and Eliana La Ferrara of the University of Bocconi point out that if a society is to maximize the benefits of diversity (innovation and higher productivity) and minimize the negative impacts (social strife), "rules of the game" need to be established.
Multiculturalism is a policy that says immigrants should preserve their culture and traditions and interact peacefully with the host countries´ values. Interacting peacefully is the operative term here: If there are Muslims in the West who don´t believe in this definition of multiculturalism, they should go "home." There are plenty of Muslim countries to choose from.
In 1971, the federal government announced its policy of multiculturalism. One of the dangers of pursuing multicultural policies, as many critics have pointed out, is that economic integration and cultural assimilation can be held back. This can potentially encourage economic disparities and an exclusion of minority groups from mainstream society.
In fact, now retired Liberal member of Parliament John Bryden, recently noted that the late Pierre Elliott Trudeau -- the architect of multiculturalism -- was disappointed in how his policy turned out in practice. Bryden went on to remark correctly that "multiculturalism policy has been twisted to celebrate a newcomer´s country of origin and not a celebration of the newcomer becoming part of the Canadian fabric."
[06-09-2005,14:16]
[***.20.170.23]
sharon |
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(in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
Hey Sharon, why suddenly a very strange topic? Freedom of speech and freedom of expression is the basic right of evey human being. If muslims dont accept the western values, thats their right as well because the faith does not allow this. Religious freedom is also right of every human being. Therefore one must not critisize if muslims dont accept what is being practiced in west. Seperation of Church and state is just a SLOGAN whether you beleive it or not. War in iraq is the best example to justify this statement. millions of muslims are living in north america and europe and other western countries. How many christians were slaughtered by them , rather a Christian (Hitler) is the only person in history who killed millions of jews. Muslims completely respect the values of west, although they dont practice them because it does not suit their religion and culture. Therefore targeting a certain race or religion is not fair sharon. Thanks
[06-09-2005,21:19]
[**.247.123.149]
Steve |
(in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
Very good articles, Sharon, thanks for sharing them.
I hadn´t realized to what extent Canada has bent to accommodate the traditions of minority groups until this week. This year I transferred my daughter (grade 2) fom the Catholic school board to a public school. I was very surprised to learn that the reciting of the Lord´s Prayer and the singing of O-Canada isn´t part of the the morning routine. This was a custom for me growing up. We started every school day with the Lord´s Prayer and O-Canada over the PA system. They have also cut back on Christmas festivities in the school, as well as Easter and other religious holidays. Apparently it´s ´offensive´ to some cultures.
Ok.. times change, I guess. I can accept that. I just have to ask, of all the people over here complaining that we´re offending their children in our schools, would YOUR country allow us to come over and start demanding changes to your customs and traditions (Muslims, for example?) I don´t think so.
But, I guess any nationality has their ´radicals´.
Except Canadians. The most we have is like... extreme beer drinking, lol.
[06-09-2005,22:19]
[**.193.72.81]
FWChelle |
(in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
Steve... I just passed on a promiment article (A7) in the 3rd largest newspaper in the country.
[06-09-2005,23:23]
[***.20.170.23]
sharon |
(in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
I live in Lebanon now.. you can google it a bit to see that it is similar to canada.. a mosaic of confessions and cultures.. and we christians there, are feeling the threat of the current world war.. Imams are advocating blind hate in some mosques against Christians and Jews.. and against the US.. it might not take time until they can start advocating against local residents from other confessions..
[07-09-2005,10:32]
[***.98.141.114]
Mixa |
Protect the white women (in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
I am a 16th generation white woman who is mixed irish and french. My biggest fear is under multiculturalism, womens rights are being pushed back to 1850. Some of these cultures think women are sex slaves and maids. I still dont understand why you would come to a country if u dont want to take on the culture of the country u are coming to live in. Isnt that living in a lie?? I also want to mention I was attacked by 3 moslem high school students in broad daylight 2 summers ago in ottawa because I was walking down the street with a man who was not my husband. They bullied me and called awful names and followed me into canadian tire. They even threw coke cans at me. They seem to hate white women. Why do they live here if they hate us so much?? This country is still 77% christian and is based on christian values yet we are the ones who have our race and culture trampled on. We can barely celebrate our two biggest holiday of christmas and easter. The bible was taken out of parliament hill and our schools. Our neighborhoods are going downhill and there are over 400 gangs in the city of ottawa many involved in organized crime. Thanks trudeau! Thanks for ruining my once beautiful country!!
[31-08-2011,22:48]
[**.55.232.235]
Jan |
(in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
What´s new? Politicians have ruined almost every country in the world. They´ll join lawyers in hell.
[01-09-2011,08:06]
[***.136.165.149]
berg |
Latest gang violence... (in reply to: Vancouver Sun- On being Canadian #1)
The latest gang violence was in toronto last week. A few people died. Its a black area filled with immigrants from all over. The whites left or there are very few there now. It was very bad thre 20 years ago when I lived in toronto. I would think toronto has hundreds of gangs as its the biggest city in canada. Ottawa is pretty arab and has somoli problems (the worst gang area is near heron gate mall)....so the proof is in the pudding. You dont need researchers to see who is causing the problems. And please note there are other areas in canada that have high unemployment but there are no gangs (the white areas) so you cant blame poverty either.......an example in st john new brunswick......
[23-07-2012,16:47]
[**.1.195.4]
Jan |
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