Will he and Muslims face banishment by the liberal know-it-alls in Ottawa? Lose their tax status? Who knows! But Mohamed Elmasry, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, is making some statements that don’t exactly fit within the official Liberal multicultural “mosaic” policy handbook—a policy which Liberals foisted on Canada almost as if it made sense, many years ago.
But don’t stand up and applaud yet. While “integration” does indeed sound good and melting-pot-ish rather than stupid mosaic-ish, regular readers—astute Canadians (whatever “Canadians” are!)—will remember the name Mohamed Elmasry from comments he made several months ago on our good friend Michael Coren’s TV show:
While appearing as part of a panel discussion on the Michael Coren Live TV show, an Ontario current affairs program, Elmasry said any Israeli over the age of 18 could be attacked because they are all members of the Israeli army.
“Anyone and everyone in Israel—irrespective of gender—over the age of 18 is a valid target?, Coren asked.
“Yes, I would say,’’ Elmasry responded.
Coren said Sunday he has a problem with Elmasry’s latest statement, adding that at no point was it apparent that Elmasry was expressing anyone’s opinion but his own.
“I find it extraordinary because I asked him about three times to clarify his position because I was so shocked by it, as was everyone on the panel, including the other Muslim guest,’’ Coren said.
Further reading: Read this old news article (from whence I got the above quote). Also this blog entry and this one and this one.
If you can get over that hump, and it’s a doozy, this all sounds much better:
‘Smart integration’ of Muslims needed to thwart terror threat: Islamic leader
Muslims called to prayer Friday at one of Canada’s largest mosques were asked to move beyond condemnation of global terrorist attacks and work toward “smart integration” into the country’s political and social life. “This country is our country, this land is our land,” Mohamed Elmasry, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, told more than one-thousand faithful gathered for the customary prayer.
[…] Only through actively engaging in the Canadian way of life can Muslims begin to stamp out the threat of extremism here, he said.
[…] “Canadian Muslims can push for smart integration. It means they have to be an active Canadian citizen, and at the same time they can practice their religion. This is what we have to really ingrain in the minds of young people.”
[…] Still, another worshipper, Abdi Aden, said integration is not exclusively applicable to Muslims.
“It’s time not only for Muslims, but for everybody to integrate,” said Aden, who was hoping Elmasry’s words would translate into action that eventually defuses radical religious thought.
Abdi Aden is speaking my language—and speaking my language alone is a huge plus right there! Let’s take that even further and lose the hyphen between the word “Canadian” and wherever you came from.
I still don’t really know what Elmasry means by “smart” integration, but it sounds like, and I hope it does mean, exactly the opposite of Canada’s (and much of Europe’s) current and dreadful policy which our liberal-left proudly calls our “multicultural mosaic”. It should mean becoming fully integrated into Canadian life—our lifestyles, our laws, our customs, our languages, our politics, and so on. Full-blown Canadian citizens who live and work and act and behave like Canadians, rather than living here as if there is a hundred different countries within our Canada. A melting pot is what it should be.
Look how well I turned out! I’m the son of an immigrant father who became a Canadian citizen.
This remark caught my eye:
The congregation was told that this fall, courses will be offered in Toronto on Canadian history, law, media and political systems to help foster greater participation in western life.
Well imagine that. Living here and participating in western life at the same time. What a concept. Sheesh. Before you know it, we’ll have an actual “Canadian identity”. A “Canadian culture” that isn’t created by Liberal Party government elites and bureaucrats in Ottawa. Can you stand it?
UPDATE 6:54 PM PDT:
Our columnist Salim Mansur just sent us his latest column—which also appeared in the National Post today—which furthers our understanding of the issues discussed here. It’s now in the Columnist section.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
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