I was involved in a hit and run. I was hit – they ran. I had the “audacity” to share my recent blog: Ramadan:The call to Muslim prayer for the sake of unity and diversity, on an email thread. Seems that three members of government in Nova Scotia, who were included in the email, took umbrage with my blog where I suggested that the Call To Prayer by Muslims is not appropriate in Canada and shared their feelings with me. Not that they provided facts questioning my stance. They did what so many progressives do – they attacked me, personally. Nothing like calling someone a racist to end a conversation.
I am sharing their emails. When you read the email exchanges keep in mind that these are elected officials who have exhibited a certain sense of entitlement, not earned in any way, but use that sense of sanctimonious self-righteousness to shut down conversation – shut down democracy in the name of Islamophobia.These are small town Napoleons. Now, think about that as you read their statements. And then you will better understand the dangerous abuse of power by powerful people in government who no longer believe they are beholden to the people.
I was called hateful and told “I’m sorry that your heart is closed and that you’ve forgotten the basics of Christian teaching: love thy neighbour? Do unto others?” Then a racist, and one called me an awful human being. And then they refused to accept any response from me. Hit and Run.
I had written that many jurisdictions felt bad about Muslims not being able to gather at their mosques for Ramadan and Muslims should at least hear the call. The Call to prayer is the acknowledgement that I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God… I testify that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger (Lee 1995: 87). Thus, when the Adhaan sounds, so does Islam.
The reason for this special exemption? The mental health and spiritual needs of Muslims. According to these politicians, it is racist and hateful and awful to ask why there is a special exemption for one group of people. Where was that concern just a few weeks ago for Jews and Christians during Passover and Easter? Did you hear the Church bells ring loudly on Easter Sunday or Good Friday? Did anyone in government where you live share their empathy with you? If we are going to talk about inclusion I would suggest that we are all in this Covid19, Chinese Virus, lockdown together, and we should all suffer stoically, together.
Sam Austin called me hateful and suggested that I learn from the Christians, and one shared links about racism – I am a racist. And one called me an awful human being. And then these politicians informed me they would not be accepting any of my responses. Seems these people are unaware that Islam is not a race – it is a religion and an ideology that does not share the values of the Judeo/Christian ethic; all people are born with equal intrinsic value, all life is sacred and we have free-will. Yet, as good Canadians (Americans, Europeans, Australians…) we tolerate, include and accommodate those who follow the ethic of dhimmitude.
This is another blatant example of government officials running wild. They are the employees of the people and the people have a right to be heard, especially when the government starts taking positions that are detrimental to others. We, the people, have the right and responsibility to speak up when we believe our freedoms are under attack. We have the right and responsibility to respectfully ask questions and share concerns, and politicians from the town council to President or PM have the obligation to respond, respectfully.
Here are the emails. Think about responding to these people. Your elected leaders could be just like them, full of themselves and ignorant. Uneducated about the only ethic that makes freedom possible, assume that all cultures are the same and fall into moral and cultural relativism that will lead to the downfall of democracy.
To me from Sam Austin
Puzzling that you’ve never written me objecting to church bells being rung on Sunday. I guess displeasure about religious call to prayers depends on your particular faith.
SAM AUSTIN
COUNCILLORDISTRICT 5 – DARTMOUTH CENTRE
Sign up for my e-newsletter on my website [www.samaustin.ca]www.samaustin.ca
PO BOX 1749
HALIFAX, NS B3J 3A5 www.halifax.ca
My response:
I haven’t heard church bells ring in a very long time. Do they ring where you live? Every Sunday?
The Call to prayer is acknowledgement that I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God… I testify that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s messenger (Lee 1995: 87). Thus, when the Adhaan sounds, so does Islam.
I don’t. Do you?
And why this year? Covid 19? What does that have to do with a call to prayer? I assume that Muslims know the beginning and the end of the fast each day. Jews know the beginning and the end of Sabbath without a call.
Did the government do anything for me and my family this Passover? Did you care? Did you do anything to make my Passover full of ““Spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being”?
You are a hypocrite. And for some reason you have decided that Islam needs help, here. That it is not recognized quite enough. That we have to do more for one religious group than we do for another.
This is Canada. Free to practice your religion at home and your house of worship.
There was a time when the Our Father was read in school and a portion of the Bible was read each day. Not anymore. No public religion.
Let’s keep it that way for all. Let’s treat all people equally.
From Sam
I do hear church bells regularly. There are two in my neighbourhood with functioning bells. I have no problem with them or any faiths call to prayer. Thats equality and what our Charters guarantee of freedom of religion looks like, not whatever selective approach you’re arguing for. The only hypocrisy here is yours for picking on a minority when your own faith has a variation of the exact same practice. We’re made stronger as a nation through diversity. I’m sorry that your heart is closed and that you’ve forgotten the basics of Christian teaching: love thy neighbour? Do unto others? The fact that you felt compelled to write a community 1000s of Kms away to share this says a lot. I won’t be reading any further hateful emails from you.
SAM AUSTIN
COUNCILLORDISTRICT 5 – DARTMOUTH CENTRE
To Sam
You won’t read anything because I am far away? You just insulted me as a Jew. You sent me a hateful response. I sent you facts.
Picking on a minority? The Jews are the number one minority in Canada. Did you read B’nai Brith lately? And the attack on the Jewish people is coming from the left-Islam. But I guess you don’t care about that as you preach to me about CHRISTIAN love. How antisemitic of you.
Do you know the founding ethic of this country? Where did it originate? Please do tell.
“The only hypocrisy here is yours for picking on a minority when your own faith has a variation of the exact same practice.” What variation does my faith have, Sir? Please share with me in case I am unaware of my faith. I am a multifaith endorsed hospital trained chaplain and I was given that honour from the largest hospital in Canada in the most diverse city in the world.
Diversity? How does a call to prayer promote diversity? And are you aware of the prayer that is so joyfully shared? Did you know that prayer attacks ALL Christians and ALL Jews? And Hindus? I bet you didn’t.
And you represent Canadians?
And then this from another sanctimonious government representative. WAYE MASON
Hello,
Your emails are now been placed into my archive file unread.
I recommend you read this article on the psychology of racism, you may find it useful:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/201801/the-psychology-racism
You may also learn from this article about the way social media and the internet have amplified bigotry and hate:
https://theconversation.com/fear-more-than-hate-feeds-online-bigotry-and-real-world-violence-106988
Finally, I leave you with these words:
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Waye
—
WAYE MASON
Councillor | Le Conseiller | Nikanus Wunaqapemk
DISTRICT 7 HALIFAX SOUTH DOWNTOWNHALIFAX
PO BOX 1749, HALIFAX NS B3J 3A5 CANADA
Please subscribe to my email newsletter
From me
You think you have the right to call me a racist and then shut me down? This is government in Canada?
I am a member of the smallest minority in the world. We are under attack on a daily basis-from people like you and you are lecturing me?
How dare you? You coward you. Attack and run?
You have an oath to all Canadians. Not just some Canadians.
Are you perhaps an antisemite? Should I recommend some reading for you?
Here read this. This book was accepted at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial library in Israel. Do you know why? Because it is an excellent book about Jew hatred through time I wrote it. The Serpent and the Red Thread: The Definitive Biography of Evil. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1927618134/
Educate yourself.
From Shawn Cleary
And If you actually believe the racist shit you are saying, you are an awful human being. I’m not sure how you live with yourself.
Shawn Cleary, MBA
Councillor, District 9 – Halifax West Armdale
www.halifax.ca
www.shawncleary.ca
City Hall Office:
My Council Support Coordinator is Chris Newson
From me
What shit am I saying-this is the language coming from someone elected by the people. Is this how you talk? Did you learn that getting your MBA-in what?
What exactly did I wrote that is racist? Can you name it? That I do not agree with the Call to prayer is racist? How is that racist? Where I live and it is a hugely Christian neighbourhood with many many churches. The bells don’t ring. Not anymore.
You felt sorry for a group of people who could not celebrate their holiday during Covid. Did you share your empathy with the Christians who could not celebrate together? How about the Jews? Did you share you sorrow with them that their holiday that is based on family could not take place as it has in the past?
If you didn’t then I suggest that you are an antisemite and anti-Christian.
How do you live with yourself, Shawn? How do you square that circle that you allow a religion-just one-to share their Call to Prayer so they feel better and do nothing about the Jews and Christians who went through the same thing? Is that not discrimination? And we are a country that does not allow discrimination-unless it is against the Jews and Christians according to you.
So I ask you again, Shawn, how do you live with yourself?
Just to let you know I was responding to an email thread. How did you get on it?
I did hear back from Sam Austin. He apologized. He thought I was a Christian Chaplain. Does it matter? He called me hateful. Christian, Jew, Hindu, Sikh; does it matter? If you disagree with Sam Austin you are hateful. End of discussion.
We are not now, nor ever, obligated to include or tolerate any ideology or religion that discriminates against others in our countries. I shared the prayers that are said in Islam and the explanations by respected Imams, including a Muslim Chaplain in Toronto.
We are being silenced because of Islamophobia that is now ingrained in too many elected officials; from the bottom of the barrel to the top. People elected to government are no better or worse than the people they govern. Their word is not law from on high. Their words must not be used to shut down the people.
SILENCE IS COLLUSION
SPEAK UP AND DEFEND OUR WESTERN CULTURE
From the Ethics of the Fathers: “Rabbi Tarfon used to say, it is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but you are not exempt from undertaking it.”
