March 4th there were two articles in the Globe and Mail that caught my eye. I contacted the public editor to share my concerns about what I call Alternative Facts bordering on Fake News. This happens when journalists cherry-pick facts or make them up. My favourite made up fact is “Christian white” values.
Here is my letter.

I want to share with you my understanding of alternative facts by giving you two examples of them in your paper, today.

First, Sheema Khan wrote a lovely article about Muslim self-reflection and pointed out the the travels of Mohammed to Taif. But she left out-alternative fact-that Mohammed was invited to Medina when he was fleeing Mecca and on his arrival he ethnically cleansed the town of two Jewish tribes and murdered all of the members of the third Jewish tribe. It is my understanding there were 800 souls. There are reasons for people to be uncomfortable with Islam, today.

Konrad Yakabuski refers “restoration of white Christian values.” The alternative fact is that the values to which he refers come from the Jewish people-3500 years ago. And my people, even today, are not white. We come in all colours. You should see my children and grandchildren.

The Jewish people gave us what came to be known as the Judeo/Christian ethic which was brought to America and Canada by Christians-yes they were white-who decided that the Hebrew bible had the best ethical system upon which to base a freedom-loving country. Because this Judeo/Christian ethic states that all people are born with equal intrinsic value, that all life is sacred and that we must care for the other, we are able to live in a pluralistic country where more people are able to demand equal rights-from women to the LGBTQ community. This ethic is far different from the caste system of India and the dhimmitude policies of Islam.

That Mr. Yakabuski and so many others are now applying the word “white” (forget Christian) to values is only leading to those of us who believe in the Judeo/Christian ethic, which is incorporated in our founding documents, to be labeled white supremacist. This attempt to make our values “white” makes it difficult to protect and defend our dearly held Canadian values firmly rooted in the Judeo/Christian ethic.

I write about that ethic and I am far from a white supremacist.

These are just two examples of alternative facts that lead to misunderstanding.