Saturday, January 9, 2010

Muslim Threat Needs to Be Viewed Holistically

The Jewish Defence League of Canada is planning a "solidarity rally for Dutch fighter Geert Wilders" on January 20th, since on that day, Wilders will be on trial in Amsterdam for "hate speech" against Muslims.

The event will be at the Toronto Zionist Centre, and will include various speakers, as well as a screening of Fitna.

I think it is great that the JDL is taking up this cause and sponsoring the event. I have noticed a trend though, that the Muslim issue is being taken up primarily as an anti-Semite one by important voices.

Ezra Levant, who has been fighting the Human Rights Commissions for publishing the Mohammed Cartoons, seems to have directed his attention to the anti-Semitic nature of Islam and Muslims. This is of course important and a reality, but not the only one.

Perhaps that is why Levant wasn't able to go a much further with his fight. He started off with denouncing Muslims for curtailing free speech and freedom of expression, but that became insufficient to address all the issues around Muslims and Islam. So I think he's redirecting his focus on the anti-Semitic nature of Islam.

The fight against the Muslims isn't simply one of removing their anti-Semitic actions, nor is it simply an issue of liberties. Culture, religion, society, land, tradition, communities, families, are all affected by this. If Levant had this holistic view of the Muslim problem from the start, then he might have been in line as an effective leader against this threat to society.