Syed Soharwardy, (who originally filed, then dropped, a complaint against Ezra Levant over the republication of the Danish Mohammed cartoons) has issued statement on recent decisions by Canada’s human rights tribunals;
When I initiated my complaint against Mr. Levant, I saw human rights commissions as a non-violent means of resolving differences among Canadians. I was not aware of the controversies between the commissions and Canada’s faith communities. I am thinking specifically of my friend Fred Henry, the Roman Catholic bishop of Calgary. Upon learning about the difficulties he and other faith communities have encountered with the commissions, I withdrew my complaint against Mr. Levant.
One of the reasons I chose Canada as my adopted homeland is because of our country’s great respect for religious freedom. In Canada, I am free to be good Canadian and a good Muslim. There is no contradiction between the two.
In listening to the experiences of Bishop Henry and Pastor Boissoin, I realized how precious religious freedom is to our country and how easily freedom is lost.
Yes, I have often expressed concerns over Islamophobia. Some of the portrayals of Muslims in the media have been painful – so much so, that I worried when I set out across Canada on the multifaith walk against violence.
However, the reaction from ordinary Canadians could not have been more hospitable. Canadians of all races, colours, religions, and ages have welcomed me, a Muslim man with brown skin, into their homes, their neighbourhoods and their communities. They have walked with me, eaten with me and prayed with me. They have expressed strong concern for preserving our civil liberties – which includes freedom of speech and religion. They have also expressed a strong desire to end violence in Canada and around the world.
This experience has taught me that we can only end violence when we respect the freedom all Canadians.
There will always be pockets of Islamophobia in Canada, just like there are still pockets of anti-Semitism, racism and sexism. However, I have learned that the best way to dispel misconceptions between our various cultures and communities is for us to meet face to face and learn from each other similarities and difference.
This can only be accomplished in a society that respects freedom of expression, freedom of religion and all of our other democratic freedoms.
And good for him.
N
Either you don’t get it or you do not have the ability to get it. Muslim activists force polite Canadians into arenas such as the Human Rights Commissions star chambers where polite Canadians are guilty until proven innocent, and even when proven innocent the non-offending Canadians are admonished to change our wicked ways.
On the other hand Muslim activists demand to be seen to be innocent until proven guilty and even when proven guilty polite Canadians are instructed to try to better understand muslim activists because of their special circumstances. muslim activists rub their hands in glee when they see people like you have bought into their preferred double standard because, as Mr. Steyn correctly points out; they cannot lose if they get to decide how both sides play the game.
An example of taqqia. He should put his money where his mouth is.
as a follower of Jesus Christ, I don’t believe it’s my place to judge others apologies as being sincere or not, but to accept this humble offering without prejudice. His honesty or lack of it is his own problem and only time will tell whether he was sincere. I’m sorry for my “bigots” remark but that’s the immpression I had after reading through the comments here, I’ve known and worked with people of just about every religion and yr generalizing and stereotyping of people make me laugh but also sadden me.
What’s really funny is Bishop Henry and Soharwardy have much more in common with each other than with the average not overly religous Canadian(of any background), including making controversial political statements.
Here we go with “the IRA and the Catholics” again.
Very. slowly:
The fighting in Northern Ireland was a property/territory dispute, not a religious war. The Catholics happened to live in one place and the Protestants in another, just like there are black neighbourhoods and Chinese neighbourhoods etc in Toronto.
The IRA were not fighting to establish the belief in Transubstantiation or Papal infallability throughout Ireland. They wanted their land back and did stupid things to try to get it.
Here’s a review of Soharwardy’s smarmy attempt at an earlier PR ploy back in February from Ezra’s blog:
I’ve personally experienced three styles of Syed Soharwardy’s aggression since I published the Danish cartoons two years ago. First, Soharwardy tried to have the Calgary Police Service arrest me; when that didn’t work, he took me to the Alberta Human Rights Commission; when that didn’t get me to submit — in fact, when I fought back, and it backfired on him — Soharwardy went into P.R. mode.
He’s a snake in the grass. The only one’s buying into this are the lame MSM and anyone not up to speed on his bad behavior. I can see straight through this smarmy little weasel’s game, his new incarnation and tactic is that he now stands in solidarity with the two Christian clergy being persecuted by the HRC. Spare me the disgusting hypocrisy of from perpetrator to solidarity with other victims. He ought to be run out of Canada.
BTW, “hudna” has a very specific meaning in Arabic and Islamic thought, as does “tahdiya” (temporary cease-fire). If you’re interested in the distinction:
http://tinyurl.com/6qnz36
zeek, you just came in from the rainforest? You might have a different take on it all if you were the one stuck with a hundred thousand bill after the Oops!, Sorry!, water under the bridge! sudden enlightenment syndrome.
Zeek, “good Christians” Oh wait I meant” “pathetic bigots”.
That sounds a lot like “All muslims are terrorists”, in the inverted language of reality that the “Z”man has built for himself.
Hey, EWS, Elevate the debate. For freekin sakes, the man has gone from storming into a Calgary police station over a CBC discussion to writing a public statement that recognizes how things happen in this country. This whole debate is extremely serious and requires recognition of both sides by both sides: “lets go to dinner” is the most poignant statement of all!
Perhaps it is more strategy than epiphany, or maybe he’s truly had a minor epiphany that also happens to be a good strategy — who knows? — but Mr. Soharwardy’s statement, as it stands, is entirely commendable.
Rich
I agree that bigot comment was uncalled for and I said sorry for it, I hope you’ll accept that. Some of you say it’s about the money that it cost Ezra – what does that have to do with the rest of you, I’m against these HRC’s by the way in case you care. I’m not big on hate, reading other peoples minds or not accepting people’s apologies though.
He put his name to it. Since I believed his sincerity when I thought he was a nutter, I’ll extend him the same courtesy now. Time will tell if he means it, but on the face of it, good for him. I would not have ever expected even the words, and am happy that assumption was proven wrong.
I have to agree with Phantom. If the HRC’s can be used to shut down Christians, then it only stands to reason that it could apply to other religions as well(being an atheist, I find the whole thing to be quite pathetic).
I have a terrific idea. Any argument or debate relating to Jesus, Mo, the tooth fairy or Santa Claus should be held outside of any regulation, commission, bureaucrat or politico.
I don’t believe him. He has seen a backlash against his lunacy and it set his agenda back a bit. New tactics are in order.
If I am wrong, I will apologize. I wait wait a long time before I am convinced. Let’s see what he does to prove he is sincere.
Remember, it is okay to lie in the Islamic world. It’s part of the daily fare to get what you want.
So Zeek(or hay,haye),N,etal. You want to believe an apology from a guy whose RELIGION tells him to lie to infidels? That’s us,BTW. So why don’t you turn the other cheek,Zeek? Kinda hard when the Muzzies are cutting your head off! Anybody who believes this guy just proves beyond dah proof that PT Barnum was right.
Lets give credit where its due. Seems to me this guy was just a useful tool for the Islamists. He is one of the rare ones who woke up to that fact. That shows brains if not some objectivity. He’s not switching horses, but means he has seen the damage this has done to his community by this type of response. Remember he quite the file voluntarily before any major judgments came down. As well his eyes may have been opened to the fact people being forced to comply to your wishes is no where near as effective in good relations than talking , debating, or facing as a group similar social problems. By actually being with normal Canadians he found out there is no big hate club for Muslims over anyone else. That could change though if enough of this Islamic Sharia law is still trying to be rammed down our throats or the HRC’s step up the madness.
That is civilization in a nut shell . Puttying our disagreements aside for the betterment of all if not opportunity to achieve in a Nation. Rather than trying to sue compliance or turn too tribalism which will force the society into splinter groups.
I take Syed Soharwardy at his word unless he proves otherwise . This letter, almost apology, is pretty straight forward, I believe it to be sincere. More real than I have ever heard any politicians recant there deeds. I might add this probably will not go down well on the Islamist side , this person may be the brunt of a lot of future opprobrium.
As for victory: dream on. By dropping the case he avoided the inevitable repudiation. Levant wasn’t gonna lose this one, and if he did, he wasn’t gonna pay a fine. He’d go to jail first. And the HRC knew this too.
This is a tactical withdrawal in the face of a likely defeat. But he has effectively insinuated shari’a law into Canada. Recall, only one publication published the cartoons. What are the chances now of a frank and open debate about cultural jihad in Canada?
And get the paternalistic supremacist language, which I read as: “Oh Allah (PBUH), I have travelled this land and am happy to report that Canadians are very very very very very nice little dhimmis” some of whom have posted above giving the benefit of the doubt to his unctuous, sleazy bastard.
2 points folks:
1. You don’t have to believe, just accept for now. If,through further actions / statements, he shows that I (and a few others here) are the kind of rubes that made PT Barnum rich, then have-at-em some more. Until then, show a little willingness to listen.
2. Stop mixing collective HRC stupidity with the (current) statement of this individual. I’m of the ‘fire, them, all’ school too – I can’t wait for the results on the Ont transgender case. But he is in essence repudiating the HRC route which is a good thing right?
ET :
In some ways your correct. He is worried about the Freedom of HIS Religion. I think that it occurred to him that his own actions that where causing problems for pastors, Catholic fathers, Catholic Bishops, even Christian printers. The horizons judgment that will come back to haunt Ontario’s handy capped. One day the good ole HRC’s would tell them they had to hire other faiths or gays to Islamic institutions. If they went after the other religions, I figure its pretty sure bet your group protected at the moment, may become the focus of the Ghouls who now run these tribunals latter after more of there enemies have been done in. To stamp out all Religious expression. Than where would they be?
Just my opinion with tons of speculation thrown in for good measure.
Too shocked (and, uh, half cut) to say much more than that was astonishingly gracious of Kate and remarkably eloquent and frank of Syed. Yeah, there are motives to consider, but the fact remains I don’t see anyone in the Canadian media or blogsphere with that cat’s flow.
Whatever. The islamic beliefs are the same in all sects and all mosques….and only the call to action groups in each sect are slightly more extreme than the regular radical followers of islam…as extreme as the extreme christians..His position is just part of the cozy up bull…meanwhile building 55 new mega shopping mall mosques with minerets that tower over the cities and blast the call to prayer…Shake your hand while the other stabs you when you’re weak. There will always be pockets of critical thinkers who realize that islamophobia is a crap phrase orchastrated to keep the mouths of the already apatheitic canadians shut until it’s too late…
>”There will always be pockets of Islamophobia in Canada, just like there are still pockets of anti-Semitism, racism and sexism. However, I have learned that the best way to dispel misconceptions….”
~Syed Soharwardy
Islamophobia is a word that was coined by Islamofascists to shut down discussion about Islam by Infidels.
As long as Syed Soharwardy furthers this misconception, the very idea of Islamophobia, his so-called “apology” isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
Count me with those who are willing to accept his words at this time as sincere. Now if his behaviour and actions indicate the opposite, then everything changes. If he is sincere here then I hope he will begin to oppose Islamists openly, join and assist Muslims opposed to Sharia, defend those choosing to leave Islam for another faith or for none at all and demonstrate respect for non Muslims.
“Trust but verify”…..Ronald Reagan
So take him at his word but hold his actions to his words.
Any contradiction just makes him look like a bigger fool. It may well be a tactical retreat, it may well be to mitigate damages, it may be real or it might be because he was losing the battle within his own community vis a vis Tarek Fatah…who knows….trust but verify
Syed Soharwardy is sorry.
Zeek, “sorry” ???
Zeek , try to keep up man; wait until the CHRC abandons your “sorry” ass cuz “the heat is on”, THEN appolgize while trying to point out similarities between yourself and the “good Christians” you so effortlessly despise.
He’s phony as a 3 dollar bill. He knows full well that the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities still has their complaint in place. He’s just trying to take the heat off of himself.
Alain..are you serious?
You have a better chance of seeing him eat a hotdog than do the things you say..
I AM taking Soharwardy at this word. I’m not adding anything to his words and that’s why I don’t think it’s an apology or ‘epiphany’ but a different strategy to achieve Islamic ‘rights’ in Canada.
His focus is entirely on one premise: that there is’freedom of religion’ in Canada. That means he is saying that Islam, as a religion, is not to be subjected to any rules or expectations of behaviour that run counter to its ‘religious axioms’.
Remember his complaint against Ezra Levant; it was about his religion and its axioms that forbade imagery. So..everyone else is supposed to obey this religion even when they aren’t members.
So, if the Islamic religious axioms permit four wives, permit inequality of the sexes, permit violent and vicious jihad against infidels, permit etc etc..then, this all falls under ‘freedom of religion’.
And as such, this behaviour and belief cannot be discussed, critiqued, objected to. That, to Soharwardy, is termed ‘Islamophobia’. Not discussion; not debate.
Notice that he doesn’t say a word about Islam adapting to the modern industrial world.
Not a word about Islamic fascism and its terrible toll on the world. Not a word about the necessity for the Islamic people to confront Islamic fascism. Nothing. It’s as if Islamic fascism doesn’t exist..and if you say it exists then you are ‘Islamophobic’.
All he talks about is – freedom of religion. I find that disturbing, because his original complaint against Ezra Levant wasn’t against any religion. It was about …the freedom of the Islamic religion, which dictates that no images may be made of Mohammed. And it was about the insistence that you cannot criticize Muslims and their behaviour of jihad.
So, I don’t see this as an apology but as a strategy affirming the Rights of Islam to do whatever it wants, because of ‘freedom of religion’.
He is lying.
I took note of his statement ” I am free to be good Canadian and a good Muslim”
If encouraging extremists to kill military age Isrealis is “being a good Muslim”, then he can go F**k his headscarf!
Seems to me this guy was just a useful tool for the Islamists. He is one of the rare ones who woke up to that fact.
Since when does the moral judgement of history give “uselful tools” a pass? There is a whole B List of “useful tools” from Eichmann to Beria to Mao’s Red Brigades that were all mere disciples. Evil can’t advance without them. They are neither neutral or innocent.
This is a guy that wanted to overturn a basic human right in Canada. He wasn’t naive, he wasn’t a tool, he was a willing participant. Aside from, and he has a history of this, his slickly crafted PR mea culpa, there is absolutlely no evidence that he has seen the light. My God, read this man’s own words, they are captured on public record, he totally unbelievable.
zeek: “His honesty or lack of it is his own problem…”
Well, not really: Canada, WE have a problem.
I’m with all of the posters who don’t fully trust Mr. Soharwardy’s statement and, like forlife, would like to know where this statement is being posted. Who’s going to see it?
What we need to be is wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove. I’m willing to give Syed Soharwardy the benefit of the doubt, for now, but I’m watching very carefully what his next move is, what his next words are. (And I would like to see him cover Ezra Levant’s costs given his HRC complaint against Mr. Levant. THAT would be putting his money where his mouth is. THAT would demonstrate true contrition on the part of Mr. Soharwardy.)
Has he only, recently, become aware of Bishop Henry’s and the Rev. Boissoin’s plights because of complaints against them to the AHRC on the part of “offended” individuals? They’ve been having to defend themselves for years. WHERE has Mr. Soharwardy BEEN?
Well, I salute his acknowledgement of liberty. But do I still have a suspicion that he is afraid of his “religious freedoms” being assaulted, like that holy book which spews hate might be before the tribunals?
Anyway, enough knitpicking; good on you Mr.
I, too, distrust Soharwardy. Really mistrust him.
His words sound good–in a vacuum. Add the context of Ezra Levant’s vast legal fees and time expended on this case, and a whole lot of other things, which, unfortunately, most gullible and ignorant Canadians don’t know, and Soharwardy’s crocodile tears come across as just that.
I’d like to be wrong on this but I don’t think I am. We’ll see . . .
i first thot of, after reading Sohorsys realization, of that scene in the BluesBrothers when Belushi sees the light and backflips and the gospel-boogie BornAtLast starts.
But I think it’s probably a faux religiosity thing.
penny:
from Eichmann to Beria
I would hardly put this joker in the same class as those fiends. When I say useful Idiot I mean an Ideologue who can’t see anything else, even when there behavior passes over to the inhuman right straight for the deceitfully evil. Some of these tools are not killers just nuts or dumb. Some blinded. They don’t get a free pass but they should be encouraged to see the error of there ways. If he’s lying or not the truth will out soon enough.
I do think some people can change there views even if only for gain. As for these people that have suffered under the HRC’s its up to us to make sure they are compensated once these star chambers are erased. Better yet make the accusers the payers. Am I willing to bet the family jewels on this guy, No!! But sheesh why the hostility, no ones been murdered yet. Time will tell as it always does if this guy is on the up & up.
Meanwhile as I said in one post most of his reasons are speculation . By me & everyone else. Who really knows another’s soul but God?
I can see where the MSM will be picking up this story real soon… not! nice words though, now lets see the actions to back the words up.
Now he needs to pay Ezra’s legal bills.
Nice talk, future will tell if Soharwardy is telling the truth. It is well known that in certain religions, to lie is not really anything that a person should not do, if it serves their purpose.
Maybe there is more to the story than he let’s to be known.
For now, give Soharwardy the benefit of the doubt. It may be that he saw the light and is genuinely trying to mend his ways.
Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!
First he wanted Ezra arrested, not once but twice for insulting the Prophet, secondly Ezra was told the problem could go away for alot of money. Thirdly he got a public thunking for his Political Islamist’s ways, he retreated because of the public outrage.
Do I believe him, oh yea right gag me with a spoon pleaseeeeeeeeee. If anyone’s interested I have “Ocean Front Property” for sale in Portage La Prairie?
For the record I was neither defending nor attacking the man for his comments, but proposing that the only way to find out if he is sincere is to give him a chance to prove it.
Will he “walk the talk” or not? I know not at this point. But we shall never know without monitoring his actions and behaviour. By no means does it mean one is to let down one’s guard.
ET has a good point. It is about freedom of religon…so he will push that line.
Hey nothing stops him from having 4 wives, just the state should only recognize one for inheritance, tax and benefit purposes.
It truly warms the very cockles of my heart to see Syed Soharwardy get in touch with the rich ecumenical tradition of Wahabbist Islam.
I call BS on this as well.
To be so hard lined and then make a full swing of your life long beliefs and opinions? Just like that? But he’s still a ‘good muslim’.
What’s a bad muslim to him then?
Trouble is, I just can’t trust someone who can easily change their opinion on a dime, for so called good, bad or indifferent reasons. So suddenly and because he went on a walk and met Canadians, now he’s a changed man?
Something smells bad here IMHO. How long has he been living here? Never noticed that Canada is a very hospitable place beore? People are generally pretty nice and almost always so to others not from here, and he’s just seeing this now?
Right.
Hope for the best and that I’m proved wrong, but something tells me this is not the hallmark moment – like he’s selling.
Test
I’m thinking, like many here, that Mr. Soharwardy is very concerned that his OWN religious convictions/practices = his OWN religious freedoms might soon be coming under the gun.
The CIC’s taking Ezra Levant to the AHRC and Elmasry taking Maclean’s and Mark Steyn to the BCHRC–and neither Levant, Steyn, or Maclean’s taking it sitting down–HAS MADE CANADIANS AWARE OF WHAT MILITANT MUSLIMS ARE DOING, USING HRCS TO HARRASS AND PERSECUTE THE, UP TO NOW, FEW CANADIANS BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON THEIR AGENDA.
Mr. Soharwardy probably wasn’t worried before the Levant/Steyn/Maclean’s push-back, because most Canadians up to this point have been in the dark about what he, Elmasry, and others were doing. Now that the light is shining into this dark corner of attacks on Canadians’ rights to freedom of expression, Mr. Soharwardy is all of sudden very concerned.
IMHO, too little, too late.
Will the msm carry this apology? Doubtful,but then again ,if it can tarnish the conservative movement and promote ‘multiculturalism,tolerance,etc.,they just might…. How about CAIR-CAN or the Canadian Arab Federation? I just visited their websites and neither mention this dramatic turn-around by one of the most influential muzzies in Canada.Hmmmm,business as usual,or a little too early? Time will tell.
They wanted their land back and did stupid things to try to get it.Posted by: Kathy Shaidle at July 11, 2008 5:09 PM
Hmm. ‘Stupid things’. Awfully quaint phrase disconnected from fact. Unless one describes ‘La Mon restaurant bombing’ as a ‘stupid thing’.
Describing indiscriminate bombing campaigns against civilians as a ‘stupid thing’ is the only stupid thing I’ve read in the comments so far. That, and Zeke of course…
http://tinyurl.com/6s6kz4
Oops ,silly me,I should have went straight to the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada’s website to read about Sowahardy’s apology first. At his website there is an update on his ‘walk against violence’. They report that the walkers are about to tackle the ‘mountains’ of Northern Ontario,but no sign of the apology. Yeah,looks like Sowahardy was talking to the media but not his followers,business as usual. He will back down,but like the whack-a-mole at the Stampede,another will pop up.
What “mountains of Northern Ontario”???????? Making things up as they go, as per usual…
Want to trust this Muslim?