Tarek Fatah is a paradoxical figure; indeed, he personifies the paradoxes of most moderate Muslims. He speaks out strongly against Muslim Brotherhood organizations and Sharia encroachment in the West, but is extraordinarily concerned at the same to absolve Islam of all responsibility for the crimes done in its name and in accord with its teachings. Around ten years ago I spent a day with him and others in New York, where among other meetings, we met with Roger Ailes and other Fox News officials. Fatah was an amiable fellow, but I began to grow disenchanted when he replied exasperatedly to Nonie Darwish’s pointing out that the Qur’an was full of violent passages with the now-common dodge that the Bible contains violent passages as well — as if the world were as full of Christians screaming “Jesus is Lord” and opening fire on crowds of non-Christians as it is of Muslims screaming “Allahu akbar” as they take out Infidels.
By the end of that long and eventful day, I was extremely skeptical of Fatah’s sincerity. He has done nothing since then to alleviate my suspicions; quite the contrary. He attacked the courageous ex-Muslim truth-teller Wafa Sultan, in much the same terms that Leftists and Islamic supremacists use to smear and destroy those whom they fear and hate. He also engaged in sly apologetics to exonerate Islamic texts and teachings of any responsibility for jihad terror, rather than calling for and working for genuine reform — see Hugh Fitzgerald’s magnificent three-part takedown of Fatah here, here, and here. (The Sun News shows about which Hugh was commenting are gone from the Internet, but his articles stand on their own.) Fatah soon thereafter began to denounce me as a “racist” and “bigot,” which I expect coming from Leftist Alinskyites and Islamic jihad enablers, but was sheer opportunism and jockeying for market share coming from Fatah. (Despite that, he showed up at a reception for me given before a speech I gave in Toronto a few years ago, pretending that we were friends and allies. I reminded him of his earlier statements and asked him why he had come; he deflected the question, but I suspect it was because essentially everyone involved in resisting jihad in Canada was there, and he couldn’t bear not to be and lose out on a chance to appear to be an important player.)
In any case, even though I think Tarek Fatah is simply a self-promoter and a dishonest opportunist, clearly he is right here in believing that Ryerson University canceled his appearance “because of pressure from various groups who would protest his speech, such as AntiFa Toronto or the school’s Muslim Students’ Association.” Universities today in both the U.S. and Canada are radioactive centers of hard-Left and pro-jihad indoctrination. Dissenting voices are not allowed, or if they slip through somehow, are shouted down by self-righteous campus fascists.
“Was Ryerson University pressured into cancelling Fatah speech?,” by Liz Braun, Toronto Sun, August 3, 2017 (thanks to Val):
Curiouser and curiouser: That seems to be the state of affairs on some Canadian campuses over issues of free speech.
Executives with the Canada-India Foundation were dismayed to have had an event cancelled by Ryerson University this week, with no explanation given.
The CIF Speaker Series had booked space at Ryerson to hear a speech from Tarek Fatah, the author and columnist controversial for his statements against Islamist extremism. Fatah, who writes for the Toronto Sun, is an award-winning author and activist who founded the Muslim Canadian Congress after the events of 9/11 — both to fight Islamism and to alleviate Islamophobia. He is the host of the Zee News TV talk show Fatah Ka Fatwa’ and is a sought-after speaker in Canada and India.
He is a champion of free speech. He is also a frequent recipient of death threats.
On Aug. 10 his talk, which will be held at a location to be announced, will address “Ghazwa-e-Hind vs. the Ethos of Hindustan.”
Fatah speculates that Ryerson cancelled the CIF event because of pressure from various groups who would protest his speech, such as AntiFa Toronto or the school’s Muslim Students’ Association.
Ryerson’s cancellation was last-minute; a permit to use Ryerson University Campus Premises and Facilities was revoked with no explanation.
When Vipul Jani, executive director of the CIF, asked why the permit was cancelled, he received a response from Voula Cocolakis, executive director of Ryerson University’s Business Services, as follows:
“We certainly understand your frustration, but as per our Rules and Regulations for Permit to Use Ryerson University Campus Premises and Facilities, Ryerson may revoke or cancel the Permit at any time with or without cause.”…
Freedom of speech issues are taking a drubbing on many North American campuses, with scheduled speakers getting cancelled more frequently, often due to threats of violence from groups who present themselves as occupying the high moral ground.