A lineup of “hateful speakers” is scheduled to speak in Mississauga (near Toronto) on Thanksgiving weekend. The speakers, who are all prominent within Muslim communities in Canada and the U.S., have “engaged in homophobic, misogynistic or antisemitic rhetoric,” according to B’nai Brith Canada. They are being brought in to speak by the Islamic Circle of North America. The speakers include Linda Sarsour, Nazir Ahmed, Ustadh Abdelrahman Murphy, Boonaa Mohammed, and the imam Siraj Wahhaj.
Meanwhile, Canada has been at the forefront of “taking action” against “Islamophobia.” Motion M-103 accuses Canadians of fostering “a climate of fear” against Muslims, which must be “quelled.” For more information about the highly questionable influences behind M-103, click here.
The goal of the “Carry the Light” convention, from Oct. 6 through Oct. 7, 2018, is to “inspire Muslims to implement the true spirit of Islam in their lives” and provide a “platform to share the basis for moral, social and economic development of Canada with Canadian society at large.”
According to Discover the Networks:
The Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) was founded in September 1968 as the American affiliate of Jamaat-e-Islami, South Asia’s largest Islamist group. Jamaat’s militant wing, Hizbul Mujahideen — aka Hizb-ul Mujahideen — owned the Pakistani compound where Osama bin Laden was living at the time of his death.
ICNA’s activities now include “training camps, study circles, speakers’ forums, night vigils, seminars, and retreats,” and it has “established a reputation for bringing anti-American radicals to speak at its national conferences.”
B’nai Brith Canada has started a petition calling for these speakers to be dropped. It is unlikely that ICNA will pay any attention to this.
“SIGN OUR PETITION: Demand Islamic Group Remove Hateful Speakers from Toronto Conference,” B’nai Brith Canada, September 26, 2018:
TORONTO – A bevy of figures who have engaged in homophobic, misogynistic or antisemitic rhetoric are scheduled to speak next week in Mississauga, Ont., at a convention run by the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Canada.
To demand that the ICNA remove these speakers and replace them with individuals who do not promote homophobia, antisemitism or xenophobia, please sign our petition by clicking here.
The goal of the “Carry the Light” convention, from Oct. 6 through Oct. 7, 2018, is to “inspire Muslims to implement the true spirit of Islam in their lives” and provide a “platform to share the basis for moral, social and economic development of Canada with Canadian society at large,” according to the ICNA.
However, judging by the roster of participating speakers, the event seems more likely to foment anti-Israel hatred and promote antisemitic and homophobic conspiracy theories within Toronto’s Muslim community.
“While B’nai Brith is concerned with the attendance of anti-Israel activist and Louis Farrakhan supporter Linda Sarsour, there is a slew of other speakers who have promulgated antisemitic perspectives and conspiracy theories and even demonstrated sympathy for those convicted of terrorism,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada.
“This gathering is allegedly to promote peace, interfaith dialogue and respect. Instead, because of the damaging antisemitic remarks of some of its speakers, it will only further sew the lines of division between Canada’s Jewish and Muslim communities,” he said. “The ICNA must remove these speakers immediately and replace them with community leaders who actually inspire peace and tolerance.”
Last Thursday, B’nai Brith objected in a letter to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) about the entry into Canada of some of the scheduled speakers, notably Imam Sirah [sic] Wahhaj. In an email, B’nai Brith also strongly urged the ICNA to delete the reprehensible figures it chose to highlight this year…..