| Calgary Muslim organizations say they are concerned by a blog on the Western Standard magazine’s website that has multiple anti-Muslim postings.
Western Standard operates the Shotgun Blog on its website, www.westernstandard.ca. Western Standard publisher Ezra Levant says the blog is largely uncensored and unregulated because he believes in freedom of speech.
"That’s the difference between Saudi values and Canadian values. One of the definitions of a liberal is someone who allows all points of view to be debated and discussed equally and that’s what we do on Shotgun," he says.
"Sometimes people are rude and bigoted and sometimes people are anti-Muslim and anti-semitic and that entire spectrum is allowed on our website because unlike in Fast Forward I believe that in the marketplace of ideas the good ideas will beat out the bad ideas."
There is a string of reader comments posted on the Western Standard blog that would raise the eyebrows of many Canadians. All of the following blog comments are as they appear on the website.
In an August 25 comment, Honey Pot writes, "Anyone that practises Islam could be considered a terrorist. The Koran is just a big old hate literature manual for terrorists. A muslim is taught from birth, through their religion to be sneaky cowards."
The poster than goes on to state "Islam is a death cult and truly evil."
In an August 24 posting, reader Duke writes, "We are dealing with aliens from another planet and we aren’t able to get along as equals. The only answer is to kill them (Muslims) off until there aren’t enough left to mount much of a challenge to the civilized world."
In an August 20 posting Duke takes issue with a woman who recently wrapped herself in a Hezbollah (Lebanese militant group) flag at an anti-war demonstration.
"I really think that people who show themselves to be terrorist sympathizers such as this fool, should be beaten to death by outraged citizens."
He wrote on the same day, "I don’t want to see women wearing big black sacks in my country and I don’t want to see hordes of unemployed bearded angry men wandering around the streets of our major cities…. Assimilate or go back to the scum hole you fled from."
In an August 21 comment, reader Big Makk writes, "In case nobody noticed, the female wearing the hezbollocks flag was also wearing a rag on her head. This is good, because they are easier to pick out from a crowd with your scope. Every time one of these ragheads passes me on the street I give em a glare that makes their falafels freeze."
Imam Alaa Elsayed, spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Calgary, says the Western Standard is being irresponsible.
"It is a concern that this Canadian publication actually posts such trash on their website. I don’t understand how the owner would actually associate himself with such and say it’s freedom of speech…. I believe he’s guilty by association because he’s actually responsible for what’s taking place on his website."
Elsayed says publishing such blog comments only inflames existing racial tensions.
"It does not help the unity of the community…. It just raises the slandering and animosity between groups," he says.
Muzaffar Sultan, director of communications with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Calgary, says, "Everybody has freedom of speech but you shouldn’t go beyond a limit and cross the boundary of decency."
"We believe that being a Canadian and part of a civilized society we should try to be decent and respect all the religions."
When asked to respond to some of the comments on the blog, Levant says, "We allow rude things on the blog. I wouldn’t write that. It’s not my view. It doesn’t represent the magazine. We have made a decision to allow an unrestrained discussion. Our policy is ‘let it ride.’ If there’s something extraordinarily vulgar, completely unredeemable, we’ll take it off."
Levant says the website also often features anti-semitic reader comment and has even printed comments from a known neo-nazi.
"I am unapologetic about allowing a free press to exist in the country where free press is an ancient right. Do you expect me to apologize because somebody from Saudi Arabia is offended?"
Levant then offered some advice to Muslims opposed to the site.
"Tell your Muslim friends to get off their ass, go to their keyboard and start posting. They’re in Canada now. They can’t complain to the (government) to go slit my throat and shut me up."
Christopher Waddell, a journalism professor at Carleton University and a regular media critic, says media outlets have the right to publish or air anything as long as it doesn’t violate Canada’s libel, slander or hate laws.
"There are comments people might make that may disgust people, make people angry, make them upset, but if you believe in freedom of expression you have to let those things take place with the caveat that if something moves from being unpleasant to hateful you can lay charges under the criminal code. Obviously people have the right to do that," he says, adding he isn’t a legal expert and couldn’t comment on whether some of the postings on the blog would violate the criminal code. |
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