Date: October 8th, 2002 - 2 Shaaban, 1423 Volume: 5 Issue: 110
Islamic Congress to File CRTC Complaint on Canadian TV Stations That Carried Falwell's "Muhammad a Terrorist" Speech -- Hate-crime Lawsuit May Follow
Islamic Congress Calls on Canadian Council of Churches to Denounce American "Moral Majority" Evangelist
The Canadian Islamic Congress today issued a strong statement condemning ultra-conservative American evangelist, Rev. Jerry Falwell, for commenting on national television that Prophet Muhammad -- the prophet of Islam -- was a "terrorist."
In an October 6, 2002 interview on the widely aired CBS newsmagazine show, 60 Minutes, Falwell stated "I think Muhammad was a terrorist." The show is carried by numerous stations in Canada.
"Falwell's statement constitutes hate-speech against an identifiable religious minority group," responded CIC legal counsel, Faisal Joseph. "It is both slanderous and provocative and totally irresponsible for any religious leader, specially at this sensitive time. We are therefore filing a formal complaint with the CRTC against all Canadian TV channels who broadcast this interview, and are considering further legal action under Canada's hate crime laws."
In recent years, hate crime convictions have become more frequent in this country as public and legal awareness have increased. In 1998, Mark Harding of Toronto was convicted for "promoting hatred against an identifiable group contrary to s.319(2) of the Criminal Code." Prof. Jane McAuliffe of the University of Toronto, an expert witness called by the Crown, said "there is no legitimate support in the Qur'an or Islamic religious doctrine for the position that Islam advocates violence."
CIC national president Prof. Mohamed Elmasry was deeply shaken after watching last Sunday's edition of 60 Minutes. "Canadian TV channels should not be facilitating the spread of such blatant hate and bigotry in this country. It is not only illegal; it is immoral, and goes against our most cherished Canadian values."
"We are also calling on Canadian Christian leaders, especially the Canadian Council of Churches, to denounce Falwell's statements," Elmasry added. "We know that he does not speak for them."
Mrs. Wahida Valiante, CIC's national vice-president, added that "Falwell's statements negatively affect not only Canadian Muslims, but all people of faith in this country ... He does not speak in any way for us."
Controversial American right wing religious leader Jerry Falwell, once a popular televangelist, has been associated with extreme Christian conservatism throughout his public career. For several decades his name has been inseparably linked with the American fundamentalist movement and political lobby, The Moral Majority, whose beliefs include anti-immigration, ethnic assimilation, unilingual society and close relationships between government and state-supported conservative Christianity.
CONTACT
Faisal Joseph
(519) 672-4510 Ext. 6342
Dr. Mohamed Elmasry
(519) 888-4567 Ext. 3753 (O)
(519) 746-7928 (H)
np@canadianislamiccongress.com
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
(905) 881-8024
nvp@canadianislamiccongress.com
