The Canadian Islamic Congress, November 26, 2001
PRESS CONFERENCE: Anti-Islam in the Media Annual Report to be Released
WHEN: Thursday December 6, 2001
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
WHERE:
Toronto Colony Hotel
Room: St. David North (Third floor)
89 Chestnut Street, Toronto
(416) 977-0707
WHO:
Dr. Mohamed Elmasry
National president, CIC
and
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
National vice-president, CIC
WHAT:
The Canadian Islamic Congress will release its fourth annual
media-watch study of nine major Canadian newspapers, and for the second year
in a row, The National Post was ranked as worst by far in its persistent use
of anti-Islam terminology.
The study also shows a large overall increase in anti-Islam tone and usage following the tragic events of September 11. Compared to the pre-September 11 study period, for example, the National Post showed an increase of 22.1 times, while the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star showed 18.7 times and 10.1 times more occurrences, respectively.
CONTACT:
Prof. Mohamed Elmasry
(519) 888-4567 Ext 3753 (O)
(519) 746-7928 (H)
(519) 577-2267 (Cell)
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
(905) 881-8024
The Canadian Islamic Congress, December 6, 2001
Highlights:
The Canadian Islamic Congress today released its fourth annual media-watch study of nine major Canadian newspapers, and for the second year in a row, The National Post was ranked as worst by far in its persistent use of anti-Islam terminology.
The study also shows a large increase in anti-Islam terminology following the tragic events of September 11. Compared to the pre-September 11 study period, the National Post showed an increased occurrence of 22.1 times, while the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star showed an increase of 18.7 and 10.1 times, respectively.
"By excessively and persistently using anti-Islam language, the National Post is stirring up hatred against an identifiable group of Canadians," said CIC national president, Prof. Mohamed Elmasry. "And by refusing to join a Press Council, it sends the message that it chooses not to be publicly accountable for its policies."
Elmasry added that even though Islam is the faith of more than 650,000 Canadians, "The Post continues to deny the existence of any problem with its reporting style, editorial language, or procedures -- despite a two-year effort to communicate the concerns of this major Canadian community to its senior management."
CIC national vice-president, Mrs. Wahida Valiante, noted that other Canadian media experts, both academic journalists and working professionals in the field, agree with the CIC's recurring finding that anti-Islam in the media is a quality issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Most leading media organizations now do so, or are in the process of reviewing their policies. "It is high time now for The Post to act," she said.
The CIC's annual study offers a methodical and documented assessment of the use of anti-Islam terminology by the Canadian media, particularly print journalism, drawing public attention to the use and misuse of terms such as "Islamic-inspired terrorist attacks," "murderous Islamic militant," "Islamic terrorist," "Muslim militant," etc.
Prof. Karim Karim, of the Carleton University School of Journalism, said that the CIC's study "is very important in providing useful feedback" for newspapers. Prof. Karim's recent book, "Islamic Peril" -- about major media reporting on Muslims and Islam -- won the Canadian Communication Association's 2001 Robinson Prize for the best new work in the field of media studies.
Professors Frances Henry and Carol Tater of York University in Toronto have recommended to Canadian minority groups to do "more of the kind of monitoring process and evaluation techniques used by the Canadian Islamic Congress to monitor media coverage of the Muslim community in Canada and internationally."
The CIC's study covers news and views published by nine of Canada's top-circulation newspapers: the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Halifax Herald, La Presse, and Le Journal de Montreal.
"The National Post has become a benchmark of what a newspaper should not be," said Elmasry. "It is the only newspaper in this country (aside from two minor community papers) that does not belong to a recognized Press Council. In persisting with their isolationist attitude, Post management have abdicated their professional and societal responsibilities. We feel that newspaper readers have the right to file complaints that will be judged by an impartial panel consisting of media professionals and members of the public-at-large. But The Post does not uphold such a principle, and this is simply wrong."
The National Post scored 100 -- the maximum possible in the survey's ranking regarding the use of anti-Islam language and terminology -- and was the only paper in Canada to do so. The Montreal Gazette came in a very distant second with 69 points, while the Toronto Star scored the lowest at 41.
Following September 11, the National Post maintained its overwhelming lead over mainstream media in its use of anti-Islam terminology; incidents of negative and pejorative terminology went up by more than 22 times over the pre-September 11 study period.
Some examples of how National Post reporting is endangering the well-being of Canadian Muslims:
1. "Misplaced anxieties" -- Editorial, September 15,
2001.
"But it is hard to get worked up about the occasional slur
directed against North American Muslims... Indeed there is something offensive
about the tear-drenched press releases issued by North American Muslim organizations..."
2. "Muslim mushrooms, terrorist toadstools - Fifth columnist
ushers bin Laden within our perimeter" -- October 15, 2001, George Jonas.
"...We have to fear our neighbours down the street... a
degree of ethnic or religious profiling is unavoidable... Though few of our
neighbours are terrorists, some are sympathizers. They provide the culture in
which fifth columns grow..."
3. "Willing to assist" -- Editorial, October 15, 2001.
"As George Jonas argues convincingly on the facing page,
a small but substantial number of Canadian Muslims and Arabs are willing to
assist terrorist operations."
4. "A healthy dose of 'bigotry'" -- Editorial, October
18, 2001, By Jonathan Kay.
"... We should not pretend that an effective fight against
terrorism [in Canada] can be waged in a truly color-blind fashion. The fact
is, those who plot the annihilation of our civilization are of one religion
and, almost without exception, one race. Yet admitting this is a problem for
Mr. Chretien... Multiculturalism is a relativistic creed that assumes all immigrant
cultures are equally tolerant, civilized and enlightened once you scratch the
surface..."
5. "U.S. wants to fight its war in peace" -- October
24, 2001, By George Jonas.
"... From the beginning, Western attempts to draw a distinction
between Islamist terrorists and Islam resulted in a lopsided effort... We rarely
heard Muslims in the West pledging loyalty to the countries in which they lived..."
6. "Not terrorism, but not lawful either" -- October
29, 2001, By Andrew Coyne.
"... the massive backlash against innocent Muslims that
failed to materialize..."
7. "Acts of faith" -- Editorial, October 31, 2001.
"... Muslims decided that religion overrode ties of citizenship...
so many Muslims use religion to define friend and foe."
8. "Mark Steyn lambastes the mindless rush to praise Islam"
Top
Headlines, p. A1, November 26, 2001.
9. "Few security rules: First, define 'terrorism'"
-- November 27, 2001, George Jonas.
"... the threat of militant Islam, where fifth columns of
theofascist storm troopers have infiltrated Western democracies..."
10. "Let Islam Speak for Islam" -- November 28, 2001,
Raymond de Souza
"It is a tragic fact that... the only systematic persecution
of Christians today is from fellow believers in the God of Abraham, namely Muslims."
A more detailed review of the Anti-Islam in the Media research report will be available at the press conference and later on the CIC's web page www.cicnow.com
CONTACT
Prof. Mohamed Elmasry
(519) 888-4567 Ext 3753 (O)
(519) 746-7928 (H)
(519) 577-2267 (Cell)
Mrs. Wahida Valiante
(905) 881-8024
[A press-conference statement made with the release of "Anti-Islam in the Media" on December 6, 2001]
The distorted perception that Islam condones and encourages violence is largely created by the media and it leads to societal anxiety among Canadians. This is called "image distortion disorder."
Image distortion disorder is particularly dangerous in Canada, with its substantial multi-ethnic, multi-faith, and multi-cultural populations.
Among most Canadians who have not knowingly ever met a Muslim in person, there is high likelihood that their perception of Muslim Canadians will be distorted. Canadian media -- particularly the National Post in recent years -- are creating a social crisis based on the religion of one identifiable group. This national crisis manifests itself in loss of identity and self-esteem, feelings of inferiority, and even suicidal tendencies, especially among teenagers.
And image distortion disorder inevitably leads to discrimination, hate-mongering, acts of vandalism, and false accusation by authorities. Young Muslim Canadians of dark complexion, especially women with hijabs (traditional head coverings), or males with full beards, are particularly vulnerable to anxiety, fear and discrimination because of society's perception that their religion is violent, backward, restrictive, fundamentalist, and intolerant of opposing or alternative viewpoints.
Worse still is the portrayal of Muslim Canadians as potential terrorists, posing such a serious "danger" to the country, that CSIS, the RCMP and local police should target them, revoke their citizenship if they are citizens, or ship them back "home" if they are not.
But the reality is that Islam is not everything the media depicts. There appears to be no balance of coverage regarding news or views related to Islam and Muslims, and very little that shows Muslims in a positive light.
Anti-Islam in the media has a devastating effect on every Canadian who cares about the well-being of this country and it insidiously undermines every effort to sustain our social and civil peace.
Treating the media's entrenched anti-Islam "disease" will not be easy, especially when publications like the National Post refuse to recognize that a problem even exists. And Muslim Canadians are not likely to own media outlets large or influential enough to counteract the toxic effect that media distortion and bias have had upon non-Muslims' understanding of their religion.
Those of us concerned about social harmony in this country must therefore react to all distortion and bias in the media by raising our voices in protest.
Image distortion disorder is real in the Canadian media. It creeps subtly into our consciousness. Only if all of us point out and acknowledge its existence, do we begin to effectively deal with it and isolate those who live in denial, insisting that it does not exist.
The Canadian Islamic Congress
Tel (519) 746-1242, Fax (519) 746-2929, Email cic@cicnow.com
Anti-Islam in the Canadian media instigates hate against a minority group. Hate jeopardizes the mental and physical well-being of individuals, especially the most vulnerable: our children. Hate-mongering is against Canadian values and Canadian law.
The Canadian Islamic Congress is striving to minimize anti-Islam in the media before any more of our children suffer needlessly.
This is the fourth annual study of anti-Islam in the Canadian media, conducted by the Canadian Islamic Congress. Its purpose is to evaluate coverage and to articulate CIC’s view by citing examples of the offending material. This study is not an opinion poll, but rather a reflection of what the Muslim community and CIC consider a serious problem affecting virtually every household of Muslim Canadians.
Through this study, the CIC hopes to increase the awareness of
media professionals of the problem.
