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Challenging Racism and Violence in the Media Through Education |
| Action Alert 06DEC02: Protest Ottawa Citizen racist ad |
| (Canadian Arab Federation (CAF) - 06 December 2002) |
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B'nai
Brith took out a full-page ad in the Ottawa Citizen on Nov 29,
2002, which depicted a man with a beard carrying arms and a
Canadian passport. He is wearing a Maple Leaf T-shirt,
and there are Islamic symbols (Mosques and Minarets) in the background.
The ad is part of B'nai Brith's campaign to pressure the Canadian
government into adding the Lebanese Hezbollah party to its list of
terrorist organizations. The
Canadian Arab Federation finds the depiction in the ad racist and
hate mongering. The image clearly associates Islam with
terrorism, thereby promoting hatred against Canadian Arabs and
Muslims. As a self-styled
human rights organization, B'nai Brith ought to know better than to use
racist tactics for the sake of political expediency.
In
the charged atmosphere following the events of September 11, responsible
Canadian organizations should be promoting tolerance and understanding.
Arab and Muslim Canadians have suffered enough at the hands of
negative stereotypes and associations with violence. CAF calls
on its members and friends to protest the hateful ad and racist
propaganda as follows:
There is no
room for hate in a multicultural society. All Canadians must stand
up to discrimination against Arabs and Muslims |
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