Librarians Against Learning

 This year's Ramadan season has concluded, so we can all settle down to the relaxation of a medium threat environment. For all those Muslims not contemplating global domination and the humiliation of the dhimmi, we genuinely hope Eid al-Fitr was indeed a joyous day spent with family and friends.

However, for all those who like to complain about "Islamophobia", the folks at www.thereligionofpeace.com have been keeping careful statistics. This year's Ramadan saw 182 attacks undertaken in the name of Islam, resulting in 854 deaths and 1,007 injuries. During all that time, across the entire planet, one Hindu killed one Muslim and there were no lethal instances of Islamophobia.

In this decade alone (so far), during the annual month of Ramadan, Islamic attacks have killed 13,358 people in 25 nations. Ramadan deaths that can be attributed to Islamophobia come to 10. With a ratio of 1335.8 to 1, "Islamophobia" swims into clear perspective.

Unfortunately, perspective was lacking at the Ottawa Public Library last November when Madeline Weld of Canadian Citizens for Charter Rights and Freedoms attempted to host a viewing of the Danish documentary 'Killing Europe'. Alas, the viewing was suspended after several of the usual subjects clamoured their opposition to the event.

Ah, how well we know those usual suspects: Islamists determined to prevent any resistance to our own destruction; sundry 'activists' determined to engage in virtue signalling; and even Richard Warman - Canada's own self-appointed "Hate-finder General." One should think that somebody on the staff of the Ottawa Public Library was at least familiar with George Orwell or the story of Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General. Alas, when those in charge of books do not read them . . .

It seems that the Ottawa Public Library must be sternly reminded of the true nature of its duty - Madeline Weld has filed this week for a Judicial Review of the OPL's decision. One hopes justice is done and the responsible decision-maker is paddled accordingly. Libraries are supposed to be bastions of inquiry, education and freedom of speech, not enforcers of some ideologue's notion of orthopraxy.

A legal argument might also be just the venue to pin down the vagaries in Ottawa's pronouncements about 'Hate' and 'Islamophobia'. If we don't, next they'll be using concerns about Phlogiston as the basis for tough new environmental laws. Totalitarian regimes have a long-history of using ill-defined terms for letting quasi-legal techniques to advance agendas. Ms. Weld's complaint may be more important than just about trying to show a movie to a public audience in a library.

At least, the new Premier of Ontario is more aware of some stern realities. Toronto and Queen's Park allowed the Iranian-founded Hate-Fest 'Al Quds Day' to be mounted again on June 9th. For those who thought that the days of Brown-shirted Sturmabteilung goose-stepping through the streets were long passed, it seems that major rallies calling for 'Death to the Jews' are permissible once more; if you do so while waving the Hezbollah Flag.

Doug Ford, has pledged that next year's Al Quds Day will not be using Queen's Park, one hopes the next mayor of Toronto follows this example.

For those who are unaware of al-Quds Day, this is an annual event that began with the Mullahs of Iran to get some street-cred in the Arab World by frothing about Israel and the US. In Tehran, it's a good day for the kids; take them out to watch the latest missiles roll by and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) literally goose-stepping down the street. One can top it off with some blood-curdling speeches from the clergy. This is a hate-filled event that somehow seems to have escaped Ottawa's attention.

This year, we can genuinely applaud the tens of thousands of Iranians who marked their regime's hate-fest this year by texting messages of support and respect to Israel. This is a salutary courage and generosity of spirit.

Speaking of courage and generosity of spirit and the absence thereof in British officialdom, Tommy Robinson is still in jail. Worse, he has been deliberately transferred to a prison that contains a majority of Islamist convicts. All who wish to strike another blow for Freedom of Speech, e-mail the British High Commission in Ottawa at ukincanada@fco.gov.uk or telephone directly at 613-237-1530. Letters in these days of convenience in communications carry even more weight and may be addressed to the British High Commission, 80 Elgin Street, Ottawa, K1P 5K7.