Dear Prime Minister Harper,
I am writing to you in the hopes of dispelling certain preconceptions being raised by one of your subordinates. I can say, without fear of being contradicted, that both you and I are patriots. We both believe in Canadian values and Canadian ideals. Although we part company when it comes to the current war between Lebanon and Israel, I concede to you that friends may have differences of opinion in times of great turmoil. I had always intended to judge your worthiness of my vote on the basis of your domestic policies. Unfortunately, the actions of Mr. Garth Turner have given me cause to re-consider.
Mr. Turner, who I am sure you know very well, has his own Internet website. On this site, visitors are invited to contribute their comments on various comments he makes. Mr. Turner moderates these discussions, as is his right. However, judging from the comments he retains as “good discussion” and those he discards as “hateful”, I have sensed a grim pattern. Mr. Turner’s board is filled with hateful comments that refer to Arab-Canadians as (for example) being from a “culture of death”, while most contrary comments are quickly deleted. I conclude now that this is probably the private opinion of this member of your party, a member in good standing, serving all Canadians in the House of Commons.
Mr. Harper, am I being hasty in assuming that Mr. Turner’s opinions are shared with his fellows within the Conservative Party? I myself am not of Arab origin, but I have many friends who are. I have also met many Arab immigrants and consider many of them as dear to me as my brother. I can only assure you that death is not their prime focus in life. As a Muslim-Canadian myself, my focus has always been the moral and spiritual betterment of myself, and assisting Canadian society in any way I could. I do not believe that death resolves problems, nor do I believe in the strange conspiracy-like ramblings which Mr. Turner has seen fit to leave unchallenged on his website. I believe that the multicultural fabric of this country will make us stronger than the monoculture that exists across much of the rest of the world. By definition, that means I embrace the variety of peaceful religious practitioners who live within Canada. However, this also means that all Canadians must embrace each other, and leave our old hatreds behind us.
I appreciate that members of your party may not have had many interactions with Arab-Canadians. To this end, may I, Sir, be permitted to invite you or a member of your party for a home-cooked dinner? I would be happy to invite some Arab friends of mine as well, and we could discuss the issues in a frank and honest way – a way to bring Canadians closer together, rather than alienate them as Mr. Turner seems to be doing.
Yours in the spirit of Canadian brotherhood,
Jawaad Bin Mahmood
http://www.findmycountry.ca