MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Luke 2:14 from the American Standard Version Bible:

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased

King James says this:

Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, good will toward men

Yes, we need to play our part to receive God's pleasure and gift.

Keeping Up With Muslim Wedding Traditions

Here is more evidence that Muslims have no intention of really integrating into Western culture.

The recent wedding of a young Muslim South Asian newscaster from New Jersey was depicted as "a fusion" of cultures. In reality, there is not much "fusion about it.

I know this isn't an Ontario story, but the New Jersey story was the one I could find with the most detail about young married, or soon-to-be married Muslim couples.

Still, regarding Ontario, the writer and creator of Little Mosque on the Prairie, Zarqa Nawaz, has talked about her husband and family life. She recounts her husband "supporting" her career as a filmmaker by relocating from Saskatchewan to Toronto, as though he made special sacrifices. But, her husband is a doctor, and unlikely not to find work anywhere, given the shortages. So, moving to Toronto from Saskatchewan to follow his new filmmaker wife's career wasn't such a risky move. In the end, as it happens, they had to return to Saskatchewan because...it didn't suit the husband's career plans. Doctors from out of Ontario have to wait three years before gaining residency. So much for the "feminist" woman full of career moves with the supportive modern Muslim husband. Of course, her TV series is also a heavily subsidized CBC affair, where her real entrepreneurship and creativity is not important. I'm sure it is her "female and Muslim" attributes that gave her the show.

Back to New Jersey.

Syma and Aamer are American-born well-established Muslims. Syma is both Pakistani and Indian. Her now-husband Aamer is Indian. Syma has a semi-glamorous life as a fashion model and a newscaster at News 12, and Aamer is an attorney. They met through a chat line, and dated for a year before they became engaged. Such a long dating period is frowned upon, but this outgoing, rule-breaking couple did it anyway.

Other rules they broke?

- Syma wore an off-white wedding dress (actually it looks more like a sari to me) instead of the traditional red one.
- Syma decided to have the henna-painting ceremony - the mehndi - before the wedding ceremony - the nikah. (Unfortunately, we are having to learn new vocabulary as well)
- There were bridesmaids whose saris matched the wedding sari and other decor
- Although the couple had a traditional nikah (yes that would be wedding) ceremony, they gave each other rings, as per Western traditions
- The bride and groom also followed other Western wedding traditions such walking down the "aisle", cutting of the cake, throwing of the bouquet (but not the garter!) and having the first dance as a married couple (couples apparently don't dance in Muslim wedding ceremonies).

But, more detail shows this is just really fluff.

They got married under strict Muslim tenets, reciting words from the Koran. And Syma's mother had the last say in almost all the big decisions, including having the wedding venue in a formal, large hall with hundreds of guests unlike the few dozen Syma was planning. Large communities are ways in which such groups keep their bonds strong. One small detail, which sounds quaint: the wedding cake had a mosque dome, a crescent and a star as the cake topper.

When push comes to shove, the "fusion" parts of Muslim weddings, and married couples, is in the artificial and unimportant ones - well, some might relinquish a little more. But, the essentials of the weddings are all there, and no real tradition is broken.

Even the Western rites are submerged and integrated into the Muslim/non-Western ones, and not the other way round.

Eid at the Ex

Part of a poster for the Eid festivals at the CNE, showing the
Queen Elizabeth Building designated for prayers

[Click here to see a bigger and complete version of the poster.]

December 8th was the big Eid Al-Adha festivities.

This time, instead of the Rogers Center, Muslims used another well-known Toronto landmark to hold their celebrations: the Canadian National Exhibition (the CNE). This isn't the first time that these celebrations took place in the CNE, but the organizers promised that it would be bigger and better this time, expecting up to 15,000 people from around the Toronto area.

The CNE becomes a giant fairground for two weeks in August as it hails in Labor Day and the end of summer. This event is simply known as "The Ex". The theme song "Let's go to the Ex" is sweet music to thousands of young children, who have been celebrating the end of summer with carnival rides, hot dogs and cotton candy for decades.

The grounds started off as an agricultural fair, which later branched off into the August fair ground. The rest of the year, the many buildings are used for smaller trade shows, exhibitions and athletic demonstrations.

Other multicultural events also take place there, like the Chinese New Year.

But the Muslim Eid celebrations are the biggest yet. They also made extensive use of the Ex's facilities, including rides for children, and the Queen Elizabeth Building for prayers.

Various Toronto institutions set up a food drive, co-sponsored by the CBC and Little Mosque on the Prairie's. The show's caste (many of whom are non-Muslim) also attended to meet their "fans" and to help with the food drive.

Toronto and Ontario officials, including John Tory, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party, and Ontario's Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Mike Colle were in attendance.

Here's how the Muslim Association of Canada describes the event:

MAC envisions Muslims as a community in Canada that is an essential, integral and vibrant part of this society yet maintaining its religious attributes and values. In aiming to integrate the Muslim identity into the Canadian social fabric, MAC has dedicated itself to events such the Eid Festivals. The Muslim community represents 10% of the GTA population and continues to grow each year. Given Eid is a very important celebration for Muslims, establishing a united gathering that represents such a multicultural community directly strengthens the Ontario heritage. This celebration is unique compared to most other events in the GTA; the events gather a diverse attendance that directly reflects the cultural mosaic of Ontario.

A nice contradiction, on the one hand advocating the multicultural nature of the Canadian society, on the other hand maintaining a Muslim exclusivity. But, this is common. Muslims will use the multicultural fabric to establish themselves, their families and their religion while excluding everyone else.

No Religion=Islam Convert

I was doing some research on Islam the other day, and needed to consult some books. I went to the Ryerson University Library, which is right in the middle of finals, so a little crowded.

Still, I went past the lady stacking books, and got to the section I needed only to find someone taking up the whole area. I waited a while, and then decided to ask the person if I could just get to the books I wanted. I realized then that she was an Indian-looking girl, holding a book simply titled "Islam", and since I felt I had already done the introductions, I asked her if she was doing a term paper on this.

No, she said, she is learning about Islam for herself.

Why, I persisted.

Because she has to teach it to her boyfriend who wants to convert.

What religion is her boyfriend, I wanted to know.

No religion, she said. Then, that he was actually a Hindu, but doesn't practice. And now wants to convert to Islam.

Oh, he's Indian, I said. But he was actually from Trinidad (large Indian population there), and her family comes from Pakistan. I wanted to ask her more, especially why her family wasn't helping her with the instructions, but time was pressing.

From no religion, to Islam. That is quite a step. Unfortunately, it isn't the first time I've heard this. I know of two weddings that have taken place recently between Muslims and supposed Christians.

Those Brampton 18 must be some role models. Promising more fun and adventure (and risk and danger) than a "no religion" can possibly provide.

Full Niqab in Full Daylight

This is what I saw crossing the street while stopping at a red light in downtown Toronto. Well, the one I saw was all in black, which was even more frightening.

It was shocking. A small, squat woman, dressed from head-to-toe in this garb. I have never seen anyone come out dressed in full niqab, as it is called, in full daylight in the city.

It shows a tremendous amount of confidence for her to walk out like this, probably the only one in the streets.

But not for long. If one dares to come out like this, there must be hundreds others getting ready to do so. Slowly, like the less intrusive hijab, this full-length dress is being introduced into our landscape.

More Books for the School Children

October as Islamic History Month was created by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2007. It is still at its nascent stage, and we didn't hear advertisements about it months in advance as we do about Black History Month. But, it will only be a matter of time.

But what is equally perturbing is that Muslims are adamant on reaching school children. Two women for the University of Calgary's Faculty of Education have developed Islamic history books for grades 1-6. This was launched in time for last year's Islamic History Month. More books are in the works, especially for the grade 7-12 group.

Here is an article praising Muslim "scientists" those precursors to microchips and space travel by Mohamed Elmasry president of the Canadian Islamic Congress:

In some way, we all come in daily contact with microchips, space travel, medicine, physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, music, literature, arts, architecture, and spirituality. But do any of us , including contemporary Muslims themselves, fully realize how directly all of these advances and disciplines have been built upon more than a millennium of achievements by Muslim scientists, scholars, engineers and artists? Probably not.

It is high time for Islamic civilization to be rediscovered and celebrated by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, especially in the West. And it is equally important that we ignore all those who, for political reasons, have a longtime vested interest in dismissing or suppressing Islamic civilization, to the point where it has become scarcely known and not even a footnote on most school and university curricula.

Well, the reason why it is "not even a footnote on most school and university curricula" is because there is nothing to report.

I'm sure Rahat Naqvi and Sally Goddard have rectified that in their text books. We already know that schools are not much interested in teaching the truth.

"Borrowing" Logos

Although I have blogged about the appropriation of the title and locale of the CBC Muslim show "Little Mosque on the Prairie", I only recently found out that they also "borrowed" the logo for the TV credits.

There is nothing else to link these two shows except the superficialities. But, it is a big boost from Muslims in Canada (and the US, where "Little House on the Prairie" originates) to give the impression that they are like any other Canadian. Take the name, the region and even the design style of the original show to fool ordinary Canadians into thinking that "Muslims are just like us."

Similar to the Roger's Center (where the last Eid celebrations took place) which is being touted as the center for multicultural celebrations, the clever producers of "Little Mosque on the Prairie" are saying that looking like a quintessential Canadian show (yes, Laura Ingalls is part of any young Canadian's reading material) is enough to detract people away from the real intentions of Muslims, which is not to look like Laura Ingalls and her family at all, but to be clear and uncontested Muslims.

The TV show is testament to that strategy. Nothing in the show resembles the prairies of the Ingalls family.

"Being A Muslim"

Haroon Siddiqui at a PEN Canada event.
He was past president of PEN.

In 2006, the Toronto Star journalist Haroon Siddiqui was already preparing the way for Canadian schools by writing his book "Being a Muslim. (Groundwork Guides)".

Getting the population young is the smartest way for ideologies to pass on their message. Why not try that for religions as well.

The premise of this book is clearly outlined in the first chapter of the book:

Contrary to the popular belief that the West is under siege from Muslim terrorists, it is Muslims who have become the biggest victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001, as inconceivable as that would have seemed in the aftermath of the murder of 2,900 Americans. Since then, between 34,000 and 100,000 Iraqis have been killed by the Americans or the insurgents. Nobody knows how many have been killed in Afghanistan. In the spots hit by terrorists – from London and Madrid to Amman, Istanbul, Riyadh and Jeddah, through Karachi to Bali and Jakarta – more Muslims have been killed and injured than non-Muslims.

The approximately 27 million Muslims living in Western nations have been targeted in other ways. They have been victims of racial profiling and frequent identity mix-ups at airports and border crossings, where they may be harassed and sometimes detained. Monitored by both the secret services and the media, they must be careful about what they say in emails, phone conversations and in public. They must think twice about keeping a beard or wearing overtly Muslim clothing and be mindful of their behavior in public. They must keep proving, in school and at work, that neither they nor their faith fit the caricature of Muslims and Islam drilled into the public consciousness.

Two high school teachers from Manitoba review this book and both find "Being a Muslim":

...a highly-accessible guide to the faith, an exploration of the social and economic challenges faced by Muslims living in societies (both European and North American) founded largely on Judeo-Christian values,

One elaborates even further by saying:

As a social studies teacher, I look forward to taking the entire first section of the book as a study of current events and of the effective use of persuasive style in nonfiction writing. . . Siddiqui is unequivocal and effective in exposing double standards and inconsistencies in contemporary media coverage of news stories in which Islam plays a part. One can only hope that a publisher sees the value in taking Siddiqui’s research and clear style and expanding the work into a more comprehensive contemporary treatment of Islam for high school students...”

In other words, what these young students are hearing about Islam is all wrong and that Siddiqui counters all the negative reports about Islam in his brilliantly persuasive book. Forget about 9/11 and the 3,000 that were murdered, think about all those Iraqis and Afghans that have been killed by American (and now Canadian) forces. And let's not forget the Muslims targeted in Western countries, those countries founded on Judeo-Christian principles, and whose prime purpose is now to oppress these poor Muslims.

And just like I mentioned earlier, this seasoned teacher was struck by the "effective use of persuasive style in nonfiction writing." This is exactly one strategy that writers like Siddiqui would need to cultivate in order to falsify the information even his ultra-left newspaper reports as true.

Just the way to reach the young Canadian minds.

One more thing, this is a writer who has received the Order of Canada, the highest civilian order, for his "journalistic contributions as well as his voluntary work in helping to forge the new Canadian identity." I suspect in Siddiqui's world, Western civilization is a threat to his Islamic culture, and has no place any more in the "new Canadian identity" that he is forging.

Eid at the Roger's Centre

Shot of screen with the CN Tower and Rogers Center
looming over Toronto, clearly looking like a mosque.
From the Arabic program Omniyat TV.

The past Eid Al Fitr Festival was celebrated in the Roger's Centre.

I had perviously noted that the Roger's Center and the CN Tower have been used to look like a mosque and a minaret.

Well, here is the progression of that intuition (observations?).

The huge sports complex interior was fittingly used to celebrate one of the most important Muslim festivals.

Of course, people will say that the center is often used for large community, multicultural, events. But, that's besides the point. One by one, we are getting used to our buildings take on different functions. And it is in the interest of the Muslims that this is the case, since they can camouflage their increased presence in the West as part of the multicultural reality.

"Islamic centers" as fronts for mosques

Toronto has a nostalgic view of itself as the city with a church in every corner.

Well, "a mosque in every corner" doesn't sit so well, does it? And that is just what's happening. But, once again to avoid the shock and antagonism that could occur if this infiltration into our street corners were unveiled, these mosques are being called "Islamic centers." And, some are braving the unresponsive (for now) Canadian psyche by using masjid, the Islamic name for mosque.

The above photo shows the corner Masjid Toronto - which has been "loosely" translated as "Islamic Center of Downtown Toronto." The building was originally a bank

Maid of Gouda Under Minaret

At an amateur art exhibition in Holland, there was a piece ironically titled "Maid in Gouda."

Maid in Gouda - Tom Diamant

The information is from a Dutch site, and it seems that the painter is Dutch, and not Muslim. What is even worse than Muslims infusing their presence into our environment is when naive Westerners help them do this, and participate in their own destruction. But, the painter still can't help himself. The interesting thing about this painting is that there is no interaction between the Dutch and the Muslim. A half gouda cheese is part of the dome of the mosque, and the red, white and blue of the Dutch flag is prevalent, but there is no connection between the two buildings and the two "maids."

In fact, the Muslim symbolism ominously dominates. The Muslim girl, draped in the Dutch flag, appears to be rising out of the white cloud of the flag, whereas a pair of eyes, which look male, are peering through the blood red background. There is no counterpart male Dutch, unless we count the invisible "creator"--the painter. Even the minaret is much taller than what appears to be a castle (why not a church?)

The young Dutch girl, meanwhile, stands huddled in the corner clasping the cheese in her arms.

Perhaps this was a distorted psychological rendition of the Dutchman who painted this. He may appear to like his Muslim counterparts, but somewhere along there, his smiling Muslim girl cannot help him hide his inner fear.

Now, if only it were less symbolic and more realistic. If only he were more aware.

The time bomb that is Islam

Shot of screen with the CN Tower and Rogers Center
looming over Toronto, clearly looking like a mosque.
From the Arabic program Omniyat TV.

CBC program Little Mosque on the Prairie
overshadowing the landscape

I recently reviewed a Canadian "sitcom" Little Mosque on the Prairie, and its incongruous setting. We'll be seeing a lot more of this kind of thing, since the Canadian public finds it amusing, quaint or not worth mentioning when Islamic imagery slowly start to seep into our landscape.

The latest casualties are the CN Tower and the Rogers Center. They are used as the final shot for one of Toronto's multicultural programs, the Arabic news show Omniyat TV. It is no coincidence that the CN Tower is made to look like a minaret, and the retractable roof of the sport center to look like the dome of a mosque.

The same subtle intrusions into our psyche (because that is the level of their intrusion) is happening on a more mundane level. For example, walking down Yonge street (not too far from the high-class Bloor and Yonge) one can hear Arabic music blurting from the storefronts, especially in the summer with doors and windows opened wide.

People better start paying attention to stories like this from Britain, where whole regions are becoming no-go areas for non-Muslims. Unlikely in Canada, you might say. But who would have thought that someone would transform Laura Ingalls' book (the title at least) of into a prairie full of Muslims? Out there in the middle of nowhere?

More mosque-like CN Tower and Rogers Centre

Here is another appropriation of the CN tower and the sport's dome conveniently photographed to make them look like a mosque and a minaret.

The whole idea of Muslims at this point is to furtively take over our visual vocabulary by putting their Islamic objects in familiar places.

The longer we see these places through Muslim lenses, then the less surprised and antagonistic we will be when bigger things start happening. As is happening with the London mega-mosque which still in the works.

But, the lesson to be learned from this London mega-mosque is that its opponents are not against other (smaller) mosques, but are against the size of the mosque, and some unconvincing worries about the "extremist" nature of the group that's building the mosque.

They don't realize that size doesn't really matter to get the Islamic messages across. That with enough smaller mosques, Muslims just keep getting the audacity to think of even bigger projects as a kind of triumphant arrogance that they are taking over.

Then they do something outrageous like the London mega-mosque to test the waters. And then, of course, they'll be back, more toned down, but progressively getting bolder.

Designer "hijabs"

Stylish Muslim Girl; Hermes designer style

In my article on Islamic imagery, I discuss a new magazine that is on the stands called "Muslim Girl Magazine."

The very first issue of this magazine showed a (real) Muslim girl with a head scarf-like hijab showing the stripes of the American flag. I suggested that this magazine, trying hard to popularize Muslim lifestyle and "fashion" to the rest of the world might already be winning some converts, at least in the fashion sense, of young girls wearing bandana-like wraps around their hair.

Well, designer stylists are also jumping in the fray. Dolce and Gabbana stated: “We wanted to revamp the headscarf...give it a new life and introduce it to a younger generation. Our aim was to give it a modern and cool twist."

There’s a lot of Islamic-style modesty going on in this “revival” of the headscarf. “Women wore headscarves in medieval times to maintain their modesty” says one design experts and continues that “sociologically, it's about escapism." Yes, the modesty of Muslim women to “escape” the dangerous fantasies of men.

Hermes has also admitted that they have a huge Muslim clientele. Although, they say that their headscarves are also about reviving the era of the Grace Kelly elegance.

Yes, but they chose an opportune moment to introduce their product when we’re inundated images of the hijab. One more way to make it acceptable.

Google Ads and Islamic Content

I used to have google ads on my blog, via blogger's Google Adsense. The way google ads work is by scanning the blog text for recurring key words, and using those as part of the advertisements. I used to get a variety of ads from "learn to draw" to Christian-themed ads. But, at one point, I was getting repeated hits for Muslim and Islamic advertising, mostly Muslim dating sites. I'm not sure if these groups are especially aggressive at getting their ads out, since I don't think my site dwells especially on such topics. The number of ad hits seemed to outweigh the number of times I've posted on that topic.

I have since stopped using google ads.

Apparently, it goes both ways. Google is fast to pull its services off sites it deems are involved in "hate speech", which also includes "negative" writings on Islam and Muslims.

Start small, and get bigger

By now, most of us would have become used to the "halal" signs which periodically spring up in shops we would not normally enter. After all, shop owners have the right to sell what they want, as long as it is legal. Although talking about legality, it was in one of those kinds of shops where Somalis were (are?) illegally selling their drug, khat, in various Toronto locations.

And as always with Muslims' presence, it gets bigger and more aggressive. They flex their muscles to see how far they can really go, withdraw slightly until they can spring back again.

Halal signs from small, privately owned ethnic stores, to signs of halal "certification", to billboards for fast food chains on highways. Then, take over the whole world, of course.

How ever did we get here?

So audacious have halal-proponents in fast food restaurants become that in two McDonald's restaurants in Australia, there were non-Muslim customers who were unaware that they were eating halal food.

Here's a quote from the story:

A Catholic Church spokesman said non-Muslims deserved to know if the food was halal before buying. But he said there was no biblical reason for Christians to avoid halal food.

Just how the Muslims like it. Plenty of koranic reasons not to eat non-halal meat, but we Catholics et al. will be happy to oblige our dear Muslim folk.



And we wouldn't even see anything unusual about huge billboards like this in Dearborn, Michigan. Another KFC? Well, let's just have some, the meat is even blessed. But first, start with the less conspicuous halal Subway sign on a wall in a food court (this time in Sidney, Australia), then you can supersize.

And by the way, the Arabic script in the Subway sign? That spells out "halal". That, and other words, will soon be part of our "vocabulary".

More wings, and authenticated halal fast food--including pizza--available in 150 restaurants in downtown Toronto.

Halal Italian Restaurant

Menu for Kara Mia Halal script in Arabic at top right hand corner of menu

The Toronto Star describes Kara Mia as a “Modern Italian Eatery [that] observes Muslim diet laws.”

While Kara Mia publicly announces its entry into modern Italian cuisine, what it is surreptitiously doing is introducing yet another Islamic element into the ordinary Toronto landscape.

Nowhere in their website is anything Muslim explicitly discussed. Except on the menu. A clear Arabic script for Halal is present on the top right hand corner of the menu. Nothing in English, as by now we have been visually trained to recognize this script.

I wonder who their clientele is? I am sure, though, with the mult-culti spirit of Torontonians, many will enter this restaurant as a matter of course.

One other thing. There are also no alcoholic beverages, of course. So, what is an Italian meal without a Chianti?

Masjid Toronto's new engravings on its windows

Right: Masjid Toronto sign in downtown Toronto; Left: Arabic engraving on window

More engravings on entrance doorways, and on side windows

Older photograph from internet, showing doorways and windows
without decorative engravings

It is hard to keep up with the upgrades of the various Islamic buildings around Toronto.

Masjid Toronto, or as it is also euphemistically calls itself "Islamic Information Centre of Downtown Toronto", has embellished its windows with engravings of a mosque, some Islamic mosaic-style decoration, and script in Arabic. Although I don't know what this script means, I guessed it to be Allah. And sure enough a quick internet search produced these variations - scroll down to calligraphy #6 in the link.

This little corner mosque seems innocuous enough, except it is close to several very important landmarks, including:
- The Toronto General Hospital
- The University of Toronto
- City Hall
- The U.S. Consulate
- The Eaton Centre

Map of Masjid Toronto, with surrounding important Toronto landmarks

A: Masjid Toronto, B: The U.S. Consulate; C: City Hall; D: Toronto General Hospital
E: University of Toronto; F: Queen's Park; G: Eaton Centre; H: Ryerson University

Islamic style facade in a quiet residential area

Small, ominous signs of Muslim presence are cropping up in residential areas. This new building in the down town of a Canadian city, is a 21st century version of the Moorish Revival which occurred in cities in Canada around the 19th century. What is different about this new resurgence is that it is also accompanied by large Muslim groups, who are building their other institutions to continue their cultural and religious practices here. It is more of an insurgence.

But, the more we get used to these ogee arches in ordinary buildings, the more we will be accepting when more radical shapes likes mosque domes and minarets. It is after all, just “architecture.”

Islam on the Air

Vision TV Islamic programming

Here is an email I sent to Vision TV regarding their Sunday program on the Koran:

From: Kidist Paulos Asrat
Subject: Vistion TV Programming
To: audience@visiontv.ca
Date: Sunday, September 14, 2008, 1:41 PM

To whom it may concern,

I am very disappointed in Vision TV's Sunday programming.

Sunday in Canada is a sacred day for Christians. This is the day that many of us attend Church services, and commemorate the rest of the day to the Lord.

It is with great surprise and astonishment that I find that Vision TV has a Muslim program discussing the Koran on Sundays at 11 am. This is the hour around about the time when Christians are involved in our worship. It is both an insult to Christians and to the Canadian culture, which is primarily a Christian one. Putting a program of an alien religion, which in many cases is the antithesis of Christianity, on our holy day is a grave error on your part.

I ask that you remove this programming from your Sunday schedule.

Sincerely,

Kidist Paulos Asrat

I had recently written about this. Today, I decided to do something about it.

---

Moorish Revival, with a twist

On Church Street, the former Athenaeum Club has incorporated
its "Moorish Revival" style onto a condo's facade.

I've consistently said that Canadians are either very naive or deeply irresponsible. A recent article I came across from Spacing Toronto entitled "Toronto meets Marrakesh" leads me to think that the sin lies in irresponsibility.

The online blog, which is part of a print edition, describes itself thus:

Spacing Toronto is your hub for daily dispatches from the streets of Toronto to cities around the world, offering both analysis and a forum for discussion. Our contributors examine city hall, architecture, urban planning, public transit, transportation infrastructure and just about anything that involves the public realm of our cities.

Clearly a blog and magazine that tries to understand the urban landscape of cities across Canada.

But, the writer of "Toronto Meets Marrakesh", Thomas Wicks, is incapable of differentiating between a benign, and even flourishing, urban landscape, and that which is endangered.

European and American artists have always had a fascination for foreign cultures, from African masks, to Chinese ceramics to exotic "Moorish" styles. Often, they lived in these cultures for some time, or spent years traveling back and forth, while borrowing from, and being inspired by, their alien friends.

Still, the bottom line has always been that they never transformed their societies with these strange and foreign elements. Whatever they brought, somehow and not always tidily, fit into their European or American environments.

Wicks' great description of the Toronto landscape of the early 20th century, when there was a general Moorish Revival through architecture, art and design, shows that many of these elements (they were actually very few) somehow blended in, albeit a little incongruously, with the rest of the city, and Toronto went on being Toronto and nothing fundamental changed.

Yet, Wicks' attempt to favorably compare the latest "Moorish" incursion with the original one is completely erroneous and dangerous.

There is no Moorish Re-Revival. There are no artists and architects who, enchanted by these faraway lands, tried to bring a little of that exoticism back to their hometown.

What we have now is actual "Moors" right here, who are adamant about changing the landscape to fit their world view. They are not building mosques and minarets as quaint additions to a northern city, but as buildings which will transform this city. There will not be one or two buildings dispersed here and there, but whole regions which will be under the visual and aural spell of this new landscape.

Wicks appears to be a regular writer for Spacing Toronto. I hold him responsible for his myopia and wrong analogies, since he appears to be a professional. He will be directly responsible for the innocent bystander who will have to hear chants five times daily from the minaret that was built just across his home. And even if he moves to another place, a new one is sure to rise up again.

Canadians are certainly not naive. They have ample evidence, information and proof. They are ultimately profoundly irresponsible to their society, their environment and their landscape.

Moratorium on exotic representations

I understand and appreciate fully the creative desire at times to represent "exoticism." And this is just what I did with my gouache print design which I did a couple of years ago entitled "Desert Jewels." I'm pretty sure it is the turquoise domes of the Iraqi landscapes which inspired me to do this.

But, this type of occasional representation is a far cry from the stories of design and fashion changes that our Muslim residents are planning for our cities.

Print design "Desert Jewels"

With sadness, I have to conclude that exoticism has to be out for now. And we are far better off going back to our original landscape to reinforce it back into our psyche.

Fortunately, I did just that last year, with my Trillium and Queen Anne's Lace series.


Print design
"Trillium/Queen Anne's Lace"

Little Mosque on the Prairie, Canadian version

Little Mosque on the Prairie is fast becoming a Canadian export. Israel, along with France, Finland, the West Bank, Gaza, and Turkey are soon to start airing this CBC product. Strange bedfellows.

And the promotional ads for the Fall season are disturbingly cocky. It's as thought the cast of the show were parodying small town hit shows like Leave it to Beaver or Father knows Best, (how about Little House on the Prairie) knowing full well that that isn't what the show is, or ever will be. "We can make all the fun that we want out of your silly shows of wholesome families and safe neighborhoods" they seem to be saying. Of course, whatever they say will be accepted without any losses, by their self-deprecating bosses at the CBC.

It is worse than parody, it is like some kind of parallel universe where all the wrong things are accepted, and all the right things rejected. A mirror image without the original image.

Little Mosque on the Prairie, American version

FOX television has acquired the rights to the CBC's "Little Mosque on the Prairie."

The US channel already has a program called "Aliens in America" about a Pakistanini Muslim exchange student to an American high school.

With "Little Mosque", the programmers will be going a step further. The subjects are no longer "alien", but appear very much to be part of the society. It's us who has to get used to them, not them us.

One executive even jokingly called it "Little Mosque in Minnesota." There is no joke, however, about the high Muslim presence in Minnesota, who are affecting cab drives (Muslim drivers have refused to take drivers with alcohol), guard and assistance dogs - Muslim students refused to have a teacher have his special needs dog with him, and even their elected officials' behavior. When Keith Ellison was elected into public office, he performed his swearing in on the Koran.

Muslim Girl Magazine

Muslim Girl with her patriotic hijab; Western Girl trying new styles

Muslim Girl Magazine is now available as a glossy print in major book stores like Barnes and Nobles in the U.S. and Indigo/Chapters in Canada. It also has an online version.

Not only will our streets show an ever-increasing population of hijab and other Muslim fashion, but so will our newstands.

This is another major inroad into our landscape. No longer will the fashions of Vogue and Elle adorn our magazine shelves, but a new and alien image - of non-fashion becoming fashion - will start to compete for magazine shelves. How many variations of hijab styles will we see?

The launching issue of Muslim Girl had a real Muslim girl (as all the editions promise to do). What is extraoridanry about this issue is how the editors wanted to make it look like any other American girl's magazine, all through careful juxtapostitions of words and imagery.

A small American flag showing mainly the stars, with a glimpse of the stripes. These stripes are then continued in the hijab pattern the girl is wearing. The captions prominently say "Growing up American." Yes, as a Muslim Girl.

Now, Western Girls can join in all the fun that Muslim Girl describes through the fresh and airy articles. In fact, those bandana-headscarves can start the ball rolling.

Hijab Choreography Enters Campy Music Video

A newish pop group called Dragonette has surfaced with their newly released music video for "Competition." The beginning looks fun and upbeat, with pop-art type campish images. Then about the 45 second point, enter two hijab-swathed dancers.

Martina Sorbara, lead singer of Dragonette, who was formerly a solo singer, says:

"What I was doing before was very monochromatic–it was basically piano and guitar. Because of that, I had no avenue for what was going on in my head. That's why Dragonette is so colourful and all over the place. All this stuff never had a way out until now."

Islamic imagery enters where we have no control over what we think and what we do. While it seems innocuous enough, eventually, this imagery will not just stand alongside others, in the "colorful and all over the place" manner that Martian talks about, but will attempt to take over as well. Indiscriminate acceptance of everything around us will eventually destroy and displace the cultivated imagery that have been part of the Western world. That is why we have culture, to cultivate our imagery, and not to accept anything that comes our way. Such strong contenders as Islamic imagery are just more forceful than others, and more likely to take over when we leave those cultural entrances unmonitored.

It all seems far-fetched, what with the rest of Martina's video looking very much like a young MTV-girl's lipstick, short skirts and undulating dance haven. But, there are stories of rebellious girls, who in order to find stability in their lives, have converted to the strict, hijabed world of Islam, often by marrying a Muslim.

Dragonette's "Competetion"

Vision TV Hosts Islamic Program on Sundays

I was shocked to find that Vision TV, "Canada's Multi-faith and Multicultural broadcaster", hosts Sunday Islamic programs. Given its description of its services, this should come as no surprise. But, it is still a shock to hear Koranic verses read and discussed on the holy day of the week.

Many Muslims might say that there are Christian programs on Fridays. But Canada is a Christian country, and Catholic mass, for example, can be performed on a daily basis. This subtle and careful usurpation on Sunday looks benign enough, but it is certainly one of those bold moves that Muslims are continuously making, with apparently very good excuses, and which Canadians are unable to stop.

Hindu programming, for example, avoids all contraversy, and only hosts shows on Saturdays.

Email Conversation with Robert Spencer

What can we do about Islam?

Update: with my comments on Spencer's critique of Abul Kasem's 8-point strategy to confront Islam.

Update II (11-12-09): I have removed my comments under Spencer's point-by-point answers to Abul Kasem's strategies. They were not my emailed responses to Spencer, simply my comments on Spencer's replies posted on the blog.

Here is a series of email conversations I had with renowned author and expert on Muslims and Islam, Robert Spencer.

My question, when all is chiseled away is:

Given that Robert Spencer knows how destructive Islam is to societies, and that Islam is making such a strong presence in the West, and specifically the United States and Canada, how can we get rid of the problem of Islam from our society?

Mr. Spencer has given me permission to post the interaction on my blog, and here it is.

------------------------------------------------

On 7/12/08 12:10 PM, "cameralucidas@yahoo.com" wrote:

Dear Mr. Spencer,

I have been reading your articles for a few years now, and have learned
copious amount of information from them.

But, during your recent interactions with Mr. Auster at the VFR, the
contention is that you haven't provided enough strategic and realistic
attempts to rid the West of Islam.

In the recent Frontpage Mag symposium "Confronting the Islamization of the West", you unfortunately spent littletime discussing Abul Kasem's practical strategy to combat Islam in the
West.

You preferred to spend most of your time and attention on the problems
with Islam (which we now know so much about), and not the strategies to
get rid of this problem.

I wonder what you think of Kasem's efforts, and would you find time to
make such a 8, 10 or even 5-point strategy to remove the dangers of
Islam from the West?

So far, you may have written them in between many other topics on Islam, but I haven't seen a deliberate, concise, direct and clear strategy from you.

Perhaps what I'm saying is can you make the leap from the scholar to the
activist, or is that (the activist's) role something you feel should be
done by others?

Sincerely,

Kidist Paulos Asrat

------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Spencer <director@jihadwatch.org>
Date: Sat, 12 Jul 2008 12:50:35 -0400
To: <cameralucidas@yahoo.com>
Conversation: Abul Kasem's 8-point strategy
Subject: Re: Abul Kasem's 8-point strategy

Dear Kidist Paulos Asrat

Thanks for your kind note.

I am happy to discuss this with you, but allow me please to ask you first:
have you read any of my books? In three of them the final chapter contains a
series of recommendations for what we must do in order to defend ourselves.
Yet Mr. Auster has stated several times that he hasn't read any of these
books, and then he claims that I have made no recommendations. I must say I
find this peculiar.

Also, I ask that you please look over the symposium again. Please note the
abysmal ignorance of Rohan Gunaratna, and the influence that he has. Rohan
Gunaratna rejected Abul Kasem's recommendations because he doesn't see the
need for them -- because he thoroughly misunderstands the nature of the
problem itself. And remember, please, that the overwhelming majority of
Americans and others are still just as ignorant and uninformed about the
nature of the problem as is Rohan Gunaratna. It is because of this that I
spend the bulk of my time trying to raise awareness of the problem. In fact,
I believe that pushing for certain policy recommendations before there is a general awareness of the problem they are intended to solve can actually make it less rather than more likely that the policy recommendations in question will be taken seriously and eventually adopted.

You ask, "I wonder what you think of Kasem's efforts." Answer: in the
Symposium itself I wrote this: "...we need to take strong and decisive
steps, such as Abul Kasem outlines, to protect ourselves."

[Ed. note: Here are Spencer's answers (via email to me) to each of Kasem's 8-point strategy from the FPM symposium. 

n.b. Spencer was also part of the FPM symposium, but didn't address these points directly at FPM].
-----------------------

1.
AK: Adopt tough policies on the entry of Islamists to non-Islamic countries. However, we must make a distinction between the large number of in-name-only Muslims and the diehard, jihad-infused, conniving, pan-Islamists."

RS: I have taken a stronger position on this than Abul Kasem, given the
impossibility of distinguishing Muslims-in-name-only from jihadists: end
Muslim immigration. Mr. Auster grasps at straws in claiming that I don't
mean this since I have only stated it at my blog. Well, I mean what I say at
my blog. 

2.
AK: Enforce strict restrictions on the construction of mosques and Islamic seminaries. If this sounds unethical/ and or infringing on the religious
rights, please note the non-existence and disallowance of construction of
non-Islamic worshipping centres in Islamic Paradises. We must call spade a
spade.

RS: This cannot be done in America given the First Amendment. I have called (I
think it is in The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam -- I am unsure
because I am in a hotel and do not have my books with me, but I am sure it
is one of my books) for the reclassification of Islamic groups in the US as
political unless they renounce the Sharia supremacist imperative and make
themselves open to inspection to show that not only are they not teaching
the political aspects of Islam, but are teaching against them, and
advocating the Western principles of republican government and equality of
rights for all. And if they are found to be still teaching Islamic
supremacism, they should be closed.

And of no construction of mosques or Islamic schools funded by Islamic
supremacist governments such as Saudi Arabia should be permitted. 

3.
AK: Stop paying jizya to the Islamists. Do not accede to any unreasonable demands solely by the Islamists. Keep other religious people in mind. Why must Islam be treated more favourably than other religions? Ask the Islamists this simple question.

RS: We have advocated this many times at Jihad Watch. Hugh Fitzgerald has
written about it frequently and in great detail, and I endorse his views.

4.
AK: Halt the interfaith dialogue with Islam. Remember, Islam is
uncompromising. There is no way Islam will accommodate un-Islam. Please read
this sentence one more time and memorize. You will save a lot of time and
money wasted to please Islam. We do not have to please Islam."

RS: Yes. I devoted a chapter to the perils of this interfaith dialogue in my
book "Religion of Peace."

5.
AK: Assert the un-Islamic (non-Islamic) cultures, traditions, customs and ethos. We must let the Islamic world learn a bit that the world is not prepared to accept its 7th century Arab Bedouin customs and laws."

RS: This is something I have advocated for years in many, many contexts and in
many different ways. My book "Religion of Peace" is dedicated to this in
particular.

6.
AK: Reject any demand to impose Sharia in a non-Islamic society; even if it
is in the pretence for Muslims only. Remember, Muslims are the first victimsof Islam."

RS: This also I have advocated repeatedly for many years. Search for "Sharia" at
Jihad Watch and you will see.

7.
AK: Muslims migrating to non-Islamic countries must sign a declaration that they do not believe in pan-Islamism. If found contravening their signed declaration they should be stripped of their citizenship and promptly deported to the Islamic Paradise they had migrated from."

RS: If this idea did not originate with me, at very least I have been one of its
foremost advocates. This is the "screening" proposal upon which Mr. Auster
has heaped scorn. He has pointed out that Muslims entering the country will
lie when they declare their rejection of Sharia and acceptance of Western
principles. Quite so. But then if they begin advocating Sharia in any way,
this will become grounds for deportation. You can find this at JW in
connection with earlier controversies with Mr. Auster.

8.
AK: Proselytizing by Islamic dawa must be strictly controlled, and if necessary, banned. If you think I am being unreasonable. Please look at the laws of Islamic Paradises (such as Malaysia, Pakistan, Sudan, NigeriaŠ) with regard to the propagation of other faith among the Muslims."

RS: Of course. Its political and supremacist character must be recognized.
-------------------------

In sum, I stand by my contention that Lawrence Auster is falsely stating my
views. I have advocated numerous solutions, and continue to do so. At the same time, as I explained above I still believe that the primary task that must be done is raising awareness. And I am going to continue to focus on that, without apology.

Cordially
Robert Spencer

------------------------------------------------

On 7/12/08 1:30 PM, "Kidist Paulos Asrat" wrote:

Mr. Spencer,

I think this clarifies my understanding of your position:

At the same time, I explained above I still believe that the primary task that must be done is rasing awareness. And I am going to continue to focus on that, without apology.

I understand that not everyone can be a strategist. But there is only so much awareness that we can raise, without making the final call.

With all due respect, that must be why you are having such a difficult contention with Mr. Auster. Raising awareness is no longer necessary (and even if so, it is now ineffective.)

The role for Islamic experts now is to combat, directly and without equivocation.

[...]

Even God felt it necessary at some point to give us a list of things to do with His Ten Commandments, rather than to just read and ruminate over a story.

I say all this with such conviction because my own country of birth (Ethiopia), although I came here to Canada as a very young child, went through a devastating Islamic Jihad. Fortunately we are now able to tell the tale, and recognize the ominous signs.

If you wish, you can read my entry on "Christian Tolerance, Islamic Jihad" it is at my blog: Camera Lucida .

Thanks once again,

Kidist

------------------------------------------------

From: Robert Spencer
Subject: Re: Abul Kasem's 8-point strategy
To: cameralucidas@yahoo.com
Date: Saturday, July 12, 2008, 10:37 AM

I respectfully disagree. Most Americans have no idea of the facts you know well and are impatient with me for repeating. I am going to continue to try to change that. You say that raising awareness is no longer necessary. I disagree.

------------------------------------------------

From: "Kidist Paulos Asrat"
To: "Robert Spencer"

Of course I agree with you that the facts will ever be there to be unraveled, by scholars like you and also like Dr. Bostom.

I was talking of the necessity to put strategy to fact. And convince Westerners that the facts they know so far (however limited they may be) along with awareness, need to be, at this critical time, joined with specific strategies.

Perhaps, if I may be so bold, your important role now as an expert on Islam, is to make these clear strategies in the manner that I have suggested that Mr. Kasem has so clearly delineated. I think people would trust you, and would not doubt any ominous suggestions you might make given the depth of your scholarship.

---

About

Our Changing Landscape is an offshoot from another blog, Camera Lucida. At Camera Lucida, I have been documenting social and cultural news and events, emphasizing some of the arts such architecture, film and painting, as well as design, which is my professional background.

Over the few years that I have maintained Camera Lucida, I began to realize that several factors were eroding, if not outright destroying, the culture and society I was writing about. Liberalism is one, multiculturalism (and its twin, immigration) is another, but one final one is Islam.

Islam has a force of its own. It is not a policy or political behavior like liberalism or multiculturalism (and immigration), but something that uses parts of these ideologies and systems to carve out its own place in the society where it is present. It abuses loopholes in the society's laws and rules, takes advantage of multiculturalism, and relentlessly uses immigration to literally orchestrate a take-over of a society.

Many times, this process is so subtle and discreet that it is hardly discernable, unless you’re someone like me who takes the time and interest (thanks to Camera Lucida) to follow changes in society and culture.
Our Changing Landscape covers, amongst many other topics: Muslim TV programs which have adapted Canadian and American stories (such as Little Mosque on the Prairie); Muslim women who are dismantling decades-long Jewish and Catholic family arbitrations for fear of misogynistic Sharia laws; Arabic script which is openly being used in public places; and mosques, which used to be nondescript buildings and which are now being built with full-fledged Islamic architectural design.

Disclosing these stealthy Islamic inroads into our culture and society, and what to do about them, is what Our Changing Landscape is attempting to do.


Kidist Paulos Asrat