THOMSON: The hypocrisy of those who condemn the 'wake-up' truck

On Tuesday this week, a video began to circulate on social media that showed an advertising truck in Toronto displaying video clips and text that many people are denouncing as hateful, racist, and blatant islamophobia. But there's a little more to this story — hypocrisy.The truck, which was fitted with special electronic billboards, showed video clips of pro-Palestinian supporters protesting and praying at Nathan Phillips square in Toronto. Another showed a large group of Muslims praying in what appears to be a mall or retail centre. These images were accompanied by the text: “Is this Yemen? Is this Syria? Is this Iraq? No. This is Canada. Wake up Canada. You are under siege.”In response to the video, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) was quick to comment saying, “An advertising van was spotted in Toronto inciting a fear of Muslims in Canada. This is extremely dangerous messaging, and should not be condoned.”Salma Zahid, the Member of Parliament for Scarborough Centre was also quick to condemn the truck and its message writing, “This is a blatant act of Islamophobia on our streets. There needs to be an investigation and there needs to be justice. Racism and hateful speech have no place in Canada. This must stop.Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, also spoke out saying, “I have spoken with Toronto Police Muslim liaison officers and shared how I have received multiple reports from Toronto residents registering their deep concern, fear and anxiety related to the appearance of a truck displaying Islamophobic messaging.”.Now, normally I’d be completely supportive in joining the chorus of condemnation for a message that seeks to divide Canadians based on their religion, but we’re not living in normal times.In fact, as I watch the news on current events in Canada, and around the world, I sometimes think that we got bumped into a different timeline. It's bizarre, but here we are.So, in the spirit of things being bizarre, I will answer the rhetorical questions that the truck poses. No, this is not Yemen, Syria, or Iraq. Want to know why? Because we still have Jews here in Canada.All those countries the truck identified, at one time had Jewish populations that numbered in the tens, or hundreds of thousands. Now, most of the demographic data for Yemen, Iraq, and Syria show that fewer than 20 Jewish individuals remain — if any.But it was probably all the islamophobia in the 95-100% Muslim population countries that drove them out, right?Which brings me back to the ad truck.Was the trucks depiction of Muslim protestors praying at a pro-Palestine rally Islamophobic? No it wasn’t, because it was commentary towards the ongoing question of Jewish acceptance and existence in Canada. That’s the truth, and a very unpleasant one.Unpleasant for who you may ask? Well, that would be the NCCM, Salma Zahid, Amira Elghawaby and others who so quickly and vehemently denounced the truck and it’s message without a second of introspection.Guess how many times these individuals and organization have posted on their social media accounts condemning the public calls for Intifada against Israel, Jewish Canadians, and their supporters here in Canada?You guessed it — Zero, zilch, zip, none, nada.Don’t believe me, head over to X (formerly twitter), and click on any of their profiles and type in the word ‘intifada’. You’ll get a screen that says, “No results”. Weird right?In case you aren’t aware, intifada isn’t just a catchy phrase that the edgy university kids use. It’s a call for aggressive resistance towards Israel, those who practice Judaism, and its supporters.Intifada is most often manifested through violent acts, such as indiscriminate targeting of civilians with varying types of missiles and mortars, terror attacks (like the one perpetrated on 7th Oct), and suicide bombings.These are all the ‘terroristy’ type things that got Hamas listed as a terrorist organization here in Canada and most other countries around the world.So why doesn’t the NCCM, Salma Zahid and Amira Elghawaby want to condemn that sort of blatant antisemitism?After all by NCCM’s definition it would certainly constitute “extremely dangerous messaging and should not be condoned.” Or as MP Zahid, correctly asserted, messages of “racism and hateful speech have no place in Canada.”Because ultimately they are right; hate against people of an identifiable race, religion, gender or sexuality is wrong in Canada and needs to be stamped out. But it only works if we all call it out, not only when it just affects your own interest group.Regardless, of what you think of my opinion on this, that truck was right in one respect, Canada is in fact under siege — from hypocrisy.

THOMSON: The hypocrisy of those who condemn the 'wake-up' truck

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