Mohamed Elmasry
Encyclopedia
Mohamed Elmasry (born December 24, 1943) is a Canadian engineering professor, imam
, and has been a leader in the Canadian Muslim community. He was born in Cairo
, Egypt
and received his Bachelor of Science
in 1965 from Cairo University
. He continued his studies in Canada earning a Masters and Doctorate degrees in electrical engineering
from the University of Ottawa
in 1970 and 1974. He has worked in the area of digital integrated microchip
design for over four decades.
From 1965 to 1968, Elmasry worked for Cairo University and from 1972 to 1974 for Bell-Northern Research
in Ottawa, Canada
. Since 1974, he has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo
in Ontario
where he is a founding Director of the VLSI (Microchip) Research Group.
As a spokesperson for Muslim causes through the Canadian Islamic Congress
, he has been a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail. His remarks, especially those concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
, have drawn significant attention in the Canadian media. He has accused some of his opponents of being anti-Islam
.
Elmasry has authored and co-authored more than 500 research papers and 16 books on integrated circuit design and design automation, as well as having several patents to his credit. He has edited the following books for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
: Digital MOS Integrated Circuits (1981); Digital VLSI Systems (1985), Digital MOS Integrated Circuits II (1991) and Analysis and Design of BiCMOS Integrated Circuits (1993).
is a valid [military] target?", CIC President Mohamed Elmasry responded, "Yes, I would say."
Elmasry later apologized for his remarks calling them his "biggest mistake" in 30 years of public life and offered his resignation which was not accepted by the CIC's board.
The Elmasry affair led to criticisms that the media focussed entirely on the comments of the CIC president while neglecting controversial comments made on the same program by a B'nai Brith official, Adam Aptowitzer
who stated that "When Israel uses terror . . . to destroy a home and convince people . . . to be terrified of what the possible consequences are, I'd say that's an acceptable use to terrify somebody." The remarks only received attention several weeks after the broadcast, and after Elmasry's apology and proffered resignation, when a press release by the Canadian Arab Federation
highlighted them. Following the CAF press release, Aptowitzer retracted his comments and resigned his position with the B'nai Brith. Toronto Star city editor John Ferri told the Toronto Stars ombud
, Don Sellar, "we all had egg on our faces...[i]t was embarrassing for every paper in the city not to get the whole story from the outset."
In a letter to the Toronto Star following Sellar's column, Elmasary complained about the affair:
Elmasry also criticized Canadian Jewish groups over this incident. In an article entitled "When Jews Target a Canadian Muslim," Elmasry accused the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and Bnai Brith Canada of "putting pressure on my university to fire me" and that his words were "mis-represented to the public exactly as the CJC wished." He also stated that "a Toronto Jewish businessman had threatened to withdraw his financial support for a chair of Jewish studies."
He also criticized the recent bombing
of hotels in Taba
, Egypt
on the grounds that some of the victims there were not Israelis. These remarks prompted harshly-worded responses from representatives of the Canadian Jewish Congress and several prominent Canadian Muslims. At first, Elmasry defended his remarks by insisting that he was merely sharing the standard Palestinian point of view. This led to further charges from his critics, who accused him of using the Palestinians as a scapegoat. In a letter to the Toronto Star, he denied having said what he was reported to have said. He has no formal media training.
, a founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress
, had stated that "...to believe all Israelis are targets is the height of hypocrisy."
Fatah also stated that: "In refusing to step aside, Elmasry and the CIC have demonstrated the authoritarian and dictatorial nature of their structure.…They purport to speak for Canada's 600,000 Muslims, but are not accountable or answerable to them.…We demand he [Elmasry] not…masquerade as leader of the community." Elmasry had significantly altered the constitution of the CIC which previously imposed term limitations.
Regarding Elmasry's statements, Fatah wrote that "Elmasry accused his Muslim opponents of being traitors to their faith—an allegation that is read as a charge of apostasy, with all its ugly consequences" and that "It is especially sad that Mohamed Elmasry and his allies have chosen the holy month of Ramadan to launch their broadside on progressive Muslims."
In June 2006, Elmasry, named four public figures - Tarek Fatah among them - of taking every opportunity to bad-mouth Islam. Specifically, Elmasry stated that Fatah is "well known in Canada for smearing Islam and bashing Muslims." Fatah blasted Elmasry, stating that "[t]his is a classic threat to label anyone as an apostate and then marginalize them," ... "and this is what Mr. Elmasry has done by listing me as the top anti-Islam Muslim." Fatah stated that he views the label from Elmasry as tantamount to a death sentence. However, some Islamic scholars disagreed with Fatah's characterization of Elmastry's comments. Leonard Librande, professor of religion at Carleton University
, told CTV News "There's nothing particularly Islamic in this... There are differences of opinion frequently in the community. It doesn't mean somebody is going to kill you."
However, Fatah has argued that "in the Muslim world ... allegations of apostasy are used to silence critics and human rights workers" and that "Some interpretations of Sharia call for apostates to be killed. Such views have forced many Muslims to flee their countries of birth and take refuge in tolerant Western nations such as Canada. To now find ourselves harassed in Canada by some Muslims here is alarming and ironic."
is actually being used to oppress Muslims as a whole saying that:
On the Bush Administration's intentions in the Middle East, in particular towards Iran
, he has argued that:
Regarding a potential American attack on Iran, Elmasry has written that "It is all part of a long-planned Bush and Co. agenda and that is why you won’t find a single good word in the American mainstream media about Iran—none, nil, zero." In addition, Elmasry added that "the doctrine of colonization: looting other people's wealth and enslaving them, while killing outright those who resist ... seems to be the dominant doctrine in Washington today" and that "Americans are busy preparing to attack yet another country, spreading more looting, more death, more suffering, and more destruction next door in Iran."
Elmasry has stated his opposition to Osama bin Laden
calling him "a lunatic, a fanatic" and accusing him and his lieutenants of "endangering the well-being, even the lives of many Muslims who are living in the West" and whose "religious rhetoric will probably feed into anti-Islam sentiments that already existed before Sept. 11 and have been on the rise since Sept. 11." Of bin Laden and his associated, Elmasry says "They have no religious authority."
During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Canadian Islamic Congress
and the Canadian Arab Federation
urged the Canadian government to take Hezbollah and Hamas off its list of designated terrorist organizations. Elmasry wrote that the Canadian Government should "review its 2002 decision to place Hezbollah and Hamas
on its list of banned alleged terrorist organizations" because doing so "is an unconscionable act of hypocrisy and a mockery of justice" since Canada has not placed Israel on the same list. Elmasry also stated that the decision to place Hezbollah and Hamas on this list was "dictated by special interest groups with agendas that are contrary to peace with justice."
stating that "Today's Islamophobia and yesterday's anti-Semitism are starkly similar" and expressing fear that at the parallels between historic anti-Semitism in Europe and modern anti-Muslim sentiment in the West. "Today, Canadian Muslims are collectively judged as guilty by association for every crime committed by Muslim individuals, organizations and states, no matter how obviously atypical, abnormal or extremist they are. They are labelled Islamists, fundamentalists, Jihadists, etc." wrote Elmasry in a letter to the National Post analogizing the current situation to the history of anti-Semitism where "European Jews were found guilty-by-association of many crimes, from killing the Son of God to any professional misconduct, beginning with the local Jewish doctor." He argued that the modern world should draw lessons from the past and work to halt the spread of anti-Muslim sentiment lest it establish the same groundwork for anti-Muslim violence the way that centuries of anti-Semitism laid the groundwork for violence against Jews.
Elmasry says he and the CIC support "smart integration where Muslims can practise their religion but can also be involved in advancing the well-being of their home country, which is Canada."
that the government of Ontario permit sharia
tribunals to which Muslims could voluntarily submit civil disputes and whose findings would then have legal weight under the Arbitration Act. The proposal was opposed by the Muslim Canadian Congress
, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and non-Muslim women's groups. The provincial government ended up rejecting the proposal and scrapping existing religious arbitration tribunals for Jews and Christians in the process.
Regarding the opposition of moderate Muslims to the introduction of Sharia tribunals in Canada, Elmasry wrote that Canadian Muslims should not "make a cause of publicly deriding their religion, badmouthing the Prophet, ridiculing the Qur'an and mounting uninformed crusades to smear their Islamic Law, the Shariah." especially since he is doing it himself.
The Muslim Canadian Congress
demanded that the CIC apologize for "false" accusations that those who criticize sharia are "smearing Islam, ridiculing the Koran [and] badmouthing Muhammad." The MCC stated that Elmasry accused the group of blasphemy, a crime that carries the death sentence in several Islamic countries. The MCC wrote,Some MCC members also expressed concern they will be arrested if they travel to certain Islamic countries.
Elmasry responded by stating that Islam has no punishment for denouncing the religion, its holy book
, or Muhammad
, and he dismissed as "nonsense" the notion that his words could be construed as a death sentence.
, in Toronto
, Canada
, to reissue a motion to divest in Israeli companies, Elmasry stated:
Elmasry supported this view by citing a 1953 book by French pacifist Jean Lasserre, La Guerre et L'Evangile. Drawing on Lasserre's view that by and large, "the Old Testament ignores that respect for human life, that unconditional love, that non-violence, which [is] the general climate of the New Testament."
Previously, he had stated that "very few people would sanely suggest that the Torah [which is part of the Old Testament] sanctions violence. The reason of course is that these verses and others much like them are subject to various interpretation and contextual assumptions.".
Bnai Brith Canada sharply criticized Elmasry, stating in a press release that Elmasry's "thesis that the Old Testament is the root cause of all hatred and violence in the world" is an "attack on the core of Judaism."
, but argued that today "many Canadian Jewish intellectuals are assaulting Canada's policies regarding multiculturalism, immigration, and what they consider federal "giving in" to natives' land claims. They are no longer speaking out against the deterioration of civil liberties in this country" and that "their political agenda has moved closer and closer to that of the far right."
In an article written in the National Post
, Ezra Levant
, the publisher of the now-defunct Western Standard
accused Elmasry of hostility towards Jews. Levant cited the Canadian Association of Journalists
meeting in Halifax in May 2005 in which he sat on a panel with Elmasry. During the meeting, Levant claims Elmasry engaged in "a lengthy rant against the 'zhoos' who control the media, the 'zhoos' who are 'on top' of the world and keep the Muslims on 'the bottom', and about how my own comments were suspect because I, too, was a 'zhoo.'"
In response to accusations of anti-Semitism, Elmasry has argued that his organization, "the CIC was the first non-Jewish Canadian NGO to denounce anti-Semitic incidents committed against several Montreal Jewish institutions."
because he has "worked to expose the real truth behind Israel's so-called "democracy." Elmasry has also stated Uri Davis work makes it clear "to any thinking person that Apartheid Israel and Apartheid South Africa are remarkably similar." Elmarsy has also called for Britain to apologize to the Palestinians for its role in the creation of Israel and for its use "of military violence, political stratagems and economic influence to inflict generations of injustice, destruction, misery and death on a native people living in the path of their plans."
Elmasry has said "The pro-Israel lobby continually strive to discredit anyone who dares to speak the truth about Israeli atrocities against native Palestinians."
He has also written that: "... Zionism, as a political ideology, has succeeded only in building an apartheid state for Jews; an elaborate ghetto kept separate from its Palestinian neighbors by concentrated military power, an aesthetically monstrous "security wall," economic dependency on Western support, compulsory military conscription and training (including how to kill with weapons), and a hate-based education system for Jewish children that teaches them to despise anyone and anything Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim, in that order."
Elmasry has recognized a diversity of opinion among Israelis saying "Many Israelis—and the number steadily grows—now recognize that the occupation and the settlements are twin obstacles to peace."
Elmasry has called for a two-state solution
with Israel withdrawing to its pre-1967 border
and praised Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat
for making peace with Israel in exchange to its withdrawal from the Sinai Desert However, in April 2008, Elmasry wrote that "Those Palestinians who oppose the one-state solution are those who believe the illusion (promoted by U.S. president George W. Bush, for example) that a two-state solution is just around the corner."
Elmasry has also stated that there is nothing wrong with the "One-State" solution. Elmasry suggested such as state "could divide key positions of power among Jews and the Arabs. For example, Jews could be in charge of the army and Arabs look after the police. The positions of President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Parliament could be held in alternating terms by Arabs and Jews." However, Elmasry adds that "the single state solution will never happen in the foreseeable future, of course, because the U.S. is pledged to maintain not only a secure Jewish state, but an expanding Jewish mini-empire carved out of its illegally occupied Palestinian territories."
In an article written in the The Canadian Charger (Elmasry's latest vehicle of self promotion) in June 2009, Elmasry wrote that "Israelis are indoctrinated in Zionism" and that "violent militarism is not only a Zionist ideal but an economical and a sociological necessity." In a subsequent article, Elmasry wrote that "in the West Zionist Jews create, encourage, support wars in Afghanistan and Iraq... [and] cheer for racist, anti-immigration politicians in Canada and Europe." He also described Zionist Jews as "the enemies of freedom of speech in schools, universities and the public at large" and alleged that the Western media gives "Zionist oppressors a platform that allows them to exploit the Holocaust, and mount disinformation and misinformation campaigns."
for his book Overcoming Zionism - Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine. Elmasry stated that, on the 60th anniversy of Israel's creation, Kovel's book "is must-read for this difficult and bitter-sweet occasion." Elmasry also stated that "hate that drives Zionist attitudes toward Palestinians" and
that Kovel "suggests convincingly that the inner contradictions of Zionism led Israel to develop its "state-sponsored racism" and that Zionism and democracy are essentially incompatible." Elmasry concluded by stating that the reason Kovel's book has been "buried" is that "our so-called "free" press and broadcasting networks ... are free only to those who own them and use their power to express their own views. And that is a sad loss for everyone."
In 2004, Ontario
Premier Dalton McGuinty
's encouraged Muslim parents to allow their children to attend public school classes that include teaching tolerance of gays and lesbians. Elmasry acknowledged that “Teaching tolerance at a young age is a must ... but you have to balance that with the appearance that you are not promoting certain values, in this case homosexual families."
In February 2005, Elmasry wrote on the website IslamOnline.net that: "I believe that the responsibilities of Canadian Muslims are to emphasize education in their own community and also other faith communities that homosexuality is against the natural law of the creator, and that it is harmful to the body, the mind and the soul of the person."
, Elmasry called Robert Mugabe
"clumsy" but "no worse than many leaders in the developing world" and questioned: "Why so did many Western media outlets, including Canadian ones, send their own correspondents to cover an election in a poor faraway African country of about 13-million black people? The answer is that Mugabe is hated by the British now as he was hated in 1980 when he was elected the first president of free Zimbabwe
, after 90 years of British colonization under the name of Rhodesia
." Elmasry praised Mugabe for "trying to implement a land reform; to redistribute the land of about 5,000 white farmers to his country's poor black people" and argued that the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy and the rampant inflation are the result of Western sanctions and not because of Mugabe's land seizures. Elmasy criticized the Western Media for not reporting that "Mugabe was and still is popular especially in the rural areas; his land reform has won him support among his own people."
Father Raymond J. de Souza criticized Elmasry for this op-ed, writing that Mugabe is "a man so isolated that even his fellow African dictators have distanced themselves from him." De Souza also wrote that "If he [Elmasry] did not represent himself as Canada's head professional Muslim, Mr. Elmasry's celebration of Mr. Mugabe would have been too incredible to print."The fact that the University of Waterloo did not dismiss Elmasry after the Michael Coren debacle proves that tenure affords impunity.
Stephen Harper
is “playing politics” and remains indifferent to Omar Khadr
’s incaration at Guantanamo Bay prisoner because Harper had calculated that refusing to press Washington for Khadr’s return would score him “political points.” Elmasry further stated that "This is where a leader comes in to say, `This is really wrong and I have to correct that wrong by bringing this person (back to Canada) even if I lose some political points with Islamophobes. Mr. Harper is playing politics because of the backdrop of Islamophobia in this country... he has to rise above that.”
Elmasry contrasted Khadr’s case with that of dual Canadian-British citizen William Sampson, who was freed from a death sentence in Saudi Arabia in 2003. Elmasry specifically wrote that:
However, Elmasry later stated that he was attempting to explain Harper’s stance on the file and was not accusing the prime minister of prejudice against Muslims.
Kory Teneycke, Harper’s director of communications, responded that if ``there is a party playing politics with this case, it’s certainly not the Conservative party. The Liberal party
is reversing a position that it held for a number of years while in government with respect to how the serious charges against Mr. Khadr should be dealt with. We are very late in that process now and it would be inappropriate to make a change.” Teneycke did not comment specifically on Elmasry’s words.
and his Green Shift plan could sell to Canadians if he used a green surchage as well. Also he suggested that Canada follow the example of Europe rather than the USA when it comes to the environment.”
Jonathan Kay, writing in the National Post
, sharply criticized Elmasry. Describing Elmasry's statements as an "absurd elevation of Islam over Christianity," Kay noted that religious Christians led the abolition movement in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, whereas slavery continued to exist in the Arab world into the 20th century and is still practiced in parts of Islamic Africa such as Sudan
. Kay rhetorically asked "what the Christian tribespeople from southern Sudan who have been abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and enslaved by Arab Muslims
in recent years would make of Elmasry's historical fantasies."
Elmasry should stick to engineering.
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
, and has been a leader in the Canadian Muslim community. He was born in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and received his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in 1965 from Cairo University
Cairo University
Cairo University is a public university located in Giza, Egypt.The university was founded on December 21, 1908, as the result of an effort to establish a national center for educational thought...
. He continued his studies in Canada earning a Masters and Doctorate degrees in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in 1970 and 1974. He has worked in the area of digital integrated microchip
Microchip
Microchip can also refer to:* Integrated circuit, a set of electronic components on a single unit.* Microchip Technology, a company that makes popular 8, 16 and 32-bit microcontroller lines.* Microchip implant , a microchip implanted into animals....
design for over four decades.
From 1965 to 1968, Elmasry worked for Cairo University and from 1972 to 1974 for Bell-Northern Research
Nortel
Nortel Networks Corporation, formerly known as Northern Telecom Limited and sometimes known simply as Nortel, was a multinational telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada...
in Ottawa, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Since 1974, he has been with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo
University of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
where he is a founding Director of the VLSI (Microchip) Research Group.
As a spokesperson for Muslim causes through the Canadian Islamic Congress
Canadian Islamic Congress
The Canadian Islamic Congress refers to itself as Canada's largest national non-profit and wholly independent Islamic organization without affiliation to any foreign group, body, or government and says it represents -- Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, men and women, youth and seniors...
, he has been a regular contributor to the Globe and Mail. His remarks, especially those concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The conflict is wide-ranging, and the term is also used in reference to the earlier phases of the same conflict, between Jewish and Zionist yishuv and the Arab population living in Palestine under Ottoman or...
, have drawn significant attention in the Canadian media. He has accused some of his opponents of being anti-Islam
Islamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
.
Elmasry has authored and co-authored more than 500 research papers and 16 books on integrated circuit design and design automation, as well as having several patents to his credit. He has edited the following books for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a non-profit professional association headquartered in New York City that is dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence...
: Digital MOS Integrated Circuits (1981); Digital VLSI Systems (1985), Digital MOS Integrated Circuits II (1991) and Analysis and Design of BiCMOS Integrated Circuits (1993).
Appearance on the Michael Coren Show
Asked by Michael Coren in an interview on October 19, 2004 if "...everyone in Israel, irrespective of gender, over the age of 18is a valid [military] target?", CIC President Mohamed Elmasry responded, "Yes, I would say."
Elmasry later apologized for his remarks calling them his "biggest mistake" in 30 years of public life and offered his resignation which was not accepted by the CIC's board.
The Elmasry affair led to criticisms that the media focussed entirely on the comments of the CIC president while neglecting controversial comments made on the same program by a B'nai Brith official, Adam Aptowitzer
Adam Aptowitzer
Adam Aptowitzer is a tax and charity lawyer in Ottawa, Canada. He studied at the University of Ottawa Law School and subsequently opened his own law firm in Toronto, Canada in 2002...
who stated that "When Israel uses terror . . . to destroy a home and convince people . . . to be terrified of what the possible consequences are, I'd say that's an acceptable use to terrify somebody." The remarks only received attention several weeks after the broadcast, and after Elmasry's apology and proffered resignation, when a press release by the Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Arab Federation
The Canadian Arab Federation was formed in 1967 to represent the interests of Arab Canadians with respect to the formulation of public policy in Canada. It presently consists of over 40 member organizations....
highlighted them. Following the CAF press release, Aptowitzer retracted his comments and resigned his position with the B'nai Brith. Toronto Star city editor John Ferri told the Toronto Stars ombud
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and some internal or external constituency while representing not only but mostly the broad scope of constituent interests...
, Don Sellar, "we all had egg on our faces...[i]t was embarrassing for every paper in the city not to get the whole story from the outset."
In a letter to the Toronto Star following Sellar's column, Elmasary complained about the affair:
Canadian news media - including the Star - launched a relentless and unfair attack against the Canadian Islamic Congress (CIC) and me while covering up for weeks the outrageous statements made on the same show by Adam Aptowitzer, then the Ontario chairman of the B'nai Brith Institute of International Affairs. While never referring to Aptowitzer's statements, the media used news stories, editorials, op-ed pieces, columns, photos, front-page coverage, cartoons, and radio and television commentaries to paint a negative picture of CIC and myself which seriously distorts and falsifies the truth. It was widely reported, for example, that "Elmasry said all Israelis over 18 were legitimate targets for suicide bombers." This is totally false.
The media never questioned the completeness or the accuracy of the radio show transcript that was given to them. Instead, they totally and completely relied on the heavily selective one provided to them, which was one-sided and referred only to my remarks, but not to those by Aptowitzer.
Elmasry also criticized Canadian Jewish groups over this incident. In an article entitled "When Jews Target a Canadian Muslim," Elmasry accused the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and Bnai Brith Canada of "putting pressure on my university to fire me" and that his words were "mis-represented to the public exactly as the CJC wished." He also stated that "a Toronto Jewish businessman had threatened to withdraw his financial support for a chair of Jewish studies."
He also criticized the recent bombing
2004 Sinai bombings
The 2004 Sinai bombings were three bomb attacks targeting tourist hotels in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, on October 7, 2004. The attacks killed 34 people and injured 171.-The bombings:...
of hotels in Taba
Taba (Egypt)
Taba is a small Egyptian town near the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. Taba is the location of Egypt's busiest border crossing with neighboring Israel. Little more than a bus depot and a luxury hotel , Taba is a frequent vacation spot for Egyptians and tourists, especially those from Israel on...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on the grounds that some of the victims there were not Israelis. These remarks prompted harshly-worded responses from representatives of the Canadian Jewish Congress and several prominent Canadian Muslims. At first, Elmasry defended his remarks by insisting that he was merely sharing the standard Palestinian point of view. This led to further charges from his critics, who accused him of using the Palestinians as a scapegoat. In a letter to the Toronto Star, he denied having said what he was reported to have said. He has no formal media training.
Relationship with Tarek Fatah
Regarding the October 2004 controversy involving Elmasry, Tarek FatahTarek Fatah
Tarek Fatah Urdu: طارق فتح is a Canadian political activist, writer, and broadcaster. He is the author of Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State published by John Wiley & Sons. In the book Fatah challenges the notion that the establishment of an Islamic state is a necessary...
, a founder of the Muslim Canadian Congress
Muslim Canadian Congress
The Muslim Canadian Congress was organized to provide a voice to Muslims who support a "progressive, liberal, pluralistic, democratic, and secular society where everyone has the freedom of religion." The organization claimed to have 300 dues-paying members prior to its 2006 split.-Origins:It was...
, had stated that "...to believe all Israelis are targets is the height of hypocrisy."
Fatah also stated that: "In refusing to step aside, Elmasry and the CIC have demonstrated the authoritarian and dictatorial nature of their structure.…They purport to speak for Canada's 600,000 Muslims, but are not accountable or answerable to them.…We demand he [Elmasry] not…masquerade as leader of the community." Elmasry had significantly altered the constitution of the CIC which previously imposed term limitations.
Regarding Elmasry's statements, Fatah wrote that "Elmasry accused his Muslim opponents of being traitors to their faith—an allegation that is read as a charge of apostasy, with all its ugly consequences" and that "It is especially sad that Mohamed Elmasry and his allies have chosen the holy month of Ramadan to launch their broadside on progressive Muslims."
In June 2006, Elmasry, named four public figures - Tarek Fatah among them - of taking every opportunity to bad-mouth Islam. Specifically, Elmasry stated that Fatah is "well known in Canada for smearing Islam and bashing Muslims." Fatah blasted Elmasry, stating that "[t]his is a classic threat to label anyone as an apostate and then marginalize them," ... "and this is what Mr. Elmasry has done by listing me as the top anti-Islam Muslim." Fatah stated that he views the label from Elmasry as tantamount to a death sentence. However, some Islamic scholars disagreed with Fatah's characterization of Elmastry's comments. Leonard Librande, professor of religion at Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
, told CTV News "There's nothing particularly Islamic in this... There are differences of opinion frequently in the community. It doesn't mean somebody is going to kill you."
However, Fatah has argued that "in the Muslim world ... allegations of apostasy are used to silence critics and human rights workers" and that "Some interpretations of Sharia call for apostates to be killed. Such views have forced many Muslims to flee their countries of birth and take refuge in tolerant Western nations such as Canada. To now find ourselves harassed in Canada by some Muslims here is alarming and ironic."
War against terror
Elmasry has asserted that the war against terrorWar on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
is actually being used to oppress Muslims as a whole saying that:
"Right wing Canadian politicians and their parties consider the "war against terror" to mean the same as "war against Muslims.""
On the Bush Administration's intentions in the Middle East, in particular towards Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, he has argued that:
"Mr. Bush has started a new and ugly cold war and he clearly intends to transform it into a hot one, sooner rather than later; the media and political hype will translate into real aggression, bringing death, misery and destruction to yet another Middle East state. The evil character of human greed and power-lust is about to raise its ugly specter once again and subjugate a weaker nation that refuses to toe the American line."
Regarding a potential American attack on Iran, Elmasry has written that "It is all part of a long-planned Bush and Co. agenda and that is why you won’t find a single good word in the American mainstream media about Iran—none, nil, zero." In addition, Elmasry added that "the doctrine of colonization: looting other people's wealth and enslaving them, while killing outright those who resist ... seems to be the dominant doctrine in Washington today" and that "Americans are busy preparing to attack yet another country, spreading more looting, more death, more suffering, and more destruction next door in Iran."
Elmasry has stated his opposition to Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
calling him "a lunatic, a fanatic" and accusing him and his lieutenants of "endangering the well-being, even the lives of many Muslims who are living in the West" and whose "religious rhetoric will probably feed into anti-Islam sentiments that already existed before Sept. 11 and have been on the rise since Sept. 11." Of bin Laden and his associated, Elmasry says "They have no religious authority."
Hezbollah
Elmasry has written that Hezbollah "is actually a legitimate Lebanese Shi'a Islam political party organized around a variety of roles and functions, just as are many other political parties. And, not unlike some other parties, it developed a national military resistance wing, created solely in response to Israel's occupation of Southern Lebanon."During the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Canadian Islamic Congress
Canadian Islamic Congress
The Canadian Islamic Congress refers to itself as Canada's largest national non-profit and wholly independent Islamic organization without affiliation to any foreign group, body, or government and says it represents -- Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, men and women, youth and seniors...
and the Canadian Arab Federation
Canadian Arab Federation
The Canadian Arab Federation was formed in 1967 to represent the interests of Arab Canadians with respect to the formulation of public policy in Canada. It presently consists of over 40 member organizations....
urged the Canadian government to take Hezbollah and Hamas off its list of designated terrorist organizations. Elmasry wrote that the Canadian Government should "review its 2002 decision to place Hezbollah and Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
on its list of banned alleged terrorist organizations" because doing so "is an unconscionable act of hypocrisy and a mockery of justice" since Canada has not placed Israel on the same list. Elmasry also stated that the decision to place Hezbollah and Hamas on this list was "dictated by special interest groups with agendas that are contrary to peace with justice."
Islamophobia
Elmasry has been outspoken in opposition to IslamophobiaIslamophobia
Islamophobia describes prejudice against, hatred or irrational fear of Islam or MuslimsThe term dates back to the late 1980s or early 1990s, but came into common usage after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
stating that "Today's Islamophobia and yesterday's anti-Semitism are starkly similar" and expressing fear that at the parallels between historic anti-Semitism in Europe and modern anti-Muslim sentiment in the West. "Today, Canadian Muslims are collectively judged as guilty by association for every crime committed by Muslim individuals, organizations and states, no matter how obviously atypical, abnormal or extremist they are. They are labelled Islamists, fundamentalists, Jihadists, etc." wrote Elmasry in a letter to the National Post analogizing the current situation to the history of anti-Semitism where "European Jews were found guilty-by-association of many crimes, from killing the Son of God to any professional misconduct, beginning with the local Jewish doctor." He argued that the modern world should draw lessons from the past and work to halt the spread of anti-Muslim sentiment lest it establish the same groundwork for anti-Muslim violence the way that centuries of anti-Semitism laid the groundwork for violence against Jews.
Multiculturalism
In 2002, Elmasry denounced an email from the Khalid Bin Al-Walid Mosque that urged followers not to wish anyone a "Merry Christmas" asserting that this was tantamount to congratulating someone for murder and adultery. "It is a ridiculous statement and doesn't follow Islamic teaching. Whoever says this is saying it out of ignorance of his or her own religion," said Elmasry to the National Post and argued that extending Christmas greetings was the polite and neighbourly thing to do. He also said that Islam allows followers to marry Christians or Jews and that his own family is multi-faith. "My kids have uncles and aunts who are Christian and we wish them Happy Christmas and they also wish us Happy Eid."Elmasry says he and the CIC support "smart integration where Muslims can practise their religion but can also be involved in advancing the well-being of their home country, which is Canada."
Sharia tribunals
In 2005, the Canadian Islamic Congress supported recommendations by Marion BoydMarion Boyd
Marion Boyd is a former Canadian politician, who represented the riding of London Centre in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1999 as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party.-Background:...
that the government of Ontario permit sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
tribunals to which Muslims could voluntarily submit civil disputes and whose findings would then have legal weight under the Arbitration Act. The proposal was opposed by the Muslim Canadian Congress
Muslim Canadian Congress
The Muslim Canadian Congress was organized to provide a voice to Muslims who support a "progressive, liberal, pluralistic, democratic, and secular society where everyone has the freedom of religion." The organization claimed to have 300 dues-paying members prior to its 2006 split.-Origins:It was...
, the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and non-Muslim women's groups. The provincial government ended up rejecting the proposal and scrapping existing religious arbitration tribunals for Jews and Christians in the process.
Regarding the opposition of moderate Muslims to the introduction of Sharia tribunals in Canada, Elmasry wrote that Canadian Muslims should not "make a cause of publicly deriding their religion, badmouthing the Prophet, ridiculing the Qur'an and mounting uninformed crusades to smear their Islamic Law, the Shariah." especially since he is doing it himself.
The Muslim Canadian Congress
Muslim Canadian Congress
The Muslim Canadian Congress was organized to provide a voice to Muslims who support a "progressive, liberal, pluralistic, democratic, and secular society where everyone has the freedom of religion." The organization claimed to have 300 dues-paying members prior to its 2006 split.-Origins:It was...
demanded that the CIC apologize for "false" accusations that those who criticize sharia are "smearing Islam, ridiculing the Koran [and] badmouthing Muhammad." The MCC stated that Elmasry accused the group of blasphemy, a crime that carries the death sentence in several Islamic countries. The MCC wrote,Some MCC members also expressed concern they will be arrested if they travel to certain Islamic countries.
Elmasry responded by stating that Islam has no punishment for denouncing the religion, its holy book
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, or Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, and he dismissed as "nonsense" the notion that his words could be construed as a death sentence.
Danish Muhammed Cartoons
Elmasry urged a moderate response to Danish cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad published in 2005. Anger at the depictions resulted in violent rallies and attacks on Danish institutions in Europe and the Muslim world. Elmasry urged Canadian Muslims to have a "controlled and calm" response consisting of writing letters to the editor and the Danish government. He also urged Muslims to engage in outreach by inviting non-Muslims into their homes and have open houses in mosques. He discouraged attendance at demonstrations saying,Claim that Old Testament teaches violence
Commenting in June 2006 on the decision of United ChurchUnited Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
, in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, to reissue a motion to divest in Israeli companies, Elmasry stated:
“The move of the Toronto’s United Church is a moral one. But is it true to its Holy Book; the New Testament as much as Israel’s campaign of death, destruction and misery against the Palestinians under its occupation is true to its Holy Book; the Old Testament?” ... “It seems that many political leaders in the Christian West are not living the teaching of their Holy Book while Israel is living its own”
Elmasry supported this view by citing a 1953 book by French pacifist Jean Lasserre, La Guerre et L'Evangile. Drawing on Lasserre's view that by and large, "the Old Testament ignores that respect for human life, that unconditional love, that non-violence, which [is] the general climate of the New Testament."
Previously, he had stated that "very few people would sanely suggest that the Torah [which is part of the Old Testament] sanctions violence. The reason of course is that these verses and others much like them are subject to various interpretation and contextual assumptions.".
Criticism
An article in the Arab American News criticized Elmasry, stating that:
His next gaffe [the first being the October 2004 controversy] was the declaration that Israel's cruelty could be explained by the fact that the Old Testament is full of justification of bloody deeds by the ancient Hebrews. The inescapable corollary is that all Jews are cruel. Of course, his remarks have several flaws. Even if, for the moment, we grant the characterization of the Old Testament, it does not follow that all who claim to follow it see it that way and act accordingly. Second, a more realistic evaluation of these scriptures would recognize that they contain the work of many authors with different views produced over many centuries, with later works often more sophisticated. Amos, who declares, "Let justice flow down like the waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream," can hardly be characterized as bloodthirsty. Finally, Elmasry's take on the Old Testament is un-Islamic. The Quran identifies some of the patriarchs in the Jewish scriptures as prophets, and it speaks respectfully of Jews and Christians as "people of the book".
Bnai Brith Canada sharply criticized Elmasry, stating in a press release that Elmasry's "thesis that the Old Testament is the root cause of all hatred and violence in the world" is an "attack on the core of Judaism."
The Canadian Jewish community
In an article written in June 2007, Elmasry criticised Canadian Jewish intellectuals for, in his opinion, moving to the right of the political spectrum. Elmasry wrote that "social justice once had staunch friends among Canadian Jews", citing in particular David LewisDavid Lewis (politician)
David Lewis, CC was a Russian-born Canadian labour lawyer and social democratic politician. He was national secretary of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation from 1936 to 1950, and one of the key architects of the New Democratic Party in 1961...
, but argued that today "many Canadian Jewish intellectuals are assaulting Canada's policies regarding multiculturalism, immigration, and what they consider federal "giving in" to natives' land claims. They are no longer speaking out against the deterioration of civil liberties in this country" and that "their political agenda has moved closer and closer to that of the far right."
In an article written in the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, Ezra Levant
Ezra Levant
Ezra Isaac Levant is a Canadian lawyer, conservative political activist and media figure. He is the founder and former publisher of the Western Standard, hosts The Source daily on Sun News Network, and has written several books on politics....
, the publisher of the now-defunct Western Standard
Western Standard
The Western Standard is a Calgary, Alberta-based libertarian-conservative publication that billed itself as Canada's only conservative national news magazine...
accused Elmasry of hostility towards Jews. Levant cited the Canadian Association of Journalists
Canadian Association of Journalists
The Canadian Association of Journalists or L'Association Canadienne des Journalistes in French is one of several Canadian organizations of journalists. It was created to promote excellence in journalism and encourage investigative journalism...
meeting in Halifax in May 2005 in which he sat on a panel with Elmasry. During the meeting, Levant claims Elmasry engaged in "a lengthy rant against the 'zhoos' who control the media, the 'zhoos' who are 'on top' of the world and keep the Muslims on 'the bottom', and about how my own comments were suspect because I, too, was a 'zhoo.'"
In response to accusations of anti-Semitism, Elmasry has argued that his organization, "the CIC was the first non-Jewish Canadian NGO to denounce anti-Semitic incidents committed against several Montreal Jewish institutions."
Israel and the Palestinians
Elmasry has referred to Israel as "Apartheid Israel" and has praised Israeli activist Uri DavisUri Davis
Uriel "Uri" Davis is an academic and activist who works on civil rights in Israel, Palestinian National Authority and the Middle East. Davis has served as Vice-Chairman of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights and as lecturer in Peace Studies at the University of Bradford...
because he has "worked to expose the real truth behind Israel's so-called "democracy." Elmasry has also stated Uri Davis work makes it clear "to any thinking person that Apartheid Israel and Apartheid South Africa are remarkably similar." Elmarsy has also called for Britain to apologize to the Palestinians for its role in the creation of Israel and for its use "of military violence, political stratagems and economic influence to inflict generations of injustice, destruction, misery and death on a native people living in the path of their plans."
Elmasry has said "The pro-Israel lobby continually strive to discredit anyone who dares to speak the truth about Israeli atrocities against native Palestinians."
He has also written that: "... Zionism, as a political ideology, has succeeded only in building an apartheid state for Jews; an elaborate ghetto kept separate from its Palestinian neighbors by concentrated military power, an aesthetically monstrous "security wall," economic dependency on Western support, compulsory military conscription and training (including how to kill with weapons), and a hate-based education system for Jewish children that teaches them to despise anyone and anything Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim, in that order."
Elmasry has recognized a diversity of opinion among Israelis saying "Many Israelis—and the number steadily grows—now recognize that the occupation and the settlements are twin obstacles to peace."
Elmasry has called for a two-state solution
Two-state solution
The two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the consensus solution that is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007...
with Israel withdrawing to its pre-1967 border
Green Line (Israel)
Green Line refers to the demarcation lines set out in the 1949 Armistice Agreements between Israel and its neighbours after the 1948 Arab-Israeli War...
and praised Egyptian leader Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
for making peace with Israel in exchange to its withdrawal from the Sinai Desert However, in April 2008, Elmasry wrote that "Those Palestinians who oppose the one-state solution are those who believe the illusion (promoted by U.S. president George W. Bush, for example) that a two-state solution is just around the corner."
Elmasry has also stated that there is nothing wrong with the "One-State" solution. Elmasry suggested such as state "could divide key positions of power among Jews and the Arabs. For example, Jews could be in charge of the army and Arabs look after the police. The positions of President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Parliament could be held in alternating terms by Arabs and Jews." However, Elmasry adds that "the single state solution will never happen in the foreseeable future, of course, because the U.S. is pledged to maintain not only a secure Jewish state, but an expanding Jewish mini-empire carved out of its illegally occupied Palestinian territories."
In an article written in the The Canadian Charger (Elmasry's latest vehicle of self promotion) in June 2009, Elmasry wrote that "Israelis are indoctrinated in Zionism" and that "violent militarism is not only a Zionist ideal but an economical and a sociological necessity." In a subsequent article, Elmasry wrote that "in the West Zionist Jews create, encourage, support wars in Afghanistan and Iraq... [and] cheer for racist, anti-immigration politicians in Canada and Europe." He also described Zionist Jews as "the enemies of freedom of speech in schools, universities and the public at large" and alleged that the Western media gives "Zionist oppressors a platform that allows them to exploit the Holocaust, and mount disinformation and misinformation campaigns."
Joel Kovel
In April 2008, Elmasry praised Joel KovelJoel Kovel
Joel Kovel is an American politician, academic, writer, and eco-socialist. A practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst until the mid-1980s, he has lectured in psychiatry, anthropology, political science and communication studies. He has published many books on his work in psychiatry,...
for his book Overcoming Zionism - Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine. Elmasry stated that, on the 60th anniversy of Israel's creation, Kovel's book "is must-read for this difficult and bitter-sweet occasion." Elmasry also stated that "hate that drives Zionist attitudes toward Palestinians" and
that Kovel "suggests convincingly that the inner contradictions of Zionism led Israel to develop its "state-sponsored racism" and that Zionism and democracy are essentially incompatible." Elmasry concluded by stating that the reason Kovel's book has been "buried" is that "our so-called "free" press and broadcasting networks ... are free only to those who own them and use their power to express their own views. And that is a sad loss for everyone."
Homosexuality
Regarding the issue of how Islam views homosexuals, Elmasry stated in 2003 that: "There is no need to revise the Qur'an or the teaching of Islam on the issue of homosexuality. It is clear that homosexuality is forbidden and if someone wants to insist on doing it, that is their personal decision. They [homosexuals] will be held accountable in the end [by God on the Day of Judgement]."In 2004, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
Premier Dalton McGuinty
Dalton McGuinty
Dalton James Patrick McGuinty, Jr., MPP is a Canadian lawyer, politician and, since October 23, 2003, the 24th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario....
's encouraged Muslim parents to allow their children to attend public school classes that include teaching tolerance of gays and lesbians. Elmasry acknowledged that “Teaching tolerance at a young age is a must ... but you have to balance that with the appearance that you are not promoting certain values, in this case homosexual families."
In February 2005, Elmasry wrote on the website IslamOnline.net that: "I believe that the responsibilities of Canadian Muslims are to emphasize education in their own community and also other faith communities that homosexuality is against the natural law of the creator, and that it is harmful to the body, the mind and the soul of the person."
Robert Mugabe
In July 2008, writing in an op-ed for the Montreal GazetteThe Gazette (Montreal)
The Gazette, often called the Montreal Gazette to avoid ambiguity, is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with three other daily English newspapers all having shut down at different times during the second half of the 20th century.-History:In 1778,...
, Elmasry called Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
"clumsy" but "no worse than many leaders in the developing world" and questioned: "Why so did many Western media outlets, including Canadian ones, send their own correspondents to cover an election in a poor faraway African country of about 13-million black people? The answer is that Mugabe is hated by the British now as he was hated in 1980 when he was elected the first president of free Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, after 90 years of British colonization under the name of Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
." Elmasry praised Mugabe for "trying to implement a land reform; to redistribute the land of about 5,000 white farmers to his country's poor black people" and argued that the collapse of Zimbabwe's economy and the rampant inflation are the result of Western sanctions and not because of Mugabe's land seizures. Elmasy criticized the Western Media for not reporting that "Mugabe was and still is popular especially in the rural areas; his land reform has won him support among his own people."
Father Raymond J. de Souza criticized Elmasry for this op-ed, writing that Mugabe is "a man so isolated that even his fellow African dictators have distanced themselves from him." De Souza also wrote that "If he [Elmasry] did not represent himself as Canada's head professional Muslim, Mr. Elmasry's celebration of Mr. Mugabe would have been too incredible to print."The fact that the University of Waterloo did not dismiss Elmasry after the Michael Coren debacle proves that tenure affords impunity.
Omar Khadr
In July 2008, Elmasry wrote that Canadian Prime MinisterPrime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
is “playing politics” and remains indifferent to Omar Khadr
Omar Khadr
Omar Ahmed Khadr is a Canadian child soldier and one of the juveniles held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He was convicted of five charges under the United States Military Commissions Act of 2009 including murder in violation of the law of war and providing material support for terrorism,...
’s incaration at Guantanamo Bay prisoner because Harper had calculated that refusing to press Washington for Khadr’s return would score him “political points.” Elmasry further stated that "This is where a leader comes in to say, `This is really wrong and I have to correct that wrong by bringing this person (back to Canada) even if I lose some political points with Islamophobes. Mr. Harper is playing politics because of the backdrop of Islamophobia in this country... he has to rise above that.”
Elmasry contrasted Khadr’s case with that of dual Canadian-British citizen William Sampson, who was freed from a death sentence in Saudi Arabia in 2003. Elmasry specifically wrote that:
“Why is Stephen Harper so callously indifferent to Omar Khadr’s case?” “It’s painfully obvious: William Sampson is a white Westerner while his fellow Canadian citizen, Omar Khadr, is brown-skinned and a Muslim.”
However, Elmasry later stated that he was attempting to explain Harper’s stance on the file and was not accusing the prime minister of prejudice against Muslims.
Kory Teneycke, Harper’s director of communications, responded that if ``there is a party playing politics with this case, it’s certainly not the Conservative party. The Liberal party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
is reversing a position that it held for a number of years while in government with respect to how the serious charges against Mr. Khadr should be dealt with. We are very late in that process now and it would be inappropriate to make a change.” Teneycke did not comment specifically on Elmasry’s words.
Environment
In August 2008, Elmasry suggested Stéphane DionStéphane Dion
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008...
and his Green Shift plan could sell to Canadians if he used a green surchage as well. Also he suggested that Canada follow the example of Europe rather than the USA when it comes to the environment.”
Slavery in Islam
In an article written in the Canadian Charger in August 2009, Elmasry wrote that:
"Islam teaches that slaves, who were then the result of wars, Africans or not, should be treated well and set free as soon as possible...Islam also teaches that slaves can buy their freedom in-kind. Thus many of them excelled to be teachers and even scholars … Islam teaches a slave is a victim of circumstances who should be helped to be free and treated fairly in the mean time. Trading in slaves is a sin. This is in contrast to the teachings of the Bible, 'Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling."
Jonathan Kay, writing in the National Post
National Post
The National Post is a Canadian English-language national newspaper based in Don Mills, a district of Toronto. The paper is owned by Postmedia Network Inc. and is published Mondays through Saturdays...
, sharply criticized Elmasry. Describing Elmasry's statements as an "absurd elevation of Islam over Christianity," Kay noted that religious Christians led the abolition movement in the West in the 18th and 19th centuries, whereas slavery continued to exist in the Arab world into the 20th century and is still practiced in parts of Islamic Africa such as Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. Kay rhetorically asked "what the Christian tribespeople from southern Sudan who have been abducted, forcibly converted to Islam, and enslaved by Arab Muslims
Arab Muslims
Arab Muslims are adherents of the religion of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, or genealogically as Arabs. They greatly outnumber other ethnic groups in the Middle East. Muslims who are not Arabs are called mawali by Arab Muslims....
in recent years would make of Elmasry's historical fantasies."
Elmasry should stick to engineering.