This week in Kingston,
Ontario, a mother, father and son were found guilty of murdering three of the
family's daughters and the father's first wife in his polygamous marriage. They are Muslim Afghan immigrants who
believed that the girls had become too westernized. It was a horrendous crime
which was classified as an 'honour killing'.
Is multi-culturalism at the root of honour killings in
Canada?
Ezra Levant's column,
"Death and dishonour in Kingston", (St. Catharines Standard, Tues.
Jan. 31, 2012), stated that there have
been "more than a dozen honour killings in Canada in recent years"
all perpetrated by "Muslim extremists".
He wrote that even though the young Shafia women reached out,
people who were in positions to help them did not do so because the women were
part of the Muslim community.
Those in authority backed off, according to Mr. Levant,
"in the name of multiculturalism".
It is interesting to note that in 1998, for example, 67
women - that's more than 5 dozen in one
year, were killed in Canada at the hands of husbands, boyfriends, ex-husbands
or ex-boyfriends
and In 6 out of 10 cases the police were aware that violence characterized the
relationship but were unable or unwilling to help.
Violence against women is found in all areas of society.
Suggesting that the Shafia women could have been
saved if it wasn't for multi-culturalism is silly and in this case more likely
meant to inflame the post 911 distrust of Muslims, most of whom do not terrorize
and murder their daughters.
Jeesh.
12 comments:
I agree with you that multiculturalism isn't the culprit.
Nonetheless, Canada needs to tell prospective immigrants, before they emigrate, that they will have to accept Canadian values, and we need to tell these people what those values are.
They include the equality of women.
If they can not accept those values, they should not come here, because they will not be happy or accepted --- and they will give pedantic assholes like Levant more ammunition to stoke the fires of discrimination and ethnic conflict.
Ezra Levant is an attention-seeking idiot.
What's at the root of all 'honour' killing is pure, plain evil. It may be the 21st century, but some of the people we are forced to share this world with are sub-human.
Doug, maybe this trial will help get the message across. Thanks.
I'd stop reading his columns Debra but it's always a good idea to know what is going on at Sun Media.
I agree, Jane, this was evil right up there with Clifford Olson. I was glad to read that if they live longer than their sentences they will be deported.
There was plenty of evidence that these girls needed help and they didn't get it. Why? that's hard to say but something is very wrong here.
This type of crime goes unpunished, or nearly, in many Muslim countries. If we really believe in multiculturalism then we would treat him the same as where he is from. The whole trial and judgment was very much from a Canadian perspective.
So saddening about these girls losing their lives in such a way.
Heart-breaking.
Victoria
Andrew, I doubt Trudeau was thinking about such things as honour killings when he gave us "The Just Society". I have always taken multi-culturalism to mean recognition and respect for culturall diversities which fall within the laws of Canada. But I think you have a point. Maybe it is time to ditch the word multi-culturalism.
If he meant only within the the law, then would make such things as discouraging your daughters from getting higher education okay --something I know happens.
I don't think Trudeau or other people who are for multiculturalism thought it through so well. If they mean people wearing saris and eating Indian food all the time that is fine, but most of us think that immigrants should accept the core values of Canada. They should know what those values are before they come here.
It seems to me that multiculturalism is really a feel good platitude that even its advocates don't really believe in.
I wonder if multiculturalism doesn't encourage some immigrants to keep some of their values that we will not accept. I've heard many stories about Muslim parents abusing their kids because they turned out to be gay.
Those girls were becoming real Canadians! And that's what their father couldn't stand.
I stick to my point that new immigrants are not the only perpetrators of violence/injustice against women and are in fact less likely to murder a woman than are Cdns who hae been here for a few generations.
Men need to stop blaming immigrants and look to themselves. Have you joined a 'Take Back the Night" march or a "walk a mile in her shoes" protest? Some men are trying to make a difference.
No but I've gotten into a fight trying to protect a woman. Did u notice that I;m missing a tooth?
I wasn't pointing the finger at immigrants. The T Star said in an article that man who killed his daughters, did take risks to get them education in Kabul under the Taliban, so he would be considered liberal by the standards of his country!
I've been to that part of the world and I thought it was a dystopian nightmare for women.
I think there are some people who wouldn't hesitate for a moment to condemn white, southern fundamentalists if whooping women was part of their culture, but wouldn't ever do that to Muslims.
I don't want to stop Muslims immigrating here -- I just think we should let in the moderate ones who fit in. Just look at the UK where, for example over 50% of Muslims thought Salman Rushdie should be killed.
As a mother of two girls, this story really saddened me. We must continue to work towards eliminating violence against women; the number of cases involving violence against women annually in Canada is still too high, and rather alarming. But why don’t you hear about all those other cases? Why don’t you read about all the other women – young and old – who die at the hands of their fathers, boyfriends, spouses? Maybe we’re so used to those types of crimes that they’re not ‘interesting’ enough; they certainly don’t sell as many newspapers, or draw as much attention, as the Shafia case. All violence against women should be condemned, no matter what kind it is, and by whom it’s carried out.
You have a very interesting blog! I linked here from Jane's blog (http://janesjewels.blogspot.com/).
Thanks PlowingThroughLife. Yes I agree with you it all needs to be condemned!
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