CANADIAN UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS APOLOGIZE FOR
STUDENT'S ISLAMOPHOBIC REMARKS
(Ottawa, Canada ? 04/25/01)
The President and Vice-Chancellor
of York University, along with the Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, have
strongly condemned and apologized for an Islamophobic commentary that recently appeared in Obiter Dicta, a student
newspaper of the law school.
The University is also taking disciplinary action against the student who wrote the March 12th op-ed piece, "In Allah We Trust", which included statements such as:
"...children and adults alike of Islam do not have the luxury of CHOICE...
precisely because of Islam's oppressive, backwards and brutal realities which is an affront to basic human dignity..."
"...there is NOTHING, absolutely nothing spiritual about that Islamic faith. At best, it is a protocol of social conduct, a hybrid if you will of the worst elements of communism and fascism co-existing in a monstrous symbiosis; of oppression and most pervasive and intolerable regulation..."
"...As for the readers of our paper, all I can say to you is to BEWARE and to beware of the religious fanatics among us and false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves!"
The commentary was in response to a series of educational articles about Islamic Law that had previously appeared in the Obiter.
(See http://www.yorku.ca/obiter/march/mar12/Mar12-Allah.html for full commentary)
In letters sent to York University President Lorna Marsden and Law School Dean Peter W. Hogg, CAIR CAN Executive Director Riad Saloojee wrote:
"Rarely, however, have we ever encountered the malice and deep-seated prejudice. Indeed, the article goes far beyond either opinion or scholarly debate; it incites hatred against Muslims and crosses into the realm of hate literature."
"That a law school paper, committed to the service of its student body, would publish such hate is intolerable...We request that the university administration conduct an investigation into the matter and take appropriate measures to ensure that this situation never re-occurs."
In her reply to CAIR-CAN, President Marsden, wrote:
"Osgoode Hall Law School and York University take very seriously their commitment to social equality, and both the School and the University endeavour at all times to be respectful of difference and diversity."
"...A formal complaint has been filed against [the student] and the Associate Dean of the Law School ... has begun proceedings in accordance with the Presidential Regulations Governing the Conduct of Students at York University."
"Please be assured, therefore, that this matter has been treated with every seriousness by the administration of York University, and prompt remedial and disciplinary action has been taken."
Dean Hogg also replied to CAIR CAN, stating:
"May I say how deeply sorry I am that the offensive article was written by a law student and published in Obiter Dicta,
the student newspaper..."
"We are deeply committed to tolerance and equality for all races and religious faiths. Our formal policy in this regard
is prominently posted around the Law School. It is very upsetting when members of the community fail to respect those
values."
>In the March 19th issue of the Obiter, Dean Hogg and eight students wrote to condemn the bigoted article. The editor also issued an apology.
(See http://www.yorku.ca/obiter/march/mar...ntsmar-19.html for letters and apology)
"It is encouraging to see such fair-minded and swift action from the administration of York University towards such a hateful attack on Islam," said CAIR CAN Board member Dr. Jamal Badawi.
STUDENT'S ISLAMOPHOBIC REMARKS
(Ottawa, Canada ? 04/25/01)
The President and Vice-Chancellor
of York University, along with the Dean of Osgoode Hall Law School, have
strongly condemned and apologized for an Islamophobic commentary that recently appeared in Obiter Dicta, a student
newspaper of the law school.
The University is also taking disciplinary action against the student who wrote the March 12th op-ed piece, "In Allah We Trust", which included statements such as:
"...children and adults alike of Islam do not have the luxury of CHOICE...
precisely because of Islam's oppressive, backwards and brutal realities which is an affront to basic human dignity..."
"...there is NOTHING, absolutely nothing spiritual about that Islamic faith. At best, it is a protocol of social conduct, a hybrid if you will of the worst elements of communism and fascism co-existing in a monstrous symbiosis; of oppression and most pervasive and intolerable regulation..."
"...As for the readers of our paper, all I can say to you is to BEWARE and to beware of the religious fanatics among us and false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves!"
The commentary was in response to a series of educational articles about Islamic Law that had previously appeared in the Obiter.
(See http://www.yorku.ca/obiter/march/mar12/Mar12-Allah.html for full commentary)
In letters sent to York University President Lorna Marsden and Law School Dean Peter W. Hogg, CAIR CAN Executive Director Riad Saloojee wrote:
"Rarely, however, have we ever encountered the malice and deep-seated prejudice. Indeed, the article goes far beyond either opinion or scholarly debate; it incites hatred against Muslims and crosses into the realm of hate literature."
"That a law school paper, committed to the service of its student body, would publish such hate is intolerable...We request that the university administration conduct an investigation into the matter and take appropriate measures to ensure that this situation never re-occurs."
In her reply to CAIR-CAN, President Marsden, wrote:
"Osgoode Hall Law School and York University take very seriously their commitment to social equality, and both the School and the University endeavour at all times to be respectful of difference and diversity."
"...A formal complaint has been filed against [the student] and the Associate Dean of the Law School ... has begun proceedings in accordance with the Presidential Regulations Governing the Conduct of Students at York University."
"Please be assured, therefore, that this matter has been treated with every seriousness by the administration of York University, and prompt remedial and disciplinary action has been taken."
Dean Hogg also replied to CAIR CAN, stating:
"May I say how deeply sorry I am that the offensive article was written by a law student and published in Obiter Dicta,
the student newspaper..."
"We are deeply committed to tolerance and equality for all races and religious faiths. Our formal policy in this regard
is prominently posted around the Law School. It is very upsetting when members of the community fail to respect those
values."
>In the March 19th issue of the Obiter, Dean Hogg and eight students wrote to condemn the bigoted article. The editor also issued an apology.
(See http://www.yorku.ca/obiter/march/mar...ntsmar-19.html for letters and apology)
"It is encouraging to see such fair-minded and swift action from the administration of York University towards such a hateful attack on Islam," said CAIR CAN Board member Dr. Jamal Badawi.
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