freedom of religionSyndicate content

in his own words

Guelph public meetings reveal xenophobic side of gurdwara opponents

As the fuss/tantrum/tumult over the Muslim community centre in south Manhattan, or "Ground Zero Mosque" to its opponents, continues, Guelph's Sikh community's recent attempt to build a new gurdwara has found strikingly similar opponents.

Significant numbers of the gurdwara's opponents' racist mentality and conflating tactics display significant parallels to the divisive rhetoric surrounding the Manhattan centre. There are distinct parallels in the mentality in which the arguments are forged and how the proponents are framed. Despite Canadian portrayals as more tolerant and without a War on Islam, sorry Terror, when it comes to Sikhism the same accusations and complaints are lodged.

embedded_video

Columnists

The marginalization of Muslims in America

Salman Hamdani died on Sept. 11, 2001. The 23-year-old research assistant at Rockefeller University had a degree in biochemistry. He was also a trained emergency medical technician and a cadet with the New York Police Department. But he never made it to work that day. Hamdani, a Muslim-American, was among that day's first responders. He raced to Ground Zero to save others. His selfless act cost him his life.

Concerned student library worker wants to be sensitive to students in his workplace who may be Muslim

Story_publish_date: 
March 21, 2009
summary: 
How can I be sensitive to addressing inquiries of students, who may be Muslim, about "quiet spaces"?

I'm a student and I work part-time in a section of the library of my university reserved for assisting and supporting students with academic problems/issues. I'm a white guy, and for quite a while I've been working hard to understand the power I hold and how it affects others who I interact with.

A few months ago a student came into the space while I was working and asked for "a quiet place" where he could be for a while. He had a prayer mat rolled up under his arm and he was brown skinned. I took a guess and asked him if he needed a place to pray. He said yes. I showed him an office that he could use. Fast forward to a few days ago, when another student came in (also brown) who asked the same question. He didn't have a prayer mat, and didn't have any other "visual cues" that would indicate he's Muslim. I told him that this wasn't a general study space and sent him away.

My question is, should I have asked him if he needed a place to pray? 

Read the answer...

Syndicate content