Dear Editor:
Re: ‘This is pure racism and it’s horrifying,” Burnaby NOW, Feb. 1.
I pay my condolences at what happened in the mosque at Quebec City. It was deplorable and shameful, as violence in any form can never be justified.
However, I am equally appalled by this news report appearing on the main page of your newspaper. The reporter (and the editor) should know that neither Islam nor Muslims are a race. Islam being a religion and Muslim the adherents of this religion cannot be termed as a “race” as there are Muslims from every race, including many whites.
This report goes to show the bias nowadays we have in our media. Especially when, till now, police have not charged the perpetrator under terrorism act or with any hate crime; he’s been charged with six counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Moreover, to date, there has been not even one proven case of Muslim hatred (media faux term: Islamophobia) in Canada.
Furthermore, what does an incident in Quebec have to do with a mosque and Muslim community in Burnaby? If the Muslim community fears for their safety over actions that happened in Quebec, then where are your reports on the concern about safety of the common Canadian when Islamic terrorists (determined by respective law enforcement authorities) shoot hundreds of people in Europe?
This kind of reporting is not going to help mend any issues but fuel the hatred among otherwise peaceful communities.
I hope in future you’ll use some honesty in your reporting.
James Hamilton, Burnaby
