By Helen Jardine
Representatives of the local Muslim community say concerns that the controversial Support our Troops campaign is fostering racism are unfounded.
The issue was raised at a recent forum to discuss if supporting Canadian troops is the same as supporting the war in Afghanistan.
One panelist warned that decals declaring support for Canada’s troops on Ottawa police cruisers has left some groups, Muslims in particular, feeling uncomfortable.
“The whole Support our Troops phenomenon is particularly disturbing to the racially visible people in Canada,” forum organizer Larry Rousseau said. “If someone has a Support our Troops sticker on their SUV I’m asking myself, ‘Are they wondering if I’m a Muslim?’ And if so, what are they thinking? The war [in Afghanistan] is part of the wider war on terrorism. And war on terrorism means war on Muslims, as the identified group.”
Rousseau said that rather than asking, “Does supporting our troops equal supporting the war?” Canadians should ask, “Does supporting the war equal supporting intolerance in our country?”
Rousseau says he thinks it does.
“If you don’t support the troops, you are considered unpatriotic,” he said. “I’ve heard it in discussions at human rights conferences, where visible minority groups have said it makes them feel uncomfortable.”
Dan Irving, a Carleton University human rights professor, agrees.
“I can definitely see how certain ethnic groups would be offended. I’m offended!” Irving said.
“Support our Troops silently speaks to a whiteness and a Judeo-Christian sentiment under a capitalist system. Support for the war in Afghanistan shows Canada’s position as a colonial power. It speaks to who is included and who is excluded as ‘legitimate citizens’ of Canada. For Muslims, the war on terror is taking place not only in Muslim countries but also in Canada.”
However, some Muslims say that is simply not true.
Nigar Islam, a Muslim volunteer at the Ottawa Muslim Community Circle, says she does not find the stickers offensive.
“In my community, we really don’t care about these stickers,” Islam says.
“I had a sticker on the back of my car saying, ‘My grandkids are the best!’ You know, inferring they’re better than yours. People would stop me and joke with me, ‘No, mine are the best!’ I don’t care about those stickers, they are just your own opinion.”
Fazal Siddiqui, co-ordinator of Muslim Family Services for the Ottawa Muslim Community Circle, agrees with Islam that “as Canadians,” many Muslims support Canada’s troops.
“No, we are not offended by these stickers. It is not even an issue,” Siddiqui says.
Sameer Zuberi, communications co-ordinator of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations, says Support our Troops seems like a simple message but actually packs a lot of punch.
“I would say there is some discomfort with the stickers, but we haven’t heard of anyone who has come and said to us that they felt uncomfortable or verbally assaulted by the owner of a vehicle who has the sticker on his car.”