RUTHFULLY YOURS

Kudos to Norwegians for their sense and sensibility in the aftermath of an evil attack on their beautiful country, one of the most peaceful places in Europe.

There is no denying that this was a heinous attack on humanity. If this had been an Islamist attack I hope Norwegians would have dealt with it in the same way.

Meanwhile back in North America, those to the left and right are trying to find a political plug for Breivik’s acts of violence to push their own agendas. Many Muslims and non-Muslims are calling him a Christian fundamentalist with no evidence to show that he was one. We seem to be in a competition to see if ‘my terrorist is better than yours’.

However what we seem to have bypassed in all of this, is the cause and effect of a tragedy like this one. Since 9/11 we know that studying the background and going to the root cause is of utmost importance when dealing with an ideology of hate. Through his disturbing manifesto, we know that Breivik was holding a grudge against what he considered a rape of Europe. While unequivocally condemning him for taking lives, if we disregard his rants as those of a madman, we would be naïve.Europe is a simmering cauldron of problems stemming from immigration and settlement issues and if any good can come out of a massive human tragedy, it would be to ensure that these concerns are discussed, debated, dissected and dealt with by Western governments and immigrant communities who are facing many challenges.

Norway has been on my mind for another reason. I’ve just finished reading “But The Greatest of These is Freedoms” by Norwegian author Hege Storhaug and as I read this troubling but thought provoking book, I understand some of the serious social problems in Norway and relate them directly to Canada.

Storhaug’s book, a major bestseller and award-winner in Norway paints a vivid picture of Europe in peril. Storhaug is not a fear monger (as both she and I have been accused of) but someone with strong credentials. She is one of Europe’s leading experts on immigration and integration and has served since 2002 as director of Human Rights Service, Norway’s first think tank on policy proposals relating to European immigration.

The book was difficult reading for me at times because it deals openly and frankly with immigrant problems created by largely Pakistani immigrants to Norway, who to this day have not settled or adapted. The author hasn’t just penned down her opinions – she was so troubled by what she saw happening in the suburbs of Oslo that she spent three years in Pakistan learning about Islam and Pakistani culture.

Storhaug has used research and statistics throughout her book to make a point that Europe’s current immigration policies are misguided and pose a grave threat to the freedoms and liberties Europe is so proud of, so she calls for immediate and radical action. When I was halfway through the book, I felt like I was seeing a picture of what could happen in my home country Canada if we don’t wake up and take some action soon.

The book’s jacket reads: “We live in a somber time. Girls and women are veiling themselves. Hatred of gay people is growing. Girls born in Norway are undergoing genital mutilation. Rapes are rising in number and becoming more violent. Fetching marriages, cousin marriages, arranged marriages: the individual is being crushed in a cynical game for visas, citizenship, and money. Freedom of speech is endangered by self-censorship, threats, and violence.  Immigration rules are broken. Islamism spreads, even among third-generation immigrants… Something must be done, and time is running out.”

This is why Norway has been on my mind. I had hoped to use Storhaug’s research and book as an alert for Canadians to take stock of what’s happening in our own country under the banner of human rights and immigration. I didn’t expect a horrible tragedy would expedite my ideas, but this mayhem in Oslo today has brought Storhaug’s book to my mind once again.

We too are faced with similar problems. Radicalization is a threat to our freedoms and equality; we too have wishy-washy politicians eager for votes and terrified of offending, thereby pandering to the Islamists; we have our share of Sharia-pushers; we have huge loopholes in our immigration system, an open welcome-to-one-and-all policy regardless of background and intention and most of all, like Storhaug’s prediction, time is running out for us.

The radicals have become bold across the globe and are using scare tactics. They will milk the Oslo massacre against the West forever. For them this is a triumph.

We need to act now for tougher immigration policies, harsh legal consequences for those wishing to harm the West , transparency and accountability for all religious organizations along with clearance from organizations such as RCMP and Revenue Canada and a strict policy of separation of church and state.

We have a huge lesson to learn about securing our borders and strengthening our internal policies.

Raheel Raza is a Canadian author of Their Jihad – Not My Jihad.