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The Six Percent Solution: an Analysis of Hate Legislation in Canada

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The Six Percent Solution: an Analysis of Hate Legislation in Canada The Six Percent Solution: An Analysis of Hate Legislation in Canada MARK SILVERBERG Executive Director, Pacific Region, Canadian Jewish Congress, Vancouver, B.C. Deepening hostility to Israel, an increase in potentially violent anti-Semitic incidents, the growing militancy of right-wing and left-wing extremist groups, the formation of an intellectual right with its racist ideas and the efforts to falsify history by denying the Holocaust—this is the face of the new anti-Semitism, the new Jewish condition in Canada. HE winds of discontent today, are ascertain the level and the extent of Tsweeping through the corridors of anti-Semitism and to measure the de­ power in Canada. They bring the gree to which it was either latent or wrath of a nation to a leadership too manifest. The results of the study are long indifferent, too apathetic and too generally favourable but the impact of distant from the needs of its minorities. its conclusions may well have a pro­ There is, in Canada today, a callous found effect upon the manner in which disregard for the realities and the man­ we perceive anti-Semitism in Canada. ifestations of hate. It is reflected in laws The study concludes that the major­ that are inadequate (and therefore ity of Canadians (over eighty percent) unenforceable) against purveyors of do not perceive Jews as being any dif­ hatred, who disseminate tape-recorded ferent from themselves. In short, over­ anti-Semitic sermons to their congre­ all attitudes towards Jews in Canada gants—with immunity; who speak of a are either positive or neutral as op­ world-wide Jewish conspiracy and of posed to negative. It is significant, how­ Jews as a cancer, a parasite on civili­ ever, that there remains a firmly established zation—with immunity; who today deny group of between six percent and twenty the existence of the Holocaust as an percent of Canadians who continue to ex­ historical fact and who argue that it is hibit varying degrees of prejudice towards yet a matter for continued debate, and Jews which manifests itself (in latent prej­ who do so, with immunity; who rely udiced attitudes) as a sensitivity towards upon the fundamental freedoms of the increased presence of Jews in their jobs, Canada to undermine those same free­ communities and social clubs. doms for other Canadians, and who do The core group (approximately six so, with absolute immunity and in fla­ percent) of anti-Semites, however, is grant violation of all that is right and more direct in its prejudice. For that just. The problem is as old as the Scrip­ group, the problem is not one that can tures and as clear as the Canadian readily be solved through the educa­ Charter of Rights and Freedoms and tional process. For this group (com­ the manner in which we, as Canadians, prised primarily of single, unemployed, deal with this travesty will, in large twenty-five years old or younger male measure, become a statement of Ca­ apartment dwellers with either very lit­ nadians as a People. tle education or a community college education and generally with no reli­ The Extent of Anti-Semitism gious affiliation), the Jew is viewed as Several months ago, the Canada-Is­ a modern day Shylock: less trust­ rael Committee commissioned a poll to worthy, less law-abiding, less honest, 54 JOURNAL OF JEWISH COMMUNAL SERVICE less charitable, more aggressive and munication between the Jewish com­ more influential with the media, in munity and significant numbers of con­ business and in politics than most other cerned Christians can resolve their Canadians. They are also of the belief prejudice, for their hatred is not the that Jews hold more important posi­ type of ignorance that necessarily can tions in Canada than do other Cana­ be dealt with at the level of social in­ dians. For the hard-core anti-Semites tercourse or community dialogue. Anti- the relationship between Canadian Jews Semitism in their case stems from an and Israel is not so much a question irrational, one-dimensional, all encom­ of dual loyalty as it is a matter of passing indictment and hatred of all disloyalty. To this group, there is no that is Jewish—without qualification. question of understanding or attempt­ Fixated on a specific rigid, racist ide­ ing to understand that the Jewish com­ ology, these groups see their functions mitment to their heritage does not nec­ as essentially messianic, requiring a race essarily conflict with the loyalty one war to purify the soul of Canada! Many feels to his or her country. It is this have formed themselves into organi­ attitude, that of the hard-core anti- zations which are part of a phenome­ Semite, that makes Jews vulnerable to non known as the "Identity Churches", attack from those who are prejudiced. a pseudo Christian movement which It is little wonder, then, that events in holds the belief that white-Anglo Sax­ the Middle East, while not creating anti- ons, not Jews, are the "true Israelites," Semitism, function as a vehicle to bring and God's chosen people.* Members out the latent prejudice which already of the movement refer to the "true forms part of their mentality. In short, identification of Israel," claiming that for the stereotypical anti-Semite, Israel Great Britain and, by extension, the is not the cause of anti-Semitism but United States, are the true Holy Land, his excuse for it.1 home to the true Israelites. Members The fact that the stereotypical hard­ of the "Identity" movement adhere to core anti-Semite represents a mere six the doctrine of the inherent superiority percent of Canada's population should of the white race which holds that not allow us to relax our vigilance over blacks and other non-white races are the activities of these groups. For them, on the same spiritual level as animals no amount of Holocaust symposia, no and therefore have no souls. Vicious amount of advanced high school or hostility toward these non-white races university curricula on Holocaust ed­ and relentless vilification of Jews are ucation, no amount of cultural dia­ major components of this movement's logue, no amount of bringing together theology of hate. teenagers of different cultures to pro­ According to a recent study, done mote understanding of each other's by the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai values and problems, no amount of in­ B'rith: volving educators in the development of exciting, remedial curricula, no Many "Identity" adherents also believe that amount of continuing educational ef­ the second coming of Jesus Christ is at hand and that American cities will go up in flames forts through the utilization of every preceding that event. This apocalyptic vision, technique or device for effective com- according to "Identity" followers, will come 1 Report of the Canadian Polling Institute, Project * The Movement claims 6,000 members, but #827048, A Study Commissioned by the Canada responsible Jewish organizations believe this fig­ Israel Committee, Ottawa, Canada, 1983. ure is grossly inflated. 55 HATE LEGISLATION IN CANADA about as a result of a gigantic race war that ocide; the incitement to hatred of a will follow an attack upon the United States group in a public place where that in­ by the Soviet Union. They further believe citement is likely to lead to a breach that only members of the "Identity" move­ ment will survive to build a "new Israel" in of the peace; and all oral or written America. "Identity" followers are preparing statements made in public that willfully now for the race war and political and eco­ promote hatred against any identifiable nomic chaos which they envision will precede group. However, no move to combat the "second coming" 2 anti-Zionism (as anti-Semitism) or Hol­ In Canada, the major organizations ocaust denial literature is even seriously forming part of the Identity movement contemplated at this time. Although churches are the Aryan Nations both the Canadian Jewish Congress and Organization (known as the "Church the League for Human Rights of B'nai of Jesus Christ Christian" ) based in B'rith have proposed amendments to Fort Langley, British Columbia and op­ section 281 of the Code which would erating throughout the Lower Main­ make it an offense in Canada to deny land of B.C.* and certain elements of historical events (such as the Holocaust) the Ku Klux Klan, the national office for the purpose of inciting hatred of which is now based in New West­ against identifiable groups of people, minster, British Columbia. the likelihood of success is small. It is to these groups and others who In Canada today, the 1975 U.N. Res­ indulge in more sophisticated forms of olution equating Zionism with racism anti-Semitism across Canada** that the has opened the door through which hard-core anti-Semites will be most at­ the anti-Semites may freely pass. The tracted in difficult socio-economic times. resolution is used today by hate groups A democratic system can not afford the and known anti-Semitic publishing luxury of postponing action against such houses to disseminate hate literature organizations nor rely upon their mod­ against Zionists (read: Jews) under the est numbers for consolation. Organized guise of academic freedom and free­ bigotry and racism must be dealt with dom of speech. (The irony in permit­ immediately and at all levels of gov­ ting this is simply that it has never been ernment. This paper presents, in part, Canadian policy that individuals under certain specific remedies which can be the guise of freedom of speech and utilized to deal with this problem. freedom of action can say things or take steps to incite or advocate the Hate Literature destruction of freedom which all of us enjoy.
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