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Visit www.javedzaheernews. blogspot.ca
for latest articles
PEOPLE DETERMINED TO FIGHT
FOR RIGHTS, OPPOSE & REJECT
BAD POLICIES & LEADERS
BY JAVED ZAHEER, FREE EXPRESSION AWARD
WINNER,
TORONTO: The sensitive issue of Ontario’s new sex
education curriculum is heating up very much and increasing the blood pressure
and anger of the affected parents and people as it starts testing their
religious, freedom, human rights, family, morality, responsibility,
respectability, social, cultural and patience levels and tolerance.
Parents
and people are determined to fully protect their rights and freedom, under
Canada’s Charter of Rights & Freedom, and keep using all the available
peaceful and sensible options of rejecting and protesting against all such parties,
leaders, policymakers and policies which are proving harmful and destructive for
them and Canada.
Peaceful
protests are being held and parents kept their children away from schools for a
week and could even keep away their children from such classes and schools
indefinitely. Children are suffering the most but they fully understand the
sensitivity and gravity of the issue and that’s why are willingly supporting
the parents and people. They are sensing the dangers and consider it as
extremely harmful and destructive.
Chris Selley of daily ‘National
Post’, published from Toronto, Canada, in his analysis titled ‘Muslim community taking the lead in
latest round of Ontario sex-education protests’, published on May 5, 2015, highlighted the events and developments taking
place against the ‘Harmful & Objectionable’ Ontario’s new sex education
curriculum.
Chris
contacted me and chatted with me on this sensitive issue and carried my
comments as follows: “Freelance journalist Javed Zaheer warns of the “total
destruction” of his grandchildren’s generation.”
As
regards the chat with Chris Selley and my comment in his analysis, I would like
to make my comment and point clear to remove the confusions and
misunderstandings, if any, created.
Nobody
would have objected and protested if the Ontario’s new sex education curriculum
had been purely educational and meant to create proper awareness and better
understanding for the children of all ages, particularly appropriate and mature
ages and mental levels so that they can grasp the necessary knowledge for
safety and awareness and protect themselves from the harms, dangers,
exploiters, pedophiles and criminals.
Already,
children are being taught about health including sex. On that too concerned
parents and people objected only against the “Objectionable portions” being
taught to children of inappropriate ages and against their religious, family,
social and cultural values and principles. Most of them kept their children
away from such classes on optional basis.
Concerned
parents and people say that the problem with the Ontario’s new sex education
curriculum is that it is not only unethically crossing the limits and levels of
maturity, morality, responsibility, respectability, values and principles but
proving extremely destructive to the innocence, lives, and future of the
children and new generation. It will open the doors for the evils, criminals
and sex mafia to easily lure and hook the children to exploit, use and abuse
them and produce a generation of rapists, predators and sinners. Their
inappropriate ages, innocence and curiosity will increase their lust, make them
irresponsible and sexually charged and definitely lead them to immorality and
criminality.
The
concerned parents and people consider it as a conspiracy of a lobby and fear
that the motive behind the new sex education curriculum is to promote
immorality and support and promote all those involved in such practices. Once
they become part of the system and society then the job would become easy and
the innocent children could be easily hooked, lured, exploited and abused.
The
good, responsible and respectable parents, people and families of any community
can never and will never allow this to happen. They will protect their children,
families, cultures, values and principles at all cost.
The
sexuality process of erection, insertion and ejection are all but natural for
all living beings and the new sex education curriculum would definitely
increase their sexual and lustful levels and allow them to understand and test them.
They simply cannot avoid it.
Instead
they would become Peeping Toms and keep a watchful eye on members of the
family, friends and community including parents, siblings and others to watch
or get a chance to practically do something.
So
what kind of a generation are we trying to create or produce? The day will not
be far when a Grade-1 kid will ask his mother, sister, teacher or any other person:
“Am I masturbating properly?” or “Hey, can you please measure my thickness and
size?” or “Can you please teach me how to properly do and enjoy sex?” or “Mama or
daddy I don’t need toys any more. I need condom and someone to practice and
play?”
I
have four grandchildren and more kids in my family and friends circles. I shudder
on even imagining about such a sex generation, happenings, situation and
condition. This will definitely happen if we dangerously cross the limits and
levels of maturity, morality, values and principles. Children and the future
generations will lose their innocence, religion, family, responsibility and
respect for all.
The
good human beings would turn into sex hunter and sex mafia gang member. Canada
and all good, responsible and respectable Canadians just cannot afford and
allow this to happen at any cost. All attempts to bring such policies and
changes would be opposed and thwarted.
As
regards Ontario’s Premier Kathleen Wynne, she is MPP of my constituency Don
Valley West and people mostly respected and voted for her and her party. She is
a really very good and powerful leader and love mixing with the people of the
area, listening and helping them. This is why I like and respect her too and
hope that on this sensitive issue too she would meet the concerned parents, families
and people, listen to them and try to find an acceptable and respectable
solution.
Failure
to do so on any pretext or grounds would lead to clash with the people and
crash of her Liberal Party. Now, people are definitely in no mood to be good with
her or her Liberal Party. The new sex education curriculum would definitely
affect her and her Liberal party’s position adversely. People are damn angry
and determined not to choose or entertain any such party or leader who does not
respect them, their religion, cultures, traditions, ethics, values and
principles.
The concerned members and leaders of
the community including Shahid Hashmi, Chairman, Canpak Chamber of Commerce,
Seema Hashmi, Syed Muhammad Iqbal, President of Pak Seniors Forum, Hashim Hyder,
Tahir Hussain, Masoodul Haq gathered at the residence of Hameeduddin Ahmed, who
had published and edited Toronto’s Urdu newspaper `AWAZ’, on May 6, 2015, in Pickering. The Ontario sex
education curriculum was extensively and openly discussed and the majority
members strongly criticised and condemned such a policy and considered its
implementation as futile, disastrous and destructive.
Syed
Muhammad Iqbal, PSF President, termed the Ontario sex education curriculum as
devastating and destructive. He highlighted the “objectionable parts” of the
curriculum as follows:
1) Proper
names for body parts will be taught to students of Grade 1.
2) Students
of Grade 2 will learn about the broad concept of consent by being told that no
means No.
3) The
curriculum positions sexual orientation as one of the potential qualities that
distinguish people from one another.
4) Now
in Grade 4 discussion about puberty will be common and will move further to Grade
5 while education about intercourse will take place the following year
5) In
Grade 6, masturbation and gender expression will also be part of the curriculum.
In Grades 7 and 8, contraception and oral sex preventing pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections will be taught and students will also learn about online
bullying and the dangers of sharing sexually explicit images electronically.
People
are already burdened and fed up by the rapidly increasing prices of everything.
It is becoming harder for them to meet the increasing expenses including
family, rent and groceries. Their pockets are being emptied to meet the budget
deficit caused by the wrong policies of incompetent leaders and parties with
vested interests. The wrong policies and incompetent leadership is proving
harmful for Canada and all Canadians. Instead of cutting their “Expenses”, the
leaders are cutting the throats of the common people.
It
will definitely adversely affect the system, society, communities and families.
A survey would reveal the facts and the prevailing situation and condition.
Most people are fed up with elections, leaders and parties. .
The
prime minister, premiers, ministers, policymakers, bureaucrats and leaders of
all levels and parties---federal, provincial and municipal---must focus on all such
priority issues so that people could live, breathe and even die respectfully
and peacefully.
The
increasing burden of rising expenses is becoming intolerable and making the
lives of common people terrible and miserable. The need and urgency is to act
fast before Canada and Canadians are harmed by the wrong policies and
incompetent leadership at any levels. All communities and people must understand
this and unite to practically help and support each other to protect Canada and
Canadians and make them really safer, stronger and successful.
\
It is the duty and
responsibility of the MP, MPP and Councillor to guide and help the people of
their areas but recently one person came with a complaint that a staffer of MP
of Don Valley West instead of helping him sent him a “Hurting email”. He was
shocked and disappointed by that email and said: “Where should I go now and who
will listen and help me?”
Such attitude is narrowing the roads
for success and power for both the Liberal and Conservative parties and giving
advantage to the NDP. The elections are
due in few months but the outcome could be predicted by the performance and
attitude of the leaders, parties and their staff. People are this time more
charged and aware of what is happening to them, Ontario and Canada because of
the wrong, bad and incompetent leaders and policies.
JZ’S
PROFILE: Declared by
Judges as one of 75 Finalist Best Canadian Immigrants, an Honour for the
Pakistani Community. Joined Journalism Profession in 1974 (Daily `SUN’,
Karachi) and still serving as a professional journalist (2014). Javed Zaheer,
Free Expression Award Winner (Awarded by National Ethnic Press & Media
Council of Canada—NEPMCC. Award presented by Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario,
Canada), Desi Idol Recognition Award Winner (Presented by North American Desi
Idol), Member/Honorary Director of NEPMCC, Veteran Active Member (VAM) of
Toronto Press Club, Ex-Member of The National Club and The Ontario Club,
Honorary Editor of English Weekly `Pakistan Abroad’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor
(Honorary) of English Weekly `The Ambassador’, Canada, ex-Chief Editor (Honorary)
of English Weekly `DAWN', Canada, ex-Senior Sub-Editor of English Daily DAWN,
Pakistan (From 1986-1999), Chairman, CANOPI, Director of Children Dignity
Foundation (CDF---Canada & Pakistan) and Honorary Director, Canpak, Chamber
of Commerce, and Honorary Director Information, Pak Seniors Forum (PSF), is
contributing purely on Voluntary and Honorary Basis in order to serve all
people and communities. Contact: (416)696-0981/jazamedia@hotmail.com To read
more JZ’s exclusive articles, please visit: www. nepmcc.ca and
nationalethnicpress.com (Editorial Sections. Scan years from 2004). Visit
www.javedzaheernews.blogspot.com for latest exclusive articles.
Muslim community taking the lead in latest round of Ontario sex-education protests
Analysis
TORONTO — Thorncliffe Park elementary school, in a predominantly Muslim area of Toronto, reported attendance on Monday of 130, according to the Toronto District School Board — 130 out of 1,350 students. That’s just nine per cent who showed up, though on Tuesday it had rebounded … all the way to 16 per cent.
At nearby Valley Park Middle School — best known for controversially hosting congregational Muslim prayers in its cafeteria on Fridays — Monday attendance was just 38 per cent.
Their parents are mad as hell about Ontario’s new sexual education curriculum, and they’re boycotting the entire curriculum, for up to a week, as a result.
Five years ago, when then-premier Dalton McGuinty abandoned much the same curriculum, conservative Christians were generally considered the culprits or heroes, depending on one’s standpoint. And they’re still on the warpath against the curriculum, which with a few tweaks is finally set to go into effect for the next school year.
But the school boycott is a multicultural affair, and the most stunning absenteeism numbers reportedly come from the Muslim community, which was not nearly so prominent in the 2010 debate.
Reports from a Monday protest in Thorncliffe Park suggest concerns range from the specific (introducing the notion of “gender fluidity,” too early or at all) to the conspiratorial (accusing the government of “indoctrinating children with a minority lifestyle”) to downright apocalyptic: freelance journalist Javed Zaheer warns of the “total destruction” of his grandchildren’s generation.
“There is a somewhat stronger current of what we might call family traditionalism among Muslims than among most other groups (although not more so than among evangelical Protestants),” says David Rayside, a professor of political science at the University of Toronto, “especially around sexuality and sexual diversity.”
But in the main, their complaints are similar to those of other social conservatives. And that’s hardly surprising, as Rayside says: “The vast majority of Canadian Muslims are first generation, and they come from very traditional parts of the world.”
For policymakers, the sex-ed fracas is a conundrum. Ontarians can peruse the curriculum with the click of a mouse. Many have, and have formed reasonable complaints: Gregory Moore of Amherstburg, Ont., wonders why he’s enrolling his kids in Catholic school if they’re going to be taught, in Grade 6, that masturbation “is common and is not harmful and is one way of learning about your body.” (Ontario’s bishops support the curriculum, arguing they’ll teach it “through a Catholic lens.” That’ll be some feat.)
“Some families do not believe it’s a good thing for an 11-year-old to carry a condom around in his pocket just in case,” says Moore. “I’m one of those parents.” (In Grade 8, the curriculum suggests “using condoms consistently if and when a person becomes sexually active.” Still.)
Yet many of the most fearsome criticisms bear little relation to the document itself. It supposedly indoctrinates students in the homosexual lifestyle … by explaining to Grade 3 students that some people “have two mothers or two fathers.” It supposedly promotes anal sex … by explaining to Grade 7 students that “engaging in sexual activities like oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse means that you can be infected with an STI.” It “puts pressure on (Grade 8) kids to become sexually active,” per the Campaign Life Coalition, by encouraging them “to get information from a credible source before making a decision about being sexually active.”
A document in Arabic reportedly being distributed in Peel Region, west of Toronto, claims children in Grade 1 “will learn to reveal their private parts.” With a world of information at our fingertips, misinformation remains alarmingly powerful.
For Canadian Muslims, however, it could be an interesting moment.
White Christian so-cons haven’t accomplished much in politics in recent years, after all: Prince Edward Island still doesn’t offer abortions, and that’s about it, really. Muslims aren’t a huge community in Canada, and of course they are not monolithically conservative. But the broader movement can use any help it can get.
“It would be interesting if this is the start of significant domestic political mobilization for the Muslim community,” says University of Regina politics professor Jim Farney, who studies the role of religion in Canadian politics. They have long had a voice on the Middle East, he notes, but little else.
Muslims may be marginalized and occasionally demonized in Canada — but as they previously demonstrated during the “mosqueteria” controversy, those in Thorncliffe Park are perfectly comfortable defending their rights.
It’s also quite possible the issue will fizzle, of course. Rayside suspects things will die down once school gets down to business in the fall.
But Zaheer and other opponents vow to return in force then. Moore, likewise, says he intends to keep badgering teachers, administrators and politicians in search of redress.
And if he doesn’t get it by September?
“We are so undecided,” he says. “We don’t know what we’re going to do.”
National Post
• Email: cselley@nationalpost.com | Twitter:
