Taliban supporter Imran Khan to speak in Toronto

[CanadianPatriot]

Pakistani politician and former cricket player - Imran Khan is scheduled to speak in Toronto next week.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/10/18/cricket-legend-politician-imran-khan-headed-to-toronto

Imran Khan has made public comments in support of the Taliban and their jihad against "foreign occupiers", i.e. he condones attacks on Canadians Soldiers 

I cannot understand how the Canadian government can allow someone like this to enter Canada. He is not only coming to give a speech he is also coming to raise funds for his political party the "PTI". How much of this money will go to support the Taliban and be used to kill our soldiers?

Obviously this is a very serious issue and I would HOPE that members of the Canadian military, their families, friends and supporters, will turn out next week to protest the appearance of Imran Khan when he speaks at the Pearson Convention Centre on October 25th.

"Imran Khan says Taliban's 'holy war' in Afghanistan is justified by Islamic law"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/14/imran-khan-taliban-afghanistan-islam

 

[George Wallace]

Interesting.

Seems Canada has refused entry to many who have preached ideas contrary to our beliefs and Charter of Human Rights, including Political figures.  Why would Imram Khan be any different than them?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Wouldn't a better reaction be to NOT show up?

Have a rye and coke, bacon double cheese burger, watch some TV with our families.  What does protesting free speech prove?

Cricket is pretty fruity too.

 

[Journeyman]

Sorry, but sinking to their level and relying on hyperbole such as Khan is 'here raising money to kill our soldiers' is just weak. Let him speak; listen to what he has to say and then offer your contrary views, debating calmly and rationally if you feel appropriately stirred.

Free and informed public discourse is one of our strengths over "the other."

dos pesos  :2c:

 

[brihard]

Sorry, but sinking to their level and relying on hyperbole such as Khan is 'here raising money to kill our soldiers' is just weak. Let him speak; listen to what he has to say and then offer your contrary views, debating calmly and rationally if you feel appropriately stirred.

Free and informed public discourse is one of our strengths over "the other."

dos pesos  :2c:

Well said.

While there are some exceptions - actual incitement, slander and libel - I hold to the belief that the proper approach to the problems resultant from freedom of expression is more freedom and most importantly more expression. It's our job as responsible citizens to call our that charlatans, fools and s***heads for what they are rather than let legislation creep in to replace any doubt.

 

[winnipegoo7]

In August the Taliban were threatening to kill him because he was 'liberal'.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/9465025/Imran-Khan-laughs-off-Taliban-death-threats.html

And in 2007, "Pakistan's Newsline magazine gave Khan the Paris Hilton award for being the most undeserving media darling."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imran_Khan

 

[CanadianPatriot]

To those who say  we should let Khan into Canada in the name of free speech remember there are limits on free speech.

When Khan made the following statement he crossed a line :

"The people who are fighting in Afghanistan against the foreign occupation are fighting a jihad,"

With this statement he was condoning attacks on our soldiers and given his celebrity status his comments carry a lot of weight in that part of the world so much so that his comments are almost an incitement to attack our soldiers.

Lets not forget that he is not in Canada or a Canadian so he does not enjoy any automatic right to free speech in Canada and it would be within the rights of our government to deny him entry.

Aside from the issue of free speech lets not forget that he is coming here to fund raise. What happens to the money raised?

 

[JorgSlice]

The Charter also only applies to actions between the Government and People; as reflected in Section 32.

 

[Jarnhamar]

To those who say  we should let Khan into Canada in the name of free speech remember there are limits on free speech.

You mean the serving and retired members who put their lives on line fighting for that right? Okay.

With this statement he was condoning attacks on our soldiers

Lots of Canadians do, too.

and given his celebrity status his comments carry a lot of weight in that part of the world so much so that his comments are almost an incitement to attack our soldiers.

Those idiots will use everything from Justin Beiber to cherry coke to justify attacking our soldiers.

Lets not forget that he is not in Canada or a Canadian so he does not enjoy any automatic right to free speech in Canada and it would be within the rights of our government to deny him entry.

Aside from the issue of free speech lets not forget that he is coming here to fund raise. What happens to the money raised?

Don't you think you sound a little pretentious coming to a largely CF populated website ranting about free speech, what we 'should' be doing and talk about what we should be remembering?

 

[brihard]

Don't you think you sound a little pretentious coming to a largely CF populated website ranting about free speech, what we 'should' be doing and talk about what we should be remembering?

Indeed. It's an odd way for a new member to show up.

 

[CBH99]

I read a book several years ago called "My Jihad" by an author who went by the name Auki Collins.

It was an interesting read that offered some insight into the other side's view of what a Jihad really is, how its interpreted and came to be within the context of the Koran, and how modern-day media and fanaticism has destroyed what the true meaning of a Jihad really is supposed to be about - in theory.

In regards to this story, I would recommend giving it a read if you haven't done so.  Easy book to read, interesting, and offers an interesting insight as to how a Jihad can be interpreted from the other side - something our media isnt great at portraying accurately.

**The individual fought against the Russians in Chechnya, then tussled about in the clusterf**k known as the Balkans, then went back to Chechnya, and then fought in Afghanistan for a brief period of time before coming over and working for "us".  So, some good action and comical stories mixed in - if your not interested in the other stuff.**

 

[skyhigh10]

My views are pretty straight forward:

A pastor who wanted to burn a Quran was halted @ the Border ... I know I know,  it had nothing to do with his  media travesty a year ago , but passport issues.  Sure.  !  :rage:

Some sympathizers in this country will show up Imran Khan's event. Said individuals have no respect and could not grasp the concept of tolerance if it came up and sat on their face.  It's never mutual you see ...

I say let him make the trip in then turn him around at his own expense.

The idea has left me somewhat flabbergasted. He supports the "Jihad" yet this vitriolic stooge has the nerve to fund raise Canadian dollars on Canadian soil.  Interesting. 

I hope the CBSA has a field day  :temptation:

 

[CanadianPatriot]

^
It will be interesting to see how the CBSA handles this. Somehow I suspect that unlike Terry Jones who was harassed for four hours by CBSA agents at the Detroit crossing before being denied entry to Canada - Imran Khan will be waived through.

This is a test for the Harper government. They barred a Florida Pastor from entering Canada using the lame excuse that Jones was fined in Germany a decade ago (for using the title "Dr."). Of course the real reason Jones was banned from Canada is that he "offends" Muslims. Terry Jones has never advocated killing Canadian soldiers or anyone else for that matter. All he did was burn a copy of the Quran and for this we were denied the opportunity to see him debate a radical Imam on Canadian soil.

Will the Harper government have the political courage to ban Khan from entering Canada? It will take political courage because they risk losing votes from the South Asian community if they ban this Pakistani sports hero from entering Canada.

Next week should be interesting.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Indeed. It's an odd way for a new member to show up.

I quite agree.

And if you think about it soldiers bringing friends and family to a "protest" would make one hell of a target for a terrorist group who wanted to make a statement.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Have a rye and coke, bacon double cheese burger, watch some TV with our families.  What does protesting free speech prove?

If "they" hate our freedom so much, as some say, I think this would be the perfect counter-protest - especially if you spend time with your daughters encouraging them to get as much education as possible, and be free to be whatever the hell they want to be.

 

[Dissident]

I would go to this conference drinking a beer, eating a bacon cheeseburger, surrounded by all the of sluttiest dressed females I could convince to come for free alcohol and democracy.

 

[Scott]

You register and immediately go to posting a thread like this. I sense flames or my Alcan stock going up. I am available to be proven wrong but don't hold much hope.

 

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

Imran Khan is hardly a Taliban supporter. He's a showboating opportunist that will do or say anything to see his name spread around any venue that will have him.
He was an excellent cricketer, but now he is just milking his former value for whatever he can get.
Let him in, I say.  Let him make a fool of himself ad infinitum.

 

[Edward Campbell]

We must recognize that Imran Khan expresses a common, maybe majority point of view for many, many South West Asians. The Taliban is there and, through Saudi funded schools, which themselves represent a failure of governance by Pakistan, it is an important opinion maker.

We, Canadians, have been wrong to try to stifle angry, even hate filled, often untrue but, all the same, "free" speech. Our freedoms of conscience and of expression are far, far more important than our feelings.

Some of our friends, fellow members here on Army.ca, took those freedoms seriously and they died, in Afghanistan, trying to ensure that we, you and I, safe and sound here in Canada, could decide, for ourselves, what to believe.

 

[Journeyman]

Said individuals have no respect and could not grasp the concept of tolerance if it came up and sat on their face. 

Someone's taken Alanis Morrisette's "Ironic" to heart. 

Of course the real reason Jones was banned from Canada is that he "offends" Muslims.

One doesn't have to be Muslim to find stupidity offensive.

Will the Harper government have the political courage to ban Khan from entering Canada?

    :boring: