By Cyril Anderson

 Part Two of Two

The challenge of finding this balance, however, is not as difficult as some would suggest.  All that is necessary is for everyone to be reasonable and flexible as possible, with a willingness to compromise where possible, and an ability to understand where the other group cannot be flexible, and respect that, with an overall philosophy of avoiding unnecessary and pointless conflict.  Sometimes conflict is necessary on matters of central principles, but one should not purposefully go looking for conflict.

 In Montreal, the largest, most diverse population center in Quebec, progress is a lot farther along in terms of building positive contacts due to the much higher mixing of different peoples, than it is in rural Quebec, where things are more ethnically homogenous, and people usually don’t have a chance to interact with immigrants and foreigners outside of their encounter with various stereotypes.  Research shows that when people have a chance to have more interaction with a group, the increased level of direct contact tends to improve peoples attitudes.  However, even in Montreal, there is still much work to be done.  All Muslims have a part to play in this respect as ambassadors of sorts for the religion, immersed within the society and encountering the population of Quebec on a daily basis at school, at work, in the marketplace.  With each positive interaction, some small improvement is made.

 We are all, in a relative sense, newcomers to this land.  Aside, perhaps from the aboriginals, we all possess rather shallow roots in this land.  Quebec, Canada, and the Americas as a whole make up a land of immigrants and newcomers.  Those of us whose roots go deeper must do our best to welcome those who are newer, so that these newcomers may one day be similarly welcoming to those who come after them.  Such is the way that the strength of our society in this nation was built.  We must all work together, so as to continue to build it. 

 The tensions in relations today may seem discouraging, but we must keep in mind that there are a number of positive examples in history of such early tensions in encounters between cultures resolving themselves in a positive encounter and integration between the two cultures.  One particularly apt example for the Christians of the West who are anxious about the encounter with Islam is the example of the challenges of the early Christians trying to establish themselves in the Roman World of the first centuries CE, prior to Constantine’s legalization of the Christian faith.  The Christians in this difficult time were undergoing persecution, were widely misunderstood, and were criticized for failing to “fit in” properly with Roman society, because they were different.  They were viewed with distrust, particularly as their community grew from native Romans through conversions.  The most vile slanders and accusations were put against them.  But they grew, their roots taking hold in the soil of the Greek and Latin culture, and from these roots sprouted great fruits.  They resisted the push to dissolve themselves and their identity into the greater society, but they nonetheless became an integrated, integral part of the society, and in this integration of cultures brought about beautiful things.

 Another example is the Jews in European history, who spread throughout Europe following the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE.  They were viewed with suspicion, as outsiders, criticized for their different ways and customs, for “stubbornly refusing to integrate.”  They were subjected to persecutions and pogroms, even up to the past century.  But they too set down strong roots, becoming integral parts of the European society, and having great benefit to European society through mutual exchange of culture and heritage.

 We in the Muslim communities in the West stand in a similar position.  In this early stage of the development of our communities, we experience troubles with people in this society greeting us often with distrust and suspicion.  We must follow in the path of these examples that came before us, setting down strong roots, and integrating within this society, not an integration of dissolution of our identity, but an integration within the fabric of society such that we become a beneficial and valued aspect of the society, in such a way that we are appreciated, because of our contributions, for our distinct identity rather than being hated for it.  There is much work still to be done to bring these possibilities into reality, but it is work that is good and noble, and sorely needed in these difficult times. 

 Let us begin, together.

                                   Part One                  Part Two