Straight.com – September 12, 2012
An Ontario academic says that Muslim young people in Canada are experiencing negative effects of the so-called war on terror in some unusual ways. On September 10, Jasmin Zine, an associate professor of sociology at Wilfrid Laurier University, said during a panel discussion at W2 Media Café that she has interviewed more than 100 Muslim youths over the years and that many believe they’re under surveillance or being watched.
She described the so-called Toronto 18 case, in which Muslim youths were arrested en masse, as a “flash point” for creating overblown fears about homegrown terrorism in the general public. Zine noted that art is the preferred tool of resistance to discrimination, citing Muslim youths who have become comedians, spoken-word performers, and musicians in order to express their political views. She emphasized that none of the kids she’s interviewed has expressed any interest in committing violence against society.
