NEWS opnewseditor@gmail.com Hundreds Rally in Vancouver Against Racist Cartoons Shannon Bundock, OP Contributor “Downtown Vancouver was filled with the sound of Islamic chanting on Saturday as hundreds gathered to peacefully protest Danish newspaper cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist.” —Canadian Press, February 19, 2006 Over 400 people joined together on February 18 for a protest organized by several Mosques and Muslim organizations throughout the Lower Mainland, alongside the anti-war coali- tion Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO). The racist cartoons come at a time when the US is stepping up threats to Iran and is continuing to lead a brutal war and occupation in Iraq. At the same time, Canada is a leading force in the occupation of Afghanistan and Israel is continuing suppression and occupa- tion against the self-determination of the Palestinian people. These attacks on Muslim people through Islamophobic propaganda are only one branch of the war that is wreaking havoc on numerous Muslim countries. The resonant theme throughout the demonstration was one of unity of oppressed people—Muslim and non-Muslim—against the attacks. Speakers included Dr. Aziz Khakhi, a member of the Committee for Racial Justice, Imam Ijazi from the Shia Mosque in Richmond, SFU student Brother Osama, Ivan Drury of Mobilization Against War and Occupation (MAWO), and Imam Fohd of the Zawiya Foundation. All of the speakers expressed their opposition to the cartoons as an attack on the dignity and honor of Muslim — people. “Tam not Muslim. So why am I here?” asked Ivan Drury. “Well, Tam here because in this era of war and occupation this racist attack is attempting to drive a wedge between oppressed people. We must unite with our Muslim brothers and sisters and stand against these cartoons and the forces behind them, as forces of division, forces of humiliation, degradation of dignity, and racist, hateful propaganda.” The rally gained wide media attention from around Canada, and was covered by CTV, Global BC, Canadian Press, and major Vancouver newspapers such as Mero, 24, and The Province. “We are protesting because we are hurt, said Dr. Khakhi. “We have been insulted. Our dignity has been lowered down. Freedom of the press does not include the right to insult religious sentiments.” Teachers and Students The labour movement backs the BC Teachers Federation “Wildcat” Strike Nicole Burton, News Editor On October 7, BC’s 38,000 public school teachers began strike action after BC parliament passed Bill 12. The contro- versial bill forces an expired contract onto teachers until spring of next year, denying the British Columbia Teachers Federation (BCTF) the right to collective bargaining. Despite the strike being deemed ‘illegal’ by the government, BCTF membership cast their votes for job action, with an over- whelming 90.5 percent voting in favor earlier last week. By Friday, the decision to walk was showing considerable backing from other workers and unions, parents, and high school students—who often joined teachers on the picket lines at many of their schools to show support. Secondary students have found themselves on the covers of newspapers in light of this steaming battle for public opinion-part of the larger war between the Liberal govern- ment and the workers. Major newspapers refer to the BCTF “taking school children hostage” as “victims of illegal action.” At a teachers support rally on October 11, BCTF presi- dent Jinny Sims responded to these allegations, saying, “There is a difference between breaking the law and taking action against a law designed to break you.” More than a dozen high schools in the Lower Mainland saw student-teacher solidarity actions last week, including a picket on the first day of the strike at Templeton Secondary in East Vancouver, where a delegation of 20 students dressed in black for a “funeral for public education.” The action carried double meaning in light of the government’s declaration that the BCTF strike is illegal due to teachers being an ‘essential service, meaning, as one Templeton stu- dent put it, that they were all going to start dying if the teachers didn’t get back to work. A week later, Templeton students joined with more than 350 other students from Richmond to West Vancouver to rally in support of teachers in Vancouver. For over four hours, students held signs and cheered as rush-hour traffic sped along, honking in support of BC teachers. According to a press statement by British Columbia Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclar on October 14, more than 470,000 fellow workers will back teachers on Monday in a march on Victoria if the government does not sit down at the negotiating table. The momentum driving towards this march on Victoria was nonetheless indicative of the many labour battles that have been heating up the province over the past year. During the summer, business was halted at the ports by striking truck drivers, followed by the lockout of workers at Telus and the CBC. Nearly 1,500 Hospital Employees Union work- ers are currently striking against the Sodexco cleaning com- pany for better wages. Demands for teachers include the democratic right to collective bargaining (a right that was taken away through the passing of Bill 12), wage increases, and better working condi- tions—meaning better funded and resourced schools for the province.