Humble Rodent Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/10/11/terry-jones-toronto_n_1958234.html TORONTO - An anti-Muslim American pastor who earned an international reputation after burning copies of the Islamic holy text has been denied entry into Canada hours before he was to speak at a free speech rally in Toronto, organizers said Thursday. Allan Einstoss said Terry Jones was turned back at the Michigan-Ontario border after being held there for several hours. Einstoss decried the decision to keep Jones from attending a multifaith debate on freedom of speech, which was slated to take place in front of the Ontario legislature on Thursday evening. He poured scorn on the official reason for the denial, saying it defied logic. "In terms of checking for criminal records, I would make the assumption that's what they do on a daily basis," Einstoss said in a telephone interview. Jones issued a statement Thursday night expressing "shock" at being refused entry. "We consider this to be a grievous blow to freedom of speech. We hope that this is a lesson for the Canadians and the Americans for us to stand up, unite together, and protect our freedom of speech," the statement said. According to Jones's statement, the rental car he was travelling in was thoroughly searched and protest placards were confiscated. The statement said Jones and a travelling companion were refused entry based on an arrest in Michigan last year for refusing to pay a peace bond as well as a fine by the German government for using the title Doctor based on an honorary doctorate he received from a California university in 1993. Jones said he appealed both disputes and won but the statement indicated that border officials told him they needed more documentation in order to allow him to enter. The Canada Border Services Agency declined to discuss Jones' case, saying it was against their policy to share details of any individual efforts to enter the country. "Admissibility of all travellers seeking to enter Canada is considered on a case-by-case basis based on the specific facts presented by the applicant at the time of entry," the agency said in a statement. Word that Jones had been turned back at the border spread rapidly through social media, drawing a slew of wide-ranging reactions. Some touted the decision as an attack on freedom of expression, while others celebrated the fact that a man who commemorated the ninth anniversary of 9/11 by burning copies of the Qur'an at his church in Gainesville, Fla. would not have the opportunity to bring his message to Canadian soil. "Yeah, Canada for standing up to hate & racism," read one Twitter post. "I would've loved to check out the debate! But I'm glad Terry Jones isn't being let in," wrote another. Others took a more nuanced position, arguing his hateful views of Muslims are not reason enough to bar him from the country. Amin Elshorbagy, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, said Jones ought to have been allowed to air his views regardless of how extreme they may be. "Personally I'm not really in favour of blocking or banning anybody," he said. "People have to be responsible for their own actions, but I definitely disagree with what he says and does." Jones was scheduled to be the primary attraction at a multifaith debate on the film "Innocence of Muslims," whose negative portrayal of the Islamic prophet Mohammad has incited violent riots around the world. One skirmish claimed the life of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, along with three members of his staff. Jones was slated to square off against Toronto imam Steve Rockwell, U.S.-based Muslim author Masud Ansari, and Sikh community leader Bikram Lamba. The event was also to feature a memorial to Cpl. Christopher Speer, a U.S. a medic killed in Afghanistan by Canadian war criminal Omar Khadr. Einstoss said the event will go ahead as planned, but lamented Jones' absence from the proceedings. Interference from border officials, he said, has quashed an opportunity for a meaningful dialog on free speech. "That's the government's choice, that's what they wanted," Einstoss said. "We could have had a nice civil evening, but that's their decision." Jones is not the first public figure to be barred from the country because of his controversial views. British member of parliament George Galloway, an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian people, was planning to visit Canada to make a series of speeches about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in March 2009. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney pulled the welcome mat on him because of Galloway's alleged financial support to the Palestinian group Hamas, which the federal government considers a terrorist organization. Galloway has said that Kenney's allegations caused him "18 months of hell'' and threatened his personal security. He lost his parliamentary seat in the 2010 election, only to be returned to office in a byelection earlier this year. He has since sued the minister for $1.5 million. Cases like Galloway's and Jones' seem poised to become more prevalent in the wake of a new immigration bill tabled in the House of Commons earlier this week. Kenney's proposed legislation would give the government the right to turn people back from the border for public policy reasons, as well as the power to crack down on permanent residents and visitors for serious criminality. As much as this guy is an idiot, and I don't really think that he cares about freedom of speech, I'm not sure how much I agree with not letting him in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dazzle Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 http://www.huffingto..._n_1958234.html TORONTO - An anti-Muslim American pastor who earned an international reputation after burning copies of the Islamic holy text has been denied entry into Canada hours before he was to speak at a free speech rally in Toronto, organizers said Thursday. Allan Einstoss said Terry Jones was turned back at the Michigan-Ontario border after being held there for several hours. Einstoss decried the decision to keep Jones from attending a multifaith debate on freedom of speech, which was slated to take place in front of the Ontario legislature on Thursday evening. He poured scorn on the official reason for the denial, saying it defied logic. "In terms of checking for criminal records, I would make the assumption that's what they do on a daily basis," Einstoss said in a telephone interview. Jones issued a statement Thursday night expressing "shock" at being refused entry. "We consider this to be a grievous blow to freedom of speech. We hope that this is a lesson for the Canadians and the Americans for us to stand up, unite together, and protect our freedom of speech," the statement said. According to Jones's statement, the rental car he was travelling in was thoroughly searched and protest placards were confiscated. The statement said Jones and a travelling companion were refused entry based on an arrest in Michigan last year for refusing to pay a peace bond as well as a fine by the German government for using the title Doctor based on an honorary doctorate he received from a California university in 1993. Jones said he appealed both disputes and won but the statement indicated that border officials told him they needed more documentation in order to allow him to enter. The Canada Border Services Agency declined to discuss Jones' case, saying it was against their policy to share details of any individual efforts to enter the country. "Admissibility of all travellers seeking to enter Canada is considered on a case-by-case basis based on the specific facts presented by the applicant at the time of entry," the agency said in a statement. Word that Jones had been turned back at the border spread rapidly through social media, drawing a slew of wide-ranging reactions. Some touted the decision as an attack on freedom of expression, while others celebrated the fact that a man who commemorated the ninth anniversary of 9/11 by burning copies of the Qur'an at his church in Gainesville, Fla. would not have the opportunity to bring his message to Canadian soil. "Yeah, Canada for standing up to hate & racism," read one Twitter post. "I would've loved to check out the debate! But I'm glad Terry Jones isn't being let in," wrote another. Others took a more nuanced position, arguing his hateful views of Muslims are not reason enough to bar him from the country. Amin Elshorbagy, president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, said Jones ought to have been allowed to air his views regardless of how extreme they may be. "Personally I'm not really in favour of blocking or banning anybody," he said. "People have to be responsible for their own actions, but I definitely disagree with what he says and does." Jones was scheduled to be the primary attraction at a multifaith debate on the film "Innocence of Muslims," whose negative portrayal of the Islamic prophet Mohammad has incited violent riots around the world. One skirmish claimed the life of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, along with three members of his staff. Jones was slated to square off against Toronto imam Steve Rockwell, U.S.-based Muslim author Masud Ansari, and Sikh community leader Bikram Lamba. The event was also to feature a memorial to Cpl. Christopher Speer, a U.S. a medic killed in Afghanistan by Canadian war criminal Omar Khadr. Einstoss said the event will go ahead as planned, but lamented Jones' absence from the proceedings. Interference from border officials, he said, has quashed an opportunity for a meaningful dialog on free speech. "That's the government's choice, that's what they wanted," Einstoss said. "We could have had a nice civil evening, but that's their decision." Jones is not the first public figure to be barred from the country because of his controversial views. British member of parliament George Galloway, an outspoken supporter of the Palestinian people, was planning to visit Canada to make a series of speeches about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in March 2009. Immigration Minister Jason Kenney pulled the welcome mat on him because of Galloway's alleged financial support to the Palestinian group Hamas, which the federal government considers a terrorist organization. Galloway has said that Kenney's allegations caused him "18 months of hell'' and threatened his personal security. He lost his parliamentary seat in the 2010 election, only to be returned to office in a byelection earlier this year. He has since sued the minister for $1.5 million. Cases like Galloway's and Jones' seem poised to become more prevalent in the wake of a new immigration bill tabled in the House of Commons earlier this week. Kenney's proposed legislation would give the government the right to turn people back from the border for public policy reasons, as well as the power to crack down on permanent residents and visitors for serious criminality. As much as this guy is an idiot, and I don't really think that he cares about freedom of speech, I'm not sure how much I agree with not letting him in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theminister Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 That's too bad. That would have been awesome to go to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niloc009 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Oh, darn. I'm so disappointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 If you have a jerk at your front door, it should be your right not to let him into your house. Same principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tearloch7 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 We should have let him in and then never let him leave .. charge him for hate crimes .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancaster Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 If you have a jerk at your front door, it should be your right not to let him into your house. Same principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthNinja Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Except it's not private property. It's like saying you won't let someone into a public park simply because you don't agree with his opinions (whether they're stupid or not is irrelevant). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Thrilled that we turned him away! It's not free speech to burn copies of a religious text that is different than your own. It's no different than destroying a flag; this is not free speech but an offensive act that should be condemned to the highest degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthNinja Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Thrilled that we turned him away! It's not free speech to burn copies of a religious text that is different than your own. It's no different than destroying a flag; this is not free speech but an offensive act that should be condemned to the highest degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Man Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I fail to see his freedom of speech being withheld. The way he acts is being put in check. At what point did he figure all these wonderful things he has done magically disappear? A spade is a spade, just because you made it look like a club recently does not make it less of a spade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standing_Tall#37 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The real reason he wasn't allowed in is because he's right freedom of speech is very important. However his freedom of speech directly infringes on the freedom of religion. It isn't right to walk on human/Canadian rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvis15 Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Except it's not private property. It's like saying you won't let someone into a public park simply because you don't agree with his opinions (whether they're stupid or not is irrelevant). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Man Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The real reason he wasn't allowed in is because he's right freedom of speech is very important. However his freedom of speech directly infringes on the freedom of religion. It isn't right to walk on human/Canadian rights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grapefruits Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 --------- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Sparkle Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 good. that guy is a lunatic. plain and simple Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
:D Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I'd be more apathetic if I weren't so lethargic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossi Vaananen Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 While I concur with you 100%, this was not the reason given for his denial of entry, rather, it was stated as being related to some prior criminal charges against him. Of course it could be that Canada is simply being 'diplomatic' about the real reason he is not wanted on this side of the 49. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtis Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Hes a nut job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish⑦Canuck Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Good for Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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