Tarek Fatah, one of the few Canadian Islamic figures with the courage to speak out against extremism, has stepped down as spokesman for the Canadian Muslim Congress, citing death threats:
"I'm just exhausted, it's too much," he told CBC. "I'm physically drained and fatigued and disappointed by how much leverage these extremists have," he said.
Fatah said he has been assaulted both verbally and physically, including an incident in which he was attacked at an Islamic conference in Toronto by dozens of young Muslim men.
He also said that an associate informed him of a discussion she overheard in which young men were discussing how Fatah should be killed.
Let's hope this story gets wide coverage, as it demonstrates the nature of the problem we are dealing with.
I have never met Fatah, and while I don't agree with everything he says, I've been impressed with his comments on TV panels recently.
It's a bad day when someone like Fatah, who has essentially committed his life to fighting Islamism, is throwing in the towel. It's sad and worrisome -- even frightening.
