Letting It All Hang Out

"Unfortunately, due to language in social posts that was unacceptable, the candidate for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour [Nova Scotia] has been removed as the NDP candidate."
"We expect our candidates to engage on important issues respectfully."
Melissa Bruno, national director, New Democratic Party

"If Israel is so advanced then why can't they avoid shooting defenceless para-medics and journalists, unless they're killing innocent people deliberately!"
"Thousands of Israelis came into Palestine and were welcomed when the world turned them away. Where's your heart?"
"I wonder if Israel borrowed this from the #Nazis after they saw how successful they were?"
"At the speed Israel is killing I wonder if they're aiming higher than 6 million #Palestinians?"
"#Gaza is the new #Auschwitz and #Israeli the gatekeepers!"
Rana Zaman, social activist, Muslim, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

In her apology, Rana Zaman said she appreciates that her comments referencing the Nazis were “inappropriate, hurtful and sadly may be perceived as anti-Semitic.”    Facebook

Rana Zaman, described as a social activist, and strident 'Islamophobia' fighter was confirmed in May as the candidate for the New Democratic Party in the Halifax-area riding of Dartmouth-Cole Harbour in Nova Scotia for the upcoming October federal election. Evidently her 'activism' brought scrutiny to her candidacy and someone unearthed a number of incendiary and rather hateful tweets she had posted a year earlier. The content of the tweets, brought to the attention of the NDP executive, has earned her censure and removal as an NDP candidate.

The NDP doesn't mind a certain level of criticism of Israel, but it must be done discreetly so that it can be pointed out that it is Israel's purported record on human rights failings that is being criticized, and as such not a whiff of anti-Semitism is attached. The statements by Rana Zaman ooze anti-Semitism, quite in keeping with her status as a 'Muslim activist' whose major preoccupation is asserting that any criticism of Islam as a religion that tends to foster violence is beyond the pale.

The woman, in fact, betrayed colossal ignorance of history and reality in the tenor and vitriol of her comments, entirely out of whack with any vestiges of cerebral functioning. On the other hand, perfectly aligned with most 'Palestinian rights' campaigners who relish accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, despite Palestinians living in Israel having citizenship, voting rights, electing Knesset Members, holding Cabinet positions, sitting on the Supreme Court....

Canada's newly adopted definition of anti-Semitism as part of its anti-racism strategy includes "drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis" in its adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition. A definition linked to a current-day example of anti-Semitism. To add to her sterling resume as a candidate for public political office, Rana Zaman supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, yet another Palestinian-branded delegitimization of Israel's right to exist, and one which all parties of the House of Commons rejected two years ago.