this post was submitted on 13 Nov 2024

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Ottawa principal apologizes for playing Arabic song during Remembrance Day ceremony (www.cbc.ca)

submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by can to c/[email protected]

19 comments fedilink hide all child comments

In a letter issued Tuesday, the school's principal Aaron Hobbs said the intention "was to foster a message of peace and remembrance, reflecting on the importance of unity and reconciliation," but that he has since become aware the song "caused significant distress to some members of our school community."

"For this, I would like to offer my apologies," he said.

The song title, when translated to English, roughly means "This Is Peace." Many comments on multiple Youtube videos of the song, speak of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinians, though the song itself makes no mention of the conflict in the Middle East.

"The inclusion of a song that could be seen as politically charged was not in line with the values of respect and unity that we strive to uphold at this school," wrote Hobbs

I don't know the song but this doesn't look good.

However, several human rights advocacy groups are now condemning the backlash, calling it anti-Palestinian and anti-Arab.

"Just because the language is Arabic?" asked Jamila Ewais, a researcher with the Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East's anti-racism program. "What if someone was singing this language, let's say this song or like a similar song in, I don't know German or Ukrainian language?"

Exactly.

all 20 comments

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

There's nothing even remotely political about this song. Here's the lyrics translated to English. It skipped over a good chunk of the chorus due to its repetition of singular letters.

Is this peace?

The movie Peace

And a look that hurts my heart in a dream

Words after words

And an eye that bleeds water

In a space between spaces

No place for it in existence .....

Why not ...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Where else is this song played? Where is it from?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I don't know. I haven't heard of this song before.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean the reaction is a tad racist. It's a song about peace just in a language they don't like. I bet if they played a song in English about peace no one would care.

[+] [email protected] -7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

No, people are upset because someone appropriated a Canadian Remembrance Day ceremony to make a political statement about Gaza. People are tired of Palestinian activists appropriating everything for their own cause.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

If you think Remembrance Day isn't extremely political, I dunno what world you grew up in. It's time for less glorification of war, fewer children marching in parades dressed as soldiers, and more antifascist political statements.

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Sometimes war is necessary and showing respect to the people who have the courage to fight in them isn't "glorification of war."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I agree with everything you just said (with some assumptions). What you did not say that was necessary for your comment to be relevant, and isn't true is: "Glorification of war never happens at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada." It absolutely does.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Can you give me an example of something you consider to be "glorification of war?"

I think it's an issue of interpretation. If you accept that war is sometimes necessary, and armed forces are required to fight in those wars, the country has to take some steps to encourage people to consider military service. Otherwise we won't have a military when we need it. Plus, showing pride in the role we have played in major wars is a mechanism for generating national pride, which is something that has been in significant decline (partly due to our open immigration policies). I don't consider these things "glorification of war."

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (2 children)

You used the word pride several times. We should be teaching shame. What we did was shameful, but necessary. Yes, all those examples you give are things I consider glorification. We could show respect and gratitude without glorification. And especially without specifically targeting children with these ideas and not allowing for important counterpoints. That's propaganda. It sounds as though you are saying, "There's glorification, but for reasons I agree with, so it's okay."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago

Shame is a bit strong. One might regret that a peaceful solution wasn't available or wasn't explored fully, but one doesn't need to feel shame that armed conflict occurred.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 days ago

No, we should not be teaching shame. We should be proud of the role we played in both major wars. We had to do horrific things in those wars because war is horrific, but we absolutely should not be ashamed of taking part.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Is the song about gaza?

Edit:

though the song itself makes no mention of the conflict in the Middle East.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 week ago

No, but it's been used as a protest song at Palestinian rallies. That's the context, not just the lyrics. This bullshit has no place at our Rememberance Day ceremonies.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Prefix to my comment:

Oct 7th was an atrocity deserving of the harshest of backlash. It was in no way justified despite the unfair and frustrating issue of Israeli settlement and the division of Palestine by colonial powers in the 20th century. Israel's response has been too aggressive in how they've fully disregarded humanitarian aid in their undiscerning destruction of Gaza in the year since.

Now my comment:

I think it was insensitive and stupid to play this song on a day to remember our troops who gave their lives or continue to fight for Canadian freedom and sovereignty. I don't think it added to the cause of Gaza, I think it just distracted and created more division.

Really it was a foolish thing to do.

[–] can 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I don't think it was wise to play it but at the same time everyone automatically calling it an anti-Jewish act hardly seems fair.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It may not have been antisemitic, but it is at least callously insensitive to the large Jewish community in the school.

[–] [email protected] -5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Yeah, just disrespectful to veterans in my opinion

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

Although in a way the exact kind of thing they were fighting for.