Honourable senators, today I rise to speak on behalf of the majority of young Muslim Canadians. Their voices need to be heard in our Senate Chamber. Young Muslim Canadian men do not want to be associated with the illegal actions of a handful.

This rap was written by Bijaan Lalani from Calgary, Alberta. He is a chiropractic student in Toronto and also a musician. I am presenting Bijaan Lalani's rap, as no words I write will convey the sentiment of young Canadian Muslim men. His rap is entitled "They Are Not Me."

They are not me
You are not me
So don't claim to be
Because that label then hangs from me painfully
You are not me Should be plain to see
But you call out my name just so angrily
I know it's all scripted with victims it's vicious
Give us your victims then call us the killers
You play the system to make us the villains
How can you kill a man and call it religious
Mothers, children
Burnt down buildings
More afraid of dying
Than they're thankful for living
You've killed Muslims without any affliction
You attacked Paris with no inhibitions
So swing swords and try to break our convictions
Call yourself Muslim, or Jewish, or Christian
But don't think we're foolish enough that we'll listen
When we lost lives, you lost religion
You can twist words and quote the Quran
But I know for damn sure this is not Islam
So the next time you go on and mention a God
Pray for forgiveness and pray we move on
They are not me
Please believe
I live with intentions of peace
They are not me
Though they seem to be
That's just what they want you to see
I'm a Canadian, I'm a Muslim, I'm a student
I love sports, I love friends, I love music
I fall in love and girls drive me stupid
I want to live life to the fullest and truest
They want you to fear us, they want a divide
They want us to hate so that we pick sides
But we are the same, we are alive
And if we're together they cannot survive
Only light can drive out the dark
Only love can quell the hate that tears us apart
We are brothers and sisters so don't let them strip us
Of the humanity we hold in our hearts

Honourable senators, these are the words of a young Canadian who is standing up to the illegal acts of a few. I ask you to remember the words of Bijaan Lalani: When the young people speak out as if they are speaking for all, there are only a handful who are doing these illegal actions.

Thank you.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!