CNN Suggests ‘Prejudice’ and ‘Terror’ Motivates Opponents of Arabic School in NYC

NewsBusters.org ^ | 9/4/2007 | Matthew Balan

[Pyro7480]

CNN, in their day-long reporting on Monday about the opening day for a controversial publicly-funded Arabic-language school in New York City, sympathized with the school and its supporters, and helped denigrate its opponents. On "American Morning" and throughout the day on Monday on their "Newsroom" program, CNN aired a report from correspondent Richard Roth on the Khalil Gibran International Academy, whose curriculum will focus on teaching "Arabic language and culture" (as detailed in a CNSNews.com report last week). The report focused on Carmen Colon, a mother and "community activist" in Brooklyn (a detail not mentioned in Roth’s report) who pulled her son from the school before its opening. The report closed with a clip from Colon, who said, "The people who are so against this school who, for me, seem more like the terrorists by terrorizing the community and making us feel that it's unsafe for our children to be there. They're the ones who are terrorizing us, not the school, not the principal, and not the administration."

Video (4:13): Real (3.10 MB) or Windows (2.56 MB), plus MP3 audio (1.92 kB).

...During the 2 pm Eastern hour of "Newsroom," anchor Kyra Phillips interviewed Pamela Hall of the organization "Stop the Madrassa" after the report reran. Hall, who was featured in Roth’s report, faced a hostile interview from Phillips, who took the statements from NYC education officials associated with the school at face value.

Excerpts from Phillips’ interview of Hall:

[Pyro7480]

So typical of CNN...

[VOA]

CNN Suggests ‘Prejudice’ and ‘Terror’ Motivates Opponents of Arabic School in NYC

D-mmit! I thought I specifically ordered everyone on Free Republic
to complete radio silence while we construct the Flyover-Country
reactionary response to those nice boys that flew planes into
the WTC and The Pentagon.

But CNN is just too smart and is onto us now!

(/SARC) and (/HUMOR)
The latter of which CNN has a negative balance.

[VOA]

As much as I criticize CNN...
I got to admit that’s “one sweet mullett” on that dude on the right side
of the screen.

(yes, I know suspect that’s actually a female. But I couldn’t resist using
one of the best lines coined by the show “Maximum Exposure” for the hairstyle
of white guys acting very dangerously)

[expatguy]

Never fails to completely boggle the mind. One day someone needs to explain this deathwish that Americans seem to have to me. I really don't understand.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[Pyro7480]

Yup, the person’s name is Pamela Hall.

[longtermmemmory]

Why didn’t CNN translate some of the school materials?

Why didn’t CNN report on what is being taught?

Why didn’t CNN report on the fact this is RELIGIOUS EDUCATION funded by Taxpayers to the EXCLUSION of other religions?

[Califreak]

Folks don’t call it Crescent News Network for nothing.

[sheik yerbouty]

The Crescent Network News..

[socialismisinsidious]

Gee and here I was thinking that prejudice and terror was what motivated the school. Good thing I have the Communist New Network to set me straight.

[Brilliant]

I don’t see how anyone can prejudge Muslims after 911. Prejudice assumes that you have nothing on which to base your view.

[no-to-illegals]

Down here in my neck of the woods, cnn is call them the c rawdad n uts n etwork. cnn is the crawdad nuts network, not much to eat unless you catch a bunch of them, if the right one (male or female), there is only two after one whole crawdad, and they tend to clean out paths to righteousness, if you try to live off of them.....

[DoughtyOne]

Well that confirms my thoughts on the school. Thanks CNN.

[ALPAPilot]

I don’t know, maybe it’s the sadist in me, but I might just enjoy this throwdown between public education and islam. It seems as though most people think islam will be able to survive a public school setting. I’m not so sure As a Catholic, I know I don’t want the public school system to have anything to do with my kids education. As a taxpayer, I’m not crazy about my money going to an islamic school, but I’m not crazy about my money going to any public school.

[SIDENET]

That is a pretty sweet mullet.

;-)

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Hall did get much better treatment on CNN Headline News w Glenn Beck.

Unfortunately there are some at CNN who are pro-terrorist, pro-hate

Note that the NYC schools have yet released what books are being used. Obviously the books will be anti-American, anti-Semitic, pro-hate, pro-terrorism, pro-Islam falsehoods

[popdonnelly]

There’s no justification for this school. We accept it because we’ve become jaded to manifestations of liberal stupidity. Do we have to have a school for every culture that comes to the U.S.? It just furthers the Balkanization of the country. All the people who favor it can offer in its defense are meaningless liberal slogans like “multiculturalism”, or “diversity”, as though those words were some sort of justification for any foolishness.

I’m frankly tired of this rubbish, and see no reason why the taxpayers of New York City have to support this school.

[Rummyfan]

Pamela Hall cleaned Phillips clock this afternoon - I happened by the break room when this segment played. Over and over Hall pointed out that the school has not released its curriculum or named its faculty. What kind of BS is that?

[freeangel]

How could cnn tell? The school refuses to release text books or study guides. Call me paranoid, but that suggests they have something major to hide.

[BlackbirdSST]

One day someone needs to explain this deathwish that Americans seem to have to me. I really don't understand.

Should you EVER become enlightened, feel FRee to ping me so I can get a clue. Blackbird.

[sandbox]

There are apparently other dual language schools in NYC and elsewhere. IMO, all of them should be closed. Foreign languages should be taught in the normal school curriculum. If students develop a real interest, then the French or Russiam club can accomodate.