Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NYC OK'S PRAYER IN SCHOOL - - FOR MUSLIMS
NewsMax | Thursday Nov. 15, 2001 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

Posted on 11/16/2001 1:15:48 PM PST by truther

NYC OK's Prayer in School -- for Muslims

That anti-religion bastion of political correctness, the New York City public school system, has quietly sanctioned prayer in schools -- but only of you're a Muslim who wants to worship during Ramadan.

In a talk radio exclusive, New York's WABC Radio has been airing reports on the school system's special program for Muslims for weeks.

Late Wednesday, Schools Chancellor Harold Levy finally confirmed that the religious double standard indeed exists. "Christian parents would probably love to have a place where their children could pray during school hours," WABC newsman George Weber said Thursday. "They don't... But the Muslim kids are getting their very own prayer room in New York City public schools."

"The New York City public school system is going to accommodate Muslim students allowing them space for prayer" during the five week Muslim holy season of Ramadan, reported Weber's partner, Babita Hariani.

"In a statement, though, school's Chancellor Harold Levy adds the prayer 'cannot interfere with classes or infringe on other students'", she explained.

That's not exactly what the Chancellor's office told the New York Post, which reported Thursday that Levy spokeswoman Margie Feinberg told them Muslim students will be allowed to cut classes in order to pray and then reschedule them later.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: christianlist; hughhewitt; islam; publicschools
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-115 last
To: Sabertooth; onyx

BRINGING ISLAM TO AMERICA


101 posted on 11/16/2001 1:22:13 PM PST by Travis McGee
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: truther
Why do we tolerate this insanity? This is a country that is founded on Judeo-Christian values and while we may be a country of immigrants, we are also a country of people for whom prayer was a foundation of our common life. Yes, we revered freedom of religion, but the religious persecution our forefathers fled was denominational. When the Constitution was written, there were no Muslims, nor Buddhists, nor Hindus to speak of. Even Jews were in the minority.

As far as I know, even though there may have been some persecution in local regions of some religious groups as there began to be more of them, for the most part people were not prohibited or prevented from practicing their religions as they saw fit. Still the vast majority of the nation were practicing Christians, and while we have always welcomed immigrants to our country, I don't believe it was EVER a consideration that the religious beliefs of outsiders would come to dictate what the bulk of us could and couldn't do regarding the expression of our faith.

My feeling is that these people were welcomed with the understanding that, "this is America; this is how WE do things. You are free to choose to do things differently, indeed that is your right. You do not HAVE to take part in our religious ceremonies and we will respect your need to excuse yourself from school or work on certain holidays to celebrate your feasts. Our laws will protect you and your families and your property from damage from others who may not like your religion; but do not presume to come to OUR country and expect us to reshape our way of life to suit you."

It seems extraordinarily simple to me. Does anybody think for a minute that if a bunch of us started migrating say to Turkey or some other country that is predominantly Muslim or Jewish or some other religion, that those countries would begin rewriting their laws and tempering the public displays of their faith to placate our sensitivities? I think not! Nor would I expect them to. If some of these folks are so thin-skinned that they are unable to tolerate without offense the visible practices of the dominant religions, then perhaps they need to stay where they're at.

I have a real problem with the mentality that says," WE have the right to practice OUR minority religions, even on public grounds if we choose, but WE might get offended by YOUR practice of the dominant religion, so YOU have to keep it in the closet." Why is it that no minority can be offended in the slightest, but the majority can be blatantly offended by outrageous assaults on everything we hold sacred, and we are supposed to shut up about it. Where is our backbone people? Haven't these tyrants bullied us long enough? I, for one, am sick to death of seeing our faith, our patriotism, our common sense, and our decency sacrificed on the altar of hedonistic liberalism.

102 posted on 11/16/2001 1:22:26 PM PST by sweetliberty
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Portnoy
No prayer in schools. Period.

Better yet, ALL prayer in public schools. It could only help.

103 posted on 11/16/2001 1:22:30 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

Comment #104 Removed by Moderator

To: onyx
So outrageous as to make this unbelievable! Who's on this decision board?

Obviously people who think the ban on Church and State only applies to Christianity and Judaism.

If a school system is going to provide chapel facilities for some then it must be done for all. The usual response has been to provide no religous facilities for anyone in a goobermint school.

Provioding this for Muslims is a travesty beyond belief.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

105 posted on 11/16/2001 1:23:07 PM PST by harpseal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: WRhine
Ditto...every word of that!
106 posted on 11/16/2001 1:23:42 PM PST by pgkdan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies]

To: Yehuda
A good letter.
Perhaps a Cc: should also be directed to The Forward. Although they have a link to Newsmax, this particular story may have gotten in under their radar. Wider publication of this story might spark the necessary community outrage that would convince the Chancellor to re-think his position.
107 posted on 11/16/2001 1:23:45 PM PST by Goetz_von_Berlichingen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: truther
NYC Schools Chancellor in
Ramadan Prayer About Face


108 posted on 11/16/2001 1:23:48 PM PST by Sabertooth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #109 Removed by Moderator

To: onyx
Oh yeah that's right~! It's no longer acceptable to call it "christmas break"...I wish whatever fox show host it was, would have at least pointed that out. I would have enjoyed hearing her biased reply.
110 posted on 11/16/2001 1:26:58 PM PST by Freedom2specul8
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: onyx
Thanks for the ping, onyx. How could the school board be so blind as to sanction Muslim prayer and no one else's while we're fighting for our very freedom against Muslim terrorists? It shows a frightening absence of common sense. Thank God America set them straight.

Meanwhile, various media outlets, pols and pundits are still trying to tie the right wing to the terrorists and David Westin was just made a board member of AP. The press isn't responsible enough to be allowed access to their mighty pens, IMHO.

111 posted on 11/16/2001 1:42:50 PM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 110 | View Replies]

To: Yehuda
Your letter is grand! I hadn't noticed that the chancellor was Jewish until I read your letter! (I guess I failed as an "observant" Catholic!)

I can't imagine Mayor Rudy permitting this to slip by.

112 posted on 11/17/2001 3:36:56 PM PST by onyx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: onyx
Thanks for the bump. I favor all prayer. Maybe this is a foot in the door for Christians,to be able to pray openly.
113 posted on 11/26/2001 5:28:09 PM PST by karebare
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee
I think this poem goes well with your picture;

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE PAYBACK

Twas the night before Payback and all through the Land, They're running like rabbits in Afghanistan, Osama's been praying, he's down on his knees, He's hoping that Allah will hear all his Pleas.

He thought if he killed us that we'd fall and Shatter But all that he's done is just make us Madder.

We ain't yet forgotten our Marines in Beirut, And we'll kick your butt, with one heavy Boot.

And yes we remember the USS Cole, And the lives of our sailors that you bastards Stole.

You think you can rule us and cause us to Fear, You'll soon get the answer if you live to hear.

And we ain't forgotten your buddy Saddam, And he ain't forgotten the sound of our Bombs.

You think that those mountains are somewhere to hide.

They'll go down in history as the place where you Died.

Remember Khadhafi and his Line of Death?

He came very close, to his final Breath.

So come out and prove it, that you are a Man, Cause our boys are coming and they have a Plan.

They are our fathers and they are our Sons, And they sure do carry some mighty big Guns.

They would have stayed home with children and Wives, Till you bastards came here and took all these Lives.

Osama I wrote this especially for You, For air mail delivery by B-52.

You soon will be hearing a thud and a whistle, Old Glory is coming, attached to a Missile.

I will not be sorry to see your ass Go. It's Red, White, and Blue that is running this Show!!

114 posted on 11/27/2001 12:56:16 PM PST by karebare
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: truther
I hope that someone is watching who goes into the public school Muslim prayer rooms and is watching what articles the "students" bring in the room.

We know for a fact that some young Muslims are willing to risk their own lives in order to kill innocent "infidels" of any age.

115 posted on 10/12/2002 7:30:27 AM PDT by syriacus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-115 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson