Sunday, March 16, 2008

'Establishing Islam in Minnesota'

The following report from Katherine Kersten of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, (link thanks to Act! For America), describes how a Minnesota charter school--still a public school paid for by taxpayers--is in effect an Islamic academy.

In many ways Minneapolis is a sister city to Dearborn. It was the Minneapolis airport that installed footwashing stations at public expense for the convenience of its Muslim cabbies. It was the Minneapolis Community and Technical College that first launched the footbath-as safety-and-hygiene--not religion explanation that was then adopted by the UM-Dearborn later.

Read and you’ll find how many of the same cast of characters from the Muslim American Society of Minnesota (MAS-MN) whose fatwa to airport taxi drivers in 2006 led to Muslim cabbies refusing to transport leader dogs or passengers carrying packaged alcohol. Star Tribune writer Katherine Kersten has written many articles throwing light on the activities of the MAS-MN and CAIR in the Minneapolis area.

Are taxpayers footing bill for Islamic school in Minnesota?

By KATHERINE KERSTEN, Star Tribune

Last update: March 8, 2008 - 4:43 PM

Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA) -- named for the Muslim general who conquered medieval Spain -- is a K-8 charter school in Inver Grove Heights. Its approximately 300 students are mostly the children of low-income Muslim immigrant families, many of them Somalis.

The school is in huge demand, with a waiting list of 1,500. Last fall, it opened a second campus in Blaine.

TIZA uses the language of culture rather than religion to describe its program in public documents. According to its mission statement, the school "recognizes and appreciates the traditions, histories, civilizations and accomplishments of the eastern world (Africa, Asia and Middle East)."

But the line between religion and culture is often blurry. There are strong indications that religion plays a central role at TIZA, which is a public school financed by Minnesota taxpayers. Under the U.S. and state constitutions, a public school can accommodate students' religious beliefs but cannot encourage or endorse religion.

TIZA raises troubling issues about taxpayer funding of schools that cross that line.

Asad Zaman, TIZA's principal, declined to allow me to visit the school or grant me an interview. He did not respond to e-mails seeking written replies.

TIZA's strong religious connections date from its founding in 2003. Its co-founders, Zaman and Hesham Hussein, were both imams, or Muslim religious leaders, as well as leaders of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota (MAS-MN).

Since then, they have played dual roles: Zaman as TIZA's principal and the current vice-president of MAS-MN, and Hussein as TIZA's school board chair and president of MAS-MN until his death in a car accident in Saudi Arabia in January.

MAS-MN came to Minnesotans' attention in 2006, when it issued a "fatwa," warning Muslim taxi drivers at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport that transporting passengers with alcohol in their baggage is a violation of Islamic law.

Journalists whom Zaman has permitted to visit TIZA have described the school's Islamic atmosphere and practices.

"A visitor might well mistake Tarek ibn Ziyad for an Islamic school," reported Minnesota Monthly in 2007. "Head scarves are voluntary, but virtually all the girls wear them." The school has a central carpeted prayer space, and "vaguely religious-sounding language" is used.

According to the Pioneer Press, TIZA's student body prays daily and the school's cafeteria serves halal food (permissible under Islamic law). During Ramadan, all students fast from dawn to dusk, according to a parent quoted in the article.

In fact, TIZA was originally envisioned as a private Islamic school. In 2001, MAS-MN negotiated to buy the current TIZA/MAS-MN building for Al-Amal School, a private religious institution in Fridley, according to Bruce Rimstad of the Inver Grove Heights School District. But many immigrant families can't afford Al-Amal. In 2002, Islamic Relief -- headquartered in California -- agreed to sponsor a publicly funded charter school, TIZA, at the same location.
TIZA claims to be non-sectarian, as Minnesota law requires charters to be. But "after-school Islamic learning" takes place on weekdays in the same building under MAS-MN's auspices, according to the program for MAS-MN's 2007 convention. At that convention, a TIZA representative at the school's booth told me that students go directly to "Islamic studies" classes at 3:30, when TIZA's day ends. There, they learn "Qur'anic recitation, the Sunnah of the Prophet" and other religious subjects, he said.

TIZA's 2006 Contract Performance Review Report states that students engage in unspecified "electives" after school or do homework.

Publicly, TIZA emphasizes that it uses standard curricular materials like those found in other public schools. But when addressing Muslim audiences, school officials make the link to Islam clear. At MAS-MN's 2007 convention, for example, the program featured an advertisement for the "Muslim American Society of Minnesota," superimposed on a picture of a mosque. Under the motto "Establishing Islam in Minnesota," it asked: "Did you know that MAS-MN .. houses a full-time elementary school"? On the adjacent page was an application for TIZA.

In addition to the issues raised by TIZA's religious elements, there are reasons to be concerned about the organizations with which it is connected.

Group linked to Hamas
Islamic Relief-USA, the school's sponsor, is compared to the Red Cross in several TIZA documents. In 2006, however, the Israeli government announced that Islamic Relief Worldwide, the organization's parent group, "provides support and assistance" to Hamas, designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist group.

Meanwhile, MAS-MN offers on its web site "beneficial and enlightening information" about Islam, which includes statements like "Regularly make the intention to go on jihad with the ambition to die as a martyr."

At its 2007 convention, MAS-MN featured the notorious Shayk Khalid Yasin, who is well-known in Britain and Australia for teaching that husbands can beat disobedient wives, that gays should be executed and that the United States spreads the AIDS virus in Africa through vaccines for tropical diseases.

Yasin's topic? "Building a Successful Muslim Community in Minnesota."

TIZA has improved the reading and math performance of its mostly low-income students. That's commendable, but should Minnesota taxpayers be funding an Islamic public school?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Minneapolis has a great community of immigrant Somanins that are hard working people and people respect them in the community. Minneapolis has grown over the years in a more diverse city, sometimes I love it more than Dearborn and I'm Arab myself and Muslim, I love the brotherhood there and for you put these people down is under disgusting and uncalled for, act mature. If you seriously cant accept changes in the USA then leave, because as I know it the USA is the melting pot, filled with all different kinds of people even you neocons like W. Bush and other people in power. You represent Dearborn is shame to this community and if you cant handle the changes no one says you have to stay here, you are free to leave you know.

T.R. Clancy said...

Dear Anonymous:

I know I am free to leave, but I have no plans to. I have lived with and tolerated change upon change in the USA my whole life, and I've nothing to prove on that score. But I don't think all change is for the better. Do you?

The 2 issues explored in this post are: the unlawful use of a public school to endorse to favor and endorse a single religion. Is that one of the changes you think I/we should learn to handle? The other issue is the Mosque's association with the MAS, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Hamas, three terror-supporting entities. Do you think the melting pot requires we all learn to accept the violent missions of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas?

Anyway, I don't.

Anonymous said...

Response to Clancy, is first o all you don't know enough about Hamas and truthfully not many Americans do, instead they know them from the media. now you can believe me or not but I will tell you who Hamas is: The US wanted Palestine to vote and actually have elections to pick leaders to have a more unified government. Theres two main parties, Hamas and Fatah. Just like here 2 main parties Republican and Democrat. Now basically same thing. Now Palestine actually had elections, people actually picked who they wanted in a government. They elected Abbas ahead of the Hamas party. Now the USA actually wanted Fatah even though its not their government. The USA was mad about this and has labeled them as a terrorist organization but really people that were picked by the people. Actually the USA has sent weapons to the Fatah party as Hamas is even watching this to kill Hamas so they could overturn the government. I think its pretty prejudice and a label that shouldn't be on them. Now MAS is a group in this government thats basically like a lobby group wanting Muslim rights. Just like you have African American groups in the government trying to get rid of those stereotypes. Theres also Jewish ones too. They have helped us greatly and I meant a lot of the leaders in the group. They have good hearts and most of them are Americans, some black, some Arab, some Pakistani but they have American values. I went to convention to build bridges between the Christian American group with the Muslim group. I'm all for unity, I don't hate Americans. I give respect to people no matter who you are, however when being disrespectful I don't think its right to give respect back. Even sometimes when people don't give me respect I'm still nicer because as a Muslim I should respect people. Now Muslim brotherhood, I don't really too often follow Egyptian Politics so I cant speak on the behalf of them. Let me tell you this people are afraid to donate money to be labeled as being labeled as a terrorist alright, its hard to have these stereotypes. I assume your not Arab, you don't have to go through this, were actually being oppressed and hated by all, but we still are here, fighting for our right to speak and show a great example. You don't see the good stuff we do in the community. Our doctors are Arabs, Indians, Muslim, and other race and religions. What I say to people is try to put yourself one second in our shoes, and see how we are treated and say would you treat your mum, or brother like that or your aunt? Think about it.

T.R. Clancy said...

Please bear with me here. You sound like a thoughtful person, and I would enjoy discussing things with you, if we can. But I wish you would engage what we’re actually saying here, instead of just assuming that we are trying to express hatred for Muslims, Arabs, immigrants, your mum, brother, or your aunt. Anywhere there are hard-working, loyal Muslim Americans, Arab Americans, Somali-Americans, I’m all for them.

Now, we do know something about Hamas here. It isn’t that I don’t believe you, but I rely on my own investigation, and not just on media reports. Hamas and Fatah are NOT just two political parties like the Republicans and Democrats --neither of those two American parties has an armed wing, nor a charter calling for the destruction of a neighbor nation, nor a domestic government facilitating the firing of deadly rockets daily into a neighbor nation, nor practices forced conversions to Islam, nor harbors and celebrates terrorists and suicide bombers, nor demands that Christians conform to Sharia law; and I could go on. http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YWQ1NjU1MjBkMWU4NDc3MTkyM2RhYzg4MTk2YjExNGI=

Nor did the recognition that Hamas was a terrorist organization only begin after Hamas won the election. The US identified Hamas as a terrorist organization years ago. http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rpt/fto/2801.htm

We all know the Gazans picked Hamas in an election. The choice was widely covered in the media, widely commented upon in the media, and widely regretted by many of us because we knew it would lead to more chaos, more violence, and more poverty and despair for Gazans, and it has. We have commented extensively on this on this blog.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/141178

http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2007/06/you-cant-lose-by-blaming-jews.html

http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2007/06/islam-in-miniature.html

http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2007/07/religious-bridge-building-gaza-style.html

Nor can I agree with you that MAS is just a lobbying group trying to prevent stereotyping of Muslims. The US Government--that’s YOUR government and MY government, no?--has identified MAS as an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in the US.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/misc/85.pdf

http://www.investigativeproject.org/article/597

http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2008/03/toledo-no-to-marines-yes-to-muslim.html

As for the Muslim Brotherhood, which you admit being less knowledgeable about because you don’t follow Egyptian politics, we have posted on the Muslim Brotherhood as well, and the Brotherhood goes far beyond Egyptian politics, and has more and more to do with American politics. The Brotherhood has a well-established history in the USA, and a well-defined stated goal of IMPOSING Islam on America.
http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2007/09/plan-of-muslim-brotherhood.html

http://dearbornunderground.blogspot.com/2007/08/just-what-is-msa.html

Forcing any religion--Muslim, Catholic, Baptist, Hindu, on America is not an American value, and resisting it doesn’t make a person a religious bigot, anti-immigrant, or an Islamophobe. It only makes one a moderately good American. I'm a Catholic, but if the Catholic Irish Republican Army tried to force Catholicism on the USA I wouldn’t like them either, but that isn’t one of their goals.

Thank you for commenting.

Anonymous said...

I understand Islam, Hamas, and revisionist history. You change the question in order to avoid the truth. You sir, do not understand anything outside the box of Islam.

You don't want to communicate - you want to dictate. That's not what D.U. is about. There is a fundamental problem with the Muslim Brotherhood and the ideologies of Islam. Neither of them are compatible with a free democracy or the U.S. Constitution.

I do not want to be a Muslim. I don't want you to change to my religion (against your will). But, your religion is a problem because it is a well disguised political ideology.

That's what we are discussing here. How can my government endorse your religion without violating the rights of mine? The answer is, it cannot.

UM-Dearborn Employee

Anonymous said...

Salam(peace) I'm glad your not here to put down Arabs, Muslims, or people from the Middle East. I appreciate finally a nice response from a blog like this one. I read these articles carefully. As much as I like to see you have cited resources I can read. In fact I did read some. However, your sources are only ties to America and Israel, not the Middle East. Now as from adding Hamas to a "terrorist" group I wonder when the Department of State added it. Was there even a terrorist list issued by the department of state? Isn't it a hint to see there all Middle Eastern charities and political parties? I just think theres something in fact the government is hiding that to American public doesn't know or understand quiet yet. Maybe wont even understand till 10 yrs from now or maybe longer. I'm not saying my countries politics are perfect and don't hide nothing either so please dont think Im saying that. Im saying though think back before 9/11. Was there problems with Arabs or Muslims? Was Islam a problem in America? In my eyes it was not at all. After 9/11 were are getting attacked. Dont think I'm siding with Bin laden. He twisted the beautiful words of the Qur'an which he is taking this very extreme view. I don't even like to consider him a Muslim just as much as considering Saddam as a Muslim. They were not good ones in my book. One day I would just like to see people that just have this hateful view on Muslims that were terrorist or something. We don't talk about that stuff in the Mosques. I talk about building ties, how to be more religious by fasting, praying more, being more respectful, respecting our parents and so much more. Never a hateful message between Sunni or Shi'a Muslims. Sharia law doesn't only apply to politics it also applies to finance actually. I don't like the Saudi government either but what can we do.

Anonymous said...

Salam(peace) to the other Anonymous which who is a UMD employee. I don't understand anything outside of Islam? I'm sorry but I used to be a Christian ok. I was a Christian for 18 years of my life. I'm not here to convert you alright. If you can have catholic schools why not Islam schools to educate our children that choose to go there, not forced to go there can go and learn. Now I already know what your going to say is well we all pay for the school. Let me tell you this. Wayne county passed a Millage a long time ago for Wayne Country Community College tuition fund that every taxpayer has to pay for that college that people cant afford the costs of college. Even though I don't even attend there, I have to pay for other peoples costs. Also I still have to support my school district and give them money to even though I'm college not high school or middle school. So look at it that way, people do pay for schools that they don't even attend because its simple because where we live. Think about it and next time you assume that I cant think anything out of the box of Islam think again. Its not best to assume :-)

T.R. Clancy said...

Peace to you as well. No, we’re not here to put down Arabs or Muslims. And I’d e interested to know how you went from being a Christian to a Muslim. Aslo, you speak of your country as if you’re from elsewhere than USA. Are you?

I thought I gave you the link from the State Department listing Hamas as a terrorist organization in 1999, before 9/11. http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rpt/fto/2801.htm

Besides, even without the State Dept. list, Hamas’s behavior in Gaza since the election has shocked the world. Murdering Fatah opponents, kidnapping, forced conversions, forced Sharia. Do you really think they’re only a harmless political organization out to win votes?

There were problems with Muslim radicals before 9/11, but the American public were not very conscious of the problem, and the government “failed to connect the dots” that led to 9/11. http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001454.html

1979
Nov. 4, Tehran, Iran: Iranian radical students seized the U.S. embassy, taking 66 hostages. 14 were later released. The remaining 52 were freed after 444 days on the day of President Reagan's inauguration.

1982–1991
Lebanon: Thirty US and other Western hostages kidnapped in Lebanon by Hezbollah. Some were killed, some died in captivity, and some were eventually released. Terry Anderson was held for 2,454 days.

1983
April 18, Beirut, Lebanon: U.S. embassy destroyed in suicide car-bomb attack; 63 dead, including 17 Americans. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility.
Oct. 23, Beirut, Lebanon: Shiite suicide bombers exploded truck near U.S. military barracks at Beirut airport, killing 241 marines. Minutes later a second bomb killed 58 French paratroopers in their barracks in West Beirut.
Dec. 12, Kuwait City, Kuwait: Shiite truck bombers attacked the U.S. embassy and other targets, killing 5 and injuring 80.

1984
Sept. 20, east Beirut, Lebanon: truck bomb exploded outside the U.S. embassy annex, killing 24, including 2 U.S. military.
Dec. 3, Beirut, Lebanon: Kuwait Airways Flight 221, from Kuwait to Pakistan, hijacked and diverted to Tehran. 2 Americans killed.

1985
April 12, Madrid, Spain: Bombing at restaurant frequented by U.S. soldiers, killed 18 Spaniards and injured 82.
June 14, Beirut, Lebanon: TWA Flight 847 en route from Athens to Rome hijacked to Beirut by Hezbollah terrorists and held for 17 days. A U.S. Navy diver executed.
Oct. 7, Mediterranean Sea: gunmen attack Italian cruise ship, Achille Lauro. One U.S. tourist killed. Hijacking linked to Libya.
Dec. 18, Rome, Italy, and Vienna, Austria: airports in Rome and Vienna were bombed, killing 20 people, 5 of whom were Americans. Bombing linked to Libya.

1986
April 2, Athens, Greece:A bomb exploded aboard TWA flight 840 en route from Rome to Athens, killing 4 Americans and injuring 9.
April 5, West Berlin, Germany: Libyans bombed a disco frequented by U.S. servicemen, killing 2 and injuring hundreds.

1988
Dec. 21, Lockerbie, Scotland: N.Y.-bound Pan-Am Boeing 747 exploded in flight from a terrorist bomb and crashed into Scottish village, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on the ground. Passengers included 35 Syracuse University students and many U.S. military personnel. Libya formally admitted responsibility 15 years later (Aug. 2003) and offered $2.7 billion compensation to victims' families.

1993
Feb. 26, New York City: bomb exploded in basement garage of World Trade Center, killing 6 and injuring at least 1,040 others. In 1995, militant Islamist Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman and 9 others were convicted of conspiracy charges, and in 1998, Ramzi Yousef, believed to have been the mastermind, was convicted of the bombing. Al-Qaeda involvement is suspected.

1995
Nov. 13, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: car bomb exploded at U.S. military headquarters, killing 5 U.S. military servicemen.
1996
June 25, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia: truck bomb exploded outside Khobar Towers military complex, killing 19 American servicemen and injuring hundreds of others. 13 Saudis and a Lebanese, all alleged members of Islamic militant group Hezbollah, were indicted on charges relating to the attack in June 2001.

1998
Aug. 7, Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: truck bombs exploded almost simultaneously near 2 U.S. embassies, killing 224 (213 in Kenya and 11 in Tanzania) and injuring about 4,500. 4 men connected with al-Qaeda 2 of whom had received training at al-Qaeda camps inside Afghanistan, were convicted of the killings in May 2001 and later sentenced to life in prison. A federal grand jury had indicted 22 men in connection with the attacks, including Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, who remained at large.

2000
Oct. 12, Aden, Yemen: U.S. Navy destroyer USS Cole heavily damaged when a small boat loaded with explosives blew up alongside it. 17 sailors killed. Linked to Osama bin Laden, or members of al-Qaeda terrorist network.

This blog has never taken a position that all Muslims are terrorists, all Arabs are terrorists, or that neither Arabs, nor Muslims, are welcome in this country. But we do not welcome Arabs or Muslims who do preach, endorse, or tacitly tolerate terrorism against our country. Nor do we believe that such people should be protected from criticism or exposure from fear of being called bigots or Islamophobic.

Keep in touch.

Anonymous said...

Salam( Peace) it is a very long story about my conversion to Islam but really Ill be truthfully with you, it was my reading and just researching and being knowledgeable. Looking past what the media says. The Qur'an is such a beautiful book, its was written way before its time in many ways. Muhammad (PBUH) was illiterate and the angel Gabriel recited the Qur'an to Muhammad (PBUH). We believe in the virgin birth of Jesus but we differ in that he didn't die but he was raised up and survived before he was condemned to death. Actually we believe that Jesus (PBUH) will be coming back to us to bring the people to paradise. Islam loves Jesus (PBUH) a lot, we never hated him nor would we ever. As for the state department site first off they spell Hezbollah wrong and also where does it say Hamas was a terrorist group since 1999? Where does it say the date they were added?? To me some of the this blog is a bit biased but Im used to it, it seems like your not. The terrorist attack back in the state of OK was not even a Arab attack. Most of the incidents that did happened over seas but yes attacked on Americans. The problem is the USA takes a stand more on foreign policy and talks and deals rather than stand with Israel so much this would change. We look like the bad guy, we are the bully because we think everything is ours and its not. For the USA standing still on the whole Gaza issue and during the war in Lebanon was disgusting. Also to answer your other question I was born here but I am Lebanese so thats what I mean my country. Also the USA should be talking with neighboring Middle Eastern countries to see where to break these cultural barriers. Yemen and other countries can unite the PLOS and Lebanese because we share common culture and religion. I preach my religion but I'm not a radical or a terrorist.

T.R. Clancy said...

The Dept of State document is dated right at the top of the page:
"Background Information on Foreign Terrorist Organizations
Released by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism
October 8, 1999

Compiled every 2 years"

There may be earlier terror lists that Include Hamas, I haven’t checked it out. But at least 1999.

As for the spelling of Hezbollah/Hizbollah, I’ve seen it spelled both ways. It’s phonetic spelling of an Arabic term, anyway, so we can’t be too literal about a spelling difference. Regardless of the spelling, is there really any doubt about the way Hezbollah carries on?

You’re right, the OK attack wasn’t Arab or Muslim, and I took it off the list.

It sounds as if you’re trying to justify the attacks on US citizens by saying that “The problem is the USA takes a stand more on foreign policy and talks and deals rather than stand with Israel so much this would change.” I take this to mean that if the USA changed our foreign policy the attacks would stop. But that’s the whole point of terrorism. Terrorism is meant to force nations to knuckle under and do what the terrorists want in exchange for stopping terrorist attacks. It’s blackmail. I would rather US foreign policy be made by Americans than by foreigners ready to commit terrorism to get their way.

I support Israel. Israel is surrounded by enemies who want to see her destroyed. It would be unnAmerican to stand by and let that happen. And if terrorists ever got us to abandon Israel,they wouldn't stop. They'd find some other excuse, and they'd never stop their terror attacks until they got everything from us they ever wanted.

Anonymous said...

Salam( Peace) I do NOT stand with Israel. Theres a reason for it. Do I hate Jews? No not at all. Do I hate their religion? Not at all. Do I care a Muslim converted to Christianity? No I do not, it doesn't offend me. Its his life whatever. But what he stands for is different. See hes a Muslim brother or was and I believe he was Egyptian if I'm not mistaken living in Italy. Italy beautiful country for sure. But he stood with Israel through bloodshed. See Jews lived everywhere in the Middle East. They were very populated like in Yemen and Lebanon. However around 1947 and 1948 after world war 2, the bloodshed of the Jews but not only Jews, also Americans, Japanese, Homosexuals and people that weren't the perfect race were killed. Do I believe in the Holocaust? Yes I do, wouldn't say I don't. But do I believe the holocaust was exaggerated by saying 6 million Jews died? Yes I believe there is a flaw in that. Because you gotta remember Gypsy were gassed and killed, and if you didnt look this "perfect race" or stood up for the Jewish community you were killed. There were also many Christians killed and I'm not saying this is true but Muslims to. I want to research that so don't quote me on the Muslim part. What the Jewish community did in Germany was totally wrong. Hitler didn't just wake up one morning and say', "Lets kill people today." No he had a reason for the bloodshed. Not a good reason but he had a reason. People have reasons why they killed innocent people after 9/11 because they looked Arab and they were going to be a terrorist too. The Dearborn community was tense after this day in history. But you gotta go back to the Zionist movement. We gave the Jews freedom to live in prosperity. Did some things happen like crimes against Jews and discrimination? Maybe sure, I'm not sure but people can be cruel. See the problem is you cant just know one person and judge the whole race how that person acts. I don't like Israeli's that oppress people and don't see a genocide happening. I don't like the Israel government or the illegal Israeli state. I don't have a problem with Jews but when they stand for Israel and get tax breaks on illegal settlements for what used to be Zainab's back yard where she can now play, she has to live in fear and without parents while the other Israel kids are living happily and going to school and safe from the "enemy". Till the killing stops the other countries wont back down. Till we stop supporting the Israeli terrorists, I will never support Israel and always say we need to back off a little from Israel and be a leader not a little puppy dog.

Anonymous said...

Salam (peace) somethings in my post I missed some word so let me rephrase a few things. For once when I mention the Holocaust it was udring the late thirtys early 40's I meant to say 1947 and 1948 the illgeal Israeli state was adopted. Also I said Zainab can play in her backyard I meant to say she can not. Sorry about that take care

T.R. Clancy said...

Regardless of where you stand on Israel, you think America’s a little puppy dog? I don’t see that. Are we a little puppy dog or are we the world’s biggest bully, as our enemies around the world are always saying? Can’t be both.

You said there’s a reason why you don’t stand with Israel, but I don’t see where you spelled it out.

What’s illegal about the Israeli state?

What in the world do you mean by “What the Jewish community did in Germany was totally wrong”? Are you justifying what Hitler did to the Jews? What do you think the Jews did to deserve all that, anyway?

You obviously accept that the Jews indeed have been discriminated against. As to the 6 million Jews, the usual number of victims of Nazi genocide quoted is 12 million, which accounts for the 6 million Gypsies, Slavs, etc. (mostly Slavs) over and above the 6 million Jews.

What do you mean “till the killing stops the other countries won’t back down?” Israel completely withdrew from Southern Lebanon, and Southern Lebanon has been used since to launch rocket attacks and war against Israel. Israel completely withdrew from Gaza, and Gaza immediately began to launch attacks against Israel. Israel’s enemies don’t back down, regardless. The Palestinians are an excuse to attack Israel.

You may want to do some more research on Muslims and the Nazis, especially the Grand Mufti of Egypt,
http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_mandate_grand_mufti.php

http://www.fantompowa.net/Flame/yugoslavia_collaboration.htm

You may not like my sources but they are a starting place for your own inquiry.

Because Muslims were not Nazi victims, although some individual Muslims may have been caught up in the European genocide.

Anonymous said...

Salam (peace) my other response here. The USA is a puppy dog in a way of following other peoples idea. How is it right to give billions of dollars every year to Israel for technology, weapons and other sources. But its ok that a freeway bridge in Minneapolis collapses that could of been prevented by fixing it. Also theres many other bridges and roads that are in bad condition that have a potential to also fail but we don't have the money we say. Our dollar goes down each day, gas is going up, people still cant admit were in a recession. It will only get worse. Detroit is by far a city that needs change. Schools closing down, houses that are boarded up turn into crack houses, homeless people everywhere. They could easily be provided food and shelter if we kept our money here. Also we are a bully. We get in to everyones business. If its not our problem forget it, but we shouldn't take sides either. We don't talk, we just fight and thats wrong. Didn't your mum ever tell you in school that your more of man if you walk away from a fight and talk it rather than fight? Dosent a fight in school lead to detention and other consequences?

You tell me whats not illegal for the state of Israel being created? Scernaio what would you do if one day the government knocked on your door and told you, we are taking over this house and you have to leave immediately. How would you feel? What would you do? How about if a militia group just decided to open fire on your house? Would you defend it?? You tell me what the Jewish community did in Germany and see why Hitler was pissed of. I don't think the Jews deserved to die for that reason or for any reason. I don't like to see innocent people dying. Life is too short and fragile. There has been studies saying that there was not 6 million Jews at the time in Europe and that number was exaggerated. Israel still own Golan Heights, that was Lebanon's, Israel still owns it. What Hezbollah is doing is defending the country because the Lebanese Army is weak and doesn't have new technology for weapons and other things. Yes there a militia group and they defend the country well. Israel completely withdrew from Gaza? Are you serious? How can you even dare to say that. They did not. I'm not saying all the people in Gaza and the West Bank are doing everything right and perfect, but they shouldn't be oppressed like that. They cant even walk across the street without a checkpoint. In the west bank they have to look at a wall so the other side could have fun and do what they want when they want when the other side has to fear for there lives. Did you ever go on a hunger strike or not have power for days? As for reading those sites, I will read them indeed. Thank you

T.R. Clancy said...

Dear Anonymous

Are you a student? I’m curious at how you can call the USA a puppy dog in one sentence and a bully in another?

The Minneapolis bridge collapse, and America's homless people, aren't the result of our giving money to Israel. As to why Detroit is in the shape it’s in, that also has nothing to do with giving money to Israel. It doesn’t even have anything to do with money. There's always been money in Detroit, but people in power either waste it or steal it. The problems have to do with Detroit citizens electing people like Kwame Kilpatrick, and things like thievery, corruption, and incompetence.

Your misinformation about the founding of Israel could do with some updating. Palestinians were not driven out of their homes by the new Israeli government. I know that has been repeated and repeated for 60 years in anti-Israel sources, but it is not correct. It’s too big a subject to discuss here, but you need to start from the beginning on that that one.

It’s interesting that you mention Hezbollah "defending" Lebanon, because the news media’s utter failure to report accurately on that war in 2006 was the reason we started this blog. I don’t agree with you that Hezbollah is defending Lebanon; Hezbollah is trying to control Lebanon. Israel is their excuse.

If you don’t know that Israel withdrew from Gaza, then once again, you need to do your homework. It is simply a fact. You can start with these pro-Palestinian sources, like National Public Radio, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4797062, and CNN http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/08/23/west.bank.pullout/index.html

Then there’s some balance from Daniel Pipes:

http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/281

It’s true enough that over the past months Israel has had to send military expeditions into Gaza, but, to quote your own logic, “if a militia group just decided to open fire on your house? Would you defend it??” That’s what Hamas in Gaza has been doing since the Israelis left, firing rockets at Israeli villages. Israel’s response is self-defense. So?

Then watch what happens when Israel tries to pull its soldiers back OUT again: more rocket attacks. Read about it in the pro-Palestinian New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/world/middleeast/04mideast.html?_r=1&ref=middleeast&oref=slogin

Golan belongs to Syria,not Lebanon, but Israel took it away from them in 1967, after 20 years of Syria using it as a base for firing into Israel --Israel won it in a battle with Syria, and has been occupying it to prevent its use for military aggression ever since--in other words, Israel holding Golan is a universally recognized justification for occupying land. Now the Syrians can’t use the Golan to shoot at Jewish villages. Israelis are very common-sensical that way. Israel has never claimed to “own” Golan. If Syria ever stops calling for Israel’s destruction, and manages to back it up with convincing, peaceful action, Israel will let them have it back.

Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Salam ( Peace) I am a student and wow do I have a lot to say, I have a big exam, when I have some free time, mark my words I will be replying because I have so much to say

Anonymous said...

Salam (Peace) as promised my other response. Our money is a reason that this economy is going down. We have to cut spending on schools, roads, and business closing. So all the money we give to Israel and tax breaks to foreign companies could be put back in governemnet spending which is called an injection into the economy. The USA is on a verge of being in a recession but yet we have to give that 35$ billion to Israel for weapons and F-16's. You are right in a way that the elected officials in these cities are corrupt and do steal, I don't say they don't. I want you to read the Jpost website. Its Isreali news and they admit for the occupied land and captured land. So if they are saying, this anti Israeli sites are wrong when the people doing it actually admit to it? Do you ever listen to NPR? I listened to it everyday especially Amy Goodmans show democracy now. She covered the war in Lebanon everyday so did BBC radio. Theres a lot of things that were blown up that were not reported in CNN or Fox. So its ok to blow up homes in Lebanon and have mines in the southern farm land in Lebanon but once we try to defend ourselves with rockets its wrong. They brought tanks into the borders. How about is Russian tanks come into your backyard of in Washington, what you going to do stand there and take pictures or fire ammo at them and weapons?? The Lebanese army has no funding and they have old weapons. Hezbollah has more technology and was simply defending Lebanon. If they didn't who did? I'm not saying they don't do everything right either. Look at when they pulled out of Gaza, 2005, well there back in a way that your missing sorry, please give me an update. Your problem is sir you have a American image on this conflict. Watch BBC news one day, see how they explain it. They use different words. Remember during the war, all American news sources did not once step foot in Lebanon always from Israel. They look like the victim and were the enemy. Thats the problem in the media. Watch that movie I said, Peace, Propaganda and the Promised land and you will see what I mean. I need to do more research on Syria, I don't have enough background on it. I'm sorry I said Golan Heights was Lebanese, it is Syria your right but I still cant say what Syria used it for in the medias eyes or your eyes. Thank you

T.R. Clancy said...

You seem to believe that the only contributor to the American economy is the US taxpayer, ignoring all private enterprise. Is that why you think if the government spends money bridges fall down?

My belief is that facts are facts. There’s no such thing as a BBC fact, or an Arab fact, or an Israeli fact, or a Hezbollah fact, or a BBC way of explaining things or using different words. They either get it right or wrong. Something is either true of false.


I listened to NPR for years, but stopped some time back. They are extremely subtle about their biases, but once I started to recognize, it became impossible to ignore and I sought my news elsewhere. NPR’s editorial position is pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel. Same with the BBC. We cite both of those sources here, when they’re just reporting the news. But they can’t be trusted when it comes to the Middle East. Nor have I forgotten how NPR’s one-sided coverage of the Intifadah, among the last reports I listened to before shutting them off for good.

http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_print=1&x_context=4&x_outlet=28&x_article=428

Neither can the BBC be trusted. They have admitted injecting bias and prejudice into their reporting.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1990190/posts?page=1,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=411846&in_page_id=1770,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/nov/26/bbc.radio,

What I remember about the reporting from Lebanon in 2006 was that the mainstream (anti-Israel) press were accepting without question video footage, photographs, and reports from Hezbollah operatives that were almost immediately revealed to be phony. The “fauxtography” episode, Green Helmet, etc., false reporting involving Reuters, the New York Times, and others.
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2006/08/new-york-times-busted-in-hezbollah.html,

http://hotair.com/archives/2006/08/10/hezbollywood/,

Had the American press done its job and done their own reporting, instead of simply contracting it out to Hezbollah to shoot and publish their own staged version of events, then people like me wouldn’t have had to work so hard to get the facts.

And some American reporters did go to Lebanon. Anderson Cooper of CNN was one, and he describes how Hezbollah got the western reporters together and staged ambulances zooming around to punch up the story line about civilian casualties. http://hotair.com/archives/2006/08/10/hezbollywood/

Hezbo also forbade Western reporters to film Hezbo fighters or go places freely. All the news from Lebanon was staged, censored, or misleading.

And, most important, here in Dearborn and Detroit, the press coverage was almost universally pro-Hezbollah. The Press & Guide didn’t publish ONE syllable explaining the Israeli point of view, including in letters to the editors or opinion columns. At the same time, pro-Hezbollah spokesmen were quoted at length, and allowed to print opinion pieces without any opposing viewpoints being published. I know, because I started this blog in response to all that one-sided coverage.

As for what use Syria made of the Golan, it's got nothing to do with my eyes, media eyes, or anyone else's eyes: it's a matter of objective reality. Syria used it for what it used it for, which was firing into Israel. It's a matter of record. You only have to look it up. We can debate opinions, but facts are facts. Wouldn't you agree with that?

Anonymous said...

Salam( Peace) Facts are your facts, you know the very funny thing was you sir I may be assuming here but you weren't in Lebanon during the war, and you know so much. I know many people that were there that lost their lives, that saw people die in front of them, don't give me oh pro hezbollah mumbo jumbo, you know its ok don't watch the film I suggested to you. You really seem like you cant see my side and thats fine . I see your side and I respect that, your pro Israeli and I'm the other way around. Since you really cant be reasonable because I see your other posts, not just replies and you do put a lot of things down and this blog is just another wasteful and garbage online. Its fine you can have your opinions and your "facts" thats cool but your not seeing my side and never once agreed to my side nor will you ever. Its fine you can have your 100 year more war in Iraq by voting for McCain, more torture, a ex druggie first lady, and more failed economy. If you want Bush policies go with him, see where you get in the world or advance. I believe you one of the few that are probably benefiting from Bush I'm not. I could have free school and a better education if we didn't send 35 billion dollars or more to Israel. we could have better health care and better job opportunities. If we actually cared about people here like they do in my culture, the Indian culture, and other similar cultures this country would be improved and happier. We cant create peace, no one wants the US government style in their country they want their own government. Lebanon wants Lebanese, Saudi wants Saudi get it? You seem not to know to much about how much Israel really infiltrates the media and the government. Thats fine though. Take care