CAIR Keeps Showing Up

Here are a couple more stories throwing light on CAIR’s strategy to spread Islamic teaching in places it really doesn't belong, namely, by pretending to be "correcting" misperceptions about Islam.

For instance, Andrew Whitehead at Anti-Cair writes about how, in the State of Washington, CAIR is raising objections to a course on Islam being taught to law-enforcement officers that might give them the wrong idea about Muslims being connected with terrorism. Writes Whitehead:

Some local Muslims are apparently concerned that the program, “The Threat of Islamic Jihadists to the World”, conducted by Miami-based Security Solutions International (SSI), may promote stereotypes and ethnic/religious profiling.

Unsurprisingly, the Washington State chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) must rise to the defense of Islamic terrorists by implying that the program will somehow cause law enforcement officers to respond inappropriately when they come into contact with Muslims.

Washington State chapter president Arsalan Bukhari apparently believes the program may link Islam to terrorism:

"Most police officers don't have a basic grounding in Islam, so before you teach them about Islam, how can you teach them about radical Islam?...it just makes you nervous because when a law-enforcement person pulls someone over, when they see a Muslim person or someone who appears Muslim to them — all this information they just learned kicks in."

Which is why, according to Seattle Times religion report, Janet Tu, “Bukhari believes the need for police training on issues of profiling and bias was highlighted by an incident last summer in which the FBI launched an international search for two men who took photos below deck on a Washington state ferry. The FBI announced earlier this month that the men were tourists, not terrorists.” (“Does course on Islam give law enforcers wrong idea?”).

(But, as Andrew Whitehead points out:

Bukhari failed to mention that the two men:

• Traveled on as many as six different ferries.
• Seemed inordinately interested in the operation of the vessel.
• Took photographs of the interior of the boats.
• Accessed areas tourists and commuters usually don’t.)

And then we have the Texas junior high school (public) where CAIR finagled a way to indoctrinate students during what was supposed to be a physical ed period. ("Texas children roped into Islamic training").

According to a bulletin released by the inter-racial, inter-denominational Houston Area Pastor Council, there was an “Islamic ‘presentation’ held at Friendswood Junior High last week which students were required to attend. The May 22 sessions were held during required-attendance Physical Education classes, led by two women’“wearing veils’ representing the Council on Arab-Islamic Relation (CAIR)”

Parents were given no notification of the sessions, nor given the opportunity to attend. The excuse given by the Principal for the 40-minute “'Islamic Awareness' presentation was 'to increase understanding of the Islamic culture in response to racially motivated comments that have been made to students on campus.'”

After hearing reports from students forced to attend the sessions, a mother, signing as “Concerned Parent,” sent an email to other parents, reporting what she had been told took place.

**It was 30-40 minute presentation by 2 Muslim women from CAIR (group in Houston) wearing veils.
**Principal Robin Lowe told the group that her sister, niece and nephew were Muslim (one reason I did not call her as I was not sure how she would respond).
**Topics shared...What is Islam?
**Adam, Noah, and Jesus are prophets
**There is one god, Allah
**Talked about the 5 pillars of Islam
**Talked about praying 5 times a day
**Showed how they pray - 5 stances
**What they wear
**Ramadan - fasting, spiritual time, festival at end, etc..
**Talked about famous Muslims

A few of the problems/questions I have with this:
**They were given full attention of our kids, during academic school time, to present their religious beliefs. This was not part of a world religions study, but presented in isolation.
**This was put right at the end of the school year...which will most likely prevent a Christian response. There was no parent notification of the program and the kids were not given the option of not attending. The kids did not even know they were having an assembly or what topic it pertained to until they entered the gym. In fact, just 2 days before did the coaches even find out their PE time would be used for this. Did this lack of notification violate policy?
**I was told this program was in response to some ethnic slurs against Muslim kids at the school. How does just presenting the religious beliefs address that? There are plenty of bullying -type public programs to address those type problems.
**If these "cultural presentations" are continued next year (which I'm hearing they will be), are we not opening Pandora's Box?
**I send my kids to school for academics....I teach them religion at home.

Friendswood Principal, Robin Lowe, responded with a letter to parents explaining that the sessions were part of the school district’s ongoing effort to teach students “the six pillars of character, one of which is respect.” It seems the school “had a few incidents of racially insensitive graffiti in the restrooms and other areas, as well as comments being made to students that are highly inappropriate.” (Can you imagine such a thing someone making highly inappropriate comments in a junior high school? What next? Kids hiding cigarettes in their backpacks???!)

In a classic example of now-that-the-horse-has-escaped barn-door locking, Principal Lowe reassured parents that she’ll do a better job next time:

Several questions have been raised regarding the Islamic Awareness presentation that occurred through our P.E. classes last Thursday, May 22, 2008. The purpose of the presentation was to increase understanding of the Islamic culture in response to racially motivated comments that have been made to students on campus. In hindsight, a note should have been sent home to parents indicating the purpose and content of the presentation in time for parents to contact me with questions or concerns or requests to exempt their child. This will be our practice in the future, should we ever have another presentation of a similar nature.

And, as Principal Lowe may have been tempted to add: "Have a safe summer, Go Mustangs, and remember: Alahu Akhbar!"