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Mosque in Hiding: On Making Room for Prayer Rugs on a Secular Campus
Touchstone ^ | June 2008 | John C. "Chuck" Chalberg

Posted on 05/21/2008 10:39:28 AM PDT by rhema

It was somehow fitting that my suburban community college was embroiled in a religious controversy at the height of our annual “winter festival” season. Thanksgiving, of course, survives as Thanksgiving on our campus, even though too many among us have no deity to thank or neglect to thank the one we barely remember. Christmas, to be fair, survives as well, but it has not survived in the official parlance of a state school.

As a result, from sometime in early December until students finish their final exams (in time to celebrate, dare it be said, Christmas), our campus is home to an essentially secular winter festival, if one celebrated with pagan rites.

A Place to Pray

Actually, the story begins in the late winter, when a small group of students approached the college administration with a request: Could they have a place to pray? Their petition was not entirely new and not necessarily out of line. The school has long had an active InterVarsity Fellowship which meets and prays weekly in a campus classroom. But this particular request was different: Would the administration set aside a permanent space for prayer?

The students in question were largely Somali Muslims. Their request was understandable, given their need to pray five times daily. A simple denial of their petition would have been equally understandable, given innumerable Supreme Court decisions and innumerable campus policies that have gone to great lengths to separate church from state.

But instead of saying “no,” the administration compromised. The school would not designate any space for a specific religion, but it would permit a generic “meditation room.”

Such a “room” was created by closing off a portion of a hallway. The decision itself reflected an administrative desire to close off any debate on the subject as well.

(Excerpt) Read more at touchstonemag.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: creepingsharia; creepingshariah; islam; koran; muslim; muslims; pc; politicalcorrectness; politicallycorrect; quran; somalia; stuckonstupid
John C. "Chuck" Chalberg teaches American history in Minnesota and performs a one-man show as G. K. Chesterton.
1 posted on 05/21/2008 10:39:29 AM PDT by rhema
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To: MplsSteve; Caleb1411

Ping


2 posted on 05/21/2008 10:42:35 AM PDT by rhema ("Break the conventions; keep the commandments." -- G. K. Chesterton)
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To: rhema

Somali Muslims must be made to understand that they are in Infidel land. If they want to live in Muslim land, let them go back to the Turd World sewer they crawled out of.


3 posted on 05/21/2008 10:49:09 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY ((((Obama's issues would be better resolved in a psychotherapists office, than in the Oval Office))))
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Why?

All they want to do is bring the turd world sewer to us(and they’re succeeding)


4 posted on 05/21/2008 10:56:28 AM PDT by Tex Pete (Obama for Change: from our pockets, our piggy banks, and our couch cushions!)
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To: rhema

Radical Islam is an insane murder cult, moderate Islam is its Trojan Horse in the West.


5 posted on 05/21/2008 10:58:27 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: Free ThinkerNY
"Somali Muslims must be made to understand that they are in Infidel land. If they want to live in Muslim land, let them go back to the Turd World sewer they crawled out of."

They are making YOU understand that Islam is the official sanctioned religion of the USA. Islam is taught in just about every public school under the guise of "middle east studies". You can't even begin to understand anything about the middle east until you learn the basic tenants of Islam; Muhammad and his god named "Allah".

6 posted on 05/21/2008 11:00:53 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: All

This is pure rot.

It insults both academia, religious belief and those who
function with permission to all in equality.

There is no equality when it comes to Islam.

To recognize and think of it in religious terms is a fools’ errand.


7 posted on 05/21/2008 11:05:33 AM PDT by imintrouble
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To: rhema

I’m not Catholic, but I would love to see some one put a huge crucifix on the wall of this “generic” room. On the other side by the sign saying Jews and Christians are the enemy of Allah, a sign saying Muslims are followers of the Antichrist.


8 posted on 05/21/2008 11:09:55 AM PDT by Siberian-psycho (An oppressed class which did not try to possess arms, would deserve to be treated as slaves." Lenin)
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To: rhema

Why can’t they pray like everyone else. When I feel the need to talk to my Lord I drop wherever I am ( within reason ) and pray. Then I get up and go on my way. I don’t need a special room.


9 posted on 05/21/2008 11:09:56 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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To: imintrouble
"To recognize and think of it in religious terms is a fools’ errand."

Try tell that to our political "leaders" and the media. Seems Islam can buy anything it wants in this country, our media, politicians and our schools.

10 posted on 05/21/2008 11:14:59 AM PDT by Nathan Zachary
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To: Travis McGee

I wish your saying could be put up on billboards all across America.


11 posted on 05/21/2008 11:18:21 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY ((((Obama's issues would be better resolved in a psychotherapists office, than in the Oval Office))))
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To: rhema

Who ever accused university and college administrators of having a stiff backbone or brass? They roll over for any rogue who comes into their office or sphere, unless it is a Christian or Jew. What Americans who pay tuition for their kid’s education, find a place of higher education which does not hire the type of people we see running the universities and colleges now. How about Wheaton or Hillsdale there are more, but they are not IVY LEAGUE? Both good Christian and conservative places of higher learning.


12 posted on 05/21/2008 11:22:11 AM PDT by tillacum
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To: rhema

Try this. Go into the “meditation room” when there is a group in it bowing towards the East. Carefully put your hands around your neck so you’ll know if anyone is trying to chop your head off.
They you’ll know exactly how much this room was designed so as “not to favor” any one particular religion.
Bullfeathers!

The truth is the administration hates Christians and Jews and loves the headchoppers. Too bad for you if you’re Christian or Jewish!


13 posted on 05/21/2008 11:22:32 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged (liberalism is a serious mental disturbance)
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To: rhema

I remember this incident.

It happened out at Normandale Community College (aka Somali Community College) in suburban Bloomington.


14 posted on 05/21/2008 12:17:15 PM PDT by MplsSteve
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To: Free ThinkerNY

The best I can do is post it on the internet as often as possible.


15 posted on 05/21/2008 2:32:47 PM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: rhema

Perhaps non Muslim students should have their own meditation and Bible study in the space and watch the Muslims howl.


16 posted on 05/21/2008 8:23:08 PM PDT by The Great RJ ("Mir we bleiwen wat mir sin" or "We want to remain what we are." ..Luxembourg motto)
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