Respecting Ramadan, Banning "Christmas" (School District Favors Muslims Over Christians)

Illinois Family Institute ^ | December 2 , 2004 | Peter LaBarbera

[Kuksool]

Political correct “diversity” advocates are often more solicitous of Muslim and non-Christian “holy days” than those celebrated by Christians, despite our nation’s Biblical heritage.

In Naperville, in my own back yard, school District 204 (Indian Prairie School District) not only tolerated but encouraged school remembrance of the Muslim holiday, Ramadan (which ended last month).

The following email was sent to administrators of School District 204 in Naperville-Aurora, urging special recognition of the Muslim holiday, Ramadan. I have yet to receive a return call from the author of the memo, Donna Crawford, Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education, asking if the same official respect has been accorded Christmas, as a Christian holy day. Emphasis is added:

"To: 204 Administration List

Subject: [204 Administration List] Ramadan begins 10/15

"Ramadan begins today and ends Nov 14th. For more than a billion Muslims around the world -- including some 8 million in North America -- Ramadan is a "month of blessing" marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. Ramadan observance focuses on self-sacrifice and devotion to Allah (God).

"For our Muslim students, staff and parents, please be mindful of fasting by offering alternative activity options during lunch period or other activities which may include food and beverages. Asking students about ways in which they may want to be accommodated is beneficial. Accommodations are especially important in regards to physical education classes. P.E. teachers may offer alternatives to rigorous physical exercise for the fasting students.

"Schools may also support Muslim students by arranging a place for prayer. The five essential times of prayer include: at first light and before sunrise, between the sun reaching it height and mid-afternoon, between mid-afternoon and sunset, after the sun has finished setting, in the dark of night.

"Students may also be absent from school for required religious observance. Some students will attend school after observing prayers.

"Other information about Ramadan .....

"Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Islam uses a lunar calendar -- that is, each month begins with the sighting of the new moon. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays "move" each year.

"Muslims practice sawm, or fasting, for the entire month of Ramadan. This means that they may eat or drink nothing, including water, while the sun shines. As with other Islamic duties, all able Muslims take part in sawm from about age twelve (when they reach puberty). During Ramadan Muslims get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before the sun rises. After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. Iftar usually begins with dates and sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost. Fasting serves many purposes. While they are hungry and thirsty, Muslims are reminded of the suffering of the poor. Fasting is also an opportunity to practice self-control and to cleanse the body and mind. And in this most sacred month, fasting helps Muslims feel the peace that comes from spiritual devotion as well as kinship with fellow believers.

"Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which in 2004 occurs on November 14. Literally the "Festival of Breaking the Fast," Eid al-Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic celebrations (the other occurs after the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca). At Eid al-Fitr people dress in their finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy visits with friends and family. A sense of generosity and gratitude colors these festivities. Although charity and good deeds are always important in Islam, they have special significance at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to a close, Muslims are obligated to share their blessings by feeding the poor and making contributions to mosques."

Donna Crawford

Assistant Superintendent Elementary Education

Indian Prairie School District 204

Phone 630.375.3025

Fax 630.375.3004

www.ipsd.org

____________________________________________________________________

Now, I'm all for ethnic diversity (my wife Cristina is half Lebanese, and the first in her family to be born in the USA). But isn't it interesting that in Muslim-dominated countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Christians and other non-Muslims are persecuted, while here we not only encourage respect for other faiths but erase our own Judeo-Christian heritage? No healthy civilization censors its own noble history!

America's religious freedom and embrace of immigrants is part of what makes us a great nation, but what the ACLU and its secularist allies refuse to teach the next generation is that our national experiment in freedom was made possible by our Christian heritage. We must not allow those who would strip Christianity from our public life to triumph or it will hasten the moral collapse of our nation.

Thank you for standing for Biblical truth in the culture. May the God of Christmas bless you.

Sincerely in Christ,

Peter LaBarbera

Executive Director

Respond to: info@illinoisfamily.org

[HostileTerritory]

Everything I know about Muslim integration (or lack thereof) in Britain comes from three sources:

1. _East is East_
2. _My Son, the Fanatic_
3. The Kumars at No. 42's Christmas Special

[Law is not justice but process]

"I don't think the Boy Scouts issue had anything to do with the establishment clause."

I think you are wrong. The original ACLU suit over sponsorship of Boy Scout troops on military bases was at least partially, if not wholly, based on an Establishment Clause argument:

From the U.K. Sunday Telegraph:

"The ACLU launched a lawsuit in 1999, citing the constitutional separation of Church and state. It claimed that because scouts pledge to do their duty to "God and country", official military backing for scout groups represented "government entanglement in religious activity".

See this thread: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1299479/posts

From another source:

"The ACLU of Illinois brought suit against both the Department of Defense and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, contending they had violated the First Amendment’s clause against government establishment of religion."

See this post: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1283065/posts

There are also reports out there that the ACLU argued discrimination issues with the BSA. I suspect they did. A lawsuit will usually include multiple causes of action, but I am fairly certain that one of the causes of action in the ACLU suit against HUD and the DOD was based on the Establishment Clause. The settlement announced some weeks ago had was limited to the official sponsorship of BSA troops by the military only. The issue of whether the meeting of BSA troops on military bases violates the Establishment Clause was not covered by the settlement. That issue will still go to trial. The ACLU argument there is that allowing BSA events on taxpayer funded military bases violates the Establishment Clause. If the DOD wins, then allowing Muslims a place to pray on school grounds may be acceptable. If the ACLU wins the trial, then allowing Muslims a place to pray would also violate the Establishment Clause. In the event they win, will the ACLU pursue this school district for allowing Muslims to have a dedicated place for prayer on a taxpayer funded school? I, for one, think they will not.

[Le Bouledogue Britannique]

ROFLMAO!!!

[rogermellie]

I know its cruel to intrude on private grief, but if you see some of the illinformed rubbish we have to put up with regarding our country, its just too juicy to ignore.

we don't actually expect the headbangers to get the joke, but it brings us enormous relief.

[rogermellie]

you are such a muppet.

what i meant to say before my technically illiterate brain pressed the wrong button was:

sorry to intrude on private grief, but if you see some of the ill-informed rubbish written about the UK and europe then you'd see this as low hanging fruit.

its wonderful, we don't expect the headbangers to get it, but its blessed relief for us!

[rogermellie]

hang on, it was blank before.

[maestro]

From another thread:

Christmas haters have an agenda .......they all hate the NEW DVD movie, 'Luther'.

(You can buy it at 'Best Buy' too.)

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

[Fury]

I'm trying to figure out where the Board of Education is in all this. THEY could put a stop to this in a flash - if they wanted to.

[ladyjane]

Actually during advent, aren't there still fasting days? No meat on Friday?

[quant5]

"Christmas has no requirements regarding fasting, prayer, etc., that would impact the school day, so it's not a parallel situation."

This is true statement above. I see the push for muslim acceptance as a PR issue of us being scared of the terrorists and trying to show moderate muslims "we care". Truth is, the moderate muslims will stay silent and NOT help us against the extremists. We do not need to persecute nor support moderate muslims.

I also feel that our heritage of Judeo-Christian background is being supplanted and it is having very negative effects on our country in myriads of ways, too numerous to get into on one post.

[The_Englishman]

Having trouble with the new-fangled technology i see.

You're making us look bad... ;-)

[retrokitten]

I very much want to get to England.

You and me both! WE (Lifetime Jr.) channel has a contest to win 5 nights in London for you and a friend. www.we.tv

[Calpernia]

Now that is tempting. But I can't venture off until the 3 little ones are off the hip :)

Thanks for the tidbit though.

[retrokitten]

Okay, if I win I will bring you back something nice from Harrods. ;-)

[Calpernia]

>>>Okay, if I win I will bring you back something nice from Harrods. ;-)

Oh! I will hold you to that! If you win, you must take pictures of castles. I will host the pics on my server if you need space. Then you need to make a detailed report in Chat!

:)

My last friend that went to England brought me back digital cam of the Changing of the Guard. I lost that clip in my last reformat :(

[retrokitten]

You have got a deal!

[rogermellie]

shocking isn't it - in a fit of pique i'll blame it on microsoft...

[Calpernia]

::cheering retrokitten to win::

[phoenix0468]

I was just kidding 'bout Jersey. I think Billy Joel referred to it as what he thought of as the Wild West, hehe. South Jersey and the Shore are nice from what I have heard. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to visit those areas. I do have an aunt in Butler, and the area around there is nice and woodsy.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

F for punctuation

(Laughter) I'm a genuine East Texas redneck and a product of our great failed social experiment. (publik screwl system.)

At 45 years old, I am just ecstatic that I managed to teach myself to operate this contraption and peck out a few words on this keyboard.