Posted on 12/13/2004 8:27:50 PM PST by Kuksool
Political correct diversity advocates are often more solicitous of Muslim and non-Christian holy days than those celebrated by Christians, despite our nations 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
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
ROFLMAO!!!
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.
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!
hang on, it was blank before.
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!
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.
Actually during advent, aren't there still fasting days? No meat on Friday?
"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.
Having trouble with the new-fangled technology i see.
You're making us look bad... ;-)
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
Now that is tempting. But I can't venture off until the 3 little ones are off the hip :)
Thanks for the tidbit though.
Okay, if I win I will bring you back something nice from Harrods. ;-)
>>>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 :(
You have got a deal!
shocking isn't it - in a fit of pique i'll blame it on microsoft...
::cheering retrokitten to win::
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.
(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.
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