Target, Macy's, Denver, - ILLINOIS
Sharper Minds Daily
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 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
Perhaps your Santa-Claus/Rudolph/NFL-football Christmas has no special requirements, but my birth-of-Jesus-Christ, the-Savior-Christmas requires a special mass or church service, a feast, and gift giving to the needy, and often an additional evening service.
Notice the ACLU is strangely absent here.
They are called spring break and winter break now.
Another local school district, not too far this one, had lessons on Ramadan, but took great pains to avoid the words, Christmas or even Holiday. It referred to the Holiday season as Winter Wonderland or Festival of Lights. The school displayed a "Culture Tree" and sang "community carols". The educrats argued that strong references to Christmas promoted Christianity but lessons on Ramadan were meant to educate kids about the Middle East and give them a better understand of 9-11 and the Iraqi War.
Here's a suggestion: In the light of the re-election of President Bush and the buzz about Red States vs Blue States, teachers could educate kids about the sociological significance of Christmas to Red State voters. Kids would learn what Christmas and religion means to the so-called values voters.
Not here in Texas. We get three week-long vacations. One in the fall (during Ramadan), one in the winter (during Christmas/New Year's), and one in the spring (during rodeo week). There's no week off for the highest Holy Day in Christendom (Easter) unless it falls during rodeo week (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't).
They call it winter vacation and spring break now.
Sloth wrote:
Christmas has no requirements regarding fasting, prayer, etc., that would impact the school day, so it's not a parallel situation.
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And it could be said that the public school system makes similar consessions for Christian organizations such as The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Christian Prayer groups. At least in my part of the country. To say that our heritage (that of Christianity) is being taken out of the school system does not necessarily apply to the school district my daughter attends. And I would venture a bet that it is still focused on in many public schools around the country. Let us not overreact at the tolerance shown other beliefs, but I agree with the statement (and I am paraphrasint) that we should not lose our heritage while showing tolerance. This country is and will most likely remain a majority Christian nation. As such there will continuously be attacks upon the faith by unscrupulous individuals and groups. It must be remembered that the majority rules, while not losing focus on every individuals rights. I don't think affording anyone of any religion or belief some comfort in their everyday or seasonal religious activities infringes on others rights. It protects their rights, which is the goal. I think the ACLU and organizations like it have a goal to secularize our society. Even as an agnostic, I can see a great harm in this. There is a widening theocratic gap between generations in this country. It is a direct result of the actions of groups such as the ACLU. Our country's Christian identity cannot and should not be seperated from our society. Just as a Muslim in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan would feel the same way. I think even an agnostic in that cuture would feel as I do. Things such as "The Ten Commandments" and the moral teachings of Jesus Christ should be kept in our public places, monuments, schools and government facilities. This is not a governmental sponsorshop of religion, it is a social one. The majority of our country is Christian, and as such the majority has taken it's system of values and morals from those beliefs. To seperate such an important cultural and social ingredient would cause more harm than good. IMHO.
Here in NYC we still have Christmas and Easter breaks...sadly, the kids don't get Rodeo Week off.
They are so lame. If they wanted to educate kids about 911, what is their excuse for not teaching about Christianity and Judaism so all little American kids could understand that the Muslim terrorists hate them.
I'm shocked! SHOCKED!
So in your mind, that's the key issue, huh? Whether it impacts the school day? None o' that Constitution and First Amendment stuff to get in the way for you, right?
Islam is a cult of murder, misogyny, pedophilia and lies. I can understand why the current crop of schools would find a reason to respect those values. It fits right in with the values of the ACLU.
I surprised the tree was called a Holiday Tree. "Happy Holidays" is becoming taboo word as well. It makes people think of Christmas. Thus the PC term would be "Season Greetings" or "Merry Festival of Lights".
freebilly wrote:
"Christmas has no requirements regarding fasting, prayer, etc., that would impact the school day, so it's not a parallel situation."
So separation of church and state doesn't apply if the religion has strict rules of adherence like Islam?
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I wish I would have thought of that. But then again aren't there some rules of Christmas such as humility, servitude, and charity? Unfortunately these are not taught in our school system as Christian values because that would be recognizing religion. And I thought the amendment was no "...establishment of religion" wher a recognition of such is quite different. A group of Senators praying before a session is quite different than making it a requirement to be a member of a certain religion or church to be a Senator. Which is the case in some countries. Well, I guess we'll all be arguing this one till the cows come home.
Immediately following Ramadamdingaling will be classes in beheadings, female circumcision, how to beat your wife without leaving bruises that cant' be covered with a burqua, and a variety of other quaint and delightful practices that will leave your head spinning on the floor.
How about Merry celebration of the birth of a "Jewish Prophet who was killed and then resurected." Or would that be too detailed?
very well written ping
Either:
Or:
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