Posted on 05/21/2006 7:56:26 AM PDT by floridaobserver
S audi Arabia's public schools have long been cited for demonizing the West as well as Christians, Jews and other "unbelievers." But after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 -- in which 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis -- that was all supposed to change.
A 2004 Saudi royal study group recognized the need for reform after finding that the kingdom's religious studies curriculum "encourages violence toward others, and misguides the pupils into believing that in order to safeguard their own religion, they must violently repress and even physically eliminate the 'other.' " Since then, the Saudi government has claimed repeatedly that it has revised its educational texts.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, has worked aggressively to spread this message. "The kingdom has reviewed all of its education practices and materials, and has removed any element that is inconsistent with the needs of a modern education," he said on a recent speaking tour to several U.S. cities. "Not only have we eliminated what might be perceived as intolerance from old textbooks that were in our system, we have implemented a comprehensive internal revision and modernization plan." The Saudi government even took out a full-page ad in the New Republic last December to tout its success at "having modernized our school curricula to better prepare our children for the challenges of tomorrow." A year ago, an embassy spokesman declared: "We have reviewed our educational curriculums. We have removed materials that are inciteful or intolerant towards people of other faiths." The embassy is also distributing a 74-page review on curriculum reform to show that the textbooks have been moderated.
The problem is: These claims are not true
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
No. I feel worse.
I would have felt better if you had answered my question in the affirmative.
But you didn't.
But I'll keep in my closed mind that they "condemn terrorism". Now all we need is a definition of "terrorism" and "condemn".
And what they are doing to stop the hate. Or even to criticize the hate.
You can tell the difference between Shiites and Sunnis when you've been around them a long time, too. Socially, the Sunnis here are more openly laid-back. The Shiites who aren't fundamentalist are a little more reserved about things, but most of them don't have religious hang-ups. I have met a few who do, though. And they maintain distance with us. They're polite, but you can tell they're not friendly towards us.
Shame, isn't it?
Not really.
I already hear too much of "Moslems are misunderstood" BS without your contribution.
However, you do seem to be confused. This article and the thread was about Saudis and their hateful influence in particular.
I'm sure there are decent Moslems out there.
That doesn't address the Saudis, who are not decent, and spread hate, and are the main source in funding and ideology for Islamic terror.
In fact, if you have read my post properly the first time, perhaps you wouldn't have been compelled to get snippy with me. My post was not inflammatory. I didn't ask anyone to get snippy or snotty.
You made that choice on your own.
Now, wouldn't things have been much more pleasant if you hadn't chosen to go that route? But perhaps you prefer contention.
I really fail to understand that tactic. And I'm grateful that I do.
The article is about the hate spread by the Saudis and you addressed it with "Saudi Arabians are just weird."
You should have stopped there.
If you wanted to defned that not all Moslems are the same hateful bastards as the Saudis, maybe one, you should have been clearer, and two, your comments would have been more appropriate on a thread about Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
If I want to express, I will express.
If you don't like it, you are cordially invited to go pound sand.
EIGHTH GRADE
"As cited in Ibn Abbas: The apes are Jews, the people of the Sabbath; while the swine are the Christians, the infidels of the communion of Jesus."
Yeah, that the word. Weird.
Post as you like. Just don't cry when you're called on what you write.
It must suck to be you. I'm sorry you're so unhappy.
I really am.
I hope things get better for you.
Good night.
It is important to treat people as individuals. Obviously, there are some great people of all faiths. I am a big fan of Prince Abdullah of Jordan myself.
But the Saudis have using our gasoline money to build up hate schools, not universities and hospitals. When Arafat wanted medical care, he would always go back to Paris.
Hang on to June. It's my kumbayah month.
In May, Saudis, and anyone who attempts to defend them, p*sses me off.
I haven't seen anyone defending the Saudis. Perhaps you'd better get busy looking for them.
You should check out the text books used in the PA schools in the palistinian occupied parts of Israel. And people wonder why the hatered of Jews by the palistinians has never declined... It's because it's fostered by the official government, and taught as gospel to children at the earliest ages.
Mark
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Those are good points. I've had a similar experience with Muslims I've met. Very normal people. I think the problem is that a small number of people in any country have a "mind" for fundamentalism, and so the dangers come down to the teachings the fundies are washed in. Here it is proselytism. There it is murder.
That's great. Kumbayah month is starting early.
We agree that the Saudis are indefensible.
And we agree that there are some decent Moslems out there, but they shouldn't be confused with the hateful Saudis.
I am weak-kneed and watery-eyed with relief.
I remind you that most of the 9-11-01 attackers were saudi arabian.
Which would explain your chosen ID name.
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