Posted on 02/15/2012 3:37:42 PM PST by beaversmom
A Colorado high school student quit the school choir after an Islamic song containing the lyric "there is no other truth except Allah" made it into the repertoire.
James Harper, a senior at Grand Junction High School in Grand Junction, put his objection to singing "Zikr," a song written by Indian composer A.R. Rahman, in an email to Mesa County School District 51 officials. When the school stood by choir director Marcia Wieland's selection, Harper quit.
"I don’t want to come across as a bigot or a racist, but I really don’t feel it is appropriate for students in a public high school to be singing an Islamic worship song,” Harper told KREX-TV. "This is worshipping another God, and even worshipping another prophet ... I think there would be a lot of outrage if we made a Muslim choir say Jesus Christ is the only truth."
But district spokesman Jeff Kirtland defended the decision to include the song.
"Choral music is often devoted to religious themes. ... This is not a case where the school is endorsing or promoting any particular religion or other non-educational agenda. The song was chosen because its rhythms and other qualities would provide an opportunity to exhibit the musical talent and skills of the group in competition, not because of its religious message or lyrics," Kirtland told FoxNews.com in an email while noting that the choir "is a voluntary, after-school activity."
"Students are not required to participate, and receive no academic credit for doing so," he said.
At an upcoming concert, the choir is scheduled to sing an Irish folk song and an Christian song titled "Prayer of the Children," in addition to the song by Rahman.
"The teacher consulted with students and asked each of them to review an online performance of the...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
My wife and I moved to Grand Junction, CO about a year ago. GJ is in Mesa County on the western slope (about 250 miles west of Denver on I-70). This is a conservative county, certainly one of the most conservative in the state ... and one of the reasons we chose to move here ... not to mention the natural beauty & sweeping vistas that abound. Proud of this young man ... he states his reason well.
The Music Director should be fired for endangering the students like that. Some crazy jihadi in the audience hearing that might have pulled his AK and killed everybody.
Allah Rakha Rahman was born as A. S. Dileep Kumar. His mother was Muslim, his father was Hindu, and he was raised Hindu. After his father died the family had hard times and his mother turned to Sufism, Islamic mysticism. Kumar/Rahman was drawn to Islam himself and later converted and changed his name.
Grand Junction is a nice area. If we had to move from the Denver area, I’m sure it would be a place we would consider. The Colorado National Monument rivals some of Utah’s scenery.
How if they were asked to do a more classic piece like Ketelbey’s “In A Persian Market” with its scene of beggars begging for “baksheesh” in the name of “Allah”? (Though that does not make more assertions about “Allah” than treating that as another appellation for God, as used in Arabic language Christian bibles.)
Then again, the article doesn’t say whether he quit on his own decision or whether he was told he couldn’t just sit out the song, so it’s possible there were repercussions.
The song was chosen because of the rhythms, right? Then change or omit the lyric as Obama does when he recites the pledge.
"The teacher consulted with students and asked each of them to review an online performance of the selection with their parents BEFORE making the decision to perform the piece," Kirtland saidClearly this instructor anticipated controversy & should be reamed for this underhanded attempt at totally ignorant PC/MC brainwashing. Music is Haram حرام in Islam. Fire this incompetent fool.
Islamists believe they ARE another (superior) race. The lowly kufir is descended from pigs and monkeys and can be butchered and enslaved like cattle.
They don’t even want their daughters marrying converts to Islam. Not pure enough.
Yeah, good for him, but the poor kid’s fought it alone and in vain from the sound of it and that’s just wrong. Where’s the support for brave and good people like him?? That’s how freedom’s voices get silenced. He had to retreat by dropping out and it’s not fair!
I was going to say “pants on the ground”, but not so much..
Usually there is such a notice when “history” in red is by the headline it was not noted on that thread at the time...I always click history and you find out if it was a duplicate and has a link to the other thread..
Look at the teachers - so many are Marxist, Progressive and anti-American. Where are all the parents??? WAKE UP. AMERICA - especially parents (and grandparents)!!!
All the dough? Have you bought a half gallon of milk lately? LMAO!
Are you kidding me?
FR basically is free if you want it to be...
And I've never been asked "a bunch of dough"....either.
What do you give "HiTech RedNeck" to FR? You mind if I ask?
For whatever reason, a kid drops out of choir and it makes the news?
It’s not wise to display your lack of reading comprehension skills so soon after joining.
At an upcoming concert, the choir is scheduled to sing an Irish folk song and an Christian song titled “Prayer of the Children,” in addition to the song by Rahman.
“The teacher consulted with students and asked each of them to review an online performance of the selection with their parents before making the decision to perform the piece,” Kirtland said, and members who object to the religious content of musical selections aren’t required to sing them.
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Okay B_E, what am I supposed to be missing here.
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