Do You Believe This Illinois Schools Canceling Christmas and Halloween to Avoid Offending Muslims ?

Question

Another absolutely disgusting example of pre-emptive dhimmitude, in the name of tolerance and multiculturalism, right here in the US: First Jell-O, now Santa.

So long, Halloween parade. Farewell, Santa’s gift shop.

The holiday traditions are facing elimination in some Oak Lawn schools this year after complaints that the activities are offensive, particularly to Muslim students.

Final decisions on which of the festivities will be axed will fall to the principals at each of Ridgeland School District 122’s five schools, Supt. Tom Smyth said.

Parents expect that the announcement is going to add to the tension that has been building since officials agreed earlier this month to change the lunch menu to exclude items containing pork to accommodate Muslim students. News that Jell-O was struck from the menu caused such a stir that officials have agreed to bring it back.

Gelatin is often made with tissue or bones of pigs or other animals.http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=27279_Illinois_Schools_Canceling_Christmas_and_Halloween_to_Avoid_Offending_Muslims&only
First, Muslims do not respect my feelings, nor my religion. I am offended by their demands to remove my religion from the public eye, where is the ACLU and school administrators and the goverment for me?

If this is not stopped, the next step is crosses and stars of David banned in public. It WILL happen withing 5 years unless we say “NO MORE” NOW. Then, they will have churches moved by force from near Muslim communities, and it just gets worse from there.

WE have the power to stop this. Our religion deserves as much respect and consideration as theirs, if not MORE as we are Primarily a Christian nation, and we need, as Christians, to stop letting people ban any aspect of our faith because it ‘offends” someone. We need to tell these idiotic school administrators that they need to respect the riligion of EVERYONE who attends the schools, and if they won’t, they will be removed. If even 25% of the parents of that district would put down the remote control and call the board and complain, this ban will be lifted in a big hurry.

Our Constitution has no provisions that promise anyone the freedom from being offended, and there are no provisions that cater to newly arrived immigrants and their religion. We are supposed to have a freedom of religion in this country, as given us as a natural state of mankind, but it’s being eroded everytime a Muslim uses our weakness (lberals) to eat away at our freedoms little by little, which plays into their religions agenda of conquering and converting the world.

We need to get our freedom of religion back, and stop these forces from making us ashamed/guilty/fearful of expressing, practicing and celebrating our faith in the public. There is NOTHING inherently offensive in Christmas, except to a non-believer who wishes for Christianity to be destroyed, or to an athiest who fights against faith because it attacks their inner void.

I could be angry, I could rant, but I’d rather DO SOMETHING. This could be the work of several lifetimes, for all of us, to turn the ship, but it can be done. This is OUR country, even though every day it seems like it less and less.

Answer 1

Unfortunately, our country has been bending over backwards for Muslims in the recent years...so I'm not too shocked that they are canceling Christmas. This is political correctness gone too far. It's appalling. We now have foot washes in airports so that Muslims can pray. Muslim workers at such places like Target refuse to handle pork (so the customer or another worker has to scan pork products). Many moderate Muslims may not be offended by Christian holidays but they do NOT speak out against the extremist Muslim groups who are trying to shut down everything related to Christianity. Silence is the same as condoning.

Answer 2

I am a Muslim. I totally respect whatever feelings you may have and I definitely respect your religious beliefs. I think you are completely correct in thinking that the restrictions on food in those schools are pointless. Just because there is a Muslim population in a school does not mean foods that Muslims do not eat should not be part of the menu. The kids have every right to eat jello or whatever else they want. As long as no one is forcing Muslim kids to do the same thing, I don't see the harm in that. You're right that this is a primarily Christian nation. Most Europeans who came over here were Christian, and most people here today are the same. But what I don't understand is when you say, "...they need to respect the religion of EVERYONE who attends the schools..." I definitely agree with that statement, but don't you think it's a little contradictory? How can all religions be respected if only Christian and Jewish religions are being observed at public schools? Either observe them all, or don't observe any. Halloween is at the end of next month, December isn't until almost three months from now. What about the fact that Ramadan is being observed right now by Muslims all over the world? If you think observing one religion and not another in public schools is fair and respectful, let me let you know how wrong you are.

It's funny when you mention the Constitution. You say freedom of religion is granted to all Americans. After America's founders migrated to America from Europe and created a new nation, they became Americans. That means that any person who comes to America legally today can be considered an American tomorrow. That's the amazing thing about our country, we accept people from all over the world, people from different regions, with different ideas, and different beliefs. The Constitution applies to all of us, including all Muslims. How many Muslims do you know personally? If any, how many of them are terrorists or are affiliated with terrorists? How many want to conquer and convert the world?

I personally have never met one.

"We need to get our freedom of religion back, and stop these forces from making us ashamed/guilty/fearful of expressing, practicing and celebrating our faith in public."

I, as a Muslim, couldn't agree with you more.

You say you could be angry and you could rant, so what is it exactly that you just did? And what do you plan on doing exactly? Using your bigoted words to make Muslims feel inferior and evil?

Well good luck with that. I, also would like to 'DO SOMETHING.'

I'd like to tell you to open up your mind a little. Don't be so bitter, really it just makes me feel bad for you. I have nothing against you, and I would never intentionally hurt someone else.

I just hope you can learn to accept other people who are different from you. Because if you realize, extremists and radicals all over the world share the same general ideology. They've never learned to accept people who are different, and they also, decided to DO SOMETHING about it.

And maybe sean t can learn a thing or two along with you.

Answer 3

This is stupid, but the blame does not belong to Islam. The problem is that the left (and their allies on the Supreme Court) has made it possible for groups to play the "I'm offended" card and get just about anything they want.

The proper solution is to do something the left would really hate. We need to eliminate the "Public" Schools and prohibit government from funding education. Atheists, Muslims, "Pagans," and other groups cannot play the "I'm offended" card to force private schools to do things like this. Instead, they would have the right to send their kids to a different school that operates how they want it to or to homeschool.

The leftist courts have not ruled against things such as the 10 Commandments when they are on private property (if they did so, they'd be banning churches from displaying them, and even the Supreme Court isn't that idiotic yet). A policy of privatization would prevent them from doing this.

I personally have noticed before that the Atheists tend to particularly hate Christianity and anybody who is a Christian. I've seen Atheists refuse to vote for somebody whom they mostly agreed with before, just because that candidate was a Christian and they can't stand Christians. I think it is disgusting that any religion has to deal with these ridiculous lawsuits. This doctrine actually started in the KKK (a liberal group) and they got a klansman on the Supreme Court to write it into law (this was in the "Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution").

If we wanted to fix the courts, we should work to restore the country to the original intent (which unfortunately, is not supported by either side). We should recognize that the militia is everybody and may not be merged into the army (therefore, there is an absolute right to own a gun and the draft is unconstitutional on those grounds, not to mention the 13th Amendment). We should recognize that the right to freedom of speech may not be abridged (limited) and that the government may not start an official religion or outlaw any religion. Therefore, the government may not pass a law against free speech, start its own church (like Great Britain), or ban a religion (yes, that protects freedom to worship for Branch Davidians). We should recognize the importance of due process and the 5th Amendment (which protects against self-incrimination). We should recognize that all powers not expressly granted to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people (just to add to that, we also need to recognize that the "elastic" clause actually provides no new power and that the Congress is limited to its enumerated powers). We should stop fighting wars without declaring them (which is a big reason why we haven't won a war since we last declared war in World War II) and we should use the power to issue letters of marque and reprisal to catch Osama (this measure, designed to fight piracy, also works alot better for terrorism, of which piracy is a variety).

Answer 4

Well, I agree that that is absolutely rediculous.

But I don't see why it's necessary to deport everyone who is different from most Americans because of this. I am so sick of hearing how immingrants, even in this case LEGAL immigrants, should be deported just for being different from most Americans. And yes, there is freedom of religion here, which means that it is unconstitutional to deport anyone just because they are a muslim. However, most people would probably support deporting muslims since everyone in the U.S. seems to despise muslims and assume that they are all terrorists. I'm surprised that the school district actually cares what muslims think, given how common hatred for islam is.

EDIT: And John S, what the heck do you mean by "homosexual muslims"?! I seriously doubt there are many homosexual muslims, as islam stricty forbids homosexuality. I take it you despise both muslims and homosexuals and are just lumping all your "enemies" together.

Answer 5

You COULD rant? Above is not a rant? How so? You have freedom of religion and no one can 'cancel' a holiday. Unless you are not celebrating Christmas because it was canceled by a school district. Christians do NOT deserve any MORE respect or consideration than anyone else. Wake up.

Answer 6

I've heard of evangelical Christians trying to ban Halloween, too.

As for the Christmas thing, it's not entirely clear to me what they were doing for Christmas that would offend the Muslims. Muslims consider Jesus Christ a prophet and although generally they aren't supposed to celebrate Christmas they shouldn't find it altogether offensive

Most War on Christmas stories turn out to be completely misinterpreted and warped from the truth

Answer 7

Who is assuming that Muslims are being offended? I was in a Muslim country (Malaysia) at Christmas a year ago and I was surprised to see the shopping malls decorated for Christmas. The Muslims that I met there get it that Christmas is a time of sharing and family and tradition that can be appreciated even is someone doesn't believe in Jesus. That includes an atheist such as myself.

BTW, you have some valid points but they are undermined by the hostile tone, which is unnecessary.

Answer 8

Illinois, huh. I think they have misjudged the mid-western voter.

The next elections should be interesting.

Why come here if you don't like how we do things?

Also, have they polled the Muslim community to find out if they are even in favor of this, or are a few radicals getting the ear of the legislature to the detriment of ethnic relations for all?

Answer 9

I am not a Muslim, but I can tell you that most muslims also think that this is madness, because I know quite a few Muslims. But there are a few Muslim "fanatics" just as they are Christians. But yes, it is stupid and they should not ban Haloween.

Answer 10

Then don't elect a Liberal as there for illegals & selling out the USA citizens>