Debbie Almontaser, the American Patriot
I was asked to serve on the Advisory Council of a new public school in Brooklyn, i.e., the Khalil Gibran International Academy. This was a no-brainer for me, especially since I was asked by Debbie Almontaser, the school's future principal. Rabbi Andy Bachman agreed to serve as well.
KGIA will be a completely secular and non-sectarian school, under the NYC department of education. It will offer the usual range of public school courses, grades six through 12, plus Arabic is the foreign language for everyone, plus special courses in Arabic history and culture. Fantastic, right? I think so, and desperately needed for the future leadership of our country.
Well, I didn't expect the New York Sun to oppose it by means of slander. I won't honor the articles by repeating them, but I will say that they were slanderous. And hurtful to my friend, Debbie Almontaser, and insulting to her faith, because she wears a "hijab." Good grief, I wear a collar. Amish women wear head coverings. Jewish men wear kipahs.
The New York Times calls Debbie Almontaser, positively, a "moderate." Well, I guess she is, by certain categories. But I know a better adjective for her. Not moderate but patriot, as in American patriot.
She spoke in our chuch on a Sunday morning, two years ago, when we remembered 9/11. She called on Christians and Muslim to unite in our commitment to a better America.
A few weeks after that I attended the Yemeni-American Association street fair down on Third Avenue. She ran it. She had American flags all over the place. She was talking up how important it is for her fellow Yemenis to be loyal to America and to contribute to America. By wearing her hijab she sets a powerful example of how one can be devoted to one's religion and all be a good American citizen.
And the irony is that within Islam she is considered a "progressive." She's one of the founders of the organization "Women in Islam." She's probably the opposite of a fundamentalist or a jihadist, as people use those words today.
It hurts. And I hurt for her. Well, the least I can do is my little part to advocate for her.
KGIA will be a completely secular and non-sectarian school, under the NYC department of education. It will offer the usual range of public school courses, grades six through 12, plus Arabic is the foreign language for everyone, plus special courses in Arabic history and culture. Fantastic, right? I think so, and desperately needed for the future leadership of our country.
Well, I didn't expect the New York Sun to oppose it by means of slander. I won't honor the articles by repeating them, but I will say that they were slanderous. And hurtful to my friend, Debbie Almontaser, and insulting to her faith, because she wears a "hijab." Good grief, I wear a collar. Amish women wear head coverings. Jewish men wear kipahs.
The New York Times calls Debbie Almontaser, positively, a "moderate." Well, I guess she is, by certain categories. But I know a better adjective for her. Not moderate but patriot, as in American patriot.
She spoke in our chuch on a Sunday morning, two years ago, when we remembered 9/11. She called on Christians and Muslim to unite in our commitment to a better America.
A few weeks after that I attended the Yemeni-American Association street fair down on Third Avenue. She ran it. She had American flags all over the place. She was talking up how important it is for her fellow Yemenis to be loyal to America and to contribute to America. By wearing her hijab she sets a powerful example of how one can be devoted to one's religion and all be a good American citizen.
And the irony is that within Islam she is considered a "progressive." She's one of the founders of the organization "Women in Islam." She's probably the opposite of a fundamentalist or a jihadist, as people use those words today.
It hurts. And I hurt for her. Well, the least I can do is my little part to advocate for her.
Labels: Moral Marketplace
posted by Old First at 3:57 PM
9 Comments:
i'm with you and ecumenism.
Not a good idea.
The limitations of Debbie Almontaser are obvious. She is representing a mortally destructive mix of ignorance.
Has she studied Spinoza, Kant, Hegel, Franklin?
The enlightened America is not a ground to redevelop ancient Yemen.
Will the school allow secular voices?
For teaching Arabic culture, you need enlightened secular scholars who can teach the children the true past and present.
Well, you may be right, I don't know. As of know, it's academic. Debbie resigned yesterday.
It seems to me that some journalistic powers must have been wanting to force her resignation, and they did so, by manufacturing news.
well she seems progressive, but the habib is not a progressive symbol. It is a symbol of domination of women by a sexist religion. I do not approve of Islam, well actually of most religions. Islamists seem to think that any criticism of the so-called "Prophet" Mohammed is sacrilege as seen by the world wide brouhaha after a couple Danish newspapers printed cartoons about the "leader". Sorry, but I reserve the right to criticise religion, no matter who may be offended. It is, as Karl Marx said, an opiate to the people. Weak minds! I prefer that public schools stay away from religion, and especially one so destructive to the American way of life.
I prefer the world that John Lennon sung about in Imagine. "Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too "
I suppose my post will not be included because I am highly critical of religion, but these are my thoughts and therefore legitimate to me.
I published the comment of "secularist" because he or she is not strictly anonymous, though I do wish people had the courage to use their names when they are critical.
Once again, the school in question is not a religious school, it's strictly non-sectarian. We want religious people involved in secular public schools, right?
And whether a head scarve is progressive or not, well, I consider it neither or either. Consider some Catholic nuns who fought oppression in Latin America and died for it.
Does anyone know where to contribute to a fund for her. (to obtain legal justice)
Peace to all.
I believe what the school sought out to do was not to renounce secularist roots, but to let the children understand their own culture and background. I personally believe that the way to work towards a common future begins by respecting one another's backgrounds, beliefs and values (in a personal or communal sphere) while working on commonalities in public spheres for the benefit of everyone. Consider Catholic schools, would they be comsidered separatist too in comparison to the school Ms Almontaser envisioned?
Before secularism, there was the Renaissance. The development of new learning and ideas then gave rise to a period of intellectual development and culture unforeseen in european history. The renaissance arose due to the relearning of ancient texts that the Christians of that time belived to teach them what God taught Adam and Eve.
Secularism and atheism, unlike all monoethistic religions, seek to create confusion where values are relative and not rooted to one whole.
For those that are anti-hijab, consider that most Muslim women wear the hijab by choice, and for this reason:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gWcA1PFLLhc
I am totally enamoured by Ms Debbie Almonantaser and belives Allah will give her strength and guidance to overcome ignorance and hatred with dignity and grace.
Thank you reverand for allowing this post! :)
I don't completely agree with the just previous comment, but I recognize its positive spirit and tone.
thank you reverend. i recently read the article in the new york times on this very hot topic. i am impressed by Ms. Almontser's will and determination and her fight to broaden the minds of America. when i look at this situation, i see the fear of some Americans overriding their reasoning abilites. what have we to fear from other cultures, other religions? Broadening our minds is anti-terrorism. i know that there is terrorism out there, there are extremists in the world we live in today. however, sometimes we don't have a choice but to go on and keep learning as people.
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