IntifadaNYC: Racist campaign claims Khalil Gibran principal

The resignation of Debbie Almontaser as principal of the proposed Arab language school in Brooklyn has caused a great deal of controversy. The DOE replaced her with Danielle Salzberg. There's so much stuff flying it is hard to keep track of it all. An interesting interview by Amy Goodman posted on Democracy Now can be found here. Also this piece written by Almontaser, not long after 9/11.

By Steve Quester
UFT chapter leader
P.S. 372/418K The Children’s School
from Education Notes Online

Imagine...
A veteran Latina educator, with a years-long record of service supporting Latino/a youth and building bridges between Latino/a and non-Latino/a communities, is slated to be principal of a new middle school with a focus on Hispano-Caribbean studies and Spanish language. She endures months of vitriolic attacks from right-wing hate websites and blogs, and from the Murdoch news organizations. Finally, the Murdoch media uncover that she’s on the board of an organization that shares an office with a Latina girls’ empowerment organization. The organization has produced a T-shirt with the image of Che Guevara and the words “Hasta la victoria siempre.” The Murdoch media point out (rightly) that the “victoria” to which Che referred was the violent overthrow of all capitalist governments, including the U.S. The media demand that the educator condemn the T-shirt, but instead she says that the girls’ intention was to point to the victory of tolerance and coexistence over anti-Latino/a bias in New York. The media howl. The educator quickly apologizes, admitting that she did not take into account the effect that the image of Che has on Cuban-American refugees of Castro’s oppression.

After the apology, the United Federation of Teachers president [hypothetically Randi Weingarten —JB], who had been supportive of the new middle school and its principal, is quoted condemning the educator’s initial defense of the T-shirt...

The president makes no mention of the educator’s exemplary record, or the racist context in which the controversy about the T-shirt has taken place. The UFT president says, "maybe, ultimately, she should not be a principal." The print, broadcast, and Internet media trumpet the UFT president’s condemnation far and wide, and the next day, the educator resigns from the principalship.

Now imagine that the educator is a respected African-American, and the new middle school will have an Afrocentric focus. The T-shirt has an image of Malcolm X holding a rifle and the words “By any means necessary.” The media point out (rightly) that the “means” to which Malcolm X referred included armed struggle. The educator says that the girls’ intention was to point towards non-violent African-American empowerment, not armed struggle. When the educator apologizes, she admits that she did not take into account the effect that the image of Malcolm X holding a weapon might have on efforts to combat gun crimes in New York City. The UFT president is quoted saying, "maybe, ultimately, she should not be a principal." The next day, the educator resigns from the principalship.

In reality, it’s unlikely that these T-shirts would have prompted sustained media attacks, or that the UFT president would have ever taken such an extreme public reaction. And if the president had taken such action, there would have been an outcry from the rank and file, and not just Latino/a or African-American members. In New York City, T-shirts of Che Guevara, Malcolm X, Mumia Abu-Jamal, or Leonard Peltier do not instill fear, provoke tabloid campaigns or result in demands for any person to make a wholesale repudiation of other members of their community.

Now imagine that the veteran educator is an Arab-American and a Muslim, with a years-long record of service supporting Arab-American and Muslim youth and building bridges between Arab-American, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities. The new middle school will focus on Arab studies and Arabic language. After months of vitriolic attacks from right-wing hate websites and blogs, the Murdoch news organizations uncover that she’s on the board of an organization that shares an office with an Arab-American girls’ empowerment organization. The collective has produced a T-shirt with the words “Intifada NYC.” The Murdoch media point out (rightly) that for most New Yorkers “intifada” connotes terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians.

When the media demand that the educator condemn the T-shirt, she says, “The word [intifada] basically means 'shaking off.' That is the root word if you look it up in Arabic. I understand it is developing a negative connotation due to the uprising in the Palestinian-Israeli areas. I don't believe the intention is to have any of that kind of [violence] in New York City. I think it's pretty much an opportunity for girls to express that they are part of New York City society… and shaking off oppression."

The media howl. The educator quickly apologizes, saying, “The word 'intifada' is completely inappropriate as a T-shirt slogan. I regret suggesting otherwise. By minimizing the word's historical associations, I implied that I condone violence and threats of violence. That view is anathema to me.”

After the apology, the UFT president, who had been supportive of the new middle school and its principal, is quoted in the media condemning the educator’s initial defense of the T-shirt. The president makes no mention of the educator’s exemplary record, or the racist context in which the controversy about the T-shirt has taken place. The UFT president says, "maybe, ultimately, she should not be a principal." The print, broadcast, and Internet media trumpet the UFT president’s condemnation far and wide, and the next day, the educator resigns from the principalship.

The third scenario happened, in August of 2007. Our union could have stood with Arab-American and Muslim students and educators against the onslaught they have endured since 9-11, but instead we joined the chorus of racists, led by the teacher-hating, Arab-hating New York Post and Fox News, who hounded veteran educator Debbie Almontaser out of her job as principal of the Gibran Academy.

In writing all of this, I do not claim to speak for the members of my chapter. I did not consult them. I do not claim to speak for a UFT caucus. I do not belong to one. I certainly do not claim to speak for Debbie Almontaser. Although, as a District 15 educator, I am acquainted with Debbie and her work, I have not seen or spoken with her since long before the Gibran Academy controversy erupted at P.S. 282. In presenting the imaginary scenarios, I do not claim to speak for the political views of anyone in the Latino/a or African-American communities.

I write as a White, Jewish anti-racist educator who is heartsick over the role his union played in this sordid affair.

Comments

[JB]

This is the city I live in.

A cravenly racist campaign has been launched against even teaching the Arabic language or respecting the real world diversity of Arab culture. Read The Prophet, and then think about the kind of people who can't even tolerate the idea of a school named for its author.

Not one organization I'm aware of – NOT ONE – has stood by this principle or the school. Not even the union that represents principals, to say nothing of principles.

[NOTE: The preceeding, frustrated claim is thankfully wrong... as later posts will show – JB]

The media, specifically the New York Post and the New York Sun (a hard-right Jewish daily that actually refers to a country called "Red China" in its headlines...), have gone ape shit over the Khalil Gibran Aademy... and SHOCKING, the head of the NYC teachers union is such a racist piece of shit that she will literally enable this kind of mob scene, hounding out a woman who's just trying to run a school in the face of a mass-media lynch mob.

Speaking for myself, and not the kind, thoughtful author of the above piece, Randi Weingarten is a racist, a hypocrite and a coward.

She personifies the "banality of evil" that Hannah Arendt analyzed in her book Eichmann in Jerusalem. But of course, we can't compare anyone to Eichmann and expect to teach... not in this free country.

First lesson: never give those fuckers an inch. Not one inch. If you hedge, apologize, try to explain what you "really mean", they will bury you. Just watch how this unfolded and sum it up. Never back down on the humanity of anyone. Go on the offense. Learn that from the heros of the Intifada, the school children who went up against tanks and machine guns with rocks and heart.

Second lesson: the United States of America as a society is racist to the core. People who were once victims of discrimination and religious persecution quickly learn that the path to success in this country is to be as fucked up to others as you yourself once experienced.

Watching the head of the largest teachers union in the country sell out her own rank-and-file would be disheartening if I didn't know anything about the UFT and Randi Weingarten.

But really – what is so amazing to me is how such an obvious, hateful and grotesque attack on the right of Arab kids and others to receive language instruction is met by utter indifference, a shrug, a "that's how it is, huh".

Seriously. Racist mobs run unopposed in New York. A principal is driven out, sacrificing herself to save the dream of the Khalil Gibran Academy.

What are you going to do about it?

The (Jewish) man who wrote this piece trying to explain our common humanity and history of struggle against oppression is literally risking his job to do the most basic and decent thing. Just to recognize the humanity of people (who happen to be Arabs in New York City).

It's a nice piece, but if you are a teacher in New York City and you accept this from your union "leadership" – what are you even about?

[one organization has gone on record]

I found this letter from the Center for Immigrant Families on the Education Notes Online website:

------------

Letter CIF sent to UFT President Randi Weingarten:

Dear Randi,

We are deeply disappointed and upset by your statements in opposition to Debbie Almontaser. We believe your statements have played a role in furthering the anti-Arab and anti-Muslim racism that pervades and infects our City.

Aside from everything else that points to the racist nature of this
whole incident, do you not know that in most parts of the world, the word intifada connotes resistance to an unethical and illegal and brutal occupation? It is not the word intifada that promotes violence or that should be denounced; rather, what should be denounced is an occupation that promotes violence and that made the intifada necessary.

And do you also not know that if principals were forced to resign for making a statement that someone thought was insensitive or
inappropriate or stupid (which this was not), we'd likely have almost
no principals left in NYC?

Finally, as you know, New York City has one of the most inequitable
and discriminatory school systems in the country--one that has grossly under-served low income and families of color. It is our view that we should be doing everything possible to support, not destroy efforts to strengthen schools that promote critical thinking and a concern for the world around us and that reflect, respect, and serve our many different communities.

You are certainly entitled to your personal views on this matter, but
you represent the teachers of this city and need to be held accountable for your public statements and positions. For the sake of the children of our city and for a commitment to fighting racism and injustice, we urge you to make a public apology for your comments that helped lead to the resignation of Debbie Almontaser.

Sincerely,

Center for Immigrant Families

[srogouski]

The organization that led the lynch mob against the Arabic school is called "Stop the Madrassah".

This is a hard core neoconservative organization backed by people like Daniel Pipes, Dov Hikind, Steve Emerson. Steve Emerson, of course, is the guy who was ubiquitous in the media after the Oklahoma City bombing saying "it was designed to maximize casualties and showed umistakable signs of the Arab mind at work." Emerson's also the guy who was behind the Sami Al Arian persecution.

I think the problem here is that the Arab community in New York is much more timid politically (with good reason since the state is out to get them) than the black community. If this happened to the "Malcom X Academy" Charles Barron and Al Sharpton would be in the streets the next day.

But if the Arab American community is timid about calling protests, there's no reason the rest of us need to be. We don't have to wait for them to act.

[srogouski]

Just to recognize the humanity of people (who happen to be Arabs in New York City).

Actually I think over half the kids signed up for the school were African American (but I could be wrong).

[srogouski]

In the end, the more things change the more they stay the same.

http://www.highlandercenter.org/a-history3.asp

Highlander's civil rights work provoked a vicious backlash among southern segregationists. At its 25th-anniversary workshop, held on Labor Day weekend, 1957, Highlander came under attack from the press. Aubrey Williams and Martin Luther King, Jr., both speakers at the event, were blamed for the racial strife that was growing throughout the South.

Soon afterward, the Georgia Commission on Education published a sensational piece of propaganda called Highlander Folk School; Communist Training School, Monteagle, Tennessee. Featuring pictures from the Labor Day event, including one of a black man dancing with a white woman, the publication proved to be an effective tool for organizing white supremacists against Highlander.

[srogouski]

Not one organization I'm aware of – NOT ONE – has stood by this principle or the school. Not even the union that represents principals, to say nothing of principles.

I'm not an expert on local politics in New York City, let alone the politics within the educational bureaucracy.

But how much is the Ocean Hill-Brownsville strike hovering behind this? Does it at all affect the willingness of black organizations to come out in support of the Arabic school? Do blacks and Jews have some kind of arrangement that came out of Ocean Hill-Brownsville that the black groups don't want to upset?

[zerohour]

srogousky, I think the operative factor here is more like "kick the dog".

After 9/11, I was disappointed at the number of Black people who said that even though they didn't support "racial profiling" they would in the case of Middle Easterners so they could feel safe. After all the oppression they face, I guess more than a few Black people are happy not to be targets, even if it means someone else has to be. While understandable, it IS still fucked up.

[Don Imus]

Gotta watch what you say, political correctness police are listening...

[Steve Quester]

From the the website of Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media (www.awaam.org):

A COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENT

Monday, August 20, 6pm
NYC Department of Education
Tweed Courthouse, 52 Chambers Street
Between Broadway & Centre St. in Manhattan
Subways: 4, 5, 6, N, R, W, M, J, 2, 3, A, C

Communities in Support of the Khalil Gibran International Academy

As New Yorkers and others in support of quality public education for all of our communities, we stand in solidarity with the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which has sustained hateful and false attacks by anti-Arab media and extremists. In the post-9/11 world, a school educating our children about Arab history, culture, and language is not only crucial for the next generation to become informed leaders for positive change in our communities; it is also an extraordinary place of hope for peace, understanding, and justice for our embattled world. We regret that Debbie Almontaser was unfairly pressured to resign from her position as principal due to the attacks, and we applaud her work to establish this school and promote intercultural exchange in this diverse global city.

Those who seek to equate the study of Arabic language, culture, and history with religious fanaticism and violence are irresponsibly aggravating a present moment of hysteria against Arab and Muslim communities, and are using this moment to promote hatred in a time of war. We urge our public officials to reject these racist and inaccurate attacks, and continue to work towards building a lasting educational institution that promises to bring our communities together, rather than divide and pit them against each other. We call on all communities who want to see peace on our streets and in our world to stand with us in support of the Khalil Gibran International Academy.

Sponsors Sign on!
Arab Resource and Organizing Center, San Francisco, CA View Site
AWAAM: Arab Women Active in the Arts and Media
Brown Memorial Baptist ChurchView Site
Center for Immigrant Families View Site
Council on American Islamic Relations - NY View Site
Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition View Site
Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) View Site
Muslim Consultive Network View Site
WFD Program Steering Committee at First Unitarian Congregational Society of Brooklyn

Organizational Endorsers Sign on!
Adalah-NY: Coalition for Justice in the Middle EastView Site
The African American Islamic Institute (AAII)
Brecht Forum
Brooklyn For Peace (formerly Brooklyn Parents for Peace) View Site
Ethical Action Commitee of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture View Site
Independent Commission on Public Education View Site
Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives, Brooklyn View Site
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Oakland Chapter
Peoples MEDIA Center View Site
Sunset Park Alliance of Neighbors
WESPAC FoundationView Site

Individual Endorsers Sign on!
Katherine Acey, Concerned Brooklyn Resident
Rev. Elizabeth Alexander, Church of the Gethsemane
Reshma Baig & Yahiya Emerick, Islamic Foundation of North America (IFNA) View Site
Aleise Barnett, NYC Public School Teacher
Rev. Dr. Robert L. Brashear, Pastor, West-Park Presbyterian Church; Pres, Interfaith Assembly on Housing & Homelessness
Lisel Burns, Clergy Leader, Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture
Ashaki H. Taha-Cisse, Executive Director, African American Islamic Institute (AAII)
Carolyn Rusti Eisenberg, Brooklyn for Peace
Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition
Alice Fisher, Abrahamic Network of NY & Member of Congregation B'nai Jeshuran, NYC
Martha Gallahue, Concerned Parent in Brooklyn
Carol Horwitz, Concerned Brooklyn Resident
Valerie Kameya, Concerned Brooklyn Resident
Youme Landowne, Artist and Educator, View Site
Gail Lerner, NYC
Laura Liben, Teaching Artist, NY Public Schools
Dr. Lucinda Mosher, Interreligious Relations Consultant
Saul Nieves, Activist and Union Organizer
Robert Patterson, Theatre Professional and Community Organizer View Site
Steve Quester, UFT Member
Malika Rushdan; Consultant & Artist: Modern Age Art View Site
Rev. Charles H. Straut, Jr., DMin, Member, KGIA Advisory Committee
Eileen B. Weiss, Managing Director, Same Difference Interfaith Alliance

[JB]

"NOT ONE"!

Well, goddam. It's good to be surprised.

I hope anyone reads this considers who can be brought on as signatories. I'll try and pass this around.

[The New Centrist]

"This is a hard core neoconservative organization..."

You mean there are *Jewish conservatives* in the organization, don't you? The horrors...

" If this happened to the "Malcom X Academy" Charles Barron and Al Sharpton would be in the streets the next day."

If the "Malcolm X Academy" allowed a bunch of students to show up with tshirts bearing the slogan "Kill Whitey" and did not condemn the shirts in the harshest terms, The Sun and other conservative publications would be making similar complaints. And rightly so. Welcome to the real world.

Islamist Front or Instrument of the State?
http://newcentrist.wordpress.com/2007/08/18/islamist-front-or-instrument-of-the-state/

[zerohour]

"If the "Malcolm X Academy" allowed a bunch of students to show up with t-shirts bearing the slogan "Kill Whitey" except that "kill whitey" was NOT what either Malcolm X or black nationalism was about. A small minority might advocate that as a provocation, but it is not a serious organizing principle.

The connotation of "intifada" has already been noted above and is NOT the equivalent of "kill whitey."

I'm sure the Sun would be upset at such a slogan. Would they be as upset at a "Kill Palestinians" t-shirt? In the real world, centrism means "status quo" no matter how even-handed you might claim to be.

[srogouski]

You mean there are *Jewish conservatives* in the organization, don't you? The horrors...

Dov Hikind and Daniel Pipes, two well-known Jewish fascists are behind the organization. I'm not sure if Steven Emerson is Jewish in addition to his being an Arab hating racist and a well-known jackass.

The witch hunt was led in the media by the New York Post (I don't really follow the ethnicity of the people who run the Post) and Fox, which includes a number of prominant Irish Catholic fascists like Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity (a protegee of that Italian Catholic fascist Bob Grant).

I'm not really seeing a point in your question?

If the "Malcolm X Academy" allowed a bunch of students to show up with tshirts bearing the slogan "Kill Whitey" and did not condemn the shirts in the harshest terms

In 2005, Hillary Clinton marched in the Salute to Israel Parade along with a float put up by the New York Sun. All around them there were thousands of Gush Katif supporters wearing "Kahane Was Right" T-shirts (which means "Kill all the Palestinians"). So no, not only does the New York Sun not condemn racist slogans, they've funded events where they're prominently displayed.

[srogouski]

To be clear, not all the orange shirted Gush Katif supporting Nazis were wearing "Kahane was right" T-shirt. Many were.

But Clinton and the New York Sun knew exactly what those people wearing Orange were about, members of a hard core right wing settlement in Gaza who have a Biblical view of who owns Arab lands in Palestine. They (like Rudy Giuliani) reject a two state solution (the official line of both major parties) and are obvious racists.

Neither Hillary Clinton nor the New York Sun were called to the carpet over that one.

[srogouski]

"If the "Malcolm X Academy" allowed a bunch of students to show up with t-shirts bearing the slogan "Kill Whitey" except that "kill whitey" was NOT what either Malcolm X or black nationalism was about.

Yep. It's a common neoconservative and right-wing distortion of black nationalism.

Why are blacks the only people not allowed to have their own form of ethnic nationalism.

Rudy Giuliani and George Bush both support Zionism. Why can't I support Pan Africanism?

Sounds like a double standard.

As far as "Intafada" goes, I heard the explanation on Democracy Now and whatever the word may have meant once or whatever it's origins, it's clear that the women who put out the shirt aren't supporters of terrorists. For them, "Intafada NYC" obviously means exactly what they said it does, rebellion against the repression they face both from Nazis like Daniel Pipes and from their own community".

I can't imagine being an Arab woman in New York after 9/11. And they were nice about the "Stop the Madrassah" group. They actually tried to understand their motivations. "The people behind the attempt to stop this school are motivated by fear".

I'm with Jed. I won't be so nice. "Stop the Madrassah" isn't motivated by fear. It's motivated by racism.

[Whities Advocate]

"Why are blacks the only people not allowed to have their own form of ethnic nationalism."

Becuase "blacks" aren't an ethnicity they are a race. Pan Africanism makes about as much sense as "Asian Nationalism". Just because "all asians look the same" doesn't mean they have anything in common. Just because Africa just looks like "a bunch of black guys" to an outsider doesn't mean they all share languages, values, religions, culture or have any other unifying principle other than the color of their skin.

If "Pan Europeanism" like the EU is considered some kind of oppressive program why would some kind of Pan Africanism like the AU be progressive?

And finally I want to know why are Jews the only people not allowed to have their own form of ethnic nationalism according to leftists? It's not like most leftist call for a more "humane" Israel they usually call for the abolition of Israel and say things like "Geez, can't the jews be happy with Brooklyn?".

[srogouski]

Becuase "blacks" aren't an ethnicity they are a race.

American blacks aren't a race. They've all got a huge percentage of white blood in them. They're a culture. And Pan Africanism can mean black chauvinism the way it did with Elijah Muhammad or third world and working class liberation the way it did with Malcolm X. I can certainly support the latter and I will

And finally I want to know why are Jews the only people not allowed to have their own form of ethnic nationalism according to leftists?

If that nationalism includes apartheid walls and ethnic cleansing, it's no more legitimate then Serbian nationalism under Milosovic or Afrikaaner nationalism under Botha. So why should leftists support it?

[Whities Advocate]

"If that nationalism includes apartheid walls and ethnic cleansing, it's no more legitimate then Serbian nationalism under Milosovic or Afrikaaner nationalism under Botha. So why should leftists support it?"

Ok, so by Black Nationaism or Pan Africanism it's meant African-American Nationalism...Well how would you create a "Black America" without ethnic cleansing? Will they confiscate all white land and kick out even poor and working class whites? Will they build a wall to stop Mexicans from coming in and diluting the "Black Majority"? And why would blacks get their claim honored while native Americans are still excluded from whereever this "Black America" is carved out of?

I just don't see how nationalism is good sometimes and bad sometimes. The Jews were certainly an "oppressed minority" or whatever in Europe after WW2 and we can all see how crappy their nationalism worked out and I don't see why it would work any better for Black Americans.

[srogouski]

Well how would you create a "Black America" without ethnic cleansing? Will they confiscate all white land and kick out even poor and working class whites?

I'll settle for kicking out the rich whites. But you're not getting what Pan Africanism meant. It meant Africa uniting under anti-colonial leaders to keept its resources and people from being exploited by the first world. Looking at Africa now, at the neoliberal takeover of the ANC and South African liberation, maybe it wasn't a bad idea. Personally I think a solution that confines itself to Africa was destined to fail but there was nothing anti-white about it.

The Jews were certainly an "oppressed minority" or whatever in Europe after WW2 and we can all see how crappy their nationalism worked out and I don't see why it would work any better for Black Americans.

It wouldn't. But nationalism can be a middle step between imperialism and socialism. Mao certainly had Chinese nationalist suppoters. Stalin used Russian nationalism to defeat Hitler.

There's nothing wrong with Jewish nationalism in and of itself.

Personally I think it's a tragedy that it was corrupted by American imperialism and by the decision of Jewish nationalists themselves to act as one of the regional policeman for hte American ruling class and their oil interests.

There's noting really wrong with Arab nationalism. As far as this Arabic school goes, what would offend me would be not teaching evolution or science (and I'm not saying that would happen). Some stupid T-shirt doesn't even enter into it.

My problem with Christian schools isn't the fact that they let their kids wear STUPID T SHIRTS but the fact they teach the Bible in biology class.

I'm not that comfortable with ANY religious school, Christian, Jewish or Muslim.

But "Stop the Madrassa" isn't a group of secularists who want to make sure we learn science in science class.

It's a gang of racist bullies.

[JB]

If the pogromists want to post here, I'm lax with the moderation.

However, brownshirts always made me sick. We're enemies, that's fine. You're not hear to win anyone over – so don't try too hard.

Hey whitey, get this: you don't speak for white people any more than Hitler spoke for Germans. How come fascists always think they are the authentic ones? As if their racial paranoia and overcompensating self-loathing was somehow the general condition?

Born by my mother's line a Jew, by my father's a German – I am a quintessential American. I know the lie that racists speak, in its emotional tone and perverted rationale.

To those of you in league with hate-mongers like Daniel Pipes and David Horowitz: do you even really need to look in the mirror?

I think you know what you are, so please spare us all the sanctimony.

[The New Centrist]

You can support Pan-Africanism, vegeterianism, Zionism, anarchism, communism or whatever you want.

I have no problem with a school that focuses on Arab language and culture. I actually think it's a good idea. So does Pipes.

But when you condone violence against civilians you're going to get sweated. That's the bottom line in civilized cultures.

Hikind and Pipes are far from being "Jewish fascists". If you disagree with someone, fine. No need to use silly labels. This displays you have no idea what fascism actually means.

[srogouski]

Ah. The New Neocon is back.

But when you condone violence against civilians you're going to get sweated. That's the bottom line in civilized cultures.

You mean like cluster bombs in southern Lebanon? That's what you condone. I guess you're not civilized.

Hikind and Pipes are far from being "Jewish fascists". If you disagree with someone, fine. No need to use silly labels.

Hikind is very much a racist. He's remarked about how the NYPD should profile "swarthy bearded men" in the subway. Steve Emerson (genius that he was) remarked that "Oklahoma City showed unmistakable signs of the Arab Mind". Oops. Daniel Pipes is an American version of Julius Streicher.

I see you have no comment on the New York Sun's sponsorship of the racist Gush Katif march at the Salute to Israel parade 2 years ago. Typical. You can debate all you want. But try to look at the facts.

[srogouski]

But in the end, the fact that all they could find was a shirt that had no connection with the school that said "Intafada NYC" (I wanted to buy one but when I googled the term I found 8 straight pages of anti-Arab hate sites like Little Green Footballs and "Jihad Watch") means one thing.

They couldn't find anything about the school itself.

That's a damning indictment on the New Neocon and his friends, isn't it.

[srogouski]

Actually Pipes would be more like the American Alfred Rosenberg. His site's more the "respectable" racist publication.

The American Der Sturmer would be something like Little Green Footballs, with its obsession with Arab children and violent and pornogrpahic hate for a whole culture.

Both are prominant supporters of Stop the Madrassa.

[srogouski]

A good example of the kind of stuff you can see at the "Stop the Madrassa" Site.

LINK FOR RACIST HATE SITE

STOP THE SCHOOL…across America our school funding is being cut and cut and now you want legal American citizens to pay for Muslim schools and foot baths for prayers. Stop pandering to foreigners …this is America … if they want a Muslim school they can go back to their own country… and let their people pay for it. This is unconstitutional and breaking our laws to use taxpayer money for this

Pretty standard right wing immigrant bashing and racism. And it only gets worse the more you look.