*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
{ Sila lawat Laman Hizbi-Net - http://www.hizbi.net }
{ Hantarkan mesej anda ke: [EMAIL PROTECTED] }
{ Iklan barangan? Hantarkan ke [EMAIL PROTECTED] }
*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
PAS : KE ARAH PEMERINTAHAN ISLAM YANG ADIL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUSLIM STUDENT IN MICHIGAN PREVENTED FROM SAYING "BISMILLAH"
(WASHINGTON, DC - 1/4/2000) - CAIR today called on Washtenaw Community
College in Ann Arbor, Mich., to allow a Muslim student to mention God in the
classroom.
According to the ESL student at Washtenaw, she was prevented from saying "in
the name of God, most Merciful, most Gracious" at the beginning of one of
her class presentations. Before the student could begin that presentation,
the instructor handed her a letter stating that she could not utter the
phrase as she had on a previous occasion.
The instructor's letter stated that the phrase was "inappropriate and
unacceptable in an American classroom" and that the student must adapt to
the "cultural expectations of the United States" and to the "American
classroom." The letter also said that the instructor would interrupt the
student and ask her to sit down if she attempted to utter the phrase.
During the previous encounter, the instructor allegedly told the student
that the phrase might be allowed in "your country but not here." The
instructor also requested that she consult her husband in the matter and
told her that free speech and freedom of religion is "limited" in America.
In a letter to Washtenaw President Larry L. Whitworth, CAIR wrote: "As you
may know, this phrase is said many times each day whenever a Muslim begins
any endeavor. It is entirely appropriate that [the student] repeat the
phrase as a form of constitutionally-protected religious expression before
beginning her presentation...we regard this incident as a gross violation of
[the student's] basic right to freedom of speech and freedom of religious
expression."
CAIR requested that Whitworth investigate the incident, issue a formal
reprimand to the instructor, offer a written apology to the student, and
distribute a campus-wide memorandum stating the college's commitment to
religious diversity. CAIR also asked that the student be allowed to complete
the class.
"The separation of church and state does not mean that the state can prevent
individuals from expressing themselves in religious terms," said CAIR Board
Chairman Omar Ahmad. "No reasonable school administrator would try to
prevent a student from saying 'thank God' when given an 'A' on a research
paper," said Ahmad.
Ahmad also referred to the ACLU's book, "The Right to Religious Liberty," in
which that civil rights organization states: "The Constitution applies only
to the activity of the government, not private parties. Students are thus
free to read their Bibles, recite the rosary, or pray before meals or math
tests. Public school officials are prohibited by the Constitution from
interfering with these activities." (p. 10-11)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS REQUESTED: (As always, be firm, but POLITE. Hostile
comments can and will be used to harm the image of Islam and the Muslim
community.)
Contact Washtenaw Community College to ask that the student be allowed to
say "bismillah" in class.
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
( Melanggan ? To : [EMAIL PROTECTED] pada body : SUBSCRIBE HIZB)
( Berhenti ? To : [EMAIL PROTECTED] pada body: UNSUBSCRIBE HIZB)
( Segala pendapat yang dikemukakan tidak menggambarkan )
( pandangan rasmi & bukan tanggungjawab HIZBI-Net )
( Bermasalah? Sila hubungi [EMAIL PROTECTED] )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pengirim: "Ali Zulfakar" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
