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Teacher calls Muslim student 'terrorist' »
Posted by: titlesaysitall 1 year, 10 months agoA year on from the Cronulla riots, it's words, not actions, that are causing pain. Blakehurst High student Wagih Fares was called a terrorist by his legal studies teacher. The conflict today is whether an apology and counselling is punishment enough.
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Comments: 370
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laredoflash
Dec. 12, 2006, 1:43 p.m.Yeah, no joke, I don't like terrorists in my room either. Call me nuts, but that guy started punching holes in the walls and scaring the heck out of other students. Yet, no one shot at him, or tried to take him down. Oh! Sorry, this didn't happen in Texas. Never mind....."Not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslim". I wonder about the accuracy of this phrase.
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HusseinMberwa
Dec. 12, 2006, 3:19 p.m.I am a muslim living in New York and I am really shocked with this message because calling a student or any other a person a terrorist is really beyond my expectations as a young muslim I never had somebody ever mentioning this term to me or heard somebody else calling someone a terrorist..
all in all the teacher is wrong but I wish I could write to the family of this young man who was called a terrorist.. to forgive this teacher.. since the teacher said that he didn't intend to hurt the student and he did apologize for having mentioned that term.. ISLAM ENCOURAGES US TO FORGIVE OTHERS BEFORE WE CAN EVEN SEEK FOR FORGIVENSESS FROM OUR ALMIGHTY GOD (ALLAH)
THIS TEACHER DESERVES FORGIVENESS FROM THE YOUNG MAN AND HIS FAMILY... DESPITE HOW BITTER OR PAINFUL THE TERM IS...
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Bkumm
Dec. 12, 2006, 12:14 a.m.They should fire this teacher at once. Unbelievable behavior. It is just this kind of intolerance that makes us all look bad.
I mean that. When bin Ladin calls America 'the Great Satan' or the President of Iran (Ahmedinajad (sic)) says that the Holocaust didn't happen and death to Isreal, or when some teacher calls a kid a terrorist, it is the same kind of thing in my book.
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joeblowe
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:55 a.m.Hang on. What if the teacher is correct. What if the kid actually IS a terrorist? You just never know. Firing someone without having ALL the facts might be a bit premature. Let's have a hearing and see what really happened, OK?
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Changingconstant
Dec. 12, 2006, 11:12 a.m.It would behoove us all to remember hat printed words do not include tone of voice or face. Some things don't translate well, like jokes (even in poor taste lacking common sense).
And not to blame the kid but teenagers are known to overreact, (as witnessed by the punching and table throwing).
I am not saying the teacher is without blame. It was wrong and insensitive. That doesn't mean he should be removed.
If everything we said to one other were printed instead of spoken I would be shown as a complete arse. If someone were to witness the exchanges personally they would see that while sarcastic, I am not cruel or insensitve.
Pen is mighty, words are powerful, and intentions are easily overlooked.
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Redneck
Dec. 12, 2006, 1:55 p.m.http://www.australian-news.com.au/Cronulla_riots.h
This is the climate in which the teacher made his comment.
"The anti-Australian, left-wing mainstream media are having a field day blackening Australia's reputation following the Cronulla riots.
Tension had been building for months as gangs of Lebanese swarmed on to Sydney's Cronulla beach, jostling elderly patrons, abusing Australian families and threatening to "rape Aussie ******s" for wearing bikinis. They did not come to enjoy the beach in the Australian tradition. They came to flout their disrespect for Australian culture and for Australian law and order.
Matters came to a head the previous weekend when two young Australian lifesavers were bashed by a Lebanese gang."
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laredoflash
Dec. 12, 2006, 1:56 p.m.Hey wait a minute, he picked up a magazine that was not his. That's the trouble with these people, always getting things that are not theirs. I see it here all the time. Put that down, that is mine. Don't touch that. You broke it last time. Stay out of my office. You are like a bull in a china cabinet. My what quick temper you have there ace. Why didn't he just give the magazine back? You know why. He was trying to be confrontational. This was going to happen either way. How do you fight a lose lose scenario? The teacher was wrong to call him a terrorist. @hole is more like it. He should have expelled him from the class for being confrontational. Somebody call immigration....
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Bkumm
Dec. 12, 2006, 12:40 a.m.Everyone should read this story and I mean everyone. This can't get enough exposure, in my opinion.
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AJaye
Dec. 12, 2006, 7:47 a.m.Oh well...The kid will probably end up being one ...we are apes & pigs to the islamic world...When time comes more than likely he will join his kind in war against us..
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1-2-Oscar
Dec. 12, 2006, 9:21 a.m.The man lacks the requisite good judgement to be a teacher, a mentor, and an example to his students. I would not transfer him--I would terminate him.
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1rooster
Dec. 12, 2006, 9:32 a.m.When educated people talk like this what does this say about our society?
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fleshcannon
Dec. 12, 2006, 9:45 a.m.Well our perceived image is the last thing I care about. We are just as bad as them? Hardly! Mabye we need to speak our minds more instead of being politically correct and worrying about hurting someones feelings. You know what I have come to understand? That most of the masses are sheep and buy into the mainstream media and what they are selling. What they are selling is our own demise, racial tolerance and huggy touchy feely welcoming of other races and idealologies. What is the point? Why do we do that? Why are there so many orgs out there that threaten to sue becuase we dont represent them in our christmas displays? becuase of limp wristed tree huggers like you, when it all crashes down look in the mirror. The world is not big enough to accomodate all the people all the time, simple as that. Try and you will be left with a mess much as we have now. Remember, think for yourself!
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1-2-Oscar
Dec. 12, 2006, 9:55 a.m."The world is not big enough to accomodate all the people all the time, simple as that."
If that is true, fleshcannon, then where do you begin the process of eliminating the excess? Perhaps you should start with me, because I really do not want to live in such a world.
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Bkumm
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:29 a.m.The person in question here is a kid. A Lebanese kid, by the way.
Try to put yourself in this person's place. Let's say that you are a junior in high school, living in Tehran. Your teacher walks up to you, demands your magazine and when you ask just to put it back in your pack, your teacher calls you a Christian babykiller.
Now, how would you like that? I'll bet you wouldn't like it at all.
Let us go further, let's say you are a junior here in the US and some teacher calls you a red-necked hillbilly. Would that be appropriate?
If you think there is something wrong with racial tolerance, respect towards other people and basic decency towards other human beings you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
Please, think about what you are saying. I know it is easier to just blast out your emotions, but if you think about it you will see that this is not only unacceptable in this case, but in all cases.
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tracyruns262
Dec. 12, 2006, 2:11 p.m.So then when YOU are left out - we won't hear you whining, right?
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:02 a.m.If true, the teacher should of course, not opnly be removed from that class but from all contact with students and be counseled, and take courses on sensitivity. But I doubt that anything can be done abour such A-holes. Right wing a-holes are born and bred, and can't change any more than a tiger can its stripes. At least that has been my experince with them. Even in these forums, they can be given a clear argument and evidence but it falls on made-up mind not open to change by argument. With them, talk is futile. So I dobt that counseling and sensitivity training will do any good. All the bustards would say is that the kid has to suffer for the teacher's cruelty. That is like telling him, "Forget it kid. Learn to live with the discrimination. And if you can't stand the heat, get out of Australia--or Mississippi--or Iraq-- or wherever the right wing nuts have power.
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:04 a.m.MattSparkes said
"Possibly the quickest way to end your teaching career..."
Should be, but apparently not in Australia. Hell, on most of these forums once the right wing nut cases come out, they'd give that teacher a hero's badge.
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:14 a.m.Ajay and FleshCannons may be volunteer examples for that award not just for intolerance but for trying to give people of other races good reasons to hate us.
Hey guys! It is not political correctness or touchy feely fuzziness to demand that one human being treat another with respect, recognizing his rights and dignity, as long as he is acting like a rational human being, which is more than I can say for those posters who have given up their rights to be treated like human beings in this matter.
Do I show a-holes no respect, and their opinions no respect? You bet. Their rude sounds deserve no more rspect than the rude sounds generally made by their sorts.
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MikePropst
Dec. 12, 2006, 11:21 a.m.it's kind of beyond that even. While the comment may have had racial intent behind it, to call someone a terrorist is making an unfounded accusation. I don't know about in Australia, but in the US free speech doesn't extend to slander.
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:17 a.m.1-2-Oscar:
Better yet, maybe fleshcannon should volenteer to go since he is the sort that doesn't fit in the sort of world we are building where there are not uncomfortable with a mass and variety of folk?
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1-2-Oscar
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:26 a.m.edromar2,
I am getting mixed messages from you. Here you imply that "we" are tolerant, while above you state that, "Right wing a-holes are born and bred, and can't change any more than a tiger can its stripes." Yet I saw nothing in the article which would identify Mr. Seymour, the offending teacher, as a right-winger. For all we know know, Seynour could be a very liberal Jew, whose dislike of Muslims is motivated by his allegiance to Israel. Or it could be something else entirely.
Could it be that you are willing to flay those whom you perceive as biased while reserving the right to express such bias to yourself?
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:26 a.m.AJaye said:
"...we are apes & pigs to the islamic world..."
Your sort "are apes & pigs to the [whole] world. It does not take the moral sensitivity of a Muslim to recognize you for what you are.
You have a right to your opinion. I'd fight for fredom of speech for Satan himself--Oh, I just did--but that doesn't mean I have to like it or feel warm and fuzzy about it, or support him teaching children whre he can wound a psyche and give him reason to become a hater in response to hate.
Hate, like the injustice it generally tavels with, is contangious--like other diseases of the human soul that you foster,--like prejudice and caring less for decent human beings.
When time comes more than likely he will join his kind in war against us..
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edromar2
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:31 a.m.Neophile said:
"Yes, do not tolerate the intolerant. :)"
On the contrary. Do not tolerate evil in any form. Do not deny such fools their rights, fight to your last breath for thir rights, but also fight to your last breat to point out how they abuse others with their expressions of their rights, and how thos are evil. In fulfilling our rsponsibilities to treat what should be human beings, like human beings, don't get sucked into the nonsense of moral rlativeism. Evil is as evil does, and the meaning of our language is clear as to what evil is.
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warandpeace
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:42 a.m.ZG.. MY same thoughts...Wonder what he would have done if he had a bomb...
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Bkumm
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:43 a.m.Your point about it occurring in Australia is a good one. One must remember where things take place.
However, as for your reaction to the student's reaction, how would you feel? I would be outraged as well and my reaction would more than likely have been violent towards the teacher at this kid's age.
We also don't know how many times this kid has been called a 'terrorist' by people on the street, the school yard, et al. It's happend here in the US. My goodness, it happend to an elected member of the House on cable TV. I'm not excusing the student's behavior, I agree it was excessive, but I can sure see how it happend.
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warandpeace
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:50 a.m.I wonder what is going on in the teachers life to make him say something like that..
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Bkumm
Dec. 12, 2006, 11:02 a.m.As I said, I agree in principle that the student should not have acted like that.
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vor
Dec. 12, 2006, 11:21 a.m.ZG, we never agree on hardly anything but on this I am with you.
The teachers statement was wrong, he apologized, was disciplined and that should have been the end of it.
Instead of focusing on cases like this we need to focus on the lack of condemnation from Islamic religious leaders regarding violence perpetrated by Islamic radicals. If terrorism wasn't associated closely with Islam he wouldn't have been so offended. This does not excuse the mob action at Cronulla which was racist and ugly.
But his reaction is completely irrational. Call me a terrorist and I will get violent? That makes sense? That supports his case?
You might find this odd coming from my quarter...but I am sick and tired of Muslims describing their flawed religion as peaceful while daily we view images that show many of its adherents are not. The day that the religious leaders make clear that violence is unacceptable is the day I will view Islam with any validity.
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tracyruns262
Dec. 12, 2006, 2:26 p.m.He is a SEVENTEEN year old CHILD who UNDOUBTEDLY hears this stuff EVERYDAY... Just how much decorum would YOU have if you are hearing this stuff daily. It is not like the kid hit the teacher or even antagonized the teacher. THE ADULT started the series of events by choosing the say demeaning things to a CHILD...
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wasntme
Dec. 12, 2006, 7:51 p.m.V.O.R,
Terrorism has been associated with the Muslims not because of its merits but mainly because of the "thousand crack right wing media w h o r e s" in the form of tv, radio, and newspapers commantators. They have successfully , in the minds of their readers , viewer and listeners, have been able to eqaute the name Muslim with terrorist. It is in this context that the miserable teacher chose the word "terrorist" because he knew the ethnic, religious background of the student. It is this racial, religious, and ethnic connotation of this word that made the teacher decide to use that word and it is exactly this aspect of the word that made the student flip. This is more than just a name calling , it is perpetuating anti muslim bigotry and he, the teacher could do that where the platform and policy is relaxed about it (fox news?) but not in school where he is getting paid by parents of the kid to educate that kid.
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wasntme
Dec. 12, 2006, 8:08 p.m.I don't know how much or if you have ever studied anything about Islam to come up with such a harsh conclusion so far as to call it a "flawed religion". I would bet all my money that you have not read a page about it . There is more than one billion Muslims on earth and if they wanted to be violent you would have a better understanding of violent is. Those who portray Muslims as violent are the ones who have made the worst weapons including the WMD in the world and those are exactly the same people who have used violence to invade Muslim countries. Those very same people and their "friendly media w h o r e s can p i s s out their brains all they want about Muslims being this or that but the fact remains that these very same people have used horrible violence to steal and occupy another man's land (Israel) and
have invaded anothe man's country (Iraq) for absoloutly no civilized reason.
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wasntme
Dec. 12, 2006, 12:27 p.m.ZG,
why some people always are so willing to easily ignore the perpetrator and not say a word of condemnation and at the same time demand the "victim" to do all the right things? It is sad when this behavior becomes "normal" (whatever normal is supposed to mean). By the way how can you demand a kid to act normal in such a tense emotional atmosphere (created by a "normal" adult!!) and at the same time not a word about abnormality of the adult (the teacher and the educator!!! in this case)? I hope this is not "normal" to you. I hope you dont confuse " Wow. The teacher should NOT have said that,but..)with a condemnation of such a dehumanizing act by someone who is supposed to educate those kids. Do you think that was "normal" for the teacher to say that? I did not see your commnet on that maybe you were too busy and too quick perpetuating the "dehumanizing" of the kid by the teacher.
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wasntme
Dec. 12, 2006, 7:39 p.m.You are the one who brought the "normal" into all this when you were jumping down the kid's throat. Just to say "Wow. The teacher should NOT have said that,but..)" and then deflect the attention to the victim instead of the perpetrator might be "normal" in some circles but i just wanted to bring that to your attention so it does not become normal outside those "certain" circles. Thanks to those thousand crack right wing media w h o r e s (tv and radio hosts, commantators..) anti muslim bigotry is very high and on the rise and it is exactly for this reason that teacher chose the word "terrorist" and not some other epithet, say" a s s h ol e". It is the racial,religious and ethnic connotation of this word that has turned it into news not just the word terrorist. Ignoring that aspect of it (and even worse , ignoring it with such a comfort) is what perpetuates the bigotry and you wouldnt like that would u ?
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liberty
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:39 a.m.I think this teacher should be fired at once...If he had used the N-word or denied the holocaust, that would have been enough for him to lose his job. And so I see nothing the board of education can do in this case, except fire him, or at least transfer him after put him on probation and require he takes classes on better cultural relations.
Regarding the reaction of this student, I would expect the same if this teacher had called an african american the N-word, or made the hitler salutation to a jew. These a young people, the teacher has experience working with people that age bracket. It must be frustrating for a muslim these days the way they are looked upon, or people don't want to get physically close to them, or wisper about them at the airports. This is just the straw that broke the camel's back for this young man, I am guessing,and in such a public way, must have contributed to his immediate reaction.
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Changingconstant
Dec. 12, 2006, 11:16 a.m.Expect the same reaction?!?! When is violence an acceptable solution to name calling. We learned in 2nd grade to keep hands to yourself.
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Pyramids2Projects
Dec. 12, 2006, 12:49 p.m.If he used the N-word, He would be a frutrated Teacher who had a bad day suspended with pay. If he Denied the holocaust, he would be in jail. Go figure.
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joeblowe
Dec. 12, 2006, 10:52 a.m.Hang on a minute. Before everyone automatically castigates the teacher, should't it first be determined whether or not the kid actually IS a terrorist? These days, you just never know... Who isn't a little on edge around ANYONE of middle eastern descent? If the kid is not at all questionable, perhaps someone should try to discover why this teacher behaved as he did. Perhaps a relative in the military?
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wasntme
Dec. 12, 2006, 12:42 p.m.Can you give us just "one" good reason why the teacher should not be castigated for calling a kid , a student of his, a terrorist just because the student did not comply with his order? Now if we were trying to cut off the teacher's balls and shove it in his throat , that would be little dramatic i suppose but what many people are doing here is condemning such a "dehumanizing" act( in this case by a teacher!! on a student) in order to prevent it from becoming "normal" outside the circles of "thousand crack right wing media whorse who make a living (and at the same time educating their "normal " readers) by masturbating and squirting on many papers' editorial pages.
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