The value of the Khalil Gibran School

Submitted by Gabeely Amreeky (United States), Aug 13, 2007 at 00:05

I understand the NYC schools have not been kind to minorities or immigrants of all nations black or white.
I wonder why so many Arabic parents are afraid to let their children enroll in Khalil Gibran School.
Some people call it a Madrasa. Do they know what a that word means. It means school.

If an American hears the term Madrasa, they automatically think of Al-Qaida in Afghanistan and producing extremists and suicide Jihadists. An arabic person will translate it into the word school where he learned to respect his elders and explore the universe.

The same thing with the word Intifada. If a Jewish/Israeli/American person hears that word they automatically associate it with the death of Israelis by suicide bombers. The American public has been programmed by the media with a bias to sympathize with Israel's losses. An Arabic person will translate it to the act of shaking off or shaking up something.

If you compare the loss of life during the days of the Intifada and how bloody it was you will find that Palestinians lost more lives during the intifada. An Arabic person will only remember children with stones trying to fight off the illegal Israeli occupation and settlements.

This school was like a nice olive branch between the Arabic and American community i NY. It has been a traumatic time for both communities living in NYC after the Eleventh of September. I was a nice gesture. Even if the school does not open we still appreciate the thought.

It is disturbing to see the amount of hate that still lingers in the hearts of many people. I am not sure of their motivation. Do they think that this school would have made that big of a difference in Arabs life. The real benefits were mainly for the American community. It would have been something to show the world how great this country is. It would have been an example that brag about to people back in Arabic countries. I would tell them "Look and you thought this people hated Muslims and Arabs".

I know from experience that there are more nice people in NYC than those with hate filled hearts. It is a shame that the few voices of hate are trying to drown the majority voices of reason.

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