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This is not quite what I thought they meant by "religion of peace."

But OK, sure, "peace" can also mean "silence."

How have they been discriminated against? What physical, emotional or economic harm have they incurred, aside from taking offense? If being offended qualified as "discrimination" we'd all have the right to claim discrimination, which would make the entire point of legal discrimination functionally meaningless.

So fucking thin skinned, these religious zealots. If they were so confident in their righteousness they wouldn't be bothered by words and pictures.

The only piece that offended me is that the teacher actually apologized.

The teacher made no mistake. She did the right thing.

If the school gives in to the parents and into the organizations that are whining, that will be a dark day for Freedom Of Speech and for what Anerica stands.

getting your religion mocked is just part of the Merican experience, butthurt immigrants.

welcome to the Terrordome.

Being offended is not discrimination. My god, if they saw two dudes holding hands would they be offended?, probably….so does that mean that equal protection for gays is discrimination against Muslims? and the Christian right?

If you think showing a cartoon is discrimination against Muslims, then the Christian zealots are also correct when they say gays offend them spiritually, so it's within their rights to ban homos. Banning Charlie Hebdo cartoons is one tiny conceptual step away from banning homosexuality.

It is a very, very, very slippery slope if offensive speech is declared a form of discrimination.

I hate that word "contrite"--it makes me want to punch someone. My response to someone saying I wasn't contrite would be to say "Fuck You".

Re: Jeff Siddiqui's quote, head of American Muslims of Puget Sound. "If this was a deliberate act of provocation, I'd say fire her. Absolutely. But if now the person gets it and is contrite, I don't see why, because then we'd lose a good teacher." She was not bashing nor discriminatory. Why should she be fired or contrite for being thought-provoking? I think Siddiqui misunderstands what it means to be a "good teacher".

CALL REWA IF YOU SUPPORT BHANDARU! 206-721-0243. (tell them u donate to United Way and will watch what they do closely.) (They seem super-cool, check them out -- Www.rewa.org.) CALL THE SEATTLE OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS IF YOU SUPPORT BHANDARU! 206 684 4500. Don't let the zealots be louder than the moderates.... Do it today, gang! ;)

What are they refugees from? Certainly not religious persecution.

In contrast, in the Netherlands, the most popular Dutch language textbook used in the Netherlands (Code) - written for immigrants from all cultures - had an entire chapter on humor.

Translating it from Dutch it said:

"Can you laugh at these? Check yes or no. Discuss with your classmates.

- Do you know why the Pope can't be cremated? Because he isn't dead yet.

- What did Adam say to Eve when he first saw her? 'Go to the side, I don't know how big this thing gets."

- A Chinese man stands in front of a sex store. A boy comes by and says to the other, "Now you finally open your eyes!"

- (etc)"

If you don't like it, go back to Somalia, a bastion freedom, peace and harmony.

If this community is so obscured and ignored that a wannabe despot like Diis (seriously, his tweet stream is composed almost entirely of hollow statements about 'togetherness' with a splash retrograde misogyny mixed in) could attempt to grab power, perhaps a focus on the other people in this community might be a good idea.

Idiots. Don't apologize. They are the aggressors. Tell them to fuck off. Use your middle fingers.

@16

Yes, how odd that a vacuum should go missing.

The stranger should be ashamed, doing one interview with the woman at the heart of this issue and passing it off as journalism. Try interviewing the staff of rewa and the clients of the place she was supposedly supporting. The very purpose of the organization is to create a safe haven for a demographic of people who constantly face criticism and discrimination in the larger community (see the comments in this article for perfect examples). This isn't an issue of public schools, this woman didn't work for the state, she worked for the very people these commenters are attacking. I hope she realized how much of a negative backlash she has created for the very people she was supposedly working with and cared for.

The stranger should be ashamed doing one interview with the woman at the heart of this issue and passing it off as journalism. Try interviewing the staff of rewa and the clients of the place she was supposedly supporting. The very purpose of the organization is to create a safe haven for a demographic of people who constantly face criticism and discrimination in the larger community (see the comments in this article for perfect examples). This isn't an issue of public schools, this woman didn't work for the state, she worked for the very people these commenters are attacking. I hope she realized how much of a negative backlash she has created for the very people she was supposedly working with and cared for.

I'm offended that the parents were offended. I demand they apologize.

That she should even have to remotely apologize is BS.

here is the Video.

for what happened.. according SALAXLEY TV SEATTLE.

copy link and watch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jVci7i…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19jVci7i…

Seriously? Why is this teacher painting herself to be the next Ghandi? She's went as far doscussing her sexual orienration and giving the children speeches about day rights, knowing ddamn well we don't believe in that. If she's a flaming feminist, good for her. But its sad that she's slowing seeping her filth into the Minds of these children.

Seriously? Why is this teacher painting herself to be the next Ghandi? She's went as far discussing her sexual orientation and giving the children speeches about gay rights, knowing damn well we don't believe in that. If she's a flaming feminist, good for her. But its sad that she's slowly seeping her filth into the minds of these children. She's talking about none of her students or their parents were at the protests.... Is this before or after they were told them showing up or speaking up will hurt their kids chances at the center? She's right about one thing, these poor non English speaking refugees are being misled....by none other than her.

ReWA handled this situation very well given the way the people who protested tried to accuse a non-profit, non-religious, non-political organization of discriminating against them because a teacher was trying to engage a discussion about current events. This is not discrimination. It's clear that Hassan Diis has misinformed others of what really happened in an attempt to stir up anger against an organization that's purpose is to help immigrant communities. Showing a cartoon is not condoning it's message or trying to be offensive, it's a tool to help people understand why there may be tension, why some people exercise freedom of speech and expression in a certain way, and why some people react to it in a certain way. Hassan Diis and his supporters need to put his pitchfork down and realize that in this country we can have rational discussions with adults and children without being automatically offended about the subject of the discussion. These discussion only help build understanding and tolerance, even if you disapprove of the subject matter of the discussion.

Somalia, where gays are executed for being born gay; where 95% of 4-11 year old girls suffer female genital mutilation, and women's risk of dying in child birth is 1:14.

This is not about religious discrimination, this is because the teacher is female, how dare SHE teach anyone anything.

The irony is that the antis have simply copied the rhetoric and spirit of American liberals -- witness the discussion of Chait's essay (lauded by Dan a few days ago.) So we shouldn't be surprised that these recent Americans tell others not to talk about whatever.

I should probably qualify my remark by saying SOME liberals. (I don't even consider conservatives as in a thinking mode at this time in our polity.) But you get the drift. Many of us are very quick to accuse others. And of being insufficiently moral.

Deepa: So, have you read Foucault?
Somali Parents: Who?
Deepa: Oh. Uh......

"how we as Muslims or allies of the Muslim communities counteract these stereotypes" and then they go about acting exactly like the stereotypes the appeasers are desperately trying to deny? LOL

Funny how The Stranger's own Molly had to go into hiding for exercising her freedom of speech by starting the " Everybody draw MoHAMmed" pictures... and how The Stranger demonized someone for having a Town Hall caring to criticize Islam being taught in public schools when other religions are denigrated. Now Muslims are protesting (you're lucky that is ALL they are doing) because a teacher showed some pictures.... and yet here is the Stranger again apologizing for Islam... even getting the states leading Islamist Jafar Saddiqi to add his 2 cents.

When is the Stranger going to see the pattern? When the knife is at their throat? SMH

Seems like some of the readers here get it...

That's not religeous discrimination. Being offended by something a cow-worker said or did is not discrimination. Discrimination would mean they are not hiring people, are paying people less, giving fewer benefits to or firing people because they are of a certain religion.

How dare a teacher engage kids in an exercise of thought that goes outside of religious dogma!

Teacher: do you think this cartoon is offensive?

Kids: only because the line work is shitty.

Parents: Discrimination!!!!!!

She had nothing to apologize for.

I agree with the political angle. It worked/works for despots and terrorists everywhere.

If it's apology Muslims want for an honest exercise of the right to free expression, they can find it in dictionary -- between "anthropoid" and "asshole."

I'd say the cartoon pictured bashes Muslims, Christians and Jews almost equally - with the Christian being half a step ahead.
There are organizations which serve the Muslim, and Somali, communities besides ReWA - Somali Community Services Coalition, Somali Community Services of Seattle, Horn of Africa Services, etc. So I'm not sure what Bhandaru means when she says "There aren't a lot of organizations serving them except for the mosque." ReWA does a lot of great work, but it's not the only game in town.

As Ayaan Hirsi Ali has so wisely said, Muslims will always be hurt and offended and "discriminated against" - until they are in charge. So, just wait for it. They will stop all this nonsense when they are in charge of the entire Western world. And then, when they are in charge, they will joyously behead all the infidels: us.

The right to not be offended doesn't exist. Suck it, newbies.

This is the United States of America, not Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Somalia or Iran, etc., don't like it, go back to the great country you came from…oh right, you can't because they want to kill you for speaking out or exercising your rights of speech or religion, or opposition. If you're here, deal with our rules, want you religious rules go back to where you came from.

Instead of apologizing they should double down on the cartoons. This is America, not the middle east and people have a guaranteed right to freedom of expression, even if its offensive to some. As a Christian my faith has been lampooned, satirized, and insulted. Never in my wildest dreams would I attempt to silence those people by force or coercion. Maybe Christians and Jews are just thicker skinned.....

When Muslims get up and arms (literally and figuratively) about a stupid cartoon it really hurts there position that it is a religion of peace and love.

god these whiners suck. If the teacher's union and school gives in to these neanderthals then they deserve the opprobrium that will fall on their heads for their cowardice.

Did the local Hasidic or Christian community take offense? I see both in the same cartoon. These "refugees" need to understand what freedom of speech means in this country. If they don't like the cartoon, don't look at/for it. If they REALY don't like it, publish something that mocks the cartoon or its' author or the publication that ran it. DO NOT demand censorship. NOT IN THIS COUNTRY!

You actually can't restrict speech against homosexuality in seattle in workplaces or school or acter school programs. That IS discrimination. The mayor of Seattle is a homosexual and gay marriage is legal. If they just discuss basic current events and laws, it is an obvious topic.

So tired of the Somalis imagining insult just to them, nobody else, at every turn. It's a country that advocates 1) sharia law, 2) FGM, 3) intermarriage of relatives and has been at war with its neighbors for centuries. They're the most backwards country in Africa -- and I've heard this from several Kenyan and Senegalese immigrants. In interactions with them during the 10 years I lived in Seattle they were opening rude to anyone that wasn't Somali. Fuck them.