“He told The College Fix in a phone call Monday that he pointed to pro-terrorist sentiment among British Muslims.”
That got him suspended. The mindset is near-universal on college and university campuses, and apparently in high schools as well: Muslims are victims of wholesale discrimination and harassment, and so any discussion of jihad terror that is remotely critical renders innocent Muslims vulnerable, and thus must be quashed.
This is nonsense, of course. Muslims are not the victims of wholesale persecution in the U.S. FBI statistics show that Jews are far more often the targets of hate crime. And jihad terror is real. Discussing it doesn’t endanger anyone, and is necessary for our self-defense. The Liberty High School officials involved in suspending Alex Lonsdale should be fired immediately. But instead, they will probably receive commendations.
“Student suspended for debating Islamic extremism with Muslim peer in debate club,” by Kayla Schierbecker, College Fix, December 7, 2017:
A Missouri high school that suspended a student for making critical comments about Islamic extremism says he’s not allowed to appeal the finding of wrongdoing.
Senior Alex Lonsdale, a member of Liberty High’s nationally ranked debate club, says he was just trying to have a friendly debate.
During his free period Oct. 17 at the public school near Kansas City, Lonsdale joined a spontaneous conversation among acquaintances about the nature of Islam.
He told The College Fix in a phone call Monday that he pointed to pro-terrorist sentiment among British Muslims, as indicated in polls by ICM Research for the 2016 Channel 4 documentary “What British Muslims Really Think.” The program was presented by the former chair of Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, Trevor Phillips.
A Muslim sophomore also in the debate club, Faraz Pervaiz, allegedly challenged Lonsdale’s viewpoint on account of his own religious beliefs.
Both students had experience debating policy issues in the club, currently ranked second in the nation by the National Debate & Speech Association, where Liberty competes annually during its national competition.
Lonsdale and a debate partner shared a semifinal placement at the Grain Valley High School New Year Novice Kickoff this year, while Pervaiz and his partner tied for first in policy debate at a high school tournament in December 2016, according to The Kansas City Star.
But the impromptu debate on Islamic extremism, by Lonsdale’s retelling, turned into a raucous imbroglio.
“Why are you making my religion out to be like that?” Lonsdale said Pervaiz asked him. The Muslim student became reticent, apparently no longer wanting to continue debating, before he ended the conversation by leaving, according to Lonsdale.
“I wasn’t saying that ‘you’re a bad kid because you’re Islamic,’” he told The Fix. “I wasn’t being rude. I didn’t personally attack him at all.”…
Three days after the short-lived debate, Alex Lonsdale was called into a meeting with the principal and vice principal, where he said he was asked to explain the statements that Pervaiz alleged he made.
Pervaiz allegedly “claimed that I said all Muslims are terrorists; all kill…” he told The Fix, trailing off. “I don’t know how you could even get any of that from this.”
School officials told him his behavior could be considered “harassing” or “hounding” and that Lonsdale should be conscious of “social cues,” according to Lonsdale.
He said they accused him of “‘creating an emotionally unsafe zone.’”
After school officials interviewed three other student witnesses, Lonsdale was assigned to serve an in-school suspension the rest of the day and the following day.
Although the school said Lonsdale was not entitled to an appeal, Assistant Principal Bridget Herrman promised Nov. 20 to give him a letter containing the “necessary information about the suspension,” according to emails provided to The Fix….
mummymovie says
Muslim victimology subterfuge at work once again.
Lydia says
His crime?
He was right. And he told the truth.
That’s all it takes nowadays.
WorkingClassPost says
Liberty High?
Just what kind of ‘liberty’ is that?
We don’t know what was actually said, but if two experienced debaters go at it, surely that’s the definition of free speech.
Mockingjay says
If this is what’s going on at “Liberty High” then I can only wonder how things are at “Tyranny High” –
?
PRCS says
Heh!
Ed says
I live in Liberty, Missouri, which is a conservative suburban town twenty minutes from Kansas City. I’ve seen no local coverage of this incident. Obviously, the administrators of this school are uninformed liberals afraid to deal with the harsh realities of Islamic Jihad. They don’t even want it discussed or debated.
Bill says
There is a simple remedy for this. At the next school board election, vote them all out. Replace them with board member who respect the Constitution. They can then fire the school’s superintendent and then fire the anti-Constitution principals.
Carolyne says
Constitutional right do not end at the school house door. This is a civil rights violation and the school and all involved should be sued. This is the kind of case the DOJ should be pursuing instead of prosecuting offending Clock Boy.
Greyhound Fancier says
Maybe they are fearful that mohammedan students will blow up or burn the school if their pet beliefs are challenged in any way.
Gary says
So write a letter to the editor and complain. Speak up for free speech.
Kcredsox says
I live in Liberty also, they spread political correctness unless it doesn’t fit their agenda. Corruption has been prevalent with this administration and school board for several years. Yet they continue to promote from within. Coaches and teachers have been fired under suspicious circumstances. It’s embarrassing to live in this atrocious school district.
gravenimage says
Thanks for the background. Is the School Board elected there?
gravenimage says
This name may have been apt at one time; no longer.
eduardo odraude says
What kind of liberty is that? The same kind of liberty exercised by the “artists” and “intellectuals” who claim to “bravely” criticize Christianity, but what do you know, when it comes to Islam, are as silent as the depths of space. So-called bravery toward Christians merely reflects the fact that Christians are not going to retaliate with violence, explosives, etc. When real bravery is required, suddenly the bold warriors for liberation and truth disappear into their mouse holes.
brane pilot says
Totalitarianism does not happen overnight.
It creeps in stealthily over time as supporters of the new order opportunistically take advantage of systemic weakness in the name of ‘diversity’ and ‘tolerance’.
It starts in the schools where diversity and tolerance does not include those who question the new world order.
We are witnessing the evolution of a new totalitarian movement under the guise of ‘progressivism’.
In the new totalitarian state, anyone guilty of thinking bad thoughts or offending a member of a protected group’ can be punished by the state.
Muslims have been very shrewd and relentless in declaring themselves such a ‘protected group’.
Among other things, protected groups are protected from criticism based upon facts.
At this point we are only a single election away from losing freedoms we have taken for granted for centuries in order to prevent ‘protected groups’ from being offended or confronted by inconvenient truths.
Look to Sweden and Europe for what is coming.
Georg says
Fact of interest:
Among Muslim youth polled in Britain 4% thought al Qaida responsible for 9/11. Most felt it was Israel (“Jews”) who were responsible followed by the United States. We cannot import this any longer and what is here must be addressed as an issue of national security. It is outrageous and dangerous. All that is ever talked about is how we have wronged them, or what more we must do for them, how about another side to the social contract? How do they make our lives better?
Ed says
I live in this town and didn’t hear anything about this incident from local media. What a disgrace by these gutless, overpaid administrators.
Mom of Six says
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1951607768393160&id=1379814732239136
john spielman says
the school must be sued for breaching freedom of speech!
LeftisruiningCanada says
” I didn’t personally attack him at all.”…
Questioning the goodness of the Ummah is a personal attack. The muslim “debater” reacted like a good drone.
“Pervaiz allegedly “claimed that I said all Muslims are terrorists; all kill…” he told The Fix, trailing off. “I don’t know how you could even get any of that from this.”
Lies, of course. He may have heard that, since obivously any thing negative said about islam cannot be true, but it need not have been anything even close. This muslim “debater” has shown himself to be a very poor debater in fact, by not being able to remain impartial in the face of words that he doesn’t agree with.
“He said they accused him of “‘creating an emotionally unsafe zone.’”
Debate clubs do not exist for this purpose. They are not supposed to be echo chambers, but the opposite. It makes you wonder what kinds of things these kids are being asked to debate, if all it takes is mentioning some poll results to set him off running to the ‘authorities”.
What’s it going to be like when people raised in “emotional safe zones” end up in government and have to go abroad to negotiate with people who don’t care about your sensitivities. The PA aren’t known for their subtle approach when it comes to saying what they want.
Greyhound Fancier says
It could be that this student can use his mind to reason and debate – when the topic is nowhere near mohammedanism. Then he goes haywire and can’t hear or listen rationally.
Norger says
“Why are you making my religion out to be like that?”
Why does Islam make out us filthy kafirs to be like that?
Hugo Hackenbush says
The article implies that normally there is an “appeals process”. Time to whip out one of Alinsky’s tactics: Make the enemy comply with his own rules. Time to lawyer-up and sue. Hello!…FIRE (the organization) are you listening!?
John Smith says
The school needs to be sued and the school board needs to fire the principal and vice-principal.
ed says
time to take the school to court .
nicholas tesdorf says
These days, telling the Truth about Islam is close to a Capital Crime.
gravenimage says
Missouri’s Liberty High School suspends student for criticizing support for jihad terror among Muslims
………………………
So now considering support for Jihad terror to be a bad thing is forbidden? What madness.
eduardo odraude says
http://www.quotingislam.blogspot.com
mike ryan says
I better be careful from now on what I say during lunch break in the teachers’ lounge at work.
gravenimage says
I’m afraid this has been true for quite some time, Mike.
Older Canadian says
Sounds about right.