Teachers drop the Holocaust to avoid offending Muslims

[Dee Dee Warren]

Schools are dropping the Holocaust from history lessons to avoid offending Muslim pupils, a Governmentbacked study has revealed.

It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...70&ito=newsnow

STR's commentary is interesting:

It turns out, though, the reason the teachers give for their tolerant position of avoiding "controversial," offensive subjects such as the holocaust is their fear. They're afraid of the reaction of the Muslim students. They're afraid to confront the students' false ideas about the holocaust because those students "might express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel reactions in class," and then what would they do?

http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2007/0...nce_and_f.html

[Pilgrim]

Schools are dropping the Holocaust from history lessons to avoid offending Muslim pupils, a Governmentbacked study has revealed.

It found some teachers are reluctant to cover the atrocity for fear of upsetting students whose beliefs include Holocaust denial.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...70&ito=newsnow

STR's commentary is interesting:

It turns out, though, the reason the teachers give for their tolerant position of avoiding "controversial," offensive subjects such as the holocaust is their fear. They're afraid of the reaction of the Muslim students. They're afraid to confront the students' false ideas about the holocaust because those students "might express anti-Semitic and anti-Israel reactions in class," and then what would they do?

http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2007/0...nce_and_f.html

Holy crap. That's just absurd. I guess if a student denies that the earth revolves around the sun we have to stop teaching that too?

[technomage]

What do they do? Stand up and teach the truth, how about!



White-washing history to avoid offense would be bad enough. White-washing history because you don't have the spine to correct a student's misapprehensions ... dear Gods.

[Conductor42]

Can we drop the rule on profanity, PLEASE?
I can think of a few words I'd like to say right now...

[technomage]

I had to self-censor my post three times. Fortunately it was before I hit "Post Quick Reply."

[barnasha]

I had to self-censor my post three times. Fortunately it was before I hit "Post Quick Reply."

I find it more infuriating that:

- They don't teach MORE about Holocausts in schools. They taught us about the Holocaust in school here in the USA. But they spent a lot of time on the Holocaust in Nazi Germany and relatively little on other Holocausts in recent history.

- Some people apparently think "(jewish/germany) holocaust denial" is part of "muslim beliefs" - Holocaust "denial" (no matter who is being killed) is sheer lunacy and furthers humankind's problems. Not knowing our own history further dooms us to its repeating.


that people underhandedly associate "anti semitic" "holocaust denial" with muslims is absurd. It is hardly deniable that some Muslims are "anti semitic" or are delusional about the Jewish Holocaust.


that muslims deny "the holocaust" "happened" would also be absurd.

Some people don't deny that innocent Jews were killed in the horrors of the holocaust, but that the damage was exaggerated to for political aims (i.e. the Zionist cause) - there should be a difference between that position and so called "Holocaust denial".

[technomage]

Some people don't deny that innocent Jews were killed in the horrors of the holocaust, but that the damage was exaggerated to for political aims (i.e. the Zionist cause) - there should be a difference between that position and so called "Holocaust denial".

What's the difference between saying "There was no Holocaust" and saying "The Holocaust was exaggerated"? Both are haiif--lies straight from Iblis.

[barnasha]

What's the difference between saying "There was no Holocaust" and saying "The Holocaust was exaggerated"? Both are lies--lies straight from Iblis.

Are they lies? How so? Some Jews accuse their own people of doing this.

To simply say "there was no Holocaust" is a bit vague or even paradoxical of a statement


Ever read the "10 questions to the Zionists"?

http://www.nkusa.org/Historical_Docu...nquestions.cfm

[technomage]

Are they lies? How so? Some Jews accuse their own people of doing this.

Of what--of denying the Holocaust?

Ever read the "10 questions to the Zionists"?

http://www.nkusa.org/Historical_Docu...nquestions.cfm

I am not interested in discussing Zionism--this is not an issue of Zionism, but one of Truth.
If you wish to discuss other issues, this is the wrong thread for it.

[barnasha]

Of what--of denying the Holocaust?

of using it as a political tool

I am not interested in discussing Zionism--this is not an issue of Zionism, but one of Truth.
If you wish to discuss other issues, this is the wrong thread for it.

What is "Truth" ?

[technomage]

of using it as a political tool

I'm not interested in political tools, I'm interested in accuracy and truth.

What is "Truth" ?

A statement that reflects what actually happened is a true statement. Thus if one were to say that the Holocaust was exaggerated for political gain and that only thousands, not millions, were killed--as is taught in a masjed less than 100 kilometers from my house--then one has told a lie.

[barnasha]

I'm not interested in political tools, I'm interested in accuracy and truth.

What does the truth have to do with Islam?

A statement that reflects what actually happened is a true statement.

You are referring to historical veracity, but 'true' could mean different things in different contexts of truthfulness.

Thus if one were to say that the Holocaust was exaggerated for political gain and that only thousands, not millions, were killed--as is taught in a masjed less than 100 kilometers from my house--then one has told a lie.

You mean to say "a falsehood", not "a lie", unless you are asserting that those people know that it is not the truth and intend to mislead others.

How is the idea that the Jewish Holocaust (of the 20th century) may have been exaggerated for political gain inherently "false"?

I pointed out a resource about "10 questions for Zionists" above, which actually has nothing to do with Zionism itself but the use of "the Holocaust" for political gains. Could you address those questions and invalidate their contents which may show that some Jews used the plight of some of their own people for their own good?

Did the American government not use the horrors of 9/11 to its advantage? Why do you think the Zionist government wouldn't have done it with "The Holocaust"?

[Conductor42]

Did the American government not use the horrors of 9/11 to its advantage? Why do you think the Zionist government wouldn't have done it with "The Holocaust"?

It has been used by Jews by just about as many Muslims who deny the holocaust.

Now, how large of a problem that is reflects either both good on both sides, or bad on both sides...

[technomage]

What does the truth have to do with Islam?

I've wondered that from time to time myself. I am persuaded, however, that many who follow Muhammad are striving for the truth. That they are doing so blindly is not restricted to Islam--it is common to the human condition.

You are referring to historical veracity, but 'true' could mean different things in different contexts of truthfulness.

No. If one speaks of something that is false in certain contexts and true in certain contexts, then one has compromised the definition of "true." Something that is correct in certain concepts can be factual at that time, and in that context,

You mean to say "a falsehood", not "a lie", unless you are asserting that those people know that it is not the truth and intend to mislead others.

In the case of one of the Imams that teach there, I most certainly mean "a lie." I have spoken to him on this (and other) issues when we both went to the same college class together. He is aware of the facts, has acknowledged that approximately six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust (along with millions of others). When he speaks to Muslim audiences, he teaches that 6 to 12 thousand Jews were killed in the Holocaust--no more.

How is the idea that the Jewish Holocaust (of the 20th century) may have been exaggerated for political gain inherently "false"?

Where was it "exaggerated?" I have never heard anyone make such a claim who did not give false figures for the Holocaust--if you make such a claim, yet give accurate figures, you will be the first person to do so within my experience.

[Conductor42]

exaggerated? Not really.

used for political gain? Sure, but it's not like Muslims haven't learned the same tactics.