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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Critics: Pakistani Schools Help Breed Terrorism (Gasp!) |
| 2004-04-15 |
| Even the title makes me laugh. Are we ahead of the curve here at R-Burg or what? Graduation from a madrassa in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, requires memorization of 6,666 verses from the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and some say these strict teachings are fanning the flames of terrorism. Ummm.... I’m not exactly religious but why 6,666? Creepy. There are anywhere between 10,000 and 70,000 such schools in Pakistan, most funded by private donations — much of that money coming from outside the country. Which means from Saudi Arabia or possibly Jordan. Supporters say the rote memorization sharpens the minds of future Islamic scholars. Uh-huh. And without madrasas, they say, these children would get no education at all. There may be a valid point to that, but it’s a little like the Nazi Germans saying "Without National Socialist training these Ukranain children would have no education at all!" Under the circumstances maybe it would be better if little Ramine couldn’t read Arabic.... There is no furniture here; no pencils, computers or magazines. Science, math and English aren’t taught ... a world with its own rules behind a wire cage, rules made by the mullahs, not regulated by the state. Private education I tell ya - it’s a scam! It is a world where Usama bin Laden is openly proclaimed to be a hero by the men in charge. France? Berkeley? Oh.... Pakistan. "It is not only the madrasas," said Mullah Abdul Rasheed Ghazi. "It is the whole of Pakistan. If you have a poll they would say that Usama bin Laden is our hero, and that Bush is our enemy." True, assuming the people you intereviewed had heard of either of them. It’s really, really rural there. Calls for reform have come not just from the United States, but also from neighboring Afghanistan, whose leaders blame the madrassas for turning out Taliban extremists. Also true.... although its kind of hard to blame the Pakistanese for wanting a stable, friendly government on their northern boarder when they have a hostile one to the east. They don’t grow naturally up there, either. Islamic parties in Pakistan have rejected attempts to broaden curriculum as American interference. Most clerics have refused offers of financial aid from the Pakistani government to register their schools or to open up a one-book world. Where will the get the next generation of glorious shahids from if they do? |
| Posted by:Secret Master |
| #5 It's time to force accreditation on these madrassas. Local governments must take charge immediately, and certify both the integrity and piety of these schools, and their teachers. Every teacher must prove their absolute impeccible qualifications to teach the Quran by reciting it in its entirety, at one sitting, backward, without making a mistake. Those who fail will no longer be allowed to teach. To guarantee that failed candidates don't sneak out and try to teach in underground, unlicensed madrasses not approved by the government, their tongues will be cut out. All the way down to their toes. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2004-04-15 9:36:35 PM |
#4 Pakistani Schools Help Breed TerrorismYa' think? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-04-15 6:43:45 PM |
| #3 Supporters say the rote memorization sharpens the minds of future Islamic scholars. Everybody knows that rote memorization is a vital component of critical thinking and analytical skills. There is no furniture here; no pencils, computers or magazines. Science, math and English aren’t taught ... a world with its own rules behind a wire cage, rules made by the mullahs, not regulated by the state. Another compelling argument for accreditation and academic testing standards. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-04-15 5:36:34 PM |
| #2 im thinking the 6666666 thing is approximater |
| Posted by: HalfEmpty 2004-04-15 5:19:34 PM |
| #1 While I'm not to keen on forcing them to do things that they just don't want to do, I would serve up only one warning: keep your poisonous bullshit to yourselves. Keep on proclaiming that Americans are your "enemies" and keep on trying to kill us, and I will have no objections to seeing you and your kind incinerated. Everywhere. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-04-15 4:40:19 PM |