The stop the madrassa coalition held a press conference to raise serious questions regarding the propriety of opening Khalil Gibran International Academy
Desiree Bernstein, representing the families of 9/11, was erudite, well spoken, and committed. Big time. She came out strong against the NY public school madrassa. Video is MIA.
The Warriors (Beth Galinsky address the press.) I got there late and missed speaking. Hey it was the first day of school - orientation.
Eblan Farris one of the Founders of The Friends of Gibran Council, and is also a founding member of the United States Chapter of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution which has as its main goal the freedom, democracy and independence of Lebanon states emphatically that the Khahil Gibran name not be used for the madrassa.
Frank Gaffney, Center for Security Policy: Frank Gaffney is the Founder and President of the Center for Security Policy in Washington, D.C. and Brian Rooney, Thomas More Law Center, an attorney, and a Marine Captain who spent two years recently in Iraq.
Frank Gaffney, Atlas (Pamela Geller), Eblan Farris, an American of Lebanese descent, is one of the Founders of The Friends of Gibran Council, and is also a founding member of the United States Chapter of the World Council of the Cedars Revolution which has as its main goal the freedom, democracy and independence of Lebanon.
The Q & aAwas a joke. The reporters yelling "why are you calling it a madrassa?" "How do you know what they will teach?" "Why are you against an Arabic school? "Isn't this tied to the Israel/Palestinian conflict?"
The coalition said, we are just asking questions. Unanswered questions. Do you think for a moment that the press asks the imams on KGIA's religious board the same questions? Or asks anyone at KGIA any tough questions?
Frank Gaffney was the most hard hitting of the speakers particularly when he turned the tables on the press/reporters that were acting like handmaidens for Islamism. Gaffney shouted back, why aren't you asking these questions? Why aren't you dong your jobs? Why are you leaving it concerned parents and community members.
Why aren't they investigating the ties to terror on the "religious board of KGIA leaving it instead to passionate citizens like Beila Rabinowitz and William Mayer.
Some random video clips. I was moving my baggage last night and my camera fell out of my bag and broke so I lost my best piece of equipment. A real drag. The hopeless replacement was difficult to operate made painfully obvious by the video I didn't get. Anyone who took video for my interviews either neglacted to push the button or pushed it too many times. Needless to say some of the best video moments are not here. Hopefully I will find them online.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue
Stop the insanity.
The unfamous lunatic "rabbi" Feingold lurking in the crowd: Does KGIA Supporter Michael Feinberg Also Support Hamas?
Followed by a lovely lunch with members of the coalition. Frank, Stuart, Irene, Gathering of Eagle supporters, wonderful fighters. Thanks to all.
UPDATE: Urban Infidel was there and grabbed some great pics. Excellent edit as well. Go now.
The new organization, Citizens for American Values in Public Education, will expand the fight nationwide to stop the imposition of radical Islamist agendas in curricula, Arabic language programs, history classes, textbooks, teacher training, and charter schools. The organization is distributing a new publication nationwide in October: "Stop the Madrassa: A Citizens Guide to Islamist Curricula In Public Schools." An early draft of the publication will be released at the press conference.
Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld is a former aide to Governor Pataki Senator D'Amato, Mayor Ed Koch and other public officials and a current trustee of the City University of New Yorkand other educational institutions and non-profits.
