WASHINGTON (CNS) -- An exchange between Catholic high school students and a Native American tribal leader in Washington Jan. 18 was vilified on social media the following day, but the immediate accusations the students showed racist behavior have been stepped back as more details of the entire situation have emerged.
Many say the incident still needs to be investigated or discussed and others have pointed out that what happened can still provide a teaching moment not just about racism but also about news coverage and social media's rapid response.
The student most prominent in the footage, junior Nick Sandmann of Covington High School in Kentucky, issued a statement Jan. 20 saying he has "received physical and death threats via social media, as well as hateful insults" based on reaction across social media. He also said he would cooperate in any investigation church leaders plan to undertake.
The group's chaperones, also criticized on social media, said later the students "were targeted from the get-go.
On Jan. 18, tens of thousands gathered in Washington for the annual March for Life, a march along Constitution Avenue after a rally on the National Mall to the Supreme Court to mark the court's Jan. 22, 1973, decision that legalized abortion.
The march, held a few days before the actual anniversary this year, took place on the same day as the first Indigenous People's March where marchers walked in the other direction on Constitution Avenue to draw attention to injustices against indigenous people.
At the day's end, while students from Covington Catholic High School who had attended the March for Life were waiting for their buses to pick them up near the Lincoln Memorial, they met up with members of the Indigenous People's March, in particular Nathan Phillips, tribal elder for the Omaha Tribe.
In clips from a video that went viral almost immediately, students are shown surrounding the leader, who is chanting and beating a drum. They appear to be mocking him and one student in particular, who is inches away from the drummer and never moves, was accused of flagrant disrespect.
Some students in the crowd were identified by their Covington High School sweatshirts but the attire that drew the most rage was the "Make America Great Again" hats worn by a few in the group. That phrase, which President Donald Trump coined during his successful presidential campaign, has been deemed to be "racist" by his opponents.
The clip caused immediate outrage.
In response to the escalating fury and disgust on social media against these students, Covington High School and the Diocese of Covington issued a joint statement Jan. 19 saying they condemned the students' actions "toward Nathan Phillips specifically, and Native Americans in general."
"We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Phillips. This behavior is opposed to the church's teachings on the dignity and respect of the human person," it said, adding that the incident was "being investigated and we will take appropriate action, up to and including expulsion."
The school and diocese also said the event "tainted the entire witness of the March for Life" and they apologized to those who attended and "all those who support the pro-life movement."
March for Life president Jeanne Mancini also issued a statement that day saying the encounter did not represent her organization or "the vast majority of the marchers" and that the students' behavior is not welcome at the march and never will be.
The next day the March for Life said it in a tweet had deleted its original tweet about the students "given recent developments.
"It is clear from new footage and additional accounts that there is more to this story than the original video captured. We will refrain from commenting further until the truth is understood," the tweet said.
The day after the initial clip of the exchange went viral, extended footage of how the situation unfolded appeared on social media, and the students issued their own statements about it, like Sandmann, who was directly in front of the Native American drummer.
Longer videos shown online reveal that another group at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial included members of the Hebrew Israelites, who also were attending the Indigenous People's March to share their own beliefs that African-Americans are God's chosen people and the true Hebrew descendants.
Members of this group, as shown in video footage, taunted the students and some responded back. Phillips, the Native American, walked over to the students and the group, as an intervention, singing and beating a song of prayer.
Sandmann, in a statement, said Phillips "locked eyes with me and approached me, coming within inches of my face."
"I did not speak to him. I did not make any hand gestures or other aggressive moves. To be honest, I was startled and confused as to why he had approached me. We had already been yelled at by another group of protesters. ... I was worried that a situation was getting out of control."
Sandmann said the group started doing school spirit chants to "counter the hateful things that were being shouted at our group" and they had asked for chaperone permission to do so.
He said he stayed motionless to help diffuse the situation and also prayed silently that it would not get out of hand.
"During the period of the drumming, a member of the protester's entourage began yelling at a fellow student that we 'stole our land' and that we should 'go back to Europe.' I heard one of my fellow students begin to respond. I motioned to my classmate and tried to get him to stop engaging with the protester," an action that can be seen on the video where he motions to the student to stop and points and nods to the tribal leader.
The student said he didn't understand "why either of the two groups of protesters were engaging with us, or exactly what they were protesting" and that his group was just there to meet a bus, "not become central players in a media spectacle."
"I was not intentionally making faces at the protester. I did smile at one point because I wanted him to know that I was not going to become angry, intimidated or be provoked into a larger confrontation. I am a faithful Christian and practicing Catholic, and I always try to live up to the ideals my faith teaches me -- to remain respectful of others, and to take no action that would lead to conflict or violence," he added.
The student said he has been called "every name in the book, including a racist" and has received death threats and hateful insults.
"I am mortified that so many people have come to believe something that did not happen -- that students from my school were chanting or acting in a racist fashion toward African-Americans or Native Americans. I did not do that, do not have hateful feelings in my heart, and did not witness any of my classmates doing that," he said. His statement was posted on the CNN website, https://cnn.it/2FOLNCC.
A local CBS-affiliate, WKRC in Cincinnati, also received statements from students, some who asked to remain anonymous, also saying they were unfairly portrayed in media coverage of this incident.
Chaperones, also criticized on social media, spoke to the TV station reiterating that the students had been taunted. "They were targeted from the get-go. Immediately, there were people running around filming and this isn't going to be a truthful depiction of what happened," one chaperone said.
Jesuit Father Jim Martin, an author and editor of America magazine, who was critical of the students' behavior on Twitter Jan. 19, said in a tweet the following day that he would be "happy to apologize for condemning the actions of the students if it turns out that they were somehow acting as good and moral Christians. The last thing I want is to see Catholic schools and Catholic students held in any disrepute."
He also tweeted: "We may never know exactly what happened and the various 'sides' may continue to disagree and condemn one another. But I hope the truth emerges."
He said the situation can provide a teachable moment with "important lessons about racism and marginalization, about dialogue and encounter, and about truth and reconciliation, during this coming week, which is, believe it or not, Catholic Schools Week."
Eileen Marx, a religion teacher at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, who also is the faculty moderator of the school's diversity club, told Catholic News Service Jan. 21 that she certainly planned to discuss this incident with her classes this week in light of Catholic social teaching which "so clearly states that we are meant to live in relationship with one another, not as enemies. We are all part of the human family."
She also acknowledged that there is more to discuss now as more details of what happened after the march are emerging.
As this story continues to be sorted out, she said, she also will bring up the role of social media with her students and its power to "build up and to knock down individuals."
This is a major flaw in social media, i.e., uncorroborated stories are shared and opinions proclaimed before a detail assessment can be conducted. This leads to heaps of cynicism.
Vince - you are the only one in the comments below so far who calls out social media, which is certainly the reason the kids lives and bodies have been threatened out of all proportion to the event. At least the walk-back by the media was rather swift, if self-protective (Fr. Martin should have already apologized profusely, and not provisionally, for getting this so wrong). But, there is also a lesson on racism here - our general society, mostly progressives but also moderates, reflexively believes that straight white men are guilty for existing. They just needed an excuse, and the MAGA hats and the pro-life presence was enough to assume the worst and pillory them. When I see the full video, I think the boys were amazingly tolerant, and restrained, given the abject horror of the taunts from the black supremacists (statements like "white pale face crackers," "child-molesting f****ts," "incest babies") for nearly an hour. They even make the Westboro Baptist folks seem moderate! Philips lied about the whole situation. He was the aggressor with his drum in the face of a kid, who didn't know what to do to avoid being hurt. How many of us would think a drum-in-the-face was being civil, unless one's mind was completely enslaved to identity politics?
Here's your privileged white boys exposed for all to witness, O'Leary.
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/01/details-emerge-covington-catholic-kids?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=9097&fbclid=IwAR08StFn8Y6ldmhMrpjP7d_EkE319eqDhDeuzrFI780CtymcdRYQXzrlCz4
Corvo - your link only confirms my point. It calls the boys privileged and at fault just for attending a pro-life march. Below, you call this "fetus worship," so you are in the same intolerant boat. The March-for-Life was well over, the boys were waiting in the pre-arranged place for their bus home, not advancing toward anyone and not taunting anyone, singing school chants to drown out the racism. The hour-long despicable taunts from the black supremacists included calling them cowards for being afraid to respond in kind to just 4 black men. The 4 "indigenous" people were the aggressors, walking right into the crowd of kids, banging a drum in their faces, telling the Americans to "go back to Europe" etc. Imagine what would have happened if they had banged the drum into the face of the Hebrew Israelites. If the positions of races and ages were reversed, we would be calling this aggression worse than Charlottesville. The defense-by-omission of the black supremacists proves the complete enslavement of progressives to their prejudices.
Vince - glad to see CBS news this am highlight the problem in Twitter. This fake news story is getting even faker - the twitter account that started all this (just taken down) had a fake name, fake photo and fake teacher; Nathan Phillips never served in Vietnam; and the so-called indigenous "peacekeepers" tried to disrupt Mass at both the Catholic National Shrine and the Covington Catholic Church. It's like the Kavanaugh lies all over again. And still, there are progressives online in denial, trying to shut down the negative newsflow to their false grievances. Police now have to protect the high school kids from the peaceful progressives. Still no progressive condemnation of the black supremacists. Even CBS referred to them as just "activists."
So Fr. Martin is helping to prepare the fallback position for the progressive Catholic element:
1. "We may never know exactly what happened and the various 'sides' may continue to disagree and condemn one another. But I hope the truth emerges." This strongly suggests that Fr. Martin no longer believes the original charges.
2. In his infinite mercy, Fr. Martin is prepared to "apologize for condemning the actions of the students if it turns out that they were somehow acting as good and moral Christians". One might think that withdrawing a condemnation only required proof that the students had not done what they were accused of doing. A very jesuitical distinction, Father.
3. Regardless of what actually did or did not happen, there are " important lessons about racism and marginalization, about dialogue and encounter, and about truth and reconciliation". Please don't let the facts interfere with my narrative. My worldview is impervious to falsification by either empirical data or logic.
I agree with you completely. After reading many articles today it is plain to me that the students were the only victims here. They were not only condemned by both social and mainstream media, but by their own Church. If only the Catholic Church leaders were so quick to condemn those with evil actions and intents within their own ranks. But no, that should take decades of time and consideration. This incident adds further frustration and embarrassment for Catholics like myself. I feel so sorry for the students and I'm appalled by the actions of "adults", especially the leaders in the Catholic Church.
Andrew Strada- I read that, unbelievable. The kids must behave perfectly or else no apology. Sounds reasonable to me. I might try that the next time I lose my cool and owe one of my kids an apology. Another great example of leadership.
Interesting they have no link to the original article. Most articles in America, the magazine, have links to related articles. At the same time they publish Amy Lu’s article on conservative racism.
Father James Marquette built bridges between French explorers and natives. Yet to many Catholics have dropped his legacy.
What action could these students do to the small group of natives or the small group of israeli's to build bridges?
MAGA and President Trump gear. Not a single one of these minors is responsible for Donald Trump's election. Not one. Young people can be difficult to handle, MAGA gear is not the worst way teens can rebel.
Well, Father James Martin wins the quick draw contest getting his original tweet out. It seems like this happened on another controversy not too long ago. Meanwhile on the McCarrick front, don't hold your breath awaiting resolution. Yeah, blame the young kid first. Is Jesuit vocations week just around the corner?
After careful review the central issue is not one Catholic kid, or this or that politician. It is the originalist interpretation of the Constitution. A white supremacist and misogynistic interpretation that is the fundamental ideology of the modern republican party.
You are so right! The modern Republican Party made those Black Hebrew and Indian activists assault the innocent Catholic school boys. Thanks for making it clear what you believe. You must be a scholar of sociology, or something.
The most disturbing aspect of this affair is that the administration of a Catholic school, Covington High, condemned its own students and gave public assurances that they would be severely disciplined without even having questioned them to get their side of the story. Similarly contemptible is the condemnation of the students by the administration of their own diocese, again without any investigation. In both cases public relations and virtue-posturing totally eclipsed any concern for justice. Certainly there should be disciplinary action, but against those in the school administration and the diocesan administration responsible for the vilification of the students.
They must have already been told there was more to the story by a chaperone. I understand they needed to put something out, but it should not have included any presumption of guilt or misbehaviour. I wish so much, for once, to hear we were wrong, WITHOUT any excuses, just "we, in the Kentucky diocese regret that we wrongfully.....As adult Catholics we should have........"
I hope the school and the archdiocese get sued big time for their quick vilification of the students . I would rather have a few Church leaders with courage than the many salt-less sops I've recently observed. It's heartbreaking.
^5!
I've thought from the first & my opinion hasn't changed... the chaperones are at fault. They should have removed the students from the situation. As in, moved away. Move 10 yards away, 20 yards away. Have half of the chaperones move the kids to the other side of the memorial if need be & have someone stay behind to direct the buses or have the kids return once the buses have come back. Almost everyone has a cell phone & can text today. Show some common sense people!
I agree. The chaperones are at fault. I've chaperoned many times and am a seasoned activist. I would never have put the highschoolers I'm in charge of in the situation that these chaperones did. They should have thought about their students' safety first. I also beleive the chaperones need to learn how to properly dissengage their students and themselves from like situations. Every rally attendee, protestor and activist should know how to do this.
Wearing MAGA hats indicates support for Donald Trump. President Trump lies, commits fraud, insults every kind of person, denigrates women and shows no respect for himself or others. I am having a hard time believing much of what Nick Sandmann says in his statement.
Should we tar and feather them also? Why not let the media and social media folks just destroy their school, their lives and their families' lives?
How dare they support the President of the United States of America??!!!
Who can believe the words of a Trump supporter?
You certainly are open minded - such a good Catholic!
One of the unfortunate realities in our country is the constant division and polarization emphasized in media as well as unfortunately in Tweets and publicity from our president. His unapologetic constant drip, drip, drip of veiled racist and misogynistic rhetoric have made a simple statement of "Make America Great Again" a slur. For these poor students not to have been educated in this before representing Catholics at a rally is a disservice to them, and to the Catholic Church. It may be even more inviting to consider how the Right to Life movement should invite the men to talk to those promoting war, police brutality and domestic violence against women. We need more strong voices to these end from men, and women can best dialog with women on issues such a reproduction. Wouldn't our world and country benefit more from dialog and those with strongest ability to make changes talking with one another. Also to enable these young men to use their gifts more toward a healing use of their energy for Right to Life.
What the bleep are they teaching in Catholic schools?Why is a Catholic school allowing kids to go to a pro life rally wearing MAGA hats?Because only American babies matter? Because Jesus came to "Make America Great Again"? I feel sorry for the kids; they are too young and innocent to be real racists and were themselves confronted by real racists;the Black Hebrews who said truly racist and hateful things to them. Wearing MAGA hats will get you taunts. Justifiably and understandably.I blame their teachers.
You are so right - how dare those young racists support the President of the United States!
Students do not have the right to wear clothes of their own choice; only teachers can make fashion choices for teenagers, everyone knows that!
Maybe you should blame the parents.
I said I don't believe they are real racists, but wearing a MAGA hat will justifiably bring blowback. They can support any one they want and wear anything they want as individuals. But a Catholic school should not be bringing students under their Catholic banner to a pro life rally, which for Catholics is a moral and religious issue not a political one, making purely political statements which a MAGA hat is.This undermines the moral pro life cause and is scandalous for the Church. MAGA is essentially a political ideology and is neither fully pro life, or Christian.
Part of the MAGA agenda is being pro-life. That moral position is what the president ran on. Washington is political city, so one should expect to see political things, including garb.
You feel comfortable writing, "wearing a MAGA hat will justifiably bring blowback." JUSTIFIABLY????
If MAGA is anti-abortion, why is wearing a hat with that printed on it at a pro-life rally inappropriate and attacking those who wear one is to be expected?
That position seems to be anti Christian.
There is more to being pro life then being anti abortion. But does the MAGA agenda try to outlaw abortion? I don't believe it does.
If one holds immoral positions publicaly, then yes it is justifiable to get backlash for what you are promoting. Which wearing a MAGA hat is. Wearing a MAGA hat at a pro life rally just validates the belief many have that the pro life movement is myopic and hypocritical; only the lives of unborn Americans matter. That Catholics would even want to subscribe to the MAGA agenda shows a failure in Catholic education[imo] . That Catholic school teachers would allow their students to politicize a pro life rally, is pretty stupid.Wearing those MAGA hats justifiably brought a response. Though the group who responded are themselves anti white racists and anti Catholic bigots.
Rose Ellen: Blah Blah .Regardless of your personal dislike for Trump, the Planned Parenthood Party will expand the abortion industry. and the Trump appointees will curb it. Don't let your dislike for Trump blind this important mission.
There is nothing MORAL about our President's stance on violence against women. There is NOTHING MORAL about his stance on children dying at the border. Right to Life is for ALL of God's Creation - when our President reflects that within MAGA, then and only then will MAGA hold a Godly moral ground. And I among many pray for that day!. Until our President repents and turns toward our God of Love for ALL Creation, all humans, this is a Dream....A Dream Rev. Martin Luther King preached of, and Pope Francis invites us into with Laudato Si. Let there be Peace on Earth - let it begin with me, and I pray our Catholic students.
rose-ellen
You wrote, "wearing a MAGA hat will justifiably bring blowback." Is rape justifiable if the girl was wearing a mini-skirt???? Wasn't she just asking for it??
Sad
Rape is a crime. Political symbols signal to others their politics. Sometimes signals get responses.
So you don't think Trump's Judicial appointments will help the pro life cause? You think the Planned Parenthood Party offers more hope?
We're at critical crossroads and the MAGA hats are the right call for a pro life march.. We'll vote to do the right thing or we'll give the political reigns to a Party which promotes abortion for any reason, at any time, up through the eighth month of gestation. We'll lose our opportunity for generations if we miss this chance to appoint Justices who respect human life and will strive to balance the God given rights of all of us, even if the argument for true justice isn't 'trendy'.' The MAGA Hat connects Trump to what he's done and what he will do.. Do you want the fact that the Democratic Party is clearly differentiated, (evidenced by their own unholy signage) from the Trump led Republicans to be unclear to pro life voters when the infinite importance of this choice weighs in the balance? There are a lot of people I know who would wear the Hats but they fear assault from the left. And they're not in any way bigots.( They're even afraid to speak. )
Catholic high schools in Chicago have strict guidelines referring to school and off-campus apparel - it is school-approved, sponsored and sold. Period. No outside caps - EVER.
Of course, this second-rate, almost-segregated, laughable school couldn't even manage to arrange a trip with WATCHFUL CHAPERONES who could herd their charges away from trouble, so the dress code thing probably isn't in place either.
The best hope for our pre-born children are Trump appointees to the Supreme Court. Pro-lifers need to have this point driven home or we will lose our opportunity to get judges who respect the Constitutional rights of all of us. The hats were totally appropriate to this important message. Period.
All his appointees repeat the un Christian and immoral view; i'm against the killing of the unborn BUT; either "its settled law", or, "I would not tell women what to do if pregnant". Wearing those hats conflate Americanism [ Trumps version]with Christianity.And the Constitution can be interpreted to mean whatever [just enough people in positions of power] people want it to mean. And/or , it can be amended.Appealing to the words of the Constitution is a deflection. it tells us nothing about right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust laws and policies. Abortion was once illegal, now its legal ;same Constitution , different ["evolving"] morality, values. Same for many other laws and policies.
The Christian Right MAGA people made their deal with the devil; all they care about are their tax cuts,unborn American lives and the hell with every one else; the poor, the sick, the desperate.
Right.
And the LIVING, BREATHING children in Trump's CONCENTRATION CAMPS prove WHAT about his "christian charity" or "constitutional protectiveness" ?"
Stop with the fetus worship.
Very first thought on seeing the picture: Why are the students allowed to wear hats with a racist motto while representing the school?
Mark Chandler
Do you not want America to be greatest country on earth? Right now other nations are growing in strength and importance to the point where they are rivals of the USA.
Those "hats with a racist motto" are intended to restore this country to the pinnacle of nations, as it had been until recently. You do not want America to be the greatest it can be?
What would you think of Keep America Mediocre, or Keep America Adequate? What motto would you suggest?
Xenophobia ,bigotry, walls, do not make America great again, that's why.
rose-ellen
Not sure what your comment relates to, but the Vatican has a great big wall, is that a bad place?
If one is married to an immigrant, does that make one xenophobic? If the holy book of a certain faith is anti-Christian and anti-Semitic, if one acknowledges that fact, does that make one a bigot?
Can you explain the comment you posted to make it more clear?
Terry;being married to an immigrant does not make one a xenophobe, nor does it negate being a xenophobe. Because bigotry and xenophobia are prejudices ,it is common that when one actually meets a person one was prejudiced against, the bigot and xenophobes finds they can fall in love ,or be friends or work together.They find that the other are not so other. Xenophobes and bigots always have exceptions when they get a dose of reality which confounds their prejudices, and they can then attenuate their bigotry and xenophobia [ if they don't give it up altogether] ; "you are not like the rest of them", or "well THESE immigrants are all right, or[as Bev said,paraphrasing] ;"I love these immigrants see I now even attend their church services", but it's THOSE people who are other.And since you are married to an immigrant you might not need me to remind you that some of the most bigoted and xenophobic people can be immigrants .They show their bona fides that way.Like your MAGA wearing spouse maybe?They are gonna be more American then the Americans![lol]
The issue with the wall is not that we don't need barriers but having a wall across the whole southern border. That means suffering and death for desperate people. Desperate people will try all sorts of things . It expresses a paranoid , xenophobic; there is US ,and there is everybody else, fortress mentality. Having barriers where there are towns and cities so that they are not over run with people , is wise ,but out in the desert is cruel and absurd and unnecessary.
Rose Ellen: Though 3rd generation, I grew up in an entirely immigrant family community....All my grandparents, aunts, uncles, many friends of family, etc.. came to escape war and poverty and sought the great opportunity that the USA offered . There was no welfare. They had sponsors..they sponsored others...they shared their homes... . There was no safety net. No welfare. They came through Ellis Island and were screened for diseases. I married a man with the same immigrant background. I Now live and work and attend Church in a largely Hispanic community and I love it because I feel at home among these Catholic people. I'm not racist. I'm against Capital Punishment & I'm sick to death of the Planned Parenthood Party and their allies trying to impugn my motives. Anyone who doesn't vote for curbing the runaway holocaust in this country when we have that opportunity either doesn't care or is naive beyond words. The hats were appropriate because they illustrated the only path available to sincere pro lifers and the millions more pre-born children who will be killed if Planned Parenthood appoints the judges..
You Terry are honest about your religious bigotry.We now have a president promoting religious bigotry so you have alot of company; the president ,and people wearing MAGA hats. You Bev sound disingenuous."I can't be a bigot here are my bona fides;my best friends are... variety"]You both know that Trump ran on expressing bigotry ;wanting to ban people for their religion,juxtaposing northern European people with people from blank hole nations in his immigration narrative , fanning distrust and paranoia towards desperate migrants and refugees ; people risking life and their children's lives to escape desperate conditions, saying that ones ethnic ancestry makes one a biased judge.,and won. So wearing a MAGA cap expresses support for such xenophobia and bigotry.And will justifiably result in backlash. Bigotry and xenophobia needs to be confronted verbally and the MAGA hat is the iconic symbol of it for our time.
Trump and his judges will not lift a finger to end the holocaust of the unborn. MAGA does not have anything to do with ending legalized abortion! !Is Planned Parenthood still getting government subsidies? MAGA has nothing to do with pro life agenda;ending abortion or any other pro life cause!
rose -
You should do some research on the "religion of peace." The people who put COEXIST bumper stickers all over their cars should, too. This isn't the place for any education in that regard, but it really isn't a virtue-signaling place either.
Do not let the media shape your beliefs. Donald Trump has not said lies about Moslems and Mexicans. He spoke the truth about each. He said Mexico was not sending their best; they aren't. He said there was something going on with Moslems; there is.
Facts are not xenophobic or bigoted.
The president ran on an anti-abortion platform and so it follows that MAGA has much to do with the pro-life agenda.
I know what my religion says; love your neighbor as yourself.. What percentage of the Mexicans, legal or illegal do you know anything about?He tells you that they are not Mexico's best. Maybe they are.People who have the courage to uproot and face their challenges frequently are their best.When he suggests that Muslims are all terrorists,he is lying to you, as he is about Mexicans all being rapists. Certainly he can point to individual cases of crimes being committed but that is not representative of the immigrant community, legal or illegal.
To support Trumps bigoted agenda simply because he made allusions to being pro life in his campaign, is adherence to a misleading agenda.
I have a coexist bumper sticker ,because the Muslims I know are decent and moral people.You are doing what all bigots do;you find an example that seems to prove your point and run with it.There may be passages in the Koran that are critical of Jews and of Christians but there are other passages requiring the faithful to be tolerant and accepting.Our bible also includes anti Semitic passages and intolerance.If your interpretation of the religion of peace is that it teaches only hatred and intolerance then it is not the same as mine.
rose-ellen
Your religion also says judge not lest ye be judged, right? You dispensed with that maxim when you judged the Covington boys, the president and me, but that's OK because we all like Trump - right?
You have let the media shape your thoughts. The president NEVER said all Moslems are terrorists and he NEVER said all Mexicans are rapists. The media let you believe he did - he did not.
The fact is we have enough problems here now, to allow illegal immigrants into our country is crazy. Trump want to have plenty of legal immigrants, no illegal ones. The face is that illegal aliens make up an inordinate percentage of felons in our jails and prisons - we need no more.
Which passages of "Our bible also includes anti Semitic passages and intolerance"? I'd like to see them.
I am not saying that all Moslems are any one thing. The problem is Islam, not those who claim to be Moslem. There must be numerous good people who say they are Moslem.
I would like to hear the "passages requiring the faithful to be tolerant and accepting." There are many which condemn Jews and other non-Moslems.
Somehow I suspected you had COEXIST bumper stickers. Please seek alternative sources of news - you are being lied to.
If only 10% of Moslems think violent jihad is OK that would be a substantial number of people. Studies show that MORE than 10% think jihad is justified.
Please look into Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer's work. They and a few other people can enlighten you about the real Islam, not the "religion of peace."
You seem to be an honest and sincere person who has been misled by the fake news media. Let this Covington students episode show you that the media can twist things to make them appear to be what they really are not.
Take a look at this <10 min video with Sharyl Attkisson about fake news for your edification.
I AM honest and sincere. And MAGA is a xenophobic and bigoted agenda.Which you support. When you proclaim your bigotry as you do, there is no real point in talking to you as there is no winning when talking to bigots, and citing lines from Koran or Bibles won't help ,nor would statistics about crimes or definitions of what people mean by support for "violent jihad";defensive war, for their land, their people? You always come back with something to buttress your religious bigotry or xenophobia.That's what bigotry is and that's what bigots do!The 2 people you cited of who you get your "knowledge" of Islam from are two of the most hateful propagandists in the media today. They say that even the nice Muslims are all faking and really will behead you for not being Muslims the moment they can! You know G and S talk like that.They say all Muslims are liars.and can't be trusted. So either you are lying when you say that you agree with me that individual Muslims are good people, or you support their telling malicious lies about Muslims?Both are sins according to our faith Terry.
And I side with the Covington boys as I see them as innocent. I blamed the school for allowing them to wear the offensive provocative MAGA hats at a pro life rally under the banner of a Catholic school.
I am not going to dissuade you of your bigotry and xenophobia. Today's dunce caps are MAGA caps that xenophobes and ignorant bigots themselves can proudly choose to wear for all to see[lol]
There are things about Trump I like; but not his MAGA agenda nor his xenophobia and religious bigotry and how he promoted it. I love when he calls the Mueller probe a witch hunt, and the media fake news for obsessing on the role of Russia in his winning the election!I like his sense of humor and his personality actually.They call him thin skinned; really its the opposite they are thin skinned[his opponents] and he is thick skinned[lol. The on going shut down is outrageous ; I say give him the 5 billion he's asking for, for barriers where appropriate[not all along the desert]and border and migrant infrastructure, in exchange for daca people becoming citizens right away, and amnesty to all illegals now .
rose-ellen
Well, at least you think a MAGA hat is a dunce cap as opposed to a white sheet!
Now you are on the side of the boys, that's a good step. However, you still seem to think that the "provocative" headgear led to the confrontation. Would a mini-skirt be said to have led to a rape????
Facts are neither bigoted nor xenophobic. You have dismissed two honest truth tellers in Geller and Spencer. The media have blinded you to the work these two have done.
I sincerely would like to learn about the Bible's passages where intolerance and violence is put forth as the correct behavior. The koran has many of those, but the Holy Bible, not so much.
Instead of relying on the media to tell you what DJT says, find the actual statements he has made - they are all over YouTube. You have been lied to, either by omission or commission, about the president's words. The last paragraph of your post shows that you are open to individual thinking and not held captive by group think which the media impose. The media really are the enemy of the people when you consider what the do and do not let the public know.
I have enjoyed our correspondence and I hope you have also. It is good to express oneself in writing about topics of importance. I think religion is of ultimate import, with our nation and world next. (Of course, family is right under God in importance).
P.S. - I am not bigoted or xenophobic, I am, however, accepting of things as they exist. I think that people are people - good and bad. However, if one is a faithful follower of Islam, it is hard to be good. I do know some Moslems who are Americanized (or Westernized) and that eliminates them from the category of "good Moslems." The jihadists are good Moslems. Yet, there are more Moslems who we would consider good people; they just do not practice the faith as written in the koran. This is not so much a religion as it is a political philosophy with some religious elements. Do not let the media delude you into believing what they tell you about the "religion of peace." That's too easy for us to accept because we are generally Christians who want to believe in the goodness of others. Do a little more research into that faith - it may shock you. Geller and Spencer are really good people - she is a Jew and he a Catholic who have studied and experienced a great deal.
You are not accepting things as they are. Their preferred pronunciation is MUSlim. You know this and you choose to disrespect them by mispronouncing [miss spelling] their identity. Such willful disrespect is an expression of hateful bigotry. I called you out and with every response you show yourself to be a lying ignoramus; a hateful bigot.