Commemorating 9/11 victims is “offensive to Muslims” - The Daily Beast

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 07:55PM #1

Students at the University of Minnesota have shut down an attempt to hold a minute's silence for of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, on the basis that to do so would lead to “Islamophobia”, according to an article on website The Daily Beast.

In the article, titled College Students Say Remembering 9/11 is Offensive to Muslims, Theo Menon, a Minnesota Student Association, is said to have introduced a proposal to memorialise 9/11 on 6th October, asking the college to institute a “comment of recognition” during all future 11th Septembers.

Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the university, David Algadi, was severely critical of the proposal. He claimed that there was a “racial politic” present in efforts to commemorate the event, and that 9/11 shouldn't be commemorated unless they “start having moments of silence for all the times white folks have done something terrible”.

9/11 is often used as reasoning for Islamophobia that takes both physical and verbal forms. The passing of this resolution might make a space that is unsafe for students on campus even more unsafe. Islamophobia and racism … are alive and well. I just don’t think that we can act like something like a moment of silence for 9/11 would exist in a vacuum when worldwide, Muslim and Middle Eastern folks undergo intense acts of terrorism around the 11th of September each year, and have since 2001.

In addition there is a particular racial politic present wherein when folks of color do something it becomes a stereotype, when white folks do something it becomes forgotten. Dylann Roof? James Eagan Holmes? Joseph Stack? Timothy McVeigh? When will we start having moments of silence for all of the times white folks have done something terrible?

A majority of student government representatives sided with him, voting down the resolution in a 36-23 vote this month.

To be clear, the original proposal was thirty-one words long, and did not mention Islam, Muslims or al-Qaeda once. It simply said

That the Minnesota Student Association formally recommends to the University of Minnesota Administration that there be a moment of silence on the morning of September 11th, 2016 and all years following.

What do people think? Is it necessary to show balance in commemorating the 9/11 attacks, by commemorating other attacks on American soil by terrorists who weren't Muslim? Or is this hypersensitivity taken a step too far?

looking_around · 22-11-2015 08:02PM

Why only have a minute silence for 9/11?
Why not for all the school shootings?
Why not for the crimes americans have committed on others?

I don't think the answer is to have a silence for all, we'd be doing it daily. The few days, even a year after something ... but afterwhile it's time to let it go, and move on.

but I don't agree the reason not to have a moment silence should be down to "fear mongering"... why don't these people set their own or add in a moment silence for people in other countries ...that would add a balance wouldnt it?

suicide_circus · 22-11-2015 08:06PM

We really need to move away from worrying about offending people.

TheLastMohican · 22-11-2015 08:09PM

Minnesota "harbours" the most Somalians in the US. Try getting a taxi there. Some of these have not left the, er, old way of life behind them. Just ask the driver for his views and once he realises that you're a foreigner ...... he'll open up.
True story.

Cienciano · 22-11-2015 08:29PM

Shouldn't do the minutes silence at all

Hitchens · 22-11-2015 08:32PM

popcorn thread? absolutely!

Jim Bob Scratcher · 22-11-2015 08:33PM

Muslims being offended by things offends me.

Nodin · 22-11-2015 08:37PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Students (..........)taken a step too far?

Do you have a link to the original article? There's nothing whatsoever in the segment you posted that suggests that the minutes silence was objected to or ultimately rejected because it was "offensive to muslims" yet you have that term in quotes in the thread title.

Royal Legend · 22-11-2015 08:38PM

popcorn out of the microwave, kicks back on the recliner and ....................

Richard Hillman · 22-11-2015 08:43PM

Students, probably aged 19-22. They would have been 5-8 during 9/11 and sheltered from the horror of that day.

That day means alot more to us older folk than the young-uns but to do it to not to offend then it is disrespectful

lawlolawl · 22-11-2015 08:47PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the university,

This is an actual job title?

Pack it up guys, we're done. We've failed as a culture.

Herb Powell · 22-11-2015 08:50PM

lawlolawl wrote: »

This is an actual job title?

Pack it up guys, we're done. We've failed as a culture.

We are not American. So hold tough.

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 08:57PM

Nodin wrote: »

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Students (..........)taken a step too far?

Do you have a link to the original article? There's nothing whatsoever in the segment you posted that suggests that the minutes silence was objected to or ultimately rejected because it was "offensive to muslims" yet you have that term in quotes in the thread title.

It was reported by The Daily Beast 17 hours ago. Their headline was

"College Students Say Rememebering 9/11 is Offensive to Muslims"

If you don't think that headline matches the story, take it up with them.

One eyed Jack · 22-11-2015 09:01PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Students at the University of Minnesota have shut down an attempt to hold a minute's silence for of the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, on the basis that to do so would lead to “Islamophobia”.

On 6th October, Theo Menon, a Minnesota Student Association, introduced a proposal to memorialise 9/11, asking the college to institute a “comment of recognition” during all future 11th Septembers.

Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the university, David Algadi, was severely critical of the proposal. He claimed that there was a “racial politic” present in efforts to commemorate the event, and that 9/11 shouldn't be commemorated unless they “start having moments of silence for all the times white folks have done something terrible”.

A majority of student government representatives sided with him, voting down the resolution in a 36-23 vote this month.

To be clear, the original proposal was thirty-one words long, and did not mention Islam, Muslims or al-Qaeda once. It simply said

What do people think? Is it necessary to show balance in commemorating the 9/11 attacks, by commemorating other attacks on American soil by terrorists who weren't Muslim? Or is this hypersensitivity taken a step too far?

There's no link to any article in your OP, so I don't know if they have or haven't commemorated 9/11 in previous years, or if it's only being proposed now in the context of the current global climate?

If it was just a proposal this year, it looks like shìt-stirring IMO. Something doesn't sound kosher there anyway.

c_man · 22-11-2015 09:02PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

"...that 9/11 shouldn't be commemorated unless they “start having moments of silence for all the times white folks have done something terrible”.

A Diversity and Inclusion knob-end trying to turn something into a rant against "white" people? Well I never.

Arbiter of Good Taste · 22-11-2015 09:03PM

One eyed Jack wrote: »

There's no link to any article in your OP, so I don't know if they have or haven't commemorated 9/11 in previous years, or if it's only being proposed now in the context of the current global climate?

If it was just a proposal this year, it looks like shìt-stirring IMO. Something doesn't sound kosher there anyway.

Just as well it's not kosher, that would offend the Muslims as well :P

lertsnim · 22-11-2015 09:06PM

I am fed up of people being offended about nothing. Everyday there is a new thing that people are offended about.

DownOneTourist · 22-11-2015 09:09PM

lertsnim wrote: »

I am fed up of people being offended about nothing. Everyday there is a new thing that people are offended about.

It really doesn't make a difference to me if people are offended by anything I say or do, well at least until they 'correct' me or try to stop/silence me.

Nodin · 22-11-2015 09:19PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

It was reported by The Daily Beast 17 hours ago. Their headline was

"College Students Say Rememebering 9/11 is Offensive to Muslims"

If you don't think that headline matches the story, take it up with them.

Nobody at the students union mentioned anything about "offensive to muslims" according to the original article
http://www.mnrepublic.com/msa-rejects-moment-of-recognition-resolution-for-911/
nor did the article in the washington post referred to by the "daily beast".

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 09:40PM

Nodin wrote: »

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

It was reported by The Daily Beast 17 hours ago. Their headline was

"College Students Say Rememebering 9/11 is Offensive to Muslims"

If you don't think that headline matches the story, take it up with them.

Nobody at the students union mentioned anything about "offensive to muslims" according to the original article
http://www.mnrepublic.com/msa-rejects-moment-of-recognition-resolution-for-911/
nor did the article in the washington post referred to by the "daily beast".

Well, then I guess you should fire off an email to The Daily Beast and chastise them for reporting the story with that headline.

Nodin · 22-11-2015 09:51PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Well, then I guess you should fire off an email to The Daily Beast and chastise them for reporting the story with that headline.

Indeed I might. Of course I have to ask why you're using the headline, considering that it is inaccurate and misleading, and has been taken up by a number of posters on this thread as being factual.

Piriz · 22-11-2015 10:00PM

TheLastMohican wrote: »

Minnesota "harbours" the most Somalians in the US. Try getting a taxi there. Some of these have not left the, er, old way of life behind them. Just ask the driver for his views and once he realises that you're a foreigner ...... he'll open up.
True story.

What are the views of a Somali taxi driver in Minnesota?

rubadub · 22-11-2015 10:01PM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the university, David Algadi, was severely critical of the proposal. He claimed that there was a “racial politic” present in efforts to commemorate the event, and that 9/11 shouldn't be commemorated unless they “start having moments of silence for all the times white folks have done something terrible”.

I find it amusing that this presumably overly PC cunt fuck uses the term "white folks". Sure if you look at polls loads of people in the US think it was "white folks" who are responsible for 9/11...

RandomName2 · 22-11-2015 10:02PM

lawlolawl wrote: »

This is an actual job title?

Pack it up guys, we're done. We've failed as a culture.

American education? There's an oxymoron if ever I've heard one.

There are serious problems with students there. They seem to be complaining about all the wrong things. They don't care that their government is becoming more authoritarian, but do care about people being allowed wear what they want at Halloween.

MakeEmLaugh · 22-11-2015 10:05PM

Nodin wrote: »

Indeed I might. Of course I have to ask why you're using the headline, considering that it is inaccurate and misleading, and has been taken up by a number of posters on this thread as being factual.

I'm getting pretty tired of repeating myself, but I'll tell you again: I used the title because it's almost identical to that of the news story I read.

I included every pertinent detail of the article, short of simply copying and pasting it here (and that would have been shut down pretty quickly - Boards.ie is not a news dump).

You may think the the article's headline and content were misleading, but that's your opinion.

As for posters "taking up the title as being factual", they have the option of reading the OP. They may agree that the reason the University of Minnesota voted against commemorating 9/11 is that it would be "offensive to Muslims". They may not.

I'm not responsible for any comments made here, whether they're insightful or idiotic.

Arbiter of Good Taste · 22-11-2015 10:09PM

Piriz wrote: »

What are the views of a Somali taxi driver in Minnesota?

Actually, about 4 or 5 years ago I remember reading about it somewhere. Taxi drivers at the airport were refusing to carry people from the airport if they had duty free alcohol on them, and were refusing to carry people with dogs (in carriers so it wasn't about soiling the taxi).

bodice ripper · 22-11-2015 10:13PM

Given they didn't bother with commemoration up until now, and given current climate, this seems like bull**** posturing to me. I would have voted it down too.

nullzero · 22-11-2015 10:19PM

Did they propose a minutes silence followed by an art competition to find the best crudely drawn versions of the prophet Muhammad and Allah?

22-11-2015 11:34PM

One minute's silence, if we had one minute's silence annually to remember each and every mass murder in recent times, we'd never speak!
It is very easy to overdo commemorations to the point that they become meaningless.

Nodin · 23-11-2015 12:49AM

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

I'm getting pretty tired of repeating myself, but I'll tell you again: I used the title because it's almost identical to that of the news story I read.

I included every pertinent detail of the article, short of simply copying and pasting it here (and that would have been shut down pretty quickly - Boards.ie is not a news dump).

...which makes it all the stranger you used the original headline.

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

You may think the the article's headline and content were misleading, but that's your opinion.

No, its a rather obvious fact. There was and is no suggestion that the silence was objected to or rejected because it was deemed "offensive to muslims".

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

As for posters "taking up the title as being factual", they have the option of reading the OP. They may agree that the reason the University of Minnesota voted against commemorating 9/11 is that it would be "offensive to Muslims". They may not..

But the objection and rejection of the silence was not because it was "offensive to muslims" and anyone who carries that impression does so because of your misleading reused headline.

Letree · 23-11-2015 12:50AM

OP you think that is bad. I'll see your 'offensive 9/11 commemoration' and raise you 'cultural appropriation yoga'.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/university-yoga-class-suspended-over-cultural-appropriation-dispute-a6744426.html

Commemorating 9/11 victims is “offensive to Muslims” - The Daily Beast

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