Both parents and students participated in the discussion that ensued after a few moments of stunned silence upon the conclusion of the film. One parent, who grew up in Lebanon, provided valuable information about shari'a. After all, she knows a lot of that information firsthand.
Overall, however, I was amazed that so few parents, quite informed about most current events of all types, were unaware of the beheading of Drummer Lee Rigby on the streets of London on May 22, 2013!
I typically show Fitna to particular classes, which I teach on a rotating basis according to a four-year culce: World History and American Government. To preface the film, I always tell the class a bit about Geert Wilders and some of the events portrayed in the film; I also share with the class some recent current events related to the worldwide jihad. After the film, I sent the students a followup link — this year, Hiding in Plain Sight: Jihadi Activism on Twitter (dated March 24, 2014).
Fitna:
I've never even heard of Fitna. I'll be sure and look it up. BTW I wish I'd had more teachers like you when I was in school. I had a few good ones, don't get me wrong, but not enough.
ReplyDeleteCube,
DeleteThank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.
Please watch Fitna and consider what the short film presents.
Given their obvious disdain for the Western World why do Muslims continue to migrate into it? So far [assimilation] does not seem to be happening and in Europe the Muslim birth rate (according to Wikipedia) is 1.46 X that of the non-Muslim population. What might this portend?
ReplyDeletePity you don't balance the discussion with legitimate cinema.
ReplyDeleteThe release of Jafar Panahi and several female film makers by the new Iranian government might help avoid the obvious indoctrination of your students.
The way that I handled the discussion was more balanced that what you are assuming -- although I didn't have the resources that you mentioned in your comment.
DeleteI'd say this, AOW. Fitna is a very poor example of speech censorship.
DeleteThe main issue was uncredited copyrighted material which was removed prior to a second release of the film (yeah, he's a regular Kiarostami).
Fitna is widely available. He has faced none of the hardships that Iranian filmmakers have criticizing fundamentalism and the regime. It just gives a very unbalanced impression to portray a publicity seeker like Wilders as oppressed.
The lesson objectives involved more that a simple discussion of speech censorship. There's more than the right of freedom of speech in the First Amendment (uniquely American, BTW). And I don't mean "Islamophobia" either. For example, we discussed the matter of federal investigators entering or otherwise conducting surveillance of religious institutions.
DeleteI should have stated in the body of the blog post that the course is "American Government and Current Events." I did mention this in my introduction to Fitna.
As for a publicity seeker like Wilders, let us not forget that he is an MP.
College students interviewed by Fox could not name one Senator. You are really pushing the envelope! :)
ReplyDeleteBunkerville,
DeleteHomeschooling rocks!
We're so politically incorrect that we can make heads spin. **smile**
I agree with Ducky. We need a legitimate demonstration, such as a video of Moslems removing Ducky's head.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I chuckled when I read your comment.
DeleteJonBerg-The idea of the mohammedan infiltration of the West is simple, to complete the task of the whole world caliphate under mohammadism...begun by Mohammad and perpetuated by all caliphs after him. Also taught by all fundamentalist imams. And the forcing of non-mohammadins into mohammadism or forced enslavement and payment of the jizya.(sic) Nothing more and nothing less.
ReplyDeletetmw
TMW,
DeleteStudy and study and poll after poll indicate that even "moderate Muslims" yearn for the caliphate. These "moderate Muslims" may not be throwing bombs, but they still long for the caliphate -- and work in stealthy ways to establish Islamic supremacism.
BTW, the students in American Government class also take Policy Debate. Evidence, evidence, evidence!
ReplyDeleteCan you imagine a teacher trying to show Fitna or any similar film in a public school??? Never happen. This makes me wonder if Christian schools show such films? Our grandson has been in Christian school since kindergarten, he is 16 now. I've never heard him mention anything about this. I need to specifically ask him.
ReplyDelete(I'm so glad your home school class is going to see God's NOT Dead. Many churches have gone as groups, I haven't heard of any schools. I do know many who home school their own children and they have all gone to see it. You won't be sorry.)
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
What educational value do you see in Fitna?
DeleteWhy not show it on a double bill with Triumph of the Will
Both are agitprop. They only differ in that Leni Riefenstahl was a brilliant editor.
What educational value do you see in Fitna?
DeleteSee my comment above.
Why not show it on a double bill with Triumph of the Will
Time constraints -- and the fact that this year I'm not teaching World History.
Debbie,
DeleteThis makes me wonder if Christian schools show such films?
I doubt that any traditional-classroom schools show films such as Fitna -- although the Christian school where I worked for 18 years would have. That school closed in 1996 because the directors retired.
-----------------
Once my homeschool supervisor read your review of God's NOT Dead, she immediately arranged a field trip to one of the local cinemas showing the film -- after she and her son had gone on Monday to preview the film. I'm offering extra credit to my students if they go to see the film. Many are going!
You know, blogging can be a dead end so much of the time. But now we have a clear example of a good ripple-effect that blogging can have.
The producers, actors, etc. on God's NOT Dead have done a fantastic job of using social media to promote the film, specifically FaceBook. I had not even heard of the movie until I saw it all over FaceBook. I'm not a big social media follower, but I could not miss it.
DeleteAnonymousMarch 26, 2014 at 6:51:00 PM EDT
ReplyDeleteJonBerg-The idea of the mohammedan infiltration of the West is simple, to complete the task of the whole world caliphate under mohammadism...begun by Mohammad and perpetuated by all caliphs after him. Also taught by all fundamentalist imams. And the forcing of non-mohammadins into mohammadism or forced enslavement and payment of the jizya.(sic) Nothing more and nothing less.
Whoever you are would you mind stating your diatribe in some way that the rest of us can understand it.
Jon,
DeleteI don't understand why you're having difficulty following TMW's comment. It seems clear enough to me.
ya, sure...that's 'agitprop' but let ONE CHRISTIAN.............
ReplyDelete