From a political/psychological perspective, this story begs the question–What if this had been a Christian Church who had asked gays, or lesbians, or women to leave while the men were invited to stay and pray? What would the outrage be then? The schools, the teachers, the church, and probably even the parental escorts would have all been sued by the ACLU before the school bus reached the campus. Why is it that we are shocked when western religions engage in politics, but less so with eastern religions, namely Islam, but even Hinduism. This is due in part to the western tradition of keeping religion and “state” separate, separate rules, separate authorities, etc. There also is a cultural hardening and truly a “death of outrage” when subscribers to Islam push political boundaries. Why?
One reason we are less shocked is due to the incessant drum beat of Islamists pushing their agenda and adopting a menacing posture when opposed. The so-called “Gound Zero” mosque is just the most recent example. Another reason is that Islam is as much a political ideology as it is a religion. This presents a curious policology for Americans.
There is clearly a double standard held by the politically correct intelligentsia who tolerate virtually every religion except Judeo Christianity, and every political view except conservative. It is another odd policology that the hard left, ostensibly the champions of women and minority groups so readily embrace subscribers to a religion that mistreats women and minority groups with near reckless abandon. The only rational analysis one can glean from this dichotomy is that hard leftists have some much affinity for big government and even totalitarian regimes that they never want to remove dictators unless that dictator can somehow be labeled right of center. The separate disciplines of political science and psychology lack the tools to fully explain these paradoxes.
We reasonably expect that teachers ensure equal time for varying viewpoints on the issue of faith. Did the teachers later do a field trip to a temple, a synagogue, or a Mass? What was the message sent to a little girl who is Evangelical Christian? Or a Jew? Did the teachers do a “download” and explain all of the discriminatory acts committed against them? Were other faiths allowed “equal time?”
The risks go beyond the psychological effects on the children. What about the teachers or parental escorts who experienced high levels of fear? Were the teachers afraid to intervene against the men in the mosque, or was it simply their being brainwashed by postmodern education standards into being “tolerant” of multiculturalism’s dogma, i.e., “all religions/cultures are deserving of equal respect” (even discriminatory/totalitarian ones)?
The confusion, fear, discrimination, separation, indoctrination, and hate experienced by the children present on that “field trip” that day could, for some children last for years, without counseling. Is the school providing counseling? Would they, if a “religious zealot” had gone rogue in a classroom, spewing things like “Jesus died for you,” or “You could go to Hell if you don’t give your heart to Jesus?” But treating little girls as unequal people, undermining the faith of children, and pressuring little boys to pray to a god they don’t believe in is all okay, when done in the name of Allah?
Psychologically, why did the mosque choose a white, average American looking woman to proselytize these unsuspecting children? Would I be labeled a bigot, a zealot, a racist, or a radical if I were to tell you why I think they used that white woman?