Oct 26, 2011
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The Washington, D.C. Office of Human Rights confirmed that it is investigating allegations that Catholic University violated the human rights of Muslim students by not allowing them to form a Muslim student group and by not providing them rooms without Christian symbols for their daily prayers.
The investigation alleges that Muslim students “must perform their prayers surrounded by symbols of Catholicism – e.g., a wooden crucifix, paintings of Jesus, pictures of priests and theologians which many Muslim students find inappropriate.”
A spokesperson for the Office of Human Rights told Fox News they had received a 60-page complaint against the private university. The investigation, they said, could take as long a six months.
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The complaint was filed by John Banzhaf, an attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School. Banzhaf has been involved in previous litigation against the school involving the same-sex residence halls. He also alleged in his complaint involving Muslim students that women at the university were being discriminated against. You can read more on those allegations by clicking here.
Banzhaf said some Muslim students were particularly offended because they had to meditate in the school’s chapels “and at the cathedral that looms over the entire campus – the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.”
“It shouldn’t be too difficult somewhere on the campus for the university to set aside a small room where Muslims can pray without having to stare up and be looked down upon by a cross of Jesus,” he told Fox News.
A spokesman for Catholic University released a statement to Fox News indicating they had not seen any legal filings — but would respond once they do.
“Our faithfulness to our Catholic tradition has also made us a welcome home to students of other religions,” said Victor Nakas, associate vice president for public affairs. “No students have registered complaints about the exercise of their religions on our campus.”
In a 2010 interview with National Public Radio, university president John Garvey acknowledged that they don’t set aside prayer rooms for Muslim students.
“We make classrooms available, or our chapels are places where they can pray,” he told NPR. “We don’t offer Halal meat, although there are always meals that conform to Halal regulations, that allow students to do what they want.”
Banzhaf said that it is technically not illegal for Catholic University to refuse to provide rooms devoid of religious icons.
“It may not be illegal, but it suggests they are acting improperly and probably with malice,” he said. “They do have to pray five times a day, they have to look around for empty classrooms and to be sitting there trying to do Muslim prayers with a big cross looking down or a picture of Jesus or a picture of the Pope is not very conductive to their religion.”
As for the creation of a Muslim student group, Banzhaf said the university has an association of Jewish students – so why not a Muslim group?
“I think they are entitled as a matter of law to be able to form a Muslim student association and to have the same privileges as associations,” he said. “I think that most of them would much prefer to have a place to pray – that they are not surrounded by various Catholic symbols – a place that is more conductive to their religious beliefs than being surrounded by pictures of Popes.”
Garvey, in his 2010 interview with NPR, addressed that issue.
“It’s just not something that we view as an activity that we want to sponsor because we’re a Catholic institution rather than Muslim,” he said.
Patrick Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society, an organization that promotes Catholic identity among Catholic schools, seemed stunned by the complaint.
“I don’t know what the attorney wants them to do – if he wants them to actually move the Basilica or if the Muslim students can find someplace where they don’t have to look at it,” he told Fox News.
Catholic University, he said, is a Catholic institution.
“One wouldn’t expect a Jewish institution to be responsible for providing liturgical opportunities for other faiths and I wouldn’t expect a Catholic institution to do that,” he said.
“This attorney is really turning civil rights on its head,” he said. “He’s using the law for his own discrimination against the Catholic institution and essentially saying Catholic University cannot operate according to Catholic principles.”
Read coverage from Catholic University’s student newspaper by clicking here.
FOX News Talk
My question is: Why are Muslims attending a CATHOLIC university? and, Why do Muslims expect special treatment in a CATHOLIC university? It appeaars to me that either Muslims do not have good sense or they are trying to impose their ways on Catholics. Freedom of religion does not mean that you can attand another religion's church, school, or institution of learning expecting your own beliefs to have sway. What is the matter with these people?
There is a really simple answer to this. The Catholic University needs to only accept christian students. I am tired of seeing Muslims taking our country piece by piece. We need to wake up and add some rules like Denmark and France have. They shouldn't have been here to start with. Muslims don't get along with anyone well and they get along with Christians even less,
I suppose if they don't like it here they can go back home and go to school there..
Ummm…. Private School. Case closed.
Notice that it's not students complaining – it's an activist lawyer, one who evidently has it in for Catholics.
This is absolute BS! Enough already! I'm surprised the article didn't include The Star of David! Too much of this crap going around.
This is absolute BS! Enough already! I'm surprised the article didn't include The Star of David! Too much of this crap going around.
Bull
Ahh…It's Catholic University…Duh…Is it just me or are some Muslims ignorant?
Hello! It's a Catholic University with the key word Catholic! Don't tell me they didn't know before enrolling!
ATTN: Muslims.
Then P L U C K out thine own eyes…you came here–you were not invited…and all while US Military defend in the Middle East your males are a bunch of perverted, cowards who beat their females, and stone them for being raped…sick…take Muhammad and JIHAD yourself to HELL…you contradict our foundations and you are here to JIAHD…
ATTN: to the Catholic facility use the FOIA and request the background of the "humane rights" person no doubt you will find they or their bearers were illegal…deport for commiting a crime against humanity–us dba the USA! Time to stand up my fellow real Americans…we are in a stage of self-destruct because our leadership has had no conscience and have taken us down…while we sat on our fat butts saying GOD will do it: we have Free Will and have not utilized it…in the proper morale manner…we will pay.
It's a CATHOLIC School! If Muslims are offended by crosses or Jesus pictures or statues in class rooms, then MUSLIMS need to take a hike and start their own Muslime school. I am sick and tired of these people and other immigrants coming over to OUR COUNTRY demanding that we change our way of life for them! I am sick of Government and Schools catering to these Muslims and other immigrants and actually removing crosses, I know christmas tree's are Holiday trees now just to satify these Immigrants! We all
need to stand together and fight things like this, THIS IS OUR COUNTRY, AMERICA IS OUR COUNTRY LIKE IT OR LEAVE IT!
It's a CATHOLIC School! If Muslims are offended by crosses or Jesus pictures or statues in class rooms, then MUSLIMS need to take a hike and start their own Muslime school. I am sick and tired of these people and other immigrants coming over to OUR COUNTRY demanding that we change our way of life for them! I am sick of Government and Schools catering to these Muslims and other immigrants and actually removing crosses, I know christmas tree's are Holiday trees now just to satify these Immigrants! We all
need to stand together and fight things like this, THIS IS OUR COUNTRY, AMERICA IS OUR COUNTRY LIKE IT OR LEAVE IT!
My question is why are they at a Catholic University if they are Muslim? I am so tired of all this ridiculous "political correctness" if they don't like the crosses then get the hell out. Why do we have to change things that are a tradition becuase someone somewhere is offended by this. People need to wake up & start to figgt back for all of these special interests special religions etc. It will be the eventual downfall of this Country.
Thanks for your words of wisdom, Mari Jo! I too am awfully tired of political correctness that allows others to trample all over our rights but not the other way around.
Good question!! If the cross offends you, then get the heck out of a Catholic church!!! Unbelievable!! Sooo tired of all this Cristian bashing! The double standard infuriates me!
I agree. As a Christian I am offended by the people who don't like the crosses, is anyone going to do something for me…I think not!!!!!!
Personally I don't think muslims should be allowed on American soil much less in our schools. But since they are allowed entrance into America they need to quickly assimilate or go back to whatever third world country they came from.
Apparently the lawyer that created this was not representing anyone of these muslim students that he spoke of, none of these students he uses to demonstrate this discrimination is occuring had filed complaints with the school. It seems to me that he was making this up to create this war between the muslim community and the catholic church. Do some research on this, here is one place http://frontpagemag.com/2011/11/10/catholic-universitys-cross-to-bear/.
It's THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY! Of course there are going crosses and in the shadow of the National Cathedral! It's part of the CATHOLIC CHURCH! What a bunch of stupid idiots! Don't like it there? Go somewhere else! STUPID IDIOTS!
Why would a Muslim want to go to a Catholic school anyway? This is ludicrous! Would the government be investigating a "Muslim" university because praying towards Mecca three times a day was offensive to a Christian? Doubtful! That is why we have private and public universities. If someone doesn't like the environment…then they should go someplace else! Nobody is holding a gun to their head and forcing them to stay. I'm getting very tired of the government telling us how we should think and act, and taking away religious freedoms of the Christian.
Catholic University is "of, by, and for" Roman Catholics. It owes no Protestant, Jew, or Muslim any special considerations. What they do owe the people of those beliefs is an excellent education—NOTHING MORE! For Muslims to have complaints about violations of their human rights is disgusting. To group Islam as part of the great religions of the world fills me with revulsion.
How can a "religion” that advocates the murder of Jews, terrorist attacks in the name of their godless religion, and routinely turn a blind eye to the beating and even murder of young women whose only crime was to have been violated by Muslim men. Islam IS NOT A RELIGION it is nothing more than cult, and as such, should be ignored and repudiated.
To see John Banzhaf's odious name at the center of this current attack against what is ultimately a matter of the property rights Catholic University seems totally apropos. Banzhaf's name was originally linked to the attack on big tobacco. The result of that attack was the banning of and smoking of, a completely legal substance–tobacco. More importantly, his attacks on tobacco were in fact, attacks on property rights, civil liberties, free enterprise, and even scientific integrity. He is truly a dangerous man who has no conscience when it comes to tearing asunder the very fabric of American society.
Robert Hayes Halfpenny.
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Muslims, if you do not like how we run America, do NOT stay> Pick up your skirts and sick zealot tendancies and go back to where you came from. If you are lucky, you will get blown to pieces. Don't come to America with your beliefs and try to turn our Country. Hey! Obama! Forget the mexicans, they work hard and keep a low profile. The whack jobs claiming to be so religious will kill you in a heart beat if you disagree with them. All MUSLIMS… Get the F#@K out of America! We co NOT want you here or your religion…………
Apply to the U.of K.K.K.
WELL IF THEY THINK THAT CROSSES VIOLET THEIR RIGHTS LET THEM GO TO IRAN, SOUDI ARABIA.DO YOU KNOW WHAT VIOLATES RIGHTS WHEN AND ONLY WHEN THEY COVER THEIR HEADS AND FACES.BUT WHEN THEY COVER THEIR HEADS ACCORDIND TO THEIR FAITH THAT'S OK.BUT NOT THEIR FACES THAT YOU CANNOT RECOGNISE WEATHER IT'S A MAN OR A WOMAN.
They applied for and attend this university for the sole purpose of advancing litigation like this. Their whole purpose is to slowly change our country into their country because they know they can never take over militarily. Although we are to love our enemy, we should not confuse that for tolerance.
I am assuming none of these offended devout muslims are women….
While I really don't think it's a big deal for CU to start a Muslim students group, I find it a little outrageous that they're filing a lawsuit. And of course, shouldn't they have known there would be a lot of Christian symbols before choosing to attend? Catholic University is a pretty expensive private school; if they wanted to attend a school without a religious affiliation, there are plenty of very good schools that don't have any religious affiliation.
Well, the Muslin students' complaints certainly put the lie to the oft-repeated claim that Islam "accepts Jesus" as a prophet. This is a non-issue. I'm willing to bet that if I were to attend the King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, they wouldn't react too kindly to being asked to provide a room without any Muslim symbols, so I could feel comfortable praying. Perhaps – just perhaps – if Christian and Catholic symbols are offensive to them, they should have gone somewhere other than a Catholic university. The fact that they would choose a Catholic school, and then complain about Catholic symbolism, would indicate to me that these individuals are perhaps wasting their time in a university of higher learning – might I suggest McDonald's "Hamburger U" as an alternative?
This is the ultimate stupidity. I'm not a member of either denomination mentioned, but common sense would say do not choose to attend a school affiliated with a denomination if being around their symbols offends you. I HATE political correctness! Ron White is correct when he says "You can't fix stupid!"
Absolutely….Catholic College….There are going to be Catholic symbols, my daughter went to Creighton, there were plain rooms for Muslims to pray in the dorms. I think that is enough. If they don't want to see them don't go to a religious institution.
And then you wonder why we are getting sick and tried of whinny muslims…….
Oh, lest you thing we are picking on you, when I went to high school and college in DC….Jews were just as bad!
I am sick to death of whiny moozlums.
It is a Catholic University…Not allowing the Cross to be displayed, is a violation of their religious rights. If it were a Muslim University, I am sure they would want to display whatever their faith is about…If you are not a Cristian, then it would be wise not to attend a college that has Cristian values…God Bless All Who Believe in Him…In Jesus Name I Pray…May all seek for the truth…These are the end times folks…Wake up…Watch for the signs…Amen…
they are all in front of us and they will be fullfilled the Bible says so
Christian symbols are not harmful to anyone. If you want to be an occupant of a private facility, or group, you owe the group/facility respect, and need to work with them.
then muslims, baptists, jews, and others should go to muslim-based universities, baptist univ's, and jewis univ's… that's why there are univ's created by religious groups. they are created for students of that faith to attend. this is just another attempt by the muslims to overtake the other religions in the us and force us all to learn (and believe) like they do.
It's a CATHOLIC school. You don't like it leave! That is called freedom, and we like it here in America.
I dont give a shit if they do
This is BEYOND ridiculous! How did these people manage to get accepted to the university? I would presume their intelligence is lacking if they couldn't figure out that by attending a Catholic university, they would be surrounded by Catholicism!
what a joke are you serious? it's a Catholic school. why are there muslims there in the first place and second if they chose to go to school there then they knew what they were in for. go off campus then!
Let the Muslim students, return to their own country to study, no one is forcing them to go to any of our religious universities.
AMEN. SO BE IT.
The muslims do not believe that Our God is their god…they need to start their own colleges and quit hollering about American Colleges. The Jews believe in the God we do they just do not believe in Jesus.
as being the Savior and he was only a great prophet to the majority of Jews….leave the Jews along!
There is a place they can go without a "Cross looking down on them… in the restroom! This is totally ridiculous whining. They can go off campus anywhere they want. Catholic University is what it's name says; Catholic.
I am so sick of all this Muslim garbage…lets treat them just like the japs in WW 2…put em in camps and sort them out later..after they quit trying to kill us.
I am a Muslim, and I have 2 questions: 1) What do Muslim students expect when going to a PRIVATE Catholic university? 2) WHY are Muslim students attending a Catholic university when there are plenty of public universities available? I don't believe any human rights were violated on the part of the university, but I do believe the Muslim students are being arrogant and selfish expecting to be catered to. This puts Muslims and Islam in a bad light AGAIN. They are lacking the humility required of a Muslim.
Seriously? What part of Catholic University do people not understand? They can go found their own bloody school and worship the way they want, but to ask a Catholic University to set aside a 'special area' for them without crosses? Really now
Seriously? What part of Catholic University do people not understand? They can go found their own bloody school and worship the way they want, but to ask a Catholic University to set aside a 'special area' for them without crosses? Really now
They could just cover up the crosses and idols. I used to pray in a Mosque in London that was converted from a church that contained old marble statues and images. They were just covered over with cloth or wooden boards to preserve their historical value but hide them from view.
There was a time that these colleges and universities required that you be Catholic in order to gain entrance into the student body. Many state colleges and universities got their starts as Christian schools. They became secular and have since thrown God out. Look at the moral state that they are in today. Further, look at the morals of some of our nations leaders today.
There was a time that these colleges and universities required that you be Catholic in order to gain entrance into the student body. Many state colleges and universities got their starts as Christian schools. They became secular and have since thrown God out. Look at the moral state that they are in today. Further, look at the morals of some of our nations leaders today.
Maybe we should all go to a muslim Mosque and tell them they need to put crusifixes up as they are discriminating against us Catholics. Better yet go back to your country of origin and let them give you your free schooling you are getting from the US. I am sick and tired of these ragheads they need to be deported. How come they get to stay but the Catholic Mexicans get deported. I haven't heard of any Mexicans trying to blow up the Capital or White house, maybe because they are busy working and supportung their families and making a living to better themselves, these Ragheads have got to go.
If the students don't like it they can go to another University. My guess is that they knew when they enrolled that this was a Catholic University but had plans to do this all along. Muslims what to force everyone to accommodate them for their religion. These individuals have grown up with hate for the USA. The Muslims will do anything to push for their agenda to make America like other Muslim countries.
There is no hate for Muslims from most Christians but when Muslims want to force their religious traditions on us by demanding special considerations than they are going to far. They could get just as good a educations somewhere else. They just want to cause trouble and make themselves noticed.
God does not say that you have to pray in a certain position or room. Prayer can be observed anywhere.
Some of the radical Muslims what to take over American and make it an Islamic nation. I wonder if I would be free to practice my Christian faith in their countries. I don't think so. Seperation of Church and State.
in our constitution was intended to keep our country from allowing one type of church to have control of other churches as England had at one time.
If any of you reading this article are Christians please keep praying for our county. Many people want the freedom and opportunity that our country offers but they don't want to others to have that freedom unless it's their way.
First why are they even in a Catholic school? And second, this is not their country. This is America. There is no way in Alla that Muslims will let any other religious group practice their form of belief. As a matter of fact anyone practicing anything other than the prescribed religion is tried and convicted and then hung, killed or however else they do it to solve that problem. Let's be real clear here, the Koran is not a holy book! You can call it what you like but it is not a holy book> There is one book the Holy Bible and that is the only book that stand the test of time> There is a Muslim school here where we live and I am certain that it is their way only> The time has come to stop the bowing down to foolishness like this> If you don"t like the rules get out of town> I AM PASTOR DAVID AND I AM SICK AND TIRED OF MUSLIMS TRYING TO CHANGE OUR WAY OF LIFE> JESUS IS LORD AND HE WILL COME AND JUDGE ALLA< BUDDHA< JOESPH SMITH AND ANY OTHER SO CALLED GOD THAT IS PRACTICED>.
They're like cockroaches