Yes, you read that headline right. Scott Johnson at Power Line reported yesterday on a lawsuit that is pending in a federal court in Minnesota. The lawsuit was brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) challenging the fact that Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA) K-8 public charter school in suburban St. Paul operates on public funds.
The article reports:
"Discussing the lawsuit, ACLU Minnesota executive director Chuck Samuelson observed: "The issue with TiZA, frankly, was the incredible commingling of church and state. It's a theocratic school. It is as plain as the substantial nose on my face." As a result of Samuelson's statement of the ACLU Minnesota's position in the lawsuit, TiZA alleged that Samuelson and the ACLU had defamed it, asserting several counterclaims against the ACLU Minnesota for amounts in excess of $100,000 (i.e., an unlimited amount)."
The article reports on the results of the defamation suit:
"As to the merits of TiZA's defamation and defamation-related claims, Judge Frank held that "the allegedly defamatory statements all reflect Plaintiff's belief [that TiZA is illegally operating as a religious school] and TiZA has alleged no facts that would demonstrate that Plaintiff entertains any doubts as to the truth of its statements." TiZA therefore had "wholly failed" to allege facts making out the actual malice constitutionally required to support a claim of defamation by a public official or, Judge Frank held, a public school.
"In asserting its defamation and defamation-related counterclaims against Samuelson and the ACLU Minnesota, TiZA was taking a leaf from the old Islamist playbook written by CAIR. The irony in this case is that TiZA pretends to be a nonsectarian institution; it is this pretense that goes to the heart of the pending lawsuit."
It was also noted in the article that TIZA has attempted to prevent witnesses from testifying or otherwise disclosing information relevant to the issues in the lawsuit.
The article concludes:
"(Katherine) Kersten quotes the Dorsey firm's assessment of the evidence uncovered in the case so far in a letter filed with the court on a discovery-related issue: "The ACLU believes Mr. Zaman's testimony relating to control of virtually every significant event at TiZA, MAS-MN, MET and MET's subsidiaries, coupled with his efforts to hide such control, constitute powerful evidence against TiZA's denials that it is a Muslim school and that it funnels state and federal money to other Muslim organizations." Now Islamic organizational allies of TiZA, incidentally, are seeking to have the law firm representing the ACLU Minnesota removed from the lawsuit.
"Kersten concludes: "Every time we read about this lawsuit, we have to pinch ourselves and say: We're talking about a public, taxpayer-funded school." The pending lawsuit is important, and not just for the result to which it might give rise when it is concluded. Along the way it is producing revelations that deserve attention regardless of the result."
I very rarely agree with the ACLU, but in this case they are right. If Islam is to be accepted in America as a religion, it needs to abide by the same rules that other religions in America have to follow. In my own mind, I wonder if Islam wants to be accepted as a religion equal to others in this country or if they are seeking special privileges.
Leave a comment