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I am a practicing Muslim, and I completely disagree with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s decision to allow all five calls to prayer to be broadcast in Minneapolis. Personally, I find the call to prayer very powerful, and it reminds me of the days of growing up in a Muslim country. However, I believe that the morning and early evening call to prayer will disturb non-religious Muslims or non-Muslims. I think it is totally inappropriate to force this “hype” at such a time on people who have no connection with such a thing and who would be upset by it. It will only lead to negative feelings about the Islamic faith. I don’t think we need more of that.
The Holy Quran teaches Muslims to respect others, their beliefs, and their cultural traditions. Disrupting the local non-Muslim community would be unwelcome and unnecessary. Azan was created by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) at a time when people had no way of knowing the time and determining the time of prayer personally. Nowadays, there is no need for such loud reminders when alarm clocks and related apps are available to everyone. I suspect we will soon see a lawsuit, which will not only create ill feelings across religious lines, but will also soon put an end to this new policy as unacceptable to the society in which we live.
Anwar Bimani, Plymouth
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I was moved, when I got up in the morning, to see two people writing to the Star Tribune with wildly contrasting opinions from each other on the general permitting of Muslim calls to prayer in Minneapolis (readers write, April 17).
One aspect of the rulings passed by the Minneapolis City Council and signed by the mayor should be highlighted: As far as I know, the noise cap in decibels still applies for mosques reading the call to prayer in the early or late hours, and has been in place since the city first allowed a truncated number. for calls last year. Calls are also limited to 6 minutes of time on an amplified public speakerphone.
there. The noise isn’t supposed to be unduly loud, according to city ordinance. If it is too loud any resident has every right to complain, hopefully not petty. More criticism amounts to insisting that the hours from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. are off limits to any public display of religion, a claim that will not be crossed in any court in America, let alone in the minds of most Americans.
And as an atheist, it’s disheartening to see the advocacy of secularism turn into a vehicle for Dawkins’ angry distraction. There are enough religiously motivated attacks on physical integrity, LGBT people, and school curricula across the country to keep everyone’s anger intact. The last thing I would care about is whether I hear a distant Arabic speaker at 5am before my morning coffee. If you find yourself craving thicker walls, opt for thicker skin instead.
Chapman Chance, Minneapolis
Social justice education
I am a former student at Minnesota. My Catholic education at Cretin-Derham Hall High School and St Catherine’s University first introduced me to social justice education. I doubt that the ordained clergy and nuns knew that the social justice approach was “a way to manipulate the youth.” (“Legislative Council plans ‘anti-racism’ revolution in schools,” Sharing Views, April 19). Anti-racism and social justice education taught me to have the moral courage to speak up when a fellow neighbor is facing harm.
I’m a professor of ethnic studies at Minnesota State. Commentary writer Catherine Kirsten’s unenlightened understanding of the academic discipline, Ethnic Studies does not create a mob mentality. Promotes participatory citizenship. My students at the University of Minnesota who are in pre-medical, pre-law, working in business or even dabbling in cadaver studies gain valuable 21st-century skills in my ethnic studies class. They learn how to empathize and how to solve problems when there are multiple realities. They learn that issues require innovation and careful understanding. They learn valuable critical thinking, verbal and verbal communication skills. Research studies show that students who understand their history and identity through ethnic studies perform better academically in all other subjects.
I am a parent from Minnesota. As a mom, I want my kids to get a K-12 ethnic studies education to learn about their heritage. Knowing their family histories as German settler colonists and Mexican and African American immigrants will teach my children about their ancestors’ experiences and contributions to this nation. Ethnic studies are not about division. Ethnic Studies Build Solidarity Across Differences for a Better Minnesota.
Jessica Lopez-Lehman, Roseville
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I thank the Star Tribune for its commitment to providing perspectives from different points of view. Case in point: Christine’s April 19 article, in which she offers her views on how she proposes to teach racism and CSJ (Critical Social Justice) in Minnesota public schools.
Kristen has submitted many articles over the years, and I’ve noticed two things she does consistently. (1) She is very consistent with her criticism of any proposal or action she believes originated from the left. There is nothing wrong with that. It is associated with a conservative think tank organization that offers conservative opinions. (2) She’s too consistent with not offering solutions, and with all due respect, her solution to “crafting a productive outcome” in her April 19 article lacked substance.
In my humble opinion, unless they provide solutions to their grievances, I suggest that the world’s leading political colleagues disseminate their views and positions through the organizations to which they belong. There is a lot of work to be done to improve the social fabric here and around the world, and if you are not willing or able to do any “heavy lifting” towards practical and workable solutions, you may want to rethink why your opinion matters.
Steve Atl, Golden Valley
Teachers and literary
Minnesota’s low ranking for the number of children who can read in a classroom is very disappointing. In this regard, I can agree with the author of the letter of April 18th. However, his statement about where the money appropriated by the legislature for education goes is completely wrong. It is not sent to the teachers union. Education Minnesota is funded strictly by teachers who choose to join, and pay union dues.
The author of the letter further explains that the union uses legislative funds to invest in the Democratic Party. This, too, is clearly wrong. When teachers join Education Minnesota, in addition to paying dues, they can choose to contribute or not to a political action committee, a branch of union that funds political activity related to education, rather than based on party affiliation.
Yes, we need to do more to improve reading scores, but let’s keep the facts straight about where the legislative money goes and how teachers unions are funded.
Mary Berg, Apple Valley