October 28, 2010, - 3:02 pm
Halloween Intolerance: PC, Islam Cancel Halloween Across America
**** SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATE: Tolerant Orthodox Rabbis v. Intolerant Muslims on Halloween ****
While it is largely a secular holiday meant to sell candy, costumes, and haunted house tickets, some Americans–including Orthodox Jews and religious Christians–do not celebrate Halloween, which is related to Christianity, because it is thought of as counter to religious beliefs and is based on past celebration of paganism, witchcraft, etc. Still, those who do not celebrate it are largely tolerant of the fact that it is a part of American pop culture in which many others participate, and they do not impose their non-celebration on others. But that’s not the case for Muslims and a select few intolerant others.
Halloween Intolerance
I’ve now heard several absurd stories about Halloween cancellation in public schools and even a Montessori that go beyond absurdity:
Story #1: A parent of a child attending a Detroit-area Montessori does not celebrate Halloween and opposes her kid being exposed to any mention of the holiday. (A teacher at the school gets her hair cut at the same place as I do.) But it goes further. The Montessori cannot have any pictures or mention of pumpkins, spiders, skeletons, skulls, and even . . . candy corns?!, all per the demands of this parent. All pictures of the above items were removed from the Montessori. Additionally, the colors black and orange were banned for the month of October.
Soooo absurd. We have become a nation of wimps. If you don’t want to have your child exposed to these things, which are celebrated by most Americans, send them to a school or pre-school run by those who share your beliefs. Don’t impose them upon everyone else. My sisters’ families and their kids do not celebrate Halloween, but they don’t impose their beliefs on anyone else. Anyone who does is unAmerican. I don’t celebrate Christmas or Easter, either. But I don’t demand that no-one else celebrate it. This is a Christian country. Deal with it.
I’ll do what I want, and you do what you want. And, together, we should mind our own business and keep our noses out of everyone else’s.
Story #2: Reader/attorney Jon Grant writes:
Here in the people’s republic of Montgomery County, Maryland, at least two schools are canceling any Halloween plans. One politically correct reason is that some students’ parents can’t afford costumes (the mortgage on a 3,000- 4,000 square foot home and BMW payments can be a killer). Of course, some parents are generally hurting, and not all mother’s can make a costume for their children, but come on, does all joy have to stop because a few children are suffering?
Should we eliminate basketball in high school because some students are only 5’5″ tall? Should we eliminate all student parking (probably should anyway), because some students cannot afford cars? Where do we draw the line?
HOWEVER, the most outrageous reason for canceling Halloween is that it would offend the religious sensitivities of some students. No religion was mentioned. Let’s see. Halloween, originally a Celtic holiday, became a Catholic celebration before it became secular. No Orthodox Jews complained (or are ever listened to by this government). [DS: Orthodox Jews, while they don’t celebrate Halloween, would never impose their beliefs on others or demand the cancelation of Halloween parties.] No Christian groups are ever listened to, nor did any ever complain. Hindus and Buddhists never raise a fuss. That leaves the fastest growing religion in the county…ISLAM!!!!!!!
Yes, kiddies, put down those masks, and no candy for you, because Mohammed, the scariest boogeyman of all, has stopped Halloween in your school. Yes, the fear of reprisal has ruined Halloween in some public schools.
Well, there’s quite a bit to back him up. Muslim Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammad, the respected terrorist Muslim cleric, writes on his site that
To believe in or participate in Halloween is an act of Shirk (associating partners with Allah) the greatest crime any person can commit, so severe it is that Allah (SWT) will never forgive the one that commits Shirk and dies upon it. . . .Any person that offers a treat on the night of Halloween will be upon him the curse of Allah. . . .
And the Sheikh goes beyond that, demanding that Muslims help eradicate Halloween from America, saying that the Koran commands this:
Every year thousands upon thousands of young children are encouraged to dress-up as devils, witches, ghosts and many other various demonic figures. This act is followed by knocking from door to door requesting a treat or being tricked as part of the Halloween festival. During the Halloween season, schools, movies, cartoons, shops etc work very hard in promoting and legitimizing Halloween as a celebration worth celebrating.
As Muslims who are firm believers in the Day of Judgement [DS: sic] and responsible guardians of our children, it is important to take all necessary steps to safeguard ourselves and children from any practices that will lead to Hellfire, a punishment which is seventy times hotter than the fires of this world. . . .
As Muslims we are responsible for purifying the lands from any corruption hence we are duty bound to eradicate all evil and the worst is Shirk (giving the right of Allah to another).
Dear Muslims we must realise and understand that any practices, celebrations that do not come from Islam are evil, because if it was good then Allah (SWT) would have included it in our Deen. Halloween is an evil celebration . . . .
Therefore do not participate in this evil, do not purchase anything item to do with Halloween, do not let your children go knocking from door to door for treats, do not give any treats, warn your family members, warn your relatives, warn other Muslims and the non-Muslims about this great evil.
* Story #3: Uber-liberal Black website “Colorlines” says you cannot dress up in costume as a Muslim terrorist, because that would be “racist.” Uh, what race are Muslims? Just askin’. Wiccan and Evangelical Christian terrorist costumes are A-okay, though, right? ‘Cuz we all know they’re the ones who blew up the World Trade Center, killed hundreds of U.S. Marines while they slept in Beirut barracks, tried to blow up a plane with underwear, and tried to blow up Times Square. Right?
Regardless of who or what is the reason, because you or I may or may not celebrate Halloween, it’s absurd to impose this weird political correctness on the rest of America.
**** UPDATE: Reader Ari writes:
Here’s an excerpt from the Artscroll hagiography of Rabbi Yaakov Kaminetzky:
Someone was visiting Reb Yaakov, shortly after he moved to Monsey, when some Halloween trick-or-treaters rang the bell. (…) The man assumed that Reb Yaakov would not be familiar with such a non-Jewish custom from his years living in Williamsburg and hastened to explain to him what the children wanted. But Reb Yaakov was not only familiar with Halloween, the Rebbetzin [DS: Rabbi’s wife] had already prepared bags of sweets for any children that might ring.
It is interesting to see how our great rabbis compare to Islamic “leaders,” now, isn’t it?
Also, there’s this on Rabbi and Mrs. Avrohom Pam:
It was October 31st. [In response to likely], trick-or-treaters, the Pams left their front light on.
While they [and company they had over] all chatted with Rav Pam in the dining room, his Rebbitzen [Rabbi’s wife] was in the kitchen working the hot-air popcorn popper and preparing plastic baggies of popcorn to give out with a smile to all the local non-Jewish kids who knocked at their door.
They all left that night with numerous smiles, brachos [blessings], and best wishes from Rav Pam and his Rebbitzen – but what they all remember most is the powerful lesson the Pams taught them about interacting with their neighbors.
Adds Ari:
Rabbi Pam and Rabbi Kaminetzky are not just any rabbis. They were some of the most respected leaders of their time in Orthodox Judaism. It’s like the Rabbi equivalent of Ronald Reagan.
Yes, this is Orthodox Jewish tolerance that Muslims could learn from, but never will in their campaign for world Islamic empire and their demands that we surrender the West to their Third World mores.
Obamaween: The Scariest Holiday of Them All
Tags: Halloween, Halloween intolerance, intolerance, Islam, Muslims, PC, political correctness
I am Christian and have never “celebrated” Halloween. It’s more of an opportunity to poke fun at zombies, vampires, etc, by dressing up like one. Hehe.
Oscar on October 28, 2010 at 3:09 pm