They served our country through military service; two among many who served this country and fought among thousands who died to preserve First Amendment speech and press freedoms in the United States. But that didn’t matter to the Houston Press.
In the name of the tolerance and diversity they preach rather than practice, the Houston Press allowed reporter Jef Rouner to stoop to a new low—mauling United States military veterans in the public square by calling them “assholes”.
Off the Kuff called two of America’s best and bravest “idiots”—who’s the idiot now?
Among the group of Houstonians exercising diversity of thought—of speech—of opinion outside Houston Not So Independent School District’s Arabic Immersion Magnet School were two United States military veterans.
That’s Bob on the left with the gray beard and Stan on the right in the US Marine Corp tee shirt. Both are U.S. military veterans.
The Houston Press was one outlet among many determined to inhibit the speech and criticism of Houstonians they disagree with.
While Houston’s drive-by leftist media —-CW39, the Houston Chronicle, and the Hamas-linked Council on Ameriphobic Islamic Relations falsely accused grandmothers and U.S. military veterans of bigotry, they deflected attention from and failed to cover or ask one question concerning the purpose and strategic vision of the Memorandum of Understanding between Qatar Foundational International and the Houston Not So Independent School District’s Arabic Immersion Magnet School.
Purpose of the MOU
- Provision of Arabic language and cultural events;
- Teacher language development and professional development;
- Provision of cultural and educational exchange opportunities;
- Resource acquisition and/or development, including the use of Al-Masdar, a website for Arabic language teaching materials, resources and news;
- Promotion of the Arabic language and culture;
- Curriculum development and/or implementation;
- Development and/or application of various technology-based tools;
- And any other projects mutually agreed upon to support Arabic language teaching and learning
Strategic Vision
The Parties have a common interest in:
- Promoting the teaching and learning of Arabic language and culture;
- Exposing students to a diversity of opinions in a neutral environment, which fosters an appreciation and understanding of other worldviews, cultural beliefs, and social systems, and leads to international friendships and visits;
- Supporting and professionalizing the field of Arabic language teaching;
- Employing innovative and effective teaching methodologies; and
- Exploiting modern technologies to support all of the above goals.
Looks like the Arabic Immersion Magnet School has already flunked one of their objectives.
At least there’s no indication of child-soldiers practicing innovative and effective beheading techniques on teddy bears.
** Next: Did a Qatar Foundation International-funded grant program at Lee High School fail to achieve its objectives, too?
vet says
The US is dying from a million cuts. Part of the reason the USA is a nanny police state now is that whenever there is a problem, the kneejerk reaction in the US is to call for a new law.
Nanny state laws are not the best solution, however. Nanny state laws lead to more laws, higher fines, and tougher sentences. Thirty years ago, DWI laws were enacted that led to DWI checkpoints and lower DWI levels. Seatbelt laws led to backseat seatbelt laws, childseat laws, and pet seatbelt laws. Car liability insurance laws led to health insurance laws and gun liability laws. Smoking laws that banned smoking in buildings led to laws against smoking in parks and then bans against smoking in entire cities. Sex offender registration laws led to sex offender restriction laws and violent offender registration laws.
Nanny state laws don’t make us safer, either. Nanny state laws lead people to be careless since they don’t need to have personal responsibility anymore. People don’t need to be careful crossing the street now because drunk-driving has been outlawed and driving while using a cellphone is illegal. People don’t investigate companies or carry out due diligence because businesses must have business licenses now.
The main point of nanny state laws is not safety. The main purpose of more laws is revenue generation for the state.
Many laws are contradictory, too. Some laws say watering lawns is required, while other laws say watering lawns is illegal.
Many nanny state laws that aim to solve a problem can be fixed by using existing laws. If assault is already illegal, why do we need a new law that outlaws hitting umpires?
Nanny state laws are not even necessary. If everything was legal would you steal, murder, and use crack cocaine? Aren’t there other ways to solve problems besides calling the police? Couldn’t people talk to people who bother them? Couldn’t people be sued for annoying behavior? Couldn’t people just move away? Even if assault was legal, wouldn’t attackers risk being killed or injured, too? Having no laws doesn’t mean actions have no consequences.
If there is no victim, there is no crime.
We don’t need thousands of laws when we only need 10.
Freedom is not just a one way street. You can only have freedom for yourself if you allow others to have it.
Think. Question everything.
Joe says
Texas has for the longest not shared the concerns of it’s citizens. If You are not employed by a municipality, a county, and/or The State Of Texas in one form or another, than your beliefs, your righteousness about an issue is of no concern to the aforementioned. Texas is looked upon as being backwards, a good old boy system, and not truly a part of the United States. Is it really any surprise that veterans are publicly called “ass-holes?” Texas public officials are rarely held to account for unlawful conduct, and in fact, if sued by a Texas Citizen, are protected by the office of the state attorney general, and all the power his office can muster against any individual that has the audacity to feel they have any authority to question any actions taken by officials.
The Constitution is something that is of little relevance, or concern to officials. That is one of the main reasons the citizenry can’t, and shouldn’t, trust it’s officials. The corruption from the district attorney’s office, the police officers routinely falsifying evidence, the back room deals that takes money away from much needed programs is nothing new. In fact, it is a statewide problem. The public officials of Texas have openly declared themselves to above the standards they require the citizens to adhere to, and have relegated law enforcement to little more than thugs.
I don’t advocate violence, and am horrified by the cold blooded murder of Harris County Deputy Goforth, and rejoice that the perpetrator was captured. I only wish officials showed the same dedication for what id right. I realize not all officials are corrupt, but if your not doing anything about the ones that are corrupt, then You are just as corrupt.
Hopefully you won’t shut down completely. I have only just now learned of you. I wish You all the best, and pray You can keep up the reports that no one else seems to care to mention. You work is important.
Facepalm says
For future reference, when someone displays ignorant and intolerant behavior, having served in the military does not magically disqualify them from being an idiot or an asshole.
Glad we could clear up that little misconception.
Jef Rouner says
Hi Yvonne,
I wrote the article in the Houston Press. I wanted you to know that I have the utmost respect for veterans as a group, and earlier this year I actually had a huge expose of how badly the VA mishandles pregnant veterans seeking care. If you’d like to read it, it’s here.
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/female-service-members-can-go-to-war-but-cant-give-birth-in-a-va-hospital-6728627
That said, serving your country, while brave, does not mean a person is free from criticism not does it mean I or anyone else should condone an action we find abhorrent., and staging a protest that frightens kindergarteners on the first day of school falls under that heading in my book.
Liz Theiss says
Jeff,
You should have contacted the protesters and asked “what’s up?” at least. The reaction that got magnified about children getting exposed to shouting was highly exaggerated a few late stragglers got caught in a loud verbal exchange directed toward the administrative staff posted at the gate. Things like: “it’s just wrong to put little kids into this program-it’s indoctrination!” the parent’s were the ones who got the angriest and were quite verbal. First Amendment is a tricky thing but we WILL CONTINUE TO HAMMER THE DISTRICT ON TAKING BLOOD MONEY FROM QATAR WHERE KIDS HEADS ARE LOPPED OFF AND DISPLAYED AT THE NEAREST PARK, homosexuals thrown off buildings and little infant girls are sold into sex slavery for ISIS warriors. We did not bring pictures but we may if soon if the press doesn’t do their homework!
Yevette says
Mr.Ken how dare you to call our vet aholes even though you have a First Amendment right to say that can you show a little respect to our vet’s and the First Amendment rights all they were doing was exposing a blind media the truth
Mainstream says
I don’t think being a veteran gives you a pass from being criticized for engaging in an offensive protest. The optics of the protest looked just like Little Rock in the 1950s in which hecklers were opposing progress. Most bizarre was the use by protesters of the Israeli flag, since Arabic is an official language of the nation of Israel. Adults ought to be able to distinguish between teaching a language, and teaching Islam. I grew up next door to Arabic speaking Christians in a small town in the South. Their learning of Arabic certainly did not convert them to being Muslims. Houston has other specialized schools for Mandarin and Spanish, which have not been attacked by these xenophobic, misguided protesters.
Liz Theiss says
Sending 4-5 year olds in to be “immersed” in Arabic is not good optics either. Protesters were getting pictures made at Durham and 28th. The children were largely settled into their classrooms getting on with their day when some VOCAL PARENTS got testy with the protesters who were near the gate. Many stood there with American flags not saying a single word. This was exaggerated, however if people are concerned with children and “optics” they need to get in behind HISD for taking money from a terror state that decapitates them. LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHOULD NOT FORCE DOWN A GLOBAL AGENDA FOR THE CORPORATISTS but rather teach English, history, spelling,math, PE and prove they can keep kids educated in the basic subject areas. Languages can be offered to middle school & HS students when THEY can decide what language interest them. Most of the staff are H-1b Visas from exotic _______________ nations. 93 million Americans are fully unemployed or underemployed.
Liz Theiss says
Talk of “colonization” by Tariq Ramadan in Dallas,TX-BAD OPTICS:http://www.stopthemagnet.com/blog/qatar-foundation-international-our-schools-parents-must-wake
Yvonne Larsen says
Americans are repeatedly told when they” see something to say something”. But when it comes to HISD the preference from Houston’s “circle the wagons” media and those who benefit from HISD contracts is “hear no evil, see no evil” and for pete’s sake “speak no evil”.
realist says
Well, some of the protesters might have a point. How many languages and cultures must your child be exposed to in their young formative years? Isn’t English/American culture good enough to set a solid base from which to learn other cultures? Some people think not.
However, for those who would like to perfect their throat-cutting techniques, there is a new slaughterhouse proposed in Winnie, east of Houston on Jenkins Road off I-10. They will be processing thousands of cattle, sheep and goats per month (no swine). The halal method requires the animal’s throat to be cut so it can bleed
If it passes environmental standards it is scheduled for opening early 2016. No word yet if the excrement contaminants from all those critters being held before they meet their fate will work its way into the bayous and bay system. “Jobs!” “Fertilizer!” “Economy!”
Who needs teddy bears when you can slice up a living, breathing live animal?! Better learn the language, maybe you’ll get promoted faster.
realist says
(Finishing sentence)…. so it can bleed out before being processed.