Hate crimes https://www.morningsidecenter.org/ en Hate at an Arkansas Mosque, Part 2: Restoration https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/hate-arkansas-mosque-part-2-restoration <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Hate at an Arkansas Mosque, Part 2: Restoration</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>&nbsp;</p> <h4><strong>To the Teacher:</strong></h4> <p>In this lesson, students continue the exploration they began in <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/hate-arkansas-mosque-part-1-people">Part 1</a> of what happened after a mosque in Fort Smith, Arkansas, was defaced. In Part 2, students learn about and discuss the aftermath of the event, which included an informal restorative process. The lesson is based on this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/26/us/fort-smith-arkansas-mosque-vandalism-and-forgiveness.html" target="_blank">New York Times story</a>&nbsp;by Sabrina Tavernise. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Opening Ceremony<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Ask a volunteer to read the following by Alice Walker:</p> <p class="rteindent1"><em>Someone told me once</em><br> <em>that Earth is</em><br> <em>the only planet that has</em><br> <em>mornings.</em></p> <p class="rteindent1">The only planet that has mornings!</p> <p class="rteindent1">This is an intriguing thought: and, how would they know? The poet in me loves it, however, because it sees the metaphor of new beginnings, optimism, rising to the occasion (in Mexico a friend calls sunset "the occasion"), and getting on with the new day. I also appreciate the notion of our specialness, as a planet, whether it is accurate or not.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Ask students to think about a time in their lives they tried something anew, were given a second chance, or had a new beginning at something.&nbsp; What was that like?&nbsp; In a go–round (with a talking piece if you use one), ask for student reflections. Or, if time is short today, ask volunteers to share an experience and what it felt like.</p> <p>Next, invite students to talk about a time in their lives they did something they regretted after the fact – something they wished they hadn't done, or done differently perhaps.&nbsp; Maybe it was something they did out of anger or because they were tired, overwhelmed, stressed out or otherwise compromised. &nbsp;What happened?&nbsp; How did it make them feel, and what do they wish they could have done differently?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>The Harm at the Al Salam Mosque</h4> <p>Invite students to think back to part 1 of the lesson about the Fort Smith Mosque.&nbsp; If they don't recall, remind students of the acts of vandalism on the Al Salam Mosque committed by Abraham Davis and his friends.</p> <p>Restorative questions to consider for Abraham, who participated in the harm–doing:</p> <ul> <li style="margin–left: 0.25in;">What do they think Abraham might have been thinking and feeling at the time?</li> <li style="margin–left: 0.25in;">What has Abraham been thinking and feeling since then?</li> <li style="margin–left: 0.25in;">Who do students think were affected by the young men's action(s)?&nbsp; Encourage students to include but go beyond the obvious mosque community members, e.g.:</li> </ul> <p style="margin–left:.75in;">o&nbsp;&nbsp; the mosque community members and their imam<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; other Muslims in town<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; other minorities in town<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; the surrounding community<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; Abraham's family and friends (and the families and friends of the other two young men involved in the vandalism)<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; Abraham's elementary school principal<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; the police involved in the investigation<br> o&nbsp;&nbsp; the lawyers, judges, etc. who are part of the criminal justice system<br> &nbsp;</p> <p>Next ask students to consider <em>how</em> the Al Salam Mosque community members were harmed. Restorative questions to consider:</p> <ul> <li>What was the reaction of mosque members at the time of the incident?</li> <li>What were their thoughts and feelings at the time of the incident?</li> <li>How were they affected?</li> <li>What do students think were some of the hardest things for the mosque community members?<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>Based on what we just discussed and knowing what we know:</p> <ul> <li>Do you think there should be consequences for Abraham's actions?</li> <li>Do you have a sense of what those consequences should be?</li> <li>Who do you think should have a say in determining what the consequences should be?&nbsp; Why?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Small Group Dialogue<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Invite students, in groups of three to five, to read and then discuss <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Arkansas%20Mosque%20–%20next(1).pdf">this handout</a> (which also appears at the end of this lesson). Use some of all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about what you just read?</li> <li>What stood out for you?&nbsp; Why?</li> <li>How do you feel about what the mosque members decided to do in response to the vandalism?</li> <li>How do you feel about how the court responded?</li> <li>Based on what you know, do you think there was healing from the harm done?</li> <li>Were things were made right in the end?&nbsp; How?</li> <li>Did the courts participate in the healing and/or making things right?&nbsp; What are your thoughts about that?</li> </ul> <p>Explain that several of the questions used in our lesson today, are part of the process of "restorative practices" or "restorative justice."</p> <p>These practices are in contrast to the more commonly used "punitive practices." Punitive practices focus on rules and on imposing consequences on those who reak the rules, without necessarily taking the individual people involved in the incident, or the specific circumstances, into consideration. &nbsp;More often than not, the focus of punishment is on the act of harmdoing and on the consequences for the person who did the harm.&nbsp; The people who were harmed (often called victims), are usually excluded from any process of healing or making things right.&nbsp; In Forth Smith, the prosecutor's office used a punitive approach: It went ahead with its conviction, seemingly without taking the Al Salam Mosque community's wishes into account.</p> <p>"Restorative practices" try to include the people who were harmed in the process of making things as right as possible (given the situation and the people involved).&nbsp; The restorative process is voluntary.&nbsp; If people choose to engage in restorative practices, everyone is given a chance to share how they were affected by the events.&nbsp; Since people and relationships – that is, the fabric of community – was &nbsp;harmed by the vandalism in Fort Smith, it is that fabric that a restorative approach seeks to repair. Only the members of the mosque can know what they need for that repair to be possible. &nbsp;</p> <p>In this story, it appears that while the court used a punitive approach, the people involved chose a restorative response. &nbsp;Abraham expressed his remorse in a letter to the mosque, which was not a court requirement.&nbsp; And Dr. Nassri, on behalf of the mosque community, generously went out of his way to argue against a felony conviction for Abraham.&nbsp; The court went ahead with the conviction it anyway, and the lawyers advised the mosque community not to meet with Abraham.</p> <p>Despite this, Abraham reached out to the mosque community on Facebook and expressed his gratitude for the support he'd gotten from them. &nbsp;In response Wisam reached out to Abraham.</p> <ul> <li>Who provided healing to whom there? Explain.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Closing<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Read aloud the message Yasim sent to Abraham:</p> <p class="rteindent1">Bro move on with life we forgave you from the first time you apologized don't let that mistake bring you down ... I speak for the whole Muslim community of fort smith we love you and want you to be the best example in life we don't hold grudges against anybody!</p> <p>Invite students to think about this quote in the context of what they learned about the events in Fort Smith. &nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> Handout:&nbsp; What happened next</h4> <p><a href="/sites/default/files/files/Arkansas%20Mosque%20–%20next(1).pdf">(See pdf version here)</a></p> <p>Below is Abraham's letter to the Al Salam Mosque community:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">Dear Masjid Al Salam Mosque,<br> &nbsp;<br> I know you guys probably don't want to hear from me at all but I really want to get this to y'all. I'm so sorry about having a hand in vandalixing your mosque. It was wrong and y'all did not deserve to have that done to you. I hurt y'all and I am haunted by it. And even after all this you still forgave me. You are much better people than I.<br> &nbsp;<br> I don't know what's going to happen to me, and that is honestly really scary. But I just wouldn't want to keep going on without trying to make amends. I wish I could undo the pain I helped to cause. I used to walk by your mosque a lot and ask myself why I would do that. I don't even hate Muslims. Or anyone for that matter.&nbsp; All in all, I just want to say I'm sorry.</p> <p>&nbsp;<br> After receiving Abraham's letter of remorse and apology, Dr. Nassri, the president of Al the Salam Mosque, convened a meeting of senior members of the mosque. &nbsp;In the sermon, the imam reminded them of their duty of Muslims to forgive.&nbsp; Anas Bensalah was at the meeting and said, if one of my kids did something stupid like this I would want them to be forgiven. &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> After the meeting, Dr. Nassri reached out to the prosecutor's office to let them know that the mosque did not want to press charges and strongly opposed a felony charge for Abraham.&nbsp; They did not want to destroy Abraham's life.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> But although Dr. Nassri met the prosecutors a second time, they decided that Abraham would need to plead guilty to a felony, or face a trial.&nbsp; He wouldn't have to go to prison if he stayed out of trouble for three years.&nbsp; But any minor violation in those three years could land him behind bars for six years. &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Dr. Nassri was taken aback.&nbsp; This is not what he had asked for.&nbsp; The court's consequences were harsher than the mosque members wanted. He said, "They call us the victims, and the victims say, ‘Hey, guys, loosen up!'"<br> &nbsp;<br> Hisham, one of the Mosque's founders, agreed.&nbsp; Though he loves America, he doesn't like how hard it is to get a second chance in this country. "You do a stupid thing and you pay for it, but then no one will hire you," he said.&nbsp; Hisham has helped two men in this situation.&nbsp; He has given them odd jobs at his car lot and gone to court with them when no one else would.&nbsp; He feels these men already paid for their mistakes, in other ways as well.&nbsp; He sayd, "Someone messes up and it sticks with him all his life. Even if he tries to become a good man, the community says to him, ‘You are a bad man!' They encourage him to be a bad man."<br> &nbsp;<br> When Abraham finally got home, he wanted to visit the mosque to say hello and thank the community.&nbsp; Dr. Nassri was good with this.&nbsp; He'd asked the prosecutor to allow Abraham to come, but was told no.&nbsp; Anas Bensalah suggested meeting Abraham in a café, but the public defender advised against it.&nbsp; So Abraham turned to Facebook:&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">Well, I'm home now ... I just want to say thank you to all those who have been supporting me and a big thanks to the guys at the mosque who have been supportive and helpful and I pray blessings over them.</p> <p>&nbsp;<br> The next day, he saw a response from Wasim, Hisham Yasin's son, who Abraham had been friends with in school:</p> <p class="rteindent1">Bro move on with life we forgave you from the first time you apologized don't let that mistake bring you down ... I speak for the whole Muslim community of fort smith we love you and want you to be the best example in life we don't hold grudges against anybody!"</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-09-03T10:46:17-04:00" title="Sunday, September 3, 2017 - 10:46">September 3, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 03 Sep 2017 14:46:17 +0000 fionta 317 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Hate at an Arkansas Mosque, Part 1: The People https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/hate-arkansas-mosque-part-1-people <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Hate at an Arkansas Mosque, Part 1: The People</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>To the Teacher:</h4> <p>In this activity, students consider what happened after a mosque in Fort Smith, Arkansas was defaced. They will explore the personal stories of people in the community, including those targeted by the attack, through information gleaned from this <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/26/us/fort-smith-arkansas-mosque-vandalism-and-forgiveness.html">New York Times story</a> by Sabrina Tavernise about the incident and its aftermath. &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Gathering</h4> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br> Share with students that beginning with the presidential election campaign last year, hate crimes against Muslims – and people perceived to be Muslim –– have been on the rise across the U.S.<br> &nbsp;<br> Explain that today, we’ll learn about and discuss one particular incident that took place in Arkansas, and what happened afterwards.<br> &nbsp;</p> <img alt="Tweet screenshot" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="750b4e44-815d-4e13-a919-c7665e692f22" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Mosque%20defacement.jpg" class="align-center" width="379" height="621" loading="lazy"> <p><br> Show students the tweet pictured above. &nbsp;Ask students to share a specific observation about the photo or the text of the tweet.</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4><strong>Introduction: An Arkansas Mosque is Vandalized</strong><br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Read to students the following <a href="http://www.thv11.com/news/local/vandalism–found–on–fort–smith–mosque–islamic–center/339335223">news story from AP</a>, which appeared on October 20, 2016. (Alternatively, show students this local <a href="http://www.nwahomepage.com/news/fox–24/mosque–vandalized–police–still–searching–for–suspects/598050152">Fox News report</a>.)</p> <div class="rteindent1">"FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) – Police in Fort Smith say vandalism has been found on a mosque and Islamic center in the western Arkansas city.&nbsp; Sgt. Daniel Grubbs says the messages found Thursday morning on the Masjid Al Salam Mosque and the Fort Smith Islamic Center include profanity, phrases such as "Go Home" and "Go Back to Your Country" in addition to <u>swastikas</u>.&nbsp; Grubbs says police are searching for three men seen shortly after 5 a.m. apparently spray–painting signs, a door, windows and a garage.&nbsp; Grubbs said the vandals could face charges of harassment and criminal mischief and that the FBI is joining the investigation.&nbsp; Mosque member Hisham Yasin told KHBS–TV that plans are to clean off the building on Friday."</div> <p>&nbsp;<br> Invite students to reflect on this news report by asking some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about this report?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>Who was impacted by the vandalism?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How do you think the various parties to the vandalism felt?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What do you think might motivate a person to do such a thing?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>What do you think the consequences should be for the people who vandalized the mosque? If students are familiar with restorative practices, ask: What would a punitive consequence look like?&nbsp; What would a restorative consequence look like?<br> &nbsp;</li> <li>How does this connect to the larger discussion about hate, intolerance and racism in the U.S. today?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> &nbsp;<br> About the Al Salam Mosque Community</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Split your class into three groups, providing each group with one of these Al Salam Mosque member bios, adapted from a story in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/26/us/fort-smith-arkansas-mosque-vandalism-and-forgiveness.html">New York Times</a>.&nbsp; (The text of each handout is also included below.)&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>Handout on <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20–%20%20Hisham%20Yasin.pdf">Hashim Yasin</a></li> <li>Handout on <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20–%20%20Anas%20Bensalah.pdf">Anas Bensalah</a></li> <li>Handout on <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20–%20Hania%20Al–Shahrouri.pdf">Dr. Hania Al–Shahrouri</a></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> If your class is particularly big, split the class into six groups so that you have two groups dedicated to each of the bios.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Invite the students in each group to read the bio they were assigned and discuss the questions at the end of their handout.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Next, ask the students to come back together in the full group and invite a student from each small group to introduce their Al Salam Mosque member and share highlights from the discussion that took place in their small group.<br> &nbsp;<br> When each group has presented, ask some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What did you learn about some of the Muslim community members in Fort Smith?</li> <li>How do you think they might they respond if faced with the people who vandalized their mosque with hateful symbols and messages?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>&nbsp;Al Salam Mosque Bios&nbsp;</h4> <p><br> <strong>Hisham Yasin</strong> is a 39–year old Muslim resident of Fort Smith. He grew up poor, but after moving to Arkansas in 1996, he built up a successful used–car business with his brother.&nbsp; He now lives comfortably in a big house on the edge of town with his three children, who have what he calls a "five–star–life." Hisham was one of the founders of Al Salam Mosque and continues to be a board member.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> On October 20, 2016, Hisham rushed to the Al Salam mosque, not for his morning prayers, as he might have done on other mornings, but carrying a gun after having received a distressed phone call from the mosque’s imam (or prayer leader). &nbsp;As Hisham pulled into the mosque’s driveway, he saw a swastika on the mosque’s curbside sign and writing on the building: "Go Home" and "We Don’t Want You Here U.S.A." And there was more.&nbsp; The vandals had written profanities about Islam and Allah (God) and a phrase in Latin: "Deus Vult," which he found out later was a rallying cry used during the Crusades meaning, "It is God’s will."<br> &nbsp;<br> Hisham was profoundly hurt.&nbsp; These vandals didn’t understand how America was the only home he had ever known.&nbsp; As a Palestinian refugee living in Syria, he had been stateless. America had given him a country. It had given him dignity when he traveled with his American passport to places he’d been banned from before. When they saw his passport, people at the border would stand up straight and say, "Welcome Mr. Hisham!"<br> &nbsp;<br> At the mosque that October morning, Hisham sprang into action. He called the police.&nbsp; He called the mosque’s board members and he called the media. By early afternoon the story was breaking in the news.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> And then something wonderful happened:&nbsp; Churches called. A synagogue called.&nbsp; Buddhists called. So did residents who’d seen the news or simply drove by and saw the vandalism for themselves.<br> &nbsp;<br> The mosque was inundated with cards and letters.&nbsp; Some even sent flowers.&nbsp; People reached out from as far away as Reston, VA.&nbsp; Hisham was overjoyed.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Discuss the following:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Hisham’s experiences?</li> <li>How do you think Hisham felt about what happened to the mosque?&nbsp;</li> <li>How do you think the reaction to the vandalism from churches and others in the community affected Hisham?</li> <li>&nbsp;If you were to describe Hisham using a word or two, what would they be?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Anas Bensalah</strong>, who is from Morocco, moved to Fort Smith in 2000 to attend college. He fell in love with a local woman, who was white and Christian. The two got married, even though her family refused to accept Anas.&nbsp; At the time, Anas believed he wasn’t accepted because of his skin color. But looking back, he now thinks religion probably had something to do with it as well. His wife’s family asked her why she "wasn’t marrying her own kind." "White women are supposed to marry white men," they said.<br> &nbsp;<br> When Anas’s wife was in the hospital giving birth to their first child, her relatives stopped him from entering the building. Pleading with them outside, he says was one of the worst experiences of his life.&nbsp; He was not able to be with her when she gave birth to his son. "I saw the power of anger and ignorance," he said.<br> &nbsp;<br> Determined, Anas wore down his in–laws with his wit and generosity. He kept at it and even helped one of his in–laws recover from a drug addiction.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Anas Bensalah is a member of the Al Salam Mosque in town. He took the day off to help with the clean up after vandals defaced the mosque in October 2016.&nbsp; He spoke of the racist symbols used in the attack:&nbsp; "A swastika is a small act of terrorism if you think about it." He added, "it’s scary." Anas said that the symbols had their desired effect on the Muslim community because they were racist and threatening.&nbsp; Simple insults would not have gotten people’s attention in the same way.<br> &nbsp;<br> On the day of the clean up, Anas spoke to a man who called him, crying. The man explained that the vandals could not have been Christians, because no true Christian could have done this. Anas told him he could relate:&nbsp; that is exactly how he feels every time there is an attack by Islamic State.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Discuss the following:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Anas Bensalah’s experiences?</li> <li>How do you think Anas felt about what happened to the mosque?&nbsp;</li> <li>What did Anas mean when he told the man who was crying that he felt the same way whenever there was an attack by the Islamic State?</li> <li>If you were to describe Anas Bensalah using a word or two, what would they be?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><br> <br clear="all"> <strong>Dr. Hania Al–Shahrouri</strong>, is a member of the Al Salam mosque in Fort Smith.&nbsp; After the vandalism at the mosque in October 2016, she has started speaking to local audiences about Islam.&nbsp; She is a kidney specialist from Jordan.<br> &nbsp;<br> As a Muslim woman in the U.S., Hania says she has gotten used to people staring at her because of her head covering. She feels that wearing the Muslim head covering, known as a <em>hijab, </em>in the United States is as much an act of bravery as it is an act of faith.<br> &nbsp;<br> When people stare at her, Hania Al–Shahrouri tells herself that it’s because they think she’s pretty, or because they like the color of her <em>hijab</em>. At the same time, she is concerned that her children (including her 13–year–old daughter) may not have the self–confidence needed in such situations.<br> &nbsp;<br> Hania does what she can to protect them. &nbsp;She uses her status as a doctor and her wealth; she drives a Mercedes–Benz sport utility vehicle and carries an expensive hand bag.&nbsp; She doesn’t like that she has to do these things, but she knows that money often commands respect. In some ways, the Muslims who are better off are spared the bigotry that many poorer Muslims face.<br> &nbsp;<br> Hania Al–Shahrouri loves the United States. There may be bigotry, but she believes the system to be fair. She illustrates this by talking about a time she entered a kidney transplant ward in 2004 with her medical team.&nbsp; A patient’s wife ranted and raved that Dr. Al–Shahouri would kill her husband "like they killed us on 9/11."&nbsp; The doctor in charge of the medical team, warned the woman that if she wouldn’t let Dr. Al–Shahouri treat her husband, no one else would. The medical team walked out of the patient’s room.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Discuss the following:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Dr. Al–Shahrouri’s experiences?</li> <li>Why does she say that wearing a hijab is as much as an act of bravery as it is an act of faith?</li> <li>How do you think Dr. Al–Shahrouri felt about what happened to the mosque?&nbsp;</li> <li>If you were to describe Dr. Al Shahrouri using a word or two, what would they be?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Abraham Davis and Kristin Collins bios</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Give students the next two handouts with bios of Abraham, who was one of the young men who acted to deface the mosque, and Kristin, his mother. Give Abraham’s bio to half of the class and&nbsp; Kristin’s to the other half.&nbsp; &nbsp;The bios are adapted from a story in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/26/us/fort-smith-arkansas-mosque-vandalism-and-forgiveness.html">New York Times</a>.&nbsp; (The text of each handout is also included below.)&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><a href="/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20–%20Abraham%20Davis.pdf">Handout on Abraham Davis</a></li> <li><a href="/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20–%20Kristin%20Collins.pdf">Handout on Kristin Collins</a></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> After reading their bio, invite students to turn to someone who read a different bio to talk about what they’ve read. Invite them in pairs to discuss what struck them about the bios, as well as the questions at the end of the bios.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Finally, bring the group back together and discuss:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Abraham and his mother?</li> <li>How did reading their stories affect how you see what happened at the mosque that night?</li> <li>Knowing what you know now, what do you think should happen next?&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><br> <br> <strong>Abraham Davis</strong> is a 20–year old white resident of Fort Smith, Arkansas. On the night of October 19, 2016, Abraham Davis borrowed his mother’s white minivan and drove it to his friend, Craig Wigginton’s house, where the two proceeded to get drunk. Next, Abraham agreed to drive with Craig to the Al Salam Mosque. While Abraham stood watch in the driveway, his friend drew swastikas and wrote curses and threats on the mosque’s windows and doors. &nbsp;As the news story of the vandalism broke the next day, Abraham watched the reports on his phone.&nbsp; He was full of regret and felt terrible. In hindsight, he couldn’t even explain why he’d done it.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Abraham had grown up in Fort Smith. His father was charismatic, but violent; he died when Abraham was 5 years old.&nbsp; Abraham felt powerless and worked all his young life to overcome that feeling.&nbsp; He grew up poor though he attended a high school on the wealthier side of town.&nbsp; He was the kid who walked while others drove places. He had anger management issues. He got support for this problem in elementary school but as he continued on to middle and high school, he got into lots of fights and did poorly in school.&nbsp; This didn’t seem to surprise his teachers or Abraham himself. He slept a lot in class, living up to the adults’ low expectations. He dropped out at age 18.<br> &nbsp;<br> In Fort Smith, poorer families live on the north side of town, while wealthier families live to the south. Race followed the same pattern: The southern part of the city is mostly white. Over time, Latino immigrants settled in town, as did Vietnamese and North Indian communities. Muslims from different countries settled in Forth Smith from 1970s on.&nbsp; Most white people didn’t know any Muslims in town.&nbsp; Abraham did.&nbsp; He went to school with Wasim Yasin.&nbsp; The two often had lunch together and according to Wasim, "Abraham was a good guy."&nbsp; Abraham once told Wasim: "I’m with you, man. If anyone bothers you, just let me know.&nbsp; I’m your friend."<br> &nbsp;<br> Despite the stories in the news about the vandalizing of the mosque, there appeared to be no follow up at first; no one was charged. But at night, Abraham’s dreams haunted him.&nbsp; When the police finally came to arrest him four months later, he wasn’t surprised. He felt he’d been heading toward prison all along, though he hadn’t expected it to happen quite this way. This was not what Abraham had envisioned for himself, and he felt remorse for what he’d done.<br> &nbsp;<br> Thinking back to that fateful night, Abraham realized that for all the regret and pain the vandalism had caused, the decision to do it had taken no time at all. Abraham and Craig had been drinking and talking about Islamic State (IS) the night they committed the vandalism. Craig was angry about American soldiers being killed and children dying. They had the impulse to retaliate.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Abraham recognizes now how ignorant he and his friends were for lumping all Muslims together. He wishes he would have stopped it: "I wish I could go back in time and say, ‘Hey, dumbass, I’m the future you, and I’m telling you, don’t do this.’" Abraham’s&nbsp; brother Noah drove him to the police station to turn himself in. On the way, they stopped by the family’s home so Abraham could say goodbye.&nbsp; His mother was devastated and sobbing. Abraham described her "like a woman who had just got broken." He thinks about her a lot. "It’s stuff like that that hurts you while you are in jail. You replay and replay. It’s torture on your mind."<br> &nbsp;<br> The family couldn’t afford the $1,580 for the bail bond, so Abraham stayed in jail until the case went to court.&nbsp; It took a month for his mother, Kristin, to arrange her first visit with her son in jail.&nbsp; They cried when they finally saw each other.&nbsp; Kristin and Noah visited every Saturday after that.&nbsp; Abraham had focused his whole life on being strong enough to protect his family, but in the end he realized that he was the one who had inflicted the most hurt on his family.&nbsp; He felt a powerful urge to make things right.<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Discuss the following questions:&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Abraham’s experiences?</li> <li>How does Abraham feel now about what happened to and at the mosque?&nbsp;</li> <li>If you were to describe Abraham using a word or two, what would they be?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br clear="all"> <strong>Kristin Collins </strong>is a 45–year old mother of three who lives with her (second) husband in Fort Smith, Arkansas.&nbsp; She has leukemia.&nbsp; He has Parkinson’s. The family lives on the $1,700 per month they receive in disability insurance, which is supposed to support the family of five, including Kristin’s oldest child, Abraham Davis, and his younger brothers Noah Davis and Gabriel Collins. It is impossible for the family to make ends meet.&nbsp; They owe several thousand dollars in back rent and their minivan needs repairs they can’t afford, so Kristin sometimes relies on church foodbanks at the end of the month to be able to feed her family.<br> &nbsp;<br> Kristin has always known her two older sons to be different:&nbsp; Noah, the middle one, was shy and sensitive and a hard worker. Abraham would escape into comic books and cartoons. Yet despite their differences, the two brothers were extremely close.&nbsp; Abraham was also very protective of Noah, who was a frequent target for bullies.&nbsp; He stood up for his brother from an early age, fighting kids who made fun of Noah.&nbsp; His elementary school principal described him as having "a big heart and a short fuse."<br> &nbsp;<br> Abraham saw himself as "one of the outcasts" but he seemed okay with that.&nbsp; He could be himself with a small, tight group of friends, one of whom was Craig Wigginton, a tall intense teenager, who lived in a small apartment across town. Craig had no easy life either, and the two boys bonded over that and helped each other out. Abraham thought Craig was extremely smart.&nbsp; Craig, moreover, made Abraham feel good about himself.<br> &nbsp;<br> But Craig also had a racist streak. He said things that made Kristin nervous. On the evening of October 19, 2016, Abraham asked to use the minivan to go hang out with Craig.&nbsp; Kristin was reluctant to let him take the car because she knew it had problems she couldn’t afford to fix, but she let him anyway.&nbsp; It would be four months before she found out what he’d done when he left with the minivan that night.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> On the night of February 17, 2017, the police came to the house with a warrant for Abraham’s arrest. &nbsp;Abraham wasn’t home, so Noah went to pick him up in the same white minivan with which it all started.&nbsp; Noah initially thought it was a case of mistaken identity. &nbsp;He asked his brother what he’d done – what required a $15,000 bond?<br> &nbsp;<br> Noah drove his brother to the police station to turn himself in. They first stopped by the family’s house so Abraham could say goodbye.&nbsp; Kristin was devastated and sobbing.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> The family couldn’t afford the $1,580 for the bail bond so Abraham stayed in jail till the case went to court.&nbsp; It took a month for Kristin to arrange her first visit with Abraham in jail.&nbsp; They cried when they finally saw each other.&nbsp; Kristin and Noah visited every Saturday after that.&nbsp; Abraham had focused his whole life on being strong enough to protect his family, but in the end he realized that he was the one who had inflicted the most hurt.&nbsp; He felt a powerful urge to make things right.<br> &nbsp;<br> Discuss the following questions</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about Kristin’s experiences?</li> <li>How do you think Kristin felt about what happened to the mosque?&nbsp;</li> <li>If you were to describe Kristin using a word or two, what would they be?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Abraham’s Letter<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>At the end of Abraham’s bio, we learned that he felt a powerful urge to make things right. While in jail, he decided to write a letter to his mom, explaining himself.<br> &nbsp;<br> He also wrote the following letter to the members of the mosque:<br> &nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">Dear Masjid Al Salam Mosque,<br> &nbsp;<br> I know you guys probably don’t want to hear from me at all but I really want to get this to y’all. I’m so sorry about having a hand in vandalizing your mosque. It was wrong and y’all did not deserve to have that done to you. I hurt y’all and I am haunted by it. And even after all this you still forgave me. You are much better people than I.<br> &nbsp;<br> "I don’t know what’s going to happen to me, and that is honestly really scary. But I just wouldn’t want to keep going on without trying to make amends. I wish I could undo the pain I helped to cause. I used to walk by your mosque a lot and ask myself why I would do that. I don’t even hate Muslims. Or anyone for that matter.<br> &nbsp;<br> All in all, I just want to say I’m sorry.</p> <p>&nbsp;<br> Abraham did not know the mosque’s address so he sent it to his mom asking her to deliver it.&nbsp; It was postmarked three days after his arrest.&nbsp; Abraham’s brother Noah drove the letter to the mosque that Friday.&nbsp; Dr. Nassri, one of the mosque’s leaders, received the letter and was moved by it.&nbsp; No one had expected to hear from the vandals.&nbsp; This came as a surprise.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> Invite student responses to the letter:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What are your thoughts and feelings about the letter?</li> <li>Does this change anything for you? Why? Why not?</li> <li>Do you think it changes anything for Dr. Nassri and the other members of the Al Salam Mosque?&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; Why not?</li> <li>What do you think should happen next?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>Closing<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>Invite students to reflect on the different responses to the vandalism we heard about in the story. What stands out for them? Why? They might consider:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>Hisham, rushing to the mosque with a gun to protect the imam</li> <li>the members of the mosque taking time to come together to help clean the mosque&nbsp;</li> <li>the outpouring from the community, including Christian and Jewish congregations in town</li> <li>Anas Bensalah’s conversation with the Christian man who called the day after the attacks</li> <li>Dr. Al–Shahrouri, who started speaking to local audiences about Islam</li> <li>Abraham’s reflection on what he’d done and the letter that came out of that</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/hate-arkansas-mosque-part-2-restoration">See Part 2 of this series.</a> In it, students learn about and discuss the aftermath of the event, which included an informal restorative process.&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-09-03T09:14:23-04:00" title="Sunday, September 3, 2017 - 09:14">September 3, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Sun, 03 Sep 2017 13:14:23 +0000 fionta 318 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org The Struggle Over Symbols of Hate https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/struggle-over-symbols-hate <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>The Struggle Over Symbols of Hate</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><hr> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>For the Teacher:<br> &nbsp;</h4> <p>The violent rally organized by white supremacists and Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017 was motivated in part by their opposition to removing white supremacist symbols that remain prominent in communities throughout the U.S. – including Confederate monuments and the Confederate flag.</p> <p>In this activity, students read, consider and discuss quotes about the presence of these symbols across our country, what the symbols represent, and what we should do about them.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> If you have not yet discussed what happened in Charlottesville with your students, consider giving students a chance to share their thoughts and feelings before delving into this lesson. See our activity <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/charlottesville-reflection-circle" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> Our <a href="http://www.morningsidecenter.org/sites/default/files/documents–pdfs/Charlottesville%20Background%20Reading.pdf">background reading on the Charlottesville rally</a> and the events leading up to this violent gathering of white supremacist groups may also be helpful.<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <p><br> <em><strong>Tweet below:</strong> &nbsp;Several days after white supremacists rallied in Charlottesville in support of the Robert E. Lee monument, the city of Baltimore took down four Confederate monuments overnight. &nbsp;</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf–8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">For those just waking up, here's what happened in Baltimore: the city's dead-of-night removal of all four of its Confederate monuments. <a href="https://t.co/gaquP2hlqN">pic.twitter.com/gaquP2hlqN</a></p> — Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlecMacGillis/status/897751767290654720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> Gathering<br> If faced with courage ...</h3> <p><br> Read the following quote out loud: &nbsp;</p> <p class="rteindent1">"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage,&nbsp;need not be lived again."</p> <p>Ask students what they think this Maya Angelou quote means.&nbsp; Next ask them why they think this quote is relevant in the context of what happened in Charlottesville, VA, on August 11–12, 2017, when white nationalists clashed with protesters.<br> &nbsp;<br> <br> Check agenda and objectives<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> History, Monuments, &amp; Markers</h3> <p><br> Below are a series of quotes and statements by different people from around the country who have taken Maya Angelou’s quote to heart and are actively and courageously working so that people need not continue to relive the historic terror and pain this country is founded on.<br> <br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>BRYAN STEVENSON<br> Founder and Director of the Equal Justice Initiative<br> &nbsp;</h4> <div class="rteindent1">"In America, we don't talk about slavery. We don't talk about lynching. We don't talk about segregation. Our silence has left us vulnerable to new forms of bigotry and discrimination that we need to address.<br> &nbsp;<br> This idea that racial difference can make you a target of violence and terrorism is something that we’ve been dealing with for a very long time, and I think we just haven’t really talked about it. &nbsp;... You go to Germany now, and you are forced to deal with the legacy of the Holocaust, because there are markers and monuments everywhere. We do the opposite in this country. ... In all of these states, you find Confederate memorials and monuments everywhere, dedicated to the people who were defending slavery, trying to preserve slavery, and yet nothing about the pain and anguish and suffering and injustice that those institutions created.<br> &nbsp;<br> Our nation's history of racial injustice casts a shadow across the American landscape. This shadow cannot be lifted until we shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation, traumatized people of color, and compromised our commitment to the rule of law and to equal justice.<br> &nbsp;<br> And one of the things we want to do by erecting [our own] markers and monuments is to get communities to begin to reflect more soberly on what this [American] history represents."</div> <p>&nbsp;<br> After reading what Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative says about historical markers in Germany and this country, invite students to discuss some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What does Bryan Stevenson say about the markers of the Holocaust in Germany?</li> <li>What does he say about Confederate markers in the U.S. and what they are dedicated to?</li> <li>What kind of markers do you think Bryan Stevenson is looking to erect to "shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation" so that we may "reflect more soberly on what this [American] history represents"?</li> <li>How does this relate to Maya Angelou’s quote?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;<br> For more information about historical markers that Bryan Stevenson’s organization the Equal Justice Initiative, is looking to erect, go <a href="https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/museum" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://museumandmemorial.eji.org/memorial" target="_blank">here</a>. &nbsp;<br> <br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4>MITCH LANDRIEU<br> Mayor of New Orleans Mayor &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</h4> <div class="rteindent1">"New Orleans is truly a city of many nations, a melting pot, a bubbling caldron of many cultures. There is no other place quite like it in the world that so eloquently exemplifies the uniquely American motto: e pluribus unum — out of many we are one.&nbsp; But there are also other truths about our city that we must confront.&nbsp; New Orleans was America’s largest slave market: a port where hundreds of thousands of souls bought, sold and shipped up the River to lives of forced labor of misery of rape, of torture.&nbsp; America was the place where nearly 4000 of our fellow citizens were lynched ... where the courts enshrined ‘separate but equal’; where Freedom riders coming to New Orleans were beaten to a bloody pulp. ...<br> &nbsp;<br> And [this] ... begs the questions, why there are no slave ship monuments, no prominent markers on public land to remember the lynchings or the slave blocks; nothing to remember this long chapter of our lives; the pain, the sacrifice, the shame... all of it happening on the soil of New Orleans. So for those self–appointed defenders of history and the [Confederate] monuments, they are eerily silent on what amounts to this historical ... lie by omission. There is a difference between remembrance of history and reverence of it.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> For America and New Orleans, it has been a long, winding road, marked by great tragedy and great triumph. But we cannot be afraid of our truth. ... So today I want to speak about why we chose to remove these ... [Confederate] monuments ...<br> &nbsp;<br> The historic record is clear, the Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and P.G.T. Beauregard statues were not erected just to honor these men, but as part of the movement which became known as The Cult of the Lost Cause. This ‘cult’ had one goal — through monuments and through other means — to rewrite history to hide the truth, which is that the Confederacy was on the wrong side of humanity. First erected over 166 years after the founding of our city and 19 years after the end of the Civil War, the monuments that we took down were meant to rebrand the history of our city and the ideals of a defeated Confederacy.<br> &nbsp;<br> It is self–evident that these men did not fight for the United States of America, They fought against it. ... These statues are not just stone and metal. They are not just innocent remembrances of a benign history. These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy; ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement, and the terror that it actually stood for."</div> <p>&nbsp;<br> After reading what New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says the history of New Orleans and what’s being revered, memorialized and what is not, invite students to discuss some or all of the following questions:</p> <ul> <li>What does Mitch Landrieu say about New Orleans?</li> <li>What does he say about New Orleans history?</li> <li>What does he say about the Confederate statues in New Orleans?&nbsp; Why were they erected?</li> <li>What does he say about "slave ship monuments ... prominent markers on public land to remember the lynchings or the slave blocks ... to remember this long chapter of our lives; the pain, the sacrifice, the shame"?</li> <li>How does this relate to Maya Angelou’s quote?</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <p>&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <h4>ZYAHNA BRYANT<br> High School Student and Charlottesville resident</h4> <div class="rteindent1">&nbsp;</div> <div class="rteindent1">"Hi my name is Zyahna and I am a resident of the city of Charlottesville. As a younger African American resident in this city, I am often exposed to different forms of racism that are embedded in the history of the south and particularly this city. My peers and I feel strongly about the removal of the [Confederate] statue because it makes us feel uncomfortable and it is very offensive. I do not go to the park for that reason, and I am certain that others feel the same way. This city is such a great place to live, but this simply goes against the great values of Charlottesville.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> When I think of Robert E. Lee I instantly think of someone fighting in favor of slavery. Thoughts of physical harm, cruelty, and disenfranchisement flood my mind. As a teenager in Charlottesville that identifies as black, I am offended every time I pass it. I am reminded over and over again of the pain of my ancestors and all of the fighting that they had to go through for us to be where we are now. Quite frankly I am disgusted with the selective display of history in this city. There is more to Charlottesville than just the memories of Confederate fighters. There is more to this city that makes it great.<br> &nbsp;<br> ... Let’s not forget that Robert E. Lee fought for perpetual bondage of slaves and the bigotry of the South that kept most&nbsp;black citizens as slaves and servants for the entirety of their lives. As a result, legislatures of the south chose to ignore and turn a blind eye to the injustices of African Americans from Jim Crow and anti–black terrorism to integrated education. These are all some things that this statue stands for. ... I believe that we should celebrate the things that have been done in this great city to uplift and bring people together, rather than trying to divide them. It is 2016, and things have changed, people have changed, and Charlottesville has changed. It is time for this statue to go."&nbsp;</div> <p><br> After reading what Charlottesville resident Zyahna Bryant says about her city and the Robert E. Lee statue, invite students to discuss some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What does Zyahna Bryant say about Charlottesville?</li> <li>What does she say about history?</li> <li>What does she say about the Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee and what it brings up for her and her peers?</li> <li>What does she believe the city of Charlottesville should do instead of dividing people?</li> <li>How does this relate to Maya Angelou’s quote?<br> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <hr> <h4>&nbsp;</h4> <h4>WES BELLAMY<br> City Council Member and Vice Mayor of Charlottesville&nbsp;</h4> <div class="rteindent1"><br> "This all started nearly a year and a half ago, in March of last year. I received several different phone calls, emails. There was a petition from a local student here in the area about an effort and a push to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee.<br> &nbsp;<br> People in Charlottesville have been talking about this for some years, but just last year there was a nuance in a bill ... that essentially said that if you want to move these kind of statues ... it’s a local issue, so you have the right to ... do so. My colleague and I, Ms. Kristin Szakos, we both decided to push really hard. We held a press conference in which there were ...&nbsp; people ... who were pro–moving the statue, and ... Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy, who came with their large flags, and [were] very, very upset that we were pushing to do so.<br> &nbsp;<br> Subsequently, ... I’ve received all kinds of death threats, been probably called every kind of N–word that you can think of. ... But I think that we have awakened, to say the least. We’ve seen a group of people here in our community who have been marginalized, who haven’t necessarily had a voice. We’re waking up, and we’re saying that we are going to stand tall.<br> &nbsp;<br> I’m a student of history. We see this is oftentimes what happen[s]... when you have specifically ... African Americans who decide to stand up in nontraditional African–American places, in places in which we haven’t been very vocal or in which we haven’t ... "caused trouble" or stirred things up, whenever we decide to do so, and our white brothers and sisters or Latino brothers and sisters, our brothers and sisters of different hues and persuasions decide to rally and ride with us, whenever you see that kind of uprising, the majority, and specifically individuals who believe that things should be the way they’ve always been, they normally push back.<br> &nbsp;<br> You’ve seen this from the '40s to the ’50s to the ’60s. ... we've seen this kind of story and this playbook play out. ... It’s been troubling for many people in our community. But I think, personally, what I often tell myself, and I tell the little kids who I talk to every single day, and when we’re walking around the city, in order for us to get to the clear water, the clean water, you have to go through the mud. And right now we’re kind of in the muddy part. But I would much rather us go through the mud and get clean now than just pretend as if these issues don’t exist and ... not do anything for another generation.’<br> &nbsp;</div> <p>After reading what Charlottesville City Council Member and Vice Mayor Wes Bellamy says about his city and the Robert E. Lee statue, invite students to discuss some or all of the following questions:<br> &nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>What does Wes Bellamy say about the process of bringing down the Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee?</li> <li>What does he say about history?</li> <li>What does he say about going through the mud? &nbsp;What do you think he means by that?</li> <li>How does this relate &nbsp;to Maya Angelou’s quote?</li> </ul> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Considering the various statements read in today’s lesson, invite students to reflect on what people around the country are doing to push back on a chapter in U.S. history that instilled terror and pain, a chapter that Bryan Stevenson called "a shadow which cannot be lifted until we shine the light of truth on the destructive violence that shaped our nation, traumatized people of color, and compromised our commitment to the rule of law and to equal justice."&nbsp;</div> <p>The people we read about today are trying to lift that shadow, and shine a light of truth.&nbsp; What are they doing, and what are others around the country doing to help us face history courageously so that at some point "its wrenching pain ... need not be lived again?"<br> &nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3><br> Closing</h3> <p><br> In a go round invite students to share: What is one thing you learned today? Or ask: What is one thing you’d like to learn more about because of today?<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;</p> <hr> <h4><br> <br> Suggestions for additional reading:</h4> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.facinghistory.org/reconstruction-era" target="_blank">About the Reconstruction Era</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/remembering-the-lost-cause">Remembering t</a><a href="https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/remembering-the-lost-cause" target="_blank">he "Lost Cause</a><a href="https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/remembering-the-lost-cause">"</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/what–is–the–altright">What is the "Alt-Right</a><a href="https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2017/what-is-the-altright">"?</a></li> </ul> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-08-21T10:55:23-04:00" title="Monday, August 21, 2017 - 10:55">August 21, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:55:23 +0000 fionta 319 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org Charlottesville: A Reflection Circle https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/charlottesville-reflection-circle <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Charlottesville: A Reflection Circle</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h4>For the Teacher:</h4> <p>&nbsp;<br> Before talking with students about the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, VA on August 11–12, 2017, it may be helpful to review some of the history and background leading up to this violent gathering of white supremacist groups. <a href="/sites/default/files/files/Charlottesville%20Background%20Reading.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>Please see this Charlottesville backgrounder</strong></a>.<br> &nbsp;<br> When upsetting events like these occur, it is important for people to be able to share their feelings, talk, and be heard, in a supportive environment.&nbsp; If your students are familiar with the restorative circle process, this is a powerful format to draw on in times like these.<br> &nbsp;<br> In a circle process, students sit in a circle. They pass a "talking piece" (any meaningful item, from a string of beads or a shell to a stuffed animal) from one person to another, in order. Whoever has the talking piece is invited to speak, while everyone else is encouraged to listen deeply. &nbsp;A center piece, containing values and other meaningful objects and words, is placed at the center of the circle to serve as a focal point.&nbsp; The circle facilitator (in this case, the teacher) is called the "circle keeper." The keeper is both host and participant. See further circle guidelines <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/introduction-circles" target="_blank">here</a>.<br> &nbsp;<br> If the restorative circle process is not something you or your students are familiar with, set the stage for supportive sharing by setting some guidelines about active listening and speaking from the self; being open and non–judgmental as people speak; and encouraging people to bring their best selves to the space.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> As the circle keeper/teacher, it is also important to keep the space free from comments and beliefs that, whether because of ignorance or intolerance, make it unsafe for others in the room.&nbsp; Bigoted, racist, oppressive remarks have no place in the circle, wider classroom or school, and need to be countered immediately.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> For ways to counter oppressive behavior, please see Morningside Center's <a href="https://www.morningsidecenter.org/teachable-moment/lessons/guidelines-stopping-oppressive-behavior" target="_blank">Guidelines for Stopping Oppressive Behavior</a>.</p> <div>&nbsp;</div> <p>&nbsp;</p> <hr> <h3>Activity:&nbsp; Reflection Circle</h3> <p>&nbsp;<br> <strong>Opening Ceremony</strong><br> &nbsp;<br> Invite students to take a moment of silence as they think about the events in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 11 and 12. &nbsp;What feelings did it bring up for them? Ask them to take an index card and write a feeling or two on it that they experienced in reaction to the events in Charlottesville.<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Go Round 1&nbsp;</strong><br> &nbsp;<br> Ask students to share how they <u>feel</u> about what happened in Charlottesville and explain why.&nbsp; As each student shares their feelings, before passing the talking piece to their neighbor, invite them to place their index card in the center piece.&nbsp; Only when they get back to their seat should they pass the talking piece to the next person in the circle.&nbsp; This allows for a pause after each student has shared, allowing the rest of the circle participants to contemplate the feelings that the events in Charlottesville brought up for those in the circle.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Go Rounds 2 &amp; 3</strong><br> &nbsp;<br> After the first go round, consider sending the talking piece around again inviting students to share any "connections, reflections and additions" to what they heard from their peers, in a second and/or third go round. This gives students a chance to continue processing feelings brought up by the events in Charlottesville. As the keeper participant, share your own feelings, but also acknowledge the feelings in the room when the talking piece comes back to you.&nbsp; Invite students to remember to breathe as they listen, bear witness, and speak for themselves.<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>What We Know</strong><br> &nbsp;<br> Once students have had a chance to share their feelings, reflections and connections, suspend the talking piece and ask students to share what they know about what happened in Charlottesville and the events that led up to it.&nbsp; What has been the fallout since then? Elicit and explain what happened, using some of the information from the Backgrounder as needed.<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Moment of Silence</strong><br> &nbsp;<br> Invite students to take a moment of silence for the people who were injured and lost their lives during the conflict in Charlottesville.&nbsp;<br> &nbsp;<br> <strong>Closing </strong><br> &nbsp;<br> In a final go round, invite students to share: What is one thing you learned today or what is one thing you'd like to learn more about because of today?&nbsp; &nbsp;(If the latter, chart what students want to learn more about and consider finding times throughout the school year to continue learning about these issues and themes.)<br> &nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span>fionta</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--teachable-moment-lesson.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'time' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> <time datetime="2017-08-21T10:30:47-04:00" title="Monday, August 21, 2017 - 10:30">August 21, 2017</time> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/system/templates/time.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> Mon, 21 Aug 2017 14:30:47 +0000 fionta 320 at https://www.morningsidecenter.org