In a May 1 online statement, Scottsdale Community College (SCC) President Christina M. Haines condemned a World Politics course’s module on Islamic terrorism and announced that the offending professor would apologize. This statement and SCC’s demands for a wider purge of the course materials presented a shocking example of politically correct academic thought police enforcing de facto sharia censorship of critical inquiry into Islam.
As Jihad Watch Director Robert Spencer has already reported, a Muslim student initiated the controversy at the end of April. The student complained to college officials about three multiple-choice course questions concerning Islamic doctrines justifying terrorism. Once posted to the Internet, the questions provoked a firestorm of online Islamic rage, including numerous death threats to the course professor, Nicholas Damask. He accordingly went into hiding along with his wife and nine-year-old grandson.
Haines’ statement demonstrated once again how feelings of victimization have imposed an Orwellian academic dictatorship over factual scholarship:
SCC deeply apologizes to the student and to anyone in the broader community who was offended by the material. SCC Administration has addressed with the instructor the offensive nature of the quiz questions and their contradiction to the college’s values. The instructor will be apologizing to the student shortly, and the student will receive credit for the three questions. The questions will be permanently removed from any future tests.
The statement gushed with hackneyed Ivory Tower pieties that prioritize multicultural, not intellectual, diversity and undermine the separation of objective truth from falsehood among battling ideas. “SCC cultivates success when individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds are respected and empowered to contribute,” Haines stated. Meanwhile, she irrelevantly cited SCC’s nondiscrimination standards “on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age,” as if facts could discriminate. Oblivious to the irony regarding Damask, a former Heritage Foundation Salvatori Fellow who is among the almost-extinct breed of conservative professors, she praised that “we all benefit by embracing a diversity of voices, viewpoints, and experiences.”
SCC’s responses to the charges against Damask also included for his signature a prewritten letter to the offended student. Thus Damask would have to grovel and make a “sincere apology” for his “offensive material,” even though a “simple apology may not be enough to address the harm that I caused, but I want to try to make amends.” He has rejected this letter, which, like all of SCC’s responses to the Damask affair, have arisen completely outside of any established disciplinary procedure.
No person of integrity such as Damask would sign SCC’s letter, which effectively declares that he has been reeducated and has learned to love SCC’s Big Brother. “I need to view the educational material being taught through many perspectives representing our diverse student population at SCC and respecting the many cultures and religions in our world,” Damask would declare. In addition to removing the three condemned questions, he would “be reviewing all of my material,” all the while being “truly thankful that you raised this issue as it makes me a better instructor to align with the values at SCC.”
Various Muslim commentators actually argued online that Damask’s “course should be banned as it promotes hate.” As one Muslim commentator on Facebook stated:
Removing three questions will do absolutely nothing as the class still propagates hateful information. To associate terrorism to Islam out of the exclusion of everything else, is to pose a threat to the Muslim community. Your students will grow to hate, fear and avoid us and may take a vengeful stance—all out of spreading misinformation.
The Facebook commentator falsely claimed that the meticulous Damask needed more “thorough research” on the subject of Islamic doctrine, but evidence suggests that his critics are the ones with questionable views. For example, Imraan Siddiqui, the head of the Arizona chapter of the Hamas-derived Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), whipped up frenzy against Damask. Siddiqui likened him to “hate groups” spreading “misinformation and indoctrination.”
Similarly Manzoor Hussain, the author of Islam: An Essential Understanding for Fellow Americans, commented online on a news report about Damask. Hussain stated that SCC “did the right thing by apologizing for the use of Islamophobic questions.” In opposition to comments condemning the radical CAIR, he asserted that “CAIR defends the rights of Muslims, and many Muslim Americans support it.”
However, Newspeak terms such as “Islamophobia” cannot conceal Hussain’s questionable human rights views. He has praised and posted on his Facebook page a “wonderful video” that provides “excellent education to Muslim parents” on “to properly raise their daughters.” Specifically, this Muslim-produced video and accompanying website offer “Six Tips for Raising Muslim Girls.”
“Build their love for modesty” is one of the video’s lesson for Muslim parents of daughters, which means namely that they should wear the Islamic hijab head-covering. “Start teaching your daughters about the importance of modesty from a young age,” the video states, and “celebrate your daughter if she inclines towards wearing the hijab. She should know her parents are proud of her.” Hussain apparently did not consult women such as the ex-Muslim atheist Yasmine Mohammed, who have written bitterly about the oppression of such Islamic modesty norms.
Saidah Khalil’s reader comments also expressed defense of CAIR. Yet like CAIR, she has revealed on Facebook her anti-Israel hatred. Unsurprisingly, she supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) economic warfare movement against Israel.
Like others who demanded Damask’s firing, reader commenter Beverly Slapin angrily dismissed SCC’s treatment of the Damask affair as completely insufficient
bunk. SCC needs to apologize to the Muslim community and the entire student body for allowing this obvious example of Islamophobia to go unchecked—and the teacher needs to be fired. The administration needs to deal with Islamophobia—along with racism, sexism and all the other “isms” that are allowed to flourish in our educational institutions—without hesitation, without excuses.
Like those of Khalil, Slapin’s Facebook posts would offer Damask a good case study in the interrelationship of jihadists and leftists in the struggle to destroy Israel. She has condemned Israeli “massacres” of Palestinians, which has supposedly been ongoing since 1948 with the support of Western countries including the United States. She has correspondingly supported the Middle East Children’s Alliance, a BDS advocate, and, akin to the fired CNN commentator Marc Lamont Hill, demanded that “there’s no excuse. FREE, FREE PALESTINE!”
Damask received more angry reader comments from Atahar Malik about “racist hate,” but Malik’s Bangladeshi background only further justifies Damask’s scholarly investigation of jihadist doctrine. Bangladesh, formerly East Pakistan, broke away from West Pakistan, now Pakistan, in a 1971 independence war which ended with India invading Bangladesh and forcing a Pakistani surrender. The Pakistani military and jihadist allies from Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) engaged in genocide and mass rape against Bangladesh’s rebels and Hindu minority, war crimes that later led to Bangladeshi prosecutions and executions of JI officials.
Malik’s Facebook comments about Pakistan therefore hardly “align with the values at SCC”:
Pakistan is the living hell on earth. Its name should be changed to Fuckistan. Pakistanis are the most mean-spirited and narrow-minded people in the world, next are the Northern Indians and Gujaratis.
Malik’s postings also correctly condemn the “terrorist” JI, which massacred Bangladeshi intellectuals in 1971, and its North American affiliate, the Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA).
Any such disturbing aspects of Damask’s accusers have, though, gone unnoticed by the mainstream media that has effectively treated him as an Unperson, as revealed to this author in a blog talk radio interview. No mainstream journalist has bothered to contact him and news reports do not even mention his name. Rather, they simply uncritically discuss “discriminatory questions regarding the religion of Islam.”
As Damask has discussed with this author, his experience illustrates how “lunatics” have corrupted academia’s humanities programs, for which he recommends simple abolition. While his views have attracted great interest among local Arizona Republicans in the general public, he has become a pariah in what is supposed to be an institution of higher education serving the common good. Citizens who fund public institutions such as SCC and broader college programs should take note whether their hard-earned tax dollars are informing students about jihadist dangers or merely whitewashing them.
Mobuyus says
When you’re taking flak you’re right over the target.
mccode says
Quite true.
In an age of lies, truth is condemned.
TomSJr says
When the beheading of INFIDELS begin, guess who they will blame?
Charlie in NY says
Odd that President Haines is not invoking “academic freedom” in defense of the professor. I suppose the concept only applies when misinformation is hurled at Jews or Israel not when factual (or at least factually supported) statements are made that strike a bit too close to the mark against a religion with over a billion adherents.
revereridesagain says
The Whore of Islam Haines is too busy grinning at us from her information page at the SCC website. She wins, of course, my strip-her-to-her-thong-and-lower-her-into-a-Pakistan-village-right-in-front-of-the-mosque award of the week and it’s only Monday. She can take Beverly Slapin with her because it’s polite to share. (Sanctimonious exhortations to “modesty” from a religion that smiles on daughters being sold to men in marriage by their fathers is the epitome of hypocrisy.)
Educators of integrity such as Damask are having to cope with an educational climate approaching that of 1930s Germany, one where a professor has to go into hiding with his family because he “offended” savages. In justice SCC should be defunded, bulldozed, and turned into a WalMart.
Bob says
Brilliant Comment. And Funny Too.
keith O says
I can think of a few others who are candidates for the award!
The concept has a lot of merit, do you think it could be televised?
Henry Mansfield says
I’ve received threats for unpopular opinions on Facebook, the last just a day or two ago.
A recent shooting in Georgia was cast as the KKK chasing down a black jogger and shooting him, sure enough someone posted it to FB and I typed out a list of things I’ve seen that put that into serious doubt.
The response was that I was a white supremacist and I should be beaten to death.
Seems to me that’s crossing a line, and a complaint could be filed. If Muslims are going online and making death threats they should be facing charges, paying fines and wearing ankle monitors. And if they were to be found at this man’s front door it would greatly help the man’s legal defense for exercising his 2nd Amendment rights.
PRCS says
Important to note, Henry, that an as yet unknown number of those threatening him are very likely not Muslims, but their useful idiots.
John Allan says
‘Scottsdale Community College (SCC) President Christina M. Haines condemned a World Politics course’s module on Islamic terrorism and announced that the offending professor would apologize.’
A little late, dear! The civilised world doesn’t need a course module on a subject in which it is very well versed! And the ‘offending’ professor has nothing for which to apologise. You, on the other hand … …
gravenimage says
Actually, many in the West *still* understand little about Jihad.
CogitoErgoSum says
Just further proof that Islam is the religion from Hell.
A7E.Pilgrim says
I wonder what college president Christina Haines will say when the Muslims tell her to cover her legs and wear a Hijab?
WarEagle82 says
I have lost friends to Islamic terrorism. In one night, seven friends were murdered in a jihad attack because they were Christians. Tell me again how Islam doesn’t promote terrorism. Tell me again how Islam is a religion of peace. Explain to me why quoting the Koran and Hadith where it commands Muslims to slay “unbelievers” in the name of Allah is insulting to Islam. I must be missing the point somehow.
gravenimage says
Horrifying.
Carolyn Marlin says
Sir are Kenite’s children running a collage?
gravenimage says
No–none of this has anything to do with a small biblical tribe. Why do you keep asking such silly questions?
GreekEmpress says
I posted on another article on JW relating to this matter, that first thing this morning, as an Arizona taxpayer, I would be phoning the college and (respectfully)
asking questions and making comments. As usual in these cases, nobody is taking calls, everything goes to voicemail. I did however talk to someone on the switchboard that gave me the name and number of a VP of the college who has been designated to receive calls regarding this particular matter. I called a little before 9 AM and left a message to call me. I have not heard anything back yet, but it is only 10:45 AM here right now.
Some good news is there has been considerable blowback on Scottsdale Community College for their actions. In an article in the Arizona Daily Independent, Kathleen Winn, governing board member of Maricopa Community College District said “It was hypocritical of the school officials to ask Professor Damask to apologize. Although the professor was soundly criticized for offending Muslims, another professor at Mesa Community College, within the same district was firmly supported by officials after he showed a pornographic movie to his students which denigrated Jesus and offended a Christian student. The people who complained were told nothing could be done because of academic freedom”, adding that Damask has been treated under a different set of rules. “And they’re asking the professor to apologize—that is the definition of hypocrisy. His questions showed Islamic terrorists are dangerous.
Guess what, the people he upset threatened to kill him. He was not wrong—“
We’ll see if I get a call back—not holding my breath, but this is in my backyard and I intend to follow through.
PRCS says
Keep us posted, please.
GreekEmpress says
Will do!
Wellington says
Thanks for your input here, GreekEmpress.
gravenimage says
Thanks, GreekEmpress.
Cpl. Morris M. A. says
Islam. Brought into the west to cause chaos as the Ummah cannot separate Church from State.
Those that would like to murder my fellow Americans for their freedom of speech, I look forward to discussing the issue with you in person.
RichardL says
the problem is that he will not get any official support. Many non-allahists commenting on the newspaper support him, but the interim president wants to be confirmed. My hope is that they simply let it die down. His publication record is extremelty good for a prof at a community college.
Jim says
On May 11, 2020 at 2:32 pm Cpl. Morris M. A. said, “Islam. Brought into the west to cause chaos…”
You have hit the nail on the head, Cpl. Morris M. A. The chief reason, in fact the only reason, Muslims are being distributed to all the Western countries in such massive numbers is because of the chaos that they cause, and because they are the most resistant to assimilation into the new culture. The international Left want to eliminate Western Civilization, because it is the only thing standing in the way of a worldwide communist dictatorship.
wpm says
“His publication record is extremely good for a prof at a community college” the problem is even if his supervisors let this die down he was threaten with death.With no support for his position he is one man in this college with a bullseye of Jihad painted on his back .If the administration grows a pair and backs him he gains some protection .Appeasing Jihadist only encourages their bad behavior ,they grow bolder and demand more.
James Lincoln says
If we still live in a sane world, the following should happen:
Professor Damask’s three quiz questions were accurately sourced to the Qur’an, the hadiths, and the sira.
The “correct” answers to the quiz questions were, indeed, factually correct.
A student was “offended” by these truthful questions, as they were “in distaste of Islam.”
The student either:
1. Could not handle the truth about islam (and how distasteful it really is),
or
2, Was afraid that others would learn the “inconvenient” truth about islamic jihad.
The professor should NOT apologize for teaching his course in a truthful manner, but should file a LAWSUIT against the school.
All government funding to this college should be halted – until corrective measures allowing full academic freedom are in place.
And Scottsdale Community College President Christina Haines should publicly apologize to Prof. Damask – and also be sanctioned.
PRCS says
He should LAWYER UP and sue the college’s ‘ass’ off.
Wellington says
A beautiful thought, PRCS.
Alan K says
Do you have a link to the interview you did with the Professor?
Andrew Harrod says
The article links to the interview under the word “interview.”
Screw U says
I practice meditation to keep me calm and reduce stress.
This story however undid months of practice.
Just how the hell can anyone look at themselves in the mirror after condemning this man from speaking the truth.
This college and its head of faculty should be stripped of ALL credentials and closed down.
gravenimage says
Scottsdale Community College Submits to Sharia
…………………
Instead, those threatening him should be kicked out of school, prosecuted, and deported.
Battle says
The Christian student at Mesa Community College should sue. The Mesa Community College President should apologize and be sanctioned. And offended Christian and their supporters as alumni cease donating.
Battle says
(Typo) Christian alumni
John says
All it takes for evil to flourish is that good people do nothing.
gravenimage says
So true.
Francis Weber says
Can someone post the questions for me to read?
Andrew Harrod says
Follow me on twitter, and I have posted them. @AEHarrod
gravenimage says
Thank you, Mr. Harrod.
mortimer says
If large numbers of people learn about the TEXTUAL SOURCES of JIHADIC TERRORISM in the primary, Islamic source texts, then the JIG WILL BE UP.
Muslim apologists will no longer be able to play the game of pretending Islam is benign towards ‘the other’.
mortimer says
It’s possible to discuss Islamic terrorism in an academic setting, but it has to be done in a very subtle language without pejorative adjectives thrown in. Just the facts.
Don Ameche says
How does one talk about islamic terrorism , beheadings, dhimmitude, property destruction, death threats, attacks on the street, torture and all manor of violence and psychological damage ….. without perjorative adjectives. And discussing it thus would be a form of Sharia wouldn’t it ?
Serious question. No snark intended.
gary fouse says
Positive update:
https://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2020/05/update-on-case-of-prof-nicholas-damask.html
gravenimage says
The college has actually apologized–good news!
“College Apologizes To Professor Who Connected Islam To Terrorism”
https://arizonadailyindependent.com/2020/05/11/college-apologizes-to-professor-who-connected-islam-to-terrorism/
OLD GUY says
One thing you can count on from muslims/islamic followers they do not want freedom of speech as it pertains to Allah or Muhammad no matter if you are speaking the truth. They don’t want you to talk about Honor killing, family rape problems, child marriages, terrorism or their hate for infidels. Its a dam shame when higher education is hoodwinked into being afraid to speak openly about any subject by a religious group.
AP says
Colleges, are tax free, but they charge our children millions, the people on the board are politically appointed, what could go wrong.
WILLIAM Shegstad says
If the curriculum is correct and used and pulled from the Koran what is the problem? Truth is being hidden here. I have a Koran I check it all the time and it has words in there that tells you that a Muslim can kill a non-muslim and it’s not murder it’s what the Quran says you can do now. So I still don’t understand what the problem is because the truth is still the truth. These politicians who are in charge of the school should be eliminated from their job and sent to a rehab center for their brain.