The Texas Freedom Network’s efforts to keep politics out of social studies classrooms this year has attracted the usual batch of right-wing hate mail. We also heard from folks who didn’t like our opposition to a State Board of Education resolution attacking Islam and falsely claiming that social studies textbooks are anti-Christian and pro-Muslim. Let’s take a look at some of the mail:
“It’s time for you left wing nuts to get out of public schools and open your own private schools, like the Catholics and Lutherans did decades ago. That way you can indoctrinate your offspring in your silly religion and leave the rest of us alone.”
The number of anti-Muslim e-mails picked up this fall. This writer seemed to be trying for some sort of poetic structure:
“Kathy Miller, you should get you a towel and wrap it around your head if you like the
Damn Islam f***heads so much. You and your bunch better get with the program
Against Islam or we all will be wearing towels, you are so stupid your kind see
What is coming.”
From another writer:
“You may say that ‘anti-Muslim rhetoric in this country has reached fever pitch’–but don’t you think that pro-Muslim rhetoric in the country has reached fever pitch also?
Maybe the extremists in the religion perform terrible acts–but don’t the moderate Muslims need to condemn them the loudest of all? I do not see the massive condemnation of the extremist Muslims by the moderate Muslims. And that tells me that maybe the point of view of the so-called extremists aren’t that far away from the point of view of the majority of Muslims.
We do not need to go out of our way to make Muslims feel good–they need to go out of their way to make us feel good. And they have not been doing that.
Keep the textbooks fair and balanced as far as religious views. Stop overcompensating with positive remarks about Muslims because you want to be seen as level headed. It is their turn to reach out to us and accommodate. Maybe you should be calling for Muslim countries to allow churches, synagogues, Bibles, etc. in their country. There’s an idea!”
Another:
“I agree with the complaints against the large number of pro-Muslim entries. It is time to put their existence into proper perspective and quit over emphasizing their importance or influence in our country. They are a part of this country but that is where it ends. This country was founded on Christian fundamentals and beliefs, not Muslim ideas, Try to build a Christian church in most all of the Muslim countries and see what happens. Try to teach about Christian values in most Muslim countries and then hope you can escape with your life.
Sorry, but I agree with these people.”
This e-mail was both complimentary and critical. We’re not sure it would qualify as “hate mail”:
“Thank you so much for your input on the Texas textbook issue. People like your organization try very very hard each day to bring a positive unbiased point of view to differing points of view. However you and your organization are but a small portion of the steady decline that this nation is trying to overcome as you attempt to rewrite History in such a way so that the immoral are just and the moral are vanquished. Before you attempt to rewrite history, I would suggest you do your research on a group of individuals who would like nothing more than to subdue you and then murder you.”
And one writer accused TFN of engaging in vote fraud this election year. We give him credit for at least coming up with a new criticism, regardless of his e-mail’s factual problems:
“If you can’t get what you want honestly, you are prepared to take any method you can to destroy this State and the United States of America?
Gee you must be marching today in Washington with the Communists/Marxists/Socialists intent on the destruction of this country. Congratulations.”
