I am a student at George Mason University. Despite being a public school, I chose to attend George Mason University because of its phenomenal economics program. Before I came to Mason, I was vaguely aware of its demographics. I knew the school prided itself on diversity, which is generally a code word for political correctness. However, George Mason University does more than attempt to be politically correct: George Mason University uses tax-payer dollars to propagate Islam.
The center of George Mason University is the Johnson Center. The Johnson Center contains the main food court, academic offices, and meeting rooms. On the first floor of the Johnson Center, there is one set of bathrooms which include Islamic footbaths. There is absolutely no denying that the Islamic footbaths are for religious purposes. They are for the expressed purpose of Muslim ritual. The university does not even attempt to hide this fact. Right there, this is a blatant violation of tax-payer money being used to promote one religion.
George Mason University also hosts a “quiet meditation area.” I have checked out the praying area on quite a few occasions. The school provides Muslim prayer mats. The school provides Muslim gender dividers. The school allows for there to be buckets of Muslim literature—and only Muslim literature—available next to the “quiet meditation space.” Therefore, the “quiet meditation area” is known as the “Muslim prayer area” by everyone on campus. As much as individuals in the university can kick, scream, and cry that the “quiet meditation area” is not exclusively for Muslims: we’re not dumb. We’re college students at a prestigious university, after all.
If the university cares about diversity and equality so much, well, then, I’m a Jewish student. Why aren’t there tax dollars dedicated to putting mezuzahs over every single door in all of the dorm complexes? Oh, right, because that would be an absolute gross violation of tax payer dollars for someone else to fund my personal, private religious activities. For some reason, Mason is capable of overlooking tax-payer money being used to finance Islam, and only Islam, while espousing the notion of equality.
The two most obvious, obnoxious, and outright in-your-face examples of the university using tax-payer dollars to prop up Islam are the Islamic footbaths and the Muslim praying area. However, the university has also been catering to Islam through the student activities.
Since George Mason University is a public university, it receives most of its funding from the state. Student activities, and student organizations, at Mason are also funded by the state. While I served as treasurer of the College Republicans, I was made aware of the rules and regulations regarding school funding (i.e. tax-payer funding) of events. Theoretically, the university will pay for most, if not all, expenses made by any group as long as the proper forms are filled out and handed to the corresponding bureaucracies.
When I first came to Mason, I quickly heard about the John Lewis event that had been canceled. I was told by individuals who arranged the event that it was canceled because of “security concerns.” It’s painfully ironic that an event about Islamic terrorism was canceled due to fears of Islamic terrorism. The event was later held in a hush-hush manner, so that the student groups involved would not be forced to pay for extra security.
A few months in to my time at Mason, I came across this flyer on campus:
How, exactly, will the “Reality of Zionism” be portrayed by Helen Thomas (who said that Jews should “go back to Germany”)? How, exactly, will the “Reality of Zionism” be portrayed by Miko Peled, a pro-“Palestine” activist? Curious, I attended this event. The title was entirely misleading. There were no facts about the reality of Zionism included in the event. Instead, smears about Israel were spread, entirely unchecked. For a university to allow this event, without any events with a counterargument, just shows how academia is definitely not the marketplace of ideas. Academia has become nothing more than brainwashed propaganda being regurgitated by the masses.
A few months later, I received an e-mail from the university notifying me of an upcoming event:
The first thing to notice is that this e-mail about “Arab-Jewish Relations Prior to the State of Israel” was sent out on April 19th, 2012. What else was April 19th, 2012?
The second piece of pertinent information is that the anti-Israel event, hosted by “Students for Justice in ‘Palestine’”, was scheduled for April 25th, 2012. What else was April 25th, 2012?
It’s possible that George Mason University made a horrible error in the day in which it sent out this e-mail. It’s possible that George Mason University made a horrible error in the day in which the event was scheduled. However, not only did George Mason University send out its e-mail about “Arab-Jewish Relations Prior to the State of Israel” on Holocaust Remembrance Day, the anti-Israel event was scheduled for Yom HaAtzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Oops! This is more than just two awful coincidences: this was nefarious intent. Pro-“Palestine” activists are not known for playing nice. One needs to look no further than who was invited to the event, an anti-Israel event being held on Israeli Independence Day: Rabbi Dovid Weiss. Rabbi Weiss is best known for heading Neturei Karta, or what is colloquially known as “Rabbis Against Zionism”. Of course, this would be an incredibly unbiased “discussion” of the facts…
Lately, George Mason University has created a few new student groups. Not only is there “Students for Justice in ‘Palestine’”, now there is also “Students Against Israeli Apartheid”. Seems pretty redundant, huh? At the same time, George Mason University required the prospective Tea Party group and Constitutionalist Conservatives organizations to prove how they were different than the College Republicans, before the groups eventually collapsed under the bureaucratic requirements to start a recognized organization.
Even the “entirely apolitical” “Muslims Without Borders” has started participating in the “Palestine” dialogue:
This advertisement is extremely disconcerting. It is an event in support of “Palestine”, soliciting donations, but there is absolutely no specification about where the money from the fundraiser is going. It is extremely likely that the money being shoveled in to the “Palestinian” cause is going to fund terrorist activists. George Mason University allowed for this event to be held on campus, with its seal of approval. George Mason University also funded the event asking for money to go to “Palestine.”
At least Muslims Without Borders seems to want to further their cause (whatever that may be—caliphate, perhaps). Students Against Israeli Apartheid, however, seems to have resorted to profanity:
As well as literally stating they do not want a dialogue:
Currently, the university is covered in propaganda for “Islam Awareness Week.” Yes, my school is actually attempting to make people aware that Islam exists. George Mason University has an extremely large Muslim student body; however, I guess no one is aware that Islam exists. Funny, since this school is right near the Pentagon. I thought everyone was made aware of Islam’s existence on 9/11.
Islam Awareness Week happens to be during International Week this year. This means that “Palestine” was participating in the flag-waving:
I think the duck lips and peace sign really say it all…
The International Week is supposed to be a welcoming environment for the gigantic international student population on campus, yet the people from Israel received boos and snide remarks. The students from Israel have absolutely nothing to do with the policies of the Israeli government. “Palestine”, on the other-hand, received thunderous applause. Alas, George Mason University prides itself on acceptance of diversity.
Since the weather has been improving these past few days, people have taken to the campus center to promote their causes. The other day, I was standing with a friend, Chris Pavlovych, when we were approached by a woman handing out these flyers:
These flyers are from an approved student organization, funded with tax-payer dollars, at George Mason University. Upon looking at me, the woman with the flyers immediately ripped the flyer out of my hands and gave it to my friend. A few moments later, another person approached Chris to give him yet another copy of the same flyer. When he offered a rebuttal in defense of Israel, the response was, “Oh, you’re one of those people.”
Perhaps the most important symbol to prove just how strongly George Mason University promotes Islam is Zachary Chesser. Before coming to Mason, Zachary was described by his peers as being a normal kid. At Mason, he became radicalized. He’s best known for being the individual who threatened the creators of “South Park” for using an image of Muhammad.
George Mason would be rolling over in his grave if he knew the university which bears his name was using tax dollars to support Islam. In fact, the issue of tax dollar funding is not localized to Virginia. Since Mason accepts federal support, federal money, and federal student loans, every single tax paying American is currently funding the activities at George Mason University. The left loves to cry “separation of church and state”, but there is never an issue of “mosque and state.” Anyone who opposes the use of their own money being funneled into pro-Islam activities is an “Islamophobe.”
Edit, 7:05 PM: Since publishing this post, I have remembered that my school has a Muslim basketball team. Flyers were distributed, and I took a photograph of one of them. I am currently trying to locate the photo. There are also dining services on campus that are Halal.
Liberty Without Apologies 
Great article. Our public school systems on both coasts are rife with such idiotic and hypocritical stances towards religion. I live on the West Coast and have seen similar “events” praising pro-Palestinian activists, including those supposed “rabbi’s” who are not even part of the Jewish faith anymore proclaiming how horrible Israel and Jews are. Worst yet are how the schools fund such events, and the general ignorance of students for not noticing.
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That was a very interesting article. I think you would be surprised to know that these events and social issues are not even at VCU, where I attend school. I would not be surprised at all if this was my campus, but I am shocked that something that extreme happens at GMU. I really enjoyed this story and suggest you continue to keep us informed.
Reblogged this on Red Millennial.
MAGNIFICENT!
But don’t stop now; you’re on a roll.
Now that you’ve set your hand to this plow, finish the work. Make it very obvious to your peers and GMU that this racist anti-Judeo-Christian mindset is an affront to liberty.
And do not stop!
I actually find this article upsetting. I see it as almost begging for a continuation of a lack of peace.
I’m Christian and I have no problem with the school adding footbaths or other things to the campus. Do you ever think that the Muslims would use the normal sinks for the footbaths if they did not have a separate place for it? Mason is essentially helping itself. I wouldn’t have a problem with the school doing things for the Jewish population either–if there were a need. The Muslim population at Mason seems much much larger than the Jewish population, therefore a seemingly higher need to accommodate.
I think this is just trying to make issues out of things that are not even issues. I also find it sad when Christians, Jews and Muslims cannot get along overseas, we bring the problems here at home and don’t try to get along here either.
You’re moving backwards, not forward with articles like this…contrary to what you may believe.
Way to go. Looks like you’re excited about bringing the tension from over seas right on to the campus!
wooooooooowwwww………..so much hate
Ironic you didn’t mention anything about why Palestine is getting so much support from so many mason students. Maybe it has something to do with your Zionist state.
Wow. Someone is upset over a simple prayer place and the footbaths at the college? Geez.
Are you kidding me? If you were at all aware of how a club/organization starts on a campus then you would realize that a school does not MAKE them, students come together to form them. Therefore, b/c there is a large Muslim population at Mason, there would clearly be a large presence of such in the student activities. The meditation room for example, if there is a large Muslim presence and Muslims pray 5 times a day daily (no other large religion has a fundamental practice as such mandated) OF COURSE there would be more presence of Muslims in this room! And oh my, anti-Judeo-Christian? In a world where Muslims are blamed for every possible act of negativity before there are even SMALL facts to prove so? Haha, you clearly sat and looked for coincidences in the dates. I have attended and know many of the organizers of the events you spoke about, mainly MWB and maybe if you had taken the time to inform yourself on the matters of this organization you wouldn’t be spitting hateful, WRONG and idiotic facts. Islam is a peaceful religion, NO members of ANY religion are perfect. AND your tax dollars are most certainly NOT going towards “promoting Islam.” Salaam. (Peace)
Great points made here. The only people that would disagree with you are GMU Muslims who probably think you are racist. But I see what you’re trying to say about hypocrisy, double-standards and the loose interpretation of the Constitution. What you are not realizing here is that GMU’s “support” for Islam is for strictly political and financial reasons. GMU realizes the Muslim population in Northern Virginia is large, understands that most Muslims will attend their school and are simply providing facilities to maintain their high levels of enrollment and the money that comes with it. I’m sure if there was a large Jewish population at GMU they would have cancel all student activities on the Sabbath, every week. It just depends. I do believe that you will be successful in this fight, though, because separation of church and state is hard to argue – but not in the way you are imagining. Instead of conserving tax-payer dollars and removing the worship center and foot-baths (due to the definite uproar from the Muslim community), you will suddenly see MORE tax-payer dollars spent to increase the presence of all OTHER religions. Don’t be surprised if you see emails about where you can pick up your complimentary mezuzah and the 2014 opening of a kosher dining area. Be careful what you wish for…you can’t have everything.
You are rude and ignorant. I am ashamed by your hubris, so you should probably start being ashamed as well. Your logic is flawed in so many ways and you don’t even present a good deductive OR inductive argument. Kant would be horrified. The fact that you think that GMU is a very prestigious school speaks for itself—its good sugar, but not that good. And considering I go to a school ranked consistently in the top 10 every year (often beating out Harvard and always beating out Yale)…I think I would know. Now I know that some very smart people go to your school. In fact perhaps you should know that there are Islamic women who attend your school who got into Georgetown and chose for personal reasons to attend GMU. However, I am disgusted by your lack of understanding and to me, you are all the things wrong with America.
yall ignorant…..thats truth.
Dude. Everything you just said about GMU promoting Islam is completely wrong. It doesn’t promote Islam! It accommodates for Muslims and the MSA events. Your right that it’s a public university, and it DOESN’T just have Muslims or pro-Palestinian groups. There are several Christian groups, AND there are pro-Israeli groups. It embraces diversity and takes every group, religion, and culture into consideration, not just the ones you don’t like. You’re talking with a biased opinion. Look at some of the other organizations on campus.
“George Mason University has an extremely large Muslim student body; however, I guess no one is aware that Islam exists. Funny, since this school is right near the Pentagon. I thought everyone was made aware of Islam’s existence on 9/11.” Connecting the 9/11 terrorists to the entirety of Islam shows just how ignorant and hateful the author truly must be. I don’t disagree with the separation of our public university and religions of all kinds, but this article is biased and lost all validity with this statement of pure Islamophobia.
Hi Ashley, my name is Suhaib. I’m also a student at George Mason University.
I honestly can’t take any of your first points seriously because 1) you’re confusing the “promotion” of Islam with what is simply an attempt to accommodate the many Muslim students at Mason, who wish to worship on campus and are provided with the facilities to do so, and 2) the Meditation area is not exclusively for Muslims, and none of the prayer mats or books were provided by the university. They were donated by students. I’m sure you’ve at least studied the basics of the Islamic faith – observant Muslims worship 5 times a day, so you’ll see Muslims in the Meditation area quite often. The presence of Muslim worshippers does not make it exclusively for Muslims.
Aside from your obvious Islamophobia and xenophobia, my real problem is with the second half of this post.
WHAT does this nonsense about Palestine and Israel have to do with Islam? Not all the students in SAIA are Muslim, and for that matter, being PALESTINIAN isn’t synonymous with being Muslim. Your ignorant comments about a caliphate, terrorist organizations, and Israel and Palestine are not in any way related – and I realize that you’re trying to sound like a Fox News correspondent, but trust me, even they have to actually be fluent on these issues they discuss.
You’re misguidedly using George Mason University and Islam to showcase your political beliefs – and you’re proving yourself to be incredibly uneducated on essentially everything you’ve discussed.
And I want you to provide proof that the funds raised by Muslims Without Borders is going to “fund terrorist activities.” MWB is a relief organization, and if you’re going to make inflammatory and racist comments such as those, back your claims up or refrain.
If you take anything out of this comment, just try to remember the following: Palestine =/= Islam. If you have an issue with SAIA, discuss SAIA. If you have an issue with MWB providing aid raised in a fundraiser to refugees scattered around the world, discuss MWB. But when you equate pro-Palestinian student organizations with Islam, it’s very hard to take your concerns seriously.
I almost did not want to even reply because you seem grounded in your belief that no public facility should do anything that deals with Muslims or Islam in general. It almost seems that society should shun Muslims altogether. You are enraged that there is a prayer area that Muslim students utilize for its relative cleanliness. A total of TWO bathrooms have the extra wash area and it is actually for the good of the entire student body. Part of the ablution ritual is to wash one’s feet, I don’t know about you, but to have to wash my hands in the same sink that someone put their foot in does not sound appealing to me. Why should the University hide that it respects the rituals of a certain religion? Why is it shameful to you?
You make it sound like the University is conducting these events but really it is the student groups who are putting in the work to bring these events together. The Middle East, as you may know, is plagued with ongoing turmoil and there are people who refuse to do nothing for their countries.
You invalidate your whole argument with ignorance as well as not-so-subtle scorn. Please be informed that Islam Awareness Week is not a week in which people find out that there is such a religion as Islam. Similarly, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not a month in which it is revealed that people can get breast cancer.
Also, the Palestinian flag is waved every year and it has nothing to with Islam Awareness. Palestine is a nation with a Christian minority so the flag represents all Palestinians; Christians and Muslims alike.
This Muslims basketball team is probably an intramural one, which people join with their friends. You could form a team with anyone you want and name it anything you want.
And I don’t see why a few Halal foods should anger you so much but I would encourage that you petition for Kosher food to be offered in Mason dining.
Go fuck yourselves! I hope you all see this comment, and then die a horrible death.
Classy
What are you, the next Pamella Geller? The MSA makes an effort to get accommodations. If the Jewish student body was practicing rather than trying to reform their own religion, then they would be able to push for whatever accommodations they would need as well. UMD has an entire Hillel which I’m sure GMU has as well. The US has Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs and a ton of others who aren’t Judeo-Christian; get over it. Muslims are part of the Abrahamic faiths as it is. Are you going to sterotype all Germans because Hitler was German? No. So why do the same to Muslims? This article is well written, but your view is entirely myopic and prejudiced.
not surprised a jew would be complaining about her tax money hahahaha
I think you should get out of your jewish bubble and become a little cultured. There are plenty of jewish universities you can go to if you are unhappy about this.
I go to George Mason and am not a Muslim, but this has not been my experience. I feel like you are only presenting some of the facts. There are several organizations for Judaism and Christianity. I certainly don’t think any group is lost or underrepresented on campus.
Actually, your argument about tax payer money is a bit flawed as that is not where the majority of GMU’s funding comes from.
Q: It appears that the General Fund support from the Commonwealth only represents a portion of our total Operating Budget. Why is this the case and how do we fund the remaining budget?
A: The 2012-13 Operating budget is $888.0M. Of this, we receive $192.3M or approximately 21%, in General Fund support. The remaining is funded with tuition and fees, auxiliary enterprises, private funds, state financial aid, auxiliary enterprise revenue, independent operations, capital outlay and equipment trust fund.
I’m glad to see other Mason students are continuing to point out that obvious flaws in this piece. It’s nice to know that not everyone here is an unenlightened bigot.
Also, I’d like to point out that this girl has a piece entitled “In Defense of Glenn Beck.” So there’s that.
I wasn’t originally going to post a reply, but I figured this much ignorance couldn’t and shouldn’t go unnoticed. Besides the fact that your logic is embarrassingly flawed, I just wanted to share an experience I had with Mason’s own Jewish students. I was asked if I could attend the Mason Hillel Avi Schaeffer Shabbat dinner, as a Muslim, for a night of inter-faith dialogue. These are the kind of events that I enjoy because they aim to better multi-faith relationships and promote peace rather than further the issues (like your piece did exactly). At the same time, Islam Awareness Week is also about opening up dialogue and promoting peace and understanding. So if you’re planning on writing a post fueled with hatred, I suggest you work on your reading and understanding of what you’re writing about first.
Theres a simple reason why special accomodations are made for Muslims at mason…theres a lot of them. As others have said, do you want to wash your hands in the same sink someone put their feet in? Do you think Mason doesn’t know its demographics? Why would the school risk people washing their feet in a sink, and potentially falling and hurting themselves. Instead of your “Tax payer” dollars “promoting” Islam, they would be used to pay legal fees to fight lawsuits filed by students.
You clearly stated in the article that your Jewish, and I can understand why Anti-Israeli groups would upset you. But at the same time this is America and people have the right to express themselves freely. As a muslim, seeing people picket outside of a mosque bothers me, but again this is America and its their right. Mason has many students from abroad, but not all of the members of the groups you listed are from abroad. Many of them are Americans and many of them are American Muslims. So who are you to pick and choose who can and can not voice their political and religious beliefs? You claim to love freedom, but you have a long way to go before you fully understand that concept. A society is only as just and free as its minorities, and it is people like you that put Americas reputation in jeapordy.
Also, how can you assume that a student group is going to finance terrorism? Such a bold claim with out a shred of proof. If your right about this however, you should give up on economics and go hunt terrorists. Since you have a sixth sense of finding them here at mason. And in case your about as sharp as this article, that was sarcasm.
Theres a simple reason why special accomodations are made for Muslims at mason…theres a lot of them. As others have said, do you want to wash your hands in the same sink someone put their feet in? Do you think Mason doesn’t know its demographics? Why would the school risk people washing their feet in a sink, and potentially falling and hurting themselves. Instead of your “Tax payer” dollars “promoting” Islam, they would be used to pay legal fees to fight lawsuits filed by students.
You clearly stated in the article that your Jewish, and I can understand why Anti-Israeli groups would upset you. But at the same time this is America and people have the right to express themselves freely. As a muslim, seeing people picket outside of a mosque bothers me, but again this is America and its their right. Mason has many students from abroad, but not all of the members of the groups you listed are from abroad. Many of them are Americans and many of them are American Muslims. So who are you to pick and choose who can and can not voice their political and religious beliefs? You claim to love freedom, but you have a long way to go before you fully understand that concept. A society is only as just and free as its minorities, and it is people like you that put Americas reputation in jeapordy.
Also, how can you assume that a student group is going to finance terrorism? Such a bold claim with out a shred of proof. If your right about this however, you should give up on economics and go hunt terrorists. Since you have a sixth sense of finding them here at mason. And in case your about as sharp as this article, that was sarcasm.
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Thank you for writing this. I feel the same. I’ve been shocked to see the climate on campus as a Jew, and a conservative. What a shame…