Va. principal deems Jesus chant offensive (Catholics shouted "We Love Jesus" at Jewish students)

[Doondoo]

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted "We love Jesus" during a basketball game against a school with Jewish students.

The word "Jew" also was painted on a gym wall behind the seats of Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School students attending the Feb. 2 game at Norfolk Academy, said Dennis W. Price, principal of the Virginia Beach school. Price who also watched the game, said the rivals exchanged chants, "Then, at some point, our students were chanting, 'We love Jesus.'"

"It was obviously in reference to the Jewish population of Norfolk Academy; that's the only way you can take that," he added.

Price said he sent a letter of apology to Norfolk. Dennis G. Manning, the academy's headmaster, declined to comment.

.......

Price also has consulted the Anti-Defamation League, a national group that fights anti-Semitism.

"It is important that we work harder at having students leaving here who are tolerant and understand how serious these kinds of things are," said Price, who said diversity training will be incorporated permanently at Sullivan.


http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/16776679.htm

[Kingshakabobo]

1. We're going backward, aren't we? nt

[IndianaGreen]

19. Yes, we are going right back to the Dark Ages!

and we have no way of knowing when, or if, the slide to perdition will stop.

[Toots]

30. The "Bridge to 21st Century" was bombed and completely destroyed

All the positive images and feelings from the Clinton Presidency have been annihilated and we are now rapidly becoming a nation of bigoted hate mongers..

[Submariner]

47. When I was a catholic I was taught ALL non-catholics would burn

in the fires of hell for eternity.

Religion is the fertilizer of the seed of hate. I had nothing against jews until the nuns taught me they killed jesus, so it was about the 3rd grade when the hate indoctrination started. It's religions' MO....divide the population so they hate each others belief.

This religious brainwashing must stop!

[unblock]

2. saviors love it when their holy name is used as a sports cheer!

onward, christian dribblers!

[aquart]

3. Jesus was a good Jewish boy.

And his Jewish mother loved him.

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Then his father brought him into the family business. nt

[tanyev]

40. If only the Norfolk kids had chanted back, "Jesus was a Jew!"

Might have started a fight, though.

[jollyreaper2112]

48. No he wasn't!

Jesus wasn't a Jew, he was a Christian you heathen! And Earf is 6,000 years old! Uh-huh! Is so!

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. I'm glad no one tried this stunt when I was in high school

About a third to a half of my class was Jewish--only reason I know this was because class attendance was always way down on High Holy days. There were Catholics as well (ashes on their foreheads and late for school on Ash Wednesday)as Protestants, and an occasional Muslim exchange student. Except for the Saudi guy hitting on every girl in sight(he'd never seen mini skirts and had to be told to keep his hands off the girls), everyone got along with no problem, and no one really brought up religion per se. In fact, when we read "The Merchant of Venice", I was shocked at the prejudice against Jews, and couldn't figure it out--my classmates were hard working and socialized with everyone.

Seems that nowadays people feel it is right to wear their religion on their sleeves--and worse yet, to think that their way is the only way. Sigh. We've gone backwards.

[sarcasmo]

6. The Religious HATE in this country is out of control. I personally am sick of Jesus.

Kick and Nom.

[Straight Shooter]

10. I'm not sick of Jesus. Real or not, his words are a good philosophy to live by.

It's his hypocritical followers who make me want to puke. Not all his followers, just the hypocritical ones. Taunting people in his name is hypocritical. Those people should be ashamed. How would they like it if the other student body yelled back, "Mary worshippers!"

[SemperEadem]

11. or "Papists!!!!!"

[VegasWolf]

14. Jesus who? That guy that lived a long time ago that was named after Christmas? nt

[xultar]

27. It's his followers that are fucked up. Don't hate Jesus.

[sarcasmo]

44. I said sick of Jesus, the word Hate never came out of my mouth.

Do you work for Faux News?.

[Catfight]

28. I agree, jesus sucks and so do his followers. nt

[hedgehog]

7. Bravo for the principal!

There are too many jerks that need a smack upside the head. Any Christian who would shout "We love Jesus!" at a sports event for any reason, let alone to taunt Jews, is a Christian in name only, IMO.

[goforit]

8. This is unbelievable!!! The Cristian Right are crazy!

[CharmCity]

9. He should make the parents go, too.

Anti-semitism (and racism) begins at home, right?

[SpiralHawk]

12. "We love Jesus" translation: "WE HATE YOU."

Ugly little pretend christians.

[Cursive]

20. "Jesus Hates Sin"

While driving home from work Friday, I read that off of somebody's car. Big ol' sticker on the passenger side's door. Your post reminded me of it. Jesus the hater? :shrug:

[Hardrada]

13. I grew up in an area almost entirely Lutheran. We did not

hate other religions however. Just were a bit puzzled others had other ideas. No big deal. We were Norwegians. I think the Missouri Synod is less forgiving of other theistic interpretations.

[Ian David]

15. Also reported here

Exposing Intolerance
By TChris, Section Social Justice
Posted on Sat Feb 24, 2007 at 03:13:13 PM EST
Tags: (all tags)

We're lucky we have celebrities. Without people like Mel Gibson, Michael Richards , and Tim Hardaway, the popular media might never pay attention to the country's most serious and enduring social problem: intolerance.

An incident this offensive deserves as much attention as the Gibson, Richards, and Hardaway rants. Will it receive comparable coverage? No celebrities were involved, so don't bet on it.

A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted "We love Jesus" during a basketball game against a school with Jewish students. The word "Jew" also was painted on a gym wall behind the seats of Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School students attending the Feb. 2 game at Norfolk Academy, said Dennis W. Price, principal of the Virginia Beach school.

Price who also watched the game, said the rivals exchanged chants, "Then, at some point, our students were chanting, 'We love Jesus.'"
"It was obviously in reference to the Jewish population of Norfolk Academy; that's the only way you can take that," he added.

More:
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2007/2/24/161313/234

[kestrel91316]

22. Sadly, the fundies view intolerance as a sacred virtue.

[KamaAina]

38. This was a Catholic, not fundie, high school.

The hate and intolerance is spreading. :scared:

[LiberalFighter]

16. If Bishop Catholic won the game they should forfeit the game

If they lost the game they should forfeit the next game.

[TomClash]

17. What idiots

Jesus was a jew, Peter was a jew.

Did they miss catechism?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

18. What an embarrassment...

I'm surprised this came out of a Catholic school -- but maybe it's more the area. When I went to Catholic school we were instilled with a respect for that religion. I'm glad the principal jumped on this one -- there is just no place for that kind of crap.

[Wise Doubter]

21. When Gary said he found Jesus, I thought YAHOO we`re rich...

... but it turned out to be something different !:evilgrin:

[barb162]

23. The principal of the one school seems to be taking

very appropriate action

[ShortnFiery]

24. Only in Virginia, Sweet Virginia ;)

It seems like our state is competing with Florida with regard to having the highest percentage of dumba**es within our populace. :shrug:

[Blue_Tires]

25. holy fucking shit

that is the high school i graduated from....i'm so ashamed

fwiw i also attended NA when i was in elementary school

[cali]

26. You have nothing to be ashamed of and I'd like to note

that the principal seems to be handling this beautifully.

[Lurking Dem]

31. You've got that right.

I don't think I have ever seen a principal as pro-active as this guy is. He should be commended.

I had to deal with antisemitism in the public schools with my child and I never had anybody take such an approach - or anything even close to it.

[Ilsa]

29. A.G. Al Gonzales (says) it is their religious right to do this.

I suspect he'd be just fine with it, considering that he thinks Christians are more persecuted in this country than others. He said he wants to make freedom of religious expression a priority.

[AngryOldDem]

32. As bad and indefensible as this is, it could have been a lot worse

Remember what the Church taught about the Jewish people, up until about the 1960s?

One more reason I am just SO proud of my faith these days. :eyes:

[VegasWolf]

35. Yes, I certainly remember those teachings in my Catholic elementary school. At 12 years

old, I asked both my priests and nuns whether they believed all this nonsense about non-Catholics never being able to go to heaven. They all said yes it is unfortunate but true, and at 12 years old I became an atheist.

[entanglement]

33. I'm waiting for a column in JWR / Front Page mag. telling them not to whine and be so PC

Not holding my breath, though.

[sakabatou]

34. They may love Jesus

But the sure don't follow his ways.

[gratefultobelib]

36. They do NOT love Jesus.

[WorldResident]

37. This position may be unpopular, but that chant is religious freedom.

And one has to accept that religious freedom opens the door to intolerance to other religions not your own, namely because of the structure of religions themselves. To openly embrace Christianity, you have to accept that non-Christians are going to hell. This applies to Islam and Mormonism as well just to name a couple more religions. Only the Bahai's really accept all other faiths as part of their doctrine.

[KamaAina]

39. How about spray-painting "Jew" on the seats?

Is that "religious freedom" or hate speech (not to mention vandalism)?

edit: spelling

[WorldResident]

43. That act was vandalism

IMHO, only the chant may be considered free speech.

[AngryAmish]

41. What about just chanting "USA"?

[VegasWolf]

42. My sky person is better than your sky person. Mine has three heads! nt

[sarcasmo]

45. This makes me proud to be an Atheist.

[Vinca]

46. That's exactly what I thought. It's not atheists fighting with each

other in the Middle East or calling names or defaming entire classes of people or mandating a person's most personal issues.