Where are the girlfriends?

They say that a good wife is more precious than gold, but I say that a good girlfriend (we are talking here about friendships among women)is better than gold, better than diamonds! I had my share of fake, or wrong girlfriends; and I am sick and tired of it! I am trimming to make fresher and healthier my little "living room" plant of friends. Therefore, fall off and away with:

1- Friends who think that the best lesson in teaching you not to judge, is to constantly wish you the outcome of the very thing you are judging. (Who never judge?)

2- Friends who say any hurtful things in the name of exercising "free speech", or as a payback.

3- Friends who can't handle inner conflicting issues, but blame you for embodying them.

4- Friends who are negative

5- Friends who are too insecure, and unconsciously resent you for being confident

6- Friends you still have to fight to trust, event after knowing them awhile

7- Friends who compete with you

Can we open a Gay Club, superintendent?

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the School Board of Nassau County, Florida for denying students the permission to open Gay-Straight Alliances in Jacksonville’s Yulee HS and Middle School. ACLU argues that the School Board must allow students to create a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) in both schools, because the right of students to a GSA is protected by the First Amendment, and the Equal Access Acts. The equal Access act was passed by Congress in 1984 to prohibit “… any public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance and which has a limited open forum to deny equal access or a fair opportunity to, or discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within that limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meetings.” It creates a protective shell for students’ groups in public schools, including Gays/Lesbians student-related group. If heterosexual students are able to form clubs, which enable them to discuss their common interests and woes, so should the gays and lesbians, for GSA gives them the opportunity to discuss the challenges, the unwelcomed comments, and fear they are often forced to confront, on school’s and off school’s grounds. Hannah Page, student from Yulee High, said in The State, “We just want the club so that straight and gay kids can get together to talk about harassment and discrimination against gay kids in an open environment”.
In prohibiting the GSA, school district's superintendent, John L. Ruis, (as quoted in The State ) writes: “A club highlighting sexual orientations will not be permitted as it would violate school board policy”.
The ACLU has dealt with a similar case in Okeechobee where they won. In that case, Robert Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida LGBT Advocacy Project said that the Judge (K. Michael Moore) had ruled that: “GSAs are beneficial to gay students and that they don't harm straight students.” The judge also quoted “the famed 1969 Tinker v. Des Moines case stating that students do not ‘shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." Robert Rosenwald also said "These are brave students who would not be silenced and did not tolerate discrimination. So many children cannot stand up for themselves, but hopefully this ruling will serve as warning to other Florida schools that equal access truly means equal access, and schools that choose not to follow the law will be inviting similar litigation."

“Public”, not Religious

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a law suit against Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy, also known as TIZA, claiming that the school is violating the First Amendment, which upholds the separation of the Church and State.

TIZA is funded by state and federal money, therefore should not implement, or enforce religion, nor religious activities such as prayers in the school that is supposed to be public. According to an article from the Star tribune, ACLU alleges that there are prayers posted on school’s walls, and there are scheduled prayers in which both school staff and students are participants. It also alleges that the school administration: “has used its website to seek volunteers to lead prayers, and that it requires students and staff to dress in attire that conform to Islamic religion”.

TIZA, a Minnesota charter school, has a site in Inver Grove Heights and in Blaine. It is housed by the Muslim American Society of Minnesota and Minnesota Education Trust, arrangement that Charles Samuelson, state ACLU executive director, finds questionable, because:

“…The school and the society were incorporated on the same day by the same person… They created legal fictions, but it’s the same organization…” (quote from the Star Tribune)

Some people, such as state Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, think that TIZA is being unfairly targeted because its body of students is mostly Muslim. She claims that other charter schools that have inappropriate ties to Christian groups are being overlooked. However, ACLU is known for having many times advocated for the separation of the Church and the State in public schools, whether Christian or not. The Star Tribune quoted Samuelson who said that: “over the years the Minnesota ACLU has sued a number of public school districts for promoting various Christian sects”.

Peace in the Middle East

I have been hearing as far as my memory can take me back to my childhood: Peace in the Middle East.

To recall the most recent horrific events, "Summer 2006 in Lebanon, and now winter 2008-present in Gaza." The human, complex species, is very crafty at justifying himself/herself. We love to say that we wash our hands of any blood, for they purposely hid among the innocents.