Local Choir Controversy Gains National Attention
by
KREX News Room
by
Jordan Sherman
Story Created:
Feb 17, 2012 at 6:38 PM MDT
Story Updated:
Feb 17, 2012 at 9:58 PM MDT
Denver - A story that has sparked heated debate locally over the past few days receives national attention on FOX and Friends, the early show for the FOX network. NewsChannel 5 reporter Matt Kroschel broke the story Tuesday about a Grand Junction High School student who quit choir after his teacher included a song that praised the Islamic god Allah.
On Thursday morning, FOX and Friends producers contacted Matt with an interview request for Friday morning. Matt agreed and set off for Denver shortly after 6:00 PM Thursday night.
Little did we know that on the way to Denver, the story would continue to unfold. Matt received a phone call from James Harper, the student at the center of the controversy, stating that he had received written threats. "Some kids at school sent messages. None of them were direct like, 'I will kick your ass', but one of them said you better not come back. The other said shut your mouth or I'll do something about it."
The threats against Harper only strengthened Matt's resolve to maintain balance in his coverage at the national level.
After a night of nerves and little sleep in Denver, we set out for KDVR FOX at 4:00 AM, and Matt began his live interview at 4:55 AM. The interview lasted around two minutes, but as Matt said, "I think the interview went well. I think we got across the facts of the story we had."
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Chris said on Monday, Feb 27 at 9:50 PM
What's the name of the song and where can I get the words? All the screaming about it is starting to remind me of the Salman Rushdie controversy when he wrote "The Satanic Verses", and all the screaming fanatical Muslims started calling for his execution. Only this time it is the screaming fanatical Christians calling for somebody's head. It seems that there's a problem with the term "Allah". Is there also a problem using the term "Dios", or Dumnezeu, Isten, or Jainkoaren - all terms for God in Spanish, Romanian, Hungarian and Basque?
AmericanPatriot's an Idiot said on Wednesday, Feb 22 at 11:41 AM
The song was written by A.R.Rahman an Oscar winning composer from India who studied music in India and England. No one in India is stoning women to death, chopping people's hands off or beheading people on TV. They have had a female head of state, current head of state belongs to a small minority religion (neither of those things have happened in US so far). They haven't spent killing any Americans for last 10 years although they have helped millions of sick in US through their immigrant doctors and scientists. The composer of the song himself has deemed the song to be about spirituality and not about promoting a particular religion. It was part of a film so was related to a situation in the film. Those are the facts. From your comments I am starting to wonder whether being a AmericanPatriot means having complete lack of real knowledge and then spouting it off as loudly as possible. McCarthy would have loved you while Jefferson, Paine and Franklin are turning over in their graves .
RD Reid said on Tuesday, Feb 21 at 1:05 AM
What is all this talk of bigotry and small mindedness??? You people need to wake up! You live in a very small and protected area. Look..To you it is all about being open minded and Politically correct and accepting of anything and everyone. well fine but know this...To a true Muslim you are no better than any other Christian and are just as likely to be shot on site in a Muslim country!! They do not care about your political correctness but they will prey on it to gain more purchase on American soil! We are a fungus to them and it is impossible to coexist with someone of that mindset!!!!! If you EVER spent any time in a Muslim country you would know this and keep your mouths shut and join in the fight to save this country from the anti-christian wave that is threatening to drown us all. Hows that for fanatical??? Well it is not it is truth.
Robert James Burkholder said on Monday, Feb 20 at 7:11 AM
I see on the internet that Steve Hagerman has commented on the use of the song to KREX. Just wanted to say Thank God for KREX , the itnernet and AM Talk radio -without these three this valley would mushroom being kept in the dark and fed dung by the local daily newspaper who compared those who wanted to stop the use of this song to fanatical Imams of the Muslim world. IMO I trust Steve Hagerman of Turkish World -- and professors like Ergun Caner,700 Club March 6,2002; and the good people at Voice of the Martyr Oct.1997,Nov.1997,Dec.1997;I trust Atlas Shrugs, and Robert Spencer,and others like Franklin Graham ,Pastor John Hagee and others before I can trust the local daily news on Islam.KREX is the source I watch for news.
Alice said on Sunday, Feb 19 at 8:55 PM
From what I have read, any person that is against this song is a bigot, and anybody that is for it does not understand Islam. Pretty close to accurate so far? The reasons for being against the song have been well reasoned and based on reality and facts readily in evidence in the practice of the muslim religion. On the other hand, those in favor have nothing but "racism" and "bigotry" to throw out. In other words, just more of the same old childish temper tantrums that seems to be the only weapon left to the liberals. There really should be an intelligence test in order to vote.
tater said on Sunday, Feb 19 at 8:32 PM
There is one blinding fact that no one seems to be able to get around...IT WAS THE CHOSEN SONG. Voluntary choir is 100% irrelevant. It's not like the lottery, it was not the song by chance, again IT WAS THE CHOSEN SONG. If it was CHOSEN by a quick feeling over any knowledge of the Muslim desired caliphate then I suggest the teacher 'coexist' elsewhere.
guest said on Sunday, Feb 19 at 3:57 PM
i think it waas absolutely NOT a good choice . ther are millions of songs out there with good rhythm etc. with out choosing such. i dont think any religous song is appropriate . its not church . its school of many religons i am sure
ridiculous said on Sunday, Feb 19 at 2:29 PM
This song was chosen to be sung by a VOLUNTARY after school choir. The student had no obligation to be involved in the choir. No person was receiving credit for the class. Furthermore, it is choir. Music should be a safe zone from ignorant bigots. As was stated, the purpose behind adding this song to the choirs repertoire was not in any way to be a praising of Allah, but instead, it was based solely on the music, not on the lyrics. If your argument is that a high school choir shouldn't be singing religious songs, Then why do i not see your arguments against almost every choir singing Handel's Hallelujah Chorus??. how is that any different? I think we all need to stop our fight to shelter our children from the real purpose of going to school. to get and EDUCATION. Religious affiliations aside, MUSIC IS MUSIC. Regardless of the lyrics, your children won't learn anything if they don't have any outlet with which to express themselves.
Fire the Teacher, Fire the School Board said on Sunday, Feb 19 at 11:15 AM
the only result should be...
Embarrassed said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 10:12 PM
Now the small minded bigotry of Grand Junction is held up for all the nation/world to see.
kirkt said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 8:19 PM
@ Ali From Wikipedia Allah (English pronunciation: /ˈælə/or /ˈɑːlə/; Arabic: الله Allāh, IPA: [ʔɑlˈlɑː] ( listen), [ʔalˤˈlˤɑː]) is a word for God used in the context of Islam and other monotheistic religions of Arabic-speaking communities.In Arabic, the word means simply "the God".It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and Sikhs.[5][6][7] It is related to ʼĔlāhā in Aramaic.
Karen said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 9:22 AM
IGNORANCE is that mental state where one is not aware of relevant details on the subject. STUPIDITY is that mental state where the person IS MADE AWARE of the relevant details and choose to ignore FACTUAL information in order to stick with the political agenda that is ingrained so deeply that change is not possible…. oh, sorry… that’s ZOMBIE status.
Anonymous said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 3:16 AM
gutless losers
Ali said on Saturday, Feb 18 at 12:14 AM
Allah is not the same god we worship. Allah was invented by Mohammed and they simply called him A god. Allah is NOT A GOD and not to be praised in any way. People in charge of selecting and approving this horrid Islamic song must be totally misinformed about who this Nation's GOD is and what America's foundation was set upon.
Wilson said on Friday, Feb 17 at 11:43 PM
mohammed raped, murdered and plundered his way throughout the mid east section of the world. Murdered people just because it made him feel good. Chopped off body parts for kicks and grins. Labelled anybody not subservient to him personally as infidels and ordered them either enslaved or murdered. Took a fancy to girls as young as 5 years old and took them to his bed. Probably went straight to hell, did not pass go and did not collect his 200 virgins. And the uninformed choose to worship that cretin? oh... they are liberals? Well, that explains it.
AmericanPatriot. said on Friday, Feb 17 at 11:26 PM
This song was written by and for people who stone women to death, chop off hands and behead people on TV. And they just spent 10 years killing our Sons and Daughters. And now our local liberal faction wants us to sing their praises, which I assume means they’ve taken a side rather than just a nanny state handout or hits of medical marijuana. At least now we know where you are and who you are, every Mother’s son of you. As for the others, how are those burkas’ working out for you? Is that the liberal Muslim version of the paper sack…..for old glory, invented by guys who greatest triumph in life was dating their neighbor’s goat? This is just gratuitous stupidity. I just can’t wait until District 51 decides that they need a budget increase and tries to tack it onto our property taxes. What a cluster….
Ali said on Friday, Feb 17 at 11:24 PM
Allah is not our god, period, end of story. This young man was perfectly right not to sing a song that praises Allah. Allah does not have a SON, and our Christian God does have a son and our Bible says: "The Father, son and Holy Spirit are ONE" No Allah in American values and culture. These are the people who want to kill the Jews and Americans, want to stone to death their women. No thank you, this is not a religion I'll give praise to.
Doris said on Friday, Feb 17 at 9:20 PM
OH YEAH, DISTRICT 51. WE ARE GOING TO REMEMBER THIS COME YOUR BUDGET TIME!!!!!!! OH YEAH!!!!!!!
AmericanPatriot. said on Friday, Feb 17 at 9:13 PM
This song was written by and for people who stone women to death, chop off hands and behead people on TV. And they just spent 10 years killing our Sons and Daughters. And now our local liberal faction wants us to sing their praises, which I assume means they’ve taken a side rather than just a nanny state handout or hits of medical marijuana. At least now we know where you are and who you are, every Mother’s son of you. As for the others, how are those burkas’ working out for you? Is that the liberal Muslim version of the paper sack…..for old glory, invented by guys who greatest triumph in life was dating their neighbor’s goat? This is just gratuitous stupidity. I just can’t wait until District 51 decides that they need a budget increase and tries to tack it onto our property taxes. What a cluster….
Chicos mom said on Friday, Feb 17 at 8:58 PM
Do the research! If you praise allah you are then a muslim. Separation of Church and State Rules only seem to apply to the Christian Faith. God Bless America! Right now it is going to hell.
Wow said on Friday, Feb 17 at 8:34 PM
tater ... Rufus is probably grinning just like Matt on FOX at what you wrote and feeling good about himself. As you said "Moron"!
tater said on Friday, Feb 17 at 7:49 PM
Go ahead and call me a bigot Rufus. We all know it's not true. Unless that word has changed meaning too. Keep praising your Muslim president while you're at it. Moron.
Rufus said on Friday, Feb 17 at 7:13 PM
Congrats on the community of bigotry label! Bad publicity is better than no publicity! Obama 2012!
Wow said on Friday, Feb 17 at 6:58 PM
Hope you are proud of yourself Matt. I saw you grinning like you were important talking to FOX. It's gone world wide and the kids are getting threats. We won't bring the admin, or teacher into this where they should have been fired for it anyway. I hope it stops here. Something to be proud of?
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