'I believe in you, and I believe in your destiny...'

I believe that you are contributors to this new civilization.
I believe that you have inherited from your forefathers an ancient dream, a song,a prophecy, which you can proudly lay as a gift of gratitude upon the lap of America.
I believe that you can say to the founders of this great nation "Here I am a youth, a young tree whose roots were plucked from the hills of Lebanon, yet am I deeply rooted here, and I will be fruitful.

These are the words of Khalil Gibran, a Lebanese-American philospher and poet and the inspiration of students and staff at the new Khalil Gibran International Academy in New York City.

An article in the latest issue of The Economist reports that the Academy opened this week despite protests and scrutiny from fellow citizens. The school will teach Arabic and Middle Eastern history and culture which has some people uneasy.

According to The Economist some who oppose the school have "muttered that it will be a training ground for terrorists."

New York operates almost 70 dual-language public schools, howeve, Khalil Gibran International Academy is the first to offer Arabic. Because the school has a focus on the Middle Eastern culture, some people are worried that the school will spread the belief of Islam to its students.

This article ties into Mass Media and Society particularly well with our discussion about language and how it is not neutral.

The Arabic language and the religion of Islam can be sensitive issues with Americans today. Generally, they are seen in a negative light, because of events of the past six years. The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 marked the real beginning of an uneasiness even fear of the Islam religion.

As O'Shaughnessy and Stadler state in Media and Society, an introduction, "Language always carries some associations, connotations, or values with it." (65)

For Americans, the Arabic language might evoke fear and anger, particularly when discussing the Islamic religion. However, for Muslims, that very same topic may be considered sacred.

The power and struggle model of language can also be seen here. According to the text, "Language meanings are not fixed and can be struggled over by different people, and by different social groups. Historically, such struggles have been very important, particularly those that occur between different ethnic groups." (68)

In the case of the Khalil Gibran International Academy, many are worried about the education students will receive there, because they have only seen a negative side of Islam. They do not understand Arabic or the traditions of the Middle Eastern Culture.

This school could go a long way in teaching more than just its students, but maybe the country as well.