Friday, July 11, 2008

The Camps Aim to "Protect the Youths from Western Culture"

MEMRI

"'The Virtuous Youth Camp,' 'The Noble Aspiration Camp,' 'The Camp of the Fearless,' 'The Budding Youth Club,' 'The Young Generation Camp' – all these and others are names of summer camps that are constantly and prominently advertised in our papers, presenting their programs and competing for [the readers' attention].

"In their margins, many [of the ads] state 'limited space or 'a summer after your own heart' –proclamations aimed at encouraging the public to register. [Other ads] include assurances aimed at the devout religious [public], such as 'no mixing [of the genders].' For those too lazy to register their son or daughter, [some ads even] stress that 'a registration agent will come to your home.' "The organizers of these camps make [every] effort to bring as many children and youths as possible to their camps. [To this end], they stress that the [program] includes 'English lessons' or 'Koran lessons.'

"But in practice, those who register are compelled [to participate] in intensive religion classes, taught using implausible traditions and stories that have no basis in history. Moreover, the only goal [of these lessons] is to frighten the youths or to 'protect them from Western culture.' This is evident from the testimony of a parent..."

A Camper Reports: "The Teacher at Camp [Said] that Allah Will Build a House in Paradise for Anyone who Goes to Afghanistan and Fights Those Who Oppose Islam"

"Bou 'Abd Al-Wahhab told us that last year he was busy and could not send his children to vacation abroad during the summer holidays. Therefore, he decided to register two of them for a summer camp advertised in one of the papers. The cost was negligible – 10 dinars for a whole month.

"[However,] Bou 'Abd Al-Wahhab was distressed when his nine-year-old son asked him [one day] about Afghanistan, and how far it was from Kuwait. When [the father] asked the reason for the questions, [the boy] replied: 'The teacher at camp said that Allah would build a house in Paradise for anyone who goes to Afghanistan and fights those who oppose Islam.'

"Bou 'Abd Al-Wahhab['s story] is genuine. He found it difficult to believe that what he heard from his son was part of a lesson given at the camp. Despite the denials of the teacher – who was an Arab – he insisted on taking his sons out of camp and refrained from registering them for another camp or club of the same sort.

"...Brainwashing means changing an individual's ideas, principles, beliefs and values... In his book The Mind Managers, [sociologist] Herbert I. Schiller states that 'the various methods of brainwashing work best on youths; while the brainwashing of adults is more difficult, because it takes more time. [Brainwashing] can be achieved through various proven methods, such as [arousing] psychological and physical sensations, [triggering] strong emotions, both painful and pleasurable; and using [various] techniques of stimulation, intimidation and mental persuasion. [Used] over a long period of time, [such techniques] cause most people to change their ideology, values and beliefs.'"

Unless the Government Regains Control of the Camps, "We May One Day Wake Up To the Worst Possible Scenario"

"What Schiller describes is exactly the goal of some of the religious summer camps... which operate behind closed doors, out of the sight of parents and the authorities. Al-Jarida tried to contact one of these camps by [calling] the number in its newspaper ad. When we asked about the nature of the camp, the [man] in charge was happy to tell us all about it. He said that the main goal of the camp was to make [good] use of the youngsters' free time and to keep them away from 'hazardous pitfalls.' He did not try to explain this term, but avoided the issue by inviting us to a [face-to-face meeting] to receive more information.

"What is happening behind the scenes in these summer camps should be a warning sign to the authorities to regain the role that they have abandoned, either deliberately or through neglect, and that they have left to this extremist faction. They must do what the families wish, and bring the summer camps back under the [authority of the] Education Ministry schools. [Otherwise,] we may one day wake up to the worst possible scenario."


Endnote:
(1) Al-Jarida (Kuwait), June 13, 2008.

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