[Kona_Silat]

Keeping An Eye On The "Karachi Kids", Documentary Follows The Experiences Of Pakistani-American Brothers At Religious School - CBS News

Keeping An Eye On The "Karachi Kids"
July 11, 2008(CBS) Two Pakistani-American brothers who were sent away by their parents four years ago to study at a fundamentalist religious school in Pakistan have returned to the United States.

The conditions they endured are the focus of the documentary "The Karachi Kids."

Filmmaker Imran Raza and Ericka Pertierra of the South Asia Foundation For Educational Reform visited The Early Show to talk about the film.

When Raza, who has family roots in Pakistan, went to shoot footage at the Jamia Binoria madrassa, he didn't expect to find Atlanta brothers Mahboob and Noor Khan there.

"As I walked into the madrassa, the big surprise happened when I suddenly heard two voices that were, you know, perfect American English," Raza told co-anchor Harry Smith. "The environment is just so different. Nobody really speaks English. And then suddenly you hear two kids saying, 'Are you American?' There was this immediate sort of bond because at that time they really wanted to get out of the madrassa. And so we connected on that level."

During the next few years, Raza made trips back to the madrassa, and each time he recorded a change in the boys' attitudes.

"They went from obviously really, really, you know, just fervently wanting to leave to now where they feel it was a great thing that has improved themselves," he said. "So there's a dramatic change that's taken place. Obviously, it's an environment they've been in for nearly four years."

Pertierra said she got involved after a friend sent her a tape of the film.

"When you first see the tape of September '05 in the documentary, you're so compelled to help these boys. You know, they're begging to get out of there. They're realizing they're missing their education. And so that really clearly moved me," she said. "We have over 600 U.S. boys in Pakistan madrassas, and we still have 78 boys in that particular madrassa, and I will continue to fight. I'm planning to go to Washington next week to meet with members of Congress, and I plan to get all of these boys back."

Imran said that the boys' father said he couldn't afford to send the boys to madrassas in the U.S. But, Imran is concerned about the bigger picture.

"I think that what we're dealing with, which is the more important issue here, is that you have this madrassa, and the leader of this madrassa taking advantage of people who are naive and bringing the boys into an environment where clearly there's so many different levels of what I call reengineering," he said. "You know, their personalities, their desires, everything is reengineered. So it's really an astounding process to watch."

To find out more about "Karachi Kids" and to see the film's trailer, click here.
Karachi Kids Documentary Website | karachikids.com

[sixpakistan]

This is completely ridiculous. They want the US government to tell the parents how to raise and educate their own children?! And of course, the kids only grew to like it and consider themselves improved by the environment because they were "brainwashed."

The arrogance, condescension and narrow-mindedness oozing from this article is appalling. This is what you call offensive stupidity.

[dreamdeferred]

Originally Posted by sixpakistan

This is completely ridiculous. They want the US government to tell the parents how to raise and educate their own children?! And of course, the kids only grew to like it and consider themselves improved by the environment because they were "brainwashed."

The arrogance, condescension and narrow-mindedness oozing from this article is appalling. This is what you call offensive stupidity.

Word.........utterly ridiculous.

[Kona_Silat]

YouTube - "Karachi Kids" Trailer: Documentary About American Boys in Madrassa

About the Film
“A breeding ground for terrorists.”

“University of Jihad.”

Those are just some of the phrases used to described the Pakistani madrassa system, a network of Islamic schools where children as young as six are taught to memorize every verse and phrase of the Koran.

The Karachi Kids takes the viewer behind the shrouded curtain of a Pakistani madrassa to show a world of abuse, loneliness and transformation into radical Islam.

Filmed over the course of years, the Karachi Kids tracks the changes of two middle class brothers from Atlanta whose father, a Pakistani taxi driver enraged at the influence of American culture on his children, into a madrassa with instructions that they must memorize the Koran before they are allowed home — a process which takes about seven years.

A story of personal tragedy with national security implications, the Karachi Kids promises to create a national debate about the true nature of radical Islam in ways that have never before been told.

[IbnMardhiyah]

Originally Posted by Kona_Silat

"I think that what we're dealing with, which is the more important issue here, is that you have this madrassa, and the leader of this madrassa taking advantage of people who are naive and bringing the boys into an environment where clearly there's so many different levels of what I call reengineering," he said. "You know, their personalities, their desires, everything is reengineered. So it's really an astounding process to watch."

Hypocritical to the bone.

US schools re-engineer kids from a very early level. Hell, I've been out of the USA for 16 years now after having spent more than 10 years there, but I can still recite the Pledge of Allegiance, name all 50 states and capitals, and talk about the Revolutionary War just the same way I did when it was all drilled into my head when I was still less than 10 years old.

[msmoorad]

salaams to all

of all the people on Islamica- you are the most likely target (in my opinion) for US or western "intelligence" agencies to buy-off and use you to say stupid things about islam- why?
cos they dont need to brainwash you- youre already brainwashed.

wake-up bro

jazakallah

[Bluestar]

He hasn't said anything bad about islam in this thread He merely informed people of an interesting film, not necessarily that's critical of Islam, more critical of Pakistani culture.

Your criticism is unjustified and you're only attacking for the sake of it. Ask yourself who is more susceptible to brainwashing when you barely read what people write and go on an attacking spree when you think it means something that it doesn't

Would you extinguish the voices of helpless children to protect the reputation of islam?

[IbnMardhiyah]

Not too sure why Kona made another thread on the same topic, but mods - please merge with the following: http://www.islamicaweb.com/forums/ne...achi-kids.html

thanks

[wheelworks]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Not too sure why Kona made another thread on the same topic, but mods - please merge with the following: http://www.islamicaweb.com/forums/ne...achi-kids.html

thanks

You could always ask Azher to make you a mod if you wan't it bad enough

[msmoorad]

Originally Posted by Bluestar

He hasn't said anything bad about islam in this thread He merely informed people of an interesting film, not necessarily that's critical of Islam, more critical of Pakistani culture.

Your criticism is unjustified and you're only attacking for the sake of it. Ask yourself who is more susceptible to brainwashing when you barely read what people write and go on an attacking spree when you think it means something that it doesn't

Would you extinguish the voices of helpless children to protect the reputation of islam?

salaams to all

if you read even half of what he normally posts, then u would not find anything wrong with my post.
he did not have to post the description of the movie where it says:
"The Karachi Kids takes the viewer behind the shrouded curtain of a Pakistani madrassa to show a world of abuse, loneliness and transformation into radical Islam."
even if thats not his words, why post that sort of lies?
radical islam just means practical islam- like how the TJ'S follow
and which helpless children are u referring to?
most of the kids in madrassahs/darul ulooms around the world are just like these kids, how are they being abused or mistreated in any way?.
and which muslim in their right mind would believe anything about the madrassahs/darul ulooms which is written by non-muslims or modernist muslims?

jazakallah

[Bluestar]

Originally Posted by msmoorad

salaams to all

if you read even half of what he normally posts, then u would not find anything wrong with my post.

A person's view changes, to take a judgement of someones previous posts is a bit hasty.

he did not have to post the description of the movie where it says:
"The Karachi Kids takes the viewer behind the shrouded curtain of a Pakistani madrassa to show a world of abuse, loneliness and transformation into radical Islam."
even if thats not his words, why post that sort of lies?
radical islam just means practical islam- like how the TJ'S follow
and which helpless children are u referring to?
most of the kids in madrassahs/darul ulooms around the world are just like these kids, how are they being abused or mistreated in any way?.
and which muslim in their right mind would believe anything about the madrassahs/darul ulooms which is written by non-muslims or modernist muslims?

jazakallah

So the description of the movie should be altered because it's something you don't agree with?
Many people would argue that radical islam isn't practical at all, you have to allow for these discussions to take place to explore whether you're actually right.

[msmoorad]

Originally Posted by Bluestar

A person's view changes, to take a judgement of someones previous posts is a bit hasty.



So the description of the movie should be altered because it's something you don't agree with?
Many people would argue that radical islam isn't practical at all, you have to allow for these discussions to take place to explore whether you're actually right.

salaams to all
the 1st part- not in his case, he has a certain attitude toward islam

2nd part- why post it- just because its part of what the producers have to say about it
please explain radical vs practical- according to the western media anyone who practices islam as he/she ought to- esp in regard to dressing and upbringing of children is a radical-

whats there to explore?
why dont you say that its also OK to allow a discussion about whether Allah exists and about whether islam is the true religion - just to explore whether im right?
treading on dangerous ground .

this is why there is a serious need for good Ulama in US,UK ,Aus ,NZ& Canada
jazakallah

[Jaysh]

One house slave (bluestar) defending another (Kona).

[Kona_Silat]

Originally Posted by IbnMardhiyah

Hypocritical to the bone.

US schools re-engineer kids from a very early level. Hell, I've been out of the USA for 16 years now after having spent more than 10 years there, but I can still recite the Pledge of Allegiance, name all 50 states and capitals, and talk about the Revolutionary War just the same way I did when it was all drilled into my head when I was still less than 10 years old.

The difference is they have better opportunties in America and the western world, particularily the American kids who are in the madarassahs. The two American boys were shipped over there and denied a better opportunity to persue their dreams and instead they are learning stuff that is not going to help them better themselves.