U.S.-Islamic expert inspires local high school students

Students at Neenah High School are learning a lesson in current events from a nationally known expert, who just happens to be a Neenah grad. Dr. Zuhdi Jasser is an expert on U.S.-Islamic relations. He explained how students in Neenah can make a difference in the national discussion.

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser is back at Neenah High School for the first time since he graduated in 1985.

He says, “A lot of what I’ve been able to do since leaving Neenah, Wisconsin has been because of this city, because of the people here, because of what it means to be a native of the Fox River Valley.”

And what he’s done is become a military medical officer, now a cardiologist in Arizona. But, he’s also an expert on U.S.-Islamic relations, something that has sent him to testify in front of congress as well as appear on national network cable stations.

According to Haafsah Fariduddin, a Neenah High School senior, “It really was nice and interesting to hear somebody come in who graduated from Neenah with the same experiences and to see what they were able to come to in their life and to see that there is something afterwards.”

He walked the students through his work to counter political Islam, which he says is the ideology that fuels terrorism saying, “Until Islam goes through a reformation, a separation of Mosque and State the way Christianity did with Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, that created this great country you’re going to continue to see radical Islam.”

After seeing and hearing from someone who used to sit in their seats, the Neenah students are now inspired to make a difference.

Senior Kiara VandenLangenberg says, “I think that we very much agree on what the solution should be. Muslims in America are not the problem, they’re the solution. They are our connection to our allies that we should be holding accountable for their actions and so I really enjoyed it and I think it was really impactful for a lot of the students here.”

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