It’s now a rare event where a television franchise such as American Idol inspires the courage to question and challenge cultural ‘norms’.  We thought it was important to bring you this great article from today’s New York Post.

Bravery of Arab TV ‘Idol’

Veiled poetess hits ‘vicious, barbaric clerics’

By LUKAS I. ALPERT

A burqa-clad contestant on the Arabic version of “American Idol” landed in the finals after bravely blasting hard-line Muslim clerics on live television, sparking outrage among religious conservatives in the Middle East. Unlike the wildly popular Fox show, contestants in the Middle Eastern version recite traditional and original poetry rather than sing.

While most regale the audience with odes to the beauty of Bedouin life and glory of their rulers, Hissa Hilal stunned audiences last week by attacking Muslim religious leaders as “vicious in voice, barbaric, angry and blind,” and guilty of “preying like a wolf” on people seeking peace.