Project 21’s LeBon Speaks (Separately) on Sharia Law, School Lunches

Cherylyn Harley LeBon, co-chairman of the National Center’s Project 21 black leadership network, has been active in pointing out the hypocrisy of liberal policymaking at both the federal and international level.

In early September, Cherylyn discussed the federal nutritional guidelines that are being imposed on schools on the Soul of the South network’s “D.C. Breakdown” program.  Pointing out that requirements for foods served in schools, such as whole wheat pasta that is unpopular with students and hard for cafeteria employees to make in bulk, Cherylyn focused on how federal mandates (especially these that are not phased in over time) are not always the best way to deal with children:

We have these federal bureaucrats who are coming up with these rules and, as a mom, I question, well, “Do you have children at home?  Do you realize that kids have very finicky palates?”  You know, you can’t just all of a sudden just force new food on children.

Cherylyn mentioned that forcing foods on kids that they may not like could have more harmful repercussions in poorer communities:

When we put these requirements — when we say “whole grain” and “fresh” — you know, what I worry about is we’re developing standards which may not fit for the entire population of the United States.  And, again, for low-income kids, if this is the only meal that they’re getting and they don’t like the whole grain pasta, they’re going home hungry.

It was also pointed out to host Angela Rae that pushing guidelines on food with the intention of fighting childhood obesity probably isn’t as effective as it could be as schools cut activities that get out and about:

It seems like a disconnect… On one hand, we’re trying to revamp the school lunches, but, yet, on the other hand, [First Lady Michelle Obama is] advocating “Let’s Move.”  But, yet, we see that the school districts across the country are reducing time — they’re reducing recess.  They’re reducing their [physical education] programs, and they’re reducing after school programs.

With the recent opening of the United Nations session, Cherylyn appeared on the “Rick Amato Show” on the One America News Network to expose how there are celebrities and activists who bring up seemingly trivial concerns regarding women despite a clear and present danger that religious extremism presents to women living under radical Islam.

Noting that movie star Emma Watson used her appearance at the U.N. to complain about description of women as “bossy,” Cherylyn noted there are life and death issues related to the imposition of Islamic sharia law that deprives women of their rights and even their lives aren’t discussed among these alleged advocates:

I find it very curious that, at the U.N., they are focusing on things like “bossy,” sexiness when — really — there are women suffering under radical Islam in the Middle East.  And there’s no discussion on how these women are really living under sharia law.

Cherylyn shared how the political left has had a deaf ear, and has even sometimes been hostile, towards stories of women such as Meriam Ibrahim — a woman who escaped persecution for her Christian beliefs and how some women still under radical Islamic rule are treated as sex slaves and cannot every receive formal education.  She added how this is not only discriminatory and a violation of human rights, such behavior also degrades society:

Women are the backbone of society.  They are the ones that give birth.  If you’re destroying women; if you’re destroying mothers; if you’re destroying those little girls by raping them and making them sex slaves, what do you think is going to happen to your population?  How do you think your society is going to function when these women and girls have been beaten and raped?  These women are going to be unable to function.



The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today’s public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century.