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Geeking out at SXSW Interactive - There is no better place to mingle with other geeks than at South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive, one of the largest Internet-focused conferences in the country, where we presented a panel discussion on "Online Extremism - And The Muslims Who Fight It" (March 20, 2008)

Like “Groundhog Day” - What happens when you get 200 academics, activists, policy wonks, politicians, and journalists - all with opinions across the spectrum - into a room to try to determine the best course of action to improve the relationship between the US and the Muslim world? Unfortunately, not much. (February 24, 2008)

CONTRIBUTORS
PODCASTS
altmuslim review 027 - This month, we have a special report from the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar. Also, an interview with Dalia Mogahed, co-author of the forthcoming book "What a Billion Muslims Really Think" (March 7, 2008)

altmuslim review 026 - The US presidential race is in full swing, and we discuss Muslim involvement in the campaigns and our attempts at a block vote. Also, a perspective from recently elected San Carlos city councilmember Omar Ahmad. (January 29, 2008)

ELSEWHERE
Shahed will be participating in a panel discussion, Sourcing Islam, at the Religion Newswriters Association conference in Washington, DC (September 20, 2008)

Zahed will be a guest on BBC Radio 4's "Sunday" programme speaking about religious podcasting (May 4, 2008)

Rafia and Shahed will be guests on South Africa's Channel Islam, speaking about interpreting Islam in the modern world (March 28 & April 4, 2008)

Shahed will be speaking at the CAMP International Leadership Summit in Princeton, NJ (March 29, 2008)

Shahed will be a guest on Radio Tahrir, airing on WBAI 99.5 FM in New York, speaking about the Muslim block vote (April 1, 2008)

Shahed will be appearing on The Agenda with Steve Paikin for a recap of altmuslim's SXSW panel "Online Extremism" (March 26, 2008)

altmuslim is hosting a panel discussion at 2008 SXSW Interactive, "Online Extremism (And The Muslims Who Fight It)" (March 9, 2008)

Count blessings, then tally taxes - Hesham Hassaballa, Chicago Tribune (February 24, 2008)

'Busharraf' gets the people's message - Irfan Yusuf, New Zealand Herald (February 22, 2008)

Shahed will be participating in the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar (February 17-19, 2008)

Sharia an unlikely threat - Irfan Yusuf, stuff.co.nz (February 13, 2008)

Converts' dangerous pull towards extremism - Irfan Yusuf, Sydney Morning Herald (February 7, 2008)

Safiyyah will be appearing on The Agenda with Steve Paikin for a debate on "Today's Young Muslim Women" (February 1, 2008)

Sidelining the loud-mouthed cultural warriors - Irfan Yusuf, Canberra Times (January 10, 2008)

Safiyyah will be guest writing at the TVO website offering commentary on the two-part TV series Britz (February 2008)

Fault lines of a nation - Irfan Yusuf, The Age (December 31, 2007)

Is there room at the inn for a Muslim holiday in America? - Shahed Amanullah, Chicago Tribune (December 23, 2007)

Can Pakistan's non-violent past save its future? - Shahed Amanullah, Beliefnet.com (December 28, 2007)

Not your father's hajj - Shahed Amanullah, Beliefnet.com (December 17, 2007)

Shahed will be speaking at the MPAC Annual Convention in Long Beach, CA about Muslims and new media (December 15, 2007)

IN THE NEWS
Why the silence? - "Both reactionary religion and militant secularism are on the rise, with both displaying a rigid certainty and a desire for power that will do nothing to benefit society. In this context, it is vital that people with open-minded faith speak up and demonstrate alternatives. [altmuslim.com has] set many good examples in this regard." (January 8, 2008)

Does the US tolerate anti-Muslim speech? - "You see more hostility towards Muslims now than you did the year after 9/11," says Shahed Amanullah, editor of a Muslim web-zine, AltMuslim.com. He and other observers point to America's failure to capture Osama bin Laden, the continuing difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan, and news of terrorist plots overseas as reasons why many Americans feel hostile towards Muslims. (December 7, 2007)

In the great Berkeley free speech tradition - [Amanullah] claims no personal agenda other than concerned dad. “I want my children to grow up in a country where they, as Muslims, feel valued,” he says, “and where their religion doesn’t contradict their nationality.” (November 9, 2007)

Shaping the debate on Muslims - The publication [altmuslim.com] promotes critical analysis, discussion, and debate within the Muslim community in the West while also showcasing commentary for non-Muslims who want a sense of the dialogue going on among Western Muslims. (October 19, 2007)

Blogging Where Speech Isn’t Free (.mp3) - Many nations have no tradition of free speech, and in those contexts, blogging can be extremely dangerous. How can those bloggers protect themselves, and how can we help them? (Panel discussion at SXSW Interactive, Austin, Texas, March 11, 2007) Audio available here. (July 9, 2007)

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The American Muslim
Naeem Mohaiemen
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Naeem Mohaiemen
Naeem Mohaiemen, Associate Editor of altmuslim since 2003, is an artist and filmmaker working in New York and Dhaka. Art projects include Disappeared in America (2006 Whitney Biennial), Between Devil & Deep Blue (Asia Society), System Error: War is a Force that gives us Meaning (Palazzo Papesse, Siena), Lonely Death in Penn Station (Exit Art) and Grounded: Was Man Meant To Fly (Danish Arts Council).

His film projects include Muslims Or Heretics: My Camera Can Lie (British House of Lords), Young Man Was No Longer Terrorist (Dictionary Of War, Munich), Fear of Flying, and Patriot Story. His essays include Fear of a Muslim Planet: Islamic Roots of Hip-Hop (Sound Unbound, DJ Spooky ed., MIT Press), Guerillas in Mist (Sarai Turbulence, part of Documenta 12 journal project), Beirut: Illusion of a Silver Porsche (Men of Global South, Adam Jones ed., Zed Books) and Why Mahmud Can't be a Pilot (Nobody Passes, Matt Bernstein ed.). Naeem has been featured in numerous publications and media appearances, including an extensive interview with David Brancaccio for the Now programme on PBS.
zabihah.com

ARTICLES BY NAEEM MOHAIEMEN

Muslims and the West
Go west, young Muslim
It is time to look beyond the stories of 9/11. Time to also feel the pain of others outside these borders. Time to formulate theory, trajectory and a vision for a more humane future. (2 comments)

Fear of Muslims
Snakes on a plane, Muslims off the plane
Every person is now an action hero, ready to pounce on evildoers when they "spot suspicious behavior", kick up a royal fuss and boot that passenger off the plane. (6 comments)

Globalization
Muslim voices still on margins of Helsinki process
In spite of assembling a strong group of participants, Muslim voices and issues have remained largely absent from the discussions of the Helsinki Process. (0 comments)

Commentary
‘It’s really important to hear our voices’
David Brancaccio of PBS interviews alt.muslim's Naeem Mohaiemen on the fallout from the London attacks, gaining trust among Muslim communities, and whose side Naeem is on. (0 comments)

7/7 Aftermath
London 2005: Welcome to the Terrordome
Don't let the rhetoric of the "war on terror" and violence by the terrorist fringes push us to sacrifice civil liberties. Learn from the excesses of post 9/11 America. (9 comments)

UK Muslims
“Collateral damage” of London bombers
It only takes a small, determined gang of racists to start race riots. We saw it before in Brixton and Bradford, and now we may see it again. (1 comments)

Kidnapping spree
Punishing the innocent in Iraq
Activists must speak up against the ongoing cycle of kidnapping. There are many ways to oppose Empire, but this cannot be one of them. (1 comments)

Immigration
Protesting while immigrant
If immigrants protest anti-immigrant policies at the Republican National Convention, they risk being deported. (0 comments)

War on terror
How (not) to catch a terrorist
What terrorist in his right mind would now seek to ram a truck into Wall Street, after watching all of law enforcements plans laid bare on the TV screen? (1 comments)

Labor issues
“Slaves” in Saudi: The Muslim world’s shame
It is no surprise to read a Human Rights Watch report that found that migrant workers in Saudi Arabia are kept in conditions of "near-slavery." (34 comments)

Communalism
Merchants of hate targeting religious minorities
Rising persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh is following a similar pattern to that of Pakistan - and may take that country down the same path. (0 comments)

Academia
Islamic or Arabic studies?
Efforts to promote understanding at Oberlin College through setting up an Arabic Studies program would go a lot further if it were expanded to Islamic studies. (0 comments)

Anti-Semitism
Mahathir strikes out: Fear of a Jewish planet
Statements by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad show why the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) has been irrelevant in improving the Muslim condition. (7 comments)

Suicide terrorism
Mindless “martyrs”: Muslim voices against suicide bombings
Suicide bombings have have been a tactical and moral failure whose continued use and acceptance threatens the stability of society. (0 comments)

Edward Said
Campus hysteria in the face of truth
Edward Said's enemies were scared by what he stood for - a Palestinian nationalism that was not easily stereotyped or dismissed. (0 comments)

Salauddin Chowdhury
War criminal to head Islamic conference?
An alleged war criminal has just become Bangladesh's nominee for Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). (1 comments)

February 15th anti-war march
The euphoria and afterwards
Even if the current anti-war efforts do not succeed, the human connections that are being made in this moment will be a powerful force for positive change in the future. (0 comments)

Muslim activism
Not in our name: An activist looks back
Journalist and activist Naeem Mohaiemen reflects on the state of American activism, and how a decade in America has shaped his world view. (0 comments)


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