The following is a work of satire. Or is it?

MEMORANDUM

To: The Muslim World

From: Evil Muslims Worldwide, Inc.™

Re: "The Muslim Agenda: Or, How to Infiltrate America by Learning to Love Ridiculously Good Looking People in The Miss USA Pageant"

This is a transcription and translation of a meeting recently held in Arizona, U.S.A, the global headquarters for Evil Muslims Worldwide, Inc.™ Several evil dignitaries were present either in person or via Skype. Their identities have been protected.

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A bearded man of average height and brownish hue dismounts his distinguished, but very evil, camel and proceeds to address the distinguished evil guests in a very evil, foreign language.

Gentleman, our nefarious plots for infiltrating America and creating a "politically correct, Islamo-pandering climate" has yielded mixed results. We need a new strategy.

It seems that our initial plan of violence and intimidation has backfired. Amateurish acts of terrorism in Times Square, failed underwear bombs on airplanes, and the introduction of hummus has done little to curry the favor (Speaker nods to Pakistani Representative) of the American people to our cause.

Read the rest at Salon.com (4 comments)

Setting: A community town hall meeting for the citizens of EAST PARK, a neighbor of SOUTH PARK, to discuss Comedy Central’s recent censorship of a harmless cartoon portraying Prophet Mohammed due to veiled threats against the cartoon’s creators by two loners named De-volution Islam.

A corpulent child wearing a Savile Row business suit and a red, white and blue ascot climbs onto the stage. He is wearing a shiny American flag pin on his lapel. He steps on a milk carton to stand behind the dais and assumes control of the meeting by slamming his gavel.

KKKARTMAN: Order! Order! By the power vested in me. By myself and all freedom-loving, patriotic, deodorant-wearing, one-true-God-fearing citizens of East Park, I hereby declare moral outrage! Outrage, I say! Why, you ask? WHY?! Because the godless, liberal Benedict Arnolds at Comedy Central have prostrated to the altar of political correctness! They have succumbed to the demands of a legion of intolerant, extremist, Islamist, Muslim fundamentalists whose only logical response to a satirical cartoon lampooning their Prophet is violence, reactionary rhetoric and bad hygiene! Ha! This is what happens when you elect a Muslim president!

Three schoolchildren are seated in the audience. They are friends of KKKartman. They are EVERYMAN STAN, IBN KYLE and COMMON SENSE KENNY. Everyman Stan gets up to speak.

EVERYMAN STAN: KKKartman, dude, I totally understand why you're pissed off. Comedy Central acted like cowardly tools by censoring artistic expression and betraying the power and value of freedom of speech. But, don't you think you're exaggerating the threat and the problem? It wasn't a legion of Muslims who got upset. Just two nutjobs, called DEVOS, who posted something on their website, De-volution Islam. Most Muslim Americans, like our buddy Ibn Kyle here, understand that art is often used as a necessary vehicle to promote healthy national discussions about culture and politics.

IBN KYLE, the token Muslim, gets up to speak.

IBN KYLE: Thanks, Stan, I just wanted to say --

KKKARTMAN furiously slams the gavel.

KKKARTMAN: Silence! In America -- unlike those other places like Falafel-Stan -- we tolerate criticism and differing opinions! To prove my point, I've invited a world famous expert on Islamism who is thoroughly America-holic! Hearsay Sally!

HEARSAY SALLY: As the unofficial ambassador of 1.5 billion Muslims and an unofficial expert on their complex and diverse 1,400 year history, allow me to officially conclude that most Muslims are unable to understand the concept of free speech. They cannot comprehend that in a democracy it's a two-way street, buddy! Like the illegal immigrants in Arizona, they just take, take, take! And what do they give in return? Death threats, tyranny, terrorism, assassination plots and bad shwarmas! In order for them to truly understand the meaning of a freedom-loving, tolerant Western democracy, we must force them to abandon their tyrannical religion and embrace respect for the law!

The two members of De-volution Islam, a couple of white men wearing long, fake beards and traditional Middle Eastern clothing, bum rush the stage.

DEVOS: As official representatives of all real, hardcore, non-sellout Muslims, we hereby declare a fatwah against the citizens of East Park for your war against Islam! Someone … somewhere … at some time … might try to harm you for your trespasses against Allah … maybe ... perhaps ... we're just saying … not really … but kinda. However! This much is certain: Your disrespect of the Prophet in a harmless cartoon is clear evidence of a global Western campaign of systematic oppression against all Muslims!

KKKARTMAN: You two gays should be tried under military tribunal for your unilateral criticism!

DEVOS: There are no gays in Islam!

Enter BIG GAY ALADDIN sporting a flamboyant pink keffiyah and high heels.

BIG GAY ALADDIN: (Singing a song) Bombs are flying! People are dying! Children are crying! Politicians are lying! The whole world's gone to hell! And you're all wasting our time talking about a stupid cartoon! But, how are you? I'm SUPER! Thanks for asking!

DEVOS stare with disgust, shake their head, rub and yank on their fake beards.

DEVOS: See the fruits of your Western decadence? What, with your Western mongering of godless stilettos, affordable Girls Gone Wild DVD sets, enticing late-night Cinemax softcore pornography, and voluptuous breasts no wonder the world is besieged with natural disasters like typhoons and earthquakes!

EVERYMAN STAN: Dude, he did not just make the boob-quake argument?!

IBN KYLE: I think he just did!

HEARSAY SALLY: Now, wait just a minute, Al Qaida --

DEVOS: Quiet, harlot!

KKKARTMAN: Enough! Let the lady speak. In our culture, we let women have a voice --

HEARSAY SALLY: Thank you --

KKKARTMAN puts his hand in front of her mouth and muffles it.

KKKARTMAN: As sugar tits was saying, we cannot let this belligerence abide! The first stop for Islamists: censoring Comedy Central! The next stop: Sharia law in the U.S.A.!

EVERYMAN STAN: Enough! This is Madness!

EVERYONE ON STAGE: (yelling) No! This is East Park!

EVERYMAN STAN: You know what? You guys are what's wrong with this country. All of you! (Points to the speakers on the stage) Instead of -- God forbid -- acting as voices of reason and moderation, you're more interested in peddling your selfish agendas. You're not interested in protecting anyone's right to free speech or defending artistic expression -- except your own! You cynically manipulate and use moments of crisis like this to further your own political propaganda!

All the speakers make frowning faces and look sad and ashamed.

KKKARTMAN: Everyman Stan -- you're right! I think we should hear a new perspective on this issue; a voice of reason. I think we should finally let Common Sense Kenny speak!

Common Sense Kenny hops onstage and approaches the dais. As he's walking, DEVOS stick out their feet, trip him and violently push him to the floor. SALLY stabs him in the head with her stiletto heel and KKKARTMAN strangles him with the microphone wire.

EVERYMAN STAN: Oh, my God! They killed Common Sense Kenny! (2 comments)

It's been more than a week since the Cairo editors of IslamOnline.net, the popular Muslim news website and Islam portal, were effectively locked out of the site's servers and had their passwords suddenly changed by the Qatar Board of Directors funding the site. In what became a widely reported clash of the Qatari board wanting the content and tone of the site to become more conservative versus the moderate voice of Islam Online and its reputation for covering diverse and often avoided topics, Muslim journalists worldwide sounded the alarm, crying that an important, well-established voice on Muslim news and gateway for thoughtful, balanced, and sourced Islamic guidance on all aspects of life was being silenced.

More than 200 of the 330 Cairo editors immediately tendered their resignation in protest of the lockdown last Monday and went on strike in the Cairo offices. They pleaded with Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Egyptian-born cleric living in Qatar who founded Islam Online in 1997, to intervene. More than 48 hours into the strike, Sheikh Qaradawi, who was in Saudi Arabia when the site was locked down, succeeded in having two of the Qatari directors (who many Islam Online editors felt were behind the push to turn the site into a conservative religious voice) sacked. My colleagues in Cairo said there was a flicker of hope at that point.

But tonight I received an email from an Islam Online editor (friend, and colleague), that has more or less stomped out that flicker. I've been told that Sheikh Qaradawi has been removed from his post on the NGO that funds Islam Online by the Qatar government. Without the support of Sheikh Qaradawi, the future of Islam Online is bleak, if not done. My colleague said that the Islam Online editors are still fighting to defend IOL content and direction, but we have to wonder how IslamOnline can recover from this blow.

It's hard to come up with the words to describe this news, and I've been writing, reporting, and editing for nearly 15 years. I can't imagine what the editors who have been with the site for years, if not since the beginning, who have worked fulltime, overtime, and who have dedicated their professional lives to shaping and developing this site, must be feeling.

If there's anything positive to report at this point, it's the outpouring of support that Islam Online has received the past week and a half from numerous other media outlets. As a contracted correspondent for Islam Online here in the U.S. I received emails of support for the site and offers of help from altmuslim.com, altmuslimah.com, Islamicity.com, Illumemag.com and others. The Muslimah Writers Alliance and International Federation of Journalists both issued statements in support of Islam Online and the Cairo editors and their employees around the world. (2 comments)

On Tuesday, March 9, 2010, from 5:00pm to 9:00pm, the UC Berkeley Centers of South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East along with Arab Cultural and Community Center, Naseeb.com, Center for Islamic Studies at GTU, and altmuslim.com will be sponsoring a social networking event focused on how Muslim youth use new media as a way to network with like-minded individuals, find answers to difficult questions, challenge commonly held attitudes and stereotypes about Islam, and to also discuss "taboo" topics. The event as described:

Muslims from all parts of the world since 9/11 are facing discrimination and even threats of violence. For many young people, this post-9/11 world has sparked a new, if not confusing, relationship with their own identities as Muslims. While some young men and women may not have even identified themselves strongly as Muslim before 9/11, they have found that even just their last names may now trigger their being targeted, profiled, and discriminated against. Others, who may have always had a close relationship to Islam and Islamic practices, have been suddenly forced to defend their religion to those who brand all Muslims as terrorists. These difficult times have led young Muslims all over the world to try and find answers, connect with other individuals in similar situations, debate issues, and even subvert commonly held notions of Islam. The ability to use the media for "networking" has been significant for these youth, as many have often felt isolated and have come to find solace in these virtual communities. As one young Muslim said, "Young Muslims are resorting to this virtual world because we have no space in the actual world...'"

Networking has been significant for these youth, as many who feel isolated have come to find solace in these virtual communities, as well as a place where they establish their own presence and express themselves.

The editors at altmuslim.com are proud to cosponsor this prestigious event. The speakers at this forum represent a diverse range of perspectives and are composed of practitioners and bloggers as well as journalists and scholars. They include:

Shahed Amanullah, CEO, altmuslim.com
Wajahat Ali, Associate Editor, altmuslim.com, author of Goatmilk blog, playwright, and lawyer
Fatemeh Fakhraie, Editor, Muslimah Media Watch
Zeba Iqbal, VP, of Council for American Muslim Professionals and AMCLI fellow, American Muslim Civic Leader
Zeba Khan, social media consultant and writer, founder of Muslim-Americans for Obama
Monis Rahman, CEO, Naseeb.com
Imam Suhaib Webb, activist and scholar

Come join us if you can. The event will take place at the California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco. Admission is free, but advance registration is required. (1 comment)

Although there is no shortage of good causes for charitable folk to donate to in the world, there are fewer causes that can attract significant attention in unique ways (save tragic, large-scale disasters like Haiti's recent earthquake). One London-based charity has not only found a clever way to give to the less fortunate, but also helps change impressions that people have of Muslim societal concerns. The IF Charity has gained enormous attention from collaborative attempts to break world records, such as organizing the most people to run a 100-meter relay race in 2009 to raise money for the children of Gaza.

That successful attempt has spurred another one taking place this Thursday, March 4, when the charity holds The Big Read, an event aimed at breaking the Guinness World Record for ‘the most children reading with an adult’ in honor of World Book Day. So far, nearly 3000 children have registered for the event, which seeks to highlight the importance of literacy in the UK and around the world. The current record stands at 3,032 achieved by The Kindergarten Starters School at Global Village in Dubai, UAE, on 12 November 2008.

"We try to make fundraising fun and like to involve mass participation where possible. Instead of simply asking for donations, we have been trying to build a movement of people working together to make the world a better place through action," says Ruhul Tarafder, "This is why we try to involve people in events such as world records." US civil rights leader, Reverend Jesse Jackson, lent his support to the effort, stating “I support the BIG Read because if you can read, you can reason. Reading is like a light to your brain. It takes you out of darkness... Literacy liberates. Reading and reasoning are forces for change, for the good.” A number of authors, teachers and special guests will read from Roald Dahl’s classic ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to the assembled children.

The event will take place at the London Muslim Centre, in East London, from 9:00am to 9:00pm. (No comments)

The Brass Crescent Awards, a coproduction of altmuslim and City of Brass, is an annual vote of the favourites of the Muslim blogosphere, with dozens of finalists and over 1,000 voting participants each year. Voting has begun this week and continues through November 27th.

To celebrate, we're offering five pairs of tickets to see a special IMAX screening in London of "Journey to Mecca," courtesy of Gazelle Media. The documentary, narrated by Ben Kingsley, tells the amazing story of Ibn Battuta, the greatest explorer of the Old World, following his first pilgrimage between 1325 and 1326 from Tangier to Mecca. The story is book-ended by a close-up look at the contemporary Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca that draws three million Muslims from around the world.

To win, answer this question: Who won the Brass Crescent Award for Best Blog in 2006?

To enter, send your response by e-mail to info[at]altmuslim.com after casting a vote for the Brass Crescent Awards. The first five correct answers received will each receive entry for a pair to see "Journey to Mecca" at the British Film Institute's IMAX theatre, 1 Charlie Chaplin Walk, London. When the tickets are gone, I'll announce it in this post.

The screening is at 9:00am on Sunday, November 29th, so please be sure you can attend before entering. Oh, and transport is not provided (unless you're a modern day Ibn Battuta). (2 comments)

Thursday's fatal shooting at Fort Hood military base in Texas, in which 12 people were killed and over 30 wounded, would be horrific under any circumstances. But the reported identity of one of the shooters killed, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, is only going to make things worse. The 39 year-old is a reported convert to Islam, which will make religion the prism through which this act of murder is viewed.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist, was reportedly troubled by his impending deployment to Iraq. Mental instability and depression has resulted in violence within the armed forces before. But unless Hasan left an explicit message to that effect, a religiously-inspired political act of violence is, much as we'd be unwilling to admit it, entirely plausible. With that in mind, Muslims will have to ask themselves some difficult questions as to why there are still those among us who continue to find justification for acts such as this in their faith.

Until then, American Muslims should consider this an act of betrayal and treachery, regardless of the political sphere surrounding America's wars overseas. It is clear that Islam does not condone (if we must entertain the killer's possible motives) any sort of extrajudicial punishment. It is also clear that any scholarly consensus on the matter has not been communicated widely enough, particularly - it must be said - with those who may be new to the religion.

Unfortunately, current active-duty Muslim servicemen and women will have to try even harder in the wake of this shooting to prove their loyalty to their fellow soldiers. It must be said that dozens of Muslim-Americans have already given their lives in the service of their country just in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition to offering our condolences to the families of the fallen, we must reassert our solidarity with Muslim-Americans currently in the services who don't deserve to face hostility from two fronts. (8 comments)

For the sixth year in a row, we've opened up nominations for the Brass Crescent Awards (BCA), a yearly poll that lets you choose your favorite blogs from the Muslim blogosphere. The Brass Crescent Awards, which we produce along with City of Brass, has grown in popularity year after year (about 1,000 of you voting the last two times), with good press coverage and some growing pains as well. This is the second year we have incorporated a judging panel of past winners to help us run the awards. This year, although we are saying farewell to a previous judge, Sunni Sister, we are pleased to introduce a new judge, Baraka from the BCA-winning blog Rickshaw Diaries. Together with our other judges, Svend White (Akram's Razor), Laura Poyneer (veiled4allah), and Yahya Birt (Musings on the Britannic Crescent), Baraka will help us filter through the nominations you send us to make sure we have five eligible participants in the right categories. Neither of the judges blogs, nor works associated with altmuslim or City of Brass, will be eligible for winning a BCA - which is, strangely enough, starting to exclude a healthy subsection of the blogosphere. Nominations close October 21st. You can also follow the BCA on Twitter.

Along the same lines as the Brass Crescent awards, nominations are also open for European Muslim Women of Influence 2010 (EMWI), a groundbreaking new initiative that honours (you guessed it) noteworthy Muslim women in Europe. This is the first year for the list, sponsored by a new European Muslim professionals network called CEDAR (which stands for Connecting European Dynamic Achievers and Role Models) that I have been fortunate enough to be involved with since late last year when the group was formed in Salzburg, Austria. Already there are many women from across Muslim society in Europe who have been nominated, but many more are needed (and don't be humble... you can even nominate yourself!). The deadline for EMWI nominations is 15 November, and the success of this initiative really depends on what kind and how many nominations are received. So, spread the word and tell your friends to submit nominations now at EMWI’s official website at http://www.cedar-emwi.com. The European Muslim Women of Influence List (EMWI) is a CEDAR initiative sponsored by the Vodafone Foundation and the Open Society Institute. (No comments)

For Muslims (and Muslim-watchers), the reaction of the worldwide ummah to the plight of co-religionists around the world is an uneven one at times. For reasons too complex to cover here, some injustices (and there are plenty to choose from) seem to be worse than others, despite the numbers and the actions involved. The Uighur crisis, simmering over the past few decades, but reaching a boiling point only in the last five years, has been one of those under-the-radar issues that has not caught on with a public unfamiliar with the nuances involved (or with governments dependent upon or seeking favour with China). But, by any measure, the Uighur crisis is one that cries out for more proactive measures from all justice-minded people worldwide. With that in mind, a group of American Muslims (including us) have called for a day of action at Friday khutbahs on July 31, 2009 in order to publicize the issue. The following press release sums up the initiative and we are proud to be a part of it.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2009
Media contact: Wajahat Ali, 510-909-7506, wajahatmali@gmail.com

American Muslims Call on Chinese Govt' to Protect Religious Freedom

In response to the outbreak of violence in Xinjiang, China, in early July, 2009, American Muslims across the country will speak out for religious freedom in China during their July 31, 2009 Friday sermon

SAN FRANCISCO - A collection of American Muslim professionals, journalists and community and religious leaders, are calling for American Muslim leaders and religious figures to speak up during their Friday, July 31, sermon for religious freedom in light of the brutal crackdown by the Chinese on Uyghur Muslims in July and a history of repression of religious groups including Christians and the Falun Gong.

In response to the collective concern of the American Muslim community, imams and religious leaders across America have been asked to speak out for religious freedom in China and promote awareness of the plight of Uyghur Muslims to their congregations. Members of this collection of the American Muslim community are currently contacting imams and religious leaders at major religious centers and mosques, and are encouraging sermons addressing the importance of bringing attention and support to this embattled community. They are encouraging sermons that bring attention and support to this embattled community while also addressing the importance of religious freedom for all people, including Uyghur Muslims, and the right of all Chinese religious communities to enjoy self-determination and the preservation of cultural identity.

Resources to promote awareness about the struggle for religious freedom in China, the repressive situation of Uyghur Muslims, and the difficult situation in Xinjiang are available at the facebook group "American Muslims Support the Uyghurs on July 31." These resources include an Uyghur Primer, an Open Letter on the Uyghurs and a sample khutba for July 31.

This call is being broadcast through various channels, including blogs, Facebook groups, personal contacts, and traditional media. "Americans of all faiths have come together many times in the past to recognize the rights of religious minorities in China," said Shahed Amanullah, editor-in-chief of the online newsmagazine altmuslim.com. "It is time that the plight of China's Uyghur minority takes its rightful place alongside those just struggles."

Specific calls to action for imams and religious leaders include:

1. Religious Freedom is a sacred right for all: American Muslims thrive because of the Constitution's protection of religious freedom. The ability to freely practice one's faith and belief system is a fundamental human right that should not be addressed lightly.
2. As Muslims we are obligated to support the oppressed and uphold the right of all to stay true to their spiritual conscience.
3. We support the Uyghurs in their struggle to maintain their cultural and religious identity. As Muslims we fully support their community's effort to preserve their heritage and traditions while maintaining their place in Chinese society.
4. More broadly, every person has the right to the preserve his or her cultural identity.

Individuals and organizations helping to organize this call (partial list, titles for identification purposes only):

Wajahat Ali, Playwright, Attorney and Journalist, DomesticCrusaders.com
Aziz Poonawalla, Blogger at City of Brass (Beliefnet.com)
Shahed Amanullah, Editor-in-Chief of altmuslim.com
Zeba Iqbal, Council for the Advancement of Muslim Professionals
Hussein Rashid, Visiting Professor, Hofstra University, HusseinRashid.com

Mosques, imams, and organizations confirmed to have joined this effort (please join the growing list):

Muslim Public Affairs Council (Los Angeles; Washington, DC; New York, NY)
The Islamic Center at New York University - Imam Khalid Latif and Haroon Moghul

Resources for the media regarding Muslim efforts to promote awareness of Uyghur Muslims and their situation in China:

Facebook Call to Action
Uyghur Primer

(No comments)

When I was invited to appear on "Nightline with Ted Koppel" back in 1990 to debate Robert McNamara (who died yesterday at 93), I thought I'd have an easy time of it. Little did I know that McNamara was entering a phase of his life where he would begin to be more introspective about war and its consequences.

Needless to say, the fact that he wasn't as hawkish about the war as I had expected threw me off guard a bit. I didn't do that bad, but I won't be putting it on YouTube anytime soon.

Five years after our debate, McNamara published his book "In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam", which included these observations that later became the basis of the 2003 documentary "The Fog of War":

1. We misjudged then — and we have since — the geopolitical intentions of our adversaries … and we exaggerated the dangers to the United States of their actions.

2. We viewed the people and leaders of South Vietnam in terms of our own experience … We totally misjudged the political forces within the country.

3. We underestimated the power of nationalism to motivate a people to fight and die for their beliefs and values.

4. Our judgments of friend and foe, alike, reflected our profound ignorance of the history, culture, and politics of the people in the area, and the personalities and habits of their leaders.

5. We failed then — and have since — to recognize the limitations of modern, high-technology military equipment, forces, and doctrine.

6. We failed, as well, to adapt our military tactics to the task of winning the hearts and minds of people from a totally different culture.

7. We failed to draw Congress and the American people into a full and frank discussion and debate of the pros and cons of a large-scale military involvement … before we initiated the action.

8. After the action got under way, and unanticipated events forced us off our planned course … we did not fully explain what was happening, and why we were doing what we did.

9. We did not recognize that neither our people nor our leaders are omniscient. Our judgement of what is in another people's or country's best interest should be put to the test of open discussion in international forums. We do not have the God-given right to shape every nation in our image or as we choose.

10. We did not hold to the principle that U.S. military action … should be carried out only in conjunction with multinational forces supported fully (and not merely cosmetically) by the international community.

11. We failed to recognize that in international affairs, as in other aspects of life, there may be problems for which there are no immediate solutions … At times, we may have to live with an imperfect, untidy world.

(No comments)

Several of the editors and writers at altmuslim have had the opportunity to work with Farah Pandith, who until recently was the senior adviser on Muslim engagement in Europe at the US State Department. She spearheaded many new initiatives to build bridges between Muslim-Americans and their European counterparts, in the hope that combining our shared experiences could accelerate integration and push back extremist viewpoints. Many Muslim Americans have long made the argument that our community can play a role in helping to heal tensions, and Farah helped to make that vision a reality.

Yesterday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that Farah will be heading up an expanded version of her earlier program that engages Muslim communities around the world. Her new appointment comes on the heels of President Obama's Cairo address, where he pledged a substantive relationship with Muslims. It is a testament to Farah's abilities and character that she has now been appointed by both the Bush and Obama administrations to help represent US-Muslim relations.

Having worked with Farah for over five years, we can attest to her professionalism, dedication, and pride in her identity as a Muslim American. We are looking forward to continuing our work with her in her new role and encourage other Muslim Americans to do the same. (No comments)

Many have died tragic - and silent - deaths in the post-election violence in Iran. But one woman, Neda Agha Soltan, became a symbol with her death caught on video. Neda's sniper death at the hands of the basiji militia has become a thorn in the side of the Iranian government (which knows how much martyrdom resonates among its population) and a cause celebré abroad, with even US President Barack Obama commenting the "heartbreaking" story.

Neda was later buried in a southern Tehran cemetary, with memorial services banned by the government. Neda's fiance, Caspian Makan, called her a “beam of light” who “couldn’t stand the injustice of it all. All she wanted was the proper vote of the people to be counted.”

Here, Makan comments further on her story in a Persian interview transcribed exclusively for altmuslim.com (Note that the video referenced by Makan is shown after his comments and may be disturbing to watch):

Gray haired man [in the video] is her music teacher not her father.

Her desire was was freedom for the Iranian people. She did not support Musavi nor Ahmadinejad.

Helicopters where firing live bullets into the crowed, I was at another protest in which my phone ran and I saw her name and I picked up the phone and expecting to hear her voice but it was her sister who told me that Nedah aziz [my sweet Neda] was martyred.

The bullet was from a large gun. She was not in the middle of the major protest. They stop to get out of their car which was stuck in traffic for nearly an hour. She steps out and in a span of six minutes she dies after receiving a bullet to the heart.

They rush her to the hospital in another car. She had nothing in her hand, no rocks or any displays of green. She was a simple 26 year old, she was sweet, a ray of light and very peace loving.

I wonder what they have to say about killing someone like Neda? Do they have any answer for that.

We were separated for about 2 weeks to make a decision on whether we wanted to get married. We saw each other a day before she was killed. We stumbled across the issues of the current riots in which they would order, I asked her not no participate but she insisted that she wanted to go and be counted and stand with her people. I am not a person who was going to impose my will on her and force her not to go.

We want our rights, our rights are logical in which we want our basic freedoms which are not any different than for any other people.

There was fighting between 4 p.m and 6 p.m. but she took a route to get to her house and not to go and protest. Her soul had a burning voice for freedom and I think that her voice has reached the people.

It is not just about Neda, there are others who died like her. They wanted to decide the direction of the bullet. They wanted to start arresting the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, they did not allow us to have a public mourning. the mosque in which we held the service was on Shariati street. There was a conflict with the authorities with respect to even having a public mourning even in our house.

She did not vote, we did not have a desire to vote, on the day of the vote she did not leave the house. As I stated she was not supporting either side. Her vision was to pursue to freedom but did not feel that it would be attained through either these two options.

She was at Azad University, she was interested in philosophy of religion. Then she started music.

I thank the entire people of Iran and the rest of the world that have sent they condolences, which proves that Neda's voice reached the world in which to pursue freedom in a way so that no more innocent blood is shed.

-Caspian Makan

(No comments)

Back in 2005, we featured a story on a new play by a young Muslim American student in the San Francisco Bay Area called The Domestic Crusaders (it was discussed on our second ever podcast). That student was Wajahat Ali, whose talented writing and interview skills led him to help edit the pages of altmuslim.com.

The Domestic Crusaders focuses on a day in the life of a modern Muslim Pakistani-American family of six eclectic, unique members, who convene at the family house to celebrate the twenty-first birthday of the youngest child. With a background of 9-11 and the scapegoating of Muslim Americans, the tensions and sparks fly among the three generations, culminating in an intense family battle as each "crusader" struggles to assert and impose their respective voices and opinions, while still attempting to maintain and understand that unifying thread that makes them part of the same family.

This year, The Domestic Crusaders will make its landmark debut in New York, Off Broadway, at the historic Nuyorican Theater on September 11, 2009 for a 5 week run. The play has received standing ovations from sold out crowds and been praised by international media outlets such as the BBC and San Francisco Chronicle and from personalities such as Academy Award winner Emma Thompson and Macarthur Genius Ishmael Reed.

The Domestic Crusaders is an independent, grassroots production. Already, $15,000 has been raised from donations worldwide for the historic premiere in NYC and only $10,000 more is needed to fulfill Ali's goal. All contributions are tax deductible since "The Domestic Crusaders" is sponsored by the respected non-profit artistic organization, The Before Columbus Foundation.

You can contribute online using Paypal or mail a tax deductible check to help make history!

"The Domestic Crusaders is to Muslim American theater what A Raisin in the Sun is to African American theater."
— Pulitzer Prize nominated author Mitch Berman

"The Domestic Crusaders is exactly the sort of theater we need today. The gulf that separates cultures must be bridged and Art is one of our best hopes. I'll be supporting this all the way - please join me and Wajahat in building this bridge!."
— Emma Thompson, Academy Award winning actress and screenwriter

"Domestic Crusaders" should be ranked with family dramas written by Tennessee Williams and Eugene O'Neil."
-MacArthur Genius, Pulitzer Prize nominated author Ishmael Reed

"This play could change the history of American theater, and of America itself."
- Lawrence Swaim, In Focus Magazine

"The Domestic Crusaders" is what all high art aspires to do — spotlight complicated truths (and contradictions) without offering easy answers."
- San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Curiel

"The only play of its kind, “Domestic Crusaders” offers a fresh take on the family drama while demystifying that tense terrain between "us” and "them." A true theatrical breakthrough."
-Newsweek's Lorraine Ali

View more of Wajahat's adventures in casting for The Domestic Crusaders at Time Magazine in a short film created by Bassam Tariq. (No comments)

There was every indication that US President Barack Obama would fill his long-awaited address to Muslims from a Muslim capital with conciliatory, respectful language. On numerous occasions since his oath of office (but rarely before), he has spoken to Muslim people in Iran, Turkey, and elsewhere about the mistrust that has developed over the years since September 11, 2001. But Obama is, at heart, a pragmatist, and while he has a vision Muslims can warm up to, he is mindful not to overreach to the point where things can backfire.

A week ago, I made a reference to these "unsaids," hoping that Obama would inject some honesty about the issues that are now common knowledge among Muslims worldwide - the lack of political freedom, Israel's nuclear capabilities, America's past missteps - that helped fuel conspiracy and hostility towards the US. To a large degree, Obama did this, but in a gentler way than many would like.

Departing from the "with us or against us" rhetoric of his predecessor, Obama referred to "Muslim communities" rather than the "Muslim world," a nuanced difference (advocated by some Muslim analysts) that recognised the complex and integrated relationships now in place between East and West. It acknowledged, as part of his outreach, Muslim communities in Europe, where tensions have increased in recent years.

He referred to abuses America made towards Muslims in terms of colonialism (explicitly referring to the American-sponsored overthrow of a democratic government in Iran in 1953), civil rights, and Iraq, imploring both sides not to rely on crude stereotypes of each other. Key points were that "Islam was not part of the problem" and "Islam is a part of America," citing many Qur'anic quotes in the process. An emphasis on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was a shot over the bow for Iran - and Israel. And aligning the Palestinian struggle with the civil rights movement in the United States is exactly the framework of this issue that resonates in the Middle East and elsewhere.

And in the core of Obama's speech, there was also a fulcrum between the us (America) and them (Muslims) of yore - American Muslims. Over and over, Obama emphasized the freedoms, integration, and contributions made by those in America of the Islamic faith. Between these two audiences, the vision of what could be appears to lie with those few people (described as 7 million strong and, in numbers, one of the world's largest Muslim countries - both unnecessary exaggerations).

Obama himself made many references to the fact that a speech alone won't solve all the problems between America and Muslim communities. But then again, Obama was ridiculed by his campaign opponents for relying on pretty words. And look where that got him.

(Photo: Stephen Friday) (No comments)

When people discuss Muslims and the internet, there is still a tendency to describe it as a dark place where extremists hide and an unreliable source of Islamic information for impressionable youth. And yet, for a European Muslim population of about 20 million, with 4-6 million more in North America, there is a surprising amount of diversity of Islamic thought and opinion. What does it all mean and is it making a difference in the way Islam is practiced?

This Friday, I'll join a distinguished panel of experts at Divan 2.0, a debate sponsored by an online pioneer of sorts -Britain's Radical Middle Way - who have an influential website and podcast of their own (I spoke about their podcast on BBC's Radio Five Live - you can hear the interview here). Now that young people get their primary Islamic information from the Internet (Shaykh Google, if you will), who is controlling the discourse (or, better yet, should there be any control)? Is it just chatter or is a consensus forming about how Islam should be practiced, discussed, and debated in the modern world?

Date: Friday 22 May 2009
Location: Old Theatre, London School of Economics
Address: Houghton Street (off the Aldwych) London WC2A 2AE

Time: Doors open 6:45 pm; Starts 7:15 pm; Ends 8:45 pm

Guests:
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed, Author of Love in a Headscarf and Spirit21 blog
Omar Tufail, Web Guru and Founder, DeenPort.com
Musab Bora, Blogger at Mooslim.com
Indigo Jo, Blogger at www,blogistan.co.uk/blog
Zahed Amanullah, Editor, altmuslim.com

Post questions for us beforehand here. (No comments)

After many requests from customers in areas with significant Muslim populations, Kentucky Fried Chicken (sorry.. KFC) has decided to open 8 of its 720 outlets in the United Kingdom (London, specifically) as halal-only restaurants. That means all pork has been stripped from the restaurant, in order to clear any doubt about halal-ness. Because of KFC's high international profile, there are some expected negative reactions from those who fear an overrun of Muslim laws on British (sorry... American) foods.

But this trend has been around for quite a while. Dominos Pizza opened it's first halal-only store in Birmingham in February and Subway has been operating dozens of its 2,000 restaurants as halal-only stores since 2007. Before that, McDonald's had halal-trial chicken offered in select stores since 2006.

For the multinationals behind these brands, the issue is not about religious deference - it's about sales. One look around Britain's high streets shows an inordinate amount of independent shops with brisk trades in halal chickens, pizzas, and sandwiches - all missing the consistent quality that well-regulated franchised outlets can provide. For most of the current crop of mainstream halal foods being offered, all have been validated on economics alone, with the increase in Muslim consumers far outweighing the ideologically motivated opponents who turn away.

In the end, the free market will decide who wins and loses - and how much halal is offered. When Asda (owned by Walmart and resembling its American stores) started offering quality halal meats at 10 of its British locations, much of the criticism was not from Islam-critics fearful of "Eurabia," but from independent Muslim butchers who felt that they can't compete with the big boys. Seems like a little competition might hurt after all. (No comments)

Much has been said about the tensions that France has had with its Muslim citizens and residents. Some, like the 2005 suburban riots have little to do with religion itself. Others, such as the rejection last year of citizenship to a Muslim woman because of her burka have, well, plenty to do with it.

The latter point of view is notable when considering the news this week that the small Indian Ocean island of Mayotte has voted to become France's latest overseas department. Despite France's colonial legacy, the island's residents have essentially approved a status similar to that America gives to Guam and American Samoa, where legal and economic structures are adopted from the mainland. The catch? Over 95% of the island's residents are Muslim.

The African Union, the Arab League and the neighbouring islands of Comoros (members of both) have objected to the referendum, as Comoros claims sovereignty over the French protectorate. And although France officially remained neutral on the referendum, anti-French demonstrations broke out in Comoros prior to the vote.

But the vote itself is not the final say - that must come from the French government itself. French president Nicolas Sarkozy is supportive of the results, but maintains that some practices on the island must change before Mayotte's status can be upgraded. Specifically, the marriage age would be raised from 15 to 18, the jurisdiction of Islamic courts limited, and polygamy outlawed. It is this last point that caused some imams on the island to campaign for a "no" vote, arguing that the Quran permits up to four wives under certain conditions.

But permission is not the same as obligation, and the astounding 95% of voters who cast their ballots in favour of a French connection (only 70% were expected to vote yes) means that Mayotte's citizens are more than happy to share their croissants and Euros with their solitary spouses. (No comments)

You may not have heard of the bizarre case of a Canadian hostage held by the Taliban, somewhere along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan, and threatened with beheading by the end of the month. Kidnapped in November of last year, the hostage has released two videos pleading for her life and urging the Canadian or Pakistani governments to meet the Taliban's demands. It was the Taliban who recently beheaded a Polish engineer when their demands to release fellow Taliban prisoners was not met.

But this new hostage is not your usual Western infiltrator. It's Khadija Abdul Qahaar, formerly known as Beverly Giesbrecht, a 52-year old convert to Islam and editor of a controversial website that has, for the past seven years, raised eyebrows on both sides of the Muslim world-Western divide. The site, jihadunspun.com, is devoted to criticizing the "war on terror," though by doing such things has reprising Al Qaeda's views of events and expressing support for... the Taliban.

All this makes Giesbrecht's situation so difficult to get one's head around. Many critics (including a fellow site sympathetic to Al Qaeda) have long suspected that the site is a CIA front designed to entrap curious visitors, something which Giesbrecht denies. Yet now, she is threatened with death by the very people whose story she sought to tell - and not for the release of political prisoners, but for $2 million ransom. The Taliban, reportedly, is suffering from the credit crunch like the rest of us.

So is Giesbrecht's capture a genuine and unfortunate turn of events, or a money-raising publicity stunt? It's one thing for the Taliban to behead a foreign (male) worker. It's quite another to kill a Muslim woman, especially one with a plausible and documented sympathy for the Taliban's activities. Giesbrecht complained of lack of progress by Canada or Pakistan towards her release in her videos, but for those aware of her sympathies, cooperation between Giesbrecht and the Taliban seems a little too plausible. Giesbrecht is no Margaret Hassan.

In all likelihood, the Taliban can't afford to bluff, having already crossed the beheading threshold with the Polish engineer (who Giesbrecht also refers to in her videos). Money is money and hostages are hostages. Giesbrecht now seems destined for an unusually ironic and cruel fate, one that establishes both the principles of the Taliban - and those like Giesbrecht who supported them - as woefully and tragically misguided. (2 comments)

The ongoing crisis in Gaza has brought to light the issue of terror and how it is used to promote a political goal. Central to the use of terror is the justification of who is a civilian. The question of who is one used to be one directed at Palestinian militants who justify the use of suicide bombs within Israel - with the rationale that all Israeli adults served in the Israeli army, which maintains the occupation of Palestinian land.

With the Gaza offensive, however, the Israelis are the ones grappling with the distinction between combatants and civilians, and all the ramifications that come with that. When an Israeli military spokesperson says that "anything affiliated with Hamas is a legitimate target," there is not much difference from the rationale that any Israeli adult is fair game for attack based on their "affiliation" with the Israeli army.

The commonly accepted definition of terrorism - to employ the use of violence against non-combatants to effect political change - certainly applies in either case, with the primary distinction now being the overwhelming disparity of casualties between them. Accepting the UN's estimate that 25% of the current 560 Palestinians killed are civilians, the 140 civlian deaths so far exceed the Israeli civilian deaths by Qassam rocket fire of 5 by a factor of 28. All things being equal - well, actually, they're not equal at all.

Israel knows that, with the window of opportunity offered by the impending transition in the American presidency, there is little pressure that will be brought to bear. It was once thought that Israel would use this time to launch a pre-emptive strike on Iran. But with the current offensive in some form having been planned for six months, we now know different.

The media also has a part to play in how these perceptions resonate in the public eye. In the first polls gauging the opinions of Americans on the Gaza crisis, a majority of Democrats (the ones who just elected our next President) oppose the Israeli offensive by a 24 point margin (Republicans veer the other direction). And yet Congress is almost universally in support of the Israeli viewpoint on the war, namely that it is in self defense and that all attempts are made to limit civilian casualties.

Hardly an official word is made about the humanitarian plight of the Gazan people, echoing an Israeli line that "there is no humanitarian crisis" (Israel will not allow foreign reporters into Gaza to verify the claim). Supplemental to this, Salon's Glenn Greenwald outlines the tribalism bolstering the Israeli view in a way we never could.

The lock on political power - power that could help restrain Israeli attacks and the ongoing blockade in Gaza - is cut somewhat in the back alleys of Washington, with promises of political support, and in the mainstream American media itself. But with such a wide disparity of opinion between Americans and their leaders, some credit has to be given to Americans using the media in ways that give them a more objective view of events in the region, either from foreign websites or the increasing array of satellite and Internet news broadcasts from the Arab world and beyond.

As the viewpoints of Americans and others solidifies, there is a real chance that pressure could increase on politicians to be more even-handed as supporters of Israel find it harder to place their views within the mainstream of American opinion. That will rely on increasing the efficacy and reach of alternative media, coupled with grassroots and netroots activism to connect those viewpoints to politicians themselves. We saw a taste of this in the Obama election - will it translate into real political change? We'll see after January 20th. (No comments)

A funny thing happened last week at the eighth annual convention of the Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). The public policy group, which has been around for 20 years, invited some unconventional guests - Pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA and grammy-award winning singer Melissa Etheridge. Warren was tapped as a headline speaker after many interfaith meetings with MPAC Senior Advisor Dr. Maher Hathout (and well before he was picked by President-elect Barack Obama to give the invocation at his inauguration on January 20, 2009. Etheridge had composed a song, "Ring the Bells," with former MPAC honoree Salman Ahmed, of the Pakistani rock group Junoon, which was to be performed that night and introduced by Dr. Deepak Chopra.

Upon hearing that Warren, who supported California's Proposition 8, was to speak, Etheridge became concerned about appearing at the event and considered cancelling. But in the spirit of MPAC inviting both a conservative evangelical Christian (Warren) and an openly lesbian singer (Etheridge), she contacted Warren beforehand, only to find out that he was a big fan of her music and downplayed some of his anti-gay rhetoric. Etheridge left defending Warren and praising MPAC (as Warren did) for being bridge-builders at a time of economic and social uncertainty. The turn of events was not lost on Professor Juan Cole, another panelist at the convention, who blogged on the "eclectic day."

Here, MPAC has provided a model for Muslim social interaction in the West, unafraid of defending its principles but always extending a hand to promote understanding of those perceived to be hostile (as well as those percieved to be recipients of Muslim hostility). Additionally, the impact of Dr. Hathout's efforts in helping create MPAC and as a guiding force for the Southern Californian Muslim community (and America at large) cannot be underestimated. A number of American Muslim leaders today (including Shahed and I, if you'd like to consider us) can trace their roots to the Islamic Center of Southern California, where Hathout found a way to inspire young people in ways few Muslim leaders have dared, symbolised in the success of the convention itself. The event was a perfect gesture for the holiday season (all of them). (No comments)

Looking for more out of your real world life? Finland's cleverly branded Muxlim, a network of English language social media sites, has launched a beta version of Muxlim Pal, a virtual world geared toward Muslims (and non-Muslims), similar to the popular interactive virtual world Second Life or The Sims computer games.

For those of you unfamiliar with virtual worlds (perhaps most of you under 30), these games allow you to adopt an online persona in the form of a customisable avatar in an interactive community with different meeting places, such as beaches, concert halls, and... erm, mosques. Muxlim Pal's Flash-based interface allows users to communicate with each other and perform a number of actions (walking, sitting, eating) that resemble everyday activities.

Muxlim Pal is in trial release only, meaning that functionality, graphics, and virtual space is limited, though a full version with expanded capabilities is expected next year as user input is incorporated. The site insists it is not religious, but rather aimed at promoting a "Muslim lifestyle," though there is obviously a link between the two. In the version online now, your avatar can stop what they're doing anywhere, roll out a prayer mat, and pray. Avatars can be customised to include Muslim aspects, such as dress, beards, and hijabs - though they can also wear western clothing and leave hair uncovered. Users have private rooms which they can embellish and invite others to (careful there, habibi).

Still, Muxlim's own market research shows that Muslims "have a lifestyle that is not so different from everybody else," so, clearly, a fine line is being drawn to keep Muxlim Pal appealing to Muslims yet inclusive of others without seeming contradictory. Ultimately, a "family-friendly" online experience is sought, a safe space for Muslims in the West who might feel excluded from the real world outside. Presumably, those who value such an environment will find much to like in the experience.

But as with anything related to Muslims, this may be a more challenging task than expected. Within 48 hours, the site was shut down temporarily (and new accounts suspended) when it was quickly taken over by "griefers", people who sign up to online games only to cause mischief (such as walking into rooms and screaming "Die, infidel!" and "Where my sand niggers at?" during our sample run). Part of the appeal of virtual worlds (as with being online in general) is the ability to do things one would not normally do, using anonymous personas. Not surprisingly, there is a strong pull towards taboos and anti-social behaviour. The Internet and collaborative gaming are awash with hurt feelings.

It is expected that future attempts at disruption will be handled by policing, though this approach struggles to work on other, less restrictive platforms. Unfortunately, having a meeting place for Muslims (or those sympathetic to them) will attract those looking for targets for their wrath. And as a business, closing access to new members or monitoring a sizeable community risks profitability. The site will depend on virtual money and advertising to enhance the user experience. If Muxlim pulls this off, they deserve enormous credit for providing an environment that many parents struggle to create for their kids' online activities.

But this challenge is not for the timid. The darker side of human nature online has yet to be overestimated. Art - and virtual worlds - will continue to imitate life, as always. (No comments)

If there was any doubt as to the depth and extent of anti-Muslim feelings among portions of the US electorate, this year's presidential elections have most certainly put it to rest. The extent to which candidates and voters alike propagated anti-Muslim themes in order to support a political agenda has been unprecedented. Nearly every major candidate relied on fear of Muslims at some point to stir voter sentiment through fear: Mitt Romney often railed against "radical Islam", Rudy Giuliani routinely invoked the spectre of "Islamic terror", Fred Thompson warned that the US is in a "global war with radical Islam", and John McCain called the fight against "radical Islamic extremists" the "transcendent challenge of the 21st century". Even Barack Obama, who was himself the target of anti-Muslim sentiments - tapped into this theme when he called upon Americans to wean themselves off of Middle Eastern (i.e. Muslim) oil.

Voters - many of whom I would guess couldn't tell the difference between an Islamist and the Muslim next door - responded to these overtures with one of the most sustained and organic email campaigns in recent memory. Repeated tales of Barack Obama's alleged Islamic past and/or present were so effective that in one Texas survey taken only a week before the election, 23% of all voters still believed that Obama was a Muslim. The level to which people clung to this meme despite two years of repeated statements in the media to the contrary is a startling reminder of how deep-seated the fear of Muslims remains.

It didn't stop there. One of the more ambitious attempts to stoke anti-Muslim feelings in order to sway the election was the mailing of 28 million copies of a DVD entitled "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" to households in swing states. Like the emails and statements above, the "Obsession" film blurs the lines between violent radicalism and ordinary Muslims, playing into legitimate fears that many Americans still have in the wake of 9/11.

But despite the extent and volume of anti-Muslim rhetoric, candidates who embraced these methods this year universally failed to get elected.

From the earliest days of the primary, campaigns seemed to falter in direct proportion to the extend politicians tried to make anti-Muslim feelings the foundation of their campaigns. Giuliani and Romney, by far the more strident of the Republican candidates, found no traction with the anti-Muslim arguments and dropped out early. In contrast, John McCain - who rejected Pastor Rod Parsley's endorsement solely due to his anti-Muslim comments and publicly stated that Muslim-Americans were qualified to hold any office in the land - rose to the top of his party.

There's another beneficial side effect that this rhetoric had: it galvanized Muslim-Americans to take control of their own political destiny. After all, if you're already a part of the elections (in an imaginary sense), why not dive in yourself and provide some Muslim reality?

While Muslim-American organizations took a low profile for fear of unwittingly contributing to the stigma, everyday Muslims took it upon themselves to get involved at a grassroots level, where they could stay under the radar and confront anti-Muslim feelings at a personal level. Buoyed by an affinity for Barack Obama, in part due to the slings and arrows that he took on their behalf, thousands of Muslim-Americans gravitated to his campaign and fought back through the political process. And Muslim Republicans, though smaller in number, worked from within the party to excise anti-Muslim sentiment, with some degree of success.

Will the next crop of presidential candidates learn from the lessons of 2008 and stick to more meaningful issues than who can be harder on Muslims? Only time will tell, but even if they don't, there will be a new generation of Muslim grassroots political activists in both parties waiting to confront them.

Cross-posted from Huffington Post and BeliefNet (1 comment)

Beside the recurring theme during the 2008 US Presidential election that Barack Obama was secretly a Muslim (or merely a terrorist sympathiser), everyone was on the lookout for an 11th hour message of support from Al Qaeda, similar to the one that arguably helped George Bush during his successful 2004 run only days before the election. It had already been floated by the John McCain camp that Hamas and Iran preferred Obama to McCain (because Muslims like each other, of course) and that Al Qaeda would be seen as no different. But to Obama's benefit, not a word was heard from the two chief Al Qaeda leaders, Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, before the election took place.

So did Zawahiri and Co. resort to some reverse psychology, perhaps noting how their endorsement of Bush in 2004 killed the campaign of the Iraq War opponent John Kerry? Considering the symbiotic relationship Al Qaeda has had with the Bush administration, that seems unlikely. The relative absense of commentary from Zawahiri during the campaign probably indicated some confusion on what Obama really represented (a key McCain-Palin allegation, of course). But now that one of Al Qaeda's chief arguments has been neutralised with Obama's election - America's alleged antipathy towards non-whites - Zawahiri has responded with some race-baiting of his own, calling Obama a "house negro," unlike the honourable Al Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz (that's Malcolm X to you).

For the many non-Arab Muslims who have noticed the Al Qaeda leadership as being near Arab supremacist, this is a bit much (not to mention the widespread third-world joy at seeing a person of colour take over the "White" House). Malcolm could at least get away with such a description of subservient blacks (which he later rescinded, by the way) because he shared their race. For the Arab-dominated Al Qaeda to play this card speaks of their ever-growing irrelevance and the potential ascendancy of a "third way" that neither whitewashes Western imperialism (don't screw this up, Barack) or resorts to the violence, polarisation, and authoritarianism inherent in Al Qaeda itself.

The bilateral neocon-Al Qaeda alliance is ending. Savour it. (No comments)

Not wasting any time, President-elect Obama made his first staff pick with Illinois congressman and former Clinton (Bill) advisor Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel has earned a reputation as a hyper-partisan attack dog, which seems to us appropriate at first glance if Obama is looking for a Democratic Karl Rove.

But other aspects of his political background are giving Muslims pause. Emanuel is the son of Israeli immigrants and served as a citizen volunteer in the Israeli army during the first Gulf War in 1991 (not that Israel was part of that). Although he toes the line on most Democratic policy positions, he is less committed on two items sensitive to Muslims - the Iraq War (he is more hesitant to withdraw) and immigration (cooperating with anti-immigrant congressmen like Republican Tom Tancredo).

So what affect will this have as Obama's chief of staff? If we want to give Obama the benefit of the doubt, Emanuel is well served for the primary responsibilties of his position - managing and protecting Obama's inner circle with an iron fist. To the extent that he will influence Obama adversely on the Israel/Palestine question, it bears reminding that Obama's friendship with Palestinian professor Rashid Khalidi came to light when he attended a dinner in Khalidi's honor - right in the middle of his campaign.

Emanuel's relationship with Obama is too long lasting (and Emanuel too qualified) to consider his appointment a reaction to the Khalidi story. Nevertheless, Obama has referred to Khalidi as someone who challenges his "own biases." Will Emanuel reinforce them, or will Obama be strategic enough to find a practical middle ground? (No comments)

By now, many of you have heard General Colin Powell's recounting of the sacrifice that Muslim-American soldier Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan made for the country of his birth, and how a photo of Khan's mother draped over her son's tombstone at Arlington Cemetery moved him to speak out against the demonization of Muslim-Americans among some in the Republican party.

For many Americans, this may have been the first time they've heard of a Muslim-American soldier dying in the battlefield. But the truth is that Muslims have had a long history of serving in the US armed forces. And according to the American Muslim Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs Council, there are currently 20,000 Muslims serving with honor in the US military.

Wander through Arlington Cemetery, as I've done, and you'll see the crescents among the crosses, adorning graves of soldiers like Army Captain Humayun Khan, who lured a suicide car bomb away from the men in his charge, saving their lives but giving up his own, Army Spc. Rasheed Sahib, an American Muslim from Guyana, Army Spc. Omead Razani, a son of Iranian immigrants, Marine Staff Sgt. Kendall Damon Waters-Bey, who was killed in a helicopter crash, and sadly many more.

In fact, you'll find the graves of fallen Muslim soldiers and Muslim veterans in military cemeteries all over the United States, from Hassein Ahmed (Army, WWII) to Ibrahim Muhammad (Navy, WWII), from Mahir Hasan (Army, Korea) to Abul Fateh Umar Khan (Air Force, Korea).

This is part of the history and reality of Muslims in this country, and it flies in the face of some McCain supporters (though thankfully not all) who warn of Muslims gaining undue influence and stature under an Obama administration. The fact that up to 10% of voters still believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim (despite the Rev. Wright debacle and over a year of clarifications in the media) or "an Arab" underscores just how embedded the idea is that Muslims are still alien to all that America stands for.

It also flies in the face of McCain's own words. "I'm proud of the Muslims who are currently serving in the United States armed forces," he said when asked about the possibility of having a Muslim cabinet member, "and my sense is that if they can serve in that manner, they can serve in any position of responsibility in America."

Perhaps the now-famous photo of Corporal Khan's mother can help soften some hearts on the other side of the political fence. I wonder, though, how many dead Muslim solidiers it will take for them to realize that loyalty to country is the norm among Muslim-Americans, and not the exception.

(Cross-posted from Beliefnet's "Progressive Revival" blog)
(1 comment)