Another delightful and engrossing article, on Ramadan TV shows in the Middle East, from the good folks at the Christian Science Monitor. The article explores some of the interesting ways that TV shows are combatting extremism and terrorism. One passage really highlights how problematic and contradictory America's role is in the great Global War on Terror (GWOT). In recent years, Ramadan miniseries have triggered controversy, frequently angering the US, Israeli, and various Arab governments, or … [Read more...]
Paris is Burning
November 4, 2005 By Leave a Comment
For over a week now, Paris has been rocked by riots by "disaffected youths" (more specifically, young Frenchmen of North African and West African descent) in some of its suburbs--in French banlieu, or suburb, means "ghetto"--after 2 youths died (and one is in serious condition) after seeking refuge in an electric transformer in order to escape the police (who'd caught them trying to break into a backyard shed). Upon getting the news over a week ago, scores of angry … [Read more...]
Libby’s resignation
October 28, 2005 By Leave a Comment
From AP newswire "Cheney Adviser Resigns After Indictment":WASHINGTON - The vice president's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr., was indicted Friday on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements in the CIA leak investigation, a politically charged case that will throw a spotlight on President Bush's push to war.The article also notes:Democrats suggested the indictment was just the tip of the iceberg. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, … [Read more...]
The World’s Most Generous Misers
October 27, 2005 By Leave a Comment
The excellent media watchdog group FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting) recently ran an eye-opening article on American stinginess in foreign aid, "The World’s Most Generous Misers: Tsunami reporting misrepresented U.S. giving". It's particularly interesting to see how much the mainstream media have not only downplayed the uninspiring realities of American foreign aid, but have gone so far as to create a myth of prodigal American generousity. The need to provide upbeat … [Read more...]
The Dars Ladies
October 21, 2005 By 1 Comment
Shabana wrote a wonderful, brilliant piece about "The Dars Lady" phenomenon among older Pakistani women (does it happen in other communities too?). … [Read more...]
Tarawih in French
October 18, 2005 By Leave a Comment
Islam Online has an interesting article on French Muslims entitled "Young French Muslims Want Tarawih in French". It reports that some 2nd and 3rd generation French Muslims--who are mostly of North African descent--are calling for Tarawih prayers (the special nightly prayers during Ramadan in which the whole of the Quran is recited) in French. I'd like to get more information on this, as I find it hard to imagine that people are really calling for salat to be done in French. … [Read more...]
Mind-boggling corruption by neocon cronies
October 14, 2005 By Leave a Comment
There's a really sickening and eye-opening article in The American Conservative explosing the incredible corruption and financial mismanagement that occured under the CPA in Iraq. Billions of dollars have literally disappeared into thin air. This is how we spread democracy and rule of law? And what of this administration's much vaunted "executive" management style? How could all this money be floating around without even the most basic security and accounting … [Read more...]
For the rich, it’s a small world after all
October 10, 2005 By Leave a Comment
There is an embarrassingly elementary fallacy that undermines so much otherwise learned analysis of the so-called War on Terror, American/Muslim relations, and international affairs in general: Observers ignore the many powerful class interests that are shared among elites around the world regardless of which side they inhabit of cultural, political, religious or geopolitical fault lines. Few journalists peddling the Clash of Civilizations worldview bother to explore how, … [Read more...]
Reality check for Karen Hughes (and Bush Junior)
October 7, 2005 By Leave a Comment
Karen Hughes, Bush Junior's PR flack to the the Muslim world, recently had a rude awakening in Ankara when she was grilled by Turkish women activists on the Iraqi occupation and American militarism in general. Despite its brevity, the article (Glen Kessler, "Turks Challenge Hughes On Iraq Female Activists Decry U.S. Policy", Washington Post, 29 September, 2004) is quite enlightening and sums up the problem with so much Beltway debate and analysis on the Middle East and the Muslim … [Read more...]
Ramadan memories
October 6, 2005 By Leave a Comment
Ramadan is upon us and American life continues to whiz along at its "normal", hectic pace, quite indifferent to the fact that this is supposed to be a time of quiet reflection and prayer for Muslims. This is the time of year I always wish I were in a Muslim-majority country. Like a Jew who ends his Passover Seder meal with the prayer, "Next year in Jerusalem!" I vow to myself everyday during Ramadan, "Next year in a simpler place and a simpler life." Of … [Read more...]
Follow Patheos
Muslim: