You bring attention to the Uyghurs, and even though it is done with loads of sarcasms, you do note at the end of your post that Ms. Kadeer is not the problem. The problem is the comfort and motivation the US has in using Uyghur woman as poster children because they pose no threat and are “modern”. It is frustrating and obvious.

With regards to the overall tone of the post, I truly don’t understand why the rest of the Muslim world is not standing up for the Uyghurs (including you in this post)? They face issues like not being able to enter a mosque until they are 18, and only being able to read a State issued version of the Qur’an. They face religious persecution that is slowly draining their complex and historical culture, day by day. In the end, even though they may not be “Arab or brown,” they are Muslim people who need all the support that they can get.

Muslimah X – That comment was made by me. I share your distaste for the term Wahabbism, because a name of Allah is Al Whahab so I find it disrespectful, however, I used it for those who may not be familiar with the term Salafism.

Now the actual point of my comment was in response to Rayhana’s remark about ‘well funded foreign imams’. My response meant to indicate that the spread of Salafism is not about money, which is actually a pretty neutral statement.

Oh, and saying (in comments): The rise of Salafism/Whabbism is more complex then just the Saudis throwing money about…… just shows a bias this site has against traditional Islam. Using those terms only comes from ignorance. The media made up the term Whabbism…. and now some not so well meaning Muslims take it and run with it. Its also an insult to a great scholar of the past.

@ A’ishah: “But I also just wanted to throw in there another perspective – that a large part of what is at play here has to do with being a minority under PRC rule and the baggage that goes along with that (and it’s something other PRC minorities face), not necessarily solely because they are Muslim.”

That’s helpful, shukrun. <<Let's start a thread about how I'm an Arab elitist because I said Shukrun instead of Thank You :d

“But I also just wanted to throw in there another perspective – that a large part of what is at play here has to do with being a minority under PRC rule and the baggage that goes along with that (and it’s something other PRC minorities face), not necessarily solely because they are Muslim.”

Shukrun A’isha, that’s helpful. <<Let's start a thread about how I'm an Arab elitist because I said Shukrun instead of Thanks :d

Here, we have a Muslim woman being portrayed as the actual leader she is, literally. Regardless of the intention behind the depiction, or the contradicting accounts of it, I think you’d agree with me when I say that it is great to see the media glorify a Muslim woman for speaking out, instead of criticizing her traditions or otherwise deeming her an accessory of the dominant Muslim male,

Yeah, how could you read anything but contempt out of this?

The hand wringing over the use of Spanish is due to the US-centric view that it’s some kind of minority language, instead of the widely spoken and well propagated language that it is.

There are more Spanish speakers, then French speakers. Francophone countries are just as varied economically as Hispanophone countries, yet no one would ever consider having the same reaction to a French quotation.

Again, I’m baffled by the reactions here. Yusra’s piece is clearly a media analysis, aimed at comparing coverage of the Uighurs to coverage of Iraq and Pakistan.