A beastly crime of anti-Semitism in France

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Ilan Halimi, 23, was kidnapped, tortured over a period of 2 weeks and left for dead, naked, by a gang of French kidnappers– a young, multi-ethnic group of Muslims and non-Muslims that, with great understatement, refered to themselves as "the Barbarians"–in Bagneux, France. (See WSJ article ) Halimi was Jewish and the perpetrators’ behavior leaves little doubt that anti-Semitism played a major part in this truly ghastly crime. As more details come out, the monstrosity of this crime becomes harder and... Read more

A fun list of Muslim inventions

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Independent Online Edition > Science & Technology From coffee to cheques and the three-course meal, the Muslim world has given us many innovations that we take for granted in daily life. As a new exhibition opens, Paul Vallely nominates 20 of the most influential- and identifies the men of genius behind them Read more

Descendent of infamous Nazi becomes Jewish

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

One of the more surreal dispatches on interfaith affairs: Independent Online Edition > Europe Matthias Goering says: "I used to feel cursed by my name. Now I feel blessed." The 49-year-old physiotherapist, a descendant of Hermann Goering, Adolf Hitler’s right-hand man, is wearing a Jewish skullcap, with a Star of David pendant round his neck. After being brought up to despise Jews, he has embraced their faith. And although he has yet to formally convert to Judaism, he keeps kosher... Read more

Die Zeit on ‘Fortress Denmark’

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Germany’s Die Zeit weekly has just run a series of withering pieces on Denmark’s rising xenophobia, "In der Festung Dänemark"(which I’m pretty sure means "In Fortress Denmark"). The Danish newspaper Politiken has a summary of the coverage in Danish (appropriately entitled "Tysk magasin hudfletter Danmark", German magazine flays Denmark). Haven’t found a summary in English yet. Some interesting points: I’ve noted before how I suspected that few Danes realized how much of a barrier their language is to successful integration... Read more

The passing of Rafi Sharif

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Another dear friend has passed. Last August, I blogged about the shocking and poignant demise of Marian, a friend and the wife of a close family friend of mine, Rafi Sharif. (Note: I've since added the text from the Baltimore Sun's beautiful article on the sad occasion to the end of that post.) It's with a heavy heart that I report Rafi's passing last Thursday, ironically on my birthday. Inna lillah wa innaa ilayhi rajioon. To God we belong and... Read more

Fukuyama: Neocons a gang of ‘Leninists’

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

While there are few more stinging put-downs on the American Right than "Leninist", I actually think Fukuyama lets them off easy in some ways. Sure, he exposes their incredible inconsistency and brashness, but I think a full reckoning would include a few paragraphs on their stunning incompetance in governance, their Inspector Clouseau-like bumbling. I applaud him for his integrity and courage in speaking out, but too bad it took him so long to detect his comrades’ manifest naivete. I think... Read more

WP: Negative Perception Of Islam Increasing

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Sadly, this development is inevitable, not because of what’s happening in the world, but because of how the corporate mainstream media work. Their focus on current events over history and sensationalism over systematic analysis not only makes these stereotypes seem justified by the facts, but it makes them the only logical reaction for the average person who lacks alternative information sources. This is a bit random, but I see a certain parallel here with some of the "conspiracy theories" one... Read more

The passing of Rafi Sharif

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

This post has been updated and moved here. Read more

One student’s curious defense of the Ummah

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

With friends like these… BBC NEWS | Americas | Iranian in US campus ‘car attack’ An Iranian student has been charged with attempting to murder nine people with a car in the US to “avenge the deaths of Muslims”, he told police. Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, 22, drove a rented Jeep into a crowd at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Friday, police said. Read more

BBC: US ‘settles 9/11 detainee’s suit’

Last updated on: May 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm By Svend White

Uncle Sam is settling a lawsuit filed by a wrongfully detained Egyptian national. It’s an encouraging development, and hopefully a sign that a modicum of sanity and due process may be returning to the American legal system where Muslims are concerned. Given how the Bush Administration has unapologetically ridden roughshod over civil rights and due process, one suspects that this case was particularly egregious. This shouldn’t come from your or my pockets as taxpayers, though. At least part of this... Read more