Zaytuna Institute Is Proud to Announce the Release of 'Scattered Pictures: Reflections of an American Muslim' by Acclaimed Scholar and Writer Zaid Shakir
What Do American Muslims Really Think About 9/11 and Jihad? How Does Islam Grapple With the Questions of Race and Nationalism?
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- These are some of the hard hitting and often-times controversial topics addressed in Scattered Pictures. Described by the New York Times as a "leading intellectual light for a new generation of American Muslims who can help them learn how to live their faith without succumbing to American materialism or Islamic extremism," Zaid Shakir is leading the dialogue on issues that affect our world today.Scattered Pictures, Reflections of an American Muslim is a collection of fourteen essays powerful in their essence and eloquence. This book by the former university professor and member of the United States Air Force, analyzes and reconciles the convergence of Islam and the West and is of lasting relevance to the betterment of the Muslim and human community. Reminiscent of Zaid Shakir's direct, honest and riveting style of speech, each page delivers vivid, absorbing detail and effective information.Scattered Pictures is undoubtedly a book that will be difficult for readers to disregard. Though written through the lenses of an American, Western Muslim, its messages are relevant to anyone interested in the conscious culmination of a healthy and harmonious understanding of humanity within and across all global borders.
"Imam Zaid Shakir is one of the towering principle voices not only in contemporary Islam, but in American society." -- Dr Cornel West, author of Best Seller, Democracy Matters,
"This collection of Zaid Shakir's essays is long overdue. For some years now he has brought a clarity of mind and feeling to substantive issues challenging Muslims today. It is good to see some of his fire-fly, lightning bolt thinking captured in words and put between covers." -- Michael Wolfe, author of The Hadj: An American's Pilgrimage to Mecca ISBN: 0-9702843-5-7
For book orders, please contact: Zaytuna Institute info@zaytuna.org 510-614-8317
For interviews and book signings with the author please contact Monteil Harper at info@zaidshakir.comSource: Zaytuna Institute CONTACT: Zaytuna Institute, +1-510-614-8317, or info@zaytuna.orgWeb site: http://www.newislamicdirections.com/
Monday, October 30, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Borders to open store in World's Largest Shopping Mall in Dubai, UAE
Borders(R) to Open in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Al Maya Group, a diversified corporation headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country, will open the first Borders store in the region at the end of this month in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates.
This leisure, entertainment and shopping complex is recognized as the largest mall outside of North America and includes more than 400 luxury retailers including Harvey Nichols, Dolce and Gabana, and Gucci, as well as entertainment features highlighted by Ski Dubai, the region's first indoor ski destination, and Magic Planet, a two-story family entertainment experience.
Al Maya Group is opening this Borders store and others in the GCC planned for the future under a franchise agreement with Borders, Inc., a subsidiary of global book, music and movie retailer Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE:BGP).
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/
prnh/20060208/BORDERSLOGO )
Like the other retailers at the Mall of the Emirates, Borders will offer shoppers something special. The 16,000-square-foot Borders store, located on the first level, is one of the largest outside of the major department stores and will engage customers with a rich shopping experience that celebrates the universal human desire to explore and find personal enrichment and knowledge through books.
The store will carry a comprehensive range of over 65,000 book titles in English and Arabic languages in categories such as literary fiction, history, business, poetry, travel, cooking and many others. The children's section -- with its colorful decor and vast selection of books -- is expected to be particularly popular as the scene of many special children's events such as weekly story time.In addition to books, the new Borders store will also carry hundreds of magazines and newspapers, a wide selection of stationery items, and a Starbucks Coffee store that will serve its trademark beverages and food items.
The shopping environment, like all Borders stores in the United States, will be warm and inviting with plenty of comfortable chairs throughout, encouraging customers to relax and spend time exploring in the store. The Borders experience is like nothing available in the GCC for book lovers and is expected to attract thousands of customers each day as the mall boasts over 450,000 visitors per week.
Like all Borders stores around the world, the Dubai Borders store will serve as a community gathering place for residents and visitors, offering shoppers plenty of free in-store events including appearances by authors who will appeal to all ages and interests.
"It is our mission to be the preferred place for knowledge and entertainment throughout the world," said Borders Group Chief Executive Officer George Jones.
"Franchise agreements with strong and experienced retailers such as Al Maya Group offer our company an effective way to expand in new global markets. The Mall of the Emirates is a spectacular retail development and there is no other site like it in the world. We are proud, through our association with Al Maya, to be a part of this luxury shopping destination and we are confident that Al Maya will represent the Borders brand well throughout the GCC."
Al Maya Group Director Vivek Bahirwani said, "We are delighted to align with Borders because the brand is known worldwide for its vast selection, unique shopping experience and strong ties to communities. We are pleased to be the company that will bring Borders to the GCC and have ambitious plans for this brand."About Borders GroupBorders Group, Inc. is a $4 billion retailer of books, music, movies and stationery items that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BGP. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Borders Group, through its subsidiaries, operates more than 1,300 stores and employs more than 34,000 people worldwide who serve more than 30 million customers each year. More information on the company is available at http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/ .
About Al Maya GroupAl Maya Group, a household name within the U.A.E., owns a leading supermarket chain & other businesses such as franchising of BHS (U.A.E. & Poland), Steven Madden & Champion. In addition the group also owns one of the largest Food Wholesale Distribution Divisions within the U.A.E. and other GCC countries. The group employs approximately 2,000 people globally.
For more information please visit our website on
http://www.almayagroup.com/
First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:
hstein1@bordersgroupinc.com
Photo: NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060208/BORDERSLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Borders, Inc.
CONTACT: Louise Jones, Marketing Manager of Al Maya Group, 09714821555;
or Holley Stein, Public Relations Specialist of Borders Group, Inc.,+1-734-477-1224
Web site:
http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/http://www.almayagroup.com/
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/106169.html
EDITOR NOTE:
FOR A TOUR OF DUBAI AND A LOOK AT THE MALL OF THE EMIRATES, VISIT
www.ArabAmericanTVOnline.com
END
ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Al Maya Group, a diversified corporation headquartered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country, will open the first Borders store in the region at the end of this month in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates.
This leisure, entertainment and shopping complex is recognized as the largest mall outside of North America and includes more than 400 luxury retailers including Harvey Nichols, Dolce and Gabana, and Gucci, as well as entertainment features highlighted by Ski Dubai, the region's first indoor ski destination, and Magic Planet, a two-story family entertainment experience.
Al Maya Group is opening this Borders store and others in the GCC planned for the future under a franchise agreement with Borders, Inc., a subsidiary of global book, music and movie retailer Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE:BGP).
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/
prnh/20060208/BORDERSLOGO )
Like the other retailers at the Mall of the Emirates, Borders will offer shoppers something special. The 16,000-square-foot Borders store, located on the first level, is one of the largest outside of the major department stores and will engage customers with a rich shopping experience that celebrates the universal human desire to explore and find personal enrichment and knowledge through books.
The store will carry a comprehensive range of over 65,000 book titles in English and Arabic languages in categories such as literary fiction, history, business, poetry, travel, cooking and many others. The children's section -- with its colorful decor and vast selection of books -- is expected to be particularly popular as the scene of many special children's events such as weekly story time.In addition to books, the new Borders store will also carry hundreds of magazines and newspapers, a wide selection of stationery items, and a Starbucks Coffee store that will serve its trademark beverages and food items.
The shopping environment, like all Borders stores in the United States, will be warm and inviting with plenty of comfortable chairs throughout, encouraging customers to relax and spend time exploring in the store. The Borders experience is like nothing available in the GCC for book lovers and is expected to attract thousands of customers each day as the mall boasts over 450,000 visitors per week.
Like all Borders stores around the world, the Dubai Borders store will serve as a community gathering place for residents and visitors, offering shoppers plenty of free in-store events including appearances by authors who will appeal to all ages and interests.
"It is our mission to be the preferred place for knowledge and entertainment throughout the world," said Borders Group Chief Executive Officer George Jones.
"Franchise agreements with strong and experienced retailers such as Al Maya Group offer our company an effective way to expand in new global markets. The Mall of the Emirates is a spectacular retail development and there is no other site like it in the world. We are proud, through our association with Al Maya, to be a part of this luxury shopping destination and we are confident that Al Maya will represent the Borders brand well throughout the GCC."
Al Maya Group Director Vivek Bahirwani said, "We are delighted to align with Borders because the brand is known worldwide for its vast selection, unique shopping experience and strong ties to communities. We are pleased to be the company that will bring Borders to the GCC and have ambitious plans for this brand."About Borders GroupBorders Group, Inc. is a $4 billion retailer of books, music, movies and stationery items that trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BGP. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Borders Group, through its subsidiaries, operates more than 1,300 stores and employs more than 34,000 people worldwide who serve more than 30 million customers each year. More information on the company is available at http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/ .
About Al Maya GroupAl Maya Group, a household name within the U.A.E., owns a leading supermarket chain & other businesses such as franchising of BHS (U.A.E. & Poland), Steven Madden & Champion. In addition the group also owns one of the largest Food Wholesale Distribution Divisions within the U.A.E. and other GCC countries. The group employs approximately 2,000 people globally.
For more information please visit our website on
http://www.almayagroup.com/
First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:
hstein1@bordersgroupinc.com
Photo: NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060208/BORDERSLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Borders, Inc.
CONTACT: Louise Jones, Marketing Manager of Al Maya Group, 09714821555;
or Holley Stein, Public Relations Specialist of Borders Group, Inc.,+1-734-477-1224
Web site:
http://www.bordersgroupinc.com/http://www.almayagroup.com/
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/106169.html
EDITOR NOTE:
FOR A TOUR OF DUBAI AND A LOOK AT THE MALL OF THE EMIRATES, VISIT
www.ArabAmericanTVOnline.com
END
Monday, October 23, 2006
Jerash Festival in LA Nov. 5
Palestinian Conductor Seizes UCLA's Schoenberg Hall
Jerash Festival Comes to Los Angeles With Power house Event and Concert
Led by MESTO Orchestra at UCLA
Her Majesty Queen Noor and Dr. Raymond Jallow Co-chair the Concert Sure to Ignite the Stage on November 5th at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall at 5:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- MESTO's conductor and founder, Nabil S. Azzam, Ph.D., has announced a dynamic lineup of talent for the "Jerash in Hollywood" concert performing at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall on Sunday, November 5th at 5:00 p.m.
The lineup includes the 40-piece MESTO orchestra, a special musical premiere by Zahra, lyrics by renowned Lebanese poet Henri Zoghaib, and music by Azzam.
The sensational multi-ethnic orchestra has generated considerable attention worldwide with a unique approach to performing the world's music in symphonic form.
The concert takes on an added flair with the class and elegance brought by co-chairs Her Majesty Queen Noor and international businessman Dr. Raymond Jallow.
Concertgoers were disappointed recently as the prestigious annual Jerash Festival, scheduled for July 31st in Amman, Jordan was cancelled due to the war in the region.
Typically, the ancient city of Jerash is transformed into the Middle East's liveliest and most impressive cultural event, hosting thousands of visitors during the festival each year. Azzam was due to perform with his orchestra at the Jordanian event.Now, after dealing with the disappointment of the cancellation, he has put together one of the most anticipated concerts of the year.
"It is so unbelievably thrilling to bring the essence of Jerash here to Los Angeles," said Azzam. "This concert is long overdue.""Jerash in Hollywood is a concert formed by the passion of concerned leaders of the world and in the music industry with the desire to deliver culture to the people," said Azzam. "We cannot live in a world without culture and to date we have helped so many people learn the beauty of multi-ethnic music and our goal is to continue to help many more. The music of the world can once again be heard and capture the essence of the countries richest traditions."
Tickets are $100; $50 and $30 (limited student tickets for $15).
To purchase tickets call UCLA ticket office at 310/825-2101 or the MESTO at 310/795-4280. www.mesto.org
Source: Unique Image, Inc. CONTACT: Media, Jack Reed of Unique Image, Inc., +1-818-727-7785,
mjr@uniqueimageinc.com
Web site: http://www.mesto.org/
Jerash Festival Comes to Los Angeles With Power house Event and Concert
Led by MESTO Orchestra at UCLA
Her Majesty Queen Noor and Dr. Raymond Jallow Co-chair the Concert Sure to Ignite the Stage on November 5th at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall at 5:00 p.m.
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- MESTO's conductor and founder, Nabil S. Azzam, Ph.D., has announced a dynamic lineup of talent for the "Jerash in Hollywood" concert performing at UCLA's Schoenberg Hall on Sunday, November 5th at 5:00 p.m.
The lineup includes the 40-piece MESTO orchestra, a special musical premiere by Zahra, lyrics by renowned Lebanese poet Henri Zoghaib, and music by Azzam.
The sensational multi-ethnic orchestra has generated considerable attention worldwide with a unique approach to performing the world's music in symphonic form.
The concert takes on an added flair with the class and elegance brought by co-chairs Her Majesty Queen Noor and international businessman Dr. Raymond Jallow.
Concertgoers were disappointed recently as the prestigious annual Jerash Festival, scheduled for July 31st in Amman, Jordan was cancelled due to the war in the region.
Typically, the ancient city of Jerash is transformed into the Middle East's liveliest and most impressive cultural event, hosting thousands of visitors during the festival each year. Azzam was due to perform with his orchestra at the Jordanian event.Now, after dealing with the disappointment of the cancellation, he has put together one of the most anticipated concerts of the year.
"It is so unbelievably thrilling to bring the essence of Jerash here to Los Angeles," said Azzam. "This concert is long overdue.""Jerash in Hollywood is a concert formed by the passion of concerned leaders of the world and in the music industry with the desire to deliver culture to the people," said Azzam. "We cannot live in a world without culture and to date we have helped so many people learn the beauty of multi-ethnic music and our goal is to continue to help many more. The music of the world can once again be heard and capture the essence of the countries richest traditions."
Tickets are $100; $50 and $30 (limited student tickets for $15).
To purchase tickets call UCLA ticket office at 310/825-2101 or the MESTO at 310/795-4280. www.mesto.org
Source: Unique Image, Inc. CONTACT: Media, Jack Reed of Unique Image, Inc., +1-818-727-7785,
mjr@uniqueimageinc.com
Web site: http://www.mesto.org/
Milwaukee, Wisconsin Folk Fair planned
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 19, 2006
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dave Amoroso * Ron Sonntag Public Relations
(414) 354-0200 ext. 108 * Dave@rspr.com
63rd ANNUALHOLIDAY FOLK FAIR INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULED
MILWAUKEE, WI – The 63rd annual Holiday Folk Fair International, America's premiere multi-cultural festival, will be held Fri., Nov. 17 – Sun., Nov. 19, 2006, at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis. Produced by the International Institute of Wisconsin, the event will provide attendees with an opportunity to "Celebrate the Carriers of Culture," this year's show theme. The three-day event features an assortment of ethnic foods, music and dance performances, historical displays on ethnic cultures, arts and crafts displays, and educational demonstrations. Holiday Folk Fair International will host a United States Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony on Sat., Nov. 18, at 10:30 a.m. and the fifth annual Around The World 5K Run/Walk on Sun., Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. New in 2006 will be performers from the Native Alaskan Heritage Center, and exhibits of Icelandic textiles, World Heritage Sites of Japan, Portraits of Hmong Women, and historic folk art. Featured local artists in the Music Pavilion include Johnny Hoffman and the Herzbuben, Steve Meisner Band, Izvor, and the Melkmeisters. Hours on Fri., Nov. 17, are 3 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 18, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sun., Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission is $8 in advance, and $10 at the door. Children 5 and younger are admitted at no charge, with tickets for children ages 6-12 $8 at the gate. A "Family Fun 4-Pack" of tickets for $28 is available through the International Institute of Wisconsin office. For more information on the 2006 Holiday Folk Fair International, call the International Institute of Wisconsin at 414-225-6225 or visit www.folkfair.org.
# # # # #
Editors Note: This release can be e-mailed upon request.
October 19, 2006
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Dave Amoroso * Ron Sonntag Public Relations
(414) 354-0200 ext. 108 * Dave@rspr.com
63rd ANNUALHOLIDAY FOLK FAIR INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULED
MILWAUKEE, WI – The 63rd annual Holiday Folk Fair International, America's premiere multi-cultural festival, will be held Fri., Nov. 17 – Sun., Nov. 19, 2006, at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis. Produced by the International Institute of Wisconsin, the event will provide attendees with an opportunity to "Celebrate the Carriers of Culture," this year's show theme. The three-day event features an assortment of ethnic foods, music and dance performances, historical displays on ethnic cultures, arts and crafts displays, and educational demonstrations. Holiday Folk Fair International will host a United States Citizenship Naturalization Ceremony on Sat., Nov. 18, at 10:30 a.m. and the fifth annual Around The World 5K Run/Walk on Sun., Nov. 19, at 9 a.m. New in 2006 will be performers from the Native Alaskan Heritage Center, and exhibits of Icelandic textiles, World Heritage Sites of Japan, Portraits of Hmong Women, and historic folk art. Featured local artists in the Music Pavilion include Johnny Hoffman and the Herzbuben, Steve Meisner Band, Izvor, and the Melkmeisters. Hours on Fri., Nov. 17, are 3 p.m.-10 p.m.; Sat., Nov. 18, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sun., Nov. 19, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission is $8 in advance, and $10 at the door. Children 5 and younger are admitted at no charge, with tickets for children ages 6-12 $8 at the gate. A "Family Fun 4-Pack" of tickets for $28 is available through the International Institute of Wisconsin office. For more information on the 2006 Holiday Folk Fair International, call the International Institute of Wisconsin at 414-225-6225 or visit www.folkfair.org.
# # # # #
Editors Note: This release can be e-mailed upon request.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
PR: Conference on Arab Israeli peace
For Immediate Release Contact: Deanna Armbruster 856-235-6200October 17, 2006 deanna@oasisofpeace.org
Israel-Palestine: Long Term Prospects for Peaceful
Coexistence Washington, D.C. - In recognition of 35 years of Israel's only intentionally integrated Jewish-Arab village, the American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam hosts discussion.Roundtable Discussion and Luncheon"Israel-Palestine: Long Term Prospects for Peaceful Coexistence"Friday, October 20th, 2006, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Katzen Art Center, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C.
Speakers include: Sara Ehrman, First Policy Advisor for AIPAC; Hon. Samuel Lewis, Former Ambassador to Israel; Aaron David Miller, Former U.S. Middle East Negotiator; Robert Satloff, Executive Director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Kalil Jashn, Pepperdine University and Former vice president, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; Shibley Telhami, Professor for Peace and Development, University of Maryland and General Brent Scowcroft, Former National Security Advisor to the President. Musical Guest: Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.
General Brent Scowcroft says, "Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is an inspiration. It is a reminder that peace in the Middle East can be achieved by people of goodwill and vision. The spirit of tolerance and habit of cooperation that it helps to foster are key ingredients to a lasting peace."Ambassador Richard Murphy says, "Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam has persevered when so many others have faltered in maintaining its vision of peace and instilling it where it counts most, among the young."
Special Guests: Ahmad Hijazi & Ohad Bar Shalom, of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam."I wanted my children to grow up not knowing there is a difference between Jews and Arabs," said Ahmad Hijazi, who came to the village as a teenage participate of School for Peace workshops."Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam represents something very different for Israel. It is a place based on true equality for both sides. It is what Israel should look like," said Ohad Bar Shalom.
Neve Shalom, in Hebrew or Wahat al-Salam, in Arabic, the "Oasis of Peace"
The only community in Israel where Jews and Arabs have chosen to live, work, and educate their children together since 1972. It has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is home to Israel's first integrated bilingual, binational Primary School and an internationally renowned conflict management program at the School for Peace.American Friends of Neve Shalom/ Wahat al-SalamThe American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is a U.S. not-for-profit organization dedicated to dialogue, cooperation and a genuine and durable peace between Arabs and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis by encouraging, supporting and publicizing the projects of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, the "Oasis of Peace." (www.oasisofpeace.org)
# #
Israel-Palestine: Long Term Prospects for Peaceful
Coexistence Washington, D.C. - In recognition of 35 years of Israel's only intentionally integrated Jewish-Arab village, the American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam hosts discussion.Roundtable Discussion and Luncheon"Israel-Palestine: Long Term Prospects for Peaceful Coexistence"Friday, October 20th, 2006, 10:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Katzen Art Center, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, D.C.
Speakers include: Sara Ehrman, First Policy Advisor for AIPAC; Hon. Samuel Lewis, Former Ambassador to Israel; Aaron David Miller, Former U.S. Middle East Negotiator; Robert Satloff, Executive Director, Washington Institute for Near East Policy; Kalil Jashn, Pepperdine University and Former vice president, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee; Shibley Telhami, Professor for Peace and Development, University of Maryland and General Brent Scowcroft, Former National Security Advisor to the President. Musical Guest: Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary.
General Brent Scowcroft says, "Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is an inspiration. It is a reminder that peace in the Middle East can be achieved by people of goodwill and vision. The spirit of tolerance and habit of cooperation that it helps to foster are key ingredients to a lasting peace."Ambassador Richard Murphy says, "Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam has persevered when so many others have faltered in maintaining its vision of peace and instilling it where it counts most, among the young."
Special Guests: Ahmad Hijazi & Ohad Bar Shalom, of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam."I wanted my children to grow up not knowing there is a difference between Jews and Arabs," said Ahmad Hijazi, who came to the village as a teenage participate of School for Peace workshops."Neve Shalom/Wahat Al-Salam represents something very different for Israel. It is a place based on true equality for both sides. It is what Israel should look like," said Ohad Bar Shalom.
Neve Shalom, in Hebrew or Wahat al-Salam, in Arabic, the "Oasis of Peace"
The only community in Israel where Jews and Arabs have chosen to live, work, and educate their children together since 1972. It has been nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize. It is home to Israel's first integrated bilingual, binational Primary School and an internationally renowned conflict management program at the School for Peace.American Friends of Neve Shalom/ Wahat al-SalamThe American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam is a U.S. not-for-profit organization dedicated to dialogue, cooperation and a genuine and durable peace between Arabs and Jews, Palestinians and Israelis by encouraging, supporting and publicizing the projects of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam, the "Oasis of Peace." (www.oasisofpeace.org)
# #
Saturday, October 14, 2006
OP-ED: Tyranny is winning, By Neal AbuNab
Tyranny is winning
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
After the 1967 war in the Middle East the dark ghost of defeatism descended upon the heart of Arabs. Their governments declared a state of emergency. They suspended the constitutional rights of individuals and spent their money stockpiling weapons. The threat of Israel was the overriding concern in every country and people gave up their human rights and freedom because of national security. They never recovered from that loss. The Egyptian government today, like many other Arab governments, is still operating under a state of emergency. People gave up their freedom to the government thereby creating all these entrenched dictatorships. Guess what happened to all the weapons they bought and the great armies they built. They used them against their own people. Anyone who opposed the government became a traitor and a collaborator.
The same dark ghost is descending upon the heart of America. The Patriot Act pales in comparison with the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The new law which was passed by both houses of Congress on September 29th gives the Bush administration absolute power over the lives of its enemies. The law was opposed by most Democrats except for a few like Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan who is running for re-election this year and does not want to appear soft on national security.
The law authorizes the government to hold suspected enemies in detention indefinitely. It also allows the government to torture the detainee and then try him in a military court. The government continues to spy on its own people under the sanitized term of “warrantless wiretaps” program.
The suspected terrorist which is the intended target of this law is most likely a non-US citizen but the law will apply equally to a US citizen. Most of us are not concerned for the welfare of a person who is trying to kill us. This is the argument that made such a law sail so fast through the congress. The problem is that we are dealing with a huge bureaucracy called the government which is known for committing mistakes all the time.
A five-year old boy was featured on national news this week as a suspected terrorist. His name has been on the No-fly list for 4 years. Every time his parents went to the airport they ended up missing their flight because of hours of interrogation. The government promised to correct the mistake years ago.
Let’s say you are a poor soul whose name is similar to a wanted person some where. They will tap your phone and if you speak a foreign language and make phone calls overseas then you will become a suspect. Somebody may decide to pick you up for interrogation. On a dark night they will break through your front door and arrest you while you sleep in your comfortable home with your wife and children. Your family is not allowed to visit you or to ask about you. You are not allowed to ask why you’d been arrested and you can not inquire as to the nature of the charges against you.
While you rot in a secret detention center the interrogators will wake you up at night and play loud music for 24 hours. They will deprive you from sleep and drown you in a bucket of water. If that is not enough to extract a confession they can put you in a freezer and throw water at you till you shiver and turn blue.
Eventually, you will confess and sign a statement to whatever they say. Then, you will be taken to a court where your tormentors can present your confession to a military tribunal and you will not be able to see or rebut the evidence against you. It is called secret evidence and the government will not allow you to see it because it compromises national security. Then, you will be sentenced to life in prison or execution based on the evidence that you will never see. This can happen to any American as a matter of law.
Does this scenario sound familiar? It is the typical operation of any despotic regime including most of the regimes in the Arab world. This is what Americans have surrendered to their government. So, in my opinion the terrorists are winning. We started out this war to spread freedom and to eradicate violence and tyranny. We have escalated the level of senseless violence in this world by invading Iraq and now we are importing tyranny from the Middle East.
America is supposed to be exporting its democratic values to the Middle East but instead we are importing dictatorship from there. The Military Commissions Act is a victory for dictatorship in the world and Arabs can take the credit for it. It is easy to wage war against a people whom you disagree with. It is very easy to drop bombs that destroy life but try building the life of one human being. That is the real jihad.
The Bush administration also shares in the credit for advancing the cause of dictatorship and tyranny. Its love for secrecy and intolerance was finally realized by this new law. In the name of national security it has a blank check to torture all it wants and to detain as many people as its heart’s content.
If the Patriot Act assaulted civil rights the Military Commissions Act strangled the spirit of the US constitution. If terrorists hated our freedom, as Bush always claims, and they attacked this freedom on 9/11, then this new law accomplishes what the terrorists had always targeted. Our congress is handing victory to the terrorists on a silver platter.
Americans have lost so many lives and Arabs have lost more lives and they are all dying for freedom. Arabs want to be free from colonial powers, occupations and propped up puppet regimes. Americans want to be free to pursue a dignified livelihood without insecurity or fear. It is easy to let freedom thrive in this world because it is the air that every human being breathes. It just requires people who do not need to kill other people whom they disagree with.
Some day in the near future when we’d all become slaves of our own fears we will have a great shrine in Washington for Freedom. It will say: US Freedom, Born 1789 Died 2006.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
After the 1967 war in the Middle East the dark ghost of defeatism descended upon the heart of Arabs. Their governments declared a state of emergency. They suspended the constitutional rights of individuals and spent their money stockpiling weapons. The threat of Israel was the overriding concern in every country and people gave up their human rights and freedom because of national security. They never recovered from that loss. The Egyptian government today, like many other Arab governments, is still operating under a state of emergency. People gave up their freedom to the government thereby creating all these entrenched dictatorships. Guess what happened to all the weapons they bought and the great armies they built. They used them against their own people. Anyone who opposed the government became a traitor and a collaborator.
The same dark ghost is descending upon the heart of America. The Patriot Act pales in comparison with the Military Commissions Act of 2006. The new law which was passed by both houses of Congress on September 29th gives the Bush administration absolute power over the lives of its enemies. The law was opposed by most Democrats except for a few like Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan who is running for re-election this year and does not want to appear soft on national security.
The law authorizes the government to hold suspected enemies in detention indefinitely. It also allows the government to torture the detainee and then try him in a military court. The government continues to spy on its own people under the sanitized term of “warrantless wiretaps” program.
The suspected terrorist which is the intended target of this law is most likely a non-US citizen but the law will apply equally to a US citizen. Most of us are not concerned for the welfare of a person who is trying to kill us. This is the argument that made such a law sail so fast through the congress. The problem is that we are dealing with a huge bureaucracy called the government which is known for committing mistakes all the time.
A five-year old boy was featured on national news this week as a suspected terrorist. His name has been on the No-fly list for 4 years. Every time his parents went to the airport they ended up missing their flight because of hours of interrogation. The government promised to correct the mistake years ago.
Let’s say you are a poor soul whose name is similar to a wanted person some where. They will tap your phone and if you speak a foreign language and make phone calls overseas then you will become a suspect. Somebody may decide to pick you up for interrogation. On a dark night they will break through your front door and arrest you while you sleep in your comfortable home with your wife and children. Your family is not allowed to visit you or to ask about you. You are not allowed to ask why you’d been arrested and you can not inquire as to the nature of the charges against you.
While you rot in a secret detention center the interrogators will wake you up at night and play loud music for 24 hours. They will deprive you from sleep and drown you in a bucket of water. If that is not enough to extract a confession they can put you in a freezer and throw water at you till you shiver and turn blue.
Eventually, you will confess and sign a statement to whatever they say. Then, you will be taken to a court where your tormentors can present your confession to a military tribunal and you will not be able to see or rebut the evidence against you. It is called secret evidence and the government will not allow you to see it because it compromises national security. Then, you will be sentenced to life in prison or execution based on the evidence that you will never see. This can happen to any American as a matter of law.
Does this scenario sound familiar? It is the typical operation of any despotic regime including most of the regimes in the Arab world. This is what Americans have surrendered to their government. So, in my opinion the terrorists are winning. We started out this war to spread freedom and to eradicate violence and tyranny. We have escalated the level of senseless violence in this world by invading Iraq and now we are importing tyranny from the Middle East.
America is supposed to be exporting its democratic values to the Middle East but instead we are importing dictatorship from there. The Military Commissions Act is a victory for dictatorship in the world and Arabs can take the credit for it. It is easy to wage war against a people whom you disagree with. It is very easy to drop bombs that destroy life but try building the life of one human being. That is the real jihad.
The Bush administration also shares in the credit for advancing the cause of dictatorship and tyranny. Its love for secrecy and intolerance was finally realized by this new law. In the name of national security it has a blank check to torture all it wants and to detain as many people as its heart’s content.
If the Patriot Act assaulted civil rights the Military Commissions Act strangled the spirit of the US constitution. If terrorists hated our freedom, as Bush always claims, and they attacked this freedom on 9/11, then this new law accomplishes what the terrorists had always targeted. Our congress is handing victory to the terrorists on a silver platter.
Americans have lost so many lives and Arabs have lost more lives and they are all dying for freedom. Arabs want to be free from colonial powers, occupations and propped up puppet regimes. Americans want to be free to pursue a dignified livelihood without insecurity or fear. It is easy to let freedom thrive in this world because it is the air that every human being breathes. It just requires people who do not need to kill other people whom they disagree with.
Some day in the near future when we’d all become slaves of our own fears we will have a great shrine in Washington for Freedom. It will say: US Freedom, Born 1789 Died 2006.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
Friday, October 13, 2006
PR: Leading Muslim scholars accept Pope's apology
Leading Muslim scholars accept apology
challenge Pope’s ‘mistakes’
In an unprecedented move, an Open Letter signed by 38 leading Muslim religious scholars and leaders around the world will be sent to Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 15, 2006.
The letter, which is the first of its kind in several centuries, is signed by such prominent figures as the Grand Muftis of Egypt, Russia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Istanbul, Uzbekistan and Oman, as well as leading figures from the Shia community such as Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri of Iran. The letter was also signed by HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, the Personal Envoy and Special Advisor to King Abdullah II of Jordan. Western scholars have signed the document, including California scholar, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson, Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr of George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Professor Tim Winter of the University of Cambridge.
The letter is being sent, in the spirit of goodwill, to address some of the controversial remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI during his lecture at the University of Regensburg in Germany on Sept. 12, 2006. The letter tackles the main issues raised by the Pope in his discussion of a debate between the medieval Emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an “educated Persian” such as compulsion in religion, reason and faith, forced conversion, the understanding of “Jihad” or “Holy War,” and the relationship between Christianity and Islam.
The Muslim signatories accept the Pope’s personal expression of sorrow and assurance that the controversial quote did not reflect his personal opinion. At the same time, the letter represents an attempt to engage with the Papacy on theological grounds in order to tackle wide ranging misconceptions about Islam in the Western world. Christianity and Islam make up more than half of humankind in a rapidly interconnected world, the letter states, and it is imperative that both sides share a responsibility for peace to move the debate away from the anger of the streets toward a frank and sincere dialogue of hearts and minds that furthers mutual understanding and respect between the two religious traditions.
The official and full English version of the text along with the complete list of signatories will be available on the Islamica Magazine website (www.IslamicaMagazine.com) on Oct. 15, 2006. The official Arabic version will be available from leading Arab presses in the Muslim world.
Islamica Magazine (www.IslamicaMagazine.com)contacts
Jordan: Sohail Nakhooda +962 777 608 449
United Kingdom: Mohammed Samiullah Khan +44 (0) 20 7993 2966
United States: Firas Ahmad +1 213 291 7191
Islamica Magazine office: +1 213 291 7191
Thursday, October 12, 2006
PR: Diplomatic Reception in Michigan for Lebanese leaders Oct. 16
MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release / Contact: John Akouri
T – 248.320.7300 / E – johnakouri@yahoo.com
The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce (LACC) will be holding a Diplomatic Reception entitled Foreign Affair ’06, an International Event Honoring Detroit’s Diplomats & the 2006 Consular Corps on Monday, October 16, 2006 at 6:00 pm in the evening. The event will take place at:
LACC National Headquarters
The Ural Design Building
25820 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Click for Map
Confirmed to attend as of this date include Diplomats from: Germany, Italy, Mexico, Lebanon, Barbados, Grenada, Liberia, Macedonia, Norway, Turkey, Lithuania, and the State Department’s International Visitors Council Global Diplomats. Sponsored by the LACC, the event is presented by Barrister Gardens Banquet Centers of St. Clair Shores. For more information, please contact John Akouri, Chairman & CEO of the Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce.
___________________________________
The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce is a national business organization with offices in Detroit, New York, Houston, Seattle, Chicago & Washington, DC. The Chamber serves to actively develop, promote and advance Lebanese American business and to enhance the economic, social, educational, trade and cultural interests by providing leadership, legislative advocacy, and the exchange of business and information. It also seeks to promote economic growth and development, expand business opportunities and heighten awareness between the Lebanese and American communities throughout the United States and Lebanon operating as an American, Michigan-based not-for-profit corporation linking business professionals locally, nationally, and globally.
- END -
For Immediate Release / Contact: John Akouri
T – 248.320.7300 / E – johnakouri@yahoo.com
The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce (LACC) will be holding a Diplomatic Reception entitled Foreign Affair ’06, an International Event Honoring Detroit’s Diplomats & the 2006 Consular Corps on Monday, October 16, 2006 at 6:00 pm in the evening. The event will take place at:
LACC National Headquarters
The Ural Design Building
25820 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
Click for Map
Confirmed to attend as of this date include Diplomats from: Germany, Italy, Mexico, Lebanon, Barbados, Grenada, Liberia, Macedonia, Norway, Turkey, Lithuania, and the State Department’s International Visitors Council Global Diplomats. Sponsored by the LACC, the event is presented by Barrister Gardens Banquet Centers of St. Clair Shores. For more information, please contact John Akouri, Chairman & CEO of the Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce.
___________________________________
The Lebanese American Chamber of Commerce is a national business organization with offices in Detroit, New York, Houston, Seattle, Chicago & Washington, DC. The Chamber serves to actively develop, promote and advance Lebanese American business and to enhance the economic, social, educational, trade and cultural interests by providing leadership, legislative advocacy, and the exchange of business and information. It also seeks to promote economic growth and development, expand business opportunities and heighten awareness between the Lebanese and American communities throughout the United States and Lebanon operating as an American, Michigan-based not-for-profit corporation linking business professionals locally, nationally, and globally.
- END -
Saturday, October 07, 2006
PR: ADC Names new national executive director
ADC Press Release
Oakar Announces New ADC National Executive Director
Washington, DC October, 3, 2006 Today, Hon. Mary Rose Oakar, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), announced the appointment of Kareem Shora as National Executive Director of ADC. Shora, who joined ADC in 2000 as legal advisor has served most recently as Legal and Policy Director for ADC.
In his new capacity as National Executive Director, Shora will work directly with, and report to ADC President Mary Rose Oakar.ADC President Oakar said, "We are looking forward to working with Kareem in his role as National Executive Director. For the past six years he has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to ADC and to protecting the civil and human rights of all Americans. His ability to represent our community using a balanced, professional, yet passionate voice of reason has been recognized globally, nationally, and by other leading organizations and agencies." She added, "In creating this new position and making this appointment, we will continue to build upon ADC successes of the past 26 years. Today, ADC is needed more than ever, and with this new structure we continue to move forward."
Working with President Oakar and ADC's talented and award-winning staff, Shora will manage ADC's daily operations. Shora will also continue strengthening alliances with partner organizations, work toward fostering the development of a national strategic policy agenda to organize and mobilize ADC's chapters into a stronger grassroots base, and leading efforts to advance that agenda.
###
NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non- sectarian and non-partisan, is the largest Arab American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to combat racial stereotyping and to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
Oakar Announces New ADC National Executive Director
Washington, DC October, 3, 2006 Today, Hon. Mary Rose Oakar, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), announced the appointment of Kareem Shora as National Executive Director of ADC. Shora, who joined ADC in 2000 as legal advisor has served most recently as Legal and Policy Director for ADC.
In his new capacity as National Executive Director, Shora will work directly with, and report to ADC President Mary Rose Oakar.ADC President Oakar said, "We are looking forward to working with Kareem in his role as National Executive Director. For the past six years he has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to ADC and to protecting the civil and human rights of all Americans. His ability to represent our community using a balanced, professional, yet passionate voice of reason has been recognized globally, nationally, and by other leading organizations and agencies." She added, "In creating this new position and making this appointment, we will continue to build upon ADC successes of the past 26 years. Today, ADC is needed more than ever, and with this new structure we continue to move forward."
Working with President Oakar and ADC's talented and award-winning staff, Shora will manage ADC's daily operations. Shora will also continue strengthening alliances with partner organizations, work toward fostering the development of a national strategic policy agenda to organize and mobilize ADC's chapters into a stronger grassroots base, and leading efforts to advance that agenda.
###
NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non- sectarian and non-partisan, is the largest Arab American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to combat racial stereotyping and to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
PR: ADC Names new national executive director
ADC Press Release
Oakar Announces New ADC National Executive Director
Washington, DC October, 3, 2006 Today, Hon. Mary Rose Oakar, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), announced the appointment of Kareem Shora as National Executive Director of ADC. Shora, who joined ADC in 2000 as legal advisor has served most recently as Legal and Policy Director for ADC.
In his new capacity as National Executive Director, Shora will work directly with, and report to ADC President Mary Rose Oakar.ADC President Oakar said, "We are looking forward to working with Kareem in his role as National Executive Director. For the past six years he has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to ADC and to protecting the civil and human rights of all Americans. His ability to represent our community using a balanced, professional, yet passionate voice of reason has been recognized globally, nationally, and by other leading organizations and agencies." She added, "In creating this new position and making this appointment, we will continue to build upon ADC successes of the past 26 years. Today, ADC is needed more than ever, and with this new structure we continue to move forward."
Working with President Oakar and ADC's talented and award-winning staff, Shora will manage ADC's daily operations. Shora will also continue strengthening alliances with partner organizations, work toward fostering the development of a national strategic policy agenda to organize and mobilize ADC's chapters into a stronger grassroots base, and leading efforts to advance that agenda.
###
NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non- sectarian and non-partisan, is the largest Arab American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to combat racial stereotyping and to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
Oakar Announces New ADC National Executive Director
Washington, DC October, 3, 2006 Today, Hon. Mary Rose Oakar, President of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), announced the appointment of Kareem Shora as National Executive Director of ADC. Shora, who joined ADC in 2000 as legal advisor has served most recently as Legal and Policy Director for ADC.
In his new capacity as National Executive Director, Shora will work directly with, and report to ADC President Mary Rose Oakar.ADC President Oakar said, "We are looking forward to working with Kareem in his role as National Executive Director. For the past six years he has demonstrated his unwavering commitment to ADC and to protecting the civil and human rights of all Americans. His ability to represent our community using a balanced, professional, yet passionate voice of reason has been recognized globally, nationally, and by other leading organizations and agencies." She added, "In creating this new position and making this appointment, we will continue to build upon ADC successes of the past 26 years. Today, ADC is needed more than ever, and with this new structure we continue to move forward."
Working with President Oakar and ADC's talented and award-winning staff, Shora will manage ADC's daily operations. Shora will also continue strengthening alliances with partner organizations, work toward fostering the development of a national strategic policy agenda to organize and mobilize ADC's chapters into a stronger grassroots base, and leading efforts to advance that agenda.
###
NOTE TO EDITORS: The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non- sectarian and non-partisan, is the largest Arab American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980, by former Senator James Abourezk to combat racial stereotyping and to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
Friday, October 06, 2006
CPJ: In Iraq, driver for state-owned TV gunned down
In Iraq, driver for state-owned TV gunned down
New York, October 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of Jassem Hamad Ibrahim, a driver for the Iraqi state television channel Al-Iraqiya who was shot by unidentified gunmen in Mosul on Wednesday. The assailants ambushed Ibrahim at about 2 p.m. as he was running errands for the station, according to a source at Nineveh TV, the local affiliate of Al-Iraqiya. His body was found riddled with bullets, according to the source and news reports.
Earlier that day, the source said, Ibrahim had driven several camera operators around Mosul to film footage. The slaying occurred about 30 minutes after Ibrahim dropped off the camera operators at the station. They later reported that they believed they had been followed during the assignment, the source said.
“We deplore the senseless murder of Jassem Hamad Ibrahim,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “The killing of journalists and media workers is making it impossible for the Iraqi people to tell their story.”
Insurgents have frequently targeted Al-Iraqiya and other state-run media because of their ties to the U.S.-supported Iraqi government. Insurgents have killed at least 19 state media employees since 2004.
On September 9, Abdel Karim al-Rubai, 40, a design editor for Iraq’s state-run daily Al-Sabah, was shot while traveling to work in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood known as Camp Sara by several gunmen. In late August, a deadly car bomb attack on the daily, killed two people, injured 20 others, and caused severe damage to the newspaper building in Baghdad’s northern Waziriya district.
In all, 80 journalists and 29 media support workers, including Jassem Hamad Ibrahim, have been killed in Iraq since the war began on March 20, 2003, making it the deadliest conflict in CPJ’s 25-year history.
See a statistical breakdown of journalists killed: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/Iraq_danger.html
See a breakdown on media support workers killed: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/iraq_media_killed.html
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Committee to Protect Journalists330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.orghttp://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
New York, October 6, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of Jassem Hamad Ibrahim, a driver for the Iraqi state television channel Al-Iraqiya who was shot by unidentified gunmen in Mosul on Wednesday. The assailants ambushed Ibrahim at about 2 p.m. as he was running errands for the station, according to a source at Nineveh TV, the local affiliate of Al-Iraqiya. His body was found riddled with bullets, according to the source and news reports.
Earlier that day, the source said, Ibrahim had driven several camera operators around Mosul to film footage. The slaying occurred about 30 minutes after Ibrahim dropped off the camera operators at the station. They later reported that they believed they had been followed during the assignment, the source said.
“We deplore the senseless murder of Jassem Hamad Ibrahim,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “The killing of journalists and media workers is making it impossible for the Iraqi people to tell their story.”
Insurgents have frequently targeted Al-Iraqiya and other state-run media because of their ties to the U.S.-supported Iraqi government. Insurgents have killed at least 19 state media employees since 2004.
On September 9, Abdel Karim al-Rubai, 40, a design editor for Iraq’s state-run daily Al-Sabah, was shot while traveling to work in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood known as Camp Sara by several gunmen. In late August, a deadly car bomb attack on the daily, killed two people, injured 20 others, and caused severe damage to the newspaper building in Baghdad’s northern Waziriya district.
In all, 80 journalists and 29 media support workers, including Jassem Hamad Ibrahim, have been killed in Iraq since the war began on March 20, 2003, making it the deadliest conflict in CPJ’s 25-year history.
See a statistical breakdown of journalists killed: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/Iraq_danger.html
See a breakdown on media support workers killed: http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/Iraq/iraq_media_killed.html
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
Committee to Protect Journalists330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.orghttp://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
OP-ED: Paralysis in the Middle East by Neal AbuNab
Paralysis in the Middle East
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Muhammad Odeh, a local Palestinian Hamas leader in Ramallah was assassinated by masked gunmen the same day US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, was there visiting with President Mahmoud Abbas. It was probably a small token of affection offered to please the visiting dignitary; a sacrifice at the altar of peace. Clashes between Hamas and Fatah left a dozen people dead and over a 100 wounded in the past week. It is a clear indication of how deeply divided Palestinians have grown over the past few months.
Fatah’s patience had run out. Abbas declared that he had reached a dead end in negotiations with Hamas over a national unity government. He threatened to use his constitutional powers to dissolve the parliament and the current government. But the current constitution does not give him such powers. No problem. This is the Middle East and if he can get the US to consent to it he’ll do it any way. I think the Bush administration has had enough of negotiations in the Middle East to form “unity” governments whether it is in Iraq, Lebanon or Palestine. The same story is happening in all of these newborn democracies; they’re all engaged in violent ways to resolve their power struggles and political differences.
This is a clear manifestation of Bush’s policy in the Middle East. His famous words last month declared clearly that “for decades we pursued policies of stability in the Middle East and like a mirage they did not lead to peace.”
Dictatorships like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan are more stable and peaceful in nature. But if Bush is determined to go on with his democracy project then instability is bound to reach these countries also.
The idea that democracies in the Middle East are peaceful in nature is a fallacy; Lebanon and Israel are two democracies that dueled to death over the summer. If people knew the nature of Arabs they will realize that each one wants to be a leader of his own people. A capitalist democracy modeled after the US will only inflame power struggles and sectarian passions in the Middle East. A genuine social democracy that offers free healthcare and education to its people, like most European nations do, has a chance of flourishing in the Middle East.
The Bush administration has dug itself a black hole in that part of the world. If “denial” describes its mindset, as journalist Bob Woodward wrote in his latest book, then Paralysis has become the state of politics in that region. Such paralysis is most evident in Palestinian politics. Hamas won the elections, formed a government and then sat under siege for the past 7 months. The Palestinian economy has been virtually wiped out and one has to admire Hamas’s endurance but feel so much pity for the victimized general population of the occupied territories.
Hamas agreed to a unity government with Fatah, based on the “prisoners’ document”, which calls for recognizing Israel and a Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders. Abbas met with Bush a couple of weeks ago in New York and it seems like Bush vetoed the agreement. Everything fell apart when Abbas got home and like he said negotiations were back to “square one.” The US wants Hamas to renounce violence and recognize the legitimacy of all previous accords between the PLO and Israel.
Such accords were nullified by successive Israeli governments starting with Netanyahu in 1996 and ending with Sharon and Olmert. How could the US ask Hamas to recognize accords renounced and nullified by Israel? It is a trap that leaves Hamas no choice but to go into conflict with Fatah and Abbas.
Most Palestinians will trust Hamas to negotiate with Israel as Fatah had proven its willingness to give the store away for the personal benefit of its rich leaders. That’s why the US and Israel prefer to negotiate with Fatah, and will continue their financial stranglehold over the Hamas government till it collapses under the weight of the starving man in the street. Hamas and Fatah are locked into a waltz of death and there is no way out.
But such gridlock, confined to Washington in the past, has traveled to the Middle East and has become the hallmark of politics there. Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and his Kadima Party have a 22% approval rating and the government has lost its disengagement mandate. Olmert is in no position to even appear as if he is giving anything to the Palestinians. Cracks in his coalition may widen and then his government would suddenly collapse.
The Taliban is staging a comeback in Afghanistan and wherever you look in the Muslim world there are grievances and injustices. Most are committed by Muslims against Muslims such as deprivation of basic human rights and wholesale robberies of the wealth of nations. Nothing is moving forward.
The problem is that the average American voter has very little knowledge or interest in the region. Polls have shown that almost 75% of Americans don’t know where Israel is and so most of them can not connect the direct relationship between the misery of Palestinians and the threat to their national security. They will argue forever that Arabs and Israelis want to fight with each other all the time, as if America had nothing to do with it.
In the large political landscape of America, the Palestinian “problem” is like a pimple on the ass of an elephant. Everyone in the world tries to tell the elephant (Bush and the Republicans) that this pimple has to be squeezed before it turns into a tumor, which can kill the elephant. However, the Bush administration is only concerned in chasing the flies off that pimple. Bin Laden used the Palestinian pimple as one of the reasons for attacking America and Al-Qaida continues using it to attract more recruits.
The US is the only power that can squeeze this pimple and break the stalemate. It can do that through direct negotiations with Iran and Syria. But Bush is pursuing a path of “victory” and he still hangs on to the idea that decisive win-lose military solutions are possible, even after the failed experience with Hizbullah.
Secretary Rice’s visit to the Middle East was in response to domestic political pressures ahead of the elections to combat charges of incompetence from the Democrats. It has little to do with pursuing peace in the Middle East. The world is in dire need of courageous leaders in Washington to break this vicious paralysis.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Muhammad Odeh, a local Palestinian Hamas leader in Ramallah was assassinated by masked gunmen the same day US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, was there visiting with President Mahmoud Abbas. It was probably a small token of affection offered to please the visiting dignitary; a sacrifice at the altar of peace. Clashes between Hamas and Fatah left a dozen people dead and over a 100 wounded in the past week. It is a clear indication of how deeply divided Palestinians have grown over the past few months.
Fatah’s patience had run out. Abbas declared that he had reached a dead end in negotiations with Hamas over a national unity government. He threatened to use his constitutional powers to dissolve the parliament and the current government. But the current constitution does not give him such powers. No problem. This is the Middle East and if he can get the US to consent to it he’ll do it any way. I think the Bush administration has had enough of negotiations in the Middle East to form “unity” governments whether it is in Iraq, Lebanon or Palestine. The same story is happening in all of these newborn democracies; they’re all engaged in violent ways to resolve their power struggles and political differences.
This is a clear manifestation of Bush’s policy in the Middle East. His famous words last month declared clearly that “for decades we pursued policies of stability in the Middle East and like a mirage they did not lead to peace.”
Dictatorships like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan are more stable and peaceful in nature. But if Bush is determined to go on with his democracy project then instability is bound to reach these countries also.
The idea that democracies in the Middle East are peaceful in nature is a fallacy; Lebanon and Israel are two democracies that dueled to death over the summer. If people knew the nature of Arabs they will realize that each one wants to be a leader of his own people. A capitalist democracy modeled after the US will only inflame power struggles and sectarian passions in the Middle East. A genuine social democracy that offers free healthcare and education to its people, like most European nations do, has a chance of flourishing in the Middle East.
The Bush administration has dug itself a black hole in that part of the world. If “denial” describes its mindset, as journalist Bob Woodward wrote in his latest book, then Paralysis has become the state of politics in that region. Such paralysis is most evident in Palestinian politics. Hamas won the elections, formed a government and then sat under siege for the past 7 months. The Palestinian economy has been virtually wiped out and one has to admire Hamas’s endurance but feel so much pity for the victimized general population of the occupied territories.
Hamas agreed to a unity government with Fatah, based on the “prisoners’ document”, which calls for recognizing Israel and a Palestinian state according to the 1967 borders. Abbas met with Bush a couple of weeks ago in New York and it seems like Bush vetoed the agreement. Everything fell apart when Abbas got home and like he said negotiations were back to “square one.” The US wants Hamas to renounce violence and recognize the legitimacy of all previous accords between the PLO and Israel.
Such accords were nullified by successive Israeli governments starting with Netanyahu in 1996 and ending with Sharon and Olmert. How could the US ask Hamas to recognize accords renounced and nullified by Israel? It is a trap that leaves Hamas no choice but to go into conflict with Fatah and Abbas.
Most Palestinians will trust Hamas to negotiate with Israel as Fatah had proven its willingness to give the store away for the personal benefit of its rich leaders. That’s why the US and Israel prefer to negotiate with Fatah, and will continue their financial stranglehold over the Hamas government till it collapses under the weight of the starving man in the street. Hamas and Fatah are locked into a waltz of death and there is no way out.
But such gridlock, confined to Washington in the past, has traveled to the Middle East and has become the hallmark of politics there. Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and his Kadima Party have a 22% approval rating and the government has lost its disengagement mandate. Olmert is in no position to even appear as if he is giving anything to the Palestinians. Cracks in his coalition may widen and then his government would suddenly collapse.
The Taliban is staging a comeback in Afghanistan and wherever you look in the Muslim world there are grievances and injustices. Most are committed by Muslims against Muslims such as deprivation of basic human rights and wholesale robberies of the wealth of nations. Nothing is moving forward.
The problem is that the average American voter has very little knowledge or interest in the region. Polls have shown that almost 75% of Americans don’t know where Israel is and so most of them can not connect the direct relationship between the misery of Palestinians and the threat to their national security. They will argue forever that Arabs and Israelis want to fight with each other all the time, as if America had nothing to do with it.
In the large political landscape of America, the Palestinian “problem” is like a pimple on the ass of an elephant. Everyone in the world tries to tell the elephant (Bush and the Republicans) that this pimple has to be squeezed before it turns into a tumor, which can kill the elephant. However, the Bush administration is only concerned in chasing the flies off that pimple. Bin Laden used the Palestinian pimple as one of the reasons for attacking America and Al-Qaida continues using it to attract more recruits.
The US is the only power that can squeeze this pimple and break the stalemate. It can do that through direct negotiations with Iran and Syria. But Bush is pursuing a path of “victory” and he still hangs on to the idea that decisive win-lose military solutions are possible, even after the failed experience with Hizbullah.
Secretary Rice’s visit to the Middle East was in response to domestic political pressures ahead of the elections to combat charges of incompetence from the Democrats. It has little to do with pursuing peace in the Middle East. The world is in dire need of courageous leaders in Washington to break this vicious paralysis.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
Monday, October 02, 2006
Power of Compassion Conference Oct. 26-29
International Conference on"ENGAGING THE OTHER" The Power of Compassion
An international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conferenceexamining concepts of "The OTHER" from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about images of "Us and Them"October 26-29, 2006 Kalamazoo, Michigan USASponsored by Common Bond InstituteCo-sponsored by HARMONY Institute, the International Humanistic Psychology Association,the Fetzer Institute, and Western Michigan UniversitySupported by a growing international list of over 75 cooperating universities and organizations
www.cbiworld.org
for full details
~ Registration is Open To The Public ~
JOIN an extraordinary pool of leading experts from around the world to address the roots of negative stereotyping and prejudice, and how to move past artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust to cultivate our capacity for appreciation of diversity, reconciliation, and peace.
BE PART OF AN IMPORTANT, TIMELY DIALOGUE:-- Examining dimensions and dynamics of "The OTHER" on individual and group levels, and considering how enemy identity is formed, perpetuated, and manipulated, including fear-based belief systems, negative stereotypes, projection, prejudice, and scapegoating. Concepts are explored through psychological, sociological, cultural, anthropological, historical, philosophical, and spiritual perspectives. -- Identifying and compiling fundamental questions, dilemmas, and implications for further deep inquiry and examination in an expanding public dialogue.-- Tapping our shared wisdom and compassion as a community - from the local to the global - in developing practical applications.-- Formulating findings to make available to all for personal empowerment - through publications, media, training programs, Internet networks, dialogue groups, etc
DURING 3 1/2 DAYS EXPERIENCE:- 5 Keynote Speakers. - 5 Plenary Panels. - 26 Sessions of lectures, workshops, and panels. - 3 Daily Conference-wide Facilitated Dialogue Groups. - Evening Performances, Social-Cultural programs, and Community activities. - In-Process Expressive Arts Interpretation of the conference as it evolves. - E-conference links to universities and institutes in the US and various countries to expand an inclusive global dialogue. - E-dialogues and E-working groups, created during the conference as themes emerge, to continue the dialogue process beyond the conference and lead into future events. - Media Exhibits and Displays. - Rich Networking opportunities. - Crosscultural Intentional Community. - A web-based Archive of event content.
AN OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL POOL OF OVER 70 PRESENTERS
Huston Smith, Sam Keen, Marianne Williamson, Archbishop Elias Chacour, Maureen O'Hara, James O'Dea, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Imam Hassan Qazwini, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, Abdul Aziz Said, Eyad El Sarraj, Ruchama Marton, Sen. John Vasconcellos, Jamal Dajani, David Michaelis, Lee Mun Wah, Geshe Gendun Gyatso, Don Edward Beck, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Joseph Montville, Dan Bar On, Aftab Omer, Aisha Gray Henry, Jeffrey Mishlove, Stanley Krippner, Paul VonWard, Sharif Abdullah, Gorka Espiau, Ihsan Alkhatib, Satsuki Ina, Ahmad Hijazi, Ohad Bar Shalom, Steve Olweean, Alexander Badkhen, Mark Pevzner, Gay Barfield, Marvalene Hughes, Deborah Koff-Chapin, Mukti Khanna, Marilyn Youngbird, Josh White Jr., Steve Fabick, Bruce Gibb, Elza Maalouf, David Schoem, A T Miller, Robert Oppenheimer, James Macsay, Lewis Gover, Anna Rodina, Hana Hasan, Alvaro Cedeno, Diane Perlman, Wendy Woods, Charles Behling, LaRon Williams, Elizabeth Barton, Ilham Al-Sarraf, Anna Badkhen, Sandy Heierbacher, Brenda Rosenberg, Kate Runyon, Sharon Lowe, Jane Dutton, Margaret Warner, Silvia Dubovoy, Gemma Bulos, Shadia Kanaan, Laurie White. Mushtaq Luqmani, Paul Clements, David Juarez, Robert Small.
GLOBAL REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY:This conference is an international, multicultural event bringing together key presenters and participants from various cultures, including developing societies, regions of conflict, and communities seen by each as the "Other." It is intended to co-create a diverse, intentional learning community to explore conference themes and build a common ground of reference essential to engaging and integrating formal learning.
Registration is Also Open To The Public
LOGISTICS:
Dates: October 26-29, 2006 (Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon)Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA - Radisson Plaza Hotel
Program: Posted on-line, and also available by Email on request. Registration: On-line, or contact CBI directly CEU: Continuing Education Units available
FOR FULL INFORMATION on Fees, Program, Registration, Accommodations, or Exhibiting CONTACT:Common Bond InstituteSteve Olweean, Director, Conference Coordinator12170 S. Pine Ayr Drive, Climax, Michigan 49034 USA
Ph/Fax: 269-665-9393
E-mail: SOlweean@aol.com
Full Details at Website: www.cbiworld.org
A Color Flyer to post and share is available at:
http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages
/ETO_ColorPoster2Pg8-16.pdf
The complete Program for the International ETO Conference is posted at: http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages/
Conferences_ETO_ProgSessions06.htm
You can view the Presenter Biographicals and photos at:
http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages/
Conferences_ETO_PresenterBios.htm
An international, multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary conferenceexamining concepts of "The OTHER" from a universal, cross-cultural perspective to promote wider public dialogue about images of "Us and Them"October 26-29, 2006 Kalamazoo, Michigan USASponsored by Common Bond InstituteCo-sponsored by HARMONY Institute, the International Humanistic Psychology Association,the Fetzer Institute, and Western Michigan UniversitySupported by a growing international list of over 75 cooperating universities and organizations
www.cbiworld.org
for full details
~ Registration is Open To The Public ~
JOIN an extraordinary pool of leading experts from around the world to address the roots of negative stereotyping and prejudice, and how to move past artificial barriers of misunderstanding and distrust to cultivate our capacity for appreciation of diversity, reconciliation, and peace.
BE PART OF AN IMPORTANT, TIMELY DIALOGUE:-- Examining dimensions and dynamics of "The OTHER" on individual and group levels, and considering how enemy identity is formed, perpetuated, and manipulated, including fear-based belief systems, negative stereotypes, projection, prejudice, and scapegoating. Concepts are explored through psychological, sociological, cultural, anthropological, historical, philosophical, and spiritual perspectives. -- Identifying and compiling fundamental questions, dilemmas, and implications for further deep inquiry and examination in an expanding public dialogue.-- Tapping our shared wisdom and compassion as a community - from the local to the global - in developing practical applications.-- Formulating findings to make available to all for personal empowerment - through publications, media, training programs, Internet networks, dialogue groups, etc
DURING 3 1/2 DAYS EXPERIENCE:- 5 Keynote Speakers. - 5 Plenary Panels. - 26 Sessions of lectures, workshops, and panels. - 3 Daily Conference-wide Facilitated Dialogue Groups. - Evening Performances, Social-Cultural programs, and Community activities. - In-Process Expressive Arts Interpretation of the conference as it evolves. - E-conference links to universities and institutes in the US and various countries to expand an inclusive global dialogue. - E-dialogues and E-working groups, created during the conference as themes emerge, to continue the dialogue process beyond the conference and lead into future events. - Media Exhibits and Displays. - Rich Networking opportunities. - Crosscultural Intentional Community. - A web-based Archive of event content.
AN OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL POOL OF OVER 70 PRESENTERS
Huston Smith, Sam Keen, Marianne Williamson, Archbishop Elias Chacour, Maureen O'Hara, James O'Dea, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Imam Hassan Qazwini, Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, Abdul Aziz Said, Eyad El Sarraj, Ruchama Marton, Sen. John Vasconcellos, Jamal Dajani, David Michaelis, Lee Mun Wah, Geshe Gendun Gyatso, Don Edward Beck, Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Joseph Montville, Dan Bar On, Aftab Omer, Aisha Gray Henry, Jeffrey Mishlove, Stanley Krippner, Paul VonWard, Sharif Abdullah, Gorka Espiau, Ihsan Alkhatib, Satsuki Ina, Ahmad Hijazi, Ohad Bar Shalom, Steve Olweean, Alexander Badkhen, Mark Pevzner, Gay Barfield, Marvalene Hughes, Deborah Koff-Chapin, Mukti Khanna, Marilyn Youngbird, Josh White Jr., Steve Fabick, Bruce Gibb, Elza Maalouf, David Schoem, A T Miller, Robert Oppenheimer, James Macsay, Lewis Gover, Anna Rodina, Hana Hasan, Alvaro Cedeno, Diane Perlman, Wendy Woods, Charles Behling, LaRon Williams, Elizabeth Barton, Ilham Al-Sarraf, Anna Badkhen, Sandy Heierbacher, Brenda Rosenberg, Kate Runyon, Sharon Lowe, Jane Dutton, Margaret Warner, Silvia Dubovoy, Gemma Bulos, Shadia Kanaan, Laurie White. Mushtaq Luqmani, Paul Clements, David Juarez, Robert Small.
GLOBAL REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY:This conference is an international, multicultural event bringing together key presenters and participants from various cultures, including developing societies, regions of conflict, and communities seen by each as the "Other." It is intended to co-create a diverse, intentional learning community to explore conference themes and build a common ground of reference essential to engaging and integrating formal learning.
Registration is Also Open To The Public
LOGISTICS:
Dates: October 26-29, 2006 (Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon)Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA - Radisson Plaza Hotel
Program: Posted on-line, and also available by Email on request. Registration: On-line, or contact CBI directly CEU: Continuing Education Units available
FOR FULL INFORMATION on Fees, Program, Registration, Accommodations, or Exhibiting CONTACT:Common Bond InstituteSteve Olweean, Director, Conference Coordinator12170 S. Pine Ayr Drive, Climax, Michigan 49034 USA
Ph/Fax: 269-665-9393
E-mail: SOlweean@aol.com
Full Details at Website: www.cbiworld.org
A Color Flyer to post and share is available at:
http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages
/ETO_ColorPoster2Pg8-16.pdf
The complete Program for the International ETO Conference is posted at: http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages/
Conferences_ETO_ProgSessions06.htm
You can view the Presenter Biographicals and photos at:
http://www.cbiworld.org/Pages/
Conferences_ETO_PresenterBios.htm
Thursday, September 28, 2006
CPJ PR: Gun men kill Iraqi journalist
Committee to Protect Journalists
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
IRAQ: Design editor of state-run paper murdered
New York, September 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of an editor of Iraq’s state-run daily Al-Sabah. Abdel Karim al-Rubai, 40, a design editor for the newspaper, was shot Saturday morning while traveling to work in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood known as Camp Sara by several gunmen. The driver of the car was seriously wounded, media sources told CPJ.
“We deplore the brutal killing of Abdel Karim al-Rubai,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Al-Sabah and its staff have become repeated targets for insurgents. We urge the authorities to bring those responsible for this murder to justice.”
Al-Sabah reported two weeks ago that it had received a death threat via e-mail against al-Rubai and his family signed by the military wing of the Mujahedeen Council, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Iraq. According to the e-mail, the group was angered by the editor’s accusation that they were behind a car bomb attack on Al-Sabah on August 27, which killed a guard and an unidentified man.
Insurgents have frequently targeted Al-Sabah and other state-run media because of their ties to the U.S.-supported Iraqi government. Insurgents have killed at least 18 state media employees since 2004.
In all, 78 journalists including al-Rubai, and 28 media support workers have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, making it the deadliest conflict in CPJ’s 25-year history. The majority of victims have been Iraqis.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 4651004 Fax: (212) 4659568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org
http://www.cpj.org Contact: Abi Wright e-mail: info@cpj.org Telephone: (212) 465-1004 x-105
IRAQ: Design editor of state-run paper murdered
New York, September 11, 2006—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the murder of an editor of Iraq’s state-run daily Al-Sabah. Abdel Karim al-Rubai, 40, a design editor for the newspaper, was shot Saturday morning while traveling to work in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood known as Camp Sara by several gunmen. The driver of the car was seriously wounded, media sources told CPJ.
“We deplore the brutal killing of Abdel Karim al-Rubai,” CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon said. “Al-Sabah and its staff have become repeated targets for insurgents. We urge the authorities to bring those responsible for this murder to justice.”
Al-Sabah reported two weeks ago that it had received a death threat via e-mail against al-Rubai and his family signed by the military wing of the Mujahedeen Council, an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Iraq. According to the e-mail, the group was angered by the editor’s accusation that they were behind a car bomb attack on Al-Sabah on August 27, which killed a guard and an unidentified man.
Insurgents have frequently targeted Al-Sabah and other state-run media because of their ties to the U.S.-supported Iraqi government. Insurgents have killed at least 18 state media employees since 2004.
In all, 78 journalists including al-Rubai, and 28 media support workers have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, making it the deadliest conflict in CPJ’s 25-year history. The majority of victims have been Iraqis.
CPJ is a New York–based, independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide. For more information, visit www.cpj.org.
OP-ED: Mel Gibson's Rat Race, ByNeal AbuNab
Mel Gibson’s rat race
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Some times it feels like we’re always in a race with time. We’re always in a hurry to get things done or racing to get some where fast or just trying to meet some body else’s deadline. Being in a hurry is part of our nature. Impatience to fulfill our most basic needs is imbued in our creation. A baby cries forcefully demanding its milk while a fully-grown corporate executive pounds his fist on the table demanding work to be done.
We’re always racing but we never seem to catch up. Superstar Mel Gibson is telling us to relax and enjoy the ride before it all ends in 2012. Whenever this man speaks some body makes him apologize. The other day he took his new movie, Apocalypto, to a film festival to promote it and made some remarks critical of the Iraq war and the decline of our civilization.
Mel Gibson’s work in movies like Braveheart and the Patriot demonstrate that he is a “for God and for country” type of man. God weighed heavily on his heart when he made “The Passion of the Christ” which infuriated the Jewish institution in America. Then he made his famous anti-Jewish remarks on July 28th when he was arrested for drinking and driving. He cursed at the officers and told them: “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in this world.” Obviously, he was disturbed by the Israel-Lebanon war.
The following day he ate his words and groveled in one apology after the other to the Jewish community. They let the storm die down but they never forgave him and he lost some film contracts in the end. Then, he pleaded no contest to the drinking and driving offense on August 18. The Judge ordered him to get treatment for alcoholism and to do some public service work. On August 20, the Los Angeles Times wrote an editorial calling for disqualifying Mel Gibson from doing public service announcements because he was not a good role model. The paper said: “Gibson should be declared celebrity non grata, left to wrestle with his own demons in private, as most other bigoted people get to do. Obscurity would be the most fitting punishment for the man.”
What do they want from the man besides the whole hearted apology that he made? Maybe he has to check himself into an “Anti-Semitism Rehabilitation Center” to cleanse himself of any critical thoughts of Jews. After completing such a program he will be singing their praise and preaching that they are God’s chosen people. Otherwise, he should re-consider his entire existence as a public figure. I am sure that Mel has millions and millions of dollars that he can afford to speak his mind freely. That’s why his apology is sincere and Jews must accept it and move on. The Pope made anti-Muslim remarks and then he apologized. No one called for his resignation or told him to cancel his existence as a public figure. We have to foster an atmosphere of dialogue that can accept the honest truths of all points of view.
In the latest remarks, Mel Gibson drew a parallel between the United States and the doomed Mayan civilization; the subject of his latest movie. He said: “the precursors to a civilization that’s going under are the same, time and time again.” To illustrate his point he asked: “what’s human sacrifice? If not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason.”
Everyone is critical of the Iraq war but why did such benign remarks draw any attention at all? It is because of the Jewish connection and the implication that Jews are bringing this civilization down. Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, made the linkage for us by stating that "if Jews are responsible for all the world's wars, then by that logic, they are responsible for the war in Iraq.” He wants the 50-year old Oscar winning director to “put matters like that to rest. Until he does, it just hangs over him.”
But the following day Mel offered an apology to the doomed Mayans and not to the Jews. He said: “"Yesterday, when I compared the United States to the doomed Mayan civilization, I had no idea that there were any doomed Mayans still around. I was basically going on the assumption that since they were doomed a long time ago, I was pretty much in the clear."
We learned that even doomed Mayans can protest and their voice does not come from the grave. The National Coalition of Doomed Mayans issued an angry statement saying: “we Mayans may be doomed, but we have feelings.” The group is urging all doomed Mayans to boycott Gibson’s latest film. That should teach him a valuable lesson!
Gibson is a devout Christian and his politics is mostly conservative. He may have offered such scathing criticism of the Iraq war to appease the mostly anti-war Hollywood crowd. It seems like he needs to hire a political consultant these days, somebody like Dick Morris who advised Clinton. His anti-war remarks now probably alienated his core group of conservative supporters. His anti-Jewish remarks alienated the Hollywood crowd and Democrats; and his anti-Mayan remarks alienated the dead people of all bygone civilizations. Will all this affect his popularity or potential sales at the box office? Probably not, and I predict that the opposite will happen.
More people will see his movies than ever before. His remarks represent strong undercurrents in the political discourse. The Rapture Theory and the prophecy of the End Times are current topics discussed by most evangelists and media talk shows. Gibson seems to believe in these ideas and predicting the end of this world is a fulfillment of his convictions. He said: "I don't mean to be a doomsday guy, but the Mayan calendar does end in 2012, boys and girls." He seems to be giving us a hint about the end of our world as the United States falls to its doom like the Mayans did.
The concept of the End Times has been in the subconscious of man since the beginning of time, when he invented the idea the he was created in an instant by a Supreme Being we call God. Any race that has a starting point must also reach a Finish Line. If God created Adam about 10,000 years ago and started this human race then at some point we are going to get tired of running in this marathon. There will be an end to this race.
We will inevitably reach our doom because of the deeds of our own hands. That doesn’t mean the end of human existence. It is simply the end of the rat race that we have created with our own hands, where we turned ourselves into mere robots in a huge industrial machine.
It may also be the end of our racist thinking when we begin to see all humans as equals regardless of their “race, color, religion, or ethnicity.” There is always a silver lining in every cloud and the end of our current way of life might also be the starting point of the God-given promise of a spiritual way of life. Mel Gibson might be right after all when he said “I don't mean to be a doomsday guy.”
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Some times it feels like we’re always in a race with time. We’re always in a hurry to get things done or racing to get some where fast or just trying to meet some body else’s deadline. Being in a hurry is part of our nature. Impatience to fulfill our most basic needs is imbued in our creation. A baby cries forcefully demanding its milk while a fully-grown corporate executive pounds his fist on the table demanding work to be done.
We’re always racing but we never seem to catch up. Superstar Mel Gibson is telling us to relax and enjoy the ride before it all ends in 2012. Whenever this man speaks some body makes him apologize. The other day he took his new movie, Apocalypto, to a film festival to promote it and made some remarks critical of the Iraq war and the decline of our civilization.
Mel Gibson’s work in movies like Braveheart and the Patriot demonstrate that he is a “for God and for country” type of man. God weighed heavily on his heart when he made “The Passion of the Christ” which infuriated the Jewish institution in America. Then he made his famous anti-Jewish remarks on July 28th when he was arrested for drinking and driving. He cursed at the officers and told them: “the Jews are responsible for all the wars in this world.” Obviously, he was disturbed by the Israel-Lebanon war.
The following day he ate his words and groveled in one apology after the other to the Jewish community. They let the storm die down but they never forgave him and he lost some film contracts in the end. Then, he pleaded no contest to the drinking and driving offense on August 18. The Judge ordered him to get treatment for alcoholism and to do some public service work. On August 20, the Los Angeles Times wrote an editorial calling for disqualifying Mel Gibson from doing public service announcements because he was not a good role model. The paper said: “Gibson should be declared celebrity non grata, left to wrestle with his own demons in private, as most other bigoted people get to do. Obscurity would be the most fitting punishment for the man.”
What do they want from the man besides the whole hearted apology that he made? Maybe he has to check himself into an “Anti-Semitism Rehabilitation Center” to cleanse himself of any critical thoughts of Jews. After completing such a program he will be singing their praise and preaching that they are God’s chosen people. Otherwise, he should re-consider his entire existence as a public figure. I am sure that Mel has millions and millions of dollars that he can afford to speak his mind freely. That’s why his apology is sincere and Jews must accept it and move on. The Pope made anti-Muslim remarks and then he apologized. No one called for his resignation or told him to cancel his existence as a public figure. We have to foster an atmosphere of dialogue that can accept the honest truths of all points of view.
In the latest remarks, Mel Gibson drew a parallel between the United States and the doomed Mayan civilization; the subject of his latest movie. He said: “the precursors to a civilization that’s going under are the same, time and time again.” To illustrate his point he asked: “what’s human sacrifice? If not sending guys off to Iraq for no reason.”
Everyone is critical of the Iraq war but why did such benign remarks draw any attention at all? It is because of the Jewish connection and the implication that Jews are bringing this civilization down. Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, made the linkage for us by stating that "if Jews are responsible for all the world's wars, then by that logic, they are responsible for the war in Iraq.” He wants the 50-year old Oscar winning director to “put matters like that to rest. Until he does, it just hangs over him.”
But the following day Mel offered an apology to the doomed Mayans and not to the Jews. He said: “"Yesterday, when I compared the United States to the doomed Mayan civilization, I had no idea that there were any doomed Mayans still around. I was basically going on the assumption that since they were doomed a long time ago, I was pretty much in the clear."
We learned that even doomed Mayans can protest and their voice does not come from the grave. The National Coalition of Doomed Mayans issued an angry statement saying: “we Mayans may be doomed, but we have feelings.” The group is urging all doomed Mayans to boycott Gibson’s latest film. That should teach him a valuable lesson!
Gibson is a devout Christian and his politics is mostly conservative. He may have offered such scathing criticism of the Iraq war to appease the mostly anti-war Hollywood crowd. It seems like he needs to hire a political consultant these days, somebody like Dick Morris who advised Clinton. His anti-war remarks now probably alienated his core group of conservative supporters. His anti-Jewish remarks alienated the Hollywood crowd and Democrats; and his anti-Mayan remarks alienated the dead people of all bygone civilizations. Will all this affect his popularity or potential sales at the box office? Probably not, and I predict that the opposite will happen.
More people will see his movies than ever before. His remarks represent strong undercurrents in the political discourse. The Rapture Theory and the prophecy of the End Times are current topics discussed by most evangelists and media talk shows. Gibson seems to believe in these ideas and predicting the end of this world is a fulfillment of his convictions. He said: "I don't mean to be a doomsday guy, but the Mayan calendar does end in 2012, boys and girls." He seems to be giving us a hint about the end of our world as the United States falls to its doom like the Mayans did.
The concept of the End Times has been in the subconscious of man since the beginning of time, when he invented the idea the he was created in an instant by a Supreme Being we call God. Any race that has a starting point must also reach a Finish Line. If God created Adam about 10,000 years ago and started this human race then at some point we are going to get tired of running in this marathon. There will be an end to this race.
We will inevitably reach our doom because of the deeds of our own hands. That doesn’t mean the end of human existence. It is simply the end of the rat race that we have created with our own hands, where we turned ourselves into mere robots in a huge industrial machine.
It may also be the end of our racist thinking when we begin to see all humans as equals regardless of their “race, color, religion, or ethnicity.” There is always a silver lining in every cloud and the end of our current way of life might also be the starting point of the God-given promise of a spiritual way of life. Mel Gibson might be right after all when he said “I don't mean to be a doomsday guy.”
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
Monday, September 25, 2006
PR: New Philosophical Web Site launched
New Philosophical Website Launched, www.CognitiveDissidents.org
CognitiveDissidents.org is a diverse community of engaged philosophers and
philosophically oriented intellectuals. We are interested in writing about
social and political issues, both historical and contemporary, domestic and
international. We view ourselves as contributing to well informed and
analytically substantive discourse focused on issues of moral concern in the
public domain. CognitiveDissidents.org assumes that no individual or
institution is exempt from moral critique; the website is therefore ardently
unaffiliated. CognitiveDissidents.org is a unique space amid today's blogs and
journals of opinion. We welcome readers seeking lively, relevant, and serious
writing. Our website is an art piece by Joe Namy, who is part of the Other
Arab Artists Collective in Detroit [www.otherart.org]. You can see more of
Joe's work at www.olivetones.com.
This first issue of CognitiveDissidents.org is dedicated to all the innocent
victims in the world, particularly those whose deaths were forgotten,
rationalized, and explained away as collateral damage.
Articles now available at www.CognitiveDissidents.org:
Mohammed Abed on Morality and Israel’s War on Lebanon
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/Abed-1a.html
Jaime Ahlberg on Ethical Eating
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/ahlberg-1.html
Lilian Friedberg on Surviving Suicide
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/friedberg-1.html
Raja Halwani on Israel’s Right to Exist
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/Halwani-1.html
Shahin Izadi on Global Poverty
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/izadi-1.html
Joseph Levine on the Moral Appropriateness of Divestment
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/levine-1.html
Emily McRae on Philosophy and Activism
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/mcrae-1.html
Matthew Mitterko on Morality and Fair Trade
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/mitterko-1.html
Steven Salaita on Progressive Zionism and Michael Lerner
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/salaita-1.html
Ora Wise on Divestment and Divestment Activism
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/wise-1.html
CognitiveDissidents.org is a diverse community of engaged philosophers and
philosophically oriented intellectuals. We are interested in writing about
social and political issues, both historical and contemporary, domestic and
international. We view ourselves as contributing to well informed and
analytically substantive discourse focused on issues of moral concern in the
public domain. CognitiveDissidents.org assumes that no individual or
institution is exempt from moral critique; the website is therefore ardently
unaffiliated. CognitiveDissidents.org is a unique space amid today's blogs and
journals of opinion. We welcome readers seeking lively, relevant, and serious
writing. Our website is an art piece by Joe Namy, who is part of the Other
Arab Artists Collective in Detroit [www.otherart.org]. You can see more of
Joe's work at www.olivetones.com.
This first issue of CognitiveDissidents.org is dedicated to all the innocent
victims in the world, particularly those whose deaths were forgotten,
rationalized, and explained away as collateral damage.
Articles now available at www.CognitiveDissidents.org:
Mohammed Abed on Morality and Israel’s War on Lebanon
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/Abed-1a.html
Jaime Ahlberg on Ethical Eating
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/ahlberg-1.html
Lilian Friedberg on Surviving Suicide
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/friedberg-1.html
Raja Halwani on Israel’s Right to Exist
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/Halwani-1.html
Shahin Izadi on Global Poverty
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/izadi-1.html
Joseph Levine on the Moral Appropriateness of Divestment
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/levine-1.html
Emily McRae on Philosophy and Activism
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/mcrae-1.html
Matthew Mitterko on Morality and Fair Trade
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/mitterko-1.html
Steven Salaita on Progressive Zionism and Michael Lerner
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/salaita-1.html
Ora Wise on Divestment and Divestment Activism
http://www.cognitivedissidents.org/wise-1.html
Sunday, September 24, 2006
PR: New Arab News Site launches/features Arab Bloggers/Writers
ARAB AMERICA ENTERS BLOGOSPHERE THROUGH ARABISTO.COM LAUNCH MONDAY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nadia Gergis
Gergismedia@arabisto.com
(407) 592-9399
www.Arabisto.com
Orlando, Florida (Sept. 25, 2006) – Arab Americans have entered the blogosphere through Arabisto.com, which aims to be the Drudge Report* and Huffington Post* of the Middle East.
"Arabisto.com is the Arab American street," said site founder Nadia Gergis, 30. "We aim to be the pulse, the leading online destination for Arab Americans on the web."Arabisto.com provides:
- Streaming breaking news on the Middle East
- Story commenting system
- Original Arab American blogs
- Thought provoking political commentary
- The only nationwide Arab American community calendar
Arabisto.com fills a critical gap for one of the nation’s fastest growing, most dynamic, and arguably least understood population groups, estimated at 3.5 million in the US.
In the Middle East, there are an estimated 18.2 million Internet users. Arabisto.com is the only online destination that features original blogs from seven experts who’ve spent a majority of their lifetimes immersed in Arab American affairs.
Arabisto.com’s exclusive bloggers:
Asli Bali is a graduate student at Princeton University, president of the New York Chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and a lawyer in private practice in New York. Hayan Charara is the author of The Alchemist's Diary and The Sadness of Others.
Ray Hanania is an award winning journalist and columnist. Pulitzer Prize nominated Hanania has performed standup comedy lampooning his Arab heritage and his unusual marriage to his wife, who is Jewish.
Ferial Masry is the Democratic candidate for California’s 37th Assembly District. This Saudi-born woman is the mother of a US soldier who served in Iraq.
Issa Mikel is a Palestinian-American lawyer, human rights activist and member of the National Council of Arab-Americans, New York Chapter.
Courtney Radsch is a scholar and freelance journalist who focuses on the Arab media and politics.
Maria Shehata produces her own show twice a week at Joe Franklin's Comedy Club and has performed in NY's Arab-American Comedy Festival.
With no end in sight for the Iraq war, tragedy in the occupied territories and a proposed United Nations embargo on Iran, monitoring the pulse of the Arab world and understanding the Arab American community is now possible through Arabisto.com.
* Arabisto.com is neither endorsed nor affiliated with the owners of these media outlets.
END
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nadia Gergis
Gergismedia@arabisto.com
(407) 592-9399
www.Arabisto.com
Orlando, Florida (Sept. 25, 2006) – Arab Americans have entered the blogosphere through Arabisto.com, which aims to be the Drudge Report* and Huffington Post* of the Middle East.
"Arabisto.com is the Arab American street," said site founder Nadia Gergis, 30. "We aim to be the pulse, the leading online destination for Arab Americans on the web."Arabisto.com provides:
- Streaming breaking news on the Middle East
- Story commenting system
- Original Arab American blogs
- Thought provoking political commentary
- The only nationwide Arab American community calendar
Arabisto.com fills a critical gap for one of the nation’s fastest growing, most dynamic, and arguably least understood population groups, estimated at 3.5 million in the US.
In the Middle East, there are an estimated 18.2 million Internet users. Arabisto.com is the only online destination that features original blogs from seven experts who’ve spent a majority of their lifetimes immersed in Arab American affairs.
Arabisto.com’s exclusive bloggers:
Asli Bali is a graduate student at Princeton University, president of the New York Chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and a lawyer in private practice in New York. Hayan Charara is the author of The Alchemist's Diary and The Sadness of Others.
Ray Hanania is an award winning journalist and columnist. Pulitzer Prize nominated Hanania has performed standup comedy lampooning his Arab heritage and his unusual marriage to his wife, who is Jewish.
Ferial Masry is the Democratic candidate for California’s 37th Assembly District. This Saudi-born woman is the mother of a US soldier who served in Iraq.
Issa Mikel is a Palestinian-American lawyer, human rights activist and member of the National Council of Arab-Americans, New York Chapter.
Courtney Radsch is a scholar and freelance journalist who focuses on the Arab media and politics.
Maria Shehata produces her own show twice a week at Joe Franklin's Comedy Club and has performed in NY's Arab-American Comedy Festival.
With no end in sight for the Iraq war, tragedy in the occupied territories and a proposed United Nations embargo on Iran, monitoring the pulse of the Arab world and understanding the Arab American community is now possible through Arabisto.com.
* Arabisto.com is neither endorsed nor affiliated with the owners of these media outlets.
END
Thursday, September 21, 2006
PR CAIR urges compensation to Churches by Muslims
CAIR ASKS MUSLIMS TO HELP REPAIR DAMAGED CHURCHES - Palestinian churches damaged following Pope's comments on Islam(WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/20/2006) - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on Muslims in America and worldwide to donate to help repair Palestinian churches damaged following recent remarks by Pope Benedict XVI perceived as critical of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.SEE: Churches Targeted Over Pope's Comments
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/
duluthsuperior/news/nation/15541943.htm
CAIR is urging Muslims to help repair the churches in the West Bank and Gaza by sending a donation to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.
SEE: http://www.cnewa.org/
(Earmark donations for: "Palestine Damaged Churches")
On Thursday, September 21, CAIR's Florida office will hold a news conference at the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg to deliver seed money to repair the churches.
WHAT: CAIR-FL to Deliver Seed Money for Repair of Palestinian Churches
WHEN: Thursday, September 21, 2006, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, 6363 9th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida
CONTACT: CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier, 813-731-9506"Our campaign is designed to send the message that attacks on any houses of worship are not acceptable and will not be tolerated," said CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier.In a statement released following the Pope's remarks, CAIR called for increased dialogue and outreach efforts aimed at building better relations between Christianity and Islam. CAIR's statement read in part: "Let us all continue the interfaith efforts promoted by the late Pope John Paul II, who made great strides in bringing Muslims and Catholics together for the common good."CAIR has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726,
E-Mail: ihooper@cair-net.org-----
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/
duluthsuperior/news/nation/15541943.htm
CAIR is urging Muslims to help repair the churches in the West Bank and Gaza by sending a donation to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association.
SEE: http://www.cnewa.org/
(Earmark donations for: "Palestine Damaged Churches")
On Thursday, September 21, CAIR's Florida office will hold a news conference at the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg to deliver seed money to repair the churches.
WHAT: CAIR-FL to Deliver Seed Money for Repair of Palestinian Churches
WHEN: Thursday, September 21, 2006, 2 p.m.
WHERE: Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, 6363 9th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida
CONTACT: CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier, 813-731-9506"Our campaign is designed to send the message that attacks on any houses of worship are not acceptable and will not be tolerated," said CAIR-Tampa Executive Director Ahmed Bedier.In a statement released following the Pope's remarks, CAIR called for increased dialogue and outreach efforts aimed at building better relations between Christianity and Islam. CAIR's statement read in part: "Let us all continue the interfaith efforts promoted by the late Pope John Paul II, who made great strides in bringing Muslims and Catholics together for the common good."CAIR has 32 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726,
E-Mail: ihooper@cair-net.org-----
OP-ED, Pope is wrong and so is violence, By Neal AbuNab
The Pope is wrong and violence is wrong
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Several churches in the occupied Palestinian territories were firebombed and attacked by overzealous Palestinian Muslim youths. It was one of the angry reactions to the Pope’s comments that enveloped the Muslim world last week. But this kind of extreme reaction is abhorrent. As a Muslim Palestinian I find myself embarrassed by the misguided anger of our youth. I offer a most sincere apology to all Palestinian Christians and to the entire Christian world for such despicable acts. The violent reaction is inexcusable but I blame the dire economic and political conditions for this violence rather than the Pope’s remarks. In the past few months, Palestinian youths have vented their anger against almost every institution whether it was their own parliament or the buildings of the United Nations.
Muslims all around the globe seem to have become hyper-sensitive to critical remarks and they are easily aroused by verbal assaults on their religion. It is a sign of insecurity for a culture that feels cornered, under siege and does not like or know how to be comfortable under a microscope.
Islam is going through a renaissance and it is hard to predict what it would look like in the end, but being in the spotlight is sure to have a sanitizing effect. The Pope has every right to speak his mind freely about a religion that has competed with and threatened his own for the past 14 centuries. He is in the business of selling spirituality and he is reacting to a threat that is eroding his market share. He is the head of the “Central Spiritual Agency” and he has the final say so whether we go to heaven or to hell.
Islam came and divulged this authority and decentralized spirituality so that every person became individually responsible for determining his own destiny; whether it be heaven or hell. The prophet Muhammad is the only messenger of God whose exact words survive till today. The story of Moses was written by his so-called followers 600 years after his death. Jesus never intended to create a new religion but it was his former tormentor (Saul a.k.a. St. Paul) who capitalized on his pain and created the Central Spiritual Agency, where they handed “deeds to heaven” to all the faithful willing to kill the infidel in a crusade to occupy the holy land.
Yes, I have heard it many times before; the Pope has apologized for the crusade. And it is time to move on and accept that ideas and theologies are not to blame for the endless crimes of man against man. The Pope was wrong to insist on quoting an ignorant Byzantine emperor and he was wrong in offering a half-hearted apology. I do not question the sincerity of his motive in creating an opening for real dialogue, but I suspect that he wants a piece of the limelight focused on Islam these days. His struggle or jihad has a different objective from the Muslims’ jihad. He is combating the idea of irrelevancy and he has conceded that Europe has succumbed to reason and secularism. He wants a piece of the action in reforming Islam which Bush and Blair seem to have monopolized for the past five years. Muslims on the other hand appear as if they are resisting reform like it was the plague. They want to do it at their own snail’s pace without pressure or interference from the outside.
I don’t blame them because no institution will ever accept reform from the outside and especially from its competition. True reform always happens from within. Reformers from the outside are more interested in breaking down a competing institution and demolishing it in the name of reform. That was Reagan’s strategy towards the Soviet reforms championed by Gorbachev back in the eighties. Certain Western powers seem convinced that they can follow the same playbook with Islam. They are mistaken and their insistence on this flawed strategy will only cause the breakdown of their own institutions. Islam is very strong in its flexibility and malleability and it is only a matter of time for its people to control the debate from both sides of the game. Islam has a tendency to suck in every reformer, thinker and theologian into its cosmic allure.
The western media has blamed the Pope for inciting violence in the Muslim world. Scenes of burning effigies of the Pope play to the benefit of Republicans in this election season and they strengthen the Catholic Church in the US, which generates more than half of the Vatican’s revenues.
But I blame Muslim politicians mainly in Pakistan and Turkey who were the first ones to jump on this opportunity and ride a wave of demagoguery that inflamed the passions of their ignorant flocks. It is the same type of ignorance that issued a decree to kill Salman Rushdie for writing a book. Instead of engaging in constructive and enlightening rebuttals of the Pope’s allegations, they incited people to violence. The Pope’s remarks were wrong and the reaction was wrong, and no two wrongs can ever make a right.
The Pope seems to accept and preach the premise that Islam was spread through violence. He has not refuted or repudiated this ancient Byzantine distortion. I would like to debate the Pope and show him that no idea as noble as Islam could have spread so fast and so wide by the use of force. If he studies his own history he will find that his own Vatican papacy rose to dominance because of Islam. The founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne (742-814), was educated at the hands of a Christian priest who spent most of his youth learning in Arabic the civilization of Islam in Spain. This priest became Pope Leo III and with his student, Charlemagne, they subjugated and Christianized the Saxons and other Europeans by force.
It can be argued that Islam saved Christianity and Judaism from demise. The respect and confirmation of the divinity of Moses and Jesus are clearly established in the Qur’an. Such clear words from God, prior to the revelation of the Qur’an, did not exist.
I urge Muslim scholars to engage the Pope in an honest interfaith dialogue that does not shy away from highlighting stark differences while at the same time creating an open, respectful and peaceful flow of information that educates the curious masses on all sides. Islam is a decentralized religion and Muslims will not be happy to have an Ayatollah or a politician debate the Pope, because each sect and each group has its own opinion on the subject. The Pope is going to be debating many Muslims on this subject for a very long time.
And we should by all means have a constructive dialogue that will bring more peace and harmony to this world instead of creating more reasons for hate and violence. A civil interfaith dialogue that develops a higher level of tolerance, openness and acceptance of differences is very much needed. Faith is supposed to create harmony with existence and seek peaceful means to resolve differences between people.
The Abrahamic faith with its three branches of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is in dire need of reform so that they all stop fighting each other and agree that they all basically worship the same God.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
By Neal AbuNab
You are authorized to republish this article free of charge.Contributions are welcome Please email: nealabunab@todaylink.com Contact Neal AbuNab (313) 506-4409, for all other inquiries. Length of article can be edited according to requirement of editors.Aramedia, P.O.Box 7596, Dearborn, MI 48121, USA All Rights reserved 2006
Several churches in the occupied Palestinian territories were firebombed and attacked by overzealous Palestinian Muslim youths. It was one of the angry reactions to the Pope’s comments that enveloped the Muslim world last week. But this kind of extreme reaction is abhorrent. As a Muslim Palestinian I find myself embarrassed by the misguided anger of our youth. I offer a most sincere apology to all Palestinian Christians and to the entire Christian world for such despicable acts. The violent reaction is inexcusable but I blame the dire economic and political conditions for this violence rather than the Pope’s remarks. In the past few months, Palestinian youths have vented their anger against almost every institution whether it was their own parliament or the buildings of the United Nations.
Muslims all around the globe seem to have become hyper-sensitive to critical remarks and they are easily aroused by verbal assaults on their religion. It is a sign of insecurity for a culture that feels cornered, under siege and does not like or know how to be comfortable under a microscope.
Islam is going through a renaissance and it is hard to predict what it would look like in the end, but being in the spotlight is sure to have a sanitizing effect. The Pope has every right to speak his mind freely about a religion that has competed with and threatened his own for the past 14 centuries. He is in the business of selling spirituality and he is reacting to a threat that is eroding his market share. He is the head of the “Central Spiritual Agency” and he has the final say so whether we go to heaven or to hell.
Islam came and divulged this authority and decentralized spirituality so that every person became individually responsible for determining his own destiny; whether it be heaven or hell. The prophet Muhammad is the only messenger of God whose exact words survive till today. The story of Moses was written by his so-called followers 600 years after his death. Jesus never intended to create a new religion but it was his former tormentor (Saul a.k.a. St. Paul) who capitalized on his pain and created the Central Spiritual Agency, where they handed “deeds to heaven” to all the faithful willing to kill the infidel in a crusade to occupy the holy land.
Yes, I have heard it many times before; the Pope has apologized for the crusade. And it is time to move on and accept that ideas and theologies are not to blame for the endless crimes of man against man. The Pope was wrong to insist on quoting an ignorant Byzantine emperor and he was wrong in offering a half-hearted apology. I do not question the sincerity of his motive in creating an opening for real dialogue, but I suspect that he wants a piece of the limelight focused on Islam these days. His struggle or jihad has a different objective from the Muslims’ jihad. He is combating the idea of irrelevancy and he has conceded that Europe has succumbed to reason and secularism. He wants a piece of the action in reforming Islam which Bush and Blair seem to have monopolized for the past five years. Muslims on the other hand appear as if they are resisting reform like it was the plague. They want to do it at their own snail’s pace without pressure or interference from the outside.
I don’t blame them because no institution will ever accept reform from the outside and especially from its competition. True reform always happens from within. Reformers from the outside are more interested in breaking down a competing institution and demolishing it in the name of reform. That was Reagan’s strategy towards the Soviet reforms championed by Gorbachev back in the eighties. Certain Western powers seem convinced that they can follow the same playbook with Islam. They are mistaken and their insistence on this flawed strategy will only cause the breakdown of their own institutions. Islam is very strong in its flexibility and malleability and it is only a matter of time for its people to control the debate from both sides of the game. Islam has a tendency to suck in every reformer, thinker and theologian into its cosmic allure.
The western media has blamed the Pope for inciting violence in the Muslim world. Scenes of burning effigies of the Pope play to the benefit of Republicans in this election season and they strengthen the Catholic Church in the US, which generates more than half of the Vatican’s revenues.
But I blame Muslim politicians mainly in Pakistan and Turkey who were the first ones to jump on this opportunity and ride a wave of demagoguery that inflamed the passions of their ignorant flocks. It is the same type of ignorance that issued a decree to kill Salman Rushdie for writing a book. Instead of engaging in constructive and enlightening rebuttals of the Pope’s allegations, they incited people to violence. The Pope’s remarks were wrong and the reaction was wrong, and no two wrongs can ever make a right.
The Pope seems to accept and preach the premise that Islam was spread through violence. He has not refuted or repudiated this ancient Byzantine distortion. I would like to debate the Pope and show him that no idea as noble as Islam could have spread so fast and so wide by the use of force. If he studies his own history he will find that his own Vatican papacy rose to dominance because of Islam. The founder of the Holy Roman Empire, Charlemagne (742-814), was educated at the hands of a Christian priest who spent most of his youth learning in Arabic the civilization of Islam in Spain. This priest became Pope Leo III and with his student, Charlemagne, they subjugated and Christianized the Saxons and other Europeans by force.
It can be argued that Islam saved Christianity and Judaism from demise. The respect and confirmation of the divinity of Moses and Jesus are clearly established in the Qur’an. Such clear words from God, prior to the revelation of the Qur’an, did not exist.
I urge Muslim scholars to engage the Pope in an honest interfaith dialogue that does not shy away from highlighting stark differences while at the same time creating an open, respectful and peaceful flow of information that educates the curious masses on all sides. Islam is a decentralized religion and Muslims will not be happy to have an Ayatollah or a politician debate the Pope, because each sect and each group has its own opinion on the subject. The Pope is going to be debating many Muslims on this subject for a very long time.
And we should by all means have a constructive dialogue that will bring more peace and harmony to this world instead of creating more reasons for hate and violence. A civil interfaith dialogue that develops a higher level of tolerance, openness and acceptance of differences is very much needed. Faith is supposed to create harmony with existence and seek peaceful means to resolve differences between people.
The Abrahamic faith with its three branches of Judaism, Christianity and Islam is in dire need of reform so that they all stop fighting each other and agree that they all basically worship the same God.
Neal AbuNab is a Michigan-based author of “The War on Terror and Democracy”- available at Amazon.com. He is a commentator on Arab and Muslim affairs and his weekly column appears in the Arab American News. He can be reached at: www.IslamPalestineBlogger.com
END
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Young Arab Leaders promote cooperation and dialogue
Young Arab Leaders Promote Cooperation and Dialogue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Nancy Goldstein
212.614.4827
Nancy.Goldstein@bm.com
H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Clinton Lead the Effort:
Address the First Annual Arab and American Action Forum
“Prosperity and peace are the products of two conditions only: global cooperation and mutual respect,” said H.M. King Abdullah II
New York, NY (September 19, 2006) – Over 200 Arab and American leaders from the private sector, media, public sector and civil society today gathered in a first of a kind step toward establishing a platform for dialogue between the Arab world and the U.S. The participants included H.M. King Abdullah II; H.H. Crown Prince of Bahrain Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa; former U.S. President Bill Clinton; Founder and CEO of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab; Dina Powell, Assistant Secretary, Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State; and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mark Mallock Brown.
The group came together at the first annual Arab and American Action Forum (AAAF), an event organized by the Young Arab Leaders (YAL) aimed at creating initiatives that provide opportunities for the Arab youth in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, leadership, dialogue exchange and youth networks.
Addressing the Forum, H.M. King Abdullah II said, “This Forum takes place at a critical time. Recent crises have demonstrated a worrying disconnect between peoples and regions. In this century, prosperity and peace cannot be achieved in isolation, or gained by force; they are the products of two conditions only: global cooperation and mutual respect.” Speaking about the challenges in the Middle East, he added, “Recent crises shout out the urgent need for a better partnership among us, especially for peace. The evidence is clear: piecemeal and unilateral solutions do not work.”
Speaking at the Forum, President Clinton said, “YAL represents the ‘Other Arab World;’ and in times of crisis, people like the YAL are largely invisible.” He stressed the urgency for the YAL to make its presence known and to remember that presence and action in the region can have a positive impact. President Clinton also urged people to continue to have a dialogue because there is a lot that the American public does not know about the Arab world. “The essence of living together as a civilized people is realizing that you have a choice in how to respond to the actions of others,” he added.
“We are here to listen to your concerns, and to share our own. We know we have a challenge at hand and we are here to help find a solution. But we cannot do it alone – we need your help,” said YAL Chairman of the Board Saeed Al Muntafiq to the over 120 American leaders gathered at the Forum. “What we hope to do today is contribute to an environment that will give the Arab youth education and global exposure, and help build a prosperous and peaceful Arab world.”
Through a series of structured workshops today, AAAF participants will arrive at mutually beneficial projects and concrete actions to promote initiatives in the five key development areas. The outcome of these initiatives, through specific commitments of the participants, will be presented at the Clinton Global Initiative tomorrow and will serve as a working guideline for the coming year.
Al Muntafiq added, “As a result of these initiatives, we hope to provide young Arab men and women opportunities to interact with and work alongside their counterparts in the U.S.” He added, “Given the historically polarized agenda between the Arab world and the U.S., we have no choice but to marshal the common will and restore bridges. Leaders in the Arab world have a responsibility to take the initiative, and here we are.”
Klaus Schwab, in his address, presented a three-pronged approach: 1. Bonding – sharing of the problem; 2. Binding - defining the solutions; and 3. Building - acting and start building together.
For more information about the Arab and American Action Forum please contact Nancy Goldstein at 212.614.4827 or Nancy.Goldstein@bm.com.
About YAL
Launched in 2004 by the World Economic Forum, YAL is an independent pan-Arab organization which aims to create the necessary environment for future leaders to grow and develop in the region. It is a network of Arab men and women who have seen the power of action in their own lives, reached unprecedented levels of success for their age, are positive and can see beyond today’s difficulties to that vision of a prosperous Arab future. These leaders are currently in prominent positions of responsibility and are destined for extraordinary achievement, and they believe that their efforts today can have an impact on their communities, countries and the region as a whole. For more information please visit: www.yaleaders.org.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Nancy Goldstein
212.614.4827
Nancy.Goldstein@bm.com
H.M. King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Clinton Lead the Effort:
Address the First Annual Arab and American Action Forum
“Prosperity and peace are the products of two conditions only: global cooperation and mutual respect,” said H.M. King Abdullah II
New York, NY (September 19, 2006) – Over 200 Arab and American leaders from the private sector, media, public sector and civil society today gathered in a first of a kind step toward establishing a platform for dialogue between the Arab world and the U.S. The participants included H.M. King Abdullah II; H.H. Crown Prince of Bahrain Shaikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa; former U.S. President Bill Clinton; Founder and CEO of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab; Dina Powell, Assistant Secretary, Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State; and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Mark Mallock Brown.
The group came together at the first annual Arab and American Action Forum (AAAF), an event organized by the Young Arab Leaders (YAL) aimed at creating initiatives that provide opportunities for the Arab youth in the areas of education, entrepreneurship, leadership, dialogue exchange and youth networks.
Addressing the Forum, H.M. King Abdullah II said, “This Forum takes place at a critical time. Recent crises have demonstrated a worrying disconnect between peoples and regions. In this century, prosperity and peace cannot be achieved in isolation, or gained by force; they are the products of two conditions only: global cooperation and mutual respect.” Speaking about the challenges in the Middle East, he added, “Recent crises shout out the urgent need for a better partnership among us, especially for peace. The evidence is clear: piecemeal and unilateral solutions do not work.”
Speaking at the Forum, President Clinton said, “YAL represents the ‘Other Arab World;’ and in times of crisis, people like the YAL are largely invisible.” He stressed the urgency for the YAL to make its presence known and to remember that presence and action in the region can have a positive impact. President Clinton also urged people to continue to have a dialogue because there is a lot that the American public does not know about the Arab world. “The essence of living together as a civilized people is realizing that you have a choice in how to respond to the actions of others,” he added.
“We are here to listen to your concerns, and to share our own. We know we have a challenge at hand and we are here to help find a solution. But we cannot do it alone – we need your help,” said YAL Chairman of the Board Saeed Al Muntafiq to the over 120 American leaders gathered at the Forum. “What we hope to do today is contribute to an environment that will give the Arab youth education and global exposure, and help build a prosperous and peaceful Arab world.”
Through a series of structured workshops today, AAAF participants will arrive at mutually beneficial projects and concrete actions to promote initiatives in the five key development areas. The outcome of these initiatives, through specific commitments of the participants, will be presented at the Clinton Global Initiative tomorrow and will serve as a working guideline for the coming year.
Al Muntafiq added, “As a result of these initiatives, we hope to provide young Arab men and women opportunities to interact with and work alongside their counterparts in the U.S.” He added, “Given the historically polarized agenda between the Arab world and the U.S., we have no choice but to marshal the common will and restore bridges. Leaders in the Arab world have a responsibility to take the initiative, and here we are.”
Klaus Schwab, in his address, presented a three-pronged approach: 1. Bonding – sharing of the problem; 2. Binding - defining the solutions; and 3. Building - acting and start building together.
For more information about the Arab and American Action Forum please contact Nancy Goldstein at 212.614.4827 or Nancy.Goldstein@bm.com.
About YAL
Launched in 2004 by the World Economic Forum, YAL is an independent pan-Arab organization which aims to create the necessary environment for future leaders to grow and develop in the region. It is a network of Arab men and women who have seen the power of action in their own lives, reached unprecedented levels of success for their age, are positive and can see beyond today’s difficulties to that vision of a prosperous Arab future. These leaders are currently in prominent positions of responsibility and are destined for extraordinary achievement, and they believe that their efforts today can have an impact on their communities, countries and the region as a whole. For more information please visit: www.yaleaders.org.
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