The Company You Keep

I’m trying really hard not be political, but darn it, it seems that we as Americans are most threatened whenever the current administration opens its mouth. Iraq has yellow-cake, WMD (oddly enough, it’s meant as non-conventional weapons, not necessarily nuclear which is why it can different from the yellow-cake claim), Al-Qaeda is in bed with every Muslim in the world, etc., etc., etc.. I was feel better when they are quiet, not because ignorance is bliss – in their case quite the opposite – but because then the truth starts to come out into the open. That’s when I feel…

Karen Leonard on race and religion. Moorish identity first. Noble Drew Ali, etc. Turks were classified as Asiatics and Arabs (associated with Ottoman Empire) and therefore denied citizenship based on race. South Asians were also disqualified. All S. Asians were initially referred to as “Hindoos,” but not used in religious sense. S. Asian and Arab identity is internally ambivalent about identifying as white. New racialization of Muslims. Imposition of Arab phenotype. US Dept. of Transportation issued in Oct., 2001 indicates Arabs, S. Asian, Muslim and Sikh passengers should not be singled out for searches. None are racial categories. Islam is…

So, our friends over at Muslim WakeUp! have instituted a new activity, a WakeUp! Call. Their first one is directed to the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). ISNA is supporting a temperance society that believes the only way to salvation is through Jesus and all immigration should be stopped lest the hordes run us over. But the good news is, they will bring back prohibition. Didn’t we learn anything from the 2000 election? A single issue, at the ignorance [yes, I know it’s not the correct use of the word, but it really is a willful ignorance] of all…