Ignoring Guantanamo

This NYT op-ed asks: One of the great strengths of our immigrant nation is that we have thousands of citizens and aspiring citizens who are fluent in both English and Arabic. Why we have not made use of this talent is a mystery. I think it’s simply a matter of trust. Most Arab-Americans (can’t find the Zogby poll, so any help appreciated) were against the Iraqi invasion. Therefore, in the bifurcation of being either “with us,” or “against us,” they became “against us.” You must be a member of the party, or you are not a person. Technorati Tags: Iraq,…

SOUTH ASIA PEACE VIGIL December 6th, 2008 We join the people of India and Pakistan in condemning the violence in Mumbai and calling for peace and unity in South Asia. This latest episode of violence claimed the lives of at least 200 people and injured many more. The victims hailed from different countries, belonged to different religions, and had different class and caste affiliations. We express our profound sorrow and solidarity with all those directly and indirectly affected by the violence. We are concerned that this tragic event and the loss of innocent lives in Mumbai may be used as…

Last month the U.S. government canceled a visa that it had granted to Tariq Ramadan, a Muslim scholar in Switzerland. The visa, which had been approved in March and would have allowed him to accept a tenured professorship at the University of Notre Dame, was revoked at the request of the Homeland Security Department. No explanation has been given, but a department spokesman cited “public-safety or national-security risks” as the usual reasons for such an action. Tariq Ramadan, 42, is a professor of Islamic studies and philosophy at the University of Fribourg, in Switzerland. He will respond to questions and…