Year: 2009

Uncategorized

Wajahat Ali and the Doha Debates

islamoyankee

While we were in Doha for the MLT Conference, we were able to attend a special session of the Doha Debates. The topic was “Motion: This House believes that political Islam is a threat to the West.” Wajahat Ali, of AltMuslim and Goat Milk, has done a nice write-up of the issues discussed. He was also gracious enough to make me sound intelligent. I have his permission to include his original questions, and my responses, below. 1) How would you personally define “political Islam” and “the West?” Do you think the debates adequately defined these two terms? The problem with…

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Intra-faith

Mr. Moo Publishes a Manifesto

islamoyankee

A mighty manifesto it is. Woe to those who disagree. Woe to those who agree. Woe to anyone. Woe is me. Woah is what you tell a horse. “Woh” is “that” in Hindi and Urdu. Whoah is an exclamation of surprise or pleasure. But I digress, and that is un-Islamic. So says the talking Manifesto. It is far better to regress. [Like the manifesto, this is humor.]

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Web/Tech

Technological shift at the White House

islamoyankee

WaPo does a piece on the technological transition happening at the White House. In addition to the usual transition headaches regarding phones, emails, etc., apparently the WH is not equipped, legally, to allow the Web 2.0 operation to continue. Be interesting to see how this plays out, especially if we are to get a new iPhone app (please). Favorite line: “The team members, accustomed to working on Macintoshes, found computers outfitted with six-year-old versions of Microsoft software.” At least their Windows was state-of-the-art. (sorry couldn’t resist)

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Current Affairs Media

Geert Wilders and Free Speech

islamoyankee

Aziz beat me to it. Geert Wilders was arrested for attacking Islam. Dumb idea. As Aziz says “the best answer to bad speech is more speech.” The best thing to happen now is that a group of Dutch Muslims comes forward to his defense. Islam is bigger than one person, whether OBL or Geert Wilders. It can take care of itself. It’s Muslims who need to care of ourselves, and that doesn’t mean supporting dumb ideas.

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Current Affairs Politics

Gaza Crisis [1/21]

islamoyankee

A Christian reflection on Gaza. We have to remember, this is not a Jewish-Muslim issue. It’s an Israeli-Palestinian one, which means Christians are involved. Ted Swedenburg gives us some must reads, many of which have already appeared on islamicate. However, he throws in a cool kufiya pic. MJ Rosenberg on the uses of “anti-Semitism.” He can’t wait for an end to the lobby. On Bono and Kristol. Laila points me to Sandy Tolan on Obama and Gaza. I don’t know how to describe this. In Doha, Darya Shaykh of One Voice said you can focus on the horror or you…

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Current Affairs Politics

Reflection on Obama and Gaza

islamoyankee

I won’t be posting much today on Gaza, it’s going to get lost in inauguration coverage. I’ll be Tweeting thoughts on the inaugural address. David says something that I think many of us noticed. This is the Tweet I got immediately before his. And after these two Tweets. As American we cry for the hope realized. For Gazans, the tears are for hope lost. Pray for peace. Pray that Obama will make our hopes true.

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