How to Get Free Qur’ans for “Burn a Qur’an Day”

Islam and the Lagging Economies of the Arab World : The New Yorker. But, before consigning a fifth of humanity to the dustbin of economic history, one might consider, more broadly, whether it makes sense to place such an emphasis on religion in explaining the underdevelopment of so many Muslim countries. To start with, it’s worth noting—and Kuran and Lewis, to their credit, do note it—that Islam, at least in its original formulation, was far from hostile to business. As the centuries passed, many Muslim regions fell badly behind the West, but the most immediate explanation involves not Islam but…

The Continued Politicization of the Trayvon Martin Case – National – The Atlantic Wire. Bryant’s criticism of Sharpton and Jackson is about race as well: That in focusing on this particular case, and this one example of “white men killing black young men,” we’re ignoring black on black crime, which is the true epidemic, says Bryant, “The greatest danger to the lives of young black men are young black men.”  While this may be true, it’s also somewhat akin to blaming a vegetarian for using a leather handbag. Which is to say, as individuals, we should all stand up for what…