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Hope in a time of despair

The New England Patriots are undefeated, the Red Sox just completed one of the most memorable comebacks in baseball history and are champions, and just today, Slate has put Kerry ahead of Bush in the Electoral College leading into Tuesday’s election. For the first time in months, I am optimistic. I have hope. I know there is ambivalence about Kerry, but I like the man. He has convinced me over the course of the past few months that he is a good man, he is thoughtful, and will act with great care and consideration before pursuing a course of action…

Porn and Chicken

OK, the news has broken. The Muslim chaplain at Guantanamo accused of espionage has apparently been charged with adultery and downloading pornography. Not quite espionage. I think TPM has it right in his analysis: it might be that all the information against him cannot be released, but would you then see him back on active duty? The Boston Globe discusses how the charge against Yee, the chaplain in question, might be the result of hysteria. I think they might be on to something. I could go on about how this really is a quest for the Justice Department, who now…

Wajahat Ali and the Doha Debates

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…