I’m starting coverage of the Islam in America Conference. Will try to highlight points by various speakers at the end of each panel.
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Islam in America – Opening Remarks
Chair Shiraz Hajiani. Raised in E. Africa, of S. Asian descent. Talks about Texas cyanide arrests; Saudi banning of Jewish tourists; Title VI issues. Mentions they relate to each of the three panels: Public Policy, Interfaith, and Education. Mentions this is the fifth conference. First four chairs were all women; mentions ethnicities: African-American, European-American, South Asian American, Central Asian American. Observant Jews will not be in attendance today because of Sabbath and Purim. Will be present tomorrow. Introduces Karen Leonard.
Dean got Muslimed
I’ve been trying to avoid talking about the Democratic primaries, but Gov. Howard Dean really got Muslimed. Often times, we, as Muslims, talk about how the media portrays us negatively, and that means much of the richness of Muslim civilizations are muted. Therefore, the negative press becomes self-fulfilling. I won’t get into the victim mentality behind such an approach, but clearly there is a kernel of truth to it. Now it seems that Gov. Dean got the same treatment. The only difference is, some outlets are owning up to it. Gov. Dean got Muslimed.
White House Launches “We The People”
The White House announced We the People, a new online engagement feature. On this innovative WhiteHouse.govplatform, individuals will be able to create and sign petitions seeking action from the federal government on a range of issues. If a petition gathers enough signatures, White House staff will review it, ensure it is sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response. Visitors to WhiteHouse.gov can begin submitting petitions later this month. To sign up for an alert when it launches and preview the feature, visit http://www.WhiteHouse.gov/WeThePeople.