Author: Ghostdog

Current Affairs

Muslims for Secular Democracy

Ghostdog

From AIM (Asian in Media), June 12, 2006 Muslim journalists, writers, filmmakers and activists are banding together to form a new organisation aimed at influencing the media to move beyond “easy and simplistic portrayal of Muslims” and build on issues relevant to British Muslims today. Called ‘Muslims for Secular Democracy’, the lobbying group is being headed by the journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown and supported by others such as Ghayasuddin Siddique of the Muslim Parliament, playright Nasreen Rehman and Sharq magazine editor Reem Maghrebi. The organisation says it supports a clear separation between religion and the state and wants to make “democratic…

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Sports

Zizou for President

Ghostdog

This Sunday, France and Italy will play in the finals of the World Cup. It has been a wild ride this month, one that I enjoyed thoroughly. I am not a big football fan and do not watch or follow any particular team or league during the year. The only time I watch is every four years during the World Cup. I like the event, because I have seen firsthand the power of football to unite people and countries. This World Cup has become a defining moment for Germany since unification. Even the Turks in Germany are supporting the national…

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Uncategorized

Watch the kids, but then get out.

Ghostdog

I admit that I have not been following the immigration debate as closely as I should have. The issue seems to be a watershed event and raised the spector of a new political force, even though the majority of the people interested in this issue cannot as yet vote. This country was founded by immigrants and has become wealthy on the back of immigrants. I am not sure how much of the debate is centered on economic and social issues and how much is plain xenophobia. Certainly since 9/11 the lens by which view immigration has changed. Is this the…

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Books

No God But God

Ghostdog

I just finished reading Reza Aslan’s recently published book entitled “No God But God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam” I enjoyed it and would recommend it to others. Aslan makes the argument that Islam is, and continues to be, in a constant state of evolution and has been for 1400 years. He shows from that from the earliest revelations, the Prophet was a social reformer and that the ideologies of egalitarianism, human rights and popular sanction of governing bodies is not outside the values of Islam. Aslan goes on to make the case that Islamic terrorism for the…

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Current Affairs

Some ranting and raving

Ghostdog

Coming soon to a bar near you. Muslim Ninja Women. Civil Comment has a good write up on Bush’s approval ratings and the rising gas prices. I wonder if $4 gallon will compel Detroit and the American public to re-think the SUV? The rise in prices is a boon to Saudi Arabia. More money to fund madrassas and the demolition of Mecca and Medina Alt Muslim leads with a interesting read on Islam in the US prison system What happened to the Karl Rove controversy? It seems to have disappeared. Why did this country spend so much time on Monicagate,…

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Uncategorized

Say What?

Ghostdog

CNN is reporting that al-Zarqawi has released an audio tape that justifies the killing of Muslim civilians based on the teachings of so-called Islamic scholars. Here is the intro from CNN: “A chilling, rambling audio file thought to be from the most-wanted man in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, says religious doctrine justifies the killing of innocent Muslims by insurgents. On the audio, the speaker says in Arabic: ‘The shedding of Muslim blood … is allowed in order to avoid the greater evil of disrupting jihad.’ The speaker defends suicide attacks, saying, ‘killing of infidels by any method including martyrdom operations…

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Current Affairs

Pakistan

Ghostdog

I am not sure if readers are aware of the on-going flap in Pakistan regarding the role of Education Review Boards. If not, let me fill you in briefly. The MMA, a coalition of really ugly mullahs, clerics, and outlaws are protesting the goverments recognition of the Aga Khan University Examination Board as one of the Boards that administer tests for graduating students. The protest have gotten serious and the calls for violence escalating. In the midst of Pakistans increasing intolerance, I came across articles by Irfan Husain, a Pakistani commentary who writes in The Dawn. Mr. Husain is a…

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