Monthly Archives: August 2017

Meet a Muslim’ events hope to dispel misconceptions

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‘Meet a Muslim’ events hope to dispel misconceptions

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Muslims in north America are a highly diverse multi-ethnic, multi cultural grouping scattered throughout the country. The diaspora is so diffuse and assimilated that estimates of the population range from 3 to 7 million. No one is able to fix the exact number. The diversity is also to be found in religious practice and range from lapsed, nominal, faithful and fervent. But the public perception of muslims as portrayed in the media is as a sharia fifth column cabal hiding terrorists in their midst. The muslim attempts to counter the stereotypes is usually through activists belonginng to organizations such as CAIR and local groupings. One of the most prominent set of advocates are young females proudly wearing hijabs. The fact that hijabs are worn by a very small subset of muslim women is never mentioned. The hijab is very much a part of the existing stereotype and Muslim activists should make it a point to highlight muslim diversity and plurality among the spokes people addressing the news media.

Nasik Elahi

https://www.yahoo.com/news/meet-muslim-events-hope-dispel-143201493.html?.tsrc=daily_mail&uh_test=1_14

Pakistan: Reflections on the 70th Independence Day: Imperatives of Optimism and Future-Making

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Pakistan: Reflections on the 70th Independence Day: Imperatives of Optimism and Future-Making

 

Mahboob A. Khawaja

 

The 14 August Independence Day should have been a day for the people to rejoice and value the imperatives of the 70th Independence Day across Pakistan.  Flag waving, military parades and political salutes are not what people are looking to as the future-building of the nation. It should be a self-reflection on the national priorities for a new system of political governance, encouragement of the educated and intellectually mature people to hold offices of political responsibility and articulate plans for change and development of the nation to stand amongst the progressive nations of the 21stcentury global community. The political elite and the people live in a conflicting time zone being unable to understand the meaning and essence of the Pakistan Freedom Movement. This purpose needs unwavering public commitment and continuous struggle to political change. It needs not to be invented, it is living in the mind and spirit of the people, it just needs to be revitalized and better organized as the momentum is waiting for the grieving people..

Pakistan urgently needs a savior, not Sharif, Bhuttos or the few Generals. The solution must come from the thinking people of the new educated generation – the intelligent Pakistanis to facilitate hope and optimism for a sustainable future of the beleaguered nation. This should be the framework of the message and active agenda for change and reformation as the core of the celebration of the Pakistan’s 70th Independence Day

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If founding leaders have declared, in uncertain terms, Pakistan a secular state, would Pakistan be different today? Brief thought by F. Sheikh

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I do not think it would have made any difference. Pakistan’s religious leaders would have played the same role to exploit public opinion and force even the most secular leaders to move towards extremist positions to garner their support. Zulifqar Bhutto is the prime example to declare Ahmadis non-Muslims and bowed to their pressure. Military dictators were no different.

Regional Geopolitics played a major role to cultivate religious extremist groups to gain influence in Afghanistan and fight a proxy war in Kashmir to keep pressure on India. Russian occupation of Afghanistan further helped to fuel this militancy with the support of USA and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

KSA needs orthodoxy to suppress its masses and maintain their hold on power. It also needs other Muslim countries to maintain orthodoxy so that it does not influence its own public with liberal ideas. It also needs Sunny power to suppress Shia because most of the oil fields are in Shia occupied area in KSA. KSA has exported this orthodoxy and militancy to other Muslim countries, especially Pakistan, with petro-dollars. Pakistan is joined by hip with KSA ( due  to its financial support) and even has loaned its ex-Army chief to fight its wars of personal interests-and not for the benefit of Muslims at large.

Despite all the outcry of terrorism and Islamic militancy by the West, they continue to support KSA and other middle east monarchies to keep oil wells running and billions of dollars which these monarchies spend to buy weapons (which they may not know how to use) from West and bank roll their secret military missions. Our defense economy in USA needs a continuous state of war to keep it humming.

According to recent reports Russia and Iran are now supporting Taliban and supplying weapons against USA. This is a role reversal. When Russia occupied Afghanistan, USA supported Taliban. Now Russia will be supporting Taliban against USA. It will further inflame militancy in the region and Pakistan cannot stay out.

Considering current geopolitics, bringing secularism in Pakistan cannot be taken in isolation. It is not just Religious extremists in Pakistan but outside forces also needs to be addressed. KSA is the major link that needs to be severed first, then military interests and lastly movement within Pakistan for secularism-only then it may have a chance to succeed.

 

 

“Virginia White Supremacist March & American Nations” by F.Sheikh

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Recent White Supremacist march in Virginia is not a surprise and most likely it will be repeated more frequently in the future. To understand the core mindset of Deep South and why they want to continue civil war and treat confederate era statues as their shrines, you have to read book by Colin Woodard , American Nations. Dr. Shoeb recently wrote a great book review (http://www.thinkersforumusablog.org/archives/9452/comment-page-1#comment-10549) on our site.

Deep South states, since colonization period, believed that white is a superior race and it is in the best interest of other inferior races, especially blacks, to accept this and white masters can take care of them better than they can do on their own. The Southern Methodist Church sanctified this ideology. They believed in hierarchy, aristocracy and individuality as compared to communal living and common good. These believes were driven by economics interests of racist whites on the backs of free black slave labor. These believes and economic interests were threatened with the election of Abraham Lincoln that led to secession campaign and civil war by Deep South and its allies.

New England states, led by Massachusetts, were colonized by migrants from East England who were mostly educated and believe in community and common good instead of individual interests and good. They built schools, Universities ( Harvard) hospitals, churches and other infrastructure. They were forceful opponent of slavery and advocates of liberal ideas. After American-Mexican War they were joined by California and Western coastal states in advance of this ideology.

Deep South lost the civil war, and later 1960’s civil rights’ success gave another blow to these racists believes. After victory at civil war , New England and their allies were successful in implementing their liberal ideas at federal level but Deep South always resented it and considered it imposed ideology at them and never gave up their core believes.

Since the independence, there is continuous struggle between two competing groups (Deep South and its Allies Vs New England and its allies) that is trying to control Federal resources to advance their agenda.

Mr. Woodard explains in his book that there are overall eleven different nations in USA and their core thinking has not changed since colonization despite more immigration in those areas. Other nations end up supporting either Deep South or New England group at federal level depending on their own interests.

Polarization between these two groups is increasing and it is not farfetched that in the future it may come to a head and lead to a disintegration- especially if there are increasing numbers of angry economically depressed middle-class ready to be exploited and always quick to blame the other group for their ills. As Dr, Shoeb also writes in his review, that if it can happen in Soviet Union, it can happen in North America. If that happens, I think you are better off living in one of the New England and its allies states than in Deep South.