Showing posts with label Mahdi Bray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mahdi Bray. Show all posts
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Attending Sabeel Conference in Boston
What is Sabeel? Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to social action
I will be attending this weekend the Sabeel Conference in Boston and it is my honor that Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa will be appearing as the keynote speaker. He is a man I have admired for years as he bravely struggled before the eyes and ears of the world against the apartheid system in South Africa and at this conference we will address the parallels between that period and the hardships being suffered by the people of Palestine.
Archbishop Tutu will give a keynote address in entitled "The Apartheid Paradigm:
Issues of Justice and Equality". Another issue that will be explored in detail is the treatment of Palestinian Christians in the occupied territories which is an issue that is overlooked by many segments of the Christian community in America.
I am attending this program to view a distinguished ecumenical panel that will include Rev. Cannon Naim Ateek, Phyllis Bennis, Professor Anat Biletzki, Diana Buttu, Prof. Noam Chomsky, Prof. John Dugard, Noura Erakat, Dr. Nancy Miller and more.
For a look at the diverse sponsors of this event, including the Massachusetts Islamic society you can go the website where you can also get information on attending the event if you are in the Boston area and will not be glued to the TV watching the World Series.
3 Strikes and You're Out at The Legal Fishing Expedition
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Oct. 22, 2007 – MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS) has learned of today's announcement that the Dallas, TX jury has returned a "not guilty" verdict for the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) defendants. While there remains a mixture of verdict response on some charges, a mistrial on most of the remaining defendants has been reached.
MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray, who has shuttled repeatedly between Washington and Dallas for the HLF trial and coordinated the Dulles-based Hungry for Justice Coalition stated, "This is a good day for the rule of law. A jury of Dallas citizens has rejected the government's outrageous overreach in this case and has made it crystal clear that in America, free speech is protected and feeding hungry children is not a crime – and that includes Palestinian children as well."
"They tried it in Florida, they tried it in Chicago, and they tried it in Texas, as they say in baseball; three strikes and you're out" Bray proclaimed.
Central to many in the Muslim community is the unprecedented use of designating over 300 individuals, including many major Muslim organizations, as "unindicted co-conspirators." MAS Freedom has strongly protested this and continues to fight this abuse by the US government. "Use of the wholesale designation "un-indicted co-conspirator" smears the reputation of well-respected Muslim organizations and their leaderships and it cannot be allowed to continue," stated Bray.
“The government needs to stop wasting the money of taxpayers with all of these legalized fishing expeditions. They tried it in Florida with Dr. Sami al-Arian and failed, they tried it in Chicago with Dr. Abdul-Halim al-Ashqar and Mohamed Saleh and failed, and now the government has failed in their efforts in Texas to connect anyone from the Holy Land Foundation with international terrorism and it should be three strikes and your out for the government.” Bray said.
MAS Freedom will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.
MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray, who has shuttled repeatedly between Washington and Dallas for the HLF trial and coordinated the Dulles-based Hungry for Justice Coalition stated, "This is a good day for the rule of law. A jury of Dallas citizens has rejected the government's outrageous overreach in this case and has made it crystal clear that in America, free speech is protected and feeding hungry children is not a crime – and that includes Palestinian children as well."
"They tried it in Florida, they tried it in Chicago, and they tried it in Texas, as they say in baseball; three strikes and you're out" Bray proclaimed.
Central to many in the Muslim community is the unprecedented use of designating over 300 individuals, including many major Muslim organizations, as "unindicted co-conspirators." MAS Freedom has strongly protested this and continues to fight this abuse by the US government. "Use of the wholesale designation "un-indicted co-conspirator" smears the reputation of well-respected Muslim organizations and their leaderships and it cannot be allowed to continue," stated Bray.
“The government needs to stop wasting the money of taxpayers with all of these legalized fishing expeditions. They tried it in Florida with Dr. Sami al-Arian and failed, they tried it in Chicago with Dr. Abdul-Halim al-Ashqar and Mohamed Saleh and failed, and now the government has failed in their efforts in Texas to connect anyone from the Holy Land Foundation with international terrorism and it should be three strikes and your out for the government.” Bray said.
MAS Freedom will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
More Compassion Needed
Larry James writes about the causes of homelessness in this post (h/t Street Prophets)
In that vain, this comment from pastordan (of Street Prophets) says it all:
Those who are working to eradicate homelessness via soup kitchens are certainly doing outstanding work, but the above is why we need to work to change policies to make sure that these people can pick themselves up and we can make lasting changes on peoples' lives
Roman laid out an interesting, brief historical overview of the problem of homelessness in the U. S. She pointed out that prior to 1983, homelessness wasn't much of a problem in the nation. Her organization and, more recently, her plans emerged as a result of the growing national crisis.
She didn't say, but I couldn't help but wonder about causes for the rather sudden explosion of the number of homeless in America. Several things came to mind.
The Vietnam War and the thousands of veterans who returned unprepared for what greeted them. Side bar: a friend of mine who is a psychiatrist at Veteran's Hospital here in Dallas told me that 85% of his homeless patients suffer from post traumatic syndrome due to events that occurred prior to their military service--the military being their place of escape until their tenures of service ended.
The Reagan Era and its more draconian social benefits and programs built on the theories of supply-side economics.
De-institutionalizing mental health treatment and services across the nation.
Ironically, the "war on drugs" that has resulted in the incarceration of millions of men and women who likely needed treatment instead of what they received. Upon release countless of these people ended up on our streets with few options for work or housing.
The forces that have created a growing gap between the wealthy and the impoverished have also fueled the growth in the homeless population. Outsourcing of millions of better paying American jobs would be included here.
The disappearance of the old "boarding houses" that existed everywhere until the mid to late 1960s.
Since the early 1980s, service providers have responded to the growing problem of homelessness. By the late 1990s there were over 40,000 programs in the U. S. designed to address the issues of homelessness.
Ironically, the homeless population doubled! The proliferation of services does not equal a solution to the problem.
In that vain, this comment from pastordan (of Street Prophets) says it all:
This is why charity alone will not address social problems. How could a soup kitchen or shelter address the inequalities of drug sentencing, mental health treatment, income distribution and housing? These are all things that require policy answers, and smart ones. And policy solutions require advocacy. What James is saying here is essentially that our society creates homelessness. To eradicate it will require a basic reworking of the drift of government over the past 40 years. That kind of change doesn't happen by itself, and it requires more than small, isolated groups treating the symptoms.
Those who are working to eradicate homelessness via soup kitchens are certainly doing outstanding work, but the above is why we need to work to change policies to make sure that these people can pick themselves up and we can make lasting changes on peoples' lives
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Two more articles on 'Islamofascism Week'
People are seeing through the deception of 'Islamofacism Awareness Week'
Horowitz Spins 'facts' Aimlessly
Audience challenges Rick Santorum
Horowitz Spins 'facts' Aimlessly
Audience challenges Rick Santorum
Mahdi Bray Responds
In Tim Craig's Washington Post article on October 21, 2007 (Two2 GOP Lawmakers Allege Democrats Have Ties to Terrorism), he mentions my appearance in a video clip from eight years ago provided by the Investigative Project. The clip comes from the video of a rally in Lafayette Park protesting the death of Palestinian civilians by the Israeli Defense Forces.
This short video clip of me is now being widely disseminated as evidence of my support of terrorism and terrorist organizations. In actuality, what is being depicted was a spoof response to the speech given by Mr. Abdur-Rahman Alamoudi.
At the time of this rally, Mr. Alamoudi was a leading American Muslim leader with strong ties to the U.S. government. Those ties extended into the early months of the George W. Bush Administration. Mr. Alamoudi angrily showed up at the rally after having been rebuffed by Hillary Clinton in her initial bid for the U.S. Senate. Ms. Clinton had returned campaign funds raised for her by Mr. Alamoudi.
Although not scheduled to speak at the rally, Mr. Alamoudi was invited to speak, and began to thumb his nose at the Clinton Administration, saying, satirically, that he and the entire crowd were terrorists and supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah. Of course, no one on stage or in the audience took Mr. Alamoudi seriously. A closer examination of the video clip actually shows me pumping my fists and laughing Mr. Alamoudi's over- the- top- antics.
But what a difference September 11th, 2001 has made. Alamoudi, a former Goodwill Ambassador for the State Department, is now incarcerated on the charge of supporting an assassination plot by Libya's leader Muammar Khadafy to assassinate a Saudi Prince. Hamas won elections in Palestine. Khadafy is now a friend of America. Hillary Clinton is running for president of the United States. And a grainy, out-of-focus video clip, provided by a group that has turned Muslim-bashing into a cottage industry has now transformed me into a supporter of terrorism.
For the record, nothing in my writings or speeches has ever given support to terrorism. I have spent my life as a practicing Muslim activist denouncing religious extremism, racism and bigotry while working tirelessly to support interfaith dialogue, diversity, pluralism, and alternatives to violence as a means to resolve conflicts.
A 30 second, surreptitiously recorded video clip cannot erase my 30 years of dedicated struggle for social justice and human rights for all individuals.
Imam Mahdi Bray
Washington, DC
This short video clip of me is now being widely disseminated as evidence of my support of terrorism and terrorist organizations. In actuality, what is being depicted was a spoof response to the speech given by Mr. Abdur-Rahman Alamoudi.
At the time of this rally, Mr. Alamoudi was a leading American Muslim leader with strong ties to the U.S. government. Those ties extended into the early months of the George W. Bush Administration. Mr. Alamoudi angrily showed up at the rally after having been rebuffed by Hillary Clinton in her initial bid for the U.S. Senate. Ms. Clinton had returned campaign funds raised for her by Mr. Alamoudi.
Although not scheduled to speak at the rally, Mr. Alamoudi was invited to speak, and began to thumb his nose at the Clinton Administration, saying, satirically, that he and the entire crowd were terrorists and supporters of Hamas and Hezbollah. Of course, no one on stage or in the audience took Mr. Alamoudi seriously. A closer examination of the video clip actually shows me pumping my fists and laughing Mr. Alamoudi's over- the- top- antics.
But what a difference September 11th, 2001 has made. Alamoudi, a former Goodwill Ambassador for the State Department, is now incarcerated on the charge of supporting an assassination plot by Libya's leader Muammar Khadafy to assassinate a Saudi Prince. Hamas won elections in Palestine. Khadafy is now a friend of America. Hillary Clinton is running for president of the United States. And a grainy, out-of-focus video clip, provided by a group that has turned Muslim-bashing into a cottage industry has now transformed me into a supporter of terrorism.
For the record, nothing in my writings or speeches has ever given support to terrorism. I have spent my life as a practicing Muslim activist denouncing religious extremism, racism and bigotry while working tirelessly to support interfaith dialogue, diversity, pluralism, and alternatives to violence as a means to resolve conflicts.
A 30 second, surreptitiously recorded video clip cannot erase my 30 years of dedicated struggle for social justice and human rights for all individuals.
Imam Mahdi Bray
Washington, DC
A Call to Help Those in California Fleeing Wildfires
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that no one truly believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself and in the spirit of this hadith I am calling on all Muslims to do whatever they can to alleviate the suffering of those in California forced to flee their homes because of the fires. Those interesting in donating and helping the victims of the California wildfires should visit the website of the MAS Service Corps in order to donate.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Thinkprogress on Inflations of Horowtiz
On college campuses across America this week, conservatives are gathering together to listen to right-wing luminaries such as Ann Coulter and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) as part of David Horowitz’s Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week.
Horowitz is claiming that it will be “the biggest conservative campus protest ever” and “a wake-up call for Americans on 200 university and college campuses” about “the enemy.” But on CSPAN’s Washington Journal this weekend, Kareem Shora, the Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, said that Horowitz was dramatically overstating the number of participating schools:
We contacted those institutions, alerting them to the fact that their name was being used, and wondering what exactly was taking place. … It’s important to note though, after we contacted those institutions, most of those institutions indicated that no such events is taking place on those campus. And many contacted the sponsors and told them, “do not use my institution’s name in your campaign,” including some very renowned universities such as Yale and Princeton.
Shora also said that the president of Liberty University, the evangelical school founded by Jerry Falwell, also had their name removed from Horowitz’s list. Watch it:
For the rest go here
Horowitz is claiming that it will be “the biggest conservative campus protest ever” and “a wake-up call for Americans on 200 university and college campuses” about “the enemy.” But on CSPAN’s Washington Journal this weekend, Kareem Shora, the Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, said that Horowitz was dramatically overstating the number of participating schools:
We contacted those institutions, alerting them to the fact that their name was being used, and wondering what exactly was taking place. … It’s important to note though, after we contacted those institutions, most of those institutions indicated that no such events is taking place on those campus. And many contacted the sponsors and told them, “do not use my institution’s name in your campaign,” including some very renowned universities such as Yale and Princeton.
Shora also said that the president of Liberty University, the evangelical school founded by Jerry Falwell, also had their name removed from Horowitz’s list. Watch it:
For the rest go here
Monday, October 22, 2007
A Call for an End to Xenophobia in Virginia Politics
We are calling on all of those running for office, workers in their campaigns and elected officials in the Commonwealth of Virginia to refrain form using xenophobic tactics in order to achieve political gain.
In this day and age it is unacceptable that some Virginian politicians are trying to score political points by creating a mass-hysteria against the law-abiding and peace loving Muslim citizens of Virginia, our hardworking and earnest Latino residents, and others who can be cast as “the other” in order to win elections.
The signers of this petition demand a new politics for Virginia that is not based on dividing people, but on uniting them on our shared values, and creating a better and more diverse future for us all.
To sign this petition go to http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/VAxen
In this day and age it is unacceptable that some Virginian politicians are trying to score political points by creating a mass-hysteria against the law-abiding and peace loving Muslim citizens of Virginia, our hardworking and earnest Latino residents, and others who can be cast as “the other” in order to win elections.
The signers of this petition demand a new politics for Virginia that is not based on dividing people, but on uniting them on our shared values, and creating a better and more diverse future for us all.
To sign this petition go to http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/VAxen
Friday, October 19, 2007
A Letter to the Great Warrior Evander Holyfield and Those in the Boxing Industry
In the Name of Allah The Most Gracious The Most Merciful,
Normally, as a man in a position of spiritual and civic leadership, I do not address the issue of sports in my public writing and activism, although I am a lifelong sports fan and an ardent fan of the Sweet Science, but on this issue my conscious will not allow me to remain silent.
Over the years one of my favorite boxers has been Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield who made his legacy first as a dominating cruiserweight and then as one of the all-time great heavyweights in his battles with Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moore, George Foreman, and James “Buster” Douglas.
However, all of us who enter this world are terminally-ill, and aging and death is a reality for all humans. The physical strength and athletic ability we have as young men decreases as we get older as a natural process of aging. Therefore, some things we do when we are younger and more vibrant have to be given up as we get older. For most of us this takes place out of the public eye and in private, but in the case of Brother Holyfield, his battle with the aging process and the negative impact on his body is open for the world to see.
Boxing is a great sport, but it is known that if one stays in the sport longer than the body has the ability to compete, that damages from head-blows can lead to long-term brain damage and even death and it would be a national tragedy if one of our great athletes in Brother Holyfield, would either lose his ability to speak in the eloquent manner in which he does, or God-forbid, if he would perish in the ring. However, continuing to fight at this stage of his career, both of these things are a true reality.
As the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society, a grassroots civil-rights organization dedicated to defending all Americans, I call first and foremost to Brother Holyfield and his team, and then to the moral-conscious of all of those in the boxing industry, to put health, safety, and the greater-good, above any short-term monetary gain.
The two leading networks in boxing, HBO and Showtime, have shown wisdom in this regard, and many in the boxing and sports press have echoed these sentiments; but it is time for all in the industry, every network, every sanctioning body, every organization, and every promoter, to stand for what is right in this matter.
May the Peace and Blessings of The Creator be Upon All,
Imam Mahdi Bray
Executive Director
MAS Freedom Foundation
Normally, as a man in a position of spiritual and civic leadership, I do not address the issue of sports in my public writing and activism, although I am a lifelong sports fan and an ardent fan of the Sweet Science, but on this issue my conscious will not allow me to remain silent.
Over the years one of my favorite boxers has been Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield who made his legacy first as a dominating cruiserweight and then as one of the all-time great heavyweights in his battles with Mike Tyson, Riddick Bowe, Michael Moore, George Foreman, and James “Buster” Douglas.
However, all of us who enter this world are terminally-ill, and aging and death is a reality for all humans. The physical strength and athletic ability we have as young men decreases as we get older as a natural process of aging. Therefore, some things we do when we are younger and more vibrant have to be given up as we get older. For most of us this takes place out of the public eye and in private, but in the case of Brother Holyfield, his battle with the aging process and the negative impact on his body is open for the world to see.
Boxing is a great sport, but it is known that if one stays in the sport longer than the body has the ability to compete, that damages from head-blows can lead to long-term brain damage and even death and it would be a national tragedy if one of our great athletes in Brother Holyfield, would either lose his ability to speak in the eloquent manner in which he does, or God-forbid, if he would perish in the ring. However, continuing to fight at this stage of his career, both of these things are a true reality.
As the Executive Director of the Muslim American Society, a grassroots civil-rights organization dedicated to defending all Americans, I call first and foremost to Brother Holyfield and his team, and then to the moral-conscious of all of those in the boxing industry, to put health, safety, and the greater-good, above any short-term monetary gain.
The two leading networks in boxing, HBO and Showtime, have shown wisdom in this regard, and many in the boxing and sports press have echoed these sentiments; but it is time for all in the industry, every network, every sanctioning body, every organization, and every promoter, to stand for what is right in this matter.
May the Peace and Blessings of The Creator be Upon All,
Imam Mahdi Bray
Executive Director
MAS Freedom Foundation
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Press Conference Tomorrow
MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), will hold a press conference at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday, October 18th, 2007 in the Zenger Room of the National Press Club at 529 14th Street, N.W. (13th Floor) in Washington, D.C.
The press conference will be held in response to the call for an "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" set for October 22-26, 2007, organized by David Horowitz, president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
The coalition of organizations and student leaders will announce its plan to initiate a national campaign called 'Students United against Hate'.
MAS Freedom indicates that the campaign will respond not only to numerous incidents of anti-Muslim sentiment on campuses, but also to other symbols of hatred and intolerance recently found on college campuses, including nooses and swastikas displayed at Columbia University in New York City.
Who: MAS Freedom
What: MASF Response to 'Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week
When: Thursday, October 18, at 10:00 AM
Where: National Press Club
529 14th Street N.W. - 13th Floor, Zenger Room
Washington, DC
MAS Freedom Human and Civil Rights Director, Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey, states that this new initiative is intended to "bring together a large community of students and student leaders organized against racism and religious hatred - especially the brand of hatred and intolerance exhibited by David Horowitz and his anti-Muslim and anti-progressive allies."
"We will demonstrate that the great majority of college students in America stand against and oppose both racism and religious hatred," Ramey concluded.
The press conference will be held in response to the call for an "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" set for October 22-26, 2007, organized by David Horowitz, president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center.
The coalition of organizations and student leaders will announce its plan to initiate a national campaign called 'Students United against Hate'.
MAS Freedom indicates that the campaign will respond not only to numerous incidents of anti-Muslim sentiment on campuses, but also to other symbols of hatred and intolerance recently found on college campuses, including nooses and swastikas displayed at Columbia University in New York City.
Who: MAS Freedom
What: MASF Response to 'Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week
When: Thursday, October 18, at 10:00 AM
Where: National Press Club
529 14th Street N.W. - 13th Floor, Zenger Room
Washington, DC
MAS Freedom Human and Civil Rights Director, Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey, states that this new initiative is intended to "bring together a large community of students and student leaders organized against racism and religious hatred - especially the brand of hatred and intolerance exhibited by David Horowitz and his anti-Muslim and anti-progressive allies."
"We will demonstrate that the great majority of college students in America stand against and oppose both racism and religious hatred," Ramey concluded.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Sad and Disturbed Youth
A young man in North Carolina gave a very troubling interview in the NY Times in which he erroneously claims that Islam supports terror and the vile actions of terrorists. I along with many other Americans (Muslim and non-Muslim) find this to be extremely offensive and want to say to all my readers that Islam is far from this thing and join with Tariq Nelson, Esam Omeish, Sameer Parker, Imam Johari Abdul-Malik and other Muslims in condemning these evil statements in the name of Islam
Friday, October 12, 2007
Number of Blacks Earning Bachelor’s Degrees At All-Time High
Some news to share about Black Americans
According to the U.S. Department of Education, in the year 2005 blacks earned 136,122 four-year bachelor’s degrees from American colleges and universities. The number of blacks earning bachelor’s degrees increased nearly 4 percent from the previous year. In that year the number of African Americans earning bachelor’s degrees reached the highest level in this nation’s history. It was more than double the number of bachelor’s degrees earned by blacks in 1990.
The large increase in bachelor’s degrees earned by blacks is encouraging, but the other side of the news is that only about two out of every five black students who enroll as freshmen in college go on to graduate within six years from the same institution they entered. Blacks are now nearly 12 percent of total enrollments in higher education, but in the 2005 academic year they earned only 9.5 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded.
But note that this figure too measures considerable progress. As recently as 1985 blacks earned only 5.9 percent of all bachelor’s degrees awarded in the United States.
Friday, September 14, 2007
MAS Freedom and Antiwar Leaders Hold Press Conference to Announce Plans for Sept. 15 Mass March and Die-In
Rally to Conclude with MAS Freedom Sponsored Ramadan Iftar
WASHINGTON, DC – September 12, 2007 (MASNET) This afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), together with the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Cindy Sheehan, Iraq War Veterans and other anti-war leaders, held a press conference to discuss the September 15, 2007 March on Washington and Die-In.
On September 15 MAS Freedom encourages you to join tens of thousands of people for the March on Washington to End the War in Iraq and to participate in a "Die-In" - a large-scale civil disobedience led by Iraq War Veterans.
"These will not be like other antiwar demonstrations, but the initiation of a campaign of nationwide protest and resistance," said MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.
Today's press conference included the following speakers and supporters of the March on Washington to End the War in Iraq:
Cindy Sheehan, Co-Founder, Gold Star Families for Peace; mother of Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, KIA in Sadr City Baghdad on April 4, 2004
Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, MAS Freedom
Tina Richards, CEO of Grassroots America and Mother of Marine whose son was selected to be reactivated & sent to Iraq for third tour and while fighting against it, she had a chance encounter with Congressman David Obey where she gained national media attention
Adam Kokesh, Co-Chair of Iraq Veterans Against the War who recently gained national media attention when the Marines threatened him with discipline for his anti-war advocacy
Carlos Arredondo, Gold Star parents whose son, Alex, died in Iraq in 2004
Eugene Puryear, Howard University student, Youth & Student A.N.S.W.E.R.
Mounzer Sleiman, Vice-Chair, National Council of Arab Americans; TV Commentator
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, attorney and co-founder, Partnership for Civil Justice; National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Committee
Brian Becker, National Coordinator, A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
In addition the speakers listed above, those speaking at the September 15 will include:
Ralph Nader
Malik Rahim, Founder, Common Ground Collective, New Orleans
Cindy Sheehan, Co-Founder, Gold Star Families for Peace
Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general
Etan Thomas, Washington Wizards Basketball Player
And many other veterans, family members, anti-war, student and community leaders!
Additional activities in support of the antiwar movement will continue throughout the week, beginning on September 15 through September 21 all on conjunction with demanding the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq. Learn more about how you can participate or help here or by visiting Sept15.org.
The September 15 March on Washington to End the War in Iraq, also happens to mark the third day of Ramadan (the Muslim month of fasting). At the conclusion of the rally, MAS Freedom invites you a massive Ramadan Iftar (breaking of the fast) in Lafayette Park across from the Whitehouse.
"We will break our fast with dates and water, feed the homeless and hungry, and pray for the homeless and hungry in the USA, Gaza, Iraq, South Asia, Africa, and throughout the world who are in need of bread not bombs," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.
Bray added, "It is most appropriate that during the blessed month of Ramadan, we contemplate on the Divine by standing for justice against occupation and oppression, and that is what this war is all about. We call upon the Muslim community and all people of conscience, to join us in fasting and prayer in Washington, D.C. on September 15."
WASHINGTON, DC – September 12, 2007 (MASNET) This afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), together with the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, Cindy Sheehan, Iraq War Veterans and other anti-war leaders, held a press conference to discuss the September 15, 2007 March on Washington and Die-In.
On September 15 MAS Freedom encourages you to join tens of thousands of people for the March on Washington to End the War in Iraq and to participate in a "Die-In" - a large-scale civil disobedience led by Iraq War Veterans.
"These will not be like other antiwar demonstrations, but the initiation of a campaign of nationwide protest and resistance," said MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.
Today's press conference included the following speakers and supporters of the March on Washington to End the War in Iraq:
Cindy Sheehan, Co-Founder, Gold Star Families for Peace; mother of Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, KIA in Sadr City Baghdad on April 4, 2004
Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, MAS Freedom
Tina Richards, CEO of Grassroots America and Mother of Marine whose son was selected to be reactivated & sent to Iraq for third tour and while fighting against it, she had a chance encounter with Congressman David Obey where she gained national media attention
Adam Kokesh, Co-Chair of Iraq Veterans Against the War who recently gained national media attention when the Marines threatened him with discipline for his anti-war advocacy
Carlos Arredondo, Gold Star parents whose son, Alex, died in Iraq in 2004
Eugene Puryear, Howard University student, Youth & Student A.N.S.W.E.R.
Mounzer Sleiman, Vice-Chair, National Council of Arab Americans; TV Commentator
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, attorney and co-founder, Partnership for Civil Justice; National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Committee
Brian Becker, National Coordinator, A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
In addition the speakers listed above, those speaking at the September 15 will include:
Ralph Nader
Malik Rahim, Founder, Common Ground Collective, New Orleans
Cindy Sheehan, Co-Founder, Gold Star Families for Peace
Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general
Etan Thomas, Washington Wizards Basketball Player
And many other veterans, family members, anti-war, student and community leaders!
Additional activities in support of the antiwar movement will continue throughout the week, beginning on September 15 through September 21 all on conjunction with demanding the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq. Learn more about how you can participate or help here or by visiting Sept15.org.
The September 15 March on Washington to End the War in Iraq, also happens to mark the third day of Ramadan (the Muslim month of fasting). At the conclusion of the rally, MAS Freedom invites you a massive Ramadan Iftar (breaking of the fast) in Lafayette Park across from the Whitehouse.
"We will break our fast with dates and water, feed the homeless and hungry, and pray for the homeless and hungry in the USA, Gaza, Iraq, South Asia, Africa, and throughout the world who are in need of bread not bombs," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray.
Bray added, "It is most appropriate that during the blessed month of Ramadan, we contemplate on the Divine by standing for justice against occupation and oppression, and that is what this war is all about. We call upon the Muslim community and all people of conscience, to join us in fasting and prayer in Washington, D.C. on September 15."
Thursday, September 13, 2007
From the Desk of Imam Mahdi Bray: Ramadan Reflections on World Hunger
WASHINGTON, DC - Sept. 13, 2007 (MASNET) We at MAS Freedom (MASF) would like to take a moment to extent our warmest Ramadan greetings to the community. As we pass through this sacred month of Ramadan, let our hearts turn to those who are living in war zones, under oppression, and suffering silently, every single day, in poverty and hunger.
Let us also reflect more deeply on the true meaning of Ramadan; that time when we are are reminded that all Muslims are enjoined by our Creator to abstain from all eating and drinking during daylight hours. This month of fasting and spiritual reflection brings us closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and more attuned to the needs and suffering of other human beings.
Indeed, we experience the temporary discomfort of hunger and thirst each day, but the magnitude of chronic hunger in our world is truly staggering.
Consider, if you will, the following disturbing statistics:
· One in twelve people in the world is malnourished.
· Every year, 15 million children die of hunger - or more than 41 thousand a day.
· Nearly 1.3 billion human beings live on less than one dollar a day, while about 3 billion struggle to survive on less that $2 a day.
· A human being dies of hunger every 3.6 seconds.
· To satisfy the world’s sanitation and food requirements would cost only $13 billion dollars-about what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume, each year.
Closer to home, right here in the United States, the wealthiest nation, some 37 million children live poverty line.
Additionally, the United States ranks only 23rd among industrial nations in child mortality.
Ramadan, to be sure, is a time of hunger for Muslims living in a suffering-and starving-world.
MAS Freedom, together with individual activists, are responding to the needs of our neighbors by supporting food pantries and soup kitchens in our communities, not only during Ramadan, but throughout the year. This is an example of meeting the 'neighborly needs' mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’un and incurring the favor of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala through charity and generosity.
"Do you see one who denies the Judgment (to come)? Then such is the (man) who repulses the orphan with harshness, and does not encourage the feeding of the indigent. Woe to the worshippers who are neglectful of their prayers, but refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs." (Translation of the meaning.)
We encourage all Muslims, and all people of faith and conscience, to show compassion and charity to the poor and homeless.
It is important that we work together toward transformation of the domestic and foreign policies of the United States to insure that every human being on our planet enjoys the basic human right of freedom from hunger.
May our Lord accept our fast and sacrifice, and may He bring us closer to him through service to humankind.
Please also note that postal stamps commemorating the two Eids, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, can be purchased at your local post office or online here. Eid stamps may also be ordered by calling 1-800-STAMP-24.
Your support of MAS Freedom initiatives is crucial to its continued efforts on behalf of the Muslim American community. Please donate generously.
Let us also reflect more deeply on the true meaning of Ramadan; that time when we are are reminded that all Muslims are enjoined by our Creator to abstain from all eating and drinking during daylight hours. This month of fasting and spiritual reflection brings us closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and more attuned to the needs and suffering of other human beings.
Indeed, we experience the temporary discomfort of hunger and thirst each day, but the magnitude of chronic hunger in our world is truly staggering.
Consider, if you will, the following disturbing statistics:
· One in twelve people in the world is malnourished.
· Every year, 15 million children die of hunger - or more than 41 thousand a day.
· Nearly 1.3 billion human beings live on less than one dollar a day, while about 3 billion struggle to survive on less that $2 a day.
· A human being dies of hunger every 3.6 seconds.
· To satisfy the world’s sanitation and food requirements would cost only $13 billion dollars-about what the people of the United States and the European Union spend on perfume, each year.
Closer to home, right here in the United States, the wealthiest nation, some 37 million children live poverty line.
Additionally, the United States ranks only 23rd among industrial nations in child mortality.
Ramadan, to be sure, is a time of hunger for Muslims living in a suffering-and starving-world.
MAS Freedom, together with individual activists, are responding to the needs of our neighbors by supporting food pantries and soup kitchens in our communities, not only during Ramadan, but throughout the year. This is an example of meeting the 'neighborly needs' mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’un and incurring the favor of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala through charity and generosity.
"Do you see one who denies the Judgment (to come)? Then such is the (man) who repulses the orphan with harshness, and does not encourage the feeding of the indigent. Woe to the worshippers who are neglectful of their prayers, but refuse (to supply) (even) neighbourly needs." (Translation of the meaning.)
We encourage all Muslims, and all people of faith and conscience, to show compassion and charity to the poor and homeless.
It is important that we work together toward transformation of the domestic and foreign policies of the United States to insure that every human being on our planet enjoys the basic human right of freedom from hunger.
May our Lord accept our fast and sacrifice, and may He bring us closer to him through service to humankind.
Please also note that postal stamps commemorating the two Eids, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, can be purchased at your local post office or online here. Eid stamps may also be ordered by calling 1-800-STAMP-24.
Your support of MAS Freedom initiatives is crucial to its continued efforts on behalf of the Muslim American community. Please donate generously.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
From the Desk of Imam Mahdi Bray: MAS Freedom Calls for Closing of Guantanamo and Release of Al-Jazeera Cameraman Sami Al Haj
WASHINGTON, DC - August 29, 2007 (MASNET) MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), calls for the closing of Guantanamo and release of Al-Jazeera journalist Sami Al Haj. Below is a report from Reporters Without Borders and MAS Freedom's letter to the Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.
Sudanese Cameraman Sami Al-Haj in Critical Condition in Guantanamo
Reporters Without Borders voiced "deep concern" on August 22, 2007 about Sudanese cameraman Sami Al-Haj, a Guantanamo detainee since June 2002, whose lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, said yesterday after recovering his notes from US military censors that his client’s health has worsened considerably in recent days. Referring to the death of four prisoners in just over a year, Al-Haj told him he feared for his survival.
"We strongly condemn the reprisals applied to Al-Haj and other prisoners for choosing to go on hunger strike," the press freedom organization said. "We do not encourage them to pursue this desperate course, but the US military does not have the right to feed them by force. It is also unacceptable that interviews between lawyers and their clients in Guantanamo are monitored and censored. We hope Al-Haj will finally be released and his constitutional rights will be guaranteed."
Stafford Smith saw his client in Guantanamo in early July but his notes were not returned to him until last week and they came with many deletions. He said in a statement that Al-Haj was suffered from intestinal problems and has lost 18 kilos since beginning his hunger strike last December. This was disputed by Guantanamo spokesman Rick Haupt, who said Al-Haj’s weight was "ideal."
Stafford Smith said his client’s mental condition had also worsened. He said Al-Haj had difficulty concentrating and expressing himself in English when they met. He was also very anxious and subject to paranoia attacks, and feared dying if his situation does not improve.
"Sami Al-Haj asks for just one thing, to be granted a fair trial and to be released," Stafford-Smith said in a message to Reporters Without Borders. "But the US military are just as determined to deny him this right. When I saw him recently, he was in a bad physical and mental condition and was talking of his death. It is now more urgent than ever that he should be freed."
Al-Haj told his lawyer that the conditions in which he was being held had become much worse and the guards often punished the hunger-strikers by, for example, putting them in more painful chains. "I never caused the military any problems, but they punish me over time."
He also told Stafford Smith that often-inexperienced "nurses" inflicted injuries on the detainees during force-feeding by using large-diameter tubes or by inserting them into the lungs instead of the stomach.
Haupt insisted that, thanks to the medical team’s efforts, none of the hunger-strikers was in danger of dying. But Al-Haj said the doctors were useless and have not granted any of his requests. "We have more confidence in the guards than the doctors, who have not done anything for our health," he said. Four prisoners have died in Guantanamo since June 2006 as a result of hunger-strikes and force-feeding. A Sudanese newspaper recently reported that the US authorities planned to release Al-Haj soon, but Stafford Smith said the Sudanese government has advised his family to pay no attention to these "rumors."
Aged 38 and the father of a small boy, Al-Haj was working as an assistant cameraman for the Qatar-based TV station Al-Jazeera when he was arrested by Pakistani security forces at the Afghan border in December 2001 and was handed over to the US military six months later. No charges have ever been brought against him.
URL: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23363
August 30, 2007
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Gates:
The Muslim American Society (MAS) and MAS Freedom, the civil and human rights advocacy entity of MAS, urgently request your immediate action to free Sami Al-Haj from the Guantanamo prison camp. We make this appeal both for humanitarian reasons and because of Mr. Al-Haj's life-threatening medical condition.
This prisoner, as you are aware, was a cameraman working for the Al-Jazeera network when he was taken into custody by United States military forces and transported to Guantanamo. There was never any proof of his involvement in armed conflict or actions against the United States. Further, he has not been given the opportunity for a trial.
Because of this, we have joined with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and other international human rights advocates who call for his immediate release from Guantanamo.
Mr. Al Haj's attorney, Clive Stafford-Smith, recently reported that Sami has suffered a weight loss of nearly 40 pounds, and that his mental condition has deteriorated considerably as a result of his captivity.
For the sake of his life, and for the integrity of the system of fair justice that America proclaims to the world, we call upon you to use the power and influence of your office to release Sami Al-Haj from captivity.
Sincerely yours,
Ibrahim Ramey
Director, Human and Civil Rights Division
MAS Freedom
Sudanese Cameraman Sami Al-Haj in Critical Condition in Guantanamo
Reporters Without Borders voiced "deep concern" on August 22, 2007 about Sudanese cameraman Sami Al-Haj, a Guantanamo detainee since June 2002, whose lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, said yesterday after recovering his notes from US military censors that his client’s health has worsened considerably in recent days. Referring to the death of four prisoners in just over a year, Al-Haj told him he feared for his survival.
"We strongly condemn the reprisals applied to Al-Haj and other prisoners for choosing to go on hunger strike," the press freedom organization said. "We do not encourage them to pursue this desperate course, but the US military does not have the right to feed them by force. It is also unacceptable that interviews between lawyers and their clients in Guantanamo are monitored and censored. We hope Al-Haj will finally be released and his constitutional rights will be guaranteed."
Stafford Smith saw his client in Guantanamo in early July but his notes were not returned to him until last week and they came with many deletions. He said in a statement that Al-Haj was suffered from intestinal problems and has lost 18 kilos since beginning his hunger strike last December. This was disputed by Guantanamo spokesman Rick Haupt, who said Al-Haj’s weight was "ideal."
Stafford Smith said his client’s mental condition had also worsened. He said Al-Haj had difficulty concentrating and expressing himself in English when they met. He was also very anxious and subject to paranoia attacks, and feared dying if his situation does not improve.
"Sami Al-Haj asks for just one thing, to be granted a fair trial and to be released," Stafford-Smith said in a message to Reporters Without Borders. "But the US military are just as determined to deny him this right. When I saw him recently, he was in a bad physical and mental condition and was talking of his death. It is now more urgent than ever that he should be freed."
Al-Haj told his lawyer that the conditions in which he was being held had become much worse and the guards often punished the hunger-strikers by, for example, putting them in more painful chains. "I never caused the military any problems, but they punish me over time."
He also told Stafford Smith that often-inexperienced "nurses" inflicted injuries on the detainees during force-feeding by using large-diameter tubes or by inserting them into the lungs instead of the stomach.
Haupt insisted that, thanks to the medical team’s efforts, none of the hunger-strikers was in danger of dying. But Al-Haj said the doctors were useless and have not granted any of his requests. "We have more confidence in the guards than the doctors, who have not done anything for our health," he said. Four prisoners have died in Guantanamo since June 2006 as a result of hunger-strikes and force-feeding. A Sudanese newspaper recently reported that the US authorities planned to release Al-Haj soon, but Stafford Smith said the Sudanese government has advised his family to pay no attention to these "rumors."
Aged 38 and the father of a small boy, Al-Haj was working as an assistant cameraman for the Qatar-based TV station Al-Jazeera when he was arrested by Pakistani security forces at the Afghan border in December 2001 and was handed over to the US military six months later. No charges have ever been brought against him.
URL: http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=23363
August 30, 2007
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-1000
Dear Secretary Gates:
The Muslim American Society (MAS) and MAS Freedom, the civil and human rights advocacy entity of MAS, urgently request your immediate action to free Sami Al-Haj from the Guantanamo prison camp. We make this appeal both for humanitarian reasons and because of Mr. Al-Haj's life-threatening medical condition.
This prisoner, as you are aware, was a cameraman working for the Al-Jazeera network when he was taken into custody by United States military forces and transported to Guantanamo. There was never any proof of his involvement in armed conflict or actions against the United States. Further, he has not been given the opportunity for a trial.
Because of this, we have joined with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and other international human rights advocates who call for his immediate release from Guantanamo.
Mr. Al Haj's attorney, Clive Stafford-Smith, recently reported that Sami has suffered a weight loss of nearly 40 pounds, and that his mental condition has deteriorated considerably as a result of his captivity.
For the sake of his life, and for the integrity of the system of fair justice that America proclaims to the world, we call upon you to use the power and influence of your office to release Sami Al-Haj from captivity.
Sincerely yours,
Ibrahim Ramey
Director, Human and Civil Rights Division
MAS Freedom
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Unwarranted Personal Intrusions Violate Religious Freedom
WASHINGTON, DC - August 28, 2007 (MASNET) MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), joins with members of the Sikh Coalition and other faith organizations in objecting to the new rules issued by the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), regarding the permissibility of the searching of turbans, hijabs, and other religious head coverings worn by air passengers.
Requiring TSA screeners to conduct mandatory secondary screenings of religious headwear is a reversal of longstanding policy that allowed for religious such screenings to take place only there was some indication of a potential threat. The new policy is unacceptable because:
It specifically lists the turban as an example of headwear that can be subjected to secondary screening at the discretion of the screener;
The new procedure and guidance on how to implement them have been kept a secret;
The procedures (given the limited information on them released to the public) are disturbingly vague; and,
The new procedures were created without consulting any Sikhs, Sikh organizations or other religious faith organizations whose members wear religious headwear.
Such searches are unwarranted personal intrusions that violate the spirit of religious pluralism that is a founding principle of this country. Passengers, particularly those identified as members of the Sikh or Islamic traditions, should not be subjected to such blatant and disrespectful invasions of personal space, especially after having gone through standard security screenings at airports.
"While we certainly believe that all air passengers should be able to travel in safety and security, we also strongly support the protection of members of religious communities from excessive screenings and arbitrary searches, especially when these passengers have already gone through standard security examinations," stated MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey.
Ramey added, "For Both Sikhs and Muslims, religious head coverings should be regarded as part of our sacred obligations, and, therefore, treated with due respect by TSA personnel."
"We cannot stand by while TSA grants airport screeners license to conduct religious profiling," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray. "This new policy and its implementation must be addressed and corrected immediately."
Join MAS Freedom and the Sikh Coalition in petitioning Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Michael Chertoff, for immediate reconsideration of the new screening policy by adding your signature to the online petition drive here.
"We thank you and the Sikh Coalition for your principled stand against the unwarranted personal searches of air passengers wearing religious head coverings," stated Bray.
Please share the petition link with your friends, associates, community and listservs.
Contact MASF toll-free at 1-888-627-8471 or by sending an email to MAS4Freedom@aol.com.
Requiring TSA screeners to conduct mandatory secondary screenings of religious headwear is a reversal of longstanding policy that allowed for religious such screenings to take place only there was some indication of a potential threat. The new policy is unacceptable because:
It specifically lists the turban as an example of headwear that can be subjected to secondary screening at the discretion of the screener;
The new procedure and guidance on how to implement them have been kept a secret;
The procedures (given the limited information on them released to the public) are disturbingly vague; and,
The new procedures were created without consulting any Sikhs, Sikh organizations or other religious faith organizations whose members wear religious headwear.
Such searches are unwarranted personal intrusions that violate the spirit of religious pluralism that is a founding principle of this country. Passengers, particularly those identified as members of the Sikh or Islamic traditions, should not be subjected to such blatant and disrespectful invasions of personal space, especially after having gone through standard security screenings at airports.
"While we certainly believe that all air passengers should be able to travel in safety and security, we also strongly support the protection of members of religious communities from excessive screenings and arbitrary searches, especially when these passengers have already gone through standard security examinations," stated MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director, Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey.
Ramey added, "For Both Sikhs and Muslims, religious head coverings should be regarded as part of our sacred obligations, and, therefore, treated with due respect by TSA personnel."
"We cannot stand by while TSA grants airport screeners license to conduct religious profiling," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray. "This new policy and its implementation must be addressed and corrected immediately."
Join MAS Freedom and the Sikh Coalition in petitioning Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, Michael Chertoff, for immediate reconsideration of the new screening policy by adding your signature to the online petition drive here.
"We thank you and the Sikh Coalition for your principled stand against the unwarranted personal searches of air passengers wearing religious head coverings," stated Bray.
Please share the petition link with your friends, associates, community and listservs.
Contact MASF toll-free at 1-888-627-8471 or by sending an email to MAS4Freedom@aol.com.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Proud of My Muslim Face (From December of 2005)
Daveed Gartenstein-Ross' Dec. 11 column titled "Extremists among us?" clearly delineates two approaches in dealing with the issue of the American Muslim community and religious extremism.
One approach is to masquerade one's personal and professional animus toward the growing civic activism of the American Muslim community by trying to convince the American public that behind every American mosque and mainstream Muslim organization, there is a cabal of extremists lurking in the shadows waiting to destroy American society.
The other approach is to engage mainstream American Muslim organizations as they push to the forefront of challenging religious extremism, hate and violence.
It is truly regrettable that Mr. Ross has opted for the former, rather than the latter. Although regrettable, Mr. Ross' incorrect characterization of the Muslim American Society is quite predictable. As an old Southern country boy, I think someone should tell Mr. Ross that you can call a horse a mule, but it doesn't make it one.
For his part, Mr. Ross has lent his talent to the Washington Investigative Project, a group that has made a cottage industry out of attacking American Muslim organizations and their leadership.
This is the same organization whose leadership, without any evidence, made public announcements to the media that the Oklahoma City bombing was the work of Muslims. In fact, if you visit their Web sites and blog pages, you will find that Mr. Ross and his group would have you believe that every Muslim organization in America has ties to extremist groups. They achieve this amazing feat by cherry-picking out-of-context quotes and passages from Islamic reading materials and speeches made by Islamic leaders.
Mr. Ross' article on MAS employs the same technique. He mentions a Chicago Tribune article that attempted to link MAS to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, but failed to mention that in addition to the reporter's inaccuracies, later investigations revealed that the primary source used for the article was Dr. Ahmed Elkadi. We now know through affidavits and pending litigation that Dr. Elkadi suffers from dementia and that his cognitive faculties were seriously impaired when the Chicago Tribune interviewed him. In fact, his family members have issued a written statement to this effect in hopes of preventing unscrupulous reporters surreptitiously interviewing Dr. Elkadi.
Additionally, Mr. Ross asserts that a fatwa (religious opinion) in our March 2002 American Muslim magazine supports suicide bombing. There is absolutely no such fatwa in the March 2002 edition of the American Muslim magazine. However, if one reads the fatwa section of our magazine, we have presented differing opinions, both literal and interpretive, by Islamic scholars throughout the world and provide a balanced view from all perspectives. In addition, the magazine carries our disclaimer that the views and opinions presented in the American Muslim magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or the Muslim American Society.
Our views on suicide bombing are consistent, clear and unambiguous: We condemn it. MAS is an independent American Muslim organization with a staunchly clear and firm American identity operating with full respect and compliance of our laws and Constitution. We subscribe to the values and ideals of our faith, our country and the law of this great nation. The administrative and organizational structure and methodology of MAS is well known and public. We maintain the highest level of transparency and believe in the tenants of public work in a free society.
Our work includes memberships on the board of directors of America's largest interfaith organizations, participation in State Department negotiations in national and international summits on terrorism, the initiation of gathering signatures of more than 100 prominent American Muslim religious leaders for our "Declaration of Support and Action Against Terrorism," the establishment of Boys and Girls Scouts of America chapters nationwide within our MAS Youth department, a MAS Youth campaign against a local initiative in Texas that would expand the accessibility of alcohol beverages, and MAS Youth girls providing holiday gifts in children's wards of Texas hospitals. Also, there is the MAS Youth Civic Empowerment class focusing on volunteerism, U.S. government and politics, and citizen participation.
Mr. Ross' information concerning MAS and the Muslim Brotherhood is equally flawed. For example, he mentions Sayyid Qutb "advocating militant Jihad against non-believers," but fails to mention that the leader of the Brotherhood in the '60s, Hasan Hudaybi, wrote an extensive refutation of Mr. Qutb's views. And as MAS is not the Muslim Brotherhood, my only point here is to once again point out Mr. Ross' slovenly research and inaccuracies concerning Islamic movements, organizations and their history.
In the final analysis, the average American is not concerned with the intricacies of classical Islamic history, fatwas and Islamic polemics. Most Americans want to know what we can do to protect ourselves against religious extremism and the violence and hate that accompany it. We at MAS are beyond the mere façade of addressing terrorism and have demonstrated through concrete action our categorical and unequivocal rejection and condemnation of terrorism wherever its roots may appear. But don't take my word for it.
One merely has to query government and public officials, members of Congress, American faith and civic leaders and, most recently, the thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina whose lives were positively impacted in Houston and throughout the Gulf region by the "MAS Youth Boots on the Ground" Katrina relief program.
As America's largest grass-roots Muslim organization, with more than 50 chapters nationwide, we feel the cultivation by mainstream society of relationships and dialogue with genuine moderate Islamic organizations such as MAS will help resolve the worrisome "enigma" of extremism, illuminate our ideas and clearly show our fellow Americans that understanding Islam and Islamic activism – and engaging its followers and proponents – is by far the most effective and best way to work together to rid our world of the scourge of terrorism, eliminate the clash of civilizations
One approach is to masquerade one's personal and professional animus toward the growing civic activism of the American Muslim community by trying to convince the American public that behind every American mosque and mainstream Muslim organization, there is a cabal of extremists lurking in the shadows waiting to destroy American society.
The other approach is to engage mainstream American Muslim organizations as they push to the forefront of challenging religious extremism, hate and violence.
It is truly regrettable that Mr. Ross has opted for the former, rather than the latter. Although regrettable, Mr. Ross' incorrect characterization of the Muslim American Society is quite predictable. As an old Southern country boy, I think someone should tell Mr. Ross that you can call a horse a mule, but it doesn't make it one.
For his part, Mr. Ross has lent his talent to the Washington Investigative Project, a group that has made a cottage industry out of attacking American Muslim organizations and their leadership.
This is the same organization whose leadership, without any evidence, made public announcements to the media that the Oklahoma City bombing was the work of Muslims. In fact, if you visit their Web sites and blog pages, you will find that Mr. Ross and his group would have you believe that every Muslim organization in America has ties to extremist groups. They achieve this amazing feat by cherry-picking out-of-context quotes and passages from Islamic reading materials and speeches made by Islamic leaders.
Mr. Ross' article on MAS employs the same technique. He mentions a Chicago Tribune article that attempted to link MAS to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, but failed to mention that in addition to the reporter's inaccuracies, later investigations revealed that the primary source used for the article was Dr. Ahmed Elkadi. We now know through affidavits and pending litigation that Dr. Elkadi suffers from dementia and that his cognitive faculties were seriously impaired when the Chicago Tribune interviewed him. In fact, his family members have issued a written statement to this effect in hopes of preventing unscrupulous reporters surreptitiously interviewing Dr. Elkadi.
Additionally, Mr. Ross asserts that a fatwa (religious opinion) in our March 2002 American Muslim magazine supports suicide bombing. There is absolutely no such fatwa in the March 2002 edition of the American Muslim magazine. However, if one reads the fatwa section of our magazine, we have presented differing opinions, both literal and interpretive, by Islamic scholars throughout the world and provide a balanced view from all perspectives. In addition, the magazine carries our disclaimer that the views and opinions presented in the American Muslim magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or the Muslim American Society.
Our views on suicide bombing are consistent, clear and unambiguous: We condemn it. MAS is an independent American Muslim organization with a staunchly clear and firm American identity operating with full respect and compliance of our laws and Constitution. We subscribe to the values and ideals of our faith, our country and the law of this great nation. The administrative and organizational structure and methodology of MAS is well known and public. We maintain the highest level of transparency and believe in the tenants of public work in a free society.
Our work includes memberships on the board of directors of America's largest interfaith organizations, participation in State Department negotiations in national and international summits on terrorism, the initiation of gathering signatures of more than 100 prominent American Muslim religious leaders for our "Declaration of Support and Action Against Terrorism," the establishment of Boys and Girls Scouts of America chapters nationwide within our MAS Youth department, a MAS Youth campaign against a local initiative in Texas that would expand the accessibility of alcohol beverages, and MAS Youth girls providing holiday gifts in children's wards of Texas hospitals. Also, there is the MAS Youth Civic Empowerment class focusing on volunteerism, U.S. government and politics, and citizen participation.
Mr. Ross' information concerning MAS and the Muslim Brotherhood is equally flawed. For example, he mentions Sayyid Qutb "advocating militant Jihad against non-believers," but fails to mention that the leader of the Brotherhood in the '60s, Hasan Hudaybi, wrote an extensive refutation of Mr. Qutb's views. And as MAS is not the Muslim Brotherhood, my only point here is to once again point out Mr. Ross' slovenly research and inaccuracies concerning Islamic movements, organizations and their history.
In the final analysis, the average American is not concerned with the intricacies of classical Islamic history, fatwas and Islamic polemics. Most Americans want to know what we can do to protect ourselves against religious extremism and the violence and hate that accompany it. We at MAS are beyond the mere façade of addressing terrorism and have demonstrated through concrete action our categorical and unequivocal rejection and condemnation of terrorism wherever its roots may appear. But don't take my word for it.
One merely has to query government and public officials, members of Congress, American faith and civic leaders and, most recently, the thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina whose lives were positively impacted in Houston and throughout the Gulf region by the "MAS Youth Boots on the Ground" Katrina relief program.
As America's largest grass-roots Muslim organization, with more than 50 chapters nationwide, we feel the cultivation by mainstream society of relationships and dialogue with genuine moderate Islamic organizations such as MAS will help resolve the worrisome "enigma" of extremism, illuminate our ideas and clearly show our fellow Americans that understanding Islam and Islamic activism – and engaging its followers and proponents – is by far the most effective and best way to work together to rid our world of the scourge of terrorism, eliminate the clash of civilizations
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