Hijabi Revolution

NYPD and the Muslim American Community in NYC

2012-01-28T16:29:00.000-08:00

I am sure you are all following the controversy around the NYPD's use of a hateful, anti-Muslim film, The Third Jihad, to train close to 1500 officers. As a member of the Muslim American community, and a member of the broad based coalition calling for the resignation of Raymond Kelly and Paul Browne, I would like to give you some context and paint a larger picture that hasn't been captured through the media or through conversations that currently exist on line and in the broader New York City.

The Muslim American community isn't calling for the resignation of Kelly because we are offended and our feelings are hurt. Offended, I am. But so what. I'll get over it. This is not about sensitivity of a community, it is about RESPECT and RESPONSIBILITY. This is but one film and yes people make mistakes but to continuously lie to a community, there comes a point when enough is enough. We didn't wake up last week as a community to the revelations of this film. We have been addressing this particular issue since early last year. We sent correspondences to Commissioner Kelly and he wrote us back in a letter dated March 7th, 2011 that "The New York City Police Department did not participate in its production and we do not believe the content is appropriate for training purposes."

This is only one part of a larger history of bad judgment calls and inappropriate materials and portrayal of Muslims within the NYPD. In 2007, NYPD released a report entitled "Radicalization in the West: The Homegrown Threat" that depicted every day things that Muslims do could potentially be red flags or preludes to terrorism activity. I will never forget one year when I attended a welcome Ramadan breakfast hosted by NYPD where over 300 Muslim leaders are invited to network, raise concerns and ask questions of senior level officials. That day, I walked in, sat down and the lights went out. A screen lit up and we were about to watch a presentation. The presentation was called "The Faces of Terrorism". The first slide was a picture of Wafaa Edriss, first Palestinian female suicide bomber. Picture after picture. No Timothy McVeigh, just a bunch of Arabs, South Asians and Muslims (most of whom never threatened or committed terrorism on US soil). Finally, I stood up and walked out and many other attendees did the same. What were they thinking? Who did they think was their audience? I thought we were welcoming Ramadan? A letter was immediately sent, NYPD apologized and supposedly changed the powerpoint.

Bad judgment after bad judgment. We have been lied to time and time again, and quite frankly, we are tired of it. If this would have happened to any other community, this would have been addressed immediately, someone would have been fired and an immediate response would have been issued. No one community in New York City is better or more worthy of a response than any other community.

For the past 10 years, many activists and community leaders have spoken about and brought to light issues of discrimination, abuse of power by law enforcement agencies including NYPD, FBI, TSA and CBP. We are not bringing up new issues. The reason why the media is focusing on it now is thanks to the Associated Press. While we have been banging on doors, screaming into an empty tunnel, and being accused of paranoia and victimhood mentality, the August revelations by the Associated Press that the NYPD in partnership with the CIA has conducted illegal spying on the Muslim communities of New York City finally confirmed the story we have been telling for the past decade. It's all documented. The Demographics Unit, the 28 "ancestries of interest" including Black American Muslims, and a list of 250 individuals, Islamic institutions and businesses. All on paper. Undeniable.

Undeniable. Well the NYPD doesn't think so. Commissioner Kelly and Mayor Bloomberg continue to deny these accusations and say that reporting done by the Media is exaggerated. Ok. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, both gentleman should ask for an independent investigation of the NYPD and share the results with the public and let's put all of this to rest. That doesn't seem to be something they will call for any time soon, so the Muslim community, advocates and their allies will continue to demand accountability. Work in the community has been underway. CAIR and CLEAR CUNY continue to conduct Know Your Rights workshops across NYC, NYU Brennan Center for Justice with input from community members and allies are working on an oversight proposal for the NYPD, engaging elected officials, activists writing opinion pieces, etc. Work is being done. This is part of a long term strategy. We are not just reacting anymore. Very proud of the work of my colleagues in the movement to create law enforcement accountability.

Our critics, both from outside and within our community continue to ask us why haven't we engaged? We have written two letters, and most recently one to Mayor Bloomberg. No response directly to our community just responses through the media behind podiums and written statements released from public relations departments reviewed by lawyers. Mayor Bloomberg was recently quoted saying that Commissioner Kelly has visited more mosques than people from with in that faith. Maybe he's right, may be he's wrong but I don't get his point. Commissioner Kelly was not doing the community any favors, he was "we thought" treating us like every other community in NYC.

During this latest controversy, you have multiple perspectives from within the Muslim American community that emerge. Every one is entitled to their own opinion but before criticizing tactics of members of their community and throwing out suggestions, a conversation is in order as well as the questioning of oneself. What brought the community to this point? What are we missing? What is it really like for every day people in these Muslim communities? Most recently I saw a laundry list of all the "good things" Commissioner Kelly has done for our community. I did a fact check. Nothing he did for us he hadn't done for other communities. Of all the communities that the NYPD engages with, I would confidently say that the Muslim community, specifically the Arab American Muslim community has been a partner and has shown only hospitality and respect to Commissioner Kelly and his staff. (I am speaking about the Arab Muslim community because I am the most familiar with the experience of this community.) Visits to mosques? Yes, Commissioner Kelly has visited our mosques. On one of those visits, to Southwest Brooklyn's Beit Al Maqdis Islamic Center, they designed, produced, and paid for a banner, that read "Beit Al Maqdis Islamic Center Welcomes Honorable Raymond W. Kelly, Police Commissioner, New York City Police Department." (pictured below)

The banner was only used once and for the community, the investment in the banner, the event, the outreach, the dinner was all worth it to have face time with the "Honorable" Raymond W. Kelly. Our community has always operated on an open door policy. Unfortunately, while we were letting them in the front door, their informants were infiltrating our mosques, and our community was illegally being spied on.

They have great sports programs? In 2009, the Arab American Association of New York "Brooklyn United" Soccer Team won the NYPD Commissioner Cup. (picture of me carrying our Trophy) We trained our kids on a weekly basis and they competed city-wide, kicking soccer butt across NYC.

In 2010, we honored Captain Eric Rodriguez at the Arab American Association of New York's 9th Annual Benefit Gala. We are a pro-law enforcement community and we have a great relationship with the 68th Precinct in Southwest Brooklyn. We work hand in hand to ensure that our community is safe and that we have the security we need in various situations. We have organized town hall meetings for the NYPD with youth, invited them to break bread with us during Ramadan, gave walking tours to local officers, and invited them into our most sacred institutions. In the meanwhile, undercover officers and paid informants were already amongst us. Do you still want to ask us about engagement and reconciliation? The ball is in the court of the NYPD leadership. We have done our part, it is now time for them to take responsibility and to do their part.

What's the big deal that NYPD is spying on the Muslim American community? So as long as we are not doing anything wrong, we shouldn't worry. Right? Wrong. The recent confirmations that we are being spied on compounded with the showing of films like Third Jihad hits at the very fabric of our community. It creates an environment of fear, paranoia and uneasiness. People become more isolated and try as hard as possible not to have to interact with law enforcement. You say that's not a good response and it is our duty as a community to do so, then YOU come tell the community that. When you think that officers are being trained that you are dangerous, that you can be a potential terrorist and that the very religion you practice is being accused of wanting "to take over the country", you probably wouldn't feel comfortable either. Knowing that the coffeeshops and mosques have informants doesn't allow you to engage in normal conversation or speak honestly and openly about your political views because you don't know what could be taken out of context. Our tax payer dollars go to the NYPD so they can protect and serve us not instill fear in our communities. Our community does not feel safe. This is the essence of the problem. Everyone should be alarmed.

You ask us about the Muslim officers and what their role is in all of this? They are of the most honorable, sincere and dedicated in our community. I have the utmost respect for them and the work that they do. I am very proud to have them represent us in the NYPD, but the issues we raise are beyond their control. They are pieces of a humongous puzzle. They continue to protect and serve and I speculate that deep down in their hearts, they know that the relationship between their employer and their community has been broken and that it must be fixed.

Every day I wake up to serve and be a resource to my community through the Arab American Association of New York. We hear first hand accounts of the issues our community members face. Language access, domestic violence, substance abuse, unemployment, fear and mistrust, homesickness, worry for their families abroad and yes, their concerns over law enforcement. I am not an expert, I am just a mouthpiece, a voice that carries the experiences of my community to panels, conferences, media, the internet and to my allies. I was born and raised, live and work in this community. I walk their streets every day, I shop in the same stores, my children attend their schools, I feel their pain, I feel their tension.

So before others speak about what "we" should do as a community maybe you can come down from your pedestals and spend time on the ground in our communities amongst those most affected by the issues "we" speak about. Tell their stories. They need to be told. Learn first from those you speak on behalf of.

I am not a leader. I wasn't elected to "represent" the community. I am merely their storyteller.

I could probably write a book about this and may be I will in the future - but in the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to email me at lindasarsour@gmail.com. If I don't have the answer, I will direct you to where you can find more information.

Reflections on Muslim Prayer at OWS

2012-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

http://infrontandcenter.wordpress.com/2011/10/27/reflections-on-muslim-prayer-at-ows/

Reflections on Muslim Prayer at OWS

By Linda Sarsour

What do we have to do with Occupy Wall Street? What’s so Islamic about Occupy Wall Street? Are we just going to show up or were we actually invited to be there? These were just some of the posts on the facebook event’s page for the Friday Prayer at Occupy Wall Street last week. I was shocked that there was so much doubt, uncertainty and lack of clarity as to what was the role of Muslim New Yorkers in Occupy Wall Street.

First off, Muslims have been part of and many have supported OWS since day one. Second of all, we were invited to have Friday prayer at OWS and graciously accepted that invitation. Friday prayer is the most sacred part of our lives to share with our fellow Americans. Muslims all over the world congregate in mosques to pray together, shoulder to shoulder, rich and poor, educated and non-educated to bring themselves closer to God. Third of all, it is our obligation as Muslims to stand up against injustice and to defend those who are defenseless.

This was a public visible opportunity to show OWS, fellow Americans, Wall Street, and our government that Muslim Americans are also part of the 99%. We are concerned with the infringement on our civil liberties and the lack of opportunities available to our community. As someone who runs a non profit organization that serves low income and immigrant Arabs in NYC, I see firsthand the issues affecting our communities. High rates of unemployment, threats of eviction, difficulties accessing public benefits and healthcare, are compounded by the discrimination and hostility a minority of New Yorkers face, that also includes targeting and spying by the New York Police Department.

If you haven’t noticed, its damn hard being an Arab let alone an Arab and a Muslim in New York. We are not exactly the most loved and wanted but what we have experienced at OWS is quite the contrary. Protesters of all backgrounds, races, ethnicities, educational levels and ages have welcomed us with open arms. We have never been questioned about our presence but more about how else we can be involved. After the Friday prayer last week, many random folks came up to me and simply thanked me for being there. That’s it. I was thanked for being present. The presence of those who came to pray was recognized, acknowledged and appreciated. It was an inspirational and motivational experience for me and the many Muslims who came out. A highlight of the day was while doing our Mic Check, a Christian woman came up to the step I was standing on and spoke out to the crowd. She introduced herself as a Christian and apologized to Muslims for ever stereotyping them, or treating them differently. She voiced to the crowd that we are all brothers and sisters and that we should stay committed to treating each other this way. It brought tears to my eyes. When she finished, she turned and embraced me. It was genuine and reflected the true sentiment of OWS. Inclusivity.

Was I inspired by the Arab Spring to be there? Yes, but I would caution us from comparing OWS to the Arab Spring. We as Americans do not go to OWS with the risk of being shot by a sniper or run over by a military tank. While we may want the same things, the nature of our environment is completely different and it wouldn’t be fair to the martyrs of the Arab Spring if we said OWS is our version of the Arab Spring. It’s not the same. Can we be inspired by the brave men and women of the Arab world? Absolutely, they inspire me everyday.

Justice Before Breakfast

2012-01-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Why I Skipped Mayor Bloomberg’s Breakfast

Linda Sarsour

On August 23^rd of this year I was invited to Gracie Mansion to attend Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Annual Iftar, a break of fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. For the duration of the evening I sat next to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. We discussed the significance of Ramadan and I pressed him on his department’s lack of response to letters we sent requesting to meet with staff of the NYPD training department. He nodded and said that he’s sure his people would get back to us. They never did.

This was not the first time I had engaged Commissioner Kelly or NYPD senior level staff on issues of concern to my community. Arab and Muslim New Yorkers have worked closely with the NYPD for as long as elders in our community can remember. As a matter of fact, my organization’s soccer team, Brooklyn United, won the NYPD Commissioner’s Cup in 2009 -- a triumphant moment for our youth. We have also invited members of the NYPD to events, town halls, and religious services.

In the 10 years since 9/11, I have worked as director of a social services organization in Brooklyn called the Arab American Association of New York, and as the advocacy and civic engagement coordinator for the National Network for Arab American Communities. In these roles I have done my best to increase understanding between Arabs, Muslims and other New Yorkers, as well as to advocate for local and national policies that keep us all safe and united.

As part of my job to provide social services to residents of Brooklyn, I have had to counsel Muslim New Yorkers, especially immigrants and youth, who have suffered at the hands of law enforcement agents engaging in misconduct. On numerous occasions I delivered firsthand accounts of these abuses to senior officials of the FBI, NYPD, and Department of Justice, as well as to local, state and federal elected officials. Many refused to believe that Arab and Muslim Americans were being ethnically and racially profiled by law enforcement.

The skeptics were given a jolt when the Associated Press confirmed 10 years of speculation by releasing an investigative report in August outlining a broad surveillance program targeting Muslim community members simply because of their religion – not because of leads or suspicious behavior. The report also alleged that the CIA had been violating a ban on domestic spying by collaborating with the NYPD. Ironically, this report was released at 6:00 am the morning after I sat next to Commissioner Kelly at Mayor Bloomberg’s Annual Ramadan Iftar.

Instead of joining the growing number of elected officials and community activists calling for accountability and rule of law, Mayor Bloomberg defended the police department’s suspicionless surveillance of New Yorkers at schools, businesses, and mosques. By pretending to befriend their Muslim neighbors in order to spy on them, law enforcement officials were betraying the very people who considered themselves allies and partners in keeping our streets safe.

Some people have asked why I didn’t show up to “engage” Mr. Bloomberg and Commissioner Kelly on the issue. Before, during and after the breakfast, both leaders continued to reassure New Yorkers that they are not engaging in religious and ethnic profiling. Our very own Department of Justice defines religious and ethnic profiling as “any police-initiated action that relies on the race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than the behavior of an individual." The AP investigation revealed that there is, in fact, a demographics unit coupled with a list of 25 ancestries of interest used to conduct intelligence gathering. If that’s not ethnic and religious profiling, I don’t know what is.

Not only are racial and ethnic profiling practices wrong and unconstitutional, they waste taxpayer dollars and they make us all less safe. According to a report released by the American Civil Liberties Union in October, "empirical data show that terrorists and criminals do not fit neat racial, ethnic, national-origin or religious stereotypes, and using such flawed profiles is a recipe for failure. The heinous acts of terrorism committed by Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh and John Stacks, the man who flew his plane into an IRS building in Texas, confirm that effective law enforcement techniques must be based on criminal behavior and not race, religion or nationality in order to ensure our nation’s security.

Muslim community leaders have sent numerous letters to Commissioner Kelly in the past year regarding bigoted and sensational training materials being used by the NYPD that instill hatred rather than prepare officers to police Muslim communities. To this day, we have received no response. Civic engagement is a two-way street and the Arab American and Muslim American community are doing their part. It is time that New York City’s leaders do theirs.

Last week the CIA announced that an internal watchdog had found nothing wrong with the agency’s NYPD collaboration. But how can we trust the CIA to investigate itself? All we are asking for at this juncture is that Mayor Bloomberg initiate an independent investigation of the NYPD intelligence gathering program and make public the conclusive reports of the investigation. Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Kelly are accountable to the citizens of New York City and we will continue to demand that accountability.

As for now, rhetoric of any kind will not stop me from standing up for the right of New Yorkers to live their lives without having to fear being spied on simply because of their religion or the color of their skin. I owe it to myself and to my children to continue to defend the very rights afforded to us by the Constitution of the United States.

I spent the morning of Mr. Bloomberg’s interfaith breakfast explaining to my children why I turned down an invitation from the mayor of New York City. As I spoke to them about the importance of always standing up for what you believe is right, I paused for a moment to look down at my iPhone to scan the latest news. While reading remarks made during the breakfast, I found a perfect quote to end the conversation with my children: “discrimination against anyone is discrimination against everyone.” These words were spoken by none other than Mayor Michael Bloomberg. I will hold him to it.

Believe Me When I Tell You I Am a Feminist

2011-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

In the last couple of months I have been hanging out with a lot more feminists than usual. I would hope that everyone I hung out with were feminists and they would be, if they knew what it meant. Feminists have stereotypes associated with them just like any other group of people. Feminists have been portrayed as bra-burning, man-hating, masculine looking women with their mouths wide open in pictures. While at moments I do feel like burning my bras and hating men, that's just me and is not what feminism is really all about. Feminism is about defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women and men. So I am sure you are all reading this and nodding your heads in agreement and probably have just confirmed that you too are a feminist! You are probably wondering where I am taking this, no controversy here, we all seem to be on the same page, right? Wrong.

For some strange reason, I am always asked about feminism under the assumption that its incompatible with who I am. When women or men ask me if I identify as a feminist and I agree their eyes light up and they look at me as some sort of freed woman, that I have overcome oppression, I am a brave soul and I have defied my people and have joined the other side, the right side - the one that doesn't oppress women. The assumption is that feminism is incompatible with Islam. How can one be a feminist and a Muslim? It just doesn't make sense?!

It actually is a fact and makes perfect sense that Islam is a religion of feminists for feminists.

Let's go back to the days of my beloved Prophet Muhammad (ASA). His wife, Aisha has inspired Muslim women for centuries. She was a scholar, a poet, a jurist, a politician and a military commander who led entire armies. She was the one woman that the Prophet was closest to, the one he chose to spend his final hours with. It was under Aisha's house in Medina that he was buried. But it didn't not end with Aisha. There have been countless Muslim women who have changed the course of history. They include Khadija, the Prophet's first wife, who was 15 years older than him (yes, what we would now call a cougar), a wealthy businesswoman who employed young Muhammad as her caravan leader, and ultimately proposed marriage to him (yes this was like centuries ago and she asked him). Khadija was the first convert to Islam and its strongest supporter. She convinced an initially self-doubting Prophet Muhammad (ASA) that his vision of Angel Gabriel was a real spiritual experience, and provided him the emotional and economic support to launch a spiritual movement that would create a global civilization (she was kinda like his sugar mama).

Many great Muslim women followed the wives of the prophet and the stories are endless. I am always more than happy to tell the stories that inspire me to be the woman I am today. Like the story of the Sufi mystic Rabia Al-Basri who challenged the corruption of the Caliphs of Baghdad in the 8th century or the story of the Turkish slave girl Shajarat Al-Durr who became Sultana of Egypt and launched the Mamlouk dynasty that halted the Mongol invasion of the West in the 13th century. The iron queen Nur Jahan, Empress of Mughal India, who rivaled Queen Elizabeth I as the most powerful woman on earth.

Not only are there countless feminists in Islamic history, Islam as a religion is built on many feminist principles around equality and economic empowerment of women. In Islam, when a marriage is performed, there is a dowry and an alimony amount that is negotiated. Some may say that's not empowering at all and a feminist would and should be shh (shaking her head). Some say it's as if fathers are selling their daughters. I say it's a security deposit for women. How many stories of women who are divorced, left with children that you heard of over the years that had to start their lives over with nothing. I am sure all women would prefer to start their marriages with some economic security. Of course this practice is relative to the different cultural backgrounds - some dowries are more exaggerated than others but the foundational principle is that there must be a dowry for the wife. There is also a mitekhir (alimony lump sum - that's all I could think of to explain it in the simplest terms) that is paid to the woman upon a divorce, if that were to happen. Also in Islam, a woman who works outside of the home does not have to provide assistance with household expenses unless she wants to. Actually this sounds to me like its more oppressive for the men than for the women. If a women inherits money or land from her late parents she does not have to share any of her profits with her husband. Now many of you are thinking, ok that sounds all great and dandy but why don't I start talking about the other things that are oppressive. Separating men and women in prayer areas at mosques is oppressive and disempowering? Now we are talking. Actually this act of separating women and men in prayer areas is quite empowering and its intention is to protect women. When we pray, we must perform different prostrations that require us to bend over. As women, we all know how it feels to be walking by a construction site in the streets of NYC and getting street harrassed by men who stop everything they are doing to cat call and whistle at women walking by and might I add walking upright. Imagine being in a mosque, in a house of worship, where you're entire focus is on God and prayer and long and behold there is a group of women lined up in front of the men bending over? Need I say more. The explanation is that simple.

You can debate me on wearing hijabs and burqas, honor killings, child brides, etc. Let's keep in mind the distinction between cultural traditions and religion which is always lost in translation or not depending on who the hatemonger is that is spitting it.

By now you should have gotten my point - I am a feminist and the reason I am a feminist is because I am a Muslim. So next time, believe me when I tell you I am a feminist.

My Response to Ray Hanania re: his blog entry "The Extremist Arabs Always Attack First And Ask Questions Later

2011-06-11T10:28:00.000-07:00

Haven't blogged in a while but feel the need to now. This week ADC (American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee) uninvited Malek Jandali, a world renowned German Born Syrian composer from performing at their convention because of board member ties to the Syrian regime. They said his song "Watani Ana" was critical of the Syrian government and they did not want to create divisiveness at their annual convention amongst their attendees. The song does not mention Syria or any other Arab country but speaks of freedom and justice. I will post a link to the song below. Anyway, Arab activists across the country were appalled by this decision to not allow Malek perform and we spoke out. All we asked was for ADC to provide a statement clearly laying out the reasons why they disinvited Malek. Their statement did not answer that very simple question which caused activists to continue pushing the change of leadership in ADC. A national board member of ADC, Ray Hanania, wrote the following blog entry:

http://rayhanania.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/the-extremist-arabs-always-attack-first-and-ask-questions-later-june-9-2011/

Since my response to his blog entry is still pending approval, I will share it with you here:

Mr. Hanania – do not paint those who disagree with you with a broad paint brush. I am no extremist and I don’t need to prove myself to you or anyone else. The folks that started this campaign re: the Jandali controversy were not Kabobfest or Ali Abunimah, they just helped disseminate the information and might have added their two cents which they are entitled to. The people who were outraged were mainstream moderate activists, a group you claim to belong to. I don’t care if you are Jewish, Christian, Queer or whatever – if you stand for justice, built with dignity, and work with integrity than I can call you a fellow comrade. You unfortunately don’t always fit into this formula. ADC is failing? Financially bankrupt? dropped out of the mainstream in the last few years? You are a board member – why is that?? Your blogpost just fuels the fire more and as a responsible board member to an organization I hope that you are loyal to you should have had an emergency meeting and came up with an emergency response to lessen the damages. You could have ended this by putting out a statement that simply answered the question why was Jandali uninvited? Board members could have reached out to key people to have a discussion, clarifications – but u chose to ignore us and hope we go away. You didn’t even have the courtesy to do that. And to say that ADC is not a political organization and for the last 25 years or so Palestine has been on your agenda (I am not complaining because I am Palestinian, not that I have always agreed with the stands but thats ok) – what’s the difference with Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya? You are an Arab organization so I hope you represent all Arabs. You are the first to beat on other Arab American activists when they don’t agree or when they criticize ur views – yup ur the culprit of ur own claim against others – you just can’t handle the taste of ur own medicine. So unfortunate. We, Mr. hanania are the next generation, it is our generation that ignited the revolutions in the Middle East, it is our generation that will change US Foreign policy, it is our generation that will bring back a Palestinian State for the Palestinian people, not you. You r not the voice of the Arab American community. Get it. embrace it.

This is the link to the song "Watani Ana" by Malek Jandali:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjqR7H6YumE

We, members of the Arab American community are demanding the resignation of Safah Rifka and Ray Hanania from the ADC National Board.

I Am a Tahrir Protester

2011-02-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

I, as most Arabs around the world have been glued to my computer, blackberry and television watching history unfold in the Middle East. It started in Tunisia with a man setting himself on fire, sacrificing himself his family his future for the future of others. We are now seeing the same thing happen in Egypt. Regular people like you and me fighting for freedom, for their God given rights. In both Tunisia and Egypt and other parts of the Arab world you see students, mothers, fathers, educated, uneducated, rich, poor, Muslim, Christian stand together with the same goals, same hopes, same aspirations. During the past 16 days of protest in Egypt, I had many sleepless nights but this time it was different than the usual sleepless nights due to work stress. This time I stayed up and reflected on myself and my role in the world and how I related to what was happening in Egypt. I imagined the characteristics of the protesters. People who were fed up and could no longer sit back and watch their future and the future of their children remain hostage to injustice and oppression. The protesters are sacrificing their time, lives, jobs, education and their own personal interests for the interests of their nation. This historical episode has made me realize why I chose the path that I live today. I chose to live a life where I can fight injustices, give voice to the voiceless and provide service to those less fortunate. I chose an honorable lifestyle over a fat paycheck although the work that activists do on a daily basis is priceless. I chose to inspire and uplift my community, cultivate and develop the next generation of leaders because that's what a leader does and I am a leader. I am so grateful to the Tunisians, the Egyptians for reaffirming the choices I have made, reaffirming who I am and who I strive to be. I pray for the day when true and genuine democracy rings throughout the entire world and most dear in my heart, Palestine.

Now Sarah Palin Knows How I Feel

2011-01-11T18:02:00.000-08:00

So there's a map, it has twenty targets identified with crosshairs, a target gets shot along with 6 other people, target happens to be a political figure, the map which was online was taken down immediately after the incident, a bit suspicious, ey? - are you following me so far? Let's just say hypothetically speaking that that map was connected to a 30 year old Muslim American of Palestinian descent from Brooklyn, New York. Our immediate response - we have ourselves the mastermind behind this heinous terrorist attack and we must hold him in contempt, solitary confinement, hey, maybe we will even send him to Guantanamo.

As you know, the map, the target list it didn't belong to a Muslim American, it belonged to our very own Patriotic American, Sarah Palin and friends. Where is Sarah Palin now? She's at home in Alaska updating her twitter and facebook. Oh and mainstream media, elected officials, and heads of federal bureaus of law enforcement have not characterized this shooting as a terrorist attack, why? The culprit wasn't a Muslim, he was a white guy from Arizona. He's just mentally unstable. Do you remember the pilot John Stacks who flew his plane into an IRS building, a federal building, he was just disgruntled with the IRS and their bureacracy. He probably didn't get the refund he wanted so flying a plane into a federal building was the most rational thing for him to do. How about Major Nidal Hassan, shooter in the Fort Hood attack, crazy guy, shot innocent Americans? Remember him? He was labeled a terrorist, an animal, connected to Al Qaeda, he had an email as evidence that he was following some type of orders. Let's look at Jared Loughner, our Arizona killer/shooter, angry American, inspired by books about Hitler. Photos on MySpace show a close-up picture of an automatic handgun sitting atop a book or paper titled United States History. This picture is accompanied by several videos posted to Loughner's Youtube account, including one of a masked man burning a U.S. flag and another with the words, "Don't trust the current government, listener!"

Maybe I am just bias but other than the facts that Loughner is white and NOT Muslim, there is no reason why Jared Loughner should not be tried for terrorism and labeled a notorious terrorist that is a national security threat to our entire country. And quite frankly since Guantanamo Bay is still open, another broken promise by our dear President Obama - we should send him there. Um, maybe not. If he hates America so much now, imagine how he'd feel knowing what goes on with detainees within the walls of Guantanamo.

So let's get back to Sarah Palin and friends. They are appalled that they are being unjustly blamed for the act of this extremist! Its almost deja vu for all Muslim Americans. Get this Palin, Muslim Americans feel the same way everytime some extremist acts in the name of our religion. Our media portrays us as unpatriotic while government develops policies that stomp on our civil liberties. The American public and the world than wait for the Muslim Community (1.5 billion people) to condemn these acts of violence. National Muslim organizations, local organizations, community leaders send out press releases to do just that. Who in the Christian community condemned publicly on behalf of all Christians the terrorist attacks of Timothy McVeigh, Oklahoma City Bomber, or the white guy in Milwaukee who held 24 students and teachers hostage, or John Stacks who flew his plane into a Federal Building, and many more serial killers and rapists.

So I can't believe I am going to say this but; Sarah Palin, I feel you. I know how you're feeling. Why should you be blamed for the attempted murder of Congresswoman Giffords and the other 6 who were shot dead? You only had a map, and you identified these targets, and you have only been instilling fear into people, using hateful and spiteful rhetoric, pinning parties against eachother and a few other things. The interesting thing is I was never directly or indirectly or assumed even involved in previous terrorist attacks but I still become a representative of the Muslim Ummah and I must speak out, if I don't speak out my silence will be attributed to my approval of these acts.

Now you know how Muslim Americans feel when one Muslim commits an attack on all of us, and we, as Muslim Americans have to unjustly take the blame. It doesn't feel good does it? What goes around comes around and now Sarah Palin can stand in the shoes of Linda Sarsour and many other loyal Americans in the Muslim community.

Dear Muslim Parents, Let's Get Real

2010-12-09T12:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Muslim Parents,

I hope this letter finds you well. Now that it has found you well - let's get to the point. It is 2010 and we are in America not a village in Palestine or Yemen! Our children are growing up in a country that preaches freedom and democracy - I know you don't think that's a good thing (ok I can write a whole book on what kind of freedom and democracy there is in this country or whether you think there is any - BUT that's NOT the point here), I think the freedom to think as an individual is quite fabulous. Lately, I have been quite proud that more of your daughters are finishing high school and going on to college, that's a start. BUT - God forbid your daughters want to go away for school like OUT OF STATE - Astaghfar Allah! My dear Muslim parents - if your daughter is accepted to Yale, Stamford or Harvard, that's a BIG DEAL, oh and she got a full scholarship, everything is paid for - WHAT?? You are not letting her go because its too far away and a Muslim girl should not leave her parents home before she is married, right? WRONG! In Islam we must treat our daughters the same as our sons. We must give our children the chance to follow their dreams regardless of their gender. If you trust your daughters, than what's the problem?

Not only are our children growing up in a stressful society full of competition, social acceptance and not to forget its sometimes not that cool to be a Muslim these days if you haven't noticed, and in addition to all of that - your children are feeling misunderstood and in most cases don't feel comfortable talking to you about being a teenager. Oh wait - did you know that your daughters talk to boys in their school and get ready for this.....they actually sit next to them in class! Did you know that's totally okay and is actually quite healthy for their social development. I am all for our daughters marrying Muslims and I am instilling that in my own daughters but I will not raise my daughters based on what they can't do versus what they can. Children need to be taught right from wrong and once they reach adolescence they make their own decisions whether we like it or not. Our job as parents is to equip our children with knowledge in hopes that they refer to that knowledge in the situations they encounter. Hearing the stories of young women in our community who are getting engaged at the age of 16, 17, and 18 leads me to the belief that we have a lot of education to do in our community. I ask that parents think about this question - do you feel that if you had the same opportunities as your children have now you would have gotten married at an early age? I understand that years past are not like the present which is precisely my point - let your children follow their dreams, encourage them, love them when they don't do their chores because they are studying for an exam, let them live and be children, your children.

Parents are reading this thinking - what the hell am I talking about? Yes, I did get married at an early age and was a mother of 3 by the age of 24, and that's only because there is a 3 year age difference between my last two children, and I seem to be healthy, happy and successful. Yes and no. No regrets - my parents at the time were isolated in a close knit Palestinian American community and many girls my age were getting married at that age, so I wasn't the only one. It was actually quite normal and to be frank if you hit the age of 20 and you were not at least engaged, something must have been wrong (obviously I think this statement is crazy but nonetheless that was the sentiment). I happen to be a very strong and independent woman (I know you are all shocked) and was able to continue living my life the way I wanted although obviously there was some delay and some change of my life plans. I also happen to have a supportive family, I have the most AMAZING loving mother that anyone can have who is my children's second mother. I trust her with my kid's lives. I also happen to have a family that is capable of taking care of my children without any reciprocation, they see it as a duty. For me that is not necessarily the norm - so I happen to be lucky. I also believe that my parents always knew the potential I had and are allowing me to live my dreams.

Many of your daughters may not have the same opportunity that I had. Last week I heard a story of a woman whose husband got in a very bad car accident and is now completely handicapped and unable to work. She has four children and has no job skills let alone a high school diploma. She must now find a way to support her family, but how? Another woman whose husband left her with five children and he is nowhere to be found. She has never worked before and has an 8th grade education. When I asked her to tell me what she could have done differently in her life she responded by saying,"I wish that I had finished school and went to college. I was such a good student. I would now be able to find a job and I would not need my husband". An education is your daughter's protection. You never know when you can be in one of the above situations.

An educated woman will always be more confident, independent, and resourceful. Don't you want that for your daughter? I know I want that for mine.

Sincerely,

A Muslim Parent (aka a cool mom by the standards of the young ladies in my programs)

DREAMing is Nice But We Need to Wake Up

2010-12-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

I like dreaming but after a good dream I like waking up. The other night I dreamed that I was on a beach on an island, clear blue waters, a subtle breeze running through my hair (or hijab) hey it's my dream - I can be hijabless, the only sounds were of the waves hitting the sand and the sounds of the birds flying around me. It was picture perfect. I was than awakened by the annoying sound of my alarm clock that reminds me everyday that I am not on a beach and it's time to start my daily hustle. So what's this I am talking about - dreams, the American dream. This week the DREAM Act, a law that would allow law abiding undocumented youth a chance at higher education is coming to a vote in the House. While I dream of white beaches, children in our country dream at a chance for higher education. Those eligible for the benefits of the DREAM Act are children who came at a young age with their parents who are undocumented. They did not come of their own free will but traveled with their parents just as any children would. Many of these undocumented youth are excellent students - many top of their class, are bilingual or in some cases trilingual and have the potential to be a great asset to their communities and our country as a whole. Once these students graduate high school - their future is shattered by the current policies that do not allow these students to further their education. We do not provide them a pathway to higher education and God forbid we send them on a pathway to legalization. I don't know about you guys but I live in the United States of America - the land of the free and home of the brave, the highest power in the world, one of the most sophisticated country's, the preacher of great knowledge, of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The country who prides itself on world class education. I also live in a country called the United States that has a broken immigration system, a country that tears families apart, a country that allows immigrant workers to be exploited, a country that has over 3 million of its citizens without health insurance. So the opponents of the DREAM Act say - we can't afford to pay for higher education for these youth, why should we award those in violation of immigration policies with world class education. Let me ask YOU some questions - Why can we afford trillions of dollars on wars, billions and billions of dollars to bail out corporate fat cats and greedy banks? We are already offering them free public elementary and secondary education. You have already invested in them as a country, why pull the investment before you gain the true benefit? Maybe if we stopped investing all this money on wars we can provide world class education to these students who are the future of this country. Young people who will become educated and become professionals, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs - contributors to our suffering economy. I don't know about you but I would never be able to look a child in the face and tell them that they have NO FUTURE. If we do not pass the DREAM Act - that's exactly what we are telling them. Let's not punish these children for the decisions their parents made. Let's also not jump to say its their parents fault. Why did their parents decide to come to the United States - for the very reasons I listed above and for the very reasons why I love this country - opportunity and the chance to make their dreams a reality. Education and healthcare are not things we should be fighting for in a country like the United States, education and healthcare should be a right. I dream of a day when we as a country genuinely recognize the contributions of immigrants, hell I dream of a day when our country realizes there would be no United States without immigrants. Period. Let's pass the DREAM Act - because its the right thing to do.