The following commentary, written by Arab-American comedian Dean Obeidallah, asks us to think about how our reactions to the recent Tucson shootings might have been different if the perpetrator were Muslim. What if Jared Loughner were a Muslim? New York City (CNN) ---"When the news first broke that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords had been shot at …
Islam & women piece: Seeking questions from my readers
Have you ever seen a girl wearing a headscarf walking on campus or in the grocery store and wanted to ask, "Why do you wear that? Are you forced to?" Post 9/11, many Americans have lots of questions about the relationship between Islam and women, but many have no place where they can express their concerns and questions. With this blog post, and a new project I'm beginning, I'm attempting to provide that forum for asking questions and providing some answers.
A sacrificial feast
Written November 2010. Today, Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Adha, the holiest holiday in the Islamic calendar. It is similar to Christians’ Easter celebrations, in that it is the most important holiday of the year, yet the worldwide festivities and preparations are less extensive than those during the month of Ramadan (which is similar to Christmastime …
Reflections on 9/11, Part 1
This weekend is a unique one. Today, Muslims are celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan. Tomorrow, Americans of all faiths will mourn the ninth anniversary of the attacks on New York and the Pentagon. It seems quite ironic that these two days--arguably the most significant days for …
Democracy Now!’s Islamic center roundtable
My former professor John Esposito, Muslim Congressman Keith Ellison-D, Rabbi Irwin Kula, and Talat Hamdani, mother of a 9/11 victim, discuss the Park 51 project, the plan to build an Islamic center in Manhattan. Their voices and views have been--I believe--intentionally ignored in the mainstream media's coverage of this issue. This is what Democracy Now! does …
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