 |
| Rachel Daniel holds up a picture of her abducted daughter Rose Daniel as her son Bukar sits beside her at their home in Maiduguri. Rose, along with more than 200 of her classmates, was one of those abducted by Boko Haram militants from a secondary school in Chibok, Nigeria. Photograph: Joe Penney/Reuters |
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/24/opinion/more-democratic-less-liberal.html?ref=opinion
Dear Editor,
"The Brotherhood Will Be Back" sounds like an Islamic version of modern Zionism and Israel, with the potential to make life quite nice for a select few who benefit from having a podium, tax payers' funds and state power "defending" their idea of religion, providing better job opportunities for coreligionists plus a heavily armed modern military making life totally miserable for those who are classified as the "wrong" religion.
States and states-within-states that advocate arming religion and favoritism tend to quickly impoverish and imperil the local people, generating injustice, sectarian strife, disenfranchisement, disaster, and escalating refugee crises. Empowering Golden Rule thinking and true respect for the rule of fair and just laws and universal human rights is a much better option- for everyone's sake.
Hussein Ibish, of The American Task Force on Palestine, rising up this week to valiantly defend the nationally- and internationally-noted Lebanese journalist Hanin Ghaddar (who is being bullied and threatened by some very obtuse and nasty people) points out that "Ostensibly Hezbollah's state-within-a-state is for "resistance" and to protect Lebanon from Israel. In reality, of course, its weapons are used mainly to enforce its domestic political agenda on other Lebanese, and in the service of its Iranian and Syrian patrons, most notably through the intervention in the Syrian conflict."
And as the very wise and witty explains in his most recent column How We Stop the Next Boko Haram : "I’m not saying Boko Haram’s actions are based on Islamic principles. I believe the opposite, and in fact, I made that very point in my article last week. Of course, the anti-Muslim crowd denounced my article as inaccurate. Having those people explain Islam is like having Mel Gibson explain Judaism."
Conservative or liberal, there is a huge difference between electing a candidate who happens to be Muslim (or Christan or Jewish or whatever) who understands and practices Golden Rule thinking which includes respect for people who would rather not be religious, and electing a candidate who seeks political power because he wants a podium and preferential treatment for his religion.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
"Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries" US State Department.
"It is critically important to have a broad strategic vision of the future that embodies the values and aspirations of your people. And it is equally important to be able to project how you can see that vision being implemented in the short term. " James Zogby of AAI...
"Thinking about the
future means we do not create "false idols" of the past
or present. It means that we understand that we are
human, subject to God's laws, and that we do not allow
ourselves become so arrogant as to subject God to our
own whims and fancy. It also requires that we reject the
temptation to use means that contradict the very ends we
seek to accomplish."
My letter PUBLISHED CSM May 19, 2014 The 'big-ticket questions, such as Palestinian sovereignty, claims to Jerusalem, and the "right of return" ' are very relevant to the day-to-day lives of Palestinians.
Christian exodus shadows papal visit to Holy Land
Pope Francis to visit The Holy Land: JORDAN hopes the visit will "push for achieving peace and stability in the region, including the Israeli-Palestinian peace process"
How do we want to define feminism in 2014? In the first panel discussion at the second annual FORBES Women’s Summit this morning, a four-woman slate moderated by former Hewlett-Packard HPQ CEO Carly Fiorina, gave personal answers to Fiorina’s thoughtful questions. The conclusions: Women should reclaim the term and think of it as the struggle for gender equality, while looking to their own personal experience for strength....READ MORE
Miriam Awadallah, Intern at the American Task Force on Palestine: Assaf is Now My Idol: Sorry, Kanye West
Hussein Ibish: ADL Anti-Semitism survey has the potential to mislead
Religious Fact ... a poem in Growing Gardens for Palestine
"Laws are necessary but not sufficient for countering intolerance in individual attitudes. Intolerance is very often rooted in ignorance and fear: fear of the unknown, of the other, other cultures, nations, religions. Intolerance is also closely linked to an exaggerated sense of self-worth and pride, whether personal, national or religious. These notions are taught and learned at an early age. Therefore, greater emphasis needs to be placed on educating more and better. Greater efforts need to be made to teach children about tolerance and human rights, about other ways of life. Children should be encouraged at home and in school to be open-minded and curious."
"It is, of course, naïve to expect total reconciliation. Some grievances are so deep that the people who suffered them will never be satisfied. But the point is not satisfaction — the point is that the present is superior to the past, and it has to be cultivated as such." Colum McCann author of the novel “TransAtlantic” and a co-founder of Narrative 4, a global story exchange project
Visual map of how the Israeli ID system is stratified to limit democratic access to home ownership, security, services & participation in the polical system which creates and sustains the Israeli ID system
STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries
UNITED NATIONS: International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014
American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) congratulates Arab America for the outstanding accomplishment in organizing a highly successful event that featured “Arab Idol” Mohammed Assaf and Lebanese vocalist Ziad Khoury on May 11 2014 ... in Growing Gardens for Palestine
850 Guests Attend Arab America "Ya Hal Arab" Event with Mohammed Assaf and Ziad Khoury "Tonight we celebrate the unwavering Palestinian unity and determination to see a Palestinian homeland after more than 66 years of occupation!"
UN photo archive tells story of Palestinian exodus
"We Refuse to Be Enemies" a briefing call with Daoud Nassar, a Palestinian farmer
Reasonable voices & helpful resources ...America for Palestine MAY 2014
The Arab villages lost since Israel's war of independence - Guardian Interactive: ...Pre 1948 ...March 1948 ... May 1948 ...June 1948 ...Oct 1948 ...July 1949 ...Now
Remembering the Nakba: Israeli group puts 1948 Palestine back on the map Zochrot aims to educate Israeli Jews – through tours and a new phone app – about a history obscured by enmity and denial
Growing Gardens for Palestine: "And it's up to all of us together"... a Spring poem for Palestine & peace
Peace Building ... civic muscle
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
The Golden Rule...
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
"The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." American Task Force on Palestine's born in Jerusalem Dr. Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace
No comments:
Post a Comment