IN THIS ISSUE
Muslim Alliance of Indiana (MAI) in partnership with ISNA and IMPACT exerted pressure on the FBI to cancel the session by Spencer and mailed a thank you/validation letter. The cancellation of the Spencer event is an important achievement for the Muslim community in Indiana. Islamophobes like Spencer thrive on such meetings to gain legitimacy in the main-stream world. This change in his invitation is the result of the strong relationships that MAI has established with the FBI. We must also thank ISNA and IMPACT for their important effort.
MAI regularly meets with the FBI. MAI also provides attorneys for interviews between FBI and Muslim Hoosiers. MAI requests that you send the FBI and/or your local newsletter similar to the letter below.
Mr. Keith Lourdeau
Special Agent in Charge
575 North Pennsylvania Street, Room #679
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Dear Mr. Lourdeau:
We are writing to thank you for canceling the presentation by Robert Spencer.
Mr. Spencer is one of a handful of individuals motivated by bigotry, prejudice and hysteria who has masqueraded as an 'expert' on terrorism in the media. Allowing prejudice in American intelligence gathering or analysis can only hurt us in our struggle against extremist violence. As you know, effective intelligence work requires a sophisticated understanding of complex political and religious issues and that understanding must be free from bigotry. Chasing leads based on prejudice, rather than on legitimate intelligence concerns, is a waste of time and resources for the FBI. In addition, the perception of bigotry will alienate the FBI from one of your most important resources, the American Muslim community.
We applaud your efforts to educate agents working with the Joint Terrorism Task Force. In our work with FBI agents since 9-11, some of our members have been concerned about the FBI's lack of a sophisticated understanding of basic issues relating to the Muslim community. The FBI apology to 'the Evansville Eight' was a step in the right direction. This action showed the Muslim community that the FBI cared about the suffering its mistake caused, and also that the FBI had learned enough to be able to recognize the men's innocence. We encourage your agents to continue learning.
Please let us know if we can help connect you to legitimate experts on topics related to the work done by the Joint Terrorism Task Force. We will not win this struggle against extremist violence with our military power. This struggle requires the use of 'smart power' based on sophisticated and unbiased intelligence. The FBI has an important role to play.
Sincerely,
Your name
Address
The Muslim Alliance of Indiana (MAI) in partnership with ISNA and UniteHere to prevent White Lodging Corporation from receiving public subsidies in Indiana. White Lodging has been sued by the EEOC for its not allowing Muslim female employees to wear the hijab in one of their Kentucky hotels. White Lodging is negotiating to be a major downtown Indianapolis hotel and is negotiating with Mayor Peterson for $9 million in public subsidies. MAI has conveyed its concerns to Mayor Peterson and will be having follow up meetings with his office to insure that White Lodging include appropriate protections for employees for its hotels. Specifically, MAI is asking Mayor Peterson to demand that White Lodging conduct diversity training for its employees, to create protocols that will prevent discrimination against all minorities, agree to meet with national Muslim organizations and allow its Indianapolis hotel employees to organize. "Minorities are better protected in institutions which allow their employees to organize as a problem for one employee is a problem for all employees," states Shariq Siddiqui, Executive Director, MAI.
Through the efforts of Muslim City-Councilman Patrice Abduallah, MAI and its partners have convinced 15 city-council members to assist in preventing White Lodging to receive the $9 million in public subsidies without proper protection. MAI requests Muslims Hoosiers to write to Mayor Peterson to state their concern with this agreement with White Lodging.
MAI also would like Muslims in Fort Wayne to contact their mayor to prevent White Lodgings acquisition of a major hotel in Fort Wayne.
On January 24, 2007, the Muslim Alliance of Indiana wrote the following letter to Mayor Bart Peterson regarding its concern over the ownership of the new public funded hotel in Indianapolis and the prospective owners alleged discriminatory practices against Muslim employees. MAI urges Indiana Muslims to write to the Mayor and to express their concern.
January 24, 2007
Mayor Bart Peterson
2501 City-County Building
200 East Washington Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Dear Mayor Peterson,
We, at the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, are concerned about the city's selection of White Lodging to manage the Indianapolis convention headquarters hotel. Our concern was compounded by reports of significant public funding that will subsidize this hotel's development. While the Muslim Alliance of Indiana is strongly in support of economic development activities in Indianapolis as well as your leadership we feel that White Lodging is not a responsible employer. We urge you to protect the citizens of Indianapolis by protecting the rights of employees at this hotel. As you are aware Muslim Alliance of Indiana works to connect 280,000 Muslim Hoosier to their public leadership. We will be working with the Muslim community across the state and especially in Indianapolis to raise our concerns regarding White Lodging.
This past summer, the Bush administration sued White Lodging for discriminating against hotel housekeepers in Louisville, KY (EEOC v White Lodging, Civil Action No. 3:06CV-353-S). The EEOC lawsuit made the following allegation:
Mahdi, Muya, Issa and Fayi are Muslims and wear the hijab headdress as part of their faith. LMD and White Lodging failed to reasonably accommodate Mahdi, Muya, Issa and Fayi's sincerely held religious beliefs, and denied them the opportunity for employment when they refused to remove their hijab.
The EEOC continues to describe these civil rights violations as "intentional" and state that they were "done with malice or with reckless indifference to the federally protected rights of Mahdi, Muya, Issa and Fayi."
As you know, the EEOC conducts substantial due diligence to confirm that the allegations have merit before filing a complaint. Furthermore, the EEOC tried to settle these charges with White Lodging before filing the complaint; however, White Lodging was unwilling to reach a settlement.
The Muslim Alliance of Indiana has been working to attract meetings, conventions and conferences from large organizations like ISNA, CAIR, ICNA, MPAC and so on. The ISNA Convention alone produces over fifteen million dollars in revenue for the City of Chicago over Labor Day Weekend. Muslim Alliance of Indiana is trying to get these organizations to consider the new convention center and hotel in Indianapolis, but your decision to partner with White Lodging on this vital economic development project for Indianapolis makes that difficult.
We appreciate the support that you have given to the Muslim community in Indiana. Your statements to protect the Muslim community after the tragic events of 9/11/2001 and your recent proclamation for Eid-alAdha show us your dedication towards diversity and openness to the Muslim community. However, White Lodging has not treated Muslim employees with the same respect. We look forward to your immediate attention to the pending matters that directly affect the respectable citizens of Indianapolis.
Sincerely,
Shariq Siddiqui
Executive Director
Muslim Alliance of Indiana
With the fear that violence in Iraq might spread, officials in Baghdad and around the world continue to search for ways to ease tensions and prevent civil war. In addition to the future of Iraq itself, the political and security interests of other countries, including the United States, are at stake.
These issues will take center stage on Tuesday, April 3, when Iraqi Ambassador to the United Nations Feisal Istrabadi is scheduled to deliver a lecture at Indiana University entitled, "Implications of Failure in Iraq for U.S. Security." Hosted by the Student Alliance for National Security (SANS), the event will take place at 7:30 pm in the Whittenberger Auditorium of the Indiana Memorial Union. The program is being co-sponsored by AIESEC.
To attend the brief press conference beforehand, please contact SANS Communication Director Eva d'Ambrosio at (317) 966-9763.
Ambassador Istrabadi was born in Virginia but spent his childhood living in Baghdad with his family. In 1970, he returned to the United States, later attending Indiana University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry and a law degree at the Indiana University School of Law. Living in Chesterton, he worked as a trial lawyer for 15 years, specializing in civil litigation and constitutional torts.
In 2002, Istrabadi joined the State Department's Future of Iraq Project that focused on post-war planning for Iraq. In September 2003, he returned to Iraq to serve as an adviser to a member of the country's Governing Council. In that capacity, he was the principal legal drafter of Iraq's interim constitution.
Istrabadi was appointed ambassador in the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2004. That same year, he was appointed to his current position of deputy permanent representative of Iraq to the United Nations.
The Student Alliance for National Security (SANS) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting awareness of national security issues, engaging students in discussion on security-related topics, and presenting student opinions on security issues to policymakers. SANS was founded at Indiana University in 2006.
AIESEC is the world's largest student-run organization and boasts a highly active chapter at Indiana University. AIESEC was established 50 years ago in the aftermath of World War II by seven European students seeking to increase understanding between peoples and nations. It has since expanded to over 90 countries and 700 universities and has developed a well-recognized international exchange program.
With Iran suspected of developing a nuclear program and North Korea's detonation of its first nuclear weapon last October, officials in Washington and around the world have placed a renewed urgency on halting the spread of weapons of mass destruction.
This month, a panel discussion featuring leading diplomatic, intelligence, and security experts was held at Indiana University to discuss these growing threats and ways to meet the challenges posed by nuclear proliferation. The event, "Securing the Bomb: Stopping Nuclear Proliferation in the 21st Century" took place February 26, 2007 from 6:30-8:00 pm in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union.
Hosted by the Indiana Memorial Union Board and the Student Alliance for National Security, the program featured former Assistant Secretary of State Avis Bohlen, U.S. Ambassador Donald Mahley, former chief of CIA covert operations in Europe Tyler Drumheller, and Arms Control Association Executive Director Daryl Kimball. These renowned experts discussed the threats from Iran and North Korea and also addressed the danger of terrorists acquiring nuclear weapons, a possibility that has been labeled by officials to be the single greatest threat to U.S. security.
In 2006 eight countries were believed to possess nuclear weapons; in October of last year, North Korea became the ninth country to join the list after conducting an underground nuclear detonation. Currently, Iran is suspected of developing a program to produce the bomb. The threat, however, extends beyond states. The attacks on New York and Washington of September 11th, 2001 heightened concern that terrorist groups might also become nuclear powers. The results of such a development could be catastrophic, and underscores the pressing need to secure nuclear materials.
The United States is recognized as a worldwide leader in the effort to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. Over the past several decades, it has helped create a number of treaties, laws, and agreements aimed at preventing additional countries from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. International bodies such the UN also play an active role in combating the nuclear threat through institutions like the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"Securing the Bomb: Stopping Nuclear Proliferation in the 21st Century" was sponsored by the Union Board and the Student Alliance for National Security. Cosponsors include the Global Village, Department of Political Science, Department of Near Eastern Languages & Cultures, Department of International Studies, and the Russian and East European Institute (REEI).
Avis T. Bohlen retired from the State Department in 2002 after some 30 years of government service in positions including Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria. She is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and serves on a number of boards including IREX, the Stimson Center, the Defense Advisory Committee of the Center for Naval Analysis, the Atlantic Council, and the American College of Sofia.
Tyler Drumheller retired from the Central Intelligence Agency in 2004 after more than 25 years of service. At the time of his retirement, Drumheller served as chief of CIA covert operations in Europe. Drumheller's recently published book, On the Brink: An Insider's Account of How the White House Compromised American Intelligence, details the Bush administration's handling of pre-war intelligence on Iraq. He is the highest-ranking CIA official so far to have published a book on the subject.
Ambassador Donald Mahley currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Threat Reduction, Export Controls, and Negotiations at the State Department, where he is responsible for chemical, biological, missile, and conventional threat reduction. He served previously in the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and was a member of the National Security Council under Presidents Reagan and Bush. Ambassador Mahley is a retired U.S. Army officer and is a native Hoosier.
Daryl G. Kimball is currently the Executive Director of the Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting support for effective arms control policies. Kimball leads efforts to provide policymakers, the press, and the public with authoritative information and analysis on national security issues related to nuclear, chemical, biological, and conventional weapons. He also oversees publication of the renowned international security magazine Arms Control Today. In 2004, National Journal recognized Kimball as one of the ten key individuals whose ideas will help shape the policy debate on the weapons proliferation.
The Student Alliance for National Security (SANS) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting awareness of national security issues, engaging students in discussion on security-related topics, and presenting student opinions on security issues to policymakers. SANS was founded at Indiana University.
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'Distinguished experts' lead discussion of nuclear arms
Panelists say talks with other countries first step
Shannon McEnerney |Indiana Daily Student | 2/27/2007
Originally, sophomore Tim Torkelson came to the Student Alliance for National Security and Union Board presentation, "Securing the Bomb: Stopping Nuclear Proliferation in the 21st Century," to boost his grade instead of out of enjoyment or interest in the topic.
"I'm going to be honest, I was offered extra credit for a class if I came to this," he said.
But by the end, Torkelson said he found the presentation interesting and said afterward he feels that he knows more about nuclear proliferation than he did when he first arrived.
The panelists in attendance were U.S. Ambassador Avis T. Bohlen; former CIA Chief of Clandestine Operations for Europe Tyler Drumheller; and Executive Director of the Arms Control Association Daryl G. Kimball. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Donald Mahley was scheduled to appear, but was unable to attend the event.
The panelists said the first step in slowing nuclear proliferation is for the United States to begin talks with other nations.
"I also really enjoyed Avis Bohlen ripping on the current Bush administration and the nuclear policy," Torkelson said.
Professor David Fidler served as the event moderator, introducing the panelists as "distinguished experts" to discuss the important issue of nuclear threats from states like Iran and North Korea, along with the possibility of nuclear terrorism.
Freshman Laura Nading, who was among those in attendance, said she felt the discussion was very interesting because it offered an alternative viewpoint.
"It's different than what you hear on the news when this topic is discussed," she said.
Bohlen served as the keynote speaker to explain the current events, focusing specifically on the situations in North Korea and Iran.
Currently in North Korea there has been a freeze on the facilities, while in Iran, current talks are moving toward suspending the developing uranium processes, Bohlen said.
"The agreement with North Korea is welcome, fragile and six years overdue," Bohlen said. "It's fragile as we are not certain they will give up their weapons."
Iran is currently working toward nuclear weapon capabilities, and if talks do not occur soon between the United States and Iran, this fear may be realized, she said.
"What we have adamantly refused to do is not enter into discussion with Iranians unless they suspend uranium enrichment facilities," Bohlen said. But, there is no guarantee that dialogues with Iran would solve the situation, she added.
"I think there has been a more disturbing theme of trivializing nuclear weapons," Bohlen said.
Drumheller said that Iran is far along - about five to ten years from developing nuclear weaponry - but he said that is a time clock the United States should not be up against.
"A damage can be done that no one can even imagine," Drumheller said of nuclear weapons.
All three of the panelists agreed that time is not on the United States' side and that a look to the future should be in order, for the actions now will affect the situation with nuclear weapons in the future.
Kimball said that it's like "deja vu" because the North Koreans feel as if the war ended yesterday and they fear a regime change.
Bohlen said only a fool would say nuclear terrorism cannot happen. At the same time, not all terrorists seek use of nuclear weapons because kidnapping and other behaviors are easier and just as effective.
Kimball brought into discussion the nuclear weapons that the United States possesses.
"Why does the U.S. have as many nuclear warheads as we do?" he said. "These weapons are not very useful, the only real purpose is to detour another country from launching devastation on another country."
Freshman Kirsten Reinecke said "it's clearly a problem," regarding nuclear weapons.
"Our generation will have to deal with this and hopefully we will, but it will get worse if we don't do anything about it," she said.
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The deadline for signing the Nelson-Ensign letter on the Palestinian government was last Friday, March 23rd. After two weeks of intense lobbying, the letter, which blocks US efforts to engage with moderate Palestinians, closed with 79 signers. The Nelson-Ensign letter was changed from its original version to allow for diplomatic engagement with Palestinian President Abbas, but not with moderate cabinet members like the new Finance Minister, Salam Fayyad, who recently met with the US Consul General in Jerusalem.
The fact that the text was changed, unusual for a Congressional letter, that several key Senators declined to sign, and that many more either waited to sign until the text had been revised or waited until the last moments on March 23rd to add their name shows the importance of CMEP's advocacy along with that of other collegial Jewish and Arab groups. Despite the number of final signers, there seems to be a growing awareness in the Senate that it does not serve America's interests to block US diplomatic efforts aimed at helping to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
TAKE ACTION
If one or both of your Senators are among those that did not sign the letter, please take a moment to call or email the office. Thank him/her for not signing the Nelson-Ensign letter, which blocks US contact with Palestinian moderates, and for their support of US diplomacy to help achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace.
The US Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) will connect you to any office or email your Senator using their online web forms. Below is a list of the Senators who didn't sign, including their relevant committee assignments.
Senators who did NOT sign the Nelson-Ensign Letter on the Palestinian Government
Democrats (9)
Bingaman, Jeff NM
Byrd, Robert WV (Approps Chair, Armed Services)
Feinstein, Dianne CA (Approps, Select Intelligence)
Johnson, Tim SD (ForOps)[currently absent with illness]
Kennedy, Ted MA (Armed Services)
Kerry, John MA (SFRC/Near East Chair)
Leahy, Patrick VT (ForOps Chair)
McCaskill, Claire MO (Armed Services)
Webb, Jim VA (SFRC, Armed Services)
Independents (1)
Sanders, Bernard VT
Republicans (11)
Alexander, Lamar TN (ForOps)
Domenici, Pete NM (Approps)
Enzi, Mike WY
Gregg, Judd NH (ForOps Ranking Member)
Hagel, Chuck NE (SFRC/Near East, Select Intelligence)
Hatch, Orrin UT (Select Intelligence)
Lugar, Richard IN (SFRC Ranking Member)
Sununu, John NH (SFRC/Near East)
Thomas, Craig WY
Voinovich, George OH (SFRC/Near East)
Warner, John VA (Armed Services, Select Intelligence)
Register today for CMEP's Advocacy Conference
For the Peace of Jerusalem
May 6-8, 2007 - Washington, DC
Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace is a Washington-based program of the Alliance of Baptists, American Friends Service Committee, Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Armenian Orthodox Church, Catholic Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Church of the Brethren, Church World Service, Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Franciscan Friars OFM (English Speaking Conference, JPIC Council), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Maryknoll Missioners, Mennonite Central Committee, Moravian Church in America, National Council of Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), Reformed Church in America, Unitarian Universalist Association, United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church (GBCS & GBGM).
Contributions to CMEP are tax deductible and can be made by check or online by secure, on-line credit card service.
Churches for Middle East Peace
Email: info@cmep.org
Phone: 202-543-1222
NEW YORK - As soon as Abdel Salam Abdel Salam heard about the attack on the World Trade Center, he went to the supermarket in his Brooklyn neighborhood and bought enough cases of water to fill up his van. He then headed to ground zero and gave it out to anyone who needed it.
This week, the Egyptian-born Muslim-American is embarking on another venture motivated by his desire to help: He's joining the US Army as a translator.
"I want to help the Iraqi people understand what the [American] soldiers are there for," says Mr. Abdel Salam. "To show them there's someone from their culture, who's also from the US, who understands them and wants to help."
With the United States engaged in an unpopular war in a primarily Arabic-speaking country, the US military has significantly stepped up its efforts to recruit Muslim-Americans who are native speakers of Arabic, Pashto, or Farsi. In addition to setting up special outreach programs, it's also hired imams, opened prayer rooms on some bases, and increased military observances of Islamic holidays to assure Muslims they are welcome.
But for many who choose to serve, like Abdel Salam, the decision is ultimately a complex and personal one. It combines deeply held religious beliefs with love of their adopted country and native region, as well as inner conflicts about the validity of the war in Iraq and what role, if any, they should play in it.
"Overall, there is some interest [among Muslim-Americans] in the Army for the usual reasons: career, benefits, and serving my country," says John Zogby, president of the polling group Zogby International, which has interviewed young Muslim-Americans about their views of the military. "But a key reason ... is being in the position to help. They think: 'If I could go in and stop a situation where someone goes in shooting because they don't understand Arabic, maybe I could help.' "
The US Army doesn't require its service members to declare their religion. But estimates put the number of Muslims serving at about 10,000. Since 9/11, many Muslims have decided against enlisting because of concerns that a bias exists that could limit their career prospects, according to Mr. Zogby.
But Brooklyn has proved to be one of the Army's best recruiting grounds, particularly for Arabic speakers. It has enlisted as many as 20 translators a year. While the war in Iraq is unpopular and polarizing here, as it is elsewhere in the country, recruiters in Brooklyn say there's a pool of immigrants who are very supportive of the war.
"Most of the people I deal with of Arab descent, especially those that have family members in Iraq - they're very much in favor of it," says Capt. Thad Krasnesky, company commander for US Army recruitment in Brooklyn.
Abdel Salam fits that profile. At 6 foot, 1 inch, 260 pounds, with an imposing build, Abdel Salam is aware of the intimidating impact of his large presence. He hopes it can be helpful, if and when he gets sent to Iraq. And he wants to go, very badly. Unlike many of his Arab and Muslim-American neighbors who believe the US is a primary cause of the current chaos in the region, he believes that America has a responsibility to play a role as peacemaker. He's aware that's an unpopular view. But it doesn't bother him, he says, because he grew up in Egypt when Anwar Sadat put out a hand of peace to Israel. At the time Sadat was roundly condemned in the Arab world.
"They may one day call me a traitor.... I'm not going to be surprised to hear it, but I'll ignore it," says Abdel Salam. "They called Sadat a traitor, but now he's a hero. Tomorrow, I'm also going to be the peace-process person."
Raised in the heart of Cairo, Abdel Salam grew up in a prosperous middle-class family. In 1973, when Egypt was at war with Israel, he remembers looking out of the windows from his home at night. The explosions of the bombs on the horizon turned the skies blue. His parents kept trying to put him to bed, but he refused to go. "I said, 'No, I have to see it,' " he says. "It was then I knew I wanted to be a soldier."
But life took him in another direction. He graduated from the Egyptian equivalent of the Merchant Marine Academy and served as a civilian in the merchant marines for several years. Then in 1992, looking for more opportunity, he moved to the United States. He worked as a doorman, took up karate, and eventually opened his own restaurant. Last October, a business dispute led him to close the restaurant. It was then, with the war in Iraq deteriorating, that he decided it was time to return to his original goal.
He contacted the Army recruiting officer in Brooklyn and found out that he was just young enough - three years shy of the 42-year-old age limit. But there was another hurdle: To be qualified, he had to lose 80 pounds. And so he did.
"I'm proud to be an Egyptian, I'm proud to be an American, and I'm proud of what I'm doing," he says.
But some Muslim-American veterans warn that despite Abdel Salam's optimism, he will face an undercurrent of distrust in the Army simply because he is a Muslim. Capt. James Yee, a West Point graduate who converted to Islam, says he experienced that firsthand. He was one of the Army's first and most high-profile imams and served at Guant?namo Bay. In 2003, when on his way home for leave, he was arrested and charged with espionage. He was put in solitary confinement for 72 days. Captain Yee was then released, and eventually all charges were dropped. When he resigned, he was given an honorable discharge and a meritorious service award. The inspector general is now investigating the Defense Department's handling of his case.
"There's still an extreme amount of Islamaphobia in the United States, including in the military," says Yee. "Anyone who's considering joining should thoroughly educate themselves because when you do join, if you decide that it's not for you, you can't just quit."
Many other Muslim- American veterans believe the Army botched Yee's case and in doing so significantly set back efforts to recruit Muslims. The abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib, the torture allegations at secret overseas CIA prisons, and the treatment of prisoners of Guant?namo have also significantly undermined recruiting efforts, according to Zogby.
Yet at the same time, Muslim-American veterans believe the Army has made significant strides. "The military right now doesn't have as big a problem as in 1965 when I first joined," says Abdul Aziz-Shaheed, assistant commander of the Muslim American Veterans Association in Washington. "Then if you were anything other than mainstream Christian, you were singled out."
But Yee is less optimistic, saying the progress is superficial at best.
Still, Abdel Salam is trusting in the positive. He recognizes, though, that some of the people he'll be dealing with have never dealt with an Arab-American Muslim before. He's prepared to respond to anyone who may distrust him because he prays to Allah.
"I'll use humor. I'll show them I'm just like them," says Abdel Salam. "Christian, Muslim, it doesn't matter: We're all people. And we all want the same thing - peace and a better world."
The glossy pages of most teen magazines feature articles on dating, celebrities' jaunts to and from rehab, and the latest miniskirt trend--topics of little relevance to girls who grow up practicing Islam, which frowns upon such things.
But inside Muslim Girl magazine, a bimonthly that debuted in January, readers will not find headlines like "Guys: Decode His IMs" or "585 Sexy New Looks." Rather, it profiles professional women like BBC broadcast journalist Mishal Husain, shows off models sporting cute-yet-conservative clothes and offers specialized advice, such as how to deal with a crush in a culture that looks down on dating.
Started by Ausma Khan, a former lawyer who taught international human rights law at Northwestern University, Muslim Girl is aimed at 12- to 19-year-olds.
"I wanted to provide girls with an alternative to Cosmo Girl! and Seventeen, where they would see fun stories about popular culture but ... also provide guidance and information to boost their self-esteem, develop their self-confidence," said Khan, who lives in Evanston. "We wanted to tell the stories of real American Muslims."
Muslim Girl joins a growing number of publications--on and offline--catering to contemporary Muslims living in the United States. The comedy Web site Islamica News, for instance, pokes fun with satirical articles such as "Santa Myth Exposed: Muslim 2nd Grader Ruins Christmas for Entire Class."
Muslim Girl also demonstrates how women are increasingly asserting themselves as Muslim Americans. A feature on the magazine's Web site asks girls, "What's going on in your mosque? Is it girl-friendly?"--a potentially provocative question given that the topic of men and women sharing prayer space continues to be controversial.
In fact, one of the magazine's biggest challenges will be appealing to a diverse population. For example, not all young women in the magazine wear the hijab, or headscarf, which could be objectionable to some Muslims.
"We make an internal motto to be as inclusive as possible," Khan said.
Although such a broad approach might not work in other countries, the magazine is likely to thrive amid the cultural diversity and openness of American culture, said Mamoon Syed, executive director of the Nawawi Foundation, a non-profit education organization based in Burr Ridge that provides Islamic teachings to first- and second-generation Muslim Americans.
"If there's anywhere in the world where you have the opportunity to be able to agree to disagree, it's the United States," Syed said. "As they say, `I may not agree with your voice, but I'll defend your right to say it.' You can't do that in a lot of other Muslim countries."
Muslim Girl follows in the footsteps of the Atlanta-based Azizah magazine, founded in 2002 and aimed at contemporary Muslim women. The publisher and editor-in-chief of that magazine, Tayyibah Taylor, said Muslim Girl could fill a significant void for younger Muslims.
"Being a person who is not of the dominant culture has an effect on people who are absent in the mainstream media or have negative portrayals of themselves," Taylor said. "It's a very subtle but very powerful process by which you internalize a sense of, `Oh something's wrong.' Having your own media and being able to see a positive reflection of oneself is a very empowering thing."
The development of media directed at Muslim women is evidence of the group's growing influence in American society, said Taylor, whose magazine has a circulation of about 45,000. Muslim Girl currently claims a circulation of 50,000 and is hoping to double that number within the next few years.
Although Khan and her editorial team initially envisioned the magazine for younger teens, "what we found is that college-age girls are really interested in the magazine," she said. "The issues we cover actually have a broad appeal."
Aneesa Arshad, 21, a junior at Northwestern University, said she has heard of Muslim Girl and is excited that focuses on career and life goals rather than the latest Nicole Richie/Paris Hilton feud.
"Those are definitely the articles that I would want to read," Arshad said of the career features in Muslim Girl. "As I'm looking at what career decisions I want to make, those definitely relate to where I am in life right now, more than an article about a celebrity."
Muslim Girl doesn't ignore fashion, but the styles are conservative. It's an aspect of the new magazine that Aamna Anwer, 19, said she found appealing.
Anwer, who was raised in Galesburg and also attends Northwestern, said she used to subscribe to Allure and Vogue and loves fashion but couldn't always wear the clothes she saw on the models.
"It would be convenient if sometimes when we were looking through a fashion magazine, there would be more that would be available to Muslim women, or women who were more modest," said Anwer, whose parents were born in Pakistan.
Khan and Taylor hope that Muslim media will help change perceptions of Muslims in the United States.
"Oftentimes, because Islam and Muslims are reported on in the Middle East and politics, there is an association with terrorism and bombings," Taylor said. "It is painful to watch that and see that that's the definition of Muslims in the world. Creating our own media allows us the opportunity to say, this is who we are, this is what we've done, from our frame of reference."
The City of Chicago O*Hare Modernization Program (OMP) is seeking qualified candidates for a limited number of Internship positions available for the 2007 summer season.
The OMP is seeking both paid and unpaid interns. Preference for available positions will be given to students majoring the following disciplines:
- Accounting/Auditing/Finance
- Aviation
- Business Management
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Technology
- Construction Management
- Electrical Engineering
- Graphic Design
- Information Technology
- Public Relations/Journalism
In addition, the OMP is seeking qualified Law Clerks for paid positions. OMP Law Clerk candidates must have completed at least one year of law school.
For more information, including City of Chicago residency and college/university credit requirements, please visit www.OhareModernization.org.
The APPLICATION DEADLINE for Internship positions is Monday, April 30, 2007.
The Lawyers Council of the ACLU of Indiana
and the following
Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis Student Organizations:
Equal Justice Works
ACLU of Indiana Law Student Chapter
The International Human Rights Law Society
Proudly Sponsor
"Guantanamo Bay: The Struggle for Human Rights"
by the Former US Army Muslim Chaplain of Guantanamo Bay
Featuring Guest Speaker
Chaplain James Yee
Thursday, April 12, 2007
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Wynne Moot Courtroom
Indiana University School of Law - Indianapolis
Reception immediately following from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm
Chaplain James J. Yee is a former US Army Chaplain and graduate of West Point, who served as the Muslim Chaplain for the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After being officially recognized twice for outstanding performance, Captain Yee was arrested and imprisoned in a Naval brig for 76 days in September 2003 while being falsely accused of spying, espionage, and aiding the alleged Taliban and Al-Qaeda prisoners. Chaplain Yee's gripping account of his Guantanamo experience and struggle for justice has been recently published and is entitled For God and Country: Faith and Patriotism Under Fire.
For more about Chaplain Yee, visit our website at http://www.aclu-in.org/subpage.asp?p=51#yee
For more information, contact Tori Calvert at tcalvert@aclu-in.org or (317) 635-4059ext. 233
Muslim community in Bloomington and specifically the Indiana Muslim Political Action Committee Task Force (IMPACT) was heavily involved with Congressman Baron Hill's recent election. He defeated the Republican incumbent to regain the seat. The Muslim community is engaging with him to put forth our concerns. He has been open and receptive.
IMPACT is organizing a small fundraising event at a Bloomington restaurant to meet with Congressman Baron Hill on Saturday, April 7, 2007 from 1 - 3 pm at the Casablanca Restaurant on 4th street in Bloominton. There are contributions at three levels: $75, $150 and $250. This would be an opportunity to meet with this Congressman and express our concerns over foreign policy and other issues that we find troublesome. The meeting will be quite intimate and we expect less than 50 people to attend giving ample time for all to express their concerns in a constructive way.
This is a constructive way in which we can engage with a lawmaker while also showing that we are a political force. If you cannot make it please mail a check to IMPACT. Please note that only Green Card Holders and US Citizens are permitted by law to donate to this campaign.
May Allah (swt) bless all of you and our community.
Jazakulahu khayran,
Professor Abdulkader Sinno
President of IMPACT
For any specific questions, contact asinno@indiana.edu
MUSLIM ALLIANCE OF INDIANA is dedicated to empower Muslims through social engagement and developing awareness of public issues among Muslims and connecting 280,000 Muslim Hoosiers with the leadership.
To learn more about past activities and accomplishments, please visit at www.muslimalliancein.com
To be involved with MAI mission, please contact muslimalliancein@yahoo.com
To strengthen and disseminate the vision, please forward this message to others in Indiana or send email list to muslimalliancein@yahoo.com
This is intended for Muslim Hoosiers and friends promoting peace and harmony, mutual respect and making Indiana strong. If you want to be off this list, please advise.
Thank you.
