Saturday, July 30, 2005
iran and nuclear weapons?
A piece from Common Dreams called Iran: Threatening or Threatened? discussing Iran and its future. I'm considering it as my PBU homework assignment.
don't ask for whom the bell tolls
The Chicago Defender recently published a commentary piece called London and other Atrocities which puts certain things in perspective. Yes, all men and women are created equal, but like George Orwell said, some are "more equal than others".
arab-american demographics
Not exactly news to some folks. But it can be surprising if you haven't heard it before. Most Arab-Americans are actually Christian!?!? Less than a quarter of Arab-Americans are Muslims ?!?! Of course that's just on this side of the pond. The statistics are different in the Middle East.
islamic iraq?
According to the Guardian, Islam Dominates Iraq's Draft Constitution
Somewhere in the white house, some folks are probably scratching their heads...
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Framers of Iraq's constitution will designate Islam as the main source of legislation - a departure from the model set down by U.S. authorities during the occupation - according to a draft published Tuesday.
``Islam is the official religion of the state and is the main source of legislation,'' reads the draft published in the government newspaper Al-Sabah. ``No law that contradicts with its rules can be promulgated.''
Somewhere in the white house, some folks are probably scratching their heads...
Friday, July 29, 2005
i guess we ALL look alike
More details on Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian man who was shot 7 times and killed by London police in the wake of the recent attacks. From Common Dreams
the myth of reggaeton
Here is an interesting piece from Davy-D's Hip-Hop on the racial politics of reggaeton called The Myth of Reggaeton by E-PROPS. However, what seems bizzare to me is that, reading between the lines, the author seems to resent the success of reggaeton and sees it as a tool for "Hispanics of European descent" to take something away from Black dancehall reggae artists. But in reality many of the reggaeton artists (starting with El General, who performed the first reggaeton song "Pum Pum Mami Mami") are themselves Latinos of African descent. And reggaeton itself grew out of the cultural synthesis which occured when West Indians moved to Panama (where El General is from) and Puerto Rico. So although the piece from E-Props probably makes some valid points, I'm still concerned that in the name of defending Black cultural ownership of reggae, he may really just be defending ethnocentrism and pitting one group of people of African-descent against another.
angels and demons
So I just finished Dan Brown's Angels and Demons about an hour ago. It has a similar formula to the Da Vinci Code. But where the Da Vinci Code ended on a mellower, more contemplative note, and gave more food for thought in terms of religious ideas... Angels and Demons had several radical and surprising reversals which kept you on the edge of your seat, and was more satisfying in terms of storytelling.
At the same time, if you have a nit-picking mentality, some have pointed to a great number of factual errors, inconsistencies and holes in the plot. And some of the twists might be a little hard to swallow. Also, a major villan in the novel is a sadistic, misogynistic Arab man only identified as "Hassassin" so I don't think Dan Brown is going to be getting any prizes from any Arab/Muslim civil rights organizations any time soon. Come to think of it, in the Da Vinci Code, there is an albino villan who plays an analagous role (as a pawn who does most of the dirty work) and I've heard that some albino groups have expressed concern about how this villan will be portrayed when the movie version is produced.
I imagine that Brown probably feels justified in using such stock stereotypical characters in order better hide the identity of the real villans, but still I wish he had gone a different route.
A big part of the plot involves the Illuminati which is a big favorite target of many conspiracy theorists. I think of myself as pretty moderate when it comes to accepting such theories. But as I've said before, the fact is, the world isn't a democracy. Some people have more power over human lives than others, and some of these powerful people hang out. That doesn't mean that you should believe every conspiracy theory presented to you, but it also doesn't mean that you can dismiss them all out of hand without considering them. Everything should be weighed on its merits.
At the same time, if you have a nit-picking mentality, some have pointed to a great number of factual errors, inconsistencies and holes in the plot. And some of the twists might be a little hard to swallow. Also, a major villan in the novel is a sadistic, misogynistic Arab man only identified as "Hassassin" so I don't think Dan Brown is going to be getting any prizes from any Arab/Muslim civil rights organizations any time soon. Come to think of it, in the Da Vinci Code, there is an albino villan who plays an analagous role (as a pawn who does most of the dirty work) and I've heard that some albino groups have expressed concern about how this villan will be portrayed when the movie version is produced.
I imagine that Brown probably feels justified in using such stock stereotypical characters in order better hide the identity of the real villans, but still I wish he had gone a different route.
A big part of the plot involves the Illuminati which is a big favorite target of many conspiracy theorists. I think of myself as pretty moderate when it comes to accepting such theories. But as I've said before, the fact is, the world isn't a democracy. Some people have more power over human lives than others, and some of these powerful people hang out. That doesn't mean that you should believe every conspiracy theory presented to you, but it also doesn't mean that you can dismiss them all out of hand without considering them. Everything should be weighed on its merits.
Thursday, July 28, 2005
glimpses of granada
Occasionally I get e-mails from people who read Planet Grenada and send me links that are interesting and are connected somehow to some of the things I talk about in here. Here are a couple of recent ones.
Jai is a Black blogger with a site called Blog Blog Woof Woof. He got married recently (congratulations) and had his honeymoon in Granada, Spain and uploaded pictures onto his site. So if you want to see pictures of what the original Granada looks like today you might want to check it out. If you look at the rest of his blog he also seems to be a Buddhist so he has a certain amount of spiritual content there as well.
The second entry is from a blog called Mudd Up! (which to be honest, I don't entirely "get") but it seems to have an interesting mix of info on music from Africa and the Middle East, mixed in with other topics. The entry which was sent to me was called BLACK SABBATH & LEO AFRICANUS which has a bit of historical information about the city of Timbuktu and Leo Africanus, who was born in the original Granada. (There are also links with more information about Islamic Spain and Africa.
Jai is a Black blogger with a site called Blog Blog Woof Woof. He got married recently (congratulations) and had his honeymoon in Granada, Spain and uploaded pictures onto his site. So if you want to see pictures of what the original Granada looks like today you might want to check it out. If you look at the rest of his blog he also seems to be a Buddhist so he has a certain amount of spiritual content there as well.
The second entry is from a blog called Mudd Up! (which to be honest, I don't entirely "get") but it seems to have an interesting mix of info on music from Africa and the Middle East, mixed in with other topics. The entry which was sent to me was called BLACK SABBATH & LEO AFRICANUS which has a bit of historical information about the city of Timbuktu and Leo Africanus, who was born in the original Granada. (There are also links with more information about Islamic Spain and Africa.
the black stone
I'm in the middle of reading Angels and Demons, the book which comes before The Da Vinci Code, [2] but is by the same author. Both books feature Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor with an extensive knowledge of art and secret societies through European history.
The story of Angels and Demons involves a complex plot to attack the Vatican, among other things, as a way to attack the Catholic Church and religion in general.
The thought had crossed my mind before, but especially in the wake of Tancredo's remarks, reading the above made me wonder what would happen if the US or some other group actually DID nuke Mecca. What would the implications be?
What happened to Judaism when the Temple was destroyed? The first time? The second time? The third time? If someone nuked Mecca how would it affect the faith of Muslims?
What is interesting, but which I wish I understood better and knew more about, is that in the past there have been other groups which have made attacks on the Kabba and the stone with mixed results.
VERY brief timeline of the Black Stone
The most extreme example which I know of is how apparently a group called the Caramathians (sometimes written Qaramathians) had actually stolen the Black Stone from the Kabba and kept it for about 22 years.
Eventually (obviously) the stone was returned, but I wonder what people did in the meantime? How did it feel? Did people even go on hajj during that time?
What would happen if an attack like that were repeated? How much of our faith is tied up in buildings and tombs and relics and how much is tied up in more intangible realities? That's actually a tricky question to answer. There is something to be said for sacred places, for physical ritual, for things you can put your hands on. They help nurture and support our faith. Obviously if we loose those things, there would be a real loss. But on the "other hand" there is also something more, which can outlast any building.
The story of Angels and Demons involves a complex plot to attack the Vatican, among other things, as a way to attack the Catholic Church and religion in general.
The thought had crossed my mind before, but especially in the wake of Tancredo's remarks, reading the above made me wonder what would happen if the US or some other group actually DID nuke Mecca. What would the implications be?
What happened to Judaism when the Temple was destroyed? The first time? The second time? The third time? If someone nuked Mecca how would it affect the faith of Muslims?
What is interesting, but which I wish I understood better and knew more about, is that in the past there have been other groups which have made attacks on the Kabba and the stone with mixed results.
VERY brief timeline of the Black Stone
The most extreme example which I know of is how apparently a group called the Caramathians (sometimes written Qaramathians) had actually stolen the Black Stone from the Kabba and kept it for about 22 years.
In 317/929, the Qarmatians had spread down in Hijaz, and flooded Mecca and Kaba with the blood of pilgrims under the command of Abu Tahir. They made it a scene of fire, blood and repine for 17 days. It must be known that the Qarmatians had been severely and rigorously condemned by the Fatimids for not complying with the pact and reached late at the Egyptian border. In reprisal, the Qarmatians moved to discredit the Fatimids and recited the Fatimid khutba in place of the Abbasid in Hijaz during their horrible operations, so as to misguide the Muslims that their barbarian operations were directed by the Fatimids. The Qarmatians choked up the sacred spring of Zamzam, the door of the Kaba was broken open, the veil covering the Kaba was torn down, and the sacred Black Stone was removed from the Kaba and taken to their headquarters at Hajar. (source)
Eventually (obviously) the stone was returned, but I wonder what people did in the meantime? How did it feel? Did people even go on hajj during that time?
What would happen if an attack like that were repeated? How much of our faith is tied up in buildings and tombs and relics and how much is tied up in more intangible realities? That's actually a tricky question to answer. There is something to be said for sacred places, for physical ritual, for things you can put your hands on. They help nurture and support our faith. Obviously if we loose those things, there would be a real loss. But on the "other hand" there is also something more, which can outlast any building.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
latino and islamic groups want tancredo to quit
Updated: 6:29 p.m. ET July 25, 2005
DENVER - Hispanic and Islamic groups called on Rep. Tom Tancredo to resign Monday, saying he has embarrassed Colorado by suggesting bombing Islamic holy sites if terrorists launch a nuclear attack on the U.S.
They also criticized the GOP congressman’s staunch advocacy of tougher immigration controls.
“Enough is enough. We’re here to say ‘Stop,”’ Hispanic activist Manolo Gonzalez-Estay told a crowd of about 200 at the state Capitol.
Abdur-Rahim Ali, imam of a Muslim shrine in Denver, said Tancredo’s statement that “you could take out” Islamic holy sites in a retaliatory attack was unacceptable.
“What would happen if a prominent Muslim made that statement about Catholic holy places like the Vatican?,” Ali asked.
Tancredo was traveling and unavailable for comment. His spokesman, Will Adams, said the four-term congressman has no intention of apologizing or resigning.
“They are a lot more upset about what he stands for, our nation’s security and border policy, than anything else,” Adams said.
© 2005 The Associated Press.
source
DENVER - Hispanic and Islamic groups called on Rep. Tom Tancredo to resign Monday, saying he has embarrassed Colorado by suggesting bombing Islamic holy sites if terrorists launch a nuclear attack on the U.S.
They also criticized the GOP congressman’s staunch advocacy of tougher immigration controls.
“Enough is enough. We’re here to say ‘Stop,”’ Hispanic activist Manolo Gonzalez-Estay told a crowd of about 200 at the state Capitol.
Abdur-Rahim Ali, imam of a Muslim shrine in Denver, said Tancredo’s statement that “you could take out” Islamic holy sites in a retaliatory attack was unacceptable.
“What would happen if a prominent Muslim made that statement about Catholic holy places like the Vatican?,” Ali asked.
Tancredo was traveling and unavailable for comment. His spokesman, Will Adams, said the four-term congressman has no intention of apologizing or resigning.
“They are a lot more upset about what he stands for, our nation’s security and border policy, than anything else,” Adams said.
© 2005 The Associated Press.
source
who is on my blogroll?
I think I will take a hint from Sister Scorpion (part 1, part 2, part 3) and go through my blogroll and say a little something about each one, maybe getting into why I added them. The process will also force me to reconsider why I linked to some blogrolls and whether the original reasons still make sense. Hopefully, I'll also get some reciprocal blogroll love from some of y'all out there too.
When I started my blogroll, I tried to look for alot of non-stereotypical Muslims with well-written sites and interesting, relevant things to say. Honesty, creativity and originality were a big plus. (Hopefully Planet Grenada falls in the same category). I'm sunni and alot of the blogs I added came from a self identified sunni "traditional Muslim" perspective. (For the subtext-impaired, "traditional Muslim" is code for "don't call me a Salafi") But I've also noticed alot of really well done shia blogs too. In my view the ideal Muslim blog should have a large amount of content I wouldn't just be able to find in an Islamic library. So I really like blogs where people shared their thoughtfully reflected on opinions and experiences
There are also some good non-Muslim blogs that I added too because they fit into my own ideas of what I want to do on Planet Grenada. If I find more suitable sites I will add them in the future.
a heavy truth This is a blog from someone who relatively recently converted from sunni Islam to shia Islam. Me personally, I'm still sunni, but I was just compelled by the honesty and integrity reflected in what I was reading from this person's blog that I couldn't help link to it so I could learn more about what steps and stages she was going through.
a wayfarer's journey "These writings are the footprints of my journey. A 31 year old convert to Islam. A Muslim hippie chick and free spirit." I like her blog because it's "real" and off the beaten path.
aaminah hernandez I couldn't resist adding someone who is so into Muslim literature that they chose the name Writeous Sister. (On good days I think of myself as a poet so I can't help the feeling of cameraderie) She has good information about what Muslim writers and artists are up to these days.
abdul-rahim borges This is a young Muslim cat (only 16) but with alot to say and is a confessed lefty. Tends to write more about his own thoughts and direct experiences. Occasional dash of "Latin" content.
abdulsalaam al-hindi Muslim, Indian, college student, living in the heart of dixie. Views on Current Affairs, life, Islam, The "West", Arabs, South Asians, Americans (People in general), Movies, Songs, The Media, and in the words of Yul Brynner(the king) from the movie "The King and I", "ascetraaa ascetraaa ascetraaa"
afroblog An anti-colonial site by Helen W. Tewolde. She likes Mos Def and Frantz Fanon. 'Nuff said. Unfortunately, the site hasn't been updated in a while.
ahmed's world A recent addition to my blogroll. His site is a regular source of information about Islam that would be useful to Muslims, especially from a Hanafi perspective.
alexandalus Another blog which is more a source of information about traditional Islam. (Especially conferences and other gatherings). Very little commentary.
american muslim journal Not alot of traffic. A Muslim lawyer blogs about current events in the news. (I might remove)
anarcho akbar I wouldn't call myself an anarchist but I definitely like alot of the things this cat is trying to say. To me it seems a no-brainer that Muslims should lean to the left. And Yunus Yakub is putting in alot of effort into working out the details of what that means. More power to him.
andalusian reality I like this site except it hasn't been updated in a long time. The blogger is a thoughtful brother. In a number of recent entries who recently has been sharing his perspective on spiritual books he's been reading.
angry iranian Lawrence Ershaghi blogs mostly about Middle Eastern poltics (emphasis on Iran)from a left-of-center perspective. Informative and opinionated (in a good way)
anthology This is a blog from a Yale student named Arafat. The thing I like about his blog is that it is a real live Muslim talking about his everyday life. Nice but kind of tame. Minimal Muslim/political content. (I might remove)
bin gregory is a blog with a very personal tone. Bin Gregory is an American convert to Islam living in Malaysia sharing his life and experiences. He kinda looks like John Walker Lindh. (Congratulations on the new baby!)
de aqui y de alla Elenamary is a (non-Muslim) Latina blogger. I started getting into her site because as far as I can tell she has the largest collection of links to other Latino/Latina bloggers. But the more I read of her site the more I liked the look, vibe, and content there. She's real cool.
dervish Umm Yasmin is an ex-Bahai, currently Muslim, living in Australia with some good things to say about poltics and religion. (She won a Brass Crescent last year for best female blog)
detainment This was originally created to provide information about, and to rally support for, the two Muslim girls in NY who were thought to be "terrorists" by the government. A recent entry suggests that this might expand.
ethnically incorrect I think I added this blog because of two main reasons. Firstly I was intrigued by what Sume would have to say as a Muslim who is "ethnically incorrect" (a Vietnamese Muslimah adopted by a white family with an Arab husband) since I sometimes feel ethnically incorrect in my own way. But secondly on a visual level this blog is strikingly beautiful beyond words. I REALLY like the artwork she displays on a regular basis.
from clay "We're made from clay but also from a spirit that is not of this world. Negotiations between the two are now in session. Meanwhile, you may find here some reviews, commentary, short fiction, translations, links to various articles, excerpted quotes, and anything else that has a good chance of being kindling or edifying" This brother is from Chicago. He's Muslim. He's a writer. I couldn't help myself.
ginny's thoughts A really good mix of opinions on Islamic topics, current events in Africa, and personal-life stuff.
hasan al-mu'min I was happy and sad when I found this short-lived blog. Happy because it is basically the only other blog I've seen by a Latino Muslim of African descent. Sad because it has not been added to in over a year.
holla at a scholar Adisa Banjoko is a Muslim who has a really good blog. He writes mainly about hip-hop, race and politics but there are also healthy doses of entries on Islam, chess and other subjects.
ideant This is a blog by Ulises A. Mejias, a Latino who is married to Muslim intellectual, Asma Barlas. He often has interesting things to say on culture and technology. It is more "academic" than most.
ihsan A REALLY good Muslim group blog with interesting perspectives on current events and Islamic topics.
insight Comments by Louay Safi on Islamic affairs and issues relating to human rights, reform, American Muslims, globalization, democracy, and world peace.
islamicate "We are here to comment upon the culture and society, which affects Muslims, and that are affected by Muslims. We want to make informed, critical commentary.We don't want to be labeled as either 'progressive' or 'conservatives' We hold that there is not a normative Islamic thought, but rather, a spectrum of ideas and thoughts that are in constant engagement with one another." This is a really good general Muslim blog.
izzy mo's blog Musings on Islam, art, culture, beauty and other random tidbits from a Southern-born African-American Muslima and Artist.
latino pundit An informative general Latino blog.
left side of the dial A better than average lefty blog. But it is probably the only one that promotes Kurt Vonnegut's fictional religion of Bokononism
leftfield mullah A nice left-of-center current events Muslim blog.
living tradition A nice blog on traditional Islam. Often very critical of PMUNA.
mere islam Reflections, rants and raves on Islam, Islamic spirituality, comparative religion, current events, modern society, noteworthy books, English grammar, healthy living and the human condition.
moorish girl Moorishgirl is a Morrocan woman who has a very well-done literary blog. Emphasizes Arab-American and Middle Eastern writers.
muslim postcolonial "The Muslim Postcolonial challenges the oppression of Empire and celebrates Islamic cultures and histories around the world"
muslimahsoul An African-American Muslim woman's blog with a refreshing personal and original feel.
negrophile A really nice blog on Black current events. Also generously maintains a HUGE blogroll of Black bloggers.
positive muslim news "News about good things Muslims are doing in North America and around the world." Reminding the ummah and the rest that the glass is half-full.
postcolonial iraq "A postcolonial Iraq watch dedicated to genuine Iraqi self-determination; a post-fundamentalist and post-liberal watch for consociational patriotism and a confessionalism beyond religious as well as secular sectarianism" Really good and interesting political content. Hasn't been added to in some time.
progressive muslim thoughts "In my blog, I present political views especially on the Middle East. I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and am currently a Scoville Peace Fellow at Citizens for Global Solutions in Washington, DC. I bring my perspective as a Shia Muslim, a grassroots activist, someone who was brought up in the United Arab Emirates & lived in Jordan"
qiyamah forecast Like the song goes... "It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine" It's been dead for a while but seems to have been resurrected recently. This is a group blog which brings occasional reminders that the world is often a stranger (and funnier) place than we realize most of the time.
rendering islam A good blog for dealing with all sorts of creative expression by Muslims. "Celebrate the expression of Islam's beauty through visual arts, literature, singing, and more."
old SAFspace Welcome to the thoughts, rants and passions of Saffiyah, a young Canadian Muslim woman seeking soulful enlightenment in cyberspace. Her blog recently moved location: new SAFspace
sister scorpion Strong Muslim mom you don't want to mess with. LOL. She definitely speaks her mind. A very well done blog.
sisters talk A collection of African-American blogs.
some muslim blogs a page with more Muslim blogs.
sufi art An online gallery of the artwork of Sufi Shaykh Husayn Neuzil.Born in Chicago in 1932, Husayn Neuzil studied Toltec, Zapotec and Mayan art in Mexico under the influence of muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Neuzil traveled extensively in the Middle-East including Iran, Israel and Turkey. His work shows the influence of Islamic design and illumination. (It hasn't been added to in a while)
sunni sister Just a REALLY good overall Muslim blog. Deals with current events and other useful topics.
the sulbani sagas Creative writing from a Western Sufi (Hispanic?) Hasn't been added to in a while.
thoughts & readings Nice blog with excerpts from Sufi literature.
toward's god is our journey Good general blog with thought Muslim commentary.
unveiled Edgy Muslim writing.
virtually islamic "News, Commentary, Information and Speculation about Islam in the Digital Age"
When I started my blogroll, I tried to look for alot of non-stereotypical Muslims with well-written sites and interesting, relevant things to say. Honesty, creativity and originality were a big plus. (Hopefully Planet Grenada falls in the same category). I'm sunni and alot of the blogs I added came from a self identified sunni "traditional Muslim" perspective. (For the subtext-impaired, "traditional Muslim" is code for "don't call me a Salafi") But I've also noticed alot of really well done shia blogs too. In my view the ideal Muslim blog should have a large amount of content I wouldn't just be able to find in an Islamic library. So I really like blogs where people shared their thoughtfully reflected on opinions and experiences
There are also some good non-Muslim blogs that I added too because they fit into my own ideas of what I want to do on Planet Grenada. If I find more suitable sites I will add them in the future.
a heavy truth This is a blog from someone who relatively recently converted from sunni Islam to shia Islam. Me personally, I'm still sunni, but I was just compelled by the honesty and integrity reflected in what I was reading from this person's blog that I couldn't help link to it so I could learn more about what steps and stages she was going through.
a wayfarer's journey "These writings are the footprints of my journey. A 31 year old convert to Islam. A Muslim hippie chick and free spirit." I like her blog because it's "real" and off the beaten path.
aaminah hernandez I couldn't resist adding someone who is so into Muslim literature that they chose the name Writeous Sister. (On good days I think of myself as a poet so I can't help the feeling of cameraderie) She has good information about what Muslim writers and artists are up to these days.
abdul-rahim borges This is a young Muslim cat (only 16) but with alot to say and is a confessed lefty. Tends to write more about his own thoughts and direct experiences. Occasional dash of "Latin" content.
abdulsalaam al-hindi Muslim, Indian, college student, living in the heart of dixie. Views on Current Affairs, life, Islam, The "West", Arabs, South Asians, Americans (People in general), Movies, Songs, The Media, and in the words of Yul Brynner(the king) from the movie "The King and I", "ascetraaa ascetraaa ascetraaa"
afroblog An anti-colonial site by Helen W. Tewolde. She likes Mos Def and Frantz Fanon. 'Nuff said. Unfortunately, the site hasn't been updated in a while.
ahmed's world A recent addition to my blogroll. His site is a regular source of information about Islam that would be useful to Muslims, especially from a Hanafi perspective.
alexandalus Another blog which is more a source of information about traditional Islam. (Especially conferences and other gatherings). Very little commentary.
american muslim journal Not alot of traffic. A Muslim lawyer blogs about current events in the news. (I might remove)
anarcho akbar I wouldn't call myself an anarchist but I definitely like alot of the things this cat is trying to say. To me it seems a no-brainer that Muslims should lean to the left. And Yunus Yakub is putting in alot of effort into working out the details of what that means. More power to him.
andalusian reality I like this site except it hasn't been updated in a long time. The blogger is a thoughtful brother. In a number of recent entries who recently has been sharing his perspective on spiritual books he's been reading.
angry iranian Lawrence Ershaghi blogs mostly about Middle Eastern poltics (emphasis on Iran)from a left-of-center perspective. Informative and opinionated (in a good way)
anthology This is a blog from a Yale student named Arafat. The thing I like about his blog is that it is a real live Muslim talking about his everyday life. Nice but kind of tame. Minimal Muslim/political content. (I might remove)
bin gregory is a blog with a very personal tone. Bin Gregory is an American convert to Islam living in Malaysia sharing his life and experiences. He kinda looks like John Walker Lindh. (Congratulations on the new baby!)
de aqui y de alla Elenamary is a (non-Muslim) Latina blogger. I started getting into her site because as far as I can tell she has the largest collection of links to other Latino/Latina bloggers. But the more I read of her site the more I liked the look, vibe, and content there. She's real cool.
dervish Umm Yasmin is an ex-Bahai, currently Muslim, living in Australia with some good things to say about poltics and religion. (She won a Brass Crescent last year for best female blog)
detainment This was originally created to provide information about, and to rally support for, the two Muslim girls in NY who were thought to be "terrorists" by the government. A recent entry suggests that this might expand.
ethnically incorrect I think I added this blog because of two main reasons. Firstly I was intrigued by what Sume would have to say as a Muslim who is "ethnically incorrect" (a Vietnamese Muslimah adopted by a white family with an Arab husband) since I sometimes feel ethnically incorrect in my own way. But secondly on a visual level this blog is strikingly beautiful beyond words. I REALLY like the artwork she displays on a regular basis.
from clay "We're made from clay but also from a spirit that is not of this world. Negotiations between the two are now in session. Meanwhile, you may find here some reviews, commentary, short fiction, translations, links to various articles, excerpted quotes, and anything else that has a good chance of being kindling or edifying" This brother is from Chicago. He's Muslim. He's a writer. I couldn't help myself.
ginny's thoughts A really good mix of opinions on Islamic topics, current events in Africa, and personal-life stuff.
hasan al-mu'min I was happy and sad when I found this short-lived blog. Happy because it is basically the only other blog I've seen by a Latino Muslim of African descent. Sad because it has not been added to in over a year.
holla at a scholar Adisa Banjoko is a Muslim who has a really good blog. He writes mainly about hip-hop, race and politics but there are also healthy doses of entries on Islam, chess and other subjects.
ideant This is a blog by Ulises A. Mejias, a Latino who is married to Muslim intellectual, Asma Barlas. He often has interesting things to say on culture and technology. It is more "academic" than most.
ihsan A REALLY good Muslim group blog with interesting perspectives on current events and Islamic topics.
insight Comments by Louay Safi on Islamic affairs and issues relating to human rights, reform, American Muslims, globalization, democracy, and world peace.
islamicate "We are here to comment upon the culture and society, which affects Muslims, and that are affected by Muslims. We want to make informed, critical commentary.We don't want to be labeled as either 'progressive' or 'conservatives' We hold that there is not a normative Islamic thought, but rather, a spectrum of ideas and thoughts that are in constant engagement with one another." This is a really good general Muslim blog.
izzy mo's blog Musings on Islam, art, culture, beauty and other random tidbits from a Southern-born African-American Muslima and Artist.
latino pundit An informative general Latino blog.
left side of the dial A better than average lefty blog. But it is probably the only one that promotes Kurt Vonnegut's fictional religion of Bokononism
leftfield mullah A nice left-of-center current events Muslim blog.
living tradition A nice blog on traditional Islam. Often very critical of PMUNA.
mere islam Reflections, rants and raves on Islam, Islamic spirituality, comparative religion, current events, modern society, noteworthy books, English grammar, healthy living and the human condition.
moorish girl Moorishgirl is a Morrocan woman who has a very well-done literary blog. Emphasizes Arab-American and Middle Eastern writers.
muslim postcolonial "The Muslim Postcolonial challenges the oppression of Empire and celebrates Islamic cultures and histories around the world"
muslimahsoul An African-American Muslim woman's blog with a refreshing personal and original feel.
negrophile A really nice blog on Black current events. Also generously maintains a HUGE blogroll of Black bloggers.
positive muslim news "News about good things Muslims are doing in North America and around the world." Reminding the ummah and the rest that the glass is half-full.
postcolonial iraq "A postcolonial Iraq watch dedicated to genuine Iraqi self-determination; a post-fundamentalist and post-liberal watch for consociational patriotism and a confessionalism beyond religious as well as secular sectarianism" Really good and interesting political content. Hasn't been added to in some time.
progressive muslim thoughts "In my blog, I present political views especially on the Middle East. I recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and am currently a Scoville Peace Fellow at Citizens for Global Solutions in Washington, DC. I bring my perspective as a Shia Muslim, a grassroots activist, someone who was brought up in the United Arab Emirates & lived in Jordan"
qiyamah forecast Like the song goes... "It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine" It's been dead for a while but seems to have been resurrected recently. This is a group blog which brings occasional reminders that the world is often a stranger (and funnier) place than we realize most of the time.
rendering islam A good blog for dealing with all sorts of creative expression by Muslims. "Celebrate the expression of Islam's beauty through visual arts, literature, singing, and more."
old SAFspace Welcome to the thoughts, rants and passions of Saffiyah, a young Canadian Muslim woman seeking soulful enlightenment in cyberspace. Her blog recently moved location: new SAFspace
sister scorpion Strong Muslim mom you don't want to mess with. LOL. She definitely speaks her mind. A very well done blog.
sisters talk A collection of African-American blogs.
some muslim blogs a page with more Muslim blogs.
sufi art An online gallery of the artwork of Sufi Shaykh Husayn Neuzil.Born in Chicago in 1932, Husayn Neuzil studied Toltec, Zapotec and Mayan art in Mexico under the influence of muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros. Neuzil traveled extensively in the Middle-East including Iran, Israel and Turkey. His work shows the influence of Islamic design and illumination. (It hasn't been added to in a while)
sunni sister Just a REALLY good overall Muslim blog. Deals with current events and other useful topics.
the sulbani sagas Creative writing from a Western Sufi (Hispanic?) Hasn't been added to in a while.
thoughts & readings Nice blog with excerpts from Sufi literature.
toward's god is our journey Good general blog with thought Muslim commentary.
unveiled Edgy Muslim writing.
virtually islamic "News, Commentary, Information and Speculation about Islam in the Digital Age"
Monday, July 25, 2005
adio kerida
In some sense, this entry is a kind of counter-point to Planet Grenada. Ruth Behar is a Jewish Cuban-American woman (poet, writer, filmaker, anthropologist) who created the film Adio Kerida which is a documentary look at Cuba's Sephardic Jewish community.
Sephardic Jews view themselves as Hispanic people who are connected to both the Arab and African worlds because of their history of cultural and emotional interpenetration with those worlds. They descend from the Jewish populations expelled by the Spanish Inquisition in the fifteenth century. After the expulsion, they settled in the countries of the Ottoman empire and northern Africa, which welcomed them and made it possible for them to live as Jews among Muslims. 'Sepharad' means Spain in Hebrew. Sephardic Jews are notable for having clung with a passion to their nostalgia for Spain and their love for the Spanish language, despite having been forced to leave Spain because of their ethnic and religious identity.
One might expect that Ruth Behar's experiences as a "white" Jewish Cuban-born American and mine as a Black Muslim US-born Latino could be a potential source of conflict. We come from very different places when it comes to the black/white dichotomy,the Abrahamic religious tradition and Cuba. But in fact I think the multiplicity of identities is something which itself can help bridge the gap. For many people the big demographic variables like "race" "ethnicity" and "religion" tend to line up in predictable ways. White/ American/ Christian or Mestizo/ Mexican/ Catholic or Asian/ Japanese/ Buddhist for example. But when those variables don't "line up" in expected ways, there is a kind of dissonance created which can stimulate a certain kind of acute thoughtful awareness about identity (and a kind of cameraderie that comes out of having a common struggle).
Coincidentally, I've actually met Ruth Behar before. Several years ago, I saw her at the local Latin music spot one night and before I knew her name, I asked her onto the floor and we danced for a while. (There must be some kind of metaphor in there somewhere). After a few songs, we sat and talked for a bit. When she said who she was I was surprised: "Wow, I checked out one of your books out of the library the other day!". Anyway, small world.
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11/4/11
Most of the above links died but you should be able to find some materials here.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
arabs and the racial lessons of 9/11
Ok, I think this will be the last thing I'll steal from the seeingblack.com site, at least for a while. Arabs and the Racial Lessons of 9/11 is a surprisingly self-critical but brief piece by activist Carol Chehade about the role Arab-Americans play in the US racial hierarchy.
a few afro-latino links
Here is a piece about the AfroLatino.com site
The actual Afrolatino.com site (mostly in Spanish)
Red Afrovenezolana (mostly in Spanish)
The Afromexico page (bilingual)
The Black Mexico Homepage (mostly English)
Africa's Legacy in Mexico (a series of essays and photographs)
African Roots Stretch Deep into Mexico (a column)
The actual Afrolatino.com site (mostly in Spanish)
Red Afrovenezolana (mostly in Spanish)
The Afromexico page (bilingual)
The Black Mexico Homepage (mostly English)
Africa's Legacy in Mexico (a series of essays and photographs)
African Roots Stretch Deep into Mexico (a column)
black colombians fight for land and rights
This is a brief piece from seeingblack.com about how Black Colombians are affected by the conflict between the guerrillas (FARC) and the paramilitary (AUC)
brazil race diary 1999
I just recently discovered some pages with interesting info on Afro-Latinos from Karen Juanita Carrillo at www.seeingblack.com (so that's why a couple of blog entries are about that subject). Here is one about the many ways that issues of race and culture manifest themselves during a brief trip to Brazil
first black "miss honduras" wins court case
This story is a bit old, and I know its "just" a beauty pageant, but that just makes the actions of the pageant director that much more egregious. He resented the fact that a Black woman won the crown of Miss Honduras and didn't want to award her with everything she had coming to her. That's cold.
afro-venezuelan
Chávez Brings Hope to Afro-Venezuelans: On How Blacks in Venezuela are optimistic with Chavez in power.
Completing the Chavez Revolution: On how Blacks in Venezuela are working to fight racism and make gains as a community.
Completing the Chavez Revolution: On how Blacks in Venezuela are working to fight racism and make gains as a community.
tokens aren't just for buses
Check Out rent-a-negro.com
Reasonably priced, discrete and confidential!
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