salim muwakkil

Salim Muwakkil is a senior editor at IN THESE TIMES magazine. He is an Op-Ed columnist for the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, a member of the editorial board, and a columnist for, the Madison-based Progressive Media Project, an advisory board member of Free Press and a 2000 Media Fellow of the Soros Open Society Institute. He was a contributing columnist for the Op-Ed page of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES from 1993 to 1997. His work has won him many awards - including the Studs Terkel Award for journalistic excellence.

Salim Muwakkil is a contributing author to six books: APPEAL TO REASON: 25 YEARS IN THESE TIMES, 2002; STATES OF CONFINEMENT, 2000; THE FARRAKHAN FACTOR: AFRICAN-AMERICAN WRITERS ON MINISTER LOUIS FARRAKHAN, 1998; THE BELL CURVE DEBATE, 1995; COLLATERAL DAMAGE: THE NEW WORLD ORDER AT HOME AND ABROAD, 1992; INSIDE THE L.A. RIOTS, 1992.

From 1986 to 1990 he taught journalism at Chicago's Columbia College. He has also been an adjunct professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Film Center, Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, the Associated Colleges of the Midwest's Urban Studies, and the University of Illinois in 2001.

From 1995-96 Muwakkil was a co-host of Pacifica News' network daily "Democracy Now" program and from 1993 to 1996 he hosted a weekly talk show on Chicago radio station WVON-AM. Muwakkil is a frequent guest on CHICAGO TONIGHT, a public affairs program on PBS, BEYOND THE BELTWAY, a nationally syndicated radio program of political commentary. He has provided on-air political analysis for Fox TV News in Chicago and is an occasional commentator for the Pacifica News Network, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Monitor Radio.

Mr. Muwakkil's work has been published in a wide range of publications, including THE BLACK SCHOLAR, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, THE WASHINGTON POST, THE PROGRESSIVE, NEW YORK NEWSDAY, CINEASTE magazine, CHICAGO magazine, THE BALTIMORE SUN, THE TORONTO STAR, EMERGE magazine and the UTNE READER. And in a past life, he was an editor for the Final Call.

IN THESE TIMES
Stories by Salim Muwakkil on AlterNet

an exemplar of reconciliation

In the article An Exemplar of Reconciliation Salim Muwakkil shares his own thoughts on the passing of Imam W.D. Mohammed and the significance of his legacy. To provide a little bit of context, Muwakkil himself was a past member of the Nation of Islam (but his current religious beliefs are unclear).

Planet Grenada and Salim Muwakkil

israel's openly secret nukes

In These Tiems: Israel’s Openly Secret Nukes by Salim Muwakkil

As usual, Salim Muwakkil is on target (so to speak). It just makes me wonder what the Middle East would look like if all nations were looked at symmetrically in terms of their compliance to the various international agreements, treaties and declarations.

See also:
spilling the beans
churches calls for divestment from israel
"i am become death, the destroyer of worlds"
the green party supports divestment

farrakhan steps back

In These Times: Farrakhan Steps Back by Salim Muwakkil is an incredibly thoughtful piece about the implications of Farrakhan's declining role within the Nation of Islam. Although in the wider media Farrakhan is often dismissed as a fanatic, Muwakkil argues (persuasively I think) that in the context of the Nation, Farrakhan's political skill has been a moderating, unifying factor.

clashing sensibilities

In These Times: Islam vs. the West: Clashing Sensibilities by Salim Muwakkil.

I generally like Salim Muwakkil's writings, but this time I wonder what he's thinking. On the cartoon controversy he says:

...this increasingly rancorous dispute does pit two foundational principles against each other: Islam’s proscription against portraying its Prophet, and the West’s reverence of free expression. Muslims have a religious obligation to take offense at “desecration” of Islam, while Western nations feel compelled to speak up in protection of free speech.

But in the wake of David Irving being sentenced to three years imprisonment for his views on the Holocaust (and being barred from even entering several European countries before then) I'm not sure that anyone can say with a straight face that the cartoon controversy is about Western commitment to free speech.

accepting the slurs

Accepting the Slurs by Salim Muwakkil is another article which seems very apt for Columbus Day. It looks at the offensiveness of using Native American imagery in the names and mascots of sports teams.

I have to admit that this is probably an issue I have the least PC feelings about. Don't get me wrong. It seems fairly obvious that many Native American political organizations are opposed to the practice, and so out of a sense of resepct for their feelings, and solidarity with their cause, it makes sense to follow their lead. But it is also pretty clear that it would be hard to defend a general claim that teams should never be named after ethnic groups. After all, no one is complaining about the Boston Celtics, the Trojans, the Spartans, the Fighting Irish, the Minnesota Vikings or the New York Yankees. But my guess is that when you are busy running the world, you are probably going to be more willing to let a couple of things slide. On the other hand if you used to have free run of two continents but are now limited to a few reservations and casinos, you are going to be less willing to roll over and accept one more indignity, no matter how slight.

From a certain point of view, I should probably be more worked up about this issue. I went to a school where the team was called the Maroons. (There are actually a couple of sports teams which still use the name). It seems pretty obvious that the original reference was to Black runaway slaves (which would have had associations with being strong, independent, fierce fighters). Fortunately we didn't have a mascot and the school colors were white and maroon so in some respects the original meaning was more or less sanitized out of collective memory. But even if that hadn't been done, I could still imagine scenarios where could feel good about being on a team called the Maroons. (e.g. if the mascot wasn't a caricature or a cartoon)

In the end I would say that there isn't a universal principle one can really appeal to which explains why the Fighting Irish is "ok" but the Fighting Illini is "not ok". But since it is clear that many Native Americans are offended by many of these actions, then by definition, such practices are actually offensive, and we should take rapid reasonable steps to limt the use of such imagery by sports teams.

Another article by Salim Muwakkil on the same topic was published by In These Times last year and is called Racist Slurs Taint U.S. Sports.

muwakkil on domestic terrorism

This is a 2001 Chicago Tribune editorial by Salim Muwakkil on domestic terrorism

black clergy rebuff bush

An article by Salim Muwakkil for In These Times about how some of the major organizations of Black churches have decided to confront the GOP claim to represent the Christian political agenda.

Salim Muwakkil is also the editor-in-chief of In These Times (which has been on my links list for a long time now). He is a former member of the Nation of Islam, but he speaks very sparingly about his own personal religious convictions.

barack's black dilemma

In These Times: Barack's Black Dilemma by Salim Muwakkil is yet another overview of Barack Hussein Obama's candidacy. The passage which stands out the most for me is the following explanation of Obama's popularity among whites:

...his unusual ancestral narrative may also fuel the fervor of Obama’s white support, in that his lack of slave history elicits no feelings of historical guilt among whites. They love Obama because he doesn’t hate them, as they suspect blacks should. Another theory making the rounds on black talk radio proffers that some whites see Obama as a way to redeem America in the eyes of a world angered by the Bush administration—the multicultural Obama’s calming presence serving as a necessary balm.

I've often thought that a similar factor might help explain why as a group CAribbean Indians in the US seem to be better off than African-Americans with a longer lineage in this country. Of course, there was still a history of slavery on the islands but perhaps the white American can say "At least they were never OUR slaves". Just a thought.

For a more critical view of Obama which focuses more on how he is perceived by non-whites, check out: Obama's charm lost on America's black activists by Tony Allen-Mills from the TimesOnline.

salim muwakkil and pat hill

marc sims interviewing salim muwakkil

(a snapshot of an interesting conversation... from before the Democratic primary)

the neocon's lexicon

In These Times: In The Neocons’ Lexicon Salim Muwakkil deconstructs the contradictions which lie behind the Right's use of the term "Islamofascism".

torture in the homeland

In These Times: Torture in the Homeland by Salim Muwakkil. It's not just "over there" but "over here" in our own communities.

more on malcolm x

This is a piece Salim Muwakkil wrote 5 years ago on the occasion of Malcolm X's birthday:
On Malcolm X’s 75th birthday, questions remain about assassination
It deals with the assassination but also touches on the significance of Malcolm's legacy for different movements.

the forgotten history of islam in america

This is a feature from In These Times, by Salim Muwakkil giving a brief but rather balanced overview of Islam's history in the US. He concludes by saying:

Deeply rooted in U.S. culture, Islam has proven its utility as an agent for change and a force for stability. Those who argue that the religion is atavistic or a product of postmodern nihilism must be more careful in their condemnation. Like other religious believers, Muslims often oscillate between precept and practice. But pluralistic cultural pressures are more likely to moderate the excesses of Islamist cults, like al Qaeda and Islamic Jihad, than an endless war. The nation has not done enough to mine the wisdom of Muslims—particularly African-Americans—who have successfully reconciled the obligations of Islamic piety with pluralistic democracy. We are in desperate need of such insight.