| Op-Eds by the American Islamic Congress |
|
PBS Tehran Bureau: "Let Democracy Resound" - April 23, 2010
Recently, hundreds of Egyptians gathering in downtown Cairo were brutally repressed by security forces. Nearly 100 demonstrators were beaten and detained merely for exercising their universal rights to free speech and assembly to protest Egypt's 29-year-old emergency law. But aside from a solitary AP dispatch, the protest went largely unnoticed in the West.
Daily Beast: "@Revolution: A Page from Khomeini's Playbook" - June 17, 2009
The very people who fueled a popular uprising and understand its power are facing a mass of semi-organized outrage and defiance. Will a popular pro-Iran movement emerge in the West to support protesters, pressure the regime, and compel Western leaders to act?
Women on the Web: "Iraq is Alive Again"- Feb. 16, 2009
Now that elections are over in the U.S. and Iraq, our position has to look forward, not backward - not about vindicating past policies but recognizing where we are right now and where we should be going.
Alhayat (Arabic): "Muslim Americans and the US Presidential Elections"- Oct. 15, 2008
The 2008 US elections show a new trend emerging in the American Muslim population. 70% of American Muslim voters voted for George Bush in 2000 and associated themselves with the Republican party's socially-conservative values. More than 63% of the American Muslim community are now registered Democrats for the upcoming 2008 presidential elections.
Boston Globe: "Let American Muslims Share the Stage" - June 24, 2008
Neither Republicans nor Democrats have developed a clear approach to the Muslim community. For the good of the country, here is how both campaigns can launch an effective dialogue.
Wall Street Journal: "Muslim Student Group
Tries to Rouse the Moderates" - June 20, 2008
An estimated 70% of Muslim students on campus are not involved with any organized Muslim association. But Project Nur is giving students a new positive outlet for exploring identity.
The Tab: “Indifference to Bigotry” - Jan. 10, 2008
'Muslims Suck' stickers remained up in a public square in liberal Brookline, Massachusetts, for months – suggesting disturbing public apathy.
The Boston Globe / Herald Tribune: “The Spirit of Eid Al-Adha” - Dec. 20, 2007
In the wake of a string of suicide bombings, Muslims should reclaim the holiday of Eid Al-Adha by celebrating its unequivocal rejection of human sacrifice.
The Wall Street Journal: “A Plight in Tunisia” - Aug. 23, 2007
The story of how a Tunisian lawyer - jailed for the Kafka-esque “crime” of criticizing Tunisian jails - was freed thanks to a grassroots global campaign.
The Baltimore Sun: “Mauritania’s Desert Spring” - May 18, 2007
The North African country of Mauritania has undergone a remarkable peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy, offering a model for Mideast reform.
Los Angeles Times: “A Sad Joke about Press Freedom” - Jan. 12, 2007
Moroccan authorities' crackdown on the groundbreaking magazine Nichane over a cover story on humor reveals the fragility of recent reforms.
International Herald Tribune: “Jailed for Blogging” - Dec. 27, 2006
The inside story on the plight of Kareem Amer, the first Egyptian to be jailed for writing on his weblog.
Misbah Al-Hurriyyah: “Persuasion: the Alternative to Violence” - Feb. 10, 2006
Persuading with words - not through violent demonstrations and attacks - is the only way to respond to controversial Danish cartoons.
The New York Times: “Iraq’s Silenced Majority” - May 23, 2003
A call to end the sidelining of women as Iraqi society attempts to rebuild after war.
Boston Globe: “A Better World In Memory of Daniel Pearl” - Feb. 23, 2003
An encounter with the shocking snuff film of Daniel Pearl inspires an interfaith memorial vigil for the slain journalist as well as a call for understanding.
The New Republic: “The Fire Last Time” - Feb. 10, 2003
A memoir of the failed 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein by one of the few female participants recalls the remarkable scene of Iraq liberated for a week.
USA Today: “Iraqi people yearn to taste freedom again” - Jan. 3, 2003
A call for ending the war in Iraq inspired by personal encounters with repression and brutality.
Boston Globe: “Freeing Muslim Women from Suffering” - Nov. 28, 2002
Fasting during Ramadan inspires lessons in appreciating what is often taken for granted, from food to personal freedom.
Wall Street Journal: “America’s Debt to Iraq” - Sep. 10, 2002
A reminder that in 1991 American leaders promised Iraqis they would help a popular liberation movement, only to renege once that movement actually began.
Hartford Courant: "Dancing inside the Circle" - Jul. 5, 2002
A dance party on the beach in Connecticut prompts thoughts on Muslim identity in the post-9/11 America.
Hartford Courant: “Accepting Contradictions to Survive” - Mar. 17, 2002
Political repression and censorship underlie many of the contradictions in public attitudes on America.
Sacramento Bee: “Hijab Lessons” - Jan. 21, 2002
Wearing hijab in America leads to a special appreciation for freedom and interfaith understanding.
The Boston Globe: "A new agenda for American Muslims" - Jan. 16, 2002
The September 11 terror attacks prompt a reflection on Muslim-American identity and a call for responsible civic leadership.
|