Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hope for America, hope for Muslims

http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2008/10/hope-for-america-hope-for-muslims.html
HOPE FOR MUSLIMS, HOPE FOR AMERICA

Edmund Burke said something to the effect that the crimes continue unabated NOT necessarily because of the criminals but because of the good people not doing anything about it.

When we hear wrong things, we may remain silent, because it may suit our agenda; wrong or right. What if every one remains silent because it suits them? I am sure you are aware of the Martin Niemöller’s poem he wrote during the World War II - He said, first they came for the communists and I did not say anything about it because I was not a communist, then they came for Jews, I did not say anything because I was not a Jew..... And it continues on and ends with.... finally they came after me and there was no one left to speak for me.

The McCain gang is doing just that, being silent when some one is abused. Thank God, General Collin Powel spoke, and then Campbell Brown has spoken up. We need more of them, as ultimately peace and prosperity comes when we are just and not consumers of evil.

Watch the Fox news, the men there find it convenient to ignore the evil words as it suits their evil agenda of creating chaos. Are they evil? You judge when you hear O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh and their likes talk. I have no idea why CNN has kept a hate spreader Beck among them.

Here is a wake up call from Gen. Collin Powell to the opportunist Republicans who have no shame in silently watching hate take over and destroy ournation. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27265490#27265490

Here is Campbell Brown of CNN tearing the hate mongers apart. The Journalists owe it to themselves to learn to question and not be the sycophants.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LXMMmfd1lw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ICqo1RZ5Eo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LXMMmfd1lw&feature=related


God bless Collin Powell and Campbell Brown

Please do read the comments - which will include article on the same subject.

Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker and a Writer. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing interfaith, political and civic issues. He is the founding president of World Muslim Congress with a simple theme: Good for Muslims and good for the world. His comments, news analysis and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. Mike is a Dallasite for nearly three decades and Carrollton is his home town. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com

5 comments:

  1. Hope for Muslims any where is in the hands of Muslims themselves and not in the hand of any other nation - Muslims of the world if they are united and act like Muslims - ie Trustee of God on this earth to take care of every one and every thing God has created ,establish socio economic justice on this earth , nothing will go wrong to them or to any one living on this earth.Muslims have been guided by the Universal and Last Prophet of God to live in this world as a traveller lives and always be at the giving end.
    This is what Islam is all about.
    Hesham Ahmed Syed

    ReplyDelete
  2. Article of interest.



    *Los Angeles Times October 15, 2008


    *Both McCain and Obama should condemn implicit attacks on Muslims and Arabs.*



    *By Constance L. Rice*



    *Excuse me, but when did the words "Muslim" and "Arab" become acceptable epithets? *

    * *

    *I'm not a Muslim, and perhaps I was slow to see this coming. Four
    months ago, I blithely advised a group at a local mosque not to obsess over the anti-Muslim undertones of the presidential campaign. At that point, Barack Obama was defending his Christian bona fides against "accusations" of "being a Muslim" (as if it had suddenly become a Class-D felony), but was doing so without condemning the implicit slurs against Islam, Muslims and Arabs. *

    * *

    *In a "don't worry, be happy" tone, I breezily noted that although the
    stoking of racial fear and xenophobia was a cherished tradition of
    American politics, I really didn't think that this time around the
    candidates would permit the wholesale slander of Islam or Muslims. *

    * *

    *Apparently, I was wrong. The undertones have become screaming
    overtones. And it is past time to object. *

    * *

    *If it wasn't clear before, it became crystal clear last week in the
    aftermath of Republican rallies. Fomenting fear to shore up drooping
    support, Republicans sadly used heated demagoguery about "palling around
    with terrorists," about "Barack /Hussein/ Obama" and about how Obama
    doesn't "see America like you and I," words that mixed subliminally to
    conflate "terror" with "Muslim" and to whip crowds into xenophobic
    anger. After his enraged supporters were recorded uttering death threats
    and racial slurs, McCain was forced on several occasions to try to tamp
    down the anger in the audience and to defend his opponent. *

    * *

    *That was a good step one -- until McCain blew it. A woman stood up in
    the audience and said that she just couldn't trust Obama because, as she
    put it, "he's an Arab." McCain shook his head, took the microphone and
    said: "No, ma'am. He's a decent family man, citizen, that I just happen
    to have disagreements with on fundamental issues." *

    * *

    *So, what is he saying? Arabs aren't decent family men? They can't be
    citizens? *

    * *

    *The fact is, neither McCain nor Obama -- who continues to combat absurd
    attacks on his Americanness -- has been willing to speak out against the
    implicit slurs against Arabs and Islam. *

    * *

    *Is it really too difficult for Obama to respond: "For the hundredth
    time, I am a Christian, and if you are suggesting that there is
    something wrong with Islam or being a Muslim, you are wrong"? *

    * *

    *Would it be so hard for McCain to say: "There is no room in my campaign
    or in America for religious or ethnic intolerance -- that's what we're
    fighting against"? *

    * *

    *Maybe I missed the denunciations amid all the hoopla over
    field-dressing moose, but it looks like the next ice age will arrive
    before the NAACP, the National Conference of Christians and Jews or the
    Anti-Defamation League loudly objects to the implicit defamation of
    Muslims and Arabs that has seeped into this presidential campaign. *

    * *

    *Women rightly protested gender bias during Hillary Clinton's run, but
    we failed to strongly challenge the earlier bias against Mormons during
    Mitt Romney's bid, and we are currently failing to refute the
    anti-Muslim bias embedded in the assaults on Obama. *

    * *

    *It is a failure we need to correct now.*

    * *

    *Constance L. Rice is a civil rights attorney in Los Angeles.*

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brother Mike,

    I hate to say this.If Bint is a muslim, in my opinion, he should be as guilty as Colin Powell
    was when he told a lie to the world, and went to war against Iraq on wrong pretext.
    Why Bint should be guilty ? because, to be a good muslim is to "forgive your enemy", as
    taught by prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by his act magnanimity toward his enemies.
    And, as muslim, Bint seem to be vengeful against Colin Powell, in spite of him leaving
    his position as Secretary of State, and realize he had made a mistake, and repented.

    Colin Powell was kept in dark by Bush Admn.,and had no choice but to tell lies to
    United Nations.He then realized his mistake and quit his job as Secretary of State.
    He has now endorsed Barack Obama.If Bint thinks Colin Powell is still guilty of
    crime and should not be forgiven, it's his mistake, and might as well vote for
    McCain, who in my opinion would be no less a lier than George Bush was.

    Hasni Essa
    Islam for Pluralism

    ReplyDelete
  4. Let me remind you in case you forgot, Colin Powell was the man who presented the world with a vial of anthrax and made the case for war, saying that Iraq had as much as 500 metric tons of chemical weapons To this day, not even one vial of chemical weapons has been found.

    Colin Powell is a war criminal. His endorsement of the weapons of mass destruction hoax was the material factor in the illegal war against the Iraqi people, which has killed over a million Muslims and displaced millions more - destroying an ancient society for the foreseeable future. He is a war criminal and should be held accountable for his crimes against humanity.

    Do you still think that Powell is hope for Muslims? You are not serious, are you?

    Bint Waleed

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bint,

    What Collin Powell did at the UN was wrong, standing up for the wrong men was wrong...
    but look at his guts to speak out the right thing...he is a catalyst, as he had two other individuals take up on it... Campbell Brown and an Attorney....in the comment section of the article.

    Thanks
    Mike

    ReplyDelete

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quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.