Bystanders stand up for Muslim woman wearing Hijab in Texas Store

I still think ABC would be doing the country a better service if it simply were to do more reporting on the Middle East in a commercial free news hour everyday (I can only dream on). But I do have to compliment them on this interesting social experiment that they filmed.

In the exercise, they hired two actors, one male playing a shop owner, and one female playing the hejabi in distress. The actor playing the shop-keep tells the Muslim woman that he will not serve her since she is “not-American” and a “terrorist.” The reaction of the other customers is varied, and eye-opening.

While not scientific, it is a must see. Thanks to Pouya for bring this to my attention.

Hello It’s Been a While.

It’s been a while I know. But as Master Yoda once said, “always in motion the future is.” Indeed this has been very true of Muslim societies throughout the world.

So let’s start QB up again with a special song for a certain Middle Eastern\Asian (take your pick) leader who has recently said less than intelligent things about a certain World War Two event continuing to give the world that his nation (and Muslim societies) are filled with buffoons and raving racists.

Hava Nagila, by Dia Prometido. Spanish Nationals who lived and recorded in pre-revolutionary Iran and recorded on Iranian instruments.

(update: I can’t get the NPR embed to work…if anyone has any clue as to why it won’t please let me know…otherwise, please click on the link above for the song, which is pretty cool.)

Jeez(us)! Ireland Outlaws Blasphemy!

A recent blog posting by (yet again) the New York Times reported that Ireland as of a few days ago now has laws on its books banning blashephemy.

The Irish constitution which begins with a Preamble that states, “In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred,” now has a law under its 40th article that maintains “The publication or utterance of blasphemous, seditious, or indecent matter is an offence which shall be punishable in accordance with law.”

As you might recall, this got fairly little play in the American press. However,  I am quite sure the story would be quite different if the law were passed in a place like Lebanon or Indonesia. Since then it would fit in with the Western narrative of the Muslim barbarian, incapable of accepting criticisms of his faith unlike those in the “Greco-Roman” tradition.

Do Muslims Worship a Separate God? President Obama implies “yes.”

President Barack Obama delivered an inspiring speech yesterday to the NAACP at a celebration marking the civil rights group’s 100th anniversary.

In the address, the President called upon  African-Americans to take matters into their own hands for a better future while urging older African-Americans to push young people to aspire to do more, “our kids can’t all aspire to be LeBron or Lil Wayne,” the President said.

Rightfully, the President also recognized the legacy of institutionalized racism that still pervades American society today. He noted:

The pain of discrimination is still felt in America. By African American women paid less for doing the same work as colleagues of a different color and a different gender.  By Latinos made to feel unwelcome in their own country.  By Muslim Americans viewed with suspicion simply because they kneel down to pray to their God. By our gay brothers and sisters, still taunted, still attacked, still denied their rights.

What strikes me as irksome in this otherwise well intentioned paragraph was the bit about Muslim-Americans. The President said that Muslims are viewed with suspicion because “they kneel down to pray to their God.” Or in other words, “their” separate God, who (perhaps in President Obama’s mind) even has a name which happens to be Allah. Ugh.

As a closeted Muslim, President Obama should know that Muslims believe that they worship the same God (capital “G” God) as Christians and Jews and as such, no matter how well intentioned, the President was wrong to use the phrase “their God” in his speech to the NAACP. By doing this, the President (unintentionally I am sure) has helped to further solidify in the minds of American people, the “otherness” of Muslims throughout the world and at home.

Next time the President speaks of Islam he should remember this bit from the Koran which states for believers,

“Do not argue with the people of the scripture [ie, Jews and Christians] except in the nicest possible manner - unless they transgress - and say, ‘We believe in what was revealed to us and in what was revealed to you, and our god and your god is one and the same; to Him we are submitters.’” (Quran 29:46)

Tajik President to repeat Pilgrims: “Don’t go on Hajj”

Eurasianet, a wonderful website that covers Central Asia like no other, has an interesting little article today about President Imomali Rahmon of Tajikistan, calling upon the Muslim faithful of his country who have already been on the Hajj, not to go this year.

From the article:

“I call on future pilgrims from Tajikistan during the global economic and financial crisis to donate their savings to charity,” he announced in late June. Every year 4,500 Tajiks perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Islam’s holy sites in Saudi Arabia — a journey that costs an average of $3,000 per person. Rahmon targeted his appeal at Tajiks who have already made a pilgrimage, and were intent on returning. “In a time of crisis, your savings could go to needy families,” the president stressed.

Rahmon, who is known for trying to regulate social norms, might have a point this year. Able-bodied Muslims are only required to perform the Hajj once within a lifetime, and only when they have the financial means to do so. Going twice in time of global financial crisis can be a bit decadent when your neighbors are struggling to put food on the table.

Kojand Mosque, Tajikistan

(HAT TIP: DT)

A Turkish Reality TV Show for Unbelievers

The Guardian is reporting that a new Turkish reality TV show, Tovbekarlar Yarisiyor (Penitents Compete) is pitting a rabbi, a priest, an imam, and a buddhist monk against each other as each strive to convert one of ten atheists to their religious preference.

According to the article, “Those persuaded will be rewarded with a pilgrimage to the spiritual home of their newly chosen creed – Mecca for Muslims, Jerusalem for Christians and Jews, and Tibet for Buddhists.”

Can anyone else imagine this show coming to your local Fox affiliate sometime soon? I wish I spoke Turkish, this show looks like it might be a lot of fun to watch.

Also, for all the problematic aspects of the Republic and Kemalism, Hat Tip to Turkey for being one of the few Muslim countries where a show like this can be produced.