Extending an Olive Branch

For Ali Malik, who visited Israel and Palestine in September with 13 other UC Irvine students, the trip’s highlight wasn’t on the official itinerary. During the group’s stay in Jerusalem, Malik walked every morning to the Dome of the Rock – the Muslim mosque – to pray.

“On the way, I’d see Christians going to church and Jews going to the Wailing Wall, and I realized we were all going for the same purpose – to worship and please our lord,” says Malik, who took the trip as part of the student-led Olive Tree Initiative. “It had a huge impact on me.”

Founded in 2007, the initiative comprises student leaders from Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze and unaffiliated backgrounds. They include members of Anteaters for Israel, Hillel, Muslim Student Union, Society of Arab Students, Middle East Studies Student Initiative and other campus organizations. Finding common ground and opening dialogue on the Middle East conflict among people with different ideologies is a key goal of the initiative.

After spending several months studying Arabic in Damascus through the International Opportunities Program, Malik joined his fellow students on the two-week visit to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Haifa and other cities within Israel and Palestinian territories. They talked with academics, community and religious leaders, and activists in the region.

“You can study these things in books, but being there brings them to life,” Malik says. “The trip revamped my opinion of the conflict. I now feel that, although it’s a deeply complicated issue, it’s resolvable if we can talk to each other.”

...

For their efforts, Malik and Moran Cohen (to be featured in a Nov. 10 Spotlight) both received the XIV Dalai Lama Endowed Scholarship, which recognizes UCI students committed to ethics and leadership on campus and in the community.

He and Cohen will use their scholarship – which includes individual awards of $7,500 and a shared award of $2,500 – to “work rationally for peace” and foster more conversations about the conflict. They participated in Olive Tree Initiative’s first public forum Oct. 23 before a packed crowd in the Student Center’s Crystal Cove Auditorium, and they hope to do more at local mosques, synagogues and campus venues. They also want to recruit new initiative members and organize another Middle East trip next fall.

Full press release here

I don't know much about the initiative but sounds like a step in the right direction...may Allah (swt) put barakah in your efforts Br. Ali. Praying in al-Aqsa everyday...a dream come true...

Heavy Metal Islam: Rock, Resistance, and the Struggle for the Soul of Islam

Eagerly seizing on the stereotype-busting possibilities of “an 18-year-old from Casablanca with spiked hair, or a 20-year-old from Dubai wearing goth makeup,” LeVine would like us to see them as the faces of an emerging Muslim world, potentially a much less monochromatic place than the one represented on TV by the usual “Death to America” brigades. “Heavy Metal Islam” turns the notion of irreconcilable differences between Islam and the West on its head, appealing to the universality of youth culture as “a model for communication and cooperation” in the Internet age. LeVine reckons the likes of Metallica and Slayer provide a brute lingua franca that knows no borders, opening up breathing room in cloistered societies, gradually undermining rigid belief systems — a benign, bottom-up brand of globalization as opposed to the ruthless corporate or state-sponsored kind.

Continue NYT book review here

Mark LeVine, the author of the book, is definately one of UCI's coolest and most interesting professors:

The hirsute-headed history professor, author, world musician and activist has stared down bulldozers in protest, worked in Harlem and taken refuge in the shadows of Hamas mosques.

After earning a doctorate from New York University in Middle Eastern Studies, LeVine began to peer at and pen about the Arab world from many different angles. As a guitarist, he has strummed from stages in Damascus, Casablanca and Istanbul. As an author, he's written for the Boston Globe, al-Jazeera International and other media outlets – not to mention several books.

Continue here for OC Register interview

This is all interesting from a political and social perspective; however, I can't help but wonder if it is helping or hurting the Muslim youth. Expressing oneself, connecting with people from other cultures, resisting unjust political systems is all good, but is it leading to a grey (or black) area of ignorance and lack of identity? Is it a struggle towards or away from the soul of Islam? Probably a bit of both...I'm not sure.

Food, Forests and Fuel

To follow up on Affad's and Yesi's posts, below are excerpts from an excellent article by the activist and writer Vandana Shiva. The article is a few months old but still very much relevant. Reading articles like these makes me want to drop everything and help out these activists in their struggle for a better world.

In 2007, no one can deny that man-made climate change is taking place. However, the commitment to mitigate and help the vulnerable to adapt does not match the recognition of the disaster.

Mitigation requires material changes in production and consumption patterns. Globalisation has pushed production and consumption worldwide to higher carbon dioxide emissions. WTO rules of trade liberalization are in effect rules that force countries on a high emissions pathway. Similarly, World Bank lending for super highways and thermal power plant, industrial agriculture and corporate retail coerces countries to emit more greenhouse gases. And giant corporations such as Cargill and Walmart carry major responsibility in destroying local, sustainable economies and pushing society after society into dependence on an ecologically destructive global economy. Cargill is an important player in spreading soya cultivation in the Amazon, and palmoil plantations in the rainforest of Indonesia thus increasing emissions both by the burning of forests and destruction of the massive carbon sink in rainforests and peat lands. And Walmart's model of long distance centralized trade is a recipe for increasing the carbon dioxide burden in the atmosphere.

...

Another false solution to climate change is the promotion of biofuels based on corn and soya, palmoil and jatropha.

Biofuels, fuels from biomass, continue to be the most important energy source for the poor in the world. The ecological biodiverse farm is not just a source of food; it is a source of energy. Energy for cooking the food comes from the inedible biomass like cow dung cakes, stalks of millets and pulses, agro-forestry species on village wood lots. Managed sustainably, village commons have been a source of decentralized energy for centuries

Industrial biofuels are not the fuels of the poor; they are the foods of the poor, transformed into heat, electricity, and transport. Liquid biofuels, in particular ethanol and bio-diesel, are one of the fastest growing sectors of production, driven by the search of alternatives to fossil fuels both to avoid the catastrophe of peak oil and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. President Bush is trying to pass legislation to require the use of 35 billion gallons of biofuels by 2017. M. Alexander of the Sustainable Development Department of FAO has stated: "The gradual move away from oil has begun. Over the next 15 to 20 years we may see biofuels providing a full 25 per cent of the world's energy needs."

Continue at Znet

For socal folks, Vendana Shiva will be speaking at UCI on April 30th - don't miss out! If you attend, please do share your thoughts.

Jewish Students Safe at UCI

IRVINE - Jewish student leaders at UCI took the unusual step this week of issuing a press release saying Jewish student life is thriving there, and no one is in danger from anti-Semitism on campus.

The move comes in the wake of assertions from outside groups that UC Irvine is so rife with anti-Semitism that it's become an unsafe place for Jewish students.

Tensions between fervent Jewish and Muslim students on campus, primarily over the Israeli government's relationship with the Palestinians, have spilled over into the international blogosphere and even been investigated by the federal government.

"There's been a lot of misinformation put out about what's going on at our school," said UCI student Isaac Yerushalmi, 21, president of Anteaters for Israel. "Unfortunately, there are organizations out there that are very passionate and concerned, but they don't really know what's going on."

The press release was issued by the presidents of four Jewish student organizations on campus, including Anteaters for Israel; Hillel: The Jewish Student Union; Alpha Epsilon Pi and Epsilon Pi fraternities.

"Jewish students are physically safe and secure on our campus … (and) Jewish life is thriving more than ever," the release states.

Continue here

If you're unfamiliar with the background, check out Muslamics' earlier post on this.

I would love to have seen the face of the ZOA people when the read the press release! I have to respect the UCI Jewish student organizations for stepping out of ZOA's cloak and speaking for themselves. If only they would seperate between Judaism and Zionism - but that's a whole other discussion.

New study on American Muslims

Surprise, surprise...American Muslims are your average 'mainstream' Americans:

Muslim Americans are highly involved in the political process, relatively affluent and educated, and resemble the average American in terms of party affiliation, education and family income, according to research by Jen’nan Ghazal Read, associate professor of sociology at UC Irvine.

Read aims to shed light on a community that has been the subject of intense media scrutiny since 9/11, yet is still relatively unknown. In a recent survey, 66 percent of Americans said they know “very little or nothing” about Islam, and 34 percent said they have an “unfavorable opinion” of the religion.

“Muslim immigrants are not any different from earlier immigrant groups who came to America – they are motivated by the same desire to integrate and achieve a better way of life,” Ghazal Read said.

Continue press release here

I found this statistic the most interesting:

Muslim Americans are registered to vote at higher rates than the national average, a significant statistic considering that many are immigrants to the U.S.

UCI Exonerated of "Anti-Semitism" Label

So your kids can go to UCI and feel safe that the label of "America's Most Anti-Semitic Campus" is not applicable- here at MSNBC and OC Register has a copy of the OCR letter issued today.

There was a email circulating with the letter of the report from OCR stating that simply, the University has done a great job at maintaining an environment welcoming to all. That they have done what they could faced with incidents that were negative and wrong.

Whats more is that this has shown that the MSU at UCI has been exonerated and is within its right to free speech.

This leads one to wonder what the "hell Zionist Organization of America" wanted out of this whole thing. They referred callers to their East coast office which was closed today- no wonder- the report makes them look like fools yelling fire in a crowded theater.

Basically the Zionist Organization of America is a trying to paint a picture of something that just isn't- that UCI is a breeding haven for antisemitism- and if this tactic worked, it would force the University to shut down events aimed at the policies and practices of Israel and criticism of Zionism, because of the "Jewish" association of the two topics. Hence, college activism against Israel and Zionism would come to a complete full stop- which is what the ZOA ultimately wants.

Now, thats what the ZOA wants, what about Chuck Devore? The Irvine Assembly member- who is probably a nutcase in his own way, but seriously he is the elected official for Irvine, they couldnt elect some one who was half decent and at most neutral, next thing you know Devore will be coming out and saying- "there's to many Moslem's in Irvine"- many of the UCI Muslims are from Irvine, Chuck, I dont think they will be contributing to your campaign or voting for you when they are doctors, rich engineers, business owners etc.

Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week: Coming to a Campus NEAR YOU

I haven't decided what I think might be the recommended approach to this. Do we counter it with parallel events? Do we ignore it all together? Do we use it as motivation to put more work into our usual MSA activities?


A Student’s Guide to Hosting Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week
October 22-26, 2007

During the week of October 22-26, 2007, the nation will be rocked by the biggest conservative campus protest ever – Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, a wake-up call for Americans on 200 university and college campuses.

The purpose of this protest is as simple as it is crucial: to confront the two Big Lies of the political left: that George Bush created the war on terror and that Global Warming is a greater danger to Americans than the terrorist threat. Nothing could be more politically incorrect than to point this out. But nothing could be more important for American students to hear. In the face of the greatest danger Americans have ever confronted, the academic left has mobilized to create sympathy for the enemy and to fight anyone who rallies Americans to defend themselves. According to the academic left, anyone who links Islamic radicalism to the war on terror is an "Islamophobe." According to the academic left, the Islamo-fascists hate us not because we are tolerant and free, but because we are "oppressors."

Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week is a national effort to oppose these lies and to rally American students to defend their country.

Schools to date at which the David Horowitz Freedom Center will be organizing Islamo-Fascism Awareness Weeks

1. Penn State
2. Temple University
3. Pace University
4. Arizona State University
5. UC Berkeley
6. George Mason University
7. Columbia University
8. Emory University
9. Georgia Tech University
10. UCLA
11. Dartmouth University
16. Depaul University
22. USC
30. Stanford
39. Cal State Northridge
109. Cal State Fullerton

For more information on the hate mongering campaign
and a full list of schools, visit: "Terrorism" Awareness

Violence in Islam

Lately, it seems that the link between Islam and Violence is being explored ever more vigorously. On the UC Irvine campus, this has taken form in this nasty little article, written by one Jesse Nickles.

Leaving aside the shoddy journalism such an article reflects - one of the letters to the editor covered that adequately I think - let's look at the facts. A recent article published by Counterpunch looked at "The Islamic Threat in Europe: By the Numbers." Out of the four hundred and ninety-eight incidents of terrorism perpetuated on European soil, only one was attempted by Muslims. And that, by-the-by, failed. As Kristoffer Larsson writes, "The Basque separatist group ETA did best (136 terrorist attacks) and was responsible for the only deadly attack, killing two in Madrid." And yet, who is vilified continuously on the telly? That's a rhetorical question - I think we all know the answer.

Muneeb Baig, a UC Irvine student and Muslim Student Union member, responded to Nickles' claims - which to be frank, were completely idiotic - in an insightful article breaking down the basic precepts of his stance. I would recommend you check it out.

IslamiCity also sent out an interesting bulletin regarding this issue, which amongst a wealth of information, also cited this popular ayah:

"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well acquainted with all that you do." [Qur'an 4:135]

As Muslims, I understand it is part of our duty in this day, at this moment in history, to explain Islam to a world community largly ignorant and misinformed about our beautiful way of life. But sometimes, especially when transparent bigots such as Nickles speak up, it gets annoying. Why is it that every Sally or Joe who professes to know something - probably because of a five minute Google search on the subject - is given a soapbox on which to preach their views?

Oh wait - look at whose running this country.

'Nuff said.

Alkalima and World Domination

Muslim Students Want to Take Over the World?
by Marya Bangee

Well, they've done it again.

And this time, even I'm surprised at how ridiculous their accusations are. It's not smearing an innocent Muslim student activist, like when they went after Zahra. It's not calling the Shahada a slogan for Hamas, like when they attacked the Muslim Student Union at UC Irvine for their graduation stoles. It's not even inviting premier Islamophobe Daniel Pipes to tour California campuses because they sense they are losing the "battle on school campuses."

Nope, this time our local Zionists have decided to accuse Alkalima Magazine - the quarterly publication produced by Muslim students at UCI - with aspiring to world domination.

And how, exactly, did this new hysteria come about?

Bassem Shama, editor of the Magazine, created a video awhile back for the staff at Alkalima, in order to encourage their efforts and promote a difficult task for any student publication: distribution. This video was meant to be humorous - the Zionists response...was also humorous.

Alkalima's response can be found here. While you're there, check out the video too.

I thought it was funny.

Here's the usual line-up:
(feel free to leave fun comments on their sites)

Zionist #1
Zionist #2
YouTube Video (they took the Alkalima video without permission and posted it)