Turkey Upholds Hijab Ban

Disappointing and concerning. Banning the AKP seems like the next step.

Excerpts below (and photo above) from TIME:

Turkey's pro-Islam governing party was handed a devastating legal defeat Wednesday when the country's top court ruled that a constitutional amendment to allow women in headscarves on university campuses was anti-secularist and hence unlawful.

The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pushed through the amendment in February to make it possible for pious women to attain a higher education. But the case has even greater ramifications. Turkey's secularist establishment considers the government's campaign to lift the headscarf ban as key grounds for outlawing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for its alleged Islamicizing agenda; that case will be decided in the next few months by the same Constitutional Court. A ban is being sought not just against the party but also against 71 party members, including Erdogan, who face being barred from all political activity for five years.

Continue here

As this NYT article points out, it is the voice of the college women most affected by this law that is forgotten; may Allah (swt) find a way for them to continue their education and be a force of positive change in their society:

All but lost in the debate have been the voices of the women whose futures are caught in the political cross hairs. Neslihan Akbulut, 26, a sociology graduate student, said she cried when she heard the verdict.

“There is no way for me in Turkey now,” she said. She was waiting to see if the changes would take effect so she could start work on a doctorate degree in Turkey. “When I see this result, I feel that I don’t need to wait. I would need to wait for a long time.”

You know there is something terribly wrong with the world when...

... an artist hitch-hicking, dressed as a bride, to promote world peace is murdered in cold blood. Story here

What makes it worse is that she was murdered in a country whose population is 99% Muslim (at least on paper).

Out of all the horrible things that happen every day, this particular story shook me. What is happening to our humanity?

This lady was just trying to make a difference. I do realize that there are innocent civilians that die unjustly every day from hunger, crime, wars... but somehow this is different.

How much lower can we sink?

Turkey's First Lady Snubbed by Military Leadership

Turkey's new President Abdullah Gul attended the army's Victory Day celebrations on Thursday, but in a fresh snub the new first lady, who wears the Islamic headscarf, was not invited.

Gul, who was elected on Tuesday as strictly secular Turkey's first president with an Islamic background, sat between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and chief of staff Yasar Buyukanit.

But the three men barely exchanged remarks as they watched the ceremony. First lady Hayrunnisa Gul, whose headscarf hard-line secularists view as a symbol of political Islam, was absent, as was the wife of Erdogan who also covers her head.

Read on at: MAS News & Views

The Turkish Experiment

Defeating Al-Qeada One Democracy at a Time

This American Muslims thoughts on the Turkish election.

Iraq is not leading to any peace, let alone piece of mind for this administration. What sway there was in genuine development of democracy in the Middle East was lost during the destruction of Lebanon by Israel and its dismal state of détente that now exists on the streets of Lebanon. Then there is the push for democracy in the rest of the Middle East which began with putting the feet of dictator’s under fire, to only have the fire sizzle down to a sputter as the Iraqi quagmire and rhetoric of invasion in Syria and more so Iran gained momentum.

Nor do we have much in the way of democracy building in the Occupied Territories, where effectively we have destroyed the possibility of a Palestinian state, into three pieces- Gaza, West Bank and millions of refugees- by our refusal to take into account the will of the people, instead we have effectively stamped the will of the Palestinian people with a radioactive sticker.

Where does democracy stand? Well, the results in Turkey are a key indicator. With the AKP taking a significant gain in seats and a dismal turnout of the “secularist” parties, democracy has a strong viable chance in the Muslim world, but can the West stomach that?

Unfortunately in the past what we have seen is the unraveling of Middle Eastern countries because of the legitimate win or illegitimate stuffing of ballots by Western supported political parties against popular Islamic (Muslim) oriented parties. Turkey is no Iranian revolution, yet its consequences are a blow to the very doctrine espoused by Al-Qaeda.

The reason Al-Qeada has any message that is viable is because there is no access to Muslims in their countries to express the pent up frustration of lack of representation, growth and access to common, basic needs as well as rights. Al-Qaeda’s message is that Democracy, in any form, has no place in Islam and that political parties under Islamic sway carry no pull. These parties are thus just tools to appease the masses.

The Hamas win as well as the AKP election are examples that Al-Qaeda’s world view is not shared by all. If the West takes into account that part of the Al-Qaeda’s appeal is the lack of access to power and development then we are one step closer to understanding how Al-Qaeda can gain recruits. Now it is time for Muslims to really step up to the plate and recognizes that political involvement is possible, that it is viable.

This will discredit and undermine the Al-Qaeda worldview, but it will take more then just political involvement, it will also take campaigns to reduce illetracy, to decrease unemployment and to bring in development- and it will take an investment in cultivating religious understanding so that those who skew Islam to fit their agenda's (even though governments can skew Islam to fit their agenda's as well) are not able to access a population that is marginalized and illiterate when it comes to religious practice and principles.

What other movements and parties need to understand is best stated in this article:

Islamic movements and states must realize that what happened in Turkey has created a platform for measurement and a test for merit. The Islamic world will not be measured against a ceiling that stands lower than the Turkish level. Based on that, everything below that threshold is deemed aberrant and unacceptable.

There is a lot of work yet to be done, but Democracy, Muslim style is still possible.

Blair 'will fail unless he talks to Hamas'

The following article is actually something I will be referencing in a piece I am working on regarding the importance of the Turkish election victory of the "Islamist leaning" AKP. RUN WHITE FOLKS RUN, the ISLAMISTS are on the way- just kidding. Seriously it's nothing like that. We like democracy too. No seriously, I love living in America, and I love the freedoms we have. Why don't you believe me, okay, no you do not have to be skeptical, you will like what I have to say. Please do not judge me because I am a Muslim, brown and, okay, its true I am naturalized, not a born American.


By Tim Shipman in Washington, Sunday Telegraph

Last Updated: 11:56pm BST 21/07/2007

Tony Blair's effort to revive the Middle East peace process will be doomed unless the West begins talking to the militant group Hamas, according to the man expected to advise the former prime minister. Daniel Levy thinks Hamas could find a way of accepting the reality of Israel In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Daniel Levy warned that al-Qaeda could win new supporters among disaffected Palestinians unless Hamas - regarded by Israel, America and other western countries as a terrorist group - is allowed "inside the tent". Mr Levy, 39, a former Israeli peace negotiator and the son of Mr Blair's former Middle East envoy, Lord Levy, said the West's effort to bolster the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, could not work if it ignored Hamas's control of Gaza, part of the Palestinian territory. He claimed that Mr Blair's record in Northern Ireland meant he understood the need to talk to extremists. "For any process to have sustainability, legitimacy, and to guarantee security, it will have to be inclusive, not divisive, and to bring in Hamas over time," he said. "Mr Blair, with his Northern Ireland experience, may understand this better than most." This week Mr Blair will make his first trip to the region since he was appointed envoy by the Quartet of powers - America, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia - who are overseeing the peace process. Announcing plans for a new Middle East peace summit, President Bush last week called on Hamas to renounce violence and recognise Israel, and repeated his refusal to deal with it until it did so. But Mr Levy, director of the Prospects for Peace Initiative at The Century Foundation, a Washington think-tank, said Mr Bush's stance was "bound not to produce results". Instead, he said, America must "try and construct a process where Hamas are inside the tent". He said the decision to shun the group was a "misguided" gift to al-Qaeda recruiters. "Al-Qaeda accused Hamas of selling out when they decided to run for election," he said. "The al-Qaeda position is that this electoral process is a western colonial implant, an abomination to Islam. Hamas goes in, wins and sees this boycott slapped on it. Al-Qaeda said, 'See, you played by their rules and you paid the price.' " Mr Levy said America would be better off emulating its policy in Iraq, where its soldiers are working against al-Qaeda with Sunni insurgents "who were shooting Americans two months ago". Calling Hamas a potential "bulwark against al-Qaeda", he said he thought Hamas could find a way of accepting the reality of Israel. "We don't need them to be Zionists," he said. Mr Levy spoke out amid growing doubts about Mr Blair's mandate. Last week Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state, said that America alone would lead on the "political track", leaving Mr Blair to focus on building up the Palestinian economy and institutions. Mr Levy made clear that as yet he has "had no conversation" with Mr Blair since he left Downing Street, and would not act as a formal adviser. But a spokesman for Mr Blair said that he did expect to talk to Mr Levy about the Middle East in the future.

Trail of Tears, Yom Hashoah, Manzanar and the Armenian Genocide

Time passes and things happen. A friend of mine gave me a quote which I think is quite appropriate:

The best history is the history that is being made, and that is in the present.

As April comes to an end, please take the time to reflect and learn about these pivotal historical events and also remember that history is not a thing of the past but most often repeated tragic play, like an infomercial it can play on and on in the far off distant corners of the globe far away from you or me, but none the less recurring.


April 23, 1838 Trail of Tears

Ralph Waldo Emmerson writes to president Martin Van Bruen pleading him not to commit an "outrage on the Cherokee nation". In a move to try to bring the Union together and to take Georgia's claim off of western states, Harding agrees to remove the Cherokee Indians from their lands, striping the nations claim to large swaths of land. What followed was the sad forced removal of the Cherokee nation to the Kansas. It is estimated that 4000 people died during this forced trek.

In 2004, Senator Sam Brownback (Republican of Kansas) introduced a joint resolution (Senate Joint Resolution 37) to "offer an apology to all Native Peoples on behalf of the United States" for past "ill-conceived policies by the United States Government regarding Indian Tribes." The United States Senate has yet to take action on the measure.

There were many other forced migrations of and you can read them at wikipedia.

April 27, 1942 Internment of Japanese Americans

Quite similar to the times we live in today, where Glenn Beck on CNN discussed how "a year from now 'American Muslims' will be staring back at us from behind barbed wire fences" tirade. I encourage other interested people of conciseness to join me in visiting Manzanar the site of one of the internment camps this coming weekend. You can read more here or on Hussam Ayloush's website.


April 24, 1915 Armenian Genocide

On the night of April 24, 1915 the Turkish Ottoman government ordered a swift order to arrest 250 key Armenian leaders. This would begin the spiral of what is argued to be the Armenian Genocide. Present day Turkey refuses to acknowledge it as genocide along with the US.

This was followed by the May 14 law that required the forced deportation of Armenians from the border of Turkey and Russia. The law and the genocide came from a historical animosity displayed by the Ottoman Turks toward the Armenians. However, in this situation Ottomans being at war with Russia and the allies- on the side of Germany- the Armenians were considered a 5th column and a danger to the war time efforts, all of which occurred after one of the most devastating losses to the Turkish army against the Russians near Baku.

It is estimated that 600,000 to 800,000 ethnic Armenians were killed in the camps, death squads, and the march through the Syrian desert. The events are quite controversial and very much in need of open and honest debate in the Muslim community. I recognize that there was a travesty done against the Armenian people, now its time to develop this in a conversation. Please check out the information at wikipedia on the genocide, however, it is not neutral and its good to develop points of reference so please share any books that are on this topic.

April 27, 1943 Yom HaShoah

The lack of a public prosecution of the organizers behind Armenian Genocide by the Allied powers was said to have largely influenced Nazi Germany's fascist leader Adolf Hitler. Among the most closest advisers and friends to the future German dictator was Scheubner-Richter, the vice-consul from Erzerum. In the aftermath of the war, Hitler and Scheubner-Richter sought to blame many of the ailing troubles Germany was suffering against the central government and Jews. Scheubner-Richter called for a "ruthless and relentless" attempt to "cleanse" the Jews out of the country. In 1923, when Hitler and his followers in the Nazi Party failed to seize power in a Munich beer hall, Scheubner-Richter was shot and killed by the police.

The extent of Hitler's knowledge of the Armenian Genocide is unclear, but he referred to their destruction several times. He first addressed their plight in 1924 and referred to them as "cowards".^[50] The most notable quote attributed to Hitler on the Armenians was in a August 1939 conference with German military commanders prior to the invasion of Poland:

“

Our strength consists in our speed and in our brutality. Genghis Khan led millions of women and children to slaughter -- with premeditation and a happy heart. History sees in him solely the founder of a state. It’s a matter of indifference to me what a weak western European civilization will say about me. I have issued the command -- and I’ll have anybody who utters but one word of criticism executed by a firing squad -- that our war aim does not consist in reaching certain lines, but in the physical destruction of the enemy. Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness -- for the present only in the East -- with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space [Lebensraum] which we need. Who, after all, speaks to-day of the annihilation of the Armenians?

”

This quote has been fiercely contended by Turkish scholars and historians who claim that the quotation is a fabrication and does not in fact exist. Yom Hashoah is in memory to the millions who perished at the hands of this despicable man.

However, its important to remember that Anti-Zionist religious Jews do not celebrate Yom Hashoah, instead remembering the victims on days that were already days of mourning before the Holocaust, such as Tisha b'Av in the summer, and the Tenth of Tevet, in the winter. Since I stand against Zionism, I do not find myself opposed to Yom Hashoah, since the day should not be politicized, however, I think many of you doing your research might disagree with me.

While you reflect on this: American injustices, German or Turkish, please remember that its not limited to a specific group of people, that it really isn't the fault of one person or that it is an issue of how history will be written. The fact is if you go back in Muslim history you will find Timur murdering hundreds of thousands of fellow Muslims in his bloody conquests across the Muslim world, as well as the British murdering millions, or the forced slavery of millions of Africans.

Technorati Profile

Sex Deprived...What is going on?

Search Results on Google Trends

By Affad Shaikh
The graph is a three year time frame of the trends in google searches. It show a comparison of two searches that I put in- Sex and Islam. Sex mainly because I thought that it would be a good base line to see how significant the search result is, and anyway I have a closet...(inside head thought, inside head thought!) and Islam because I thought, heck new google service lets play around with it.

I did not imagine that it would become a blog-worthy item, aside from the fact that it was an interesting tool that google was introducing. See these results come from google search statistics. Each of your computers has this thing called an IP address, which is basically a computer physical address on this world wide web. So they use this to track where the searches are coming in from and with all the information they have they have created this database which is now accesible by mere mortals like ourselves to play around with.

When I did my initial search I was playing around and to find that the top ten countries or "regions" as google refers to it were actually Muslim populated areas, disturbed me!

Look at the graph below. Unfortunaly one thing google trends doesnt do is provide numerical values to see the "volume" of searches being done. That is why I used "sex" becuase the saying goes technology is motivated for the access to "pornography"- don't believe me? Just read about the invention of the camera and some the things it was first used for, or read about video technology on phones and what motivates researchers and designers to push the limits of this new technology- from a friend on the inside on these sorts of thing, I personally get stories of what the thinking behind some technology is, and its disturbing.




So this disturbing data leads me to some questions, for which I doubt I have any answers, but its something to reflect on.

1. What is going on?

2. Are Muslims that sex deprived that they have to search it to such an extent in the privacy of their own rooms...or in cafe's?

3. I am assuming this is more Muslim youth then it is adults, so my question is are the countries so corrupt that morality has fallen down the hole?

4. For people who want to jump the gun and say this is because of the "hijab" etc, notice that Iran and Suadia Arabia are not amongst the countries listed, and both institute mandatory "hijab" of women; there might be other factors but still the countries listed are liberalized, I know Pakistan and Pakistan the people using the internet are wholeheartedly liberal, my family is included in them- and Malaysia and Indonesia are for sure liberal and booming economically. So is it the "liberal" society that confuses and conflicts with peoples head to lead to such staggering numbers?

Islam is about modesty and not about social controls, so in a place where there is a Islamic culture it doesnt necessarily mean social controls inhibit individual free will. The norms are there, but people do as people do.

Again the first graph is total worldwide searches. Then the second one is top ten, normalized search results. Now "normalized" means they take the total number of searches for the search words and divide it by percentage of the total search amount to get a top ten list. This might mean that more people using the internet doing more searches in some countries will make the normalized ratio larger then in others. Other factors also deal with how many people access and use google compartively to how people search for these sites elsewhere. Google is popular, but its not the "only" search engine out there.

If you do the same with porn, it gives you much greater hits else where in the world and they are non-Muslim countires in the top ten, click here to see for yourself. You will notice, closet suburban Irvine is quite up there in the ranks when it comes to "porn" searches. Finally, still shocked, I put in "gay" and well, Irvine seems to top the charts- those rich white people are wierd- so vocally homophobic yet so active on the net in searching for that stuff.

So you can't just use statistics to label an entire community one way or another, really you can not do that, if anything you can use it to discuss an issue but to label, I would be hard pressed. I can see Fox news headline now...followed by "White Upper Middle Class suburban Christian community tops the charts in Homosexual Google Searches".

However you look at it, its still a figure that needs to be looked at and taken into consideration.