The greatest nation, was or is not, seems to me the point is that something is wrong and in order to solve a problem, one has to recognize that there is a problem to solve in the first place. Thats what I like about this segment.
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
America is…
Posted: February 15, 2013 in UncategorizedTags: entertainment, occupy wall street, politics, segment, video
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Is the fabled city of Timbuktu about to be rescued? Two weeks after France began bombing Islamic militant positions in northern Mali, columns of French and African armored vehicles snaking northward through the country are closing in on the ancient capital of the old Malian Empire, which has been ruled under harsh Shari‘a by militant Islamists since last spring.
I want to visit Timbuktu, praying that there will be something left to visit after this war is over.
Reflections- Zahra Biloo: Hold President Obama Accountable
Posted: January 21, 2013 in Activism, Affad Shaikh, American Muslim, CAIR, Democrat, Politics, Progressive, Republican, UncategorizedTags: inauguration, President Obama
Zahra Biloo, Executive Director, CAIR-SFBA
President Obama was elected by a wide coalition of people who came together whether out of fear of repeated Bush policies or from expectations that he would be better able to deliver on his promises from 2008 with a second term. In 2012 Americans, and an overwhelmingly majority of American Muslims re-elected him with this hope.
I think that his re-election, even with the disappointment that many of us carry from his first term, provides opportunities to change the political landscape and build political power.
My hope is that without the fear, or work of a re-election campaign, President Obama will be able to take a more fair and even-handed approach to civil liberties and foreign policy issues. That includes closing Guantanamo and actually ending our wars abroad.
One of the things that’s been referenced a lot, of the things that he’s done well, is ending the war in Iraq. But we have bases that remain open in Iraq, and that’s just one front. Further, though the number of “combat troops” in Iraq has decreased, the number of mercenaries has increased. There’s also the drone wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Yemen among others when it comes to problematic approaches to foreign policy. The signing of the National Defense Authorization Act, specifically sections 1021 and 1022, was incredibly frightening. Many likened it to giving the President the same authority we saw abused with the internment of Japanese Americans and said it was more problematic than the Patriot Act. Further, the President’s secret kill lists which have been used to extra judicially target suspects and assassinate US citizens has moved us into a new era where indefinite detention and summary execution are what we target those who we view as suspects with. Due process seems a thing of the past.
It is going to be important for his supporters, but also all Americans, to hold him accountable to the promises that he made on these issues in 2008 but was unable to deliver on for a variety of reasons.We can hold President Obama and his administration responsible by first, realizing that the organizing and activism around politics and policy issues starts now. Just because the election is over doesn’t mean we relax and still get what we want from the administration. The opposite is true in fact, we are less likely to get what we want from the administration, what we believe to be in this country’s best interests, if we sit back and relax.
As a community we can effectively apply pressure, as was evidenced by the countless defeats of Islamophobic legislators across the country, but how do we wield our political clout?
We need to focus in on a shortlist of policy goals that the various community organizations, activists, artists, bloggers, Imams and congregations can create local and national coalitions around. These coalitions can work toward achieving those goals by lobbying and applying pressure on elected officials thereby holding President Obama and his administration accountable. More than anything however, we need to effectively mobilize our own grassroots to take their concerns and ideas beyond Facebook and Twitter and to join our staff. In the end, our policy makers represent us both when it comes to what we do and don’t do.
Read other perspectives here.
Eating Like the Ancients
Posted: December 12, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: ancient grains, commodity crops, food, health
I have been actively exploring the eating habits of my grandparents and parents. I remember inventively asking my Grandma, before her death, about her eating habits. What I found out was that they had very little meat, when they did eat meat they feasted, but for the most part their daily diets were various grains, lentils and vegetables. My mom on the other hand told me about things that she ate that she doesn’t make anymore.
Largely out of the lack of the ingredients not being found in the US because of the lack of importation from the “motherland(s)”. Its also the lack of time to make food items that are time-effort intensive. There are also shortcuts, ready made items and what not, that take away from the original taste, feel and connected emotions so my Mom stays away from making those things often.
Instead like I ranted in my posts about the historical development of the obesity epidemic I talked about how the industrial agricultural process has picked and genetically narrowed in on commodity crops. Fascinatingly I never wondered what happened to the crops that didn’t meet the agro-big-business model. But I guess it was like heirloom tomatoes and such, they just have been around but nothing to popular and widespread. WSJ had this article “Eating Like the Ancients: Heirloom Grains Return” by Laura Johannes which explores the fact that there are “ancient grains” are making a comeback.
These grains are the first domesticated grains that humans started to plant and eat a thousands of years ago. Like Einkorn, which is the oldest of the grains making a comeback now, it first appeared in human diets some 10,000 years ago. Otzi, the mummy from 5,200 years ago, also known as the Iceman, was most likely munching on a flatbread made out of einkorn. The reason why it probably didnt make the agro-big-business commodity list was because of the its low yield, but its super nutritious. Whereas modern grains require that the grain be high yield and not necessarily full of high nutrition. Which makes the cultivation and sale of einkorn a very expensive endeavor, a five pound bag is selling for $35 bucks.
But the variety of ancient grains making it to the market now is amazing. A short list includes sorghum, millet, teff (North African grain), amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa. Sadly, these big-agro-food-industrial-complex are the ones pushing these new grains as well. The thing thats important is that we are going back to a diversity of base foods, especially grains. To that end I found this really cool blog that discusses how to bake with these ancient grains, though its not regularly updated (possibly because there’s not much more to do with ancient grains then whats already been shared?).
Whatever it is, I like this “Eating like the ancients” title. It encompasses exactly the type of eating I believe we need to go back to. Its not just what Evan Klienman champions, the slow cook movement, but also the type of dietary style that existed. Thats not to say we should live in a world free of freezers and fridges, but definitely one that is better connected to the diversity of foods that existed, habits of eating, less processed foods, more slow cooked foods.
Friday Round Up Week 9
Posted: November 23, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: black preaching, religion, righteous generation, siraj wahaj, traditional theology
I snapped this while at the 2012 MAS Convention in Long Beach during the Jummah khutbah by Imam Siraj Wahaj. The kid on the floor is resting his head on the knee of his buddy in the wheelchair with the pink cast on his right foot. Love the brotherhood!
Friday Khutbah
I was fortunate enough to be at the 2012 MAS Los Angeles Convention in Long Beach where I got to listen to Imam Siraj Wahaj. He is, as one friend put it, the Imam of Imams in the United States and I love listening to him preach because of his combining of Black preaching with Sunni traditional theology. He calls out the Immigrant Islam that is pervasive in the community, but without alienating folks because he gently reminds them that here in America there is a mixing of cultures and no one culture is “Islamic” but rather we need to cultivate a uniquely American culture that represents our faith.
His khutbah was pretty awesome. I loved the idea he presented about imitation. It was simplistic but was very much an amazing reflection and reminder for me. The Imam stated that imitation is an innately human characteristic. Its an attribute that can show the best in humanity or the worst, to that end the Imam said that we often don’t reflect on how we imitate certain people in our behavior and that we need to be cognizant of this. The best of people for Muslim to imitate are the Prophets and the best of Prophets is Muhammad SAW. Obviously the Imam said that we can’t embody everything but thats why there is the Sahaba and the righteous generation that followed them and from those people we can identify the characteristics that are most reflective in our individual selves and work to be more like them.
Blog in Review
So I haven’t posted a Friday round up for week 8. Partly because I had things going on and I didnt have much to post up about regarding the Khutbah. But I have been posting various blogs, for example I posted the fears I have about turning 30. Its kind of a big thing for me because of the situation I am in with my academic, professional and personal life. Lots of folks responding to that blog post with encouragement and sage advice about getting older.
There were a bunch of posts about organic farming starting with one that outlines my thoughts about it, then it goes into my first do-it-yourself (DIY) project around organic urban farming and then a follow up on the fact that my worms were still alive.
Other things
Next week I will post up some stuff on Blackamerican Muslims and the Third Resurrection a book written by Dr. Sherman Jackson. (UPDATE, had some time so posted an excerpt here.) I also hope to finish up Jack Kennedy by Chris Matthews, its been a book I have been reading for ages and just can’t seem to finish.
Also in other news, I am going to start blogging for the Religious Left Blog on my experience with NewGround Fellowship. I also hope to have something posted on Altmuslimah hopefully in the coming few days. Aside from that I currently am wrapping up a post election reflection piece that looks at what American Muslim activists and leaders have to say about political activism moving forward in the next four years for Illume Magazine.
Looking forward to December I will be in San Diego and Sacramento respectively and then back for the New Years, hopefully I can figure out my life sometime around then so that the New Year starts with something positive.
In other news, I have to say I am disturbed by Black Friday. In fact I now refuse to participate in any shopping on Black Friday. I can’t believe that as a nation we would take time to give thanks for all the things we have and then trample on one another like wild beasts for the things we want to buy and might not even need. The deals are whack, the behavior is whack and the whole consumerist endeavor is on steroids. This video below was something that just made me shake my head in disgust.
After voting, Mike Weigart, 30, carries his ballot and his surfboard to cast his ballot.
Long Beach — While voters mark their ballots, Janet Allen folds her clean clothes at Super Suds laundry in Long Beach. Allen said she mailed in her ballot a couple of weeks ago and was surprised to see dozens of people lined up to get their voting material.
well played voter, well played.
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Friday Roundup: Week 6
Posted: November 2, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: education reform, election 2012, fox news, friday khutbah, human-rights, kenya, religion, spell checker, University of Alabama
A little piggy at the University of Alabama helped make a point for President Obama’s education reform campaign. Unfortunately for her it might be to late for her to benefit from it, however, I am certain she probably wouldn’t even be able to find “Kenia” on a world map. Fox News is also missing “there” cartographer and spell checker. I am happy she didnt spell “somewhere” “sum-where” and “village” “vilage”- education hasn’t completely failed her. I know its not my picture, but like the Comedy Centrals Daily Show- this right here is a moment of social-political zen- some town in Alabama doesn’t want its idiot back and I am sure the University of Alabama is hoping this particular idiot fails out.
Friday Khutbah Review
Todays Khutbah was pretty amazing. It was simple and straight forward. The focus was on these new breeds of folks who just say Muslims should follow the Quran and only the Quran.
I am not new to this type of argument and in fact I have met folks that believe in this ideology. The Khateeb broke it down and smashed the perspective for being built on spiritual laziness. Basically there are so many things in the Sunnah through hadith that are not found in the Quran, tossing the hadith would result in our inability to know how to appropriately pray, fast, get married and many other aspects of daily life as a Muslim.
Round the Blogosphere
Not to many updates, largely because I been in San Francisco and havent done all my blogposts. However, if you aren’t following me on Twitter you should, you get instantaneous entertainment when I go offline like this past trip @socalmoslem.
- For updates on my San Francisco trip- if anyone is interested in reading the review- Hotel Vertigo. For the full Muir Woods Experience read here.
Other Exciting Things
The election is next Tuesday. I am really happy to be getting this over with. I am tired of all of it. Go vote. People are dying around the world. Here in this country women have fought to get the right to vote. Blacks fought and died for that right. Countless minorities struggle to get the right to vote. Beyond the Presidential politics there are many many many other things that are on the ballot that require you vote. Its a civic duty, an amana, and I warn you not to take it lightly.
Follow me on Twitter (@socalmoslem) so you can follow my election day tweets.
Friday Roundup- Week 4
Posted: October 19, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: dhul hijjah, gaza city, loose track, obama for america, politics, suhaib salem
Suhaib Salem / Reuters — Moamen Qreiqea, 25, lost both his legs in an Israeli air strike in 2008 while taking pictures east of Gaza. The father of two is determined to continue his career as a photographer despite his disability. Moamen takes pictures of his daughter outside his home in Gaza City, Oct. 1.
Firday Khutbah
Great Khutbah, but note to self, give a Hajj khutbah six months prior to Hajj, that way folks will feel compelled that its time to start planning for Hajj this year, sometimes people loose track of the important things, getting caught up in the world when they made an intention to go to Hajj.
On the Blog
I published a letter to President Obama that I had originally written in August 2011. The post states that I have a hard time voting for him, even after a year having passed since I wrote that letter, because the feelings expressed in that letter are still very much playing themselves out in my heart. There is a great conflict and I should write more about that since I am heading over to Las Vegas to help the Obama for America (OFA) campaign. Monday is the last day to register to vote- YOU CAN DO THIS ONLINE!!!- so go here.
Aside from that, probably more significant, is that its Dhul Hijjah- the month of Hajj which offers a chance to charge up those Ramadan batteries.
Other Interesting Things
This is a great video encouraging you to vote. Check it out!
You Can Fix Your Broken Kindle, Its Easy Peezy!
Posted: October 17, 2012 in UncategorizedTags: Amazon, do it yourself DIY, gadgets, nimble fingers, pixelated, technology
So I noticed lots of folks are googling about a broken Kindle and stumbling on my page about how I fixed my Kindle. This is so freaking easy to do, you don’t have to pay people to do it for you and you can purchase the parts you need online. To show how easy the process is, here are the pictures from my Kindle repair session.
I bought my e-ink kindle screen from powerbookmedic.com, they were quick and easy to order from. My screen was a refurbished screen so it was still significantly cheaper then buying a new Kindle from Amazon.
I don’t know how my Kindle screen got all pixelated and messed up. I keep it in a think leather bound book amazonkindle cover my sister gave me as a Eid present back when I got my Kindle. I also don’t thrash my kindle around. It spends its time on the bookshelf with my other favorite books when I am not using it.
Prying the back casing was not easy, there is a lock mechanism that securely keeps the Kindle together. Snapping them apart, I was afraid about prying to hard and thereby cracking the casing or breaking the snap mechanisms.
removing the battery, the wireless atennae, speakers and if the part where the 3G component goes takes a few minutes because of the amount of screws. Good thing to do is use a large space where you can carefully place each part along with the screws that way things dont get misplaced or mixed up.
removing the hardware panel is a bit tricky and requires nimble fingers to get some of the wires detached. But once you get it off there re 11 screws and thats it. You have access to the screen, which is fragile as well as hard to get out. Be careful no tot pull on the chaise which is the silver/metalic frame. The keyboard is a silicon and it easily just pops out of the bottom spot.
Reverse this process once you replace your broken part and the Kindle will be good to go! If your Kindle was charged then pretty much just flick the restart button and it should immediately power on with the above screen. Good Job!
