And Now, A Word From My Parents #BlogIn2011

Below is a letter posted on blogs across America on November 8th as part of a national “blog-in”, a political protest that utilizes the first amendment right to freedom of speech (and arguably, the freedom of assembly) to communicate our thoughts to those vying to lead this nation. As always, this post begins: In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.

Dear 2012 Presidential Candidates,

We are your future constituents and we are parents. We are American mothers and fathers and grandparents and guardians. Our families might be the most diverse in the world. Blended and combined in endless permutations, we represent every major religion, political ideology and ethnic culture that exists. We are made from equal parts biology and choice. Our children come to us in every way possible—including fertility miracles, adoption, and remarriage. Our very modern families embody the freedom that defines America. We embody America. We are rich in diversity, but we are united in our family values. We come together today, with one voice, to express our grave disappointment in the national political discourse. The 2012 countdown has barely begun and we are already being bombarded with the warmed-over, hypocritical rhetoric of 2008. We are living in a time where 25% of Americans now live in poverty, the unemployment rate stands at 16%, and we are spending close to $170 billion annually between the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Given the current state of affairs we would expect every candidate to focus on the issues that truly matter: job creation, debt-relief, taxes, education, poverty, and ending the war(s). Instead, it is already clear to us that the conversation has been hijacked, with the goal of further polarizing our nation into a politically motivated and falsely created class-war. We will not stand for another campaign year in which politicians presume to know what our family values are as they relate to the nation. To be clear, here are our family values: Affordable health care, including family planning, for all Americans. We will not tolerate any candidate using the shield of “Choice” to blind us from the issues that really matter. When funding is stripped from organizations like Planned Parenthood, access to sliding-scale health care (including yearly pap smears & mammograms), comprehensive sex education, and family planning is blocked from the poorest of the population. Access to education, and the ability to actually use it. We want quality, affordable, federally-funded pre-K programs made available in every State, in order to provide an even starting point for all children enrolled in public schools— regardless of the wealth of the district or town they live in. A reinstatement of regulations for banks issuing mortgages and full prosecution for those who engaged in fraudulent lending practices. We want full accountability —investigation, indictment and prosecution— of those individuals and institutions who engaged in fraudulent lending practices and who helped create the massive foreclosures that left many families homeless or struggling to keep their homes. A return of strict environmental regulations protecting water, air, food, and land that were removed in the last two decades. We want our children to grow up in a world not weighed down by the strains of pollution and global warming. Between BPA in our products, sky-rocketing rates of asthma in kids, questionable hormones in our over-processed food, and more, we need leaders who will put our needs and safety over the desires and profits of large corporations. Family planning, healthcare, education, economic solvency and environmental safety: these are our national family values. Candidates who demonstrate the ability to understand the gravity of these issues, and their impact on our families, and who can provide actual, viable solutions to these problems will garner our support and our votes. We believe in this democratic system of ours, and we will continue to use our voices and our votes to see that it reaches its fullest potential.

Sincerely, Your future constituents,

The [future & current] mothers & fathers of America

Posted here on behalf of my parents, Mohammed Iqbal and Kisra “Goldie” Khan.

Candidate Profile: Shahid Malik

Shahid Malik is running for County Supervisor in Sully District, Fairfax County

District Profile: Sully             Democrats:  26,000 (roughly) Republicans: 15,000 (roughly) Current Supervisor: Michael Frey (GOP) Major localities: Chantilly, Dulles area Major Mosques: Chantilly Islamic Center, ADAMS, Mubarik Mosque, Zakaria Islamic Academy

It’s a cold and rainy day in October here in Chantilly, Virginia. These are the sort of days campaigners and canvassers dread. The air is damp and the unforgiving winds hint at the colder days to come. The only solace one has as they drearily knock on door after door to introduce their candidate and their candidate’s political fortunes is the stark beauty coming from the colored leaves falling gracefully from the trees.

But this is no matter to Shahid Malik, who has knocked on over 3,000 doors himself as he battles to unseat GOP behemoth Michael Frey. Frey, who is a darling of special interests (and particularly of developers, eager to to turn the flat plantation lands in the Sully district into parking lots and mcmansions) has been angering many residents for what they call his sham of a constituency outreach effort over the past four years. Visible anger that Shahid and his crack army of grassroots volunteers have been doing everything they can to take advantage of.

Shahid Malik decided to become a candidate for the Sully District’s County Supervisor after being alarmed by Republican incumbent Michael Frey’s insistence on cutting the county school budget. A proud parent of four, all of his children are products of the Fairfax County school system, with his youngest still in high school.

Malik, who is running as a Democrat, was chosen by caucus vote to be the official Democratic nominee for Sully. His only opponent dropped out the eve of the caucus vote, bowing to Malik’s impressive resume as a former government contractor, part-time philanthropist and community leader, and small business owner. Malik’s impressive resume includes being the director of the Water For Life project of the world renown NGO Humanity First.

He’s travelled across the world, including Central America and West Africa to bring fresh, clean drinking water to some of the most remote communities in those regions. When threatened with a sectarian attack while helping Kashmir earthquake victims in Pakistan in 2005, he shrugged the attack off. His job was the help the needy, Malik says. Not to pay attention to identity politics.

And it is exactly that attitude which makes Malik probably the most attractive mainstream Muslim candidate to date in the DMV: his race is not about religion. It’s about the people of Sully district. When asked what role Islam has played in his politics, Malik shakes the question: none. It informs his morals, ethics, and principles. But this is not a race about a Muslim, it’s a race about the issues. “This election has got nothing to do with me being a Muslim. It has to do with the people of Sully, and what their concerns as voters are.” Spoken like a true Muslim.

And what are those Issues? Again, another true Muslim response: “my greatest concern is education. Without it, we’re doing our children a huge disfavor in the worst economy since the Great Depression. We need to do our best to insure quality education is a priority here in Fairfax County. Not cut the school budget like my opponent insists on doing,” says Malik.

Malik also lists transportation in congestion-clogged Fairfax County and the need for smart-growth in the district as other major concerns. He also is quick to point out: being a Muslim has never once impacted the way voters interact with him. “Even leaning-Republican voters–voters we typically ID as my opponent’s base, have been saying ‘hey, we’re with you Shahid. You’ve got our vote.’ Whether they do vote for me or not, that’s another story. But at least we know for sure identity politics don’t exist in Sully.” And Malik never suspected they would.

What’s even more remarkable about Malik’s background is something certain Muslim leaders in Maryland have long been insecure about themselves: He was born and raised in Lahore, Pakistan. Mr. Malik is an immigrant American, and it has never stopped him from being an avid citizen of his adopted country.

I give my whole-hearted endorsement to Mr. Malik’s candidacy, and I also would like to take the time to thank him for working to strengthen democracy in Northern Virginia by being a model candidate all public servants should aspire to be like. Good luck in November!

If you want to learn more about Shahid Malik, visit his campaign website: http://malikforsupervisor.com. He already has 100+ volunteers lined up to help him on November 8th. If you decide to help out that day, be sure to tell him The Modern Rumi sent you.

#MuslimPol: Doug Gansler Dinner in Baltimore County

The Baltimore County Muslim Council (BCMC) is hosting a dinner for Maryland’s Attorney General Doug Gansler and District 11 Delegate Dana Stein. Dana is a first term delegate whose district encompasses much of Pikesville. Attorney General Gansler is one of two MoCo favorites to run for governor in three years. The other is Peter Franchot. The event will be held on October 21st at the Islamic Society of Baltimore in Catonsville, Maryland.

The event has a slew of hosts and sponsors, all from different backgrounds, showing a focus on communal unity amongst Muslims in Maryland.

Quick points to note:

1) This is the second Baltimore area-based Muslim political event in October. It seems Montgomery County’s Muslim leaders  have been less proactive politically this year than their Baltimore neighbors, especially since Doug Gansler is from Bethesda.

2) As mentioned before, the event’s hosts & sponsors are from diverse backgrounds, that’s a huge plus to breaking stereotypes about Muslims.

3) The event’s ticket price, at 25 dollars, suggests the organizers have every intention of creating a grassroots groundswell of Muslim American activists in Baltimore. Smart thinking. More Muslim organizations should realize that $200 a plate isn’t the only way to garner influence in Annapolis.

My take: buy a ticket, attend the event. I know I will be, insha’Allah.

-Hamza

#MuslimPol: Cummings Fundraiser on October 8

Humaninim President Nayab Siddiqui held a fundraiser at his home this past weekend for Congress Elijah Cummings.

At the time of receiving the invite, the host committee was “in formation”. Major Muslim community leaders in Maryland sponsoring the event included Irfan Malik and Zahid Butt. Other sponsors were Majid Husain, Nasir Bashir, and Suhail Qarni. Malik has a long history of political involvement since moving to Maryland from Texas. Butt is a gastroenterologist and CEO of Medisolv, a medical IT company.  Butt is one of a handful of Muslim leaders in Maryland now on Twitter: @Zbytes (clever name).

Screenshot of the e-mail invite for the Cummings fundraiser

Elijah Cummings and I go back. I first met Congressman Cummings on an advocacy mission with some like-minded students during Israel’s Second Lebanon War. His passionate defense of those innocents caught between the IDF and Hezbollah has never left my mind. When explaining my similar dilemma, the Congressman remarked, “see, you get it. This isn’t easy for anyone to take just one side on.”  A fews later in 2009, I met the Congressman as President of the Maryland Federation of College Democrats, the organization that governs all College Democrats in the state. When I asked him to become our organization’s honorary chair, he didn’t hesitate and with slap of the knee said, “Done.”

Congressman Elijah Cummings meets with me and other MFCD delegates while I was president. When we asked him to become our honorary chair for the year, he slapped my knee and said, "done".

Cummings is a tireless civil servant, and is probably one of my favorite political personalities. He drives down from his district to do work in Washington, and then drives right back up again. I hope more Muslims in Maryland come to value him for his dedication to doing the right thing, regardless of politics.

Musharraf ’200%’ sure of taking part in 2013 polls

Musharraf ’200%’ sure of taking part in 2013 polls-The Business Standard.

Pervez Musharraf is arguably one of Pakistan’s two most effective leaders ever. The other being Pakistan’s first military leader, Ayub Khan.

Musharraf suffers from cripplingly low poll numbers in Pakistan right now, but there are three years left in the People Party’s mandate–a long time for aid victims to go on suffering while Benazir gets her own 11 million dollar memorial.

To put it into comparison: Pakistan’s leaders have given less than 50,000 dollars each to relief efforts for flood victims. Musharraf has given over 100,000 dollars of his own money in immediate aid, and has been busy fundraising for more.

As Punjabi elites continue to loot the country, the army has been stretched to the limit, but hasn’t given up just yet. With American and Saudi aid, Pakistan’s only real institution has put up a real fight to reach its country’s distressed citizens.

Being a former army chief, Musharraf is the only plain-clothed leader to have the respect of the armed forces, something key missing from the thieves running Islamabad today.

Musharraf ’200%’ sure of taking part in 2013 polls

Musharraf ’200%’ sure of taking part in 2013 polls-The Business Standard.

Pervez Musharraf is arguably one of Pakistan’s two most effective leaders ever. The other being Pakistan’s first military leader, Ayub Khan.

Musharraf suffers from cripplingly low poll numbers in Pakistan right now, but there are three years left in the People Party’s mandate–a long time for aid victims to go on suffering while Benazir gets her own 11 million dollar memorial.

To put it into comparison: Pakistan’s leaders have given less than 50,000 dollars each to relief efforts for flood victims. Musharraf has given over 100,000 dollars of his own money in immediate aid, and has been busy fundraising for more.

As Punjabi elites continue to loot the country, the army has been stretched to the limit, but hasn’t given up just yet. With American and Saudi aid, Pakistan’s only real institution has put up a real fight to reach its country’s distressed citizens.

Being a former army chief, Musharraf is the only plain-clothed leader to have the respect of the armed forces, something key missing from the thieves running Islamabad today.

Thankless to the End: BBC News – Pakistani flood victims’ anger at US

BBC News – Pakistani flood victims’ anger at US.

Pakistani opposition politicians and flood survivors alike are criticizing American aid to Pakistan following the most destructive monsoon in nearly a century.

The United States has adopted a policy of “providing as asked”. This means the American government will only provide as much aid as asked for through official Pakistani channels. This frustrates Pakistanis who aren’t fully aware of the geo-political context of American involvement in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s powerful military has now twice been humiliated in the face of floods. In 1971, 2/3 of Pakistanis broke away to form Bangladesh after light-skinned West Pakistani military officials allowed half a million darker-skinned East Pakistanis to die before intervening following the Bohla Cyclone. The current crisis is the second flood-related disaster where the Pakistani army’s has proved wholly impotent.

The current floods are largely affecting the provinces of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Punjab (Siraikistan/Multan).  The largely Punjabi-military has been at a loss: it doesn’t have enough boats or equipment (Pakistan has never developed a strong navy) to cope with any natural disaster. In fact, while Pakistan has benefited from billions in American aid since 2001, most of it has been spent on making sure the country can fight a conventional war against India, in order to ‘liberate’ Kashmir from ‘Hindu occupation’.

Pakistan’s military originally involved the United States in South Asian affairs to provide a counter-balanced to rising Indian hegemony in the region. Today however, Pakistani generals fear that an increased American presence-even if it is friendly-will set alight the smoldering flames of extremism across Pakistan.

Pakistanis, or rather urbanites in Punjab and Karachi, are nationalists whose poorer classes have extremist tendencies, and whose upper classes have in many cases manipulated the poor for one or another political cause. But since the mid 2000′s, religious extremists have largely replaced Pakistan’s materialist upper classes as patrons of the poor. That’s why many in Pakistan have fears about standing too close to the Americans.

On top of that, no one is really sure where the tipping point of American involvement in Pakistan is, and nobody wants to find out when it’s too late. America’s legacy on the subcontinent is schizophrenic, Pakistanis claim. We’re never there when they need us, and we rarely stay after a desperate one night stand. Why on earth would Pakistanis thank us now?

Furthermore, American drone attacks have deeply affected Pakistani morale and prestige, leaving elite and commoner alike embittered and vengeful towards America. While the rest of the Muslim world–including the Arab Street–now has a positive opinion of America,  Pakistanis in overwhelming majorities have a staunchly negative view of the United States. In light of this, Pakistan’s leaders have privately asked American leaders to please give aid…but only as requested by Islamabad.

Pakistanis are cynical about their governing institutions and their leaders, and many pray for America’s utter destruction during nightly prayers. Many believe the United States as directly responsible for “stirring the cauldron” of extremists groups in their country, and view any aid we provide them through the lense of “they owe us that much”, and nothing more. That seriously frustrates and complicates attempts by Washington and the Pentagon to relieve some of the pressure put on Pakistan’s beleaguered governing civilians–only the seventh democratically elected in the country’s 60 year history.

Right now, the best thing for decision-makers in Washington to do is to pressure Islamabad to let them do more, if they want to avoid outright insurrection in every province in the country.

Wyclef Jean Denied.

Wyclef Jean denied
Screenshot is courtesy of BBC News.

BBC News – Haiti rejects Wyclef Jean’s presidential bid.

It seems that fame and money can’t get you everything.

Well, we already knew that, but what’s telling about this instance is what it says about Haiti’s 200 year-old-yet-still-fledging governing institutions: they followed the law, for once.

In a more Judicial-Activist setting, Wyclef’s argument that as “ambassador-at-large”, he had ample reason to have the constitutional requirement that he be a ‘resident’ of Haiti for five years dismissed. The country’s electoral council has ruled otherwise (as it should).

The question now of course is, what is the future for Haiti? Wyclef’s uncle, the current Ambassador to Washington DC, is also running, along with 19 other candidates. Haiti’s presidential elections is beginning to feel more and more like California’s recall election in 2003, except with a little more cajun food in the mix.

The Price of Arrogance: Australia PM Gillard says election ‘too close to call’

BBC News – Australia PM Gillard says election ‘too close to call’.

This should be the third year of Labour rule in Australia. Instead, their tenure is likely to have been woefully short. Two and a half years after Paul Rudd delivered the ALP a resounding victory over the Liberals, he was challenged for the leadership by his arrogant and self-serving deputy, Julia Gillard. Not wanting to divide the party he loved, or the fragile economic growth of Australia, Rudd backed down without a fight.

Gillard, love-drunk with the taste of power, called for a general election. The ALP went from 83-54 seats versus the Liberals, to in a dead heat. Congratulations Ms. Gillard, you just brought down your own government, and political career with it.

Conflict Minerals.

Watch and repost