looks like I’ll be on NPR this afternoon, discussing “homegrown terrorism” in the context of Major Hassan, the Pakistani Five, and the Somali youth.
johnpi’s tag on “muslim american extremism” will be hugely helpful as a reference for me.
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aziz 10:58 am on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Abu Noor, i was going to mention this and this but wanted to get your specific take (as an Irishman, not a muslim) on that first. Please do comment/brief me if you have time to expound?
abunoor 1:10 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Aziz,
I don’t know if it’s too late…but I would respond to the theme mentioned in those articles like this:
Yes, it is true that there was relatively widespread sympathy with the IRA in Irish America for quite a long time.
The comparison can be apt but I would try to make it with some nuance…frankly as an Irish Muslim I get quite annoyed when Muslims always trot out the Irish as an example of terrorists who are not Muslim because its done without any understanding of the reality of the situation. I don’t think you’d do this, but people should avoid characterizing the IRA as “Catholic terrorists” or the situation in the north as a religious war. It’s just really not accurate.
What I do think is appropriate is drawing the analogy to the fact that Irish Americans long sympathized with the Republican cause because the grievances were real….and it is no doubt easier to see the romantic aspects of any kind of violent resistance when it is from a distance and you don’t live with the actual war in your own backyard. Those are good points and I think applicable to many Muslims.
The next question is whether “Muslim American Extremism” such as it is is more of the variety of hardcore desire to actually participate in violent resistance which is more common when people (Irish or whatever) actually have physical ties to the area where the struggle is going on (they are recent immigrants or have family they are in contact with there). On the other hand, there is a secondary level of support where people may wear an IRA t shirt or write some stuff on the internet or even more seriously actually do research into the history and perhaps engage politically, however these people may strongly identify with the Irish (or Muslim identity) but may lack any concrete ties to the areas where the war is ongoing. In such cases it would be incredibly rare for any to actually engage in any overt actions (unless prodded by government agents or if there is a way to simply donate money or something they may be willing to do that).
See what I’m saying…It does raise interesting questions Aziz and food for thought about addressing the problem.
aziz 1:39 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
very timely! just in time…
johnpi 10:59 am on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Excellent. Mashallah.
I’m not familiar with the show you’re going on, but I’ve done some small potatoes media here and there and it sounds like the kind of format where the host will basically be ‘on your side’ trying to help you draw out and communicate your point of view clearly before asking you some probing questions.
A good opportunity to bone up your media skills before you take up that invitation to appear on Fox News.
Zack 11:59 am on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Which Pakistani Five?
Shams al-Nahar 12:03 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
the new ones.
Zack 12:07 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
The Five arrested in Sargodha? Only two of those are Pakistani Americans.
johnpi 12:57 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
It’s ‘Pakistan 5′ rather than ‘Pakistani 5′. That’s my fault. I chose this tag because where they were arrested became as much the focus of the story as the five men themselves.
aziz 1:06 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
yeah sorry i was just copying the tag – and then forgot to link it! will edit my post.
please add comments to this thread with nuggets of info you think would be relevant – i am scheduled to go in in ten minutes. talking points, please!
Buzz 1:14 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
The main question / criticism on American Righties’ minds is whether Islam and Democracy are incompatible. Can Muslims vote and participate in Western society? Is there anything inherently incompatible with being a Muslim and an American citizen? People are afraid of “radicalized Muslims” and that, under the right circumstances, all Muslim Americans can become radicalized to jihad.
This is the propaganda the extreme right feeds the papers
aziz 1:18 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Walid Phares will be oneof the panelists. sigh.
johnpi 1:27 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Interesting. The Rand guy is correcting the loaded contributions of Daniel Pipes-fellow traveler Walid Phares.
johnpi 1:28 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Walid Phares-approved NGOs…let me guess….M Zudhi Jasser…
johnpi 1:31 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Thank you Spencer…
johnpi 1:35 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Good, good…
johnpi 1:40 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Well done…
aziz 1:50 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
aaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggh
Emre 5:13 pm on December 17, 2009 Permalink |
Thank you for information http://ankaravizesi.blogspot.com/ thankyou
johnpi 1:41 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
The current speaker, I missed her name is raging fear-mongerer…
johnpi 1:44 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
Not making the distinction? Oh please….
johnpi 1:45 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
That’s similar to the old ‘why don’t you condemn terrorism’ chestnut (We do. You just don’t listen…)
aziz 1:50 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink |
damn. i closed so weakly.
johnpi 1:51 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink
Disagree. Your closing point was that these things are going on…
johnpi 1:52 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink
The leadership is doing its part in the mosques.
aziz 1:54 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink
thanks, john. hopefully will improve on the performance next time
it was fun! i jsut wish id had a chance to interact more with Spencer Ack.
johnpi 2:01 pm on December 15, 2009 Permalink
Yeah, I think the big libel on the Muslim American community is that we’re silently complicit or that we’re aloof, not engaged and doing our part. Challenging that image was a good place to leave it…