A plea from German president, and launch of Islamic art museum. Some nice photographs here.
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arif
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arif
Beal says the reaction has largely been positive. But he has also been asked: “When are you going to open a Christian art gallery?” His response: The museum has, in fact, two galleries devoted to Christian art. And Christianity is infused throughout the museum, especially in the European collections. Beal, who is fond of Islamic ceramics, says, “It’s also important for non-Muslims to see this and understand the depth and beauty of Islamic art.” His next challenge: raising $1.5 million to open an Asian art gallery.
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1970490,00.html#ixzz0hcMebqCm
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johnpi
One wonders how far claims that contemporary Western culture is compatible with science can be taken:
Cyber-bullying rises as climate data are questioned.
The e-mails come thick and fast every time NASA scientist Gavin Schmidt appears in the press.
Rude and crass e-mails. E-mails calling him a fraud, a cheat, a scumbag and much worse.
To Schmidt and other researchers purging their inboxes daily of such correspondence, the barrage is simply part of the job of being a climate scientist. But others see the messages as threats and intimidation – cyber-bullying meant to shut down debate and cow scientists into limiting their participation in the public discourse.
….Trenberth says that is the most dispiriting aspect of the e-mails: Facts don’t carry more weight in the public debate. The nature of public discourse – be it climate change or health care – has changed; information that does not fit one’s worldview is now discounted or rejected.
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arif
“The arts help to humanize cultures where political discourses based on nationalist ideologies tend to dehumanize. They are wonderful pedagogic bridges that help to connect peoples who perceive those different from themselves as ‘the other,’ ” said Asani, Harvard professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic religion and cultures.
Harvard article here.
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thabet
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thabet
The British Social Attitudes survey shows how ‘perceptions’ are just as important as ‘reality’:
A large proportion of the country believes that the multicultural experiment has failed, with 52 per cent considering that Britain is deeply divided along religious lines and 45 per cent saying that religious diversity has had a negative impact.
Around 3% of the population in England and Wales, less than 1% of the population in Scotland, and barely 0.1% of the population in Northern Ireland, would be call themselves Muslim (and all these people must be considered ‘nominally’ Muslim for the purposes of statistics, unless the census is accompanied with a detailed checklist on what these individuals believe). How then can Britain be even remotely ‘divided’ along ‘religious’ lines? Where are these ‘divisions’? There is nothing even close to genuine religious divides that are part of Britain’s history. There are other, far more pressing divisions, which threaten the country; it is a shame these are not fully debated (especially not by politicians who want to have ‘debates’ on cheap political scoring points).
The attitudes identified by the BSA are not new though, and that might be most alarming aspect. How much of these attitudes are related to the drip-feed of stories about ‘cultural backwardness’ of Muslims, or magnifying problems their context, or even just outright lies?
As Andrew Brown notes, while ‘freedom of speech’ is trumpeted as a ‘core value’ by numerous liberal pundits, especially an act of faith which distinguishes ‘us’ from ‘them’, the survey shows many Britons don’t buy into that argument:
This makes odd reading in the face of continuing propaganda about how freedom of speech is one of the core values we defend against Islamists.
This might seem odd given the BSA also show Britons are also becoming socially liberal on issues such as homosexuality and cohabitation.
Or it may just be that liberals, like their ‘enemies’, are forced into adopting cultural protectionism when they feel under threat?
(The two newspapers I link to above also highlight their editorial biases. The Daily Telegraph concentrates on the suspicion towards religious groups, especially Muslims. The Guardian meanwhile sticks with reporting the views on social liberalism.)
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arif
Another sign of changing times in the Muslim world. The city of Bandung Indonesia clamping down the freedom.
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Shams al-Nahar
Sneering at Avatar is now a fulltime “conservative” bloggin’ genre.
I’m reminded of “conservative” crits of the Star Wars prequels as only enjoyable for 14 yr olds.
Well….Avatar is District 9 rendered for 13 yr olds.
E.D., you are not the target audience…no wonder you and Douthat and Goldberg don’t like it….and no wonder I do!
I’m never going to grow up.
The next 6 years will feature an Avatar trilogy, with parts 2 and 3 released two years apart. The console game will become a staple, merchandising, action figures, t-shirts, spinoffs….just like Star Wars.
Care to guess how much Star Wars has shaped contemporary culture over the last 30 years?
And the 13 yr olds who are watching Avatar today…..will be 19 yr olds voting in the 2016 presidential election.
See how that works?All your base are belong to us.
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aziz
Muslim Americans, The Next Generation: a guest post at City of Brass by Willow which is pretty much the perfect example of muslims “reflecting about their faith” that non-muslims are always insisting we do in response to violence and whatnot.
an excerpt:
Ironically I think Muslims are at a disadvantage because Islamic law is comparatively easy to practice and apply in isolation. The result is a community with a sustainable level of conservatism (ie, it’s not like orthodox Jewish or Catholic doctrine, which are almost impossible to keep up en toto outside a Jewish or a Catholic community with established kashrut/regular access to communion etc). Other communities were forced to give up a great deal of religious life simply because the bells-n-smells necessary to sustain it weren’t there. Muslims in America haven’t been forced to make compromises. So any compromises they do make come with an almost hilarious level of groaning and moaning, like they are doing everyone a ginormous favor by budging an inch.
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johnpi
Police: Man ran down ‘too Westernized’ daughter.
Sigh. Here we go again.
Arizona police are looking for an Iraqi man who they allege ran down his daughter and her friend because he believed his daughter had become “too Westernized.”
Peoria, Arizona, police said Wednesday that Faleh Hassan Almaleki, 48, struck his 20-year-old daughter, Noor Faleh Almaleki, and her friend Amal Edan Khalaf with a vehicle he was driving in a parking lot Tuesday afternoon.
Faleh Hassan Almaleki was angry with his daughter “as she had become too ‘Westernized’ and was not living according to [the family's] traditional Iraq[i] values,” Peoria police said in a statement released Wednesday.
Noor Faleh Almaleki is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, according to the statement. Khalaf, 43, received injuries that are not life-threatening but is still in the hospital, police said.
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buzz
I have followed Ali Eteraz’s writing for a few years now. I enjoyed his blog, the diverse crowd of commentors it attracted and I have read quite a number of his articles in various publications. Muslim blogs during the Bush years were comfort through hard times.
I was wondering whether he would be able to pull-off a novel. In retrospect, there were hints of this novel, Children of Dust, for a couple of years. Some of his previous posts seem to align with this book.
50 pages in and I have to say, I think it is a really good. People like me who do not come from Muslim cultures will enjoy the vivid depiction of growing up Muslim with all the rich Islamic references: some a reflection of deep religious belief, others being sort of the Muslim equivalent of Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. There are also lots of familiar Pakistani cultural references which I have wondered about. In a sense, you are immersed in a foreign culture, something I like. Those who grew up in Pakistan or other Muslim countries will probably feel like they are revisiting parts of their childhood.
It is still in hard back but you can get a deal on Amazon. I bought it from a local bookstore because I like to support the local businesses, but bought another, to pass onto a friend, on Amazon for about 1/2 price.
The book moves along quickly with short focused chapters. I am definitely enjoying it.
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plimfix
It feels a bit like the 1970s again. Change is coming in Britain – the pressure of climate change, the weariness of consumerism – a nation increasingly unhappy with itself. We had National Front boot boys back then, now we’ve got the English Defence League. But history doesn’t so much repeat itself as rhyme. In the 80s, Thatcher’s politics stole the far-right’s wind while the old left impaled itself on its own stupidity, burying itself finally under the rubble of the falling Berlin Wall. Where things go from here, today, is far less clear. One thing seems likely – this time, it won’t be the politicians and city spivs who define the new cultural ethos. Let’s just make sure it’s not the EDL who get to shape Britain’s future, insha Allah. -
johnpi
Brazilian samba troupe offends Muslim sensitivities say a group of Lebanese scholars.
The Brazilian troupe has been performing throughout Lebanon since September 23 as part of a festival and planned a final performance in Tyre on Thursday evening.
Roberto Medeiros, ministerial adviser and cultural attache at the Brazilian embassy in Beirut, told AFP that measures had been taken to respect the sensitivities of the mainly Muslim population in Tyre, including having the dancers cover their bodies rather than perform in skimpy clothes.
“We met with the local authorities and informed them that the dancers would dress respectfully with all their bodies covered,” Medeiros said.
Yassin, however, said he had been shown photographs of the costumes and still deemed them inappropriate.
“We fear that once they start dancing nude in the streets, there will be trouble,” Yassin added. “Our society will not accept such a parade.”
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razib, murtad fitri
Taliban targets descendants of Alexander the Great. story about the cultural threat which the kafir kalash of chitral face. the genetics don’t support a relationship to the peoples of southeastern europe; the kalash look like a “genetic isolate.” because they’re isolated and backward non-muslims, pagans basically, they haven’t intermarried with outsides in a long time. because of their backwardness they’ve had a high enough birthrate to compensate for the conversions to islam which have occurred on a regular basis. the only reason these pagans exist is because they were on the british side of the durand line; affinal peoples in ‘kafiristan’ were forcibly converted to islam ~1900. when i first read about the kafir kalash as a kid i suspected that they’d be gone by the end of my lifetime, and it looks like this generation is going to be when the bell tools. at least we’ll have color photographs and films.
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thabet
The Taliban find a champion in the mayor of Doncaster:
Peter Davies, who has made it his personal mission to rid Doncaster of political correctness, said that under the Taliban, Afghanistan had an “ordered system of family life”.
By contrast he said social policies which disregarded the importance of the traditional family had “created mayhem” in Britain.
Peter Davies is a member of English Democrats, a right-wing party committed to federalism and a devolved English parliament. (Interesting idea, appalling execution.)
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thabet
It says a lot for much-vaunted ‘French values’ that less than 500 women can threaten the French Fifth Republic.
Hossam el-Hamalawy was right when he noted:
Also, according to The New York Times report, Nicolas Sarkozy “defends participation in the Afghan war as a matter of women’s rights”. I have an example below of Sarkozy clearly discussing women’s rights with his friend.
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thabet
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aziz
Wajahat Ali’s play, The Domestic Crusaders, is premiering in New York City on September 11th 2009. Check out the press release for more details!
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thabet
Normal in Russia, not normal in Abu Dhabi:
IK, the woman involved in the kiss, pleaded guilty at the Criminal Court of First Instance to consensual dishonour, while ZV, the Russian man involved, is facing the more serious charge of adultery.
IK was asked by Judge Syed Abdul Baseer whether they had kissed.
She replied through the court translator: “It’s a normal greeting.”
“Maybe it’s normal in Russia,” Judge Abdul Baseer said.
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thabet
“Cultural misunderstandings” on a backdrop of unemployment leads to violence between locals and Chinese workers in Algiers:
Planeloads of Chinese workers have been arriving in the North African oil producer, mainly to work on state-funded construction projects, and their presence has fuelled resentment in a country where 7 out of 10 adults under 30 are unemployed.
“We can’t live with them,” said shop owner Rachid Azoug, who was among a group of men watching a row of boarded up Chinese shops. “They drink alcohol and do not respect our religion. They must leave.”
[...]
The clashes appeared to stem from a combination of Algerians’ resentment at their lack of work and cultural misunderstandings between locals and Chinese, said Nacer Jabi, who teaches sociology at Algiers University.
“In poor areas unemployment is higher, and that could explain the anger of Algerian youth towards the Chinese workers,” Jabi told Reuters.
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thabet
Some numbers on Asian Muslim women and employment in the UK.
(Via Andrew Brown.)
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thabet
Cameron Duodu notes that the Boko Haram, whose fighting with the Nigerian security forces has left around 600 dead, resembles the Maitatsine sect.
On the same story, human rights activists in Nigeria say the killing of the Boko Haram leader must be investigated.
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johnpi
America’s ‘cultural apocalypse’ is nigh.
Chris Hedges writes about the devolution of American culture into a state of childishness and fantasy. There are contemporary movements arising from other cultures that are similarly afflicted, which indicates devolution is underway elsewhere as well…
The lonely Cassandras who speak the truth about our misguided imperial wars, the global economic meltdown and the imminent danger of multiple pollutions that are destroying the eco-system that sustains the human species, are drowned out by arenas full of fans chanting “Slut! Slut! Slut!” or television audiences chanting “Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jer-ry!” The worse reality becomes, the less a beleaguered population wants to hear about it and the more it distracts itself with squalid pseudo-events of celebrity breakdowns, gossip and trivia.
A culture that cannot distinguish between reality and illusion dies. And we are dying now. We will wake from our state of induced childishness, one where trivia and gossip pass for news and information, one where our goal is not justice by an elusive and unattainable happiness, to confront the stark limitations before us or we will continue our headlong retreat into fantasy. Those who do not grow up in times of despair and turmoil inevitably turn to demagogues and charlatans to entertain and reassure them. And these demagogues, as they have throughout history, lead the crowd, blinded and amused, towards despotism.
Hizb ut-Tahrir has now appeared in America (“ignorant fantasists” as Thabet called them), espousing the view that military governments will make everything better (and military governments are great saviors, never corrupt and despotic…). And I’m still waiting for brother Mu’adh to return and explain to me the difference between offensive jihad and imperialism…
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thabet
In my home town (in east London), barbers (not hairdressers) are big fat manly Kashmiris (Mirpuris) with bad breath who don’t use deodorant.
Out here, in the oily desert kingdom, hairdressers (not barbers) are young Lebanese men with tight jeans, tighter tops, and shiny hair.
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thabet
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thabet
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fathima
The New York Times » Snapshots of a Muslim Artist
Yes, a practice of “multicultural art” that doesn’t romanticise culture — and that’s also, actually, amazing art (instead of the halfassed shit that passes because it’s So Colourful! And Exotic!).
But I have qualms about the line, “As a Muslim I feel it’s my responsibility to educate people.” No, the onus should not be on minoritised peoples to address or fix broadscale ignorance. It’s definitely something they/we are required to do on a daily basis, because that’s the part of the process of functioning as a minority in the world, but that shouldn’t be projected as our civic/moral/ethical obligation (there’s a difference between pragmatism and responsibility). Instead, it is the civic/moral/ethical obligation of others to learn about and address their own ignorance/investments, whether or not they’re prodded into it by people of colour. The implication, otherwise, is that those who don’t know Muslims, for instance, are off the hook for their ignorance. -
razib, murtad fitri
on the ‘berkeley bowl’ grocery store in berkeley:
“I made a remark to a friend, ‘Dude, this place is a meat market!’ And the guy behind me took offense. He started shouting that what I said was really sexist,” Machado recalled. “He wouldn’t let it go. I finally had to turn around and say, ‘Mind your own business.’ ”
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Michael Pollan, author of the best-selling book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” is a Bowl regular who calls the store one of his top three places to buy food in the world. Still, he knows there’s easier shopping.
One time, Pollan was picking out a box of cereal for his daughter when a fellow shopper interrupted him. “He said, ‘I’m watching Michael Pollan shop for groceries.’ ” Pollan recalled. “There was this note of disappointment that I was buying Fruity Pebbles. Berkeley is full of hall monitors. It’s a small town, and people are looking into each other’s baskets.
one problem i have with some liberals is that they are proud of being tolerant of diversity and open-minded. to some extent this is true, but on a relative scale. all groups have their norms and boundaries. stereotype are bad…well, unless they’re stereotypes of those evil subhuman white christians.
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thabet
Still waiting for a Labour minister to drive into a town in the North West or in Yorkshire, or maybe in County Durham, and lecture people on extremism and integration.
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razib, murtad fitri
conrad said below:
Also though it may not please some to hear it; I would say that there is far greater disunity within Christianity than there is in the global Islamic community. Issues like accepting women priests, homosexuality, abortion are tearing up Anglican and Catholic churches apart in a way you just don’t see elsewhere to the same degree (I could be wrong about this but this is my strong impression).
impressionistically this would seem a fair point. but consider: who has more unity re: polygyny? muslims or christians? aside from a minority of african separatist christians there is unanimity when it comes to this issue in relation to muslims, who disagree about its acceptibility. so i think the question about unitary nature is pretty loaded by the characters you’re evaluating.
now, what i’m more curious about: are muslims more altruistic to other muslims from other nations than christians or buddhists would be? might make an interesting social science experiment. but then again, most violence perpetrated by muslims is against other muslims….
