But because it’s also painfully funny, it’s tolerable. Wait…actually, that any group or single individual could be so narrow in their thinking is not really funny. I’d like to believe that the clip is edited in such a way that this appears more troublesome that it really is. But as I’ve been watching the fear-mongering… Read more »
Posts Categorized: West Meets Middle East
Off to the UNAOC Conference in Qatar
We’re leaving in a few hours for Doha, Qatar and the United Nations Alliance of Civilization 4th Annual Forum. The World in Conversation Project is making the trip with twelve staff/facilitators to help with the Youth Day Events on the 10th and Laurie and I will be doing two presentations about dialogue and facilitation. When… Read more »
A Reason to Keep Going…
Bigotry Can Get Ugly
Here is a video from a protest in California — a protest against Muslims or, in the minds of some of those who were protesting, “terrorists” (since the two words appear to be interchangeable). It’s quite a disturbing video, to be sure, but recognize that many of these protesters represent a small, splinter group of… Read more »
It Really is This Complex
So you think you think you got this Jew – Arab conflict in Israel/ Palestine all figured out. Think again. If you’ve never been there and spoken with at least 20-30 people from a wide (and I do mean wide) range of backgrounds and perspectives, then you probably ought to just start over. And if… Read more »
Christians and Muslims…let’s focus on the positive
Most of us have a general pull toward the dark side, to focus on the few bad or negative examples of some relationship or event and overlook the positive, even in those cases where the positive far outnumber the negative. And with this in mind, think about the many, many examples of conflict between Christians… Read more »
Waiting Until January
Welcome to our web site. the blog is in pause until mid January. We will be back then with posts and commentary. In the meantime, click in the About link above and get a sense of what we are doing. And, of course, enjoy the journey into the new year.
Disney Teaching Prejudice Against Arabs?
This is the original opening scene of the Disney film, Aladdin. There were complaints from Arab groups about the references to a naturally violent and brutal culture and so they changed the one line about cutting off ears to a reference to the weather. It’s cool that they changed it but it’s so clearly stereotyping… Read more »
Failed Bomb Plot Leaves Muslim Community in Fear
A thoughtless action, the wrongdoing of one single person leaves the whole community in fear of retribution. After Mohamed Osman Mohamud’s failed bomb plot at Portland’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, many Somali-Americans are left feeling exposed and are afraid of potential retaliation. “Knuckle-headed retribution” is the concern of many Muslim leaders and residents of Oregon;… Read more »
The Case of Mohamed Osman Mohamud
The message from Muslims, Somali Muslims in particular, is that “we’re Americans” and that “the actions of Mohamed Osman Mohamud are tragic and unsettling.” Their plea to the American public asking not to be judged based on the actions of one young man is pretty straightforward and understandable. The problem for many Americans is that… Read more »
U.S. Health Care Not So Muslim Woman Friendly?
Do you think physicians in the U.S. should accommodate their Muslim patients’ religious practices, or any other religious values in general? Should a Muslim woman have the right to refuse a male doctor and request a female one? Or maybe doctors don’t need to be distracted from their main responsibilities and should only be concerned… Read more »
Do You Feel Excluded?
posted by Sam Richards I’ve always been one to think that voluntary organizations are positive for people and the communities into which they’re embedded. We all need to commune with like-minded and like-spirited people. At the same time, many people think that organizations for specific groups often “exclude” others by building barriers between members of… Read more »
Bill Maher Alarmed by Islam in England
‘Undercover’ in Hijab: Unveiling One Month Later
This is a great article describing an experiment by a young non-Muslim White woman who is a student at the University of Kentucky and is a columnist for the university’s newspaper. Cassidy Herrington decided to temporarily wear the hijab every day to see what reactions she would get from the community. She says, “I thought… Read more »
‘Arab on Youtube’
