For those who know or do not know, the post 9/11 era has been unfortunately one frought with unfair targeting of Muslims and their organizations, including charities. While dozens of highly publicized trials and charges have been brought, not a single legitimate terror related conviction has been achieved against the American Muslim community and its organizations. Now in Dallas, the founders of one such charity, Holy Land Foundation, have to go through trial one more time. Holy Land was one of the largest, if not the largest, and focused its efforts primarily on Palestine. Of course, the Israelis and their US supporters will have you think the entire Palestinian population are terrorists, and even charitable aid to them is terrorism, which is of course hogwash.
The HLF trial involved 197 counts, and after 19 days of deliberations, the jurors could not find a guilty verdict on a single one of the real charges. I guess the prosecutors, pressured by the Bush administration and the Israelis, took the approach of throwing everything they could at the wall and nothing stuck. As one of the jurors said it best, "From what I read and what I saw in the facts and what I was presented, the defense didn't even have to stand and say anything because the prosecution failed completely"
The daughter of one of those charged wrote a very enlightening piece on the situation and her perspective, which I think is a must read. Find it at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/noor-elashi/dj-vu-in-dallas-as-the-go_b_128262.html
This chapter in American history, tied of course to the tragedy of 9/11, will go down as an unfortunate replay of the McCarthyist era. When will we learn to put aside our prejudices and focus on the facts and the realities.
As one who operates in the legal field, I have the confidence in our constitution and in our system of justice. Justice and truth will eventually prevail. It may take years and countless unfortunate victims, but history has many such episodes. The reason for the legacy and dominance of the United States is not in the attainment of the largest or most powerful weaponry, it is in its appreciation, protection and fostering of freedom, justice and the human spirit. Let freedom reign. For the ElAshi's and for all.

Reasons to vote Republican.

Obama 08

It was with horror last night as we watched the tragedy unfold in Pakistan yesterday. This shocking act of senseless violence was done during the holy month of Ramadan, when people were sitting in the restaurant breaking their fast. These acts do nothing but perpetuate a continuing cycle of senselessness.
I remember when the Grand Hyatt in Amman was bombed a few years ago. Some friends of ours had been at the very hotel earlier in the day, and had left (Thank God) prior to the bombing. The accused was supposedly a member of the Iraq AlQaeda (you never know what to believe nowadays). If the perpetrator was a Muslim or claimed to be one, he committed a crime against all of humanity and one that took the life of a very special person. Director Mustafa Akkad was one of the victims. While he is more well known for his work on the Halloween movies, he was the man who put Islam in a favorable light to the world through the mainstream media. His films, the Message and Lion of the Dessert, starring Anthony Quinn and others, bore a positive and accurate message about our faith, amidst dozens and dozens of Islamophobic propoganda productions put out by hollywood. He was working on a new movie about Saladin (Salah Al Din Al Ayubi), the liberator of Palestine and noble leader in the crusades. He is quoted to have said prior to his unfortunate demise:
" ...Saladin exactly portrays Islam. Right now, Islam is portrayed as a terrorist religion. Because a few terrorists are Muslims, the whole religion has that image. If there ever was a religious war full of terror, it was the Crusades. But you can't blame Christianity because a few adventurers did this. That's my message."
May God have mercy on the souls of the innocent victims. May God show us the truth about these acts, and hold the perpetrators accountable both in this life and the hereafter. May God prevent further such acts from being committed, and unite our world in peace and harmony.

A prominent member of IDIOTS
Islamophobe
Dimwits
Insistent
On spreading
Truthless
Stereotypes


Mr. Frank Gaffney, was beside himself. In the midst of the Wall Street collapse, he had to find some way to pin it on the Muslims. Of course, if Bin Laden had been employed by or had invested his money with Lehman Brothers, he could have made a connection. But he couldn't make a connection to the collapse. So whats the next best thing to blaming? How about Fear mongering?
Brilliant!
He writes that Islamic Finance, which is the next big thing for wall street, must be stopped and feared. It has similar traits to the underlying symptoms of the collapse, and is supported by those whose goal is to destroy the civilized world. It is what is next after subprime.
And guess what?
The Washington Times had the gall to publish this worthless crap.
I am honestly not making this up. Its true.

As someone who has worked in the Islamic Finance industry, I take this garbage to heart, when I should really take it to the heap.

Islamic Finance is predicated on fundamental rules that are common to the origins of the Jewish and Christian religions. The major difference is that the modern interpretation of whats bad in the Jewish and Christian religions has been distorted to only include usury. Islamic Finance is based on return with risk, charitable lending, and good faith dealing. Unfortunately, our capitalist system is based on oppressive lending, seemingly return with no risk, and opportunism. We see the result of that right now in the market.

Islamic Finance is a breath of fresh air, sort of like the nobel prize winning microfinance phenomenon. Don't ask me. Just do a google search for major media pieces on Islamic Finance. Or email me and I will provide some sources.

Shame on you Mr Gaffney. I will be happy to see you burning in hell. And Shame on you Reverend Moon and the Washington Times. Instead of focusing on solutions in the middle of a gigantic crisis, you spread fear and stereotypes. You call yourself a man of God? Maybe the fire and brimstone kind. The witchhunts were done 400 years ago. Isn't it time to move on?...

I can't get enough of the Onion....

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/nfl_fines_pacman_jones_for

Hilarious bit from last year about Michigan dropping from the top 25 of Div 1 to Div 3.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/michigan_drops_to_division
It seems we are doomed to repeat history (both U of M and the Lions for that matter)

Carly Fiorina, the former HP ceo who is a very prominent aide to McCain and was a high profile speaker at the Republican convention, says neither of her candidates are qualified to run a corporation.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/16/fiorina.mccain/index.html
She might as well announce her candidacy ;-)

If you see a BMW coming down the street, watch out.
Attack of the killer BMW's.
I wonder how many BMW's there are in New Delhi anyways?

McCain, McCain, McCain
You really are outdoing yourself.
First you proclaim the economy is strong, a couple of days before one of the biggest if not the biggest corporate economic collapse days in US history.
Then your advisor gives you credit for creating the Blackberry
http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0908/HoltzEakin_McCain_helped_create_BlackBerry.html?showall
You even outdid Al Gore's internet claim.
Maybe your advisor was confused, he was talking about some black berries you had planted in the lawn of your 6th house. Especially considering you don't know how to use a computer, and your wife does your email for you.
Thanks for entertaining us!

Folks, last chance. If you are not registered to vote, please do so NOW. If you are registered and like me far away from your district on election day, request an absentee ballot.

Here's a site that makes it simple,
http://www.voteforchange.com/index_obama.php?source=091008emailR
It's obviously sponsored by Obama's campaign.
If you are voting republican, please disregard this message.

You know its really, really tough to applaud people you loathe. Especially a scumbag, two bit, racist criminal such as Ehud Olmert. But for once, he speaketh the truth, and we must appreciate his parting words (since he will no longer be PM soon, and will likely be in prison not so long after).

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1020998.html

Greater Israel is no more. Whoever believes in it is deluding themselves.
He even described Palestinians as rightful residents and in human terms for once:

"But ultimately, after a long and tortured process, I arrived at the conclusion that we must share with those we live with if we don't want to be a binational state. "

Bravo, Bravo. Now lets get down to a real business of finding peace. Enough with the BS govt and representation of Mahmoud Abbas(its like a foreign government negotiating issues for the US with Ron Paul). Its time for the democratically elected leaders of Palestine, Hamas, and Israel to sit down and work out a practical, legitimate and promising long term peace.

Israelis themselves are asking the question ""What the hell are we doing here?"
Took the words right out of our collective mouth.
http://news.yahoo.com/story/afp/mideastconflictoffbeat
When you come, occupy a place, take people's lands and homes, force people into cramped occupation camps and villages, deny them basic human rights, do you really expect to live happily ever after?
The reality is there is room and opportunity for both a Jewish state and a Palestinian state to exist, provided a real, sincere effort to be just, fair, and give people their basic human rights.
Jerusalem should become an independent state of its own, similar to the vatican, so that all may appreciate and practise their faith and history there.

Finally after years and years and years, the sanctions against Libya are dropped. Condoleeza Rice makes a historic visit to Tripoli to visit Qaddafi.
So how does he celebrate this historic occasion? By hitting on the Secretary of State:
"In the end they met at his compound in Tripoli. After the diplomatic niceties were dealt with, Ms. Rice and Colonel Qaddafi met one on one — though with note takers and interpreters, State Department officials said — for what had been billed as a more interesting private exchange than the usual diplomatic meetings.
After all, the Libyan leader had professed his “love” for the American secretary of state. “I support my darling black African woman,” Colonel Qaddafi told the network Al Jazeera last year. “I admire and am very proud of the way she leans back and gives orders to the Arab leaders.”

He continued: “Yes, Leezza, Leezza, Leezza... I love her very much.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/world/africa/06diplo.html?_r=2&ref=world&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Let them say it
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card
Hilarious snapshots of the hypocrisy of the Republicans and their cronies.

Want to learn a new language? How about Englsih




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رمضان مبارك
تقبل الله طاعتكم
Everyone have a blessed Ramadan
May Allah accept your worship

Make the most of this blessed opportunity. Don't wait to be challenged, challenge yourself to be a better person. As the Prophet said, Judge yourself before you are judged.