Month: June 2010

by SUSAN FRICK CARLMAN

“It’s five minutes from my house,” said Jagshi, a neighbor of state Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville.

Senger and an array of other local dignitaries helped a group of area Muslims celebrate the opening of their new meeting place Thursday. Perched on LaSalle Avenue, the Ismaili Jamatkhana hosts activities every day for its members, most of whom are of Indian descent. The Shia branch of Islam follows the spiritual leader His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan, 49th hereditary descendant of Prophet Muhammad.

Naperville Sun for more

by B. R. GOWANI

From left to right: Binyamin Netanyahu, Barack Obama, and Mahmoud Abbas during a meeting in September 2009. (PHOTO/Gallo/Getty/Al Jazeera)

Bibi baby
Don’t get annoyed at me
To the world
I’m Uncle Sam
Therefore, obviously
Multitudes of people expect me
To be an honest broker
That’s why, sometimes
I may say things
Or take actions—
Which may hurt you, or
Make you angry—
But then, I more than makeup to you
Helen Thomas is history
Arabs in the US
Invited me for a dinner
I didn’t even reply

Last year, when I visited
The Pharaoh’s land
So many promises I made
Tell me honestly,
Did I disappoint you?
I see, a slight smile on your face
That says it all

Beyn,* I’m proud of you
You’re doing fine.
In your region, only
Ata’s children befriended you
But now, even they are mad at you
And are waving flags of
The terrorists …
Now that’s a great achievement!

I understand your arrogance
You don’t need anyone
Because you have me.
But always remember
I need others:
Even Uncle Sam, if alone,
Can’t do much.
Besides, my century is
Nearing its end.

Don’t take me wrong
I’m not stopping you …
From indulging in your hobbies
Just avoid the extra exposure

Stop frowning!
I’m not complaining,
Nor lecturing,
Just bidding you
To be practical

When you have doubt
As regards to my commitment to you
Always remember
That Gujarati saying:
Put ka-put thai
Mavtar ka-mavtar na thai
That is:
A son may become an un-son (disown parents)
But parents will never become un-parents

You can count on me …
My Chosen Son

B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com

*Hebrew word for son.

FELIX BLOSSIER

U.S. cotton production is supported by heavy subsidies, averaging upwards of US$ 3.5 billion per year. This governmental aid measure is seen as an “important safety net” by the National Cotton Council of America; the views of the Brazilian government and numerous developing countries are radically different and tend to be far less serene on the issue.

Washington’s production support program allows American farmers to produce cotton at a lower cost and, therefore, to sell it at cheaper prices. As a result, the world price of cotton tends to head downward and the share of U.S. cotton exports increases at the expense of producers from developing countries whose governments do not have the resources to offer subsidies.

Brazzil for more

by MAHMOOD MAMDANI

It warms my heart to see these flowing gowns. I congratulate you on work accomplished! For over a millennium, these gowns have been a symbol of high learning from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. Should anyone ask you where they came from, tell them that the early universities of Europe – Oxford, Cambridge, le Sorbonne – borrowed them from the Islamic madressa of the Middle East. If they should seem incredulous, tell them that the gown did not come by itself: Because medieval European scholars borrowed from the madressa much of the curriculum, from Greek philosophy to Iranian astronomy to Arab medicine and Indian mathematics, they had little difficulty in accepting this flowing gown, modelled after the dress of the desert nomad, as the symbol of high learning. Should they still express surprise, ask them to take a second look at the gowns of the ayatollahs in Iran and Iraq and elsewhere and they will see the resemblance. Education has no boundaries. Neither does it have an end. As the Waswahili in East Africa, which is where I come from, say: Elimu haina muisho.

Pambazuka News for more

by HELEN COOPER

WASHINGTON — Some topics are so inflammatory that they are never discussed without first inserting a number of caveats. And so, when Anthony Cordesman, a foreign policy dignitary in this town’s think tank circuit, dropped an article on Wednesday headlined “Israel as a Strategic Liability,” he made sure to open with a plethora of qualifications.

The New York Times for more

We have had a lot of queries from people wanting to know if we are accepting individual endorsements or only from organisations. Our apologies for not stating this clearly enough. We welcome everyone, and in fact, we would never be able to get the numbers if we relied solely on organisations. So yes please, endorse, endorse, endorse and send this on to family, friends and workmates. We want to get as many people as possible signing on because only that way will we be able to send a strong message to our government and people everywhere that this time more and more people are aware of Israel’s blatant transgressions and that it must be held to account.

While we are enormously appreciative of any contribution you can make, we also welcome those who can’t. Names are more important than dollars. We are, in fact, working on getting the names up on our website very soon so you can see the support we have received so far. Even people overseas have endorsed and contributed.
Continue reading “To all those who care about Palestine and our collective humanity”

by GAUTAM NAVLAKHA

How many of us have dared raise fundamental issues about what the state has been doing since 1947, since the transfer of power? There’s not a single year in the last 63 that we have had since the transfer of power when the state has not been engaged in a war in one or another part of this country. Today . . . [we have] 235 districts — 122 districts in Jammu and Kashmir, 79 districts in the northeast, and 34 districts according to the government of India — where some form of armed conflict is going on. In 235 districts out of 636, there is an armed conflict going on. Does it matter to us? No. I think we are the biggest hypocrites. . . . We talk about peace, we talk about non-violence, we talk about peaceful transformation, we’re against political violence and everything, but we don’t mean it. I’m sorry we don’t mean it, because if that had been so, we would be out on the streets, we would be out on the streets protesting against . . . the wars that the state has launched against our people. In every year that a war has been launched, we have been quiet, because we accept war. . . .

Monthly Review Zine for more

We are happy to announce that despite ArtWallah’s organizational closure–the festival lives on. Please come out and celebrate 10 years of ArtWallah at this special event in June 2010.

Grass-roots in nature, modern in form and collaborative in context, ArtWallah’s music, dance, performance, stand-up comedy, literature, poetry, and visual art dig deeply into ethnic roots to find its fusion in a uniquely American expressionism.
VIP TICKETS AVAILABLE

Opportunities to sponsor the tenth anniversary ArtWallah Festival are available. Or support the festival with a tax deductible donation and receive VIP tickets, recognition and more.
FESTIVAL PROGRAM

* Three-night evening show performance of “Afterlife” original interdisciplinary artist collaborations co-directed by Shishir Kurup and Sheetal Gandhi.

* Children’s program with yoga/improv and dance workshops, and arts and crafts.

* Art installation exhibit in the Highways Gallery.

Click here for the 2010 ArtWallah festival program.

Official Website: Artwalla

(Submitted by Sarita Vasa)

Al Jazeera

Link

via Monthly Review zine