Op-Eds
-
Israel’s Vision of No Palestinians “From the River to the Sea” [DAWN]
Words matter. That is the purported principle behind a national campaign by pro-Israel organizations to censor, punish and even criminalize protests on American college campuses demanding a cease-fire to Israel’s unrestrained assault on 2.4 million Palestinians in Gaza. University administrators have obliged with draconian restrictions that effectively … Israel’s Vision of No Palestinians “From the River to…
-
Rutgers Islamic Center’s Vandalization Shows Our Need to Combat Islamophobia [NJ.com]
Emotionally draining is how best to describe the past six months for many Muslim Americans. Oscillating between outrage, hopelessness and determination, our diverse communities have spent the past six months doing whatever we can to end the senseless murder of over 33,000 Palestinians, including 13,000 children. We have … Rutgers Islamic Center’s Vandalization Shows Our Need to Combat…
-
How a Leading Definition of Antisemitism Has Been Weaponized Against Israel’s Critics [The Nation]
The chorus of criticism of Israel’s indiscriminate bombings and denial of food, water, and other humanitarian aid to 2 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza has only grown louder as the Palestinian death toll has skyrocketed beyond an estimated 22,000, nearly half of whom are children. Too often, … How a Leading Definition of Antisemitism Has Been Weaponized…
-
Muslim women in the West in the crosshairs of Zionists, white ‘feminists’ [Al Jazeera]
At the forefront of numerous grassroots, intellectual, and political movements opposing Israel’s ongoing war crimes, in the United States and elsewhere in the staunchly pro-Israel West, are Muslim women. Courageous Palestinian, Arab, South Asian, and Black women are leading mass protests, political action campaigns, teach-ins … Muslim women in the West in the crosshairs of…
-
Sure, the US cares about human rights — when it benefits us [The Hill]
President Biden’s red-carpet treatment of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is another nail in the coffin of U.S. human rights policy. Such willful blindness to India’s poor human rights record extends to the Middle East. Indeed, human rights advocates have long criticized the U.S. government for its selective, politicized enforcement of human … Sure, the US cares about human rights — when…
-
The Hamline Controversy and the Real Threat to Academic Freedom [Al Jazeera]
Over the past few weeks, there has been much debate about academic freedom in the United States. It was sparked by the decision of Hamline University not to renew the contract of an adjunct professor who showed a famous 14th-century Persian painting of the Prophet … The Hamline Controversy and the Real Threat to Academic…
-
Egypt Isn’t Qualified to Host COP27 [TIME]
Climate change has no regard for state borders. Nor does a nation’s wealth or power immunize it from the annual rise in temperatures exacerbating extreme flooding, droughts, and storms. This reality is bringing together nearly 200 nations for COP27, to be held in Egypt—a nation highly … Egypt Isn’t Qualified to Host COP27 [TIME]
-
Confronting Liberal Islamophobia [ACS]
Islamophobia, like other systems of bias, operates in both liberal and conservative spaces in American society, albeit in different ways. Islamophobia by conservatives is easily identifiable through hateful speech, hate crimes and support for state national security and immigration practices targeting Muslims. The absence of such observable … Confronting Liberal Islamophobia [ACS]
-
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and America’s Moment of Racial Reckoning [Al Jazeera]
Today, the United States is experiencing a new moment of racial reckoning. A rapidly diversifying population is demanding systemic equity and meaningful access to constitutional freedoms. This transformation for the better is neither complete nor progressing without resistance. In an historic first, an African American woman, Judge … Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and America’s Moment of Racial…
-
9/11 and the Racial Limitations of Religious Freedom [Al Jazeera]
Each anniversary of the 9/11 attacks generates debates on how to balance security with liberty in the United States. What is often lost in the conversation is the role that race plays in constraining civil liberties for religious minorities. Today, the targets are Muslims. A century ago, … 9/11 and the Racial Limitations of Religious Freedom [Al…
-
The Power of Language in Combating Islamophobia [ACS]
Twenty years ago, America experienced the worst terrorist attack in its history, triggering a “War on Terror” against Muslim communities. Today, our nation is undergoing a moment of racial reckoning. Tens of millions of Americans, especially our youth, are recognizing that systemic racism is pervasive. … The Power of Language in Combating Islamophobia [ACS]
-
Cornel West’s Resignation: When Anti-Black and Anti-Palestinian Racism Converge [New Arab]
It is no secret that Palestine is taboo in US academia. Harvard’s recent denial of tenure to renowned race scholar Cornel West is the most recent instance. For decades, Arab American faculty have faced tenure denial or termination; students have been reprimanded and some even criminally charged; … Cornel West’s Resignation: When Anti-Black and Anti-Palestinian Racism Converge…
-
The FBI’s Racialized Priorities Endangered Our Democracy [Medium]
Where was the FBI in the months leading up to the violent siege on the Capitol? Among the many questions surrounding this week’s jarring events, this one reveals the extent to which double standards in law enforcement threaten our nation’s security. For weeks, Donald Trump’s … The FBI’s Racialized Priorities Endangered Our Democracy [Medium]
-
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy of Empathy and Courage [Al Jazeera]
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s life embodies the best of America. Her experiences of being a first-generation American, a religious minority, and a woman who overcame discrimination informed her jurisprudence. The grandchild of Jewish immigrants from Russia, Ginsburg understood how fear of violent pogroms caused her … Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy of Empathy and Courage [Al…
-
A Domestic Terror Law Could Quash Political Dissent in US [Al Jazeera]
When President Trump announced his intention to designate Antifa as a domestic terrorist organisation, his disregard for the upsurge of white right-wing extremist violence was obvious. So, too, was his objective -quashing political opposition to his administration. Antifa, short for anti-fascist, is a far-left ideological movement opposed to … A Domestic Terror Law Could Quash Political Dissent in…