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 far right-wing supporters publicly called for and planned a protest in Washington, D.C. on January 6, the day Congress was to certify the election results. Officials knew the Proud Boys and QAnon may try to breach the Capitol perimeter. Yet when the day came, the… Continue reading “The FBI’s Racialized Priorities Endangered Our Democracy [Medium]”

A Black History Month Discussion [NJMLA]

Sahar Aziz participated on the New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association’s panel entitled African American Muslim History and Impact on February 25, 2021. She discussed with her co-panelists Professor Saleema Snow, Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, and Chundzom Lopez the importance of addressing anti-Black racism within American Muslim communities as these diverse communities engage on cross-racial social justice coalitions.… Continue reading “A Black History Month Discussion [NJMLA]”

Death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Gives Trump a Supreme Court Nomination [BBC World]

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, 2020 has triggered calls by Republicans to fill her seat before the November 3 presidential elections. Professor Sahar Aziz analyzes the political implications of Senator McConnell pushing through a conservative Justice just weeks before the nation votes on whether to keep Donald Trump or elect Joe Biden as the new president. The stakes couldn’t be higher for the legitimacy of the U.S. Supreme Court and the rule of law in the United States.… Continue reading “Death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Gives Trump a Supreme Court Nomination [BBC World]”

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 family to leave their home, along with hundreds of thousands of Jews who immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. She also appreciated the hope for a better life America offers its constant stream of newcomers. Despite the discrimination she faced, America was… Continue reading “Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy of Empathy and Courage [Al Jazeera]”

She Speaks: Academic Muslimahs features Sahar Aziz

On the 19th anniversary of 9/11, Sahar Aziz talks about how the tragedy impacted Muslim Americans and Muslim immigrants within the United States. This episode discusses the PATRIOT ACT, NSEERS (2012 male registry for Muslim immigrants), and how the curtailments of rights impacted Muslim participation within social and political sphere. Dr. Aziz also talks about Muslim political interests during this election season and what we should focus on as a community (institutional change!).  — To listen to the interview on the podcast She Speaks: Academic Muslimahs, click here.… Continue reading “She Speaks: Academic Muslimahs features Sahar Aziz”

They Got Away With a Gang Rape They Captured on Video. Then Came Instagram. [VICE]

Over the last two months, there’s been a seismic shift in the way Egyptians talk about sex, namely how it’s weaponized against women. In the past, incidents of sexual violence in Egypt would go unreported; the victims who did come forward were typically blamed or encouraged to let it go because of the humiliation its disclosure would cause the accused’s family or their own. But that started to shift abruptly this summer. In late June, an anonymous Instagram account called @assaultpolice began collecting testimonies about and screenshots of conversations with… Continue reading “They Got Away With a Gang Rape They Captured on Video. Then Came Instagram. [VICE]”

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 fascists, neo-Nazis and far-right groups. A loose collective of individuals and local groups, it lacks a chain of command or designated leaders.  Followers of this decentralised movement engage mostly in nonviolent activities such as protesting, giving speeches, tracking fascist groups and hanging… Continue reading “A Domestic Terror Law Could Quash Political Dissent in US [Al Jazeera]”