US pastor arrested before he could burn Quran copies

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courtesy Steve Blow of https://www.dawn.com/ – Link : https://www.dawn.com/news/1042364/us-pastor-arrested-before-he-could-burn-quran-copies

Pastor Terry Jones, (R), talks to a member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Department as he sits in his vehicle prior to his arrest after being pulled over while travelling on State Road 37 in Mulberry, Florida September 11, 2013. Jones, known worldwide for his Quran burning antics was arrested, hauling nearly 3,000 kerosene-soaked holy books inside a mobile barbecue grill to his latest event, according to a member of his anti-Islam group. REUTERS/Michael Wilson/The Lakeland Ledger (UNITED STATES – Tags: CRIME LAW RELIGION) NO SALES. NO ARCHIVES. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

MULBERRY: Law enforcement officers arrested a Florida pastor Wednesday as he drove to a park to light nearly 3,000 copies of the Quran on fire to protest the Sept 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Pastor Terry Jones, 61, and his associate pastor, Marvin Sapp Jr, 44, each on a felony charge of unlawful conveyance of fuel as they travelled in a pickup truck towing a large barbecue-style grill filled with the copies of the Quran soaked in kerosene.

Jones had said he was heading to a nearby park to burn the 2,998 copies, one for every victim of the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Sheriff’s officials said Wednesday night that Jones was also charged with unlawful open-carry of a firearm, a misdemeanor, and that Sapp faces a charge of having no valid registration for the trailer.

Both were being booked Wednesday night into the Polk County jail, according to Sheriff Grady Judd. Mulberry’s mayor, along with area elected officials, a sheriff’s deputy and several Polk County residents have talked about the need to express love and tolerance for all faiths on Sept. 11.

Jones is the pastor of a small evangelical Christian church. He first gained attention in 2010 when he planned to burn a copy of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11, although he eventually called it off.

His congregation did burn the Muslim holy book in March 2011 and last year he promoted an anti-Muslim film.

All three incidents sparked violence in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

The most violent protest happened after the 2011 Quran burning as hundreds of protesters stormed a UN compound in Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, killing seven foreigners, including four Nepalese guards.

Jones has repeatedly ignored pleas from the US military asking him not to stage his protests.

Military officials say his actions put American and Western troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere in danger. Mulberry is a town of about 3,000 between Orlando and Tampa and has no connection to Jones’ church, which recently moved out of its Gainesville building.

An Egyptian court convicted Jones, along with seven Egyptian Coptic Christians, in absentia, sentencing them to death on charges linked to the film. The ruling was seen as largely symbolic because Jones and the other defendants live outside of Egypt.

Just last week, a federal judge in Michigan issued a summary judgment in favor of Jones and his organization, Stand Up America Now, against the city of Dearborn for requiring Jones and his organisation to sign a city-issued agreement in order to speak on public property in front of a Dearborn mosque in 2012.

Earlier Wednesday, about 75 people gathered In Mulberry for an interfaith prayer service to counter Jones’ actions.

Mike Ghouse, who has organised a 9/11 prayer service in his home state of Texas for nine years, brought his event to Mulberry because of Jones’ planned Quran burning.

He initially had planned to hold the service in Texas but teamed with a group of Mulberry residents who had organised an anti-Jones Facebook page.

”Everyone has a right to believe what they believe,” said Ghouse, adding that it was Jones’ right as an American to express himself.

Others said that while Jones was free to say or do whatever he wanted, the people of Mulberry didn’t want the world to think that the residents condone or agree with Jones’ views.

Times of Israel – Police Arrest US Pastor before he can burn Qurans

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Pastor Terry Jones is arrested on his way to burn 2,998 Qurans to mark the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on Wednesday, in Mulberry, Florida (photo credit: @theledger via Twitter)

courtesy Steve Blow of https://www.timesofisrael.com/ – Link : https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-arrest-us-pastor-before-he-can-burn-qurans/

By TAMARA LUSH

MULBERRY, Florida (AP) — Law enforcement officers arrested a Florida pastor Wednesday as he drove to a park to light nearly 3,000 Qurans on fire to protest the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Pastor Terry Jones, 61, and his associate pastor, Marvin Sapp Jr., 44, each on a felony charge of unlawful conveyance of fuel as they travelled in a pickup truck towing a large barbecue-style grill filled with Qurans soaked in kerosene. Jones had said he was heading to a nearby park to burn 2,998 Qurans — one for every victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Sheriff’s officials said Wednesday night that Jones was also charged with unlawful open-carry of a firearm, a misdemeanor, and that Sapp faces a charge of having no valid registration for the trailer.

Both were being booked Wednesday night into the Polk County jail, according to Sheriff Grady Judd.

Mulberry’s mayor, along with area elected officials, a sheriff’s deputy and several Polk County residents have talked about the need to express love and tolerance for all faiths on Sept. 11.

Jones is the pastor of a small evangelical Christian church. He first gained attention in 2010 when he planned to burn a Quran on the anniversary of 9/11, although he eventually called it off. His congregation did burn the Muslim holy book in March 2011 and last year he promoted an anti-Muslim film. All three incidents sparked violence in the Middle East and Afghanistan.

The most violent protest happened after the 2011 Quran burning as hundreds of protesters stormed a UN compound in Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan, killing seven foreigners, including four Nepalese guards.

Jones has repeatedly ignored pleas from the US military asking him not to stage his protests. Military officials say his actions put American and Western troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere in danger.

Mulberry is a town of about 3,000 between Orlando and Tampa and has no connection to Jones’ church, which recently moved out of its Gainesville building.

An Egyptian court convicted Jones, along with seven Egyptian Coptic Christians, in absentia, sentencing them to death on charges linked to the film. The ruling was seen as largely symbolic because Jones and the other defendants live outside of Egypt.

Just last week, a federal judge in Michigan issued a summary judgment in favor of Jones and his organization, Stand Up America Now, against the city of Dearborn for requiring Jones and his organization to sign a city-issued agreement in order to speak on public property in front of a Dearborn mosque in 2012.

Earlier Wednesday, about 75 people gathered In Mulberry for an interfaith prayer service to counter Jones’ actions.

Mike Ghouse, who has organized a 9/11 prayer service in his home state of Texas for nine years, brought his event to Mulberry because of Jones’ planned Quran burning. He initially had planned to hold the service in Texas but teamed with a group of Mulberry residents who had organized an anti-Jones Facebook page.

“Everyone has a right to believe what they believe,” said Ghouse, adding that it was Jones’ right as an American to express himself. Others said that while Jones was free to say or do whatever he wanted, the people of Mulberry didn’t want the world to think that the residents condone or agree with Jones’ views.

Indian Muslims: Exemplary Citizens

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INDIANS ARE PROUD OF INDIAN MUSLIMS

First of all, Muslims are proud of the majority of Hindus, who are kind, caring, and do a lot of good, as the majority of people in every group. Muslims have always appreciated Hindus. We wish and pray that the minority of our Hindu friends walk the path of dharma, the righteous road, and drop the hatred and ill-will towards fellow Indians.

The good news is from India. Nearly 450 Million Dalits* (200), Muslims (200). Christians (30) and Sikhs (20) as minorities in India have chosen the path of service to humanity, non-violence, justice, and kindness. On this particular site, there are about 20 categories of services Muslims are providing to fellow Indians. You can check each one of the tabs at www.GoodDeeds.info

Despite the endless lynching and harassment by the extremists among the Hindutvadis (https://centerforpluralism.com/hindutva-is-not-hinduism/), and the violence heaped on them, Muslims chose non-violence and decided to serve the needy in at least 20 categories. Some of the Muslims are even facing evictions from their homes, but as minorities, and even as poor as they are, Muslims, Dalits, Christians, and Sikhs are committed to be good citizens and serve fellow Indians.

We pray that we continue to strengthen the existing relationships with the majority of Hindus who care for justice and fair treatment of fellow Indians. It is the right thing to do and that is what Islam teaches: that we are all created equal and no one is more privileged than the other, and we must stand up for fairness and justice to every human being.

Here are a few examples of Muslim service to fellow Indians;

  1. Muslims have performed the last rites for Hindus, as the deceased’s family members did not even go near the dead bodies of their families.
  2. Muslims have cremated over 200 Hindus per our records, and there are hundreds more including the members of the BJP party who are hell-bent on making the life of Muslims difficult.
  3. Muslims have opened up mosques, hotels, and schools for the covid treatment centers.
  4. Muslims have opened up food pantries and taking the food directly to the needy at their residences/ shacks.
  5. Muslims are even selling their properties and helping their fellow Indians out.
  6. The largest donor to the Covid Relief in India is a Muslim, and Rich Muslims and film actors have contributed Covid supplies, equipment, etc.
  7. Muslims are plasma donors to the very people who lynched them.
  8. Check the web portal

We must celebrate the goodness of Muslims in India; they did not respond to violence with violence, instead, they are serving and caring for fellow Indians. As Americans, we need to be proud of Indian Muslims and do our best to speak up against the atrocities. They won’t let India go down the spiral. They will hold India together and not let it splinter, they can keep India a strong nation.

There are about 20 categories of services Muslims are providing to fellow Indians who are not Muslims. The website is www.GoodDeeds.info – check each tab for each service.

We thank some of the donors who have contributed towards the work, I still need to meet the expenses of $5500.00 of which I’ve received $2900.00. The donor’s names are in the about section of www.GoodDeeds.info We welcome you to contribute more stories and videos, and of course donate to pay for the initial cost and cost of maintenance.

“Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was an Indian independence activist, patriot, Islamic theologian, writer, and senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Following India’s independence, he became the First Minister of Education in the Indian government.” He laid the solid foundation for education including establishing the IIT, which has put India on the world map of information technology. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Maulana for giving us a good foundation of education. 

Thank you.
Mike Ghouse
More about mike at www.TheGhouseDiary.com

In defense of Islam, Pursuing A Civil Dialogue

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courtesy Steve Blow of Dallas Morning News – Link : https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2010/09/19/in-defense-of-islam-pursuing-a-civil-dialogue/?outputType=amp

By dallasnews Administrator

Over and over you hear it said: If Muslims oppose terrorism, why don’t they stand up and say it?

If that has been you, Mike Ghouse ought to be your hero.

It is hard to imagine that anyone has worked harder than the Carrollton resident to demonstrate the peaceful and moderate side of Islam.

And that effort includes personally visiting Dallas’ First Baptist Church last Sunday just to put a friendly face on the “evil, evil religion” that the Rev. Robert Jeffress denounced a few weeks before.

“It was wonderful,” Ghouse said of the visit. “We were so warmly received.”

He hopes a quick chat with Jeffress will be the start of deeper discussion about Islam and the importance of respect between religions.

“I want to have a dialogue with him, not to say he is wrong but to share another point of view,” Ghouse said.

The 57-year-old Muslim was born in India and has lived in the United States for 30 years. He owns a small property management firm. But most of his day is devoted to building bridges between people of different faiths.

“It is my passion,” he said in his distinctive raspy voice.

He has been a guest a dozen times on Sean Hannity’s TV and radio talk shows. “I don’t like the way Sean cuts me off, but I have to honor him for giving the American public a semblance of another point of view.”

Ghouse said he can understand fear and criticism of Islam because he went through a time of similar feelings. As a teen, he was troubled by passages of the Quran. He called himself an atheist for a while.

But he said deeper study led him to realize the Quran had been purposely mistranslated down through history.

In the Middle Ages, European leaders commissioned a hostile Quran translation to foster warfare against Muslim invaders.

Later, Muslim leaders produced another translation to inflame Muslims against Christians and Jews.

“It was all for politics,” he said.

Ghouse said he hopes to present Jeffress with a modern, faithful translation and challenge him to find evil verses.

“If he can, I will convert. I will join his church,” Ghouse said. “If he can’t, I will call on him to retract his statements and become a peacemaker.”

Ghouse acknowledges that deep problems persist within Islam. “Three steps forward, two steps back,” he said with a sigh.

And he agrees that mainstream Muslims have not done enough to counter violent images of their faith.

“That is very true,” he said. “But part of it is that many Muslims have given up hope that we will ever be heard.”

He said repeated denunciations of terrorism seem to fall on deaf ears.

And some efforts have backfired – like the proposed Islamic information center in New York. He said it should be hailed for furthering the moderate Muslim cause.

Instead, it has deepened hostility toward Muslims.

I have been astounded by the amount of anti-Islam propaganda that circulates via e-mail. Tons of it has come my way in the last few weeks.

One theme is that people like Mike Ghouse can’t be trusted, that Islam encourages deception.

But Ghouse says actions speak louder than words. And he points to elections in Muslim nations.

More than half of Muslims live in countries with some degree of democracy. And time and time again, Islamist parties are overwhelmingly rejected in favor of secular, mainstream parties.

“The religious parties don’t get more than 3 percent of the vote,” Ghouse said.

Polls show deep mistrust of Muslims. “But the most important question in those surveys is: ‘Do you know anything about Islam?’ ” Ghouse said. “Most people say no.”

What keeps him going is faith in Americans, he said.

“The majority of Americans, if they know the truth, they will change their minds.”

Israeli School Textbooks Teach Kids To Hate Palestinians.

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I am committed to open people’s hearts and minds towards each other and dedicated to building cohesive societies where every human feels secure about his race, ethnicity, culture, and religion.

My concern is the future generations of the Israelis and Palestinians. Would they be normal human beings or individuals loaded with hate for each other? Would they have the capacity to live with each other and live securely?

Over the years, I have watched the MEF put out videos depicting how the Palestinians teach their children to hate the Israelis. Even their cartoons for kids carry that message. It was depressing to see parents pass on the hate to their children instead of giving them a secure life.

Do we have the responsibility to raise our kids with the ability to be civilized people? Are we criminals to dump our problems onto the next generation? Are we raising men and women who are loaded with hate for each other?

The Israelis and the Palestinians need to rise against any leader who cannot look into the eyes of each other’s children and tell them. “Dear Sons and Daughters, I am not your villain, but I am the leader who will bring peace and security to you guys when you grow up; you can live without tensions. Judge us the politicians, not by inciting against each other that would be your eternal loss, but by how we bring long-term peace and security to you.”

However, it is sad to see the Israelis do the same. I add my own experience in Israel; they have institutionalized hate in Israel.

I am taking you on a bus trip to Jerusalem. There were forty of us, most Americans and a few Europeans, on a Middle East peace initiative by the Universal Peace Foundation.

As the bus started moving, the tour guide came to the public address and said, “Today, I am going to share about Islam. Islam has six pillars, and they are jihad, pledge….”

I let her finish the spill partially, then got up and said, “I am a Muslim, and there are only five pillars in Islam, and jihad is not one of them. Can I explain that to my fellow passengers?” There was a dead pause for a few seconds, and it appeared like an eternity.

The passengers shouted in unison, “Let him.” I explained, and the two Dutch Imams also joined me. She protested, but we insisted that we are Muslims, and we knew the faith and produced her a printout upon return to the hotel. She promised to pass it on to the tourism ministry as they were the ones who approved the script.

Israel grossly misrepresents Islam to its detriment. Of course, the Palestinians do the same. As responsible members of society, we have to learn about one another as we are—the good, bad, and ugly among us.

It was Ramadan, and we were fasting. The passengers asked us to follow the rituals. One of the Imams did call for the prayers (adhan) in the moving bus on the public address system. I translated the adhan, and the bus pulled over for the four of us to pray.

The Palestinian Christian bus driver produced dates and water for us to break the fast. He was the happiest guy on the bus when he proffered the dates to us. It is considered a good deed to offer items for breaking the fast.

We have to stop teaching hate if we want our future generation to be raised as ordinary people. I may take this up with the United Nations.

Mike Ghouse

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a speaker and pluralist committed to building cohesive societies and offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the policy makers

The article to read https://electronicintifada.net/content/book-review-how-israeli-school-textbooks-teach-kids-hate/11571?fbclid=IwAR1dix7CgT670ypq7iqzpRTALM30082WUj14PWxMD1pW0D8cM3Ksn_aB6BI

Letter to President Biden about Israel Palestine Conflict

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Monday, May 17, 2021

Letter to

President Joseph Biden
Vice-President Kamala Harris
Secretary of State Tony Blinken
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Senator Minority leader Mitch McConnel
Congressional Majority leader Nancy Pelosi
Congressional Minority leader Kevin McCarthy

Long Term Solutions – Justice to Palestinians and Security for Israel

It is time we work for the security of Israel and Justice to the Palestinians. We have to take bold steps to bring about peace in the Middle East.

The United States can become a peacemaker if it votes with the world for the Israeli leaders to act according to the norms established by the United Nations. 191 Countries out of 195 pass resolutions in the United Nations against Israel’s reckless actions, and the United States Vetoes it in the security council. It amounts to slapping hard on the face of 191 (98%) Nations. Israeli leadership (not Israeli people) gets away with the violations that others don’t, resulting in resentment towards Israel.

It is in the interests of Jews around the world to speak up against the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Every action taken by Netanyahu provokes the people around the world to be agitated against Israel, which is incorrectly dubbed as Anti-Semitism.

It is disappointing to hear the President and the Secretary of the state justifying the Israeli retaliation against Gazans as “Israel has a right to defend itself,” without giving the same right to Hamas. Had Israeli soldiers not desecrated the Holy Mosque Al-Aqsa, Hamas would not have lobbed the rockets. It pains me to see the Israeli soldiers defile the Mosque and Biden administration justify it.

As an Indian American, I recall the violations by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by defiling the Sikh Holy Place, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India. It followed by her assassination leading to the genocide of over 3000 Sikhs in a few days. I feel their pain; hundreds of parents are still waiting for accountability of their children.

Netanyahu is creating anger amongst the Palestinians by his uncouth policies; he is also causing 98% of the world to resent his actions on behalf of the Jewish people.

Long term solutions that will bring security and peace to Israelis and Palestinians;

References

Dr. Mike Ghouse, President
Center for Pluralism, Washington, DC
Cell – (214) 325-1916
Email – Mike@CenterforPluralism.com
Or SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com

We appreciate the initial support from the following organizations;

Dr. Basheer Ahmed, Chairman, Muslim Community Center, Dallas
Dr. Indrajit Saluja, Chief Editor, The Indian Panorama, New York
Mr. Syed Ali, President, Indian American Muslim Council, Chicago
Muhsin H. Shaheed, Institute to Understand Islam, Dallas
Dr. Maqsood A. Chaudhary, DDS, Trustee, McLean Islamic Center
Imam Daayiee Abdullah, MECCA Institute, Washington, DC
Aliyah Khan, Founder, Virginian Muslim Political Action Committee
Dr. Ram Punyani, Chairman, Center for Study of Society and Secularism, India

And further, appreciate the following organizations

Not Much Of An Eid Celebration This Year

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Celebrations do not carry the same zing of cheerfulness and festivities of days gone past

By Tariq A. Al Maeena

Image Credit: Clint Egbert/Gulf News

Eid Al Fitr came upon us a couple of days ago and yet around the world, the celebrations were muted. It is the day after the culmination of the month long fasting of Ramadan for Muslims around the globe. In days gone by, it was a celebration that began with special morning prayers, followed by people greeting each other in a warm embrace of brotherhood with the expression of “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “Blessed Eid”.

It was then followed by large family get-togethers with savoury dishes to be enjoyed, and gifts and money to be given to the children, each of whom would be wearing their new clothes and shiny new shoes. The less fortunate are also not forgotten as people generally bestow what they can financially upon those in need. There would be music and fireworks late into the night and families would regale in fun and laughter.

But this year it has been different. The celebrations do not carry the same zing of cheerfulness and festivities of days gone past and there are many reasons for it. One cannot help ignoring the spread of the pandemic due to the Coronavirus in some parts of the world and particularly in India, where the callousness of politicians has led to a runaway death toll that experts are claiming to be much higher than the more than quarter-million deaths reported so far.

We have seen visuals of bodies floating down the Ganges for want of a decent burial. By allowing large-scale religious gatherings and political rallies for the masses, BJP government in India has increased the risk for the pandemic. This man-created toll in human suffering was simply inhuman.

In the United States, the virus is slowly being arrested with the current government’s push towards providing vaccination to the masses, a far cry from a year ago when the then US President initially dismissed the pandemic as a hoax. More than half a million people died because of the careless early approach to tackling a real threat. Today the vaccine has become a political issue with many US leaders not promoting the call for their constituents to get vaccinated against the virus.

All through Ramadan, in the midst of their prayers and religious musings, Muslims were constantly barraged by the news of higher death tools, of bombings, of senseless death and carnage, so much so that it was too hard to keep one’s self immune from it all. Try as much as they did, bad news was everywhere.

Much closer to home the flare-up that threatens to spread into a full-blown war between the Israelis and Palestinians took off when Palestinians were interrupted by Israeli forces during their special prayers in the last nights of Ramadan in Jerusalem’s holy site. This has led to an increase in violence with no end in sight except more spilt blood. Once again, it is the political will that keeps such feuds going on and for their sinister purposes.

Mike Ghouse, an American of Indian origin and president of the US-based NGO Center for Pluralism perhaps stated it best when he penned a piece titled: ‘I cannot say Eid Mubarak!’ he goes on to state his reasons …

‘Millions are dying with COVID. Persecution of Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and other minorities continues unabated worldwide … No minority is spared in most places. The attack on the sanctity of a religious place like the Al-Aqsa Mosque is shameful. I don’t feel like celebrating Eid — Instead I will meditate on pluralistic solutions.’

‘What kind of societies would the Palestinians and Israelis be? What kind of society would India be? Would they be normal human beings or people seething with hate, anger, and a generation of uncivilised people? Do we want that?’

Indeed, what kind of a future are we mapping out for tomorrow’s generation? One filled with hate and anger for the injustices of today? Where celebrations are intermingled with sorrow. Is that what we really want?

— Tariq A. Al Maeena is a Saudi sociopolitical commentator. He lives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Twitter: @talmaeena

3rd Update On AL-QUDS 5/11/21

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I’m reading arguments between two Rabbis in Israel who are a part of the Israel Palestine confederation. I am one of the board members.

One is arguing for peace, and the other wants to build the 3rd temple next to the mosque. The Rabbi has given the dimensions of the trapezium land about 36 acres. I was there several years ago, and I recognize the size. I will share that in a few days, including their entire conversation after getting their permission.

One is saying Muslims had that land for more than 1300 years, whereas the Jews had far less time owning that land. It is a new argument, I have heard.

I have asked my other group JIDS – Jewish Islamic Dialogue Society, to have a zoom Conversation about it. We are planning to have the IPC dialogue as well.

The land of the al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the rock is not negotiable. There is plenty of room to build the 3rd temple in the wailing wall area created by erasing Palestinian homes in 1967.

Insha’Allah, I’ll update; we need to get the IRISH MP to speak to Tony Blinken and Joe Biden. Blinken’s stance is one-sided and does not make any sense. He needs to be a better diplomat and find solutions.

The Israelis can wait for the Messiah to come and build the 3rd temple.

Security for Israel will not come unless Palestinians have justice. The Palestinians have suffered every human right, including humiliation. It is time to get them their rights. The Center for pluralism will do its share of the work as others do theirs. Together, let’s make an effort.

It’s sad what’s happening there and Muslim minorities elsewhere in India, China, Burma, Sri Lanka, and other places. I will not be saying Eid Mubarak, as I don’t feel like wishing happy Eid.

Once again, I appeal to my Muslim friends not to miss the opportunity to take two actions:

ACTION ITEMS

Please take the time to find youth from your family and friends and have them apply to be White House fellows. If we want the change, we have to make an effort. https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/fellows/

Join the IRF meetings and speak as a Muslim. About 7 of us were present today.

Please let me know if I can be of service to you MikeGhouse@gmail.com.

More reading

Roots of Turmoil in Jerusalem. https://theshalomcenter.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=20030&qid=

Call a Spade a Spade
https://www.facebook.com/harryfear/videos/2991031651116435/

Biden admin ignored warnings about the crises
https://amp.thenationalnews.com/world/the-americas/biden-administration-ignored-warnings-about-potential-crisis-in-jerusalem-for-weeks-1.1221041#click=https://t.co/phnQV6B5Xl.

Thanks to our members at Muslim Politics for sharing the links.

Mike Ghouse

Jerusalem Post on Al-Aqsa Mosque

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The following statement in Jerusalem post mocks journalism, “Yet on the other side, we have entire generations raised on glorifying violence against Jews.”

The same is true about Jewish children raised to hate the Palestinians. There is plenty of information to support it.

Here is my own experience. We took the bus tour of Jerusalem, and as the bus started moving, the conductor begins talking; her very first words were, “Islam has six pillars.” She continues to describe Jihad, which means killing Jews and Christians.” she added a few more falsities. I stopped her and asked the passengers if I could explain Islam, as I am a Muslim. The crowd chanted in unison; please do. The conductor gave me the mic, and I corrected it. She said she was merely saying what the Department of Tourism gave her. When the tour concluded, we gave her a printed copy of the five pillars of Islam to pass it on to the department.

Such a shame that the government is uploading poison into the heart of the tourists.

Most Israelis and Palestinians are moderate people who want to get along and prefer peace over conflict but are afraid to speak up. The leaders on both sides are violent people. Violence never works. The security of Israelis hinges on justice to the Palestinians. I’m not sure if Israeli leadership represents the wishes of Israelis. The general public cannot be wrong; the villains are the leaders.

I’m concerned about the future of Israel and my motherland India. What kind of societies would the Palestinians and Israelis be? Would they be normal human beings or people seething with hate, and anger, and a generation of uncivilized people?

Biden needs to do what Carter did, lock them up in a room until they accomplish peace. American leadership gets equal blame for aggravating the conflict. We have to recognize Hamas as the duly elected leaders and deal with it. We need to bring more people into the civilized fold.

Jerusalem Post – https://www.jpost.com/opinion/how-palestinians-lost-jerusalem-to-israel-opinion-667795?

And this at Washington post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/05/11/middle-east-countries-are-learning-build-back-better/

Mike Ghouse

Modi Needs To Go

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Mike Ghouse

Thanks to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its recommendation of India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation in its 2021 Annual Report on April 21, 2021.

The designation is good for India (the current government) as it paves the way for restoring religious freedoms to her minorities, including Dalits, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and the average Hindus.

India will always remain a great nation and will continue to sustain its 5000-year history of Pluralistic ethos. Leaders come and go, but India will not be shaken.

The designation is not against India; it is against the Modi government, which has earned this condemnation for its gross violations of religious and civic freedoms. Add to that the mismanagement of Covid, economy, and social cohesion.

Unfortunately, it has severe consequences, and the Indian public will bear the brunt of it. Millions of employees and corporations who have benefited through the worldwide IT jobs and foreign direct investments stand to lose. All the gains they had in the last 30 years stand to vanish.

As an Indian-American, I am dedicated to saving my motherland and urge the Indian Public and the CEOs of major corporations to speak out against the nation’s destruction. Modi and his men can choose to bring in health, economic and social experts and listen to them instead of acting from the seat of his pants. As a last resort resign and let capable people run the nation until the new elections.

Modi is a slick snake oil salesman; he has promised many things and failed them in all. The only thing he has delivered is the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The question to my fellow Indians is, do they want a job, food on the table, comfortable housing, and a decent burial for their loved ones, or would the Temple satisfy them?

Look at Modi’s failures – the black money is not collected; he has kept it if it was ever collected. The promise of 150,000 Rupees in every Indian’s bank account was a lie to get the votes. The Demonetization wiped out many small businesses and savings of the average Indians, so did the GST. The farmers were betrayed, their life was made difficult for protesting against selling them to his friends without their knowledge. He has sold the likes of HAL, Railways, and other public companies for a phooti-kaudi-ke-daam (pennies) to his friends. Rafel deal is one of the many corruptions he got away with. He forgave billions in loans to his rich buddies and let farmers commit suicides for petty loans. He remained silent when 29 men from his state ran away with billions of dollars to the UK and other nations.

Modi does not listen to anyone and takes actions unilaterally like a dictator in the dark hours of the night. He gave four hours’ notice to the migrant workers throwing them helter-skelter on the roads with no food or water. He usurped the freedoms of Kashmiris without their consent, shut their internet down, and passed the disgusting discriminatory Citizens Amendment Act.

He has lost influence in South Asia. India was gathering momentum to earn a seat on the UN Security Council, and he blew it. He is destroying democratic institutions like the Supreme Court of India, the free press, educational and health care systems, and the list is endless.

The India Working Group/ International Religious Freedom Round Table (WG/IRF-RT) released the following statement, “Accordingly, we would like to express our collective affirmation of USCIRF’s recommendation due to the risk of India becoming even more emboldened to commit egregious religious freedom violations had they not been addressed by the international community. Such severe religious freedom violations include – but are not limited to – state anti-conversion legislation, the implementation of the discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act, and a profound religious intolerance that has pervaded both culture and legislatures and has encouraged mob violence against India’s religious minorities. Religious freedom violations are further compounded by various other human rights violations, such as the closure of advocacy organizations, the targeting of journalists, and thus the breakdown of freedom of speech and association.”

CPC designation is not a punishment. Instead, it is guidance urging India to respect fundamental human rights, including free speech, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for the people of India. Indeed, India is a signatory to the United Nations’ Human Rights declaration. Still, his actions are causing nearly 400 million Christians, Muslims, Dalits, and Sikhs to live in constant fear, leading to social unrest and civil war.

By designating India as a Country of Particular Concern, American will pave the way to strengthen its ally and help it retain its political stability, and avert a potential civil war. India may, after all, become America’s strongest ally against the spread of dictatorial regimes in South Asia and most certainly act as a bulwark against China.

We hope the State Department will endorse the CPC designation and the President will sign it, followed by sanctions to restore sanity, political stability, and social cohesion.

Mike Ghouse is the founder and president of the Center for Pluralism, committed to offering pluralistic solutions to the media and the policymakers. More about Mike at https://www.TheGhouseDiary.com

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