Religious institutions and assimilating immigrants

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TEXAS FAITH: Religious institutions and assimilating immigrants Question posed by William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

Do religious organizations have a moral responsibility to help assimilate so many Latino families into American society, particularly those who are recent immigrants? If not, why not? If so, in what ways should churches help families assimilate? I am one of the ten individuals to have responded the question. It is a weekly colum that AI have been writing for a while now: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/02/texas-faith-religious-institut.html

Here is my response:
MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas
It’s ironic that the key phrase of the topic “assimilation of Latinos” is derived from Latin word assimilatio; to make it similar, whereas the word integration implies accommodation of various strands in a larger society.
Each community, nation or a faith is like a beautiful bus; when you plan on going places, you check the air in tires to ensure a smooth, safe and a certain journey. Together as Americans, we need to ensure that every one is on par to ride the road of progress, if the pressure is inadequate; we need to fill the tire instead of asking the tire to fill itself.
Whose loss is it if the tire does not fill itself? We have to help the communities that are at a disadvantage. We need to bring them on a level playing field and let them compete from that point forward; ignoring one tire or a community is an irresponsible thing for the bus journey.
Religion is an equilibriumizer of the society, it guides one from an utterly selfish “me, me and me” to “we, we and us” mode. It’s an insurance coverage for one’s susceptible moments of life against the invincible times.
One of the phobias gripping the American society with the increasing Latino population is the possible change in our life styles, the way we keep our neighborhoods, and our inability to communicate with “them”. The stereotyping is the first thing to be rid of in a change for the better.
Integration of Latinos is one of the critical issues facing our nation and the churches have the power to inculcate the values of cohesive societies through a variety of programs including Language courses, course in understanding each other’s cultures and family values.
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Mike Ghouse is a thinker, writer, speaker, futurist and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Co-existence, Peace, Islam and India. He is a frequent guest at the TV, radio and print media offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites and 21 Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Fox, Hannity, Spencer, Bolton and Ghouse

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Egypt, Israel and American policies

I will be on two segments with Sean Hannity Show on Fox News tonight, One with Robert Spencer and the other with John Bolton, former US Ambassador to the United Nations – http://www.hannity.com/
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Any foreign policy that is based on relationships between individuals is likely to collapse when they are gone. The peace treaty is between the people of the Israel and the people of Egypt and not between Begin and Sadat or Netanyahu and Mubarak.
Both Israel and the US in the past have made mistakes by siding with dictators, their intelligence was wrong and rarely reliable.  Even on Egypt, the right wing Israeli politicians were urging us to support Mubarak… what kind of intelligence do they have. How wrong we would have been had we listened to them.
Much of what they say about Brotherhood is unreliable. Egypt will change them, but then they will jump the topic to Iran or something else.  Fellow Americans like Brigit, Spencer and others are out to frighten the crap out of people – for money or whatever reason.
We need to find solutions and not create chaos.
EGYPT
It is a fulfillment of the aspiration of people for their sovereignty; it is the beginning of the freedom, liberty and justice for the people of Egypt.
This is the first time in history that Muslims have chosen non-violence as their path to bring about a change and those attitudes must be encouraged. Do we really mean we support democracy? If we do, the time is now.
BROTHERHOOD
The right wingers hype it beyond the need about Brotherhood, look at the crowds and the generation that is involved in the uprising, it is all youth accustomed to Twitter, Facebook and the likes… Brotherhood will have no room to dominate; they will be in fact subservient to the people. Indeed, we need to be cautious about them but not base our policies centered on them. The moderate majority should be our focus.
UNITED STATES
This is the first time; an American President has said and done the right thing; to be with the people. Most of the previous administrations were war mongers and were itching to go to losing wars.
We were playing in the hands of Saudi Monarchs and acting out for them to be belligerent towards Iran and antagonizing them. Do they know what diplomacy means?
ISRAEL
Caution is always good.
The right wingers in Israel, Palestine or America have always been wrong, their intelligence has been wrong…why do you trust them? They rather see chaos than find solutions.

What is needed is an uprising in Israel, where the majorities of the people speak up and get their leaders to represent them in finding peace. Blaming others will not cut it, the bottom line is the right wingers have cheated the Israeli people out of peace with their attitudes.

Even if they are right, they need to be pragmatic and work on making lemonade out of lemon.
Push Brotherhood to the corner, they will dig in their heels just like the right wingers, there is no difference between the two – they are committed to annihilate each other, they can choose to do that. But for God’s sake leave the People of Israel, Egypt and America out of it.
Mike Ghouse is a thinker, writer, speaker, futurist and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Co-existence, Peace, Islam and India. He is a frequent guest at the TV, radio and print media offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites and 21 Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Valentine’s Day Special

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Valentine’s day morphing into universal affection.
http://nabsites.net/demo/valentines-day-morphing-towards/

Throughout the history of language, words have taken on new and expanded meanings; Valentine’s Day is no exception.

From an exclusive meaningful rendezvous between two lovers, the Valentine’s Day will morph into an all inclusive romantic day. It will become a universal affection day within a decade.

Valentines Day is a universal expression of affection between two individuals.  Love has no bounds; it is between two people in love, husband and wife, mother and son, father daughter, brother sister, brothers, sisters, friends, uncles, aunties, Grand Pa and Grand Ma and any one you care about.

Please feel free to say happy valentine to your sister, mother, brother, daughter, dad, uncle or a friend. It is a much bigger word now than it started out to be. Take them out for dinner and send them flowers to let them know that you care if you are the only one for them at this point in life.

While we Americans express it by presenting Red Roses to our loved ones, the Filipinos will break another record; the number of people kissing at the same time, Brazil will have another major festival on her beaches celebrating love. You are welcome to share other such expressions.

On the other side of the world, a few frustrated ones with life go to the other end. The right wingers among orthodox Muslims, Hindus and perhaps Jews will start giving religious tones to it instead of going to their place of worship and seeking God’s love. 

Sadly, some of you are going to feel lonely, if you miss the love in your life; you have an opportunity to fulfill it. There is plenty in you that you can give by feeding the homeless, visiting lonely patients in the hospitals or nursing homes, disadvantage women and children, our veterans… share whatever little you have with them… when a homeless person asks, give whatever you can,  that is the most affectionate thing to do, you will enrich yourselves far greater by sharing.

Whenever the word affection comes to mind, I picture my Dad and recall the way he called out my Mother’s name Khairun, it was romantic and filled with affection and I have always enjoyed the sound of it.

I’ve become conscious of my own voice when I am talking with my wife Yasmeen, it gets enriched with that affection. Indeed, the affection is like a rainbow and takes different colors, but it is the same when I address my daughter Jasmina, my niece Tamanna and my sister Dilshad, and now my voice is uploading itself with that affection for my new daughter Maheen; Yasmeen’s daughter. The same goes with my son Jeff and daughter-in-law Fern and my father like figures Everett Blauvelt and DD Maini. I feel the same special bond with my brothers and their families and friends Shariff and Adil. I have deep respect and affection for Mary Ann Thompson-Frenk, Rev. Bill Matthews, Dr. Harbans Lal, Len Ellis and Imam Zia Sheikh, though I don’t see them frequently, I feel their caring and their affection.

You may want to share your own experiences of romance and affection in the comments section below. It is a good feeling to express it.

Happy Valentine’s Day

I dedicate these two songs for Yasmeen, my dear wife. It was our love for Urdu poetry that opened the doors for each other.

What a difference you made in my life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ni1WPGEZtg&feature=fvst

and, You decorated my life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJkPFSt326c

and,  Ishk per zor nahin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzyTc8qqDlQ
My expressions would be incomplete without honoring the poet of love, Mirza Ghalib, one of the greatest romantic poets of all time.
Ishk per zor nahin, hai a o aatish ghalib
Ke lagaye na lege, bujhaye no bujhe.
Affection is that flame O Ghalib,
you cannot initiate it or extinguish it at will, it just happens.
Kenny Rogers in his song above says there is no rhyme or reason that is what love is all about.  Mirza Ghalib is (was?) a Urdu/Hindi Poet of India, who has written poems on everywhich way one feels affection towards the other.
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Mike Ghouse is a thinker, writer, speaker, futurist and an activist of Pluralism, Interfaith, Co-existence, Peace, Islam and India. He is a frequent guest at the TV, radio and print media offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His work is reflected at three websites and 21 Blogs listed at http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Egyptian Freedom Celebrations in Richardson

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http://nabsites.net/demo/egyptian-freedom-celebrations-in/
Egyptian Freedom Celebrations in Richardson

Please join the Egyptian Americans in celebrating one of the happiest moments of their life; we are all in it together.  Freedom is precious.  This is the movement of the youth and they will do the right thing through trials and tribulations, it is their nation and let’s be a part of the celebrations.

Sunday, February 13, 2011:  Family Celebration for the Egyptian Victory Breckinridge Park in Richardson (Renner and Brand)
It is a fulfillment of the aspiration of people for their sovereignty, it is the beginning of the freedom, liberty and justice for the people of Egypt.

I have been on several Radio stations and TV broadcast about the issue. Egyptians, they are jubilant and talking about co-existence.

Check out the interviews and several links at this link – http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-freedom-at-las/
To the Egyptian people; we are you with you, for you freedom and your aspirations for determining  your own future.
Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Egypt: Freedom at last

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The beautiful journey of the Egyptian People and their Celebrations – Pictures:
It’s one of the most beautiful days of my life; seeing a people get their freedom though non-violence and peaceful means. Prophet Muhammad, Jesus Christ, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King and folks like them must be smiling with approval.

TV CLIPS
CBS 11 – http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/02/11/egyptian-celebrations-planned-in-downtown-dallas-frisco/

Some of the joy-teary moments that I can recall are – release of Mandela, fall of the Berlin wall, Obama’s election night, Aung San Su Kyii’s release and Freedom at last for the Egyptian people. I have written extensively on the last two events.
As an American I am proud of my President for telling the people that they have a friend in America, and that was the right thing to say; to support the people, and that is what democracy is all about.
I wanted to be with the Egyptian people in their joy. This is also a historic moment in the Muslim Arab World – breaking the cycle of violence and achieving the goals through peaceful means.  I have written a lot about it and will share the links below including my advice to President Obama.
I sincerely wish the Jewish people join the Egyptians, and they will earn tremendous good will, I wish the few hawks understand emotions and feeling of people rather than itch for chaos and scheme to jeopardize things. I like to see an uprising of the Jewish people to have their government represent the Jewish Values. It will happen and the Jewish people are tired of the right wingers among them, just as Muslims, Christians and Hindus are tired of their right wingers, who spend time dismantling rather than building. I invite them to join the peace movements and their support will take the battles out of the world.
I was on three Radio Stations today; the KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland and Sean Hannity Fox Radio and have no idea who they were, they called and I talked.
A friend called and said the Egyptians are celebrating at Fadi’s Mediterranean Restaurant in Frisco; I drove right to it, talked with Abdulla the organizer a young fellow in his mid twenties. 
I was the only visible non- Egyptian look like in the Restaurant, all the TV cameras honed on me – Local Affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, Telemundo… first interview was 4 microphones shoved in my face, then three more individual in each corner of the restaurant. There were more important things for them to report than my take, as they talked with a few Egptian women and I hope they show them, they had great things to say. Richard from Fox had done a few interviews of me in the past including the coverage of the Holocaust and Genocides event a few years back.
Invariably the asked why I was out there? Was I an Egyptian? The answer is simple I share their sentiments of jubilation and freedom, and the whole world is one family and certainly I feel that. I walked with nearly 5000 Mexicans and spoke to them at the rally down town, was in the rally in support of Gazans and stood up with Jews and GLBT against the hateful demonstration by Fred Phelps across the Holocaust Museum and the Synagogues. That is my sentiment, feeling part of the universal energy that we are all part of.
Any way, I have written way too much in the last week  and thank God, people won, Mubarak left, no blood shed took place and those whose life’s was a sacrifice in the process will be happy to know that their sacrifice was for the right purpose; freedom of the people.
I am glad to be a part of it.
The links my articles are at:
 http://nabsites.net/demo/congratulations-to-egyptian-people/
Mike Ghouse doing my share of building cohesive societies
http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Hannity, Ghouse and Schoen on Egypt

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I will be Hannity with Doug Schoen, the democratic pollster. You can check the the listing for your radio at: http://www.hannity.com/stations 

Just finished the talk with Hannity and Doug Sheoen.
Doug is a right winger to the core and does not believe in dialogue to find solutions.
The right wing approach has never worked
You cannot push people to the choicelessness,
you can get away with your might,
but deep inside you are jeopadising the long term security.
 you have got to give them choices.
You cannot be mirror the terrorists.
Unless you dialouge, you are as bad as the terrorist

# # #

My appearance on Fox, talk on two Radio stations and write up in Dallas Morning News and several places:

Congratulations to the Eyptian People
http://nabsites.net/demo/congratulations-to-egyptian-people/

Advise to Obama, Dallas Morning News
Egypt: A positive change in the making
http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-positive-change-in-making/
Radio with Hannity and Shoebet
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer. He runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

Congratulations to Egyptian People

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May the aspirations of Egyptians for self governance come true, Amen! Thank God, Mubarak listened to the people and hopefully retains some dignity. It is good for him and good for Egyptians and it will be good for Israel and the region.

Israel need not worry, it is a people to people relationship and not between Netanyahu and Mubarak to die off. The right wingers in Israel need to re-think their overtures and focus on building bridges, their fears are legitimate but they need to shape the future through participation and not wishing and scheming.

United States should always side with the people, if not we will lose them all. We talk democracy and time to act democracy.  I know Obama will do the right thing and I have a five step advice for him.
Americans together was formed on 2010 Christmas day, honoring Jesus the Pluralist to build cohesive societies.
My appearance on Fox, talk on two Radio stations and write up in Dallas Morning News and several places:
Advise to Obama, Dallas Morning News
Egypt: A positive change in the making
http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-positive-change-in-making/
Radio with Hannity and Shoebet
Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer. He runs the Foundation for Pluralism championing the idea of co-existence through respecting and accepting the otherness of other and is committed to nurturing the pluralistic ideals embedded in Islam through the World Muslim Congress.

Mike is available to speak on Pluralism, Islam, Civil Societies, and Peace & Justice at your place of worship, school, work place, seminars or conferences.  He is a media commentator offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. 

Mike’s work is reflected at three websites & twenty two Blogs listed at http://www.MikeGhouse.net/

Mike Ghouse on KBOO 90.7 FM Portland

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Friday February 11, 2011
9-10 AM on KBOO 90.7 FM

…Current events in the Middle East and North Africa have captured world attentions. Ben Ali and Husni Mubarak, the US’s allies of 20-30 years in Tunisia and Egypt are under pressure to leave or have already submitted to the will of the people. What happens there has impact on other countries of the region. Please join me in talking with 3 scholars of the field:Dr. Sherifa Zuhur, Mike Ghouse and Dr. Peter Bechtold in discussing these issues live on KBOO.

Webcast at www.kboo.fm <http://www.kboo.fm/>
Previous shows on www.voicesofthemiddleeast.com <http://www.voicesofthemiddleeast.com/>

My appearance on Fox, talk on two Radio stations and write up in Dallas Morning News and several places:
Mubarak Hangs on
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2011/02/mubarak-hangs-on.html
Egypt: A positive change in the making
http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-positive-change-in-making/
Advise to Obama, Dallas Morning News
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2011/02/advise-to-obama-on-egypt.html
Radio with Hannity and Shoebet
http://nabsites.net/demo/egypt-making-lemonade-out-of-lemon/
Ghouse on Hannity show
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYHm2fafBu0
Horowitz frightens the Jews
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2011/02/horowitz-frightens-jews.html
Israeli blunders
http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

Mubarak refuses to resign

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MUBARAK HANGS ON: Random notes written during twitting.
Mr. Mubarak, it makes sense for you to resign and earn the support and good will of the people, if you don’t, you will be running for your life and looking for asylum as Shah of Iran, Zeinal Abidin, Idi Amin and a host of fascist men have done.  
No doubt you have done a lot of good in the mix of good bad and ugly things of running the government, but if you want your legacy to continue, damn it, resign.
The Egyptian people will love you for that, if not, you will go down in the history as a tyrant. You will not take all your power and opulence into that hole, but if you do the right thing, you will have a state funeral and thousands of them will attend including the state heads from around the world.
This is the first time in the Middle East History that Muslims have chosen Non-violence as their weapon to bring self governance. It must be encouraged as it will bring about a world of changes in the future.
I am proud of the Egyptian people to have taken this approach and hope this will infect the Arab world, and I pray that the Palestinians go the non-violent protest and Israeli people join them.

Who was he referring to about Foreign Powers?
He said he will follow the will of the people, which people?

Has our intelligence been ever right?
Has any information by CIA been reliable?

Israel needs to remember that the deal is between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel and not between Mubarak and Netanyahu, the will come and go but the good will is sustainable.

The right wingers among Jewish people have been pouncing on the Israelis who speak sense. They gang up and reduce their wisdom and label them as self-hating Jew. The right winger among Muslims mirrors the other right wingers. 
 
I do support Judaism, Jews and Israel, but not their brutal inhuman practices. I holy hope that the right wingers on all sides come together and start talking peace, looking at each others’ children and ask themselves, am I a rotten pig to destroy the hope of that child?
Unless there is justice for the Palestinians, the Israeli society will live with a messed up conscience, and it works in funny and aggressive way and compromises the long term security.

Just watched live Al-Jazeerah http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

My twitters :

@monaeltahawy – I just spoke with Aishah in
Tahrir Squarehttp://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/
5 minutes ago Favorite Reply Delete »

@AriFleischer – Ari, has CIA every produced right information from Iran in 1979 to Egypt inow?

@ @maddow -Rachel, just spoke to Aishah at Tahrir , people dont trust him – http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

JUST TALKE TO EGYPT IN TAHRIR SQUARE, THEY DONT TRUST HIM http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

MUBARAK TO SULEMAN WAS LIKE BUSH TO CHENEY

ISRAEL NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL AND NOT RECKLESS http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

@NickKristof – That’s exactly he meant by foriegn pressurues

MUBARAK – People don’t trust him, he needs to go with dignity, if he has any sense at all.

MUBARAK – GO GRACEFULLY MAN, YOU WILL BE MADE TO RUN

 @mtawfeeqCNN it finished 16 seconds after your call

MUBARAK – We will sustain the will of the people – buddy, who is the people? and Whose will?

WATCHING MUBARAK – What does he mean by we will not yeild to foriegn pressures? Who does he mean?

@seanhannity Israel should avoid blunders http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

 @ElishaKrauss Israel should avoid blunders http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

AL JAZEERAH LIVE http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

@seanhannity – sean I am keeping with two people in Egypt as well.

ISRAELI BLUNDERS http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/

@thejakartapost – this piece for publication please. http://nabsites.net/demo/muslims-condemn-murdering-ahmadiyya/

Quraan conference in Louisville by Non-Mulism Panelists http://www.quraanconference.com/

OBAMA WILL COPY MY WORDS http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2011/02/obama-throws-me-off-compeletely.html

Israeli blunders

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http://nabsites.net/demo/israeli-blunders/
What’s wrong with the Israeli politicians? Do they get it?
The Israeli leaders are jeopardizing the peace prospects, they are either dumb or they want to find an excuse to go to war again, like our right wingers in America, they are itching for wars and chaos. If they bring peace, they are not needed any more.
Pressuring the US to let Mubarak stay is down right stupid, it will antagonize the Egyptian Public that has not been anti-Israel so far. They should either shut up or welcome the people movement. The peace pact is between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel and not between Netanyahu and Mubarak, these dudes will be gone, but public policy sustains.
It is time for Israeli public to speak up, it is their future and their safety that is being put in harms way.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/20112101545960427.html
The right thing for Israel in the long haul is to nurture goodwill and support the people’s movement rather than alienating them. http://nabsites.net/demo/obama-throws-me-off-compeletely/

Why is Israel so blind? http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/02/201128131221271956.html

Mike Ghouse committed to building cohesive societies and offering pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.  http://www.mikeghouse.net/