Uprisings in the Middle East are More Complex

Sep 28

Florida Times Union, September 19, 2012 Tallahassee Democrat, September 14, 2012 by Parvez Ahmed and Mark Schlakman* Brace yourselves. You may know that protests erupted outside the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and that mobs subsequently attacked the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi this past Tuesday on the 11th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. Apparently this was at least in part...

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Appreciating Islam’s Contribution to Civilization

Jul 05

Huffington Post, July 5, 2012 Also on Patheos, July 5, 2012. Nearly 4 in 10 Americans hold an unfavorable view of Islam and Muslims. That number has remained steady since 9-11. Several factors contribute to this negative perception, certainly none greater than Muslims, albeit a few, committing terrorism in the name of Islam. The media exasperates this negativity, as...

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Convergence of interests and values

Mar 30

Today’s Zaman, Sunday, March 27, 2011 Convergence of interests and values by Parvez Ahmed* It happens once in a blue moon — the convergence of Western military action with Arab and Muslim public opinion. The last time we witnessed such convergence was during the US-led interventions in the Balkans, which stopped an ethnic cleansing and eventually brought...

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Abuse of women is sadly endemic

Feb 21

Today’s Zaman (Turkey). Feb 21, 2011 Abuse of Women is Sadly Endemic Parvez Ahmed Amidst all the euphoria about Egypt’s peaceful revolution, the news of CBS news reporter Lara Logan being sexually assaulted hits like a ton of bricks. The people of Egypt, especially its youth, have been such an inspiration that any hint of deviant behavior understandably...

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We are all Egyptians now

Feb 03

Today’s Zaman, Feb 3, 2011 We are all Egyptians now I am mesmerized by the peaceful popular uprisings calling for the end of three decades of dictatorial rule in Egypt. Often the news from the Muslim world is depressing. Not today. The impact of this is still unknown. But one thing is unmistakably clear: We are all Egyptians now. The young voices from Egypt...

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