This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews). Published in Khaleej Times, September 1, 2011. Last year, during a raging controversy over the building of an Islamic center in Lower Manhattan, Time Magazine ran a cover story titled, “Is America Islamophobic?” Shortly thereafter, a poll released by Time showed nearly six in ten...

Published in Turkey’s Today’s Zaman, May 3, 2011. Also on Huffington Post. An edited version appears in the Florida Times Union. MEMO TO OSAMA BIN LADEN, NOW DEAD Parvez Ahmed Although rejoicing death is not part of the religious traditions of Muslims, Christians or Jews, I cannot help but feel a sense of joyful relief now that you are no longer capable...

Published in the Gainesville Sun, Tallahassee Democrat. Other newspapers around the state are also likely to publish this. Ahmed, Romberg and Schlakman: Rep. King’s unAmerican hearings Published: Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 1:46 p.m. Before assuming the chairmanship of the House Homeland Security Committee in January, U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) announced his...

On Oct 9, 2010, the Clay County chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State organized a lecture on “Is Islam Compatible with American Values?” I was invited to speak at the Fleming Island Public Library. What happened at the event is well summarized in a letter to the editor by Rev. Harry Parrott, President of the local chapter of AU....

In AltMuslim. October 27, 2010 Juan Williams is neither a racist nor a bigot. But by perpetuating negative stereotypes he breached the ethics of fairness, crucial ingredients to succeed as a journalist. His firing from NPR, while admittedly handled in a clumsy way, was ultimately the right action. At a time when public discourse has descended to freighting levels of...