By Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
The war in Darfur is now, essentially over.
The person making this assessment is no less an authority on the subject than General Martin Agwai, who commands a multinational peacekeeping force in Sudan composed of United Nations and African Union military personnel.
General Agwai, who is leaving his command position in a few days, did not, of course, say that all the violence in Darfur has ended.
The territory remains under the threat of bandit attacks and attacks by so-called 'rebel' groups against civilians and other targets of convenience.
There is still hunger and suffering in Darfur, and throughout much of the continent of Africa.
There remain enormous political divides that must be bridged, and deep wounds to heal.
But the war, as we define war, has ended.
Much of the attention directed to Darfur, at least in the United States, has come from anti-Khartoum political elements and Darfur 'activists' who have collected millions of dollars for the humanitarian cause of helping the Darfurese – the majority of which has never reached the people who are suffering – despite the moralization and pontification of many within the 'Save Darfur' movement.
Make no mistake – there have been violent atrocities committed in this horrible tragedy, and some of the blame for the situation does indeed rest with the actions of the government of Sudan - but the issue of Darfur has never been one of 'Arabs'' on a murderous rampage against 'Africans', or one of unilateral malfeasance on the part of a single belligerent party.
The 'Africans' and the 'Arabs' in the region are hardly distinguishable in phenotype, language, and culture.
Much of the framing and analysis of the Darfur issue is developed, packaged, and sold to the U.S. Congress and the American corporate media by individuals and groups with both anti-Sudan and anti-Muslim agendas. Some of these groups have been transparently evangelical pro-Christian with a history of involvement in the Sudanese civil war (while promoting the bogus 'buy a slave and set him free travesty'.
Others are backers of the foreign policy of one particular nation-state, not even in the region, that actually supplied weapons and material support to anti-government rebels in the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (in South Sudan) and, very likely, the two main Darfur rebel groups as well.
Still other geo-political interests seek to isolate and possibly balkanize Sudan as a precondition for gaining U.S. corporate access to that most precious of global commodities; oil (and at the same time, cutting of the supply of this petroleum to a major U.S. economic rival, China).
None of these factors make the Krartoum government blamless in this mess. But all of these factors must be taken into account in understanding how the issue of Darfur is both perceived, and distorted.
What remains for those of us in this country to do, I believe, is to support both ongoing reconciliation and peacekeeping work in Sudan, and the sending of material aid that actually reaches the people most in need in the region.
The belligerent parties in Darfur must be part of these efforts, as well as the government currently in power in Khartoum.
When I visited Sudan in 1995 as part of an interfaith MAS Freedom delegation led by Imam Mahdi Bray, I was convinced that, tragic though the situation was (and is), the real solution could only lie in actions taken by the people of Sudan themselves, with the honest collaboration and assistance of the pan-Islamic world.
We called for then, and now, an end to the multilateral violence and war that has creates massive dislocation and suffering in Darfur.
But I am equally clear that the economic and political agendas of outside actors must not become factored into the solution that the people of Darfur, and all of Sudan, must work out for themselves.
I am truly happy with General Agwai's assessment about the end of the war. And now, I am hopeful that this situation will evolve into both peace and justice for the region, orchestrated by the people of Sudan themselves with the support of the international humanitarian community.
This, in the final analysis, is the only way that lasting and legitimate peace can be built and sustained.
Showing posts with label MAS Freedom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MAS Freedom. Show all posts
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Keeping It Real While Feeling the Hope: A Response to President Barack Obama's Historic June 4, 2009 Speech at Cairo University
By Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
Like many people who trade in the world of political commentary, I was prepared to write a response to President Obama's speech from the perspective of content analysis and criticism of not only what he communicated, but what, from my perspective, he left unsaid.
And I will still do that because there are areas of concern that many, including Muslim Americans have about the status of the relationship between the broader Islamic world, the Muslim American community and the policies and practices of the United States government.
That said, I believe all of us must acknowledge President Obama's remarks at Cairo University today as not only incisive and hopeful, but even prophetic.
A new paradigm for official US-Muslim world relations may well emerge as a result of President Obama's message. There is critical work (on all sides) to be done, and the task in front of us remains a daunting one.
But in at least three areas, President Obama's words signal a momentous and hopeful shift in the understanding that the new American government may have regarding its present and future relationship with Muslims and the Islamic world.
What are the things that make me hopeful? Here are four of them:
1. President Obama's speech advanced the understanding that Islam is not only a part of the heritage of global civilization, but part of the American historical and cultural mosaic as well. He mentioned, quite accurately, a number of important contributions that Muslims have made, and continue to make, for the advancement of American civil society, including that the fact that the Muslim American community numbers in excess of seven million, with 1,300 mosques nationwide and communities in every state. This fact alone refutes the characterization, by some that Islam is essentially alien to the American landscape, and that Muslim values and practices are incompatible with "American" culture.
Moreover, by further emphasizing the Muslim scientific, literary, and cultural underpinnings of Western and global civilization, President Obama's remarks served to advance a more enlightened understanding of Islamic and Qur'anic ethics and values as an integral part of the larger Abrahamic faith context.
2. There is recognition, for once, of both the oppression and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. It is true that President Obama spoke, quite accurately, of the continued U.S. commitment to the safety and security of the Jewish state, the acknowledgement of the historical suffering of the Jewish people, and the legitimate aspiration for a Jewish homeland. But his recognition of Palestinian displacement and the "intolerable" conditions that afflict the West Bank and Gaza civilian population represented a major shift in American understanding of human conditions rooted in historical Palestinian displacement since 1948. Also – and this was a major pronouncement – President Obama clearly stated the opposition, by his administration, to the continuation and expansion of (illegal) Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
3. President Obama spoke of support for a genuinely universal democratic ideal. There should be no doubt about the significance of a strong statement in support of real democracy articulated by a U.S. president standing on Egyptian soil. No doubt, the Egyptian people listening today, particularly the younger generation sitting in the Cairo University audience, understood that the anti-democratic and authoritarian character of the Mubarak regime, although not named, was one of the political systems in the majority Muslim world that President Obama had in mind when he spoke these words. True social progressives and supporters of popular democracy here in the United States should be encouraged by this implied criticism of past U.S. support for anti-democratic Muslim regimes, past and present, throughout the world.
4. President Obama spoke to the centrality of building economic opportunity in the Islamic world, and especially the linkage between broad societal advancement and the elevation of the human and civil rights of Muslim women. One major (and quite legitimate) criticism of majority-Muslim nations is the fact that they have not pushed strongly for the broad social (and economic) equality of women. The President challenged those nations – in a way that was neither hostile nor disrespectful – to see the education and advancement of women as central to the need for broader economic evolution within the Muslim world. And there was also his announcement of a new cooperative venture between the United States and the Organization of Islamic Conference (O.I.C.) to work for the eradication of Polio.
Of course, pundits and critics (from both the Left and Right) will undoubtedly focus on the things that were missing from the speech, and especially the lack of details related to the architecture of new American policy related to Muslim nations.
For example, would the U.S. government choose to deal with right-wing Israeli intransigence on the issue of West Bank settlements, and for that matter, the idea of a shared Jerusalem with equal human rights and access for Palestinians? How should the U.S. engage Israel on the issue of Israeli nuclear weapons? Should the huge American military policy-stick be transformed into something qualitatively different – say, a genuine Middle East 'Marshall Plan" constructed along the lines of the vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Closer to home, though, there's the question of how the new Obama vision will translate to a shift in the reality of U.S. government assaults on Muslim charities, the continued reliance on arrest and torture rendition, and as we have witnessed in the legal issues related to Dr. Sami Al-Arian and so many others, the outrageous twisting of the American judicial system by prosecutors who have clearly evident prejudice against Muslims brought before the bar of justice.
We must also harbor our illusions about the ferocious, and still significant, political opposition aligned against President Obama and any progressive vision he may have for constructive engagement with Muslims, abroad or at home. He will face challenges from the pro-Israel lobby, Conservatives of all stripes, reactionaries and racists who are committed to American hegemony and the maintenance of old imperial relationships.
This speech was historically significant and deeply moving for many of the millions, and perhaps hundreds of millions of people in the global Muslim community who saw and heard it. And there is much that all of us must do to address unanswered questions and translate good intentions into tangible results.
We do live in the world of realpolitik, but we also live in a world of imagination, hope, and commitment to a common humanity.
I am thankful that, on the morning of June 4, 2009 at Egypt's Cairo University, Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, reminded us of the enduring reality of not only an American dream, but also a transformative one – clearly shared by many in the broader global community as well.
RELATED:
Transcript of President Barack Obama's June 4, 2009 Speech at Cairo University
VIDEO: Obama Calls for New Start Between U.S. and Muslims (AP)
Like many people who trade in the world of political commentary, I was prepared to write a response to President Obama's speech from the perspective of content analysis and criticism of not only what he communicated, but what, from my perspective, he left unsaid.
And I will still do that because there are areas of concern that many, including Muslim Americans have about the status of the relationship between the broader Islamic world, the Muslim American community and the policies and practices of the United States government.
That said, I believe all of us must acknowledge President Obama's remarks at Cairo University today as not only incisive and hopeful, but even prophetic.
A new paradigm for official US-Muslim world relations may well emerge as a result of President Obama's message. There is critical work (on all sides) to be done, and the task in front of us remains a daunting one.
But in at least three areas, President Obama's words signal a momentous and hopeful shift in the understanding that the new American government may have regarding its present and future relationship with Muslims and the Islamic world.
What are the things that make me hopeful? Here are four of them:
1. President Obama's speech advanced the understanding that Islam is not only a part of the heritage of global civilization, but part of the American historical and cultural mosaic as well. He mentioned, quite accurately, a number of important contributions that Muslims have made, and continue to make, for the advancement of American civil society, including that the fact that the Muslim American community numbers in excess of seven million, with 1,300 mosques nationwide and communities in every state. This fact alone refutes the characterization, by some that Islam is essentially alien to the American landscape, and that Muslim values and practices are incompatible with "American" culture.
Moreover, by further emphasizing the Muslim scientific, literary, and cultural underpinnings of Western and global civilization, President Obama's remarks served to advance a more enlightened understanding of Islamic and Qur'anic ethics and values as an integral part of the larger Abrahamic faith context.
2. There is recognition, for once, of both the oppression and the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. It is true that President Obama spoke, quite accurately, of the continued U.S. commitment to the safety and security of the Jewish state, the acknowledgement of the historical suffering of the Jewish people, and the legitimate aspiration for a Jewish homeland. But his recognition of Palestinian displacement and the "intolerable" conditions that afflict the West Bank and Gaza civilian population represented a major shift in American understanding of human conditions rooted in historical Palestinian displacement since 1948. Also – and this was a major pronouncement – President Obama clearly stated the opposition, by his administration, to the continuation and expansion of (illegal) Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
3. President Obama spoke of support for a genuinely universal democratic ideal. There should be no doubt about the significance of a strong statement in support of real democracy articulated by a U.S. president standing on Egyptian soil. No doubt, the Egyptian people listening today, particularly the younger generation sitting in the Cairo University audience, understood that the anti-democratic and authoritarian character of the Mubarak regime, although not named, was one of the political systems in the majority Muslim world that President Obama had in mind when he spoke these words. True social progressives and supporters of popular democracy here in the United States should be encouraged by this implied criticism of past U.S. support for anti-democratic Muslim regimes, past and present, throughout the world.
4. President Obama spoke to the centrality of building economic opportunity in the Islamic world, and especially the linkage between broad societal advancement and the elevation of the human and civil rights of Muslim women. One major (and quite legitimate) criticism of majority-Muslim nations is the fact that they have not pushed strongly for the broad social (and economic) equality of women. The President challenged those nations – in a way that was neither hostile nor disrespectful – to see the education and advancement of women as central to the need for broader economic evolution within the Muslim world. And there was also his announcement of a new cooperative venture between the United States and the Organization of Islamic Conference (O.I.C.) to work for the eradication of Polio.
Of course, pundits and critics (from both the Left and Right) will undoubtedly focus on the things that were missing from the speech, and especially the lack of details related to the architecture of new American policy related to Muslim nations.
For example, would the U.S. government choose to deal with right-wing Israeli intransigence on the issue of West Bank settlements, and for that matter, the idea of a shared Jerusalem with equal human rights and access for Palestinians? How should the U.S. engage Israel on the issue of Israeli nuclear weapons? Should the huge American military policy-stick be transformed into something qualitatively different – say, a genuine Middle East 'Marshall Plan" constructed along the lines of the vision of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Closer to home, though, there's the question of how the new Obama vision will translate to a shift in the reality of U.S. government assaults on Muslim charities, the continued reliance on arrest and torture rendition, and as we have witnessed in the legal issues related to Dr. Sami Al-Arian and so many others, the outrageous twisting of the American judicial system by prosecutors who have clearly evident prejudice against Muslims brought before the bar of justice.
We must also harbor our illusions about the ferocious, and still significant, political opposition aligned against President Obama and any progressive vision he may have for constructive engagement with Muslims, abroad or at home. He will face challenges from the pro-Israel lobby, Conservatives of all stripes, reactionaries and racists who are committed to American hegemony and the maintenance of old imperial relationships.
This speech was historically significant and deeply moving for many of the millions, and perhaps hundreds of millions of people in the global Muslim community who saw and heard it. And there is much that all of us must do to address unanswered questions and translate good intentions into tangible results.
We do live in the world of realpolitik, but we also live in a world of imagination, hope, and commitment to a common humanity.
I am thankful that, on the morning of June 4, 2009 at Egypt's Cairo University, Barack Hussein Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, reminded us of the enduring reality of not only an American dream, but also a transformative one – clearly shared by many in the broader global community as well.
RELATED:
Transcript of President Barack Obama's June 4, 2009 Speech at Cairo University
VIDEO: Obama Calls for New Start Between U.S. and Muslims (AP)
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Hatchets May Swing, But the Tree Still Stands
A Response to Investigative Project 'Expose' of Imam Mahdi Bray
By Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
WASHINGTON, DC (MASNET) March 26, 2009 – It's no secret that many national Muslim leaders have been in the cross-hairs of organizations with a singular dedication to attacking Islam or characterizing high-profile American Muslim leaders as dangerous extremists. Imam Mahdi Bray, Founder and Executive Director of MAS Freedom (MASF), the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), is the latest target in this ongoing form of smear campaigning.
On March 26, 2009, Steve Emerson's Investigative Project released an expose on Imam Bray, outlining details from a past felony conviction, complete with photos from the arrest record; clearly with the intent to implicate that Imam Bray leads some sort of 'secret' life.
However, it goes without saying that, what happened in the past, and what Imam Bray has achieved subsequent to those earlier, troubled years, paint quite a different picture altogether from the one that the IP expose would lead readers to believe.
For starters, Imam Bray has never, either in private or in his extensive public life, denied serving time in prison or having a prior history of experience with drug use while working in the entertainment industry in his earlier years.
That said, it might also be pointed out that, while incarcerated Imam Bray was heralded by corrections officials as a model prisoner, and subsequent to his release, became extensively active in religious dawa (outreach), organizing the National Islamic Prison Foundation – a project with the mission of supporting incarcerated Muslims.
The success of the prison outreach program resulted in Imam Bray receiving a 1995 invitation to return to the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, West Virginia as a motivational speaker for Muslim inmates.
What is important to Imam Bray's colleagues, community members, friends and family, is not the time that he spent in jail; it is the quality and integrity of the life he has led subsequent to having paid for past mistakes.
What is really troubling to Emerson, Spencer, Pipes, and their fellow travelers, is not Imam Bray's felony conviction or time spent in prison, but rather his effectiveness in building Muslim institutions and defending the rights of unjust targets of prosecution, as in the cases of the Six Traveling Imams and Dr. Sami Al-Arian, to name just two.
Much of Imam Bray's work is spent promoting Muslim community civic engagement, encouraging Muslim voter registration and participation in the electoral process, and advocating for justice on behalf of the many innocent victims of the post 9/11 anti-Muslim dragnet that has become so evident to all of us.
The body of Imam Bray's work – all within the context of nonviolence – is something that Muslim bashers and Islamophobes love to hate.
Islam is a transformational force in the lives of many Muslims, as is evident in the case of Imam Bray. It is with a note of personal pride, I might add, that this transformational force is also evident in the work and legacy of another African-American former inmate: El Hajj Malik Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X.
Clearly the intent of the Investigative Report's expose is to excoriate Imam Bray by portraying his past moral turpitude as an indicator of un-trustworthiness. The article should, in my opinion, be viewed in the context of the larger campaign against Muslim activists and the advances that Muslims have made in bringing Islamic values and the Muslim community presence to a more central place in the American inter-religious discourse.
The evidence of this advancement is reflected, in part, in Imam Bray's national stature, as well as the vehement attempts by some of his opponents to discredit him.
They can (and will) chop away at him; but I know this tree – and it won't succumb to the blows of their hatchets.
A Chinese political philosopher once said, "To be attacked by one's enemies is not a bad thing, but a good thing."
Perhaps this latest broadside will only help to illuminate that Islam, indeed, can change the lives of people for the better.
It certainly did in the case of my beloved friend, colleague, and brother in faith, Imam Mahdi Bray.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational organization in America - with 55 chapters in 35 states.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom
1325 G Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 552-7414
or (703) 642-6165
Toll Free: 1-(888)-627-8471
Fax: (703) 998-6526
By Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
WASHINGTON, DC (MASNET) March 26, 2009 – It's no secret that many national Muslim leaders have been in the cross-hairs of organizations with a singular dedication to attacking Islam or characterizing high-profile American Muslim leaders as dangerous extremists. Imam Mahdi Bray, Founder and Executive Director of MAS Freedom (MASF), the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), is the latest target in this ongoing form of smear campaigning.
On March 26, 2009, Steve Emerson's Investigative Project released an expose on Imam Bray, outlining details from a past felony conviction, complete with photos from the arrest record; clearly with the intent to implicate that Imam Bray leads some sort of 'secret' life.
However, it goes without saying that, what happened in the past, and what Imam Bray has achieved subsequent to those earlier, troubled years, paint quite a different picture altogether from the one that the IP expose would lead readers to believe.
For starters, Imam Bray has never, either in private or in his extensive public life, denied serving time in prison or having a prior history of experience with drug use while working in the entertainment industry in his earlier years.
That said, it might also be pointed out that, while incarcerated Imam Bray was heralded by corrections officials as a model prisoner, and subsequent to his release, became extensively active in religious dawa (outreach), organizing the National Islamic Prison Foundation – a project with the mission of supporting incarcerated Muslims.
The success of the prison outreach program resulted in Imam Bray receiving a 1995 invitation to return to the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, West Virginia as a motivational speaker for Muslim inmates.
What is important to Imam Bray's colleagues, community members, friends and family, is not the time that he spent in jail; it is the quality and integrity of the life he has led subsequent to having paid for past mistakes.
What is really troubling to Emerson, Spencer, Pipes, and their fellow travelers, is not Imam Bray's felony conviction or time spent in prison, but rather his effectiveness in building Muslim institutions and defending the rights of unjust targets of prosecution, as in the cases of the Six Traveling Imams and Dr. Sami Al-Arian, to name just two.
Much of Imam Bray's work is spent promoting Muslim community civic engagement, encouraging Muslim voter registration and participation in the electoral process, and advocating for justice on behalf of the many innocent victims of the post 9/11 anti-Muslim dragnet that has become so evident to all of us.
The body of Imam Bray's work – all within the context of nonviolence – is something that Muslim bashers and Islamophobes love to hate.
Islam is a transformational force in the lives of many Muslims, as is evident in the case of Imam Bray. It is with a note of personal pride, I might add, that this transformational force is also evident in the work and legacy of another African-American former inmate: El Hajj Malik Shabazz, better known as Malcolm X.
Clearly the intent of the Investigative Report's expose is to excoriate Imam Bray by portraying his past moral turpitude as an indicator of un-trustworthiness. The article should, in my opinion, be viewed in the context of the larger campaign against Muslim activists and the advances that Muslims have made in bringing Islamic values and the Muslim community presence to a more central place in the American inter-religious discourse.
The evidence of this advancement is reflected, in part, in Imam Bray's national stature, as well as the vehement attempts by some of his opponents to discredit him.
They can (and will) chop away at him; but I know this tree – and it won't succumb to the blows of their hatchets.
A Chinese political philosopher once said, "To be attacked by one's enemies is not a bad thing, but a good thing."
Perhaps this latest broadside will only help to illuminate that Islam, indeed, can change the lives of people for the better.
It certainly did in the case of my beloved friend, colleague, and brother in faith, Imam Mahdi Bray.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational organization in America - with 55 chapters in 35 states.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom
1325 G Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 552-7414
or (703) 642-6165
Toll Free: 1-(888)-627-8471
Fax: (703) 998-6526
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saving Detroit Won't Save the Economy
The Challenge of Real Economic Revival
From the Desk of Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director
Share your comments in MAS Freedom's discussion forum!
SHOULD THE U.S. GOVERNMENT BAIL OUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY?
Here: http://www.masfreedomvip.com/forum/topics/should-the-us-government
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Dec. 15, 2009 – The word socialism, if you recall, was the pejorative that we heard thrown from Republicans during the 2008 presidential primary. Every speech and policy announcement from candidate Barack Obama was seen as a threat to American capitalism and a harbinger of the "spread the wealth" ideology that Wall Street has heretofore embraced.
Even "Joe the Plumber" – who was neither a real plumber nor, apparently, someone who knew anything about tax policy or macroeconomics – got his own 15-minutes of fame as a mouthpiece for keeping America safe from the collectivist desires of poor folks.
Never mind that President-elect Obama is anything but a socialist; just mentioning the word was enough to scare the rich, even if it could not win the presidency for Senator McCain.
Socialism, in this case, the idea of collective (state) ownership of the major means of economic production, is a horror for the well-to-do; that is, until private businesses that are "too big to fail" actually do go nearly belly-up, and the state is bludgeoned into bailing them out.
Such is the case now for the U.S. auto industry. As bailout proposals are hashed out in Congress, the American public is getting play-by-play coverage through media reports while the heads of General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler grovel for an infusion of more than 14 billion dollars (and much more, if they can get it), to keep the factory wheels turning in the face of projected business failures.
"Save us," they argue, because if the domestic auto industry fails, some 3 million jobs will evaporate and the whole economy will fall into the abyss of depression.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that United Auto Workers (UAW) President Ronald A. Gettelfinger lashed out against Senate republicans after a congressional compromise bailout plan (that included a proposal to cut UAW wages) failed, accusing lawmakers of trying to "pierce the heart of organized labor."
Gettelfinger also reportedly blamed Republican senators representing states with foreign-auto plants of trying to put American companies at a disadvantage by allowing southern states to subsidize foreign automakers with hundreds of millions of dollars to build factories while turning their backs on Detroit and using tax payer dollars to subsidize the competition. "We can't compete like this as a country."
They are both right and wrong.
In classical economic theory, private capital is free to do business and make profit, but if businesses are not profitable, they should be allowed to fail so that more efficient (and presumably, profitable) enterprises can fill the void and fill the market share that the doomed enterprises formerly occupied.
Theoretically, American consumers could buy Nissan cars and Toyota trucks, and displaced auto workers (or some of them, at least) could be hired by other companies headquarters in Japan, Germany, or South Korea.
But the current crisis is a very different animal. The nation (and the world) is facing a potential economic catastrophe the magnitude of which has not been seen in 60-years.
The flag-wavers for market fundamentalism are now forced to admit that private capital (the same agglomeration that made this mess in the first place) can't save them; only a massive infusion of money from U.S. taxpayers could "possibly" save the banks, the brokerage houses, and now, the American auto industry.
If there is lesson to be learned, it may be this: Pure capitalism is a myth and the theology of absolute belief in the marketplace is false.
Government "bailout" plans backed by public funding to save private business capital from its own excesses (and machinations) must come with both real conditions, and the realization that capital is neither self-sufficient nor sacrosanct.
Don't misunderstand me. There should be a vigorous government response to the Detroit automobile manufacturing crisis (saving the Detroit Lions may be another thing altogether), as a component of larger government intervention to avert a complete economic meltdown.
The Bush administration has already announced it will consider using the $700 billion already set aside under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to cover the initial $14 billion in loans requested by General Motors and Chrysler; a figure that has yet to include figures for loans anticipated on behalf of Ford, who, as of Friday had not yet requested immediate funding.
Congress must act responsibly and swiftly to facilitate the auto industry bailout, with a foresight insuring that the post-bail auto industry emerges substantially different.
Putting the "Big Three" on life support won't save the American auto industry, and certainly won't save the rest of the nation from a projected $7.5 trillion economic crisis either; only a complete, long term restructuring of the economy – from the tax system, to the public investments we make in education, health care, and our infrastructure will accomplish that.
And alleviating the real crisis confronting working class and poor people must be at the forefront of the architecture of this new "New Deal".
The crisis in the "Market" is real, and eventually, things will change. But the reign of private capital as the unchallenged force that dictates the course of our collective future has come to an end.
If tax payers end up owning a big chunks of formerly private industries and financial institutions, we need to pro-active in how that will operate by emulating, for example a German programs that place unionized worker representatives on the corporate boards of any and all businesses operating with the largest portions of public bailout money.
Sweden, despite its own crisis in the 1990's, has rallied in more recent years under a reformed version of democratic socialism, achieving an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.
Privately owned firms currently account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Coupled with robust finances the government has been able to broaden its scope for implementing reform programs aimed at increasing employment, and reducing welfare dependence.
Thus, under the Swedish system, poverty, homelessness, and social misery have become increasingly less common in Stockholm and Helsingborg than what we see here in New York City or Washington, D.C.
The Swedes also enjoy a largely government funded universal health care system (85% costs are paid by the state vs. a mere 44.6% by U.S. standards); they live longer (age 80.5) than their U.S. counterparts (age 77.5), and their infant mortality rate (3.0%) is lower than that of the U.S. rate of 6.0% – all interestingly enough, while the percent of Swedish government revenue spent on health care is 13.6% vs. a U.S. government revenue expenditure on health care of 18.5%.
Another note; Swedes reportedly give a higher percentage of their wealth to foreign assistance than do U.S. citizens.
Sure, for-profit businesses exist in Sweden (and they even have an indigenous defense industry and a Swedish military as well), however, taxes for individuals and businesses are higher (a typical worker receives only 40% of his income after taxes and overall taxation in 2007 was reportedly 51.1% of the Gross Domestic Product) than in the U.S.
Suffice it to say, the Swedish model is not a utopian system by any means.
The Swedish model of reformed "Democratic Socialism" seems to be working for them; thus, in Sweden "socialism" is not regarded as a dirty word.
From the Desk of Ibrahim Abdil-Mu'id Ramey
MAS Freedom Civil and Human Rights Director
Share your comments in MAS Freedom's discussion forum!
SHOULD THE U.S. GOVERNMENT BAIL OUT THE AUTO INDUSTRY?
Here: http://www.masfreedomvip.com/forum/topics/should-the-us-government
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Dec. 15, 2009 – The word socialism, if you recall, was the pejorative that we heard thrown from Republicans during the 2008 presidential primary. Every speech and policy announcement from candidate Barack Obama was seen as a threat to American capitalism and a harbinger of the "spread the wealth" ideology that Wall Street has heretofore embraced.
Even "Joe the Plumber" – who was neither a real plumber nor, apparently, someone who knew anything about tax policy or macroeconomics – got his own 15-minutes of fame as a mouthpiece for keeping America safe from the collectivist desires of poor folks.
Never mind that President-elect Obama is anything but a socialist; just mentioning the word was enough to scare the rich, even if it could not win the presidency for Senator McCain.
Socialism, in this case, the idea of collective (state) ownership of the major means of economic production, is a horror for the well-to-do; that is, until private businesses that are "too big to fail" actually do go nearly belly-up, and the state is bludgeoned into bailing them out.
Such is the case now for the U.S. auto industry. As bailout proposals are hashed out in Congress, the American public is getting play-by-play coverage through media reports while the heads of General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler grovel for an infusion of more than 14 billion dollars (and much more, if they can get it), to keep the factory wheels turning in the face of projected business failures.
"Save us," they argue, because if the domestic auto industry fails, some 3 million jobs will evaporate and the whole economy will fall into the abyss of depression.
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that United Auto Workers (UAW) President Ronald A. Gettelfinger lashed out against Senate republicans after a congressional compromise bailout plan (that included a proposal to cut UAW wages) failed, accusing lawmakers of trying to "pierce the heart of organized labor."
Gettelfinger also reportedly blamed Republican senators representing states with foreign-auto plants of trying to put American companies at a disadvantage by allowing southern states to subsidize foreign automakers with hundreds of millions of dollars to build factories while turning their backs on Detroit and using tax payer dollars to subsidize the competition. "We can't compete like this as a country."
They are both right and wrong.
In classical economic theory, private capital is free to do business and make profit, but if businesses are not profitable, they should be allowed to fail so that more efficient (and presumably, profitable) enterprises can fill the void and fill the market share that the doomed enterprises formerly occupied.
Theoretically, American consumers could buy Nissan cars and Toyota trucks, and displaced auto workers (or some of them, at least) could be hired by other companies headquarters in Japan, Germany, or South Korea.
But the current crisis is a very different animal. The nation (and the world) is facing a potential economic catastrophe the magnitude of which has not been seen in 60-years.
The flag-wavers for market fundamentalism are now forced to admit that private capital (the same agglomeration that made this mess in the first place) can't save them; only a massive infusion of money from U.S. taxpayers could "possibly" save the banks, the brokerage houses, and now, the American auto industry.
If there is lesson to be learned, it may be this: Pure capitalism is a myth and the theology of absolute belief in the marketplace is false.
Government "bailout" plans backed by public funding to save private business capital from its own excesses (and machinations) must come with both real conditions, and the realization that capital is neither self-sufficient nor sacrosanct.
Don't misunderstand me. There should be a vigorous government response to the Detroit automobile manufacturing crisis (saving the Detroit Lions may be another thing altogether), as a component of larger government intervention to avert a complete economic meltdown.
The Bush administration has already announced it will consider using the $700 billion already set aside under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to cover the initial $14 billion in loans requested by General Motors and Chrysler; a figure that has yet to include figures for loans anticipated on behalf of Ford, who, as of Friday had not yet requested immediate funding.
Congress must act responsibly and swiftly to facilitate the auto industry bailout, with a foresight insuring that the post-bail auto industry emerges substantially different.
Putting the "Big Three" on life support won't save the American auto industry, and certainly won't save the rest of the nation from a projected $7.5 trillion economic crisis either; only a complete, long term restructuring of the economy – from the tax system, to the public investments we make in education, health care, and our infrastructure will accomplish that.
And alleviating the real crisis confronting working class and poor people must be at the forefront of the architecture of this new "New Deal".
The crisis in the "Market" is real, and eventually, things will change. But the reign of private capital as the unchallenged force that dictates the course of our collective future has come to an end.
If tax payers end up owning a big chunks of formerly private industries and financial institutions, we need to pro-active in how that will operate by emulating, for example a German programs that place unionized worker representatives on the corporate boards of any and all businesses operating with the largest portions of public bailout money.
Sweden, despite its own crisis in the 1990's, has rallied in more recent years under a reformed version of democratic socialism, achieving an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits.
Privately owned firms currently account for about 90% of industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50% of output and exports. Coupled with robust finances the government has been able to broaden its scope for implementing reform programs aimed at increasing employment, and reducing welfare dependence.
Thus, under the Swedish system, poverty, homelessness, and social misery have become increasingly less common in Stockholm and Helsingborg than what we see here in New York City or Washington, D.C.
The Swedes also enjoy a largely government funded universal health care system (85% costs are paid by the state vs. a mere 44.6% by U.S. standards); they live longer (age 80.5) than their U.S. counterparts (age 77.5), and their infant mortality rate (3.0%) is lower than that of the U.S. rate of 6.0% – all interestingly enough, while the percent of Swedish government revenue spent on health care is 13.6% vs. a U.S. government revenue expenditure on health care of 18.5%.
Another note; Swedes reportedly give a higher percentage of their wealth to foreign assistance than do U.S. citizens.
Sure, for-profit businesses exist in Sweden (and they even have an indigenous defense industry and a Swedish military as well), however, taxes for individuals and businesses are higher (a typical worker receives only 40% of his income after taxes and overall taxation in 2007 was reportedly 51.1% of the Gross Domestic Product) than in the U.S.
Suffice it to say, the Swedish model is not a utopian system by any means.
The Swedish model of reformed "Democratic Socialism" seems to be working for them; thus, in Sweden "socialism" is not regarded as a dirty word.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
MAS Freedom Joins Call for 40-Days of Nonviolence in Honor of MLK
Building the Beloved Community One Pledge at a Time
"Today there is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence." - Excerpted from a 1967 interview of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Arnold Michaelis
"Every King Holiday has been a national 'teach-in' on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately needed to unify America." - Coretta Scott King, "The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday"
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Jan. 20, 2008 - As we turn our attention to the King Holiday and pause to remember the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), joins the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service project in calling for 40-Days of Nonviolence, January 21 through February 29, 2008.
The year 2008 will mark 40-years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, thus, it is especially important to connect more intentionally with the principles upon which Dr. King built his life, his service, and the movement that he championed—the principles of nonviolence. He believed that applying the principles of nonviolence in all areas of one's life would ultimately bring about the Beloved Community, the end goal of nonviolence, where differences are resolved peaceably and reconciliation occurs among adversaries.
To connect the King Holiday to the example Dr. King set and to engage more Americans in honoring him through service, the Corporation is joining with others in its network to provide tools for the "40 Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community" initiative, which includes a Pledge of Nonviolence.
Pledge of Nonviolence in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Life and Work
I PLEDGE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN to make America and the world a place where equality and justice, freedom and peace will grow and flourish.
I PLEDGE TO MAKE NONVIOLENCE A WAY OF LIFE in my dealings with all people.
I WILL REJECT all forms of hatred, bigotry and prejudice, and I will embrace the values of unconditional, universal love, truthfulness, courage, compassion, and dedication that empowered Dr. King.
On the King Holiday and during the 40 days that follow, individuals and organizations participating in the initiative would:
>>>Study, discuss, and reflect upon the principles of nonviolent action as a strategy for bringing about stronger communities;
>>>Examine the structures in their communities that lead to violence and engage in projects that address those underlying issues;
>>>Plan for 40 days beginning with the King Holiday and implement sustainable service activities to extend throughout the year and beyond.
These elements reflect the fundamental steps in Dr. King's vision for nonviolent social change: information gathering, education, personal commitment, negotiations, direct action, and reconciliation. What better learning mechanism can there be than one in which everyone can be actively engaged in their community?
40 Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community will have a powerful and lasting impact on the reach of the King Day of Service campaign. Linking the powerful principles of nonviolence with the tradition of service brings contemporary stature to a historical movement in our country and contemporary meaning to the unfinished work of Dr. King. Linking service more directly to the teachings of Dr. King provides a great opportunity to educate youth and others who have little or no knowledge of this important part of American history and to engage them in service that is grounded in his teachings and creates lasting change.
"MAS Freedom encourages community members nationwide to participate in this important initiative," stated Director, Mahdi Bray.
Sign the Pledge here.
Get a 40 Days of Nonviolence Badge for your website or blog here.
Additional community action resources are available here.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational organization in America – with 55 chapters in 35 states. Learn more here.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom
1325 G Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 552-7414
Toll Free: 1-(888)-627-8471
Fax: (703) 998-6526
MASF on the Web
Contact MASF by Email
"Today there is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence." - Excerpted from a 1967 interview of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Arnold Michaelis
"Every King Holiday has been a national 'teach-in' on the values of nonviolence, including unconditional love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation, which are so desperately needed to unify America." - Coretta Scott King, "The Meaning of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday"
WASHINGTON, D.C. (MASNET) Jan. 20, 2008 - As we turn our attention to the King Holiday and pause to remember the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., MAS Freedom (MASF), as the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), joins the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service project in calling for 40-Days of Nonviolence, January 21 through February 29, 2008.
The year 2008 will mark 40-years since the assassination of Martin Luther King, thus, it is especially important to connect more intentionally with the principles upon which Dr. King built his life, his service, and the movement that he championed—the principles of nonviolence. He believed that applying the principles of nonviolence in all areas of one's life would ultimately bring about the Beloved Community, the end goal of nonviolence, where differences are resolved peaceably and reconciliation occurs among adversaries.
To connect the King Holiday to the example Dr. King set and to engage more Americans in honoring him through service, the Corporation is joining with others in its network to provide tools for the "40 Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community" initiative, which includes a Pledge of Nonviolence.
Pledge of Nonviolence in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Life and Work
I PLEDGE TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN to make America and the world a place where equality and justice, freedom and peace will grow and flourish.
I PLEDGE TO MAKE NONVIOLENCE A WAY OF LIFE in my dealings with all people.
I WILL REJECT all forms of hatred, bigotry and prejudice, and I will embrace the values of unconditional, universal love, truthfulness, courage, compassion, and dedication that empowered Dr. King.
On the King Holiday and during the 40 days that follow, individuals and organizations participating in the initiative would:
>>>Study, discuss, and reflect upon the principles of nonviolent action as a strategy for bringing about stronger communities;
>>>Examine the structures in their communities that lead to violence and engage in projects that address those underlying issues;
>>>Plan for 40 days beginning with the King Holiday and implement sustainable service activities to extend throughout the year and beyond.
These elements reflect the fundamental steps in Dr. King's vision for nonviolent social change: information gathering, education, personal commitment, negotiations, direct action, and reconciliation. What better learning mechanism can there be than one in which everyone can be actively engaged in their community?
40 Days of Nonviolence: Building the Beloved Community will have a powerful and lasting impact on the reach of the King Day of Service campaign. Linking the powerful principles of nonviolence with the tradition of service brings contemporary stature to a historical movement in our country and contemporary meaning to the unfinished work of Dr. King. Linking service more directly to the teachings of Dr. King provides a great opportunity to educate youth and others who have little or no knowledge of this important part of American history and to engage them in service that is grounded in his teachings and creates lasting change.
"MAS Freedom encourages community members nationwide to participate in this important initiative," stated Director, Mahdi Bray.
Sign the Pledge here.
Get a 40 Days of Nonviolence Badge for your website or blog here.
Additional community action resources are available here.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom (MASF) is a civic and human rights advocacy entity and sister organization of the Muslim American Society (MAS), the largest Muslim, grassroots, charitable, religious, social, cultural, civic and educational organization in America – with 55 chapters in 35 states. Learn more here.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MAS Freedom
1325 G Street NW, Suite 500
Washington DC 20005
Phone: (202) 552-7414
Toll Free: 1-(888)-627-8471
Fax: (703) 998-6526
MASF on the Web
Contact MASF by Email
Friday, September 8, 2006
Renowned Muslim Peace Activist Heads New MAS Freedom Human and Civil Rights Division
New Division Will Focus on Human Rights and Liberties in the U.S. and Muslim World
WASHINGTON, DC - (MASNET) Sept. 8, 2006 - Internationally renowned peace activist, Ibrahim Ramey, has joined the Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation (MAS Freedom) as director of its new Human and Civil Rights Division.
Ramey, who previously served as the non-nuclear proliferation chief of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of America’s oldest peace organizations, has been a tireless champion for global peace and reconciliation.
He holds UN credentials, and has been a U.S. representative and presenter at countless conferences on global peace, nuclear proliferation and international conflict resolution. Ramey is also one of the founding members of Muslim Peace Fellowship. In June 2005, Ramey was a part of MAS Freedom’s Abrahamic peace delegation to Darfur, Sudan.
Under Ramey's leadership the MAS Freedom Human and Civil Rights Division, which will monitor Human and Civil Rights violations and advocate pro-active measures in addressing these issues, will also work towards strengthening coalition ties with existing human and civil rights organizations in addition to conducting educational and advocacy campaigns that lend itself to grassroots, legal and legislative initiatives.
While focusing domestically on U.S. policies that impact human and civil rights, the new division will also focus on global conflict resolution, with special emphasis on the Middle East and Africa.
MAS Freedom Foundation Executive Director, Mahdi Bray, stated, "Truly, it is a blessing to have a person of Ibrahim’s experience as part of MAS Freedom. Having him as the driving force in our Human and Civil Rights Department will allow us to work more pro-actively around such important issues as racial and religious profiling, constitutional rights, immigration rights, torture rendition, civil liberties, human rights violations, arms export and proliferation and conflict resolution.
Bray added, "Certainly, having Ibrahim aboard allows us to further pursue our goal of maintaining one global standard of justice in the area of human rights and liberty."
If you’re interested in supporting MAS Freedom’s Human and Civil Rights Department, please contact Mr. Ibrahim Ramey at (202) 496-1288 or e-mail him at mas4freedom@aol.com
WASHINGTON, DC - (MASNET) Sept. 8, 2006 - Internationally renowned peace activist, Ibrahim Ramey, has joined the Muslim American Society's Freedom Foundation (MAS Freedom) as director of its new Human and Civil Rights Division.
Ramey, who previously served as the non-nuclear proliferation chief of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of America’s oldest peace organizations, has been a tireless champion for global peace and reconciliation.
He holds UN credentials, and has been a U.S. representative and presenter at countless conferences on global peace, nuclear proliferation and international conflict resolution. Ramey is also one of the founding members of Muslim Peace Fellowship. In June 2005, Ramey was a part of MAS Freedom’s Abrahamic peace delegation to Darfur, Sudan.
Under Ramey's leadership the MAS Freedom Human and Civil Rights Division, which will monitor Human and Civil Rights violations and advocate pro-active measures in addressing these issues, will also work towards strengthening coalition ties with existing human and civil rights organizations in addition to conducting educational and advocacy campaigns that lend itself to grassroots, legal and legislative initiatives.
While focusing domestically on U.S. policies that impact human and civil rights, the new division will also focus on global conflict resolution, with special emphasis on the Middle East and Africa.
MAS Freedom Foundation Executive Director, Mahdi Bray, stated, "Truly, it is a blessing to have a person of Ibrahim’s experience as part of MAS Freedom. Having him as the driving force in our Human and Civil Rights Department will allow us to work more pro-actively around such important issues as racial and religious profiling, constitutional rights, immigration rights, torture rendition, civil liberties, human rights violations, arms export and proliferation and conflict resolution.
Bray added, "Certainly, having Ibrahim aboard allows us to further pursue our goal of maintaining one global standard of justice in the area of human rights and liberty."
If you’re interested in supporting MAS Freedom’s Human and Civil Rights Department, please contact Mr. Ibrahim Ramey at (202) 496-1288 or e-mail him at mas4freedom@aol.com
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