AIDemocracy.org

No ramadan in Syria

August 16, 2011 by Anton 2 Comments

August is the Holy month of Ramadan. However, in some places across the world, it is not being celebrated. Instead, in places like Syria and Libya, they are still fighting for their leaders to leave office and for the system to be reformed. In other places like Somalia, people are dying from a man-made drought, of which Al-Shabab, the militant affiliate of Al-Qaeda, is primarily responsible. However, I want to focus on Syria in particular. Syria has been under the rule of Bashar Al- Assad. The US was trying to improve ties with this crucial Middle … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: aid, Europe, Government, Islam, Libya, Middle East, Somalia, South Africa, Syria, travel, Turkey

Ramadan Murbarak and hopeful Gallup poll results

August 5, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

This week, I had the opportunity to attend an important event that focused on Muslim Americans. This study was done by Abu Dhabi Gallup, and it found that Muslim Americans are loyal to the US and optimistic about the future more than any other religious group. Other religious groups included in the study were Jews, Catholics, Protestants, among others. These findings are surprising, because it has been 10 years since 9/11 and Muslims have received the most discrimination in the US. Gallup also found that more than 90 percent of Muslim Americans do not … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: 9/11, Afghanistan, Be2021, community, discrimination, FBI, Government, Iraq, Islam, Muslim, Muslim American, Somalia, US military, war

The media and its unfair view

August 1, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

A few weeks ago, a truly horrific event occurred. A bomb went off in the Norway capital of Oslo. Occurring almost simultaneously, a man in a police uniform randomly went on a shooting spree at a family campground. As a result of all these atrocities, 76 people died. 76 lives were cut short and for what? The person suspected of doing this killing spree is 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik. Mr. Breivik was angry at the Norwegian government. But, can we guess who the media blamed for the violence that happened? Yep, you guessed it right, on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: aid, Congress, EU, Europe, Government, Homeland Security, Islam, law, media, Muslim, Muslim American, Politics, security, Somalia, Taliban, war, youth

Let us not forget

July 19, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

This year is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. We here, at AIDemocracy have launched a campaign called Be2021 (www.be2021.org) around this anniversary. We are actively collecting visions from young people of what they think the world should look like in another ten years. However, there is another event that is happening on the 10th anniversary, the 9/11 New York memorial is opening up on 9/12/11 to the general public. It will be open to the victim’s families on 9/11/11. The website managing reservations to see the memorial has already received over 42,000 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: 9/11, Barack Obama, Be2021, community, democracy, dialogue, Europe, Islam, Israel, Muslim, Muslim American, religion, youth

Peace Loving or Peace Destroying?

July 13, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

For the past few weeks now, humanitarian ships are trying to travel to Gaza, but this year it is not only one, but several. Twelve countries in Europe and one ship from the US will be traveling to Gaza in order to alleviate the blockade that Israel is imposing. The European ships carry members of parliaments and hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists. Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he will continue to impose the blockade on Gaza and that these ships will be returned back to where they originated from. This rhetoric is quite similar … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: aid, democracy, EU, Europe, Government, Greece, humanitarian aid, IMF, Israel, law, Middle East, Palestine, Peace, religion, sanctions, security, Turkey, war, water

Freedom of Speech or Freedom of Hate?

July 1, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

In our country we have something called Freedom of Speech. Americans enjoy this freedom because they can speak their mind on just about any subject: sports, cars, politics, and defaming a religion. Yes, I said it, defaming a religion! Since 9/11 happened, Americans believe that is what Islam is: full of hate, attacking American freedoms and values, and that Muslims are plotting to taking over. Remember though that it was not Muslim Americans that attacked us on 9/11 but rather Muslims that were from overseas that became radicalized for a cause they … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less Tagged With: 9/11, diplomacy, discrimination, Gender, Islam, Muslim, Muslim American, policy, Politics, race, religion, women

Freedom of Religion: Except if you’re a Muslim

June 21, 2011 by Anton 2 Comments

Radicalization? Jihad? Shari’a? This is the rhetoric that keeps occurring in the mainstream media. Now being anti-Muslim seems the way to get votes in presidential race since Presidential hopeful Herman Cain said that he would not feel comfortable for a Muslim to serve in his cabinet. Many people actually agree to that. Cain believes that a Muslim should in other words take a loyalty test for America if they do want to serve. These politicians do not need to look to far in history to see that we did this to the Japanese. I guess these politicians have … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less Tagged With: aid, dialogue, diplomacy, Government, Homeland Security, Islam, law, Middle East, Muslim, Muslim American, Obama, race, religion, security

Peter King: The new sheriff in town

June 16, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

Peter King: Our Prison System is radicalized! Most of the Congressional officials that spoke today at the second series of the hearings of US radicalization of Muslim Americans were happy about these hearings. They also made a new word: “prislam.” This word means Muslims that convert in prison that become radicals. So how many prisoners become radicals that happen to be Muslim and are released? They only found 36 cases mainly African Americans who traveled to Yemen to train under Al-Qa’ida and Al-Awlaki. They felt this was a legitimate topic to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less Tagged With: aid, Congress, Homeland Security, Islam, Middle East, Muslim, Muslim American, Politics, terrorism, war, Yemen

Saudis in Audis: Women version

June 13, 2011 by Anton 1 Comment

Should we say that the Arab Spring is now arriving in Saudi Arabia? Well, for Saudi Arabian women it may have arrived. Earlier this month, Manal Al- Sharif was arrested for driving. Not because she had a suspended license, but because she was driving. In Saudi Arabia, it is against the law for women to drive. The only way a woman can get escorted around is by her husband, brother, father, taxi driver, or blood relative. If a woman violates this rule, she can be arrested by the secret religious police. Manal was detained and released on May 21st. Then the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Less, Security Tagged With: Gender, Government, Islam, media, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, women

Yemen and “The Arab Spring”

June 12, 2011 by Anton Leave a Comment

The Arab Spring has now taken over Yemen. President Saleh’s opposing tribe known as the Al-Ahmar attacked the presidential palace and injured President Saleh. Saleh has now escaped to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. Yemeni’s are now celebrating in the streets and are hoping he does not return. However, his family is still in Yemen, which means they still have great influence in the country. Why does this matter? The average age in Yemen according to the CIA fact book is between the ages of 15-64. Also, Yemen is the 32nd biggest oil exporter … [Read more...]