City of Brass

Muslim Informants prevent domestic terror: the data

Aziz Poonawalla — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:48:46 +0000

As Americans, Muslim Americans have the same vested interest in preventing terrorism as any other fellow citizen. In fact, since 9-11 woke all of us (muslim and non-muslim alike) to the reality of terrorism against our homeland, American muslims have arguably borne a greater responsibility in preventing attacks. That is a responsibility that the muslim community has accepted and has faithfully upheld. Ever since 9-11, accusations against muslim Americans have been made that we do not Read the full post here »

I Speak for Myself volume 2 available for pre-order

Aziz Poonawalla — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:36:08 +0000

The second volume of I Speak or Myself is now available for pre-order on Amazon: The book, like its predecessor, is a collection of essays from American Muslims, in this case men. I am honored to be a contributor to this book, along with Svend White, Read the full post here »

Liam Neeson is (not) converting to Islam

Aziz Poonawalla — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:01:38 +0000

Yes, it's true that famed Irish (and Catholic) actor Liam Neeson said the following while filming a movie in Istanbul: The Call to Prayer happens five times a day and for the first week it drives you crazy, and then it just gets into your spirit and it's the most beautiful, beautiful thing... There are 4,000 mosques in the city. Some are just stunning and it really makes me think about becoming a Muslim. However,...

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#Tahrir Square on #Jan25Two in pictures

Aziz Poonawalla — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:19:40 +0000

Today is the one-year anniversary of the uprising in Egypt's Tahrir Square, the heart of the Arab world and the pulse of the Arab Spring. Thousands and thousands of people are thronging the square. Below are some images from the past 24 hours in Tahrir. I was privileged to go to Cairo this fall and see Tahrir Square for myself, and the scale of it is vast. Keep in mind that this is not a small area but a gigantic open space, and it is full of Egyptians today demonstrating that the people are...

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Letter from a Birmingham Jail – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Aziz Poonawalla — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:39:59 +0000

The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. wrote this letter while incarcerated on a charge of parading without a permit. It was in response to prominent white religious leaders of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist and Roman Catholic churches, and Reform Judaism, who were against his protest marches, fearing violence. In this letter, MLK draws upon theologians from each of the clergymen's own traditions, including the Catholic Saint Thomas Aquinas, the 20th-century Protestant theologian Paul...

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Gordon Hirabayashi and the legacy of (indefensible) internment

Aziz Poonawalla — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Gordon Hirabayashi died a few days ago. Mr. Hirabayashi was one of just a handful of Japanese-Americans who refused to comply with the detention order during World War II, and served time in prison for his principled stand. There are some amazing aspects to his story, not least of which that it took 50 years for him to be vindicated and...

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Stealth Halal Jihad Turkeys

Aziz Poonawalla — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:18:08 +0000

My friend Wajahat Ali, who was lead author on the Center for American Progress' "Fear Inc." Islamophobia report, has a satirical bit...

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Winners of the 8th Annual Brass Crescent Awards!

Aziz Poonawalla — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:07:56 +0000

The winners are announced - head over to BrassCrescent.org and check them out! Congratulations to all winners, runners-up, and nominees!...

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Anwar al Awlaki is dead (again)

Aziz Poonawalla — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:19:31 +0000

This is the third time that radicalized Al Qaeda celebrity Anwar al Awlaki has been reported killed, but this is the first time it has been confirmed by the US as well as "tribal sources". According to NYT:

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Transcript: text of address to the United Nations by Mahmoud Abbas

Aziz Poonawalla — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:01:21 +0000

This speech is quite simply a tour-de-force. President Abbas lays out the clear grievance: the settlements, are the sole obstacle to peace. He reiterates the commitment of the PLO and the Palestinian people to the peace process, and continuing diplomacy with Israel, and again renounces violence. And he rightly notes that the Israeli settlement policy not only threatens the existence of the Palestine National Authority but also the two-state solution (which he reaffirms)....

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