After Fort Hood Shooting; a Muslim view

Everyone right now must have heard the news that a Muslim Army officer went on shooting rampage at Fort Hood. I first thought it could be any person having Arabic name, but then it became apparent that he is Muslim. And Guardian is reporting that He shouted Allahu Akbar before shooting.

This is sad and worrying day, 13 lives have been lost and about 28 people are injured. This is worrying not only because such shooting are becoming repetitive event in which some normal looking guy walks in with gun and start shooting. It happened at mall, it happened at school and it happened at university campus; now at military base.

It is worrying also because an involvement of a Muslim will open door for more prejudice, bias and hate towards Muslims.  As a Muslim I am concerned that instead of viewing this event as an action by mentally ill person much like previous shootouts, people will try to put in the picture of Islamic Terrorism. This will give people tool and opportunity to speak against the Muslims.

There is going fear in online community that this might trigger religious or atleast geographical profiling. One of the interesting discussion of which I was pointed out is going on over article by Hirscfield on Washington Post  http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/brad_hirschfield/2009/11/fort_hood_massacre_no_indictme.html

Ironically, those who will use this event to disparage all Muslims or Islam in general, even to the point of violence, will prove themselves no different from those they oppose. In fact, they will prove how much they share with Mr. Hasan. Such generalized hatred is precisely the animating approach of anyone who opens fire on a collection of individuals who pose them no immediate threat.

But in b/w he asks that question should be asked from Community he came from. Interesting reply came from one of the poster

kjohnson3’s Reply:

When you refer to “the community from which the murderer came,” why do you look only at the religious community from which he came? He also came from the military community and the medical community.

I personally have not viewed till now any discrimination, I can feel that heat is increasing, someone on Fox News just asked that whether Muslims in Military should go through Special Screenings.

I will like to ask; was some Special Screening arraigned for the people belonging to ethnicity or religion or community of previous shooters? But then we all know about the Fox News, if you don’t know much about Fox News,  you can assume they are Big Version of Zaid Hamid.

In response to these hate messages there are lots of messages talking about not to use Guilt By Association, and are for supporting American Muslims. I have personally found Americans to be friendly and never came face to face with anti-Muslim person. One of the reason might be because I live in University Town, but I believe this is general feature.

As for with such event, I ask people to not to let their fears, biases and pain make them hate other people. And as for every such case one of the critical question that should be raised is how he was able to take gun inside a secure area? Why was there such security lapse?

Other critical question is Why was this person not flagged as a risk person?

If his views, as being told by some news agencies, were extremists he should have been separated, where was negligence? An extremists person should not have a place in any Army, this is true for any extremists, be it religious or social.

If it becomes visible that his motivation was not only PTSD but also religious, then it will be quite worrying part. It is critical that we should recognize that there are thousands of extremists who think their motivation comes from the religion.  Hundreds have died in Pakistan from the hands of extremists who think their actions are justified from Religion, about 2 decade back there were groups going for extremists activities because of their political (which were non-religious) views. Just few months ago Tamil tigers were killing their own people and still in regions of India Maoist have been accused of mass killing.  In America there are White Supremest and religious conservative who think they will one day have to go on war with others. In Europe there has been rise of BNP.

These all form of extremisms are to be condemned but understood that they don’t define communities, religions or ethnicity. I wish everyone good luck, it is difficult period on this world.

I am just a visitor in America, soon I will be back to my homeland Pakistan; the one thing I love about America is Equal Rights for everyone. But such rights can not just be dictated by Law they have to be implemented by society. I hope American society keeps on implementing that.

Contradictions

Reading David Rohde. He describes his life as a captive of Taliban. This allowed him to see and analyze it’s captor, now he is writing about it. I have read only some portions and I feel his article will be widely quoted in coming days to describe and evaluate Taliban, especially because Pakistan has started Operation in those areas. What makes these articles important read is that we have so less first hand source of information about Taliban, how they work, what they think, etc… We have so many intellectuals defending or bashing Taliban, most of them have their arguments on what Taliban did at what time, not why Taliban did and Why+What Taliban are doing now. Most of them simplify it too much to just either pursuit of World Dominance to Afghan Freedom fighting.

Not going in detail discussion, I am here quoting a paragraph where he describes the Contradictions of Reasoning

It was a universe filled with contradictions. My captors assailed the West for killing civilians, but they celebrated suicide attacks orchestrated by the Taliban that killed scores of Muslim bystanders. They bitterly denounced missionaries, but they pressed me to convert to their faith. They complained about innocent Muslims being imprisoned by the United States, even as they continued to hold us captive.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/world/asia/20hostage.html

He also discussed what this socalled anti-terrorism war is doing

My captors harbored many delusions about Westerners. But I also saw how some of the consequences of Washington’s antiterrorism policies had galvanized the Taliban. Commanders fixated on the deaths of Afghan, Iraqi and Palestinian civilians in military airstrikes, as well as the American detention of Muslim prisoners who had been held for years without being charged. America, Europe and Israel preached democracy, human rights and impartial justice to the Muslim world, they said, but failed to follow those principles themselves.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/world/asia/18hostage.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&sq=Rohde&st=cse&scp=1

An interesting insight was how Taliban treated their local captives

Tahir and Asad were held in even lower esteem. The guards incessantly berated both of them for working with foreign journalists and repeatedly threatened to kill them. The dynamic was not new. In an earlier kidnapping involving an Italian journalist and his Afghan colleagues, the Taliban had executed the Afghan driver to press the Italian government to meet their demands.

Homecoming Prade

Wrote on 16ht of Oct

Today attended first UF Homecoming parade. Although was late in reaching but was still able to catch some community stalls. Whole West University Ave. was filled with chairs and family tents, children, parents, students, young and old all there. Enjoying, cheering.

There were skating club, some martial arts , Hare Kirishna,… best I liked was some Non Profit Music School float. They were performing live music as their float moved. The music was good and lyrics were something about praising Gator Football team, although little bit of self praising but it sounded good.

Overall fun afternoon.

Green Genes

No it is not about Pakistan. If you think everything Green is about Pakistan than please do your self a service and take your head out of …..

Fill in the blank according to how many “American Slangs”-Lecture Series you have attended.

I know we are passing through rough patch (question will be when in time we were not in rough patch) and with it there are whole lot of new conspiracy theories,. religious views and spiritual view. Nothing against any of them, but

Yes it is not typo mistake it is not trans gender it is transgenic.

Any how this is interesting story, Monkey who is Trans-Genetic.

Yes it is not typo mistake it is not trans gender it is transgenic.

baby marmosets whose feet glowed green under ultraviolet light. Researchers at the Central Institute for Experimental Animals in Kawasaki, Japan, had genetically engineered the monkeys to incorporate a gene, derived from jellyfish, that produces green fluorescent protein. It was the first time scientists had added a gene to a primate in such a way that a new trait could be passed to a second generation.

http://www.technologyreview.com/biomedicine/23710/?nlid=2451

<Urdu>Mehwea Herat Hoon Dunya Keya sea Keya Hoa Jae Ge <By Iqbal>

Trans of whole pair of verses is “What I see (for future)  can’t be expressed in words,  I am shocked how different  this world will be” <TRANSLATION PROVIDED WITH APOLOGIES, BECAUSE i KNOW IT CANNOT TRANSMIT BEAUTY AND STRENGTH ORIGINAL VERSION HAVE>

Where are we in whole this ? It is not conspiracy that we are not part of any of it. We seriously need to discussed how all these new research regarding Stem Cell, genetics, etc… will effect us.

I am still taking how amazing this news is. I might be overexcited, but the idea that someone can actually work on changing the genes and mixing the traits.  Wao!

Sultan Rahi and Principal of Evil Marksmanship

It seems all effects of Sultan Rahi not dented by single bullet and Ametab being able to successfully destro

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whole Island of villain has a proper name, it is called Principal of Evil Marksmanship. Wikipedia explains and details it very nicely.

The term first appeared in film critic Roger Ebert’s 1980 book “Little Movie Glossary”,^[1] and had been submitted by Jim Murphy of New York. It was defined as:

“

The bad guys are always lousy shots in the movies. Three villains with Uzis will go after the hero, spraying thousands of rounds which miss him, after which he picks them off with a handgun.

”

So finally I know the name of the art being followed by our film heroes (yes I still call it film, Guardian does it too). Although Hollywood is also pron to it (that’s why they have name for it ) but somehow their films execute same idea quite gracefully. I remember a scene in which Sultan Rahi and her female accomplice were avoiding bullets by just bending down quickly. Not once but again and again.

Other interesting terms on the same page are Stormtrooper Effect and One-at-a-time Attack Rule. Last one is most interesting because you see it all the time in movies.  Shahrukh Khan, Ametabh, Dharmendar and even Jackie Chen, they all fight one to one, now they have progressed to 2 at a time. 3 people attacking at same time is rarity. And why the hell only one person in whole gang has the gun, and all the guys are fighting to get it; if you remember last scene of Don (original version).

A tough Day for Pakistan as Terrorists wreak havoc

Past week has been really tough one for Pakistan.  Multiple suicide attacks and most importantly some shoot out style attacks on the offical buildings. The vigor and effect of these attacks is very important to notice. These attacks show planning and effectiveness in execution of terrorists, it also shows weakness of our administration.

How in the world these people have been able to execute same style attacks? Why people having such weaponry are able to roam in the streets of Pakistan.

And Today there is news of about 4 attacks going around in Lahore.

May Allah Help Us.

Most Important thing is these attacks should not push us to make decisions which are not acceptable to our conciousness. Where they should not force us to negotiate with the Terrorists giving them upper hand, they also should not force us to let go the civil rights. They also should not force us to sign any accord that is against our national interests.

Sanity, that’s what these people want to steal from us, we should not give them this

Dirty Laundry by Fauzia

Fauzia's Dirty Laundry

Today someone sent me the link of a Fulbrighter student posting her experience on the website. It is rare to see Pakistani Fulbrighters coming out and telling their story and it is extremely rare to see it in form of graphic novel.

http://fauziahusain.blogspot.com/

She goes on detailing (or sketching) events and activities of everyday life without indulging into any deep philosophical discussions. This keeps it light and fun to read.  One reading it can relate some of their own experiences.

I really liked the slide about  Word Accent, it depicts the problem most of Desi’s face at the Supper Market, Wallmart or other Shopping places. It happened to me one time, I was with a friend trying to buy him a white coat, so we asked a person at the counter “Where Can I find a Coat”

and it took series of Whats and my trial of different pronunciations, hand gestures of that it is something you wear to finally make him understand what I am asking for.  Interestingly one of the tires was Spelling of Coat also.

Wrong Accent

I thought OK this means my accent is really really bad; oh my God my poor lab-mates, I talk to them all the time, thinking they understand me clearly. Poor souls  must be having really hard time.  So I asked my American Lab mates can they understand me clearly or not and their reply was, yes they can.

Really! and their reply was really.

Only one person told me that some time you speak too fast otherwise you are good. But I think they were just being nice friend because every once in a while I have to try all the known pronunciations to make person at counter understand what I am saying.

And when finally he/she understand I am saying, we both have a tried but happy on success laugh. For me it is  finally I can pronounce a word in American style and he might be thinking “What they hell I have gone through”.

With expression of mutual relief we depart, hoping never to meet again and if meet never to try this thing again.

There are few posts right now, I hope she could add more slides to it and make it a complete book.
Fauzia is back in Karachi nowadays, viciously hunting for job. Wish Her good luck

Jewish Freier and Pakistani Shareef

I was reading an article http://www.momentmag.com/Exclusive/2009/2009-10/200910-Opinion-Breger.html

One of the biggest fears of an Israeli is to be a frier—Yiddish for pushover—a person who is taken advantage of by, among other things, following rules. Unfortunately, far too many Israelis—and their elected officials—equate fidelity to the rule of law with being such a fool.

That word got me interested, especially an undertone that same word that might be describing someone’s good nature, deed or act could be used to condescend him

Searching for the word I found following http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArtUnd.jhtml?itemNo=708339&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

“Freier” is Yiddish and can be roughly translated as “sucker.” But it goes deeper than that–a freier is one duped into doing something to someone else’s benefit while receiving nothing oneself. To the Israeli, no swine, no creeping thing is lower or more vile than the freier.

In both cases the word was reflection of  not only their society but of Pakistani also. In our society the person defined to be  Chalak , Hushear (clever, intelligent) as one who can use others to do their work, who can work around his deficiencies not by removing them but by covering them. On the other hand Person who are not interested in cheating, want to stand in the line (whether it is bill line or line of food on Wedding Ceremonies), who tends to do the things if someone asks even when he knows he might not get squat out of it, is called Shareef Insan i.e. Gentelman

The most interesting label I heard was  someone calling such a person, Dewa (the oil lamp). Because oil lamp’s flame is straight up, gives light to everyone by burning it self.

Mere Dil Mere Musafir

Singing unintentionally for some days now. Eid and being away from home, has just made it more meaningful. Someone told me it was written in rhyme of Ghalib. No wonder it is so amazing, a master (Faiz) writing in style of master (Ghalib).

How wonderfully it captures the emotions when it says “Agar Shumar Hota”,  with all the things in the world recognition is one desired by everyone. Desire to be recognized as friend, successful person or just as a person sitting on the table. Recognition that we exist.

Wonderfully sung by Tina Sani, should seek it on YouTube.

Cowasjee’s background noise

No I don’t like this person’s ideas very much. Most of the time when he is on Tv. he says the things in the way that just irritates you, makes more darama and less sense.

But for some time this person has been trying to wake us out for the things we are loosing, things which lost will never be re-created. One of the most preciuos thing The LAND, especially the LAND for the public use. Gardens, Parks and other belonging to us and our next generation, that we are submitting to be snatched away from us. In the end we will have just the concrete structures, no places to sit and meet, no place for the children to play, no where for birds to sing and no grass under the tree to sit while you think how to sort out life’s mess. My children will never have smuggle cricket kit inside the garden to play untill mali comes, because there will be no gardens.

Problem with people Cowasjee is that they are stubborn, they keep shouting to us boozed out citizens. Boozed in our own lives, in one-self. To us voices of people like him sound like some background noise. We hear to it get irritated with it and never give it any thought.  And then one day when it hits us we feel like deja vu, like we have always knew it was coming, we knew it because some one was shouting watchout, you are running towards the truck.

His new article in dawn titles People must protest

I think Karachi is lucky to have someone like him protesting for them.

Lahore needs someone for them. In just few months we will going to loose all the trees that grow around the Lahore Canal and we have not seen any protest. It is vain of Lahore, the only road which actually feels beautifull. I read an advertisement by the govt. regarding that claiming that they will replace the tress cut in the process by many more. I thought it will take years for them to grow, if they are sincere why cannot strat growing them know somwhere.

The main gate of Lahore Zoo is already been taken away from the Public, now you don’t enter zoo from the Mall but you have to sneak in from the other side. The main gait has been given to the someone’s sectariat.

In all Lahore there are no Swimming pools for the children or for the young, they go and jump in the canal or have their fun in the Sozo Water park.  The ones there exist are for the upper-society.  Where I live only parks children have are small plots around the Lahore Canal.

I saw someone saying this on Tv. and I agree with her so much on this, What kind of society we have, where only thing we do for going out it going to eat?