Letter to Editor: Response to “Sajida and Kate”

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From Beenish Ahmed

To the Editors:

I was hugely disappointed by the oversimplification of complex societal issues in Mahvish Akhtar’s article “Sajida and Kate” in the May 10-16 2007 issue of The Muslim Observer. This article generalizes fictional accounts of two women Sajida and Kate to literally stand for the Muslim world and the West respectively through many unsupported, idealistic claims.

The article presumes that all women in Muslim societies have family support networks and can necessarily rely on the aid of community members when caught in difficult situations or unsatisfactory marriages. While it would be wonderful to believe that the world is so virtuous, this is quite simply not the case. Human rights organizations are constantly reporting on instances in Muslim countries when Muslim women plead with their family and friends for shelter from abusive husbands but are instead cast aside when even the mothers of these women tell them they belong now to their husbands.

Moreover, Ms. Akhtar paints a picture in which Muslim women are hardly ever neglected, mistreated, or abused, while Western women suffer from such maltreatment regularly. It is surely the case that Islam sets very specific ethical guidelines by which husbands are to treat their wives; abuse occurs in Muslim societies despite these ideals and it is nothing short of naïve to believe that all Muslim men are fair to their wives. This article makes it seem as though all Western women are victims of abuse by terrible, drunken husbands–which is obviously wrong.

A vast problem in the Muslim world is that abuse goes unreported since many Muslim women fear negative repercussions for dishonoring their husbands and families by admitting to their husband’s wrongdoings. Thus while statistics may show that abuse rates are higher in US or other Western countries, the fact is that more Western women speak up about abuse so as to better their situations while it is Muslim women who keep quiet about their suffering. Women in the West can often gain financial support for their children after a divorce, which is hardly the case in Muslim countries where women are often not granted divorces due to a lack of evidence.

The Hudood laws of Pakistan are a prime example of women being criminalized when in fact they are the victims. The article “Sajida and Kate” paints a stereotypical portrait of the West and the Muslim world that is quite far from reality. I was upset to see such unfounded and hurtful reportage on the front page of a publication with such an impact on Muslim Americans.

Sincerely,
Beenish Ahmed

University of Michigan
Residential College
Creative Writing BA 2009
Political Science BA 2009

9-22

George Bush, the Dictator

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By Aslam Abdullah, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

The Bush administration released a directive called the National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive. on May 9th, 2007 that gives him “Catastrophic Emergency” power. Under this directive the President will be entrusted with leading the activities to ensure constitutional government.

The language in this directive would in effect make the President a dictator in the case of such an emergency.

The directive defines a “Catastrophic Emergency” as the following.

“Catastrophic Emergency” means any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions.

So what does this mean? This is entirely subjective and doesn’t provide any real concrete definition of what such an emergency would entail. Assuming that it means a disaster on the scale of the 9/11 attacks or Katrina, there is no question that the United States at some point in time will experience an emergency on par with either of those events. When one of those events takes place, the President will be a dictator in charge of ensuring a working constitutional government.

The language written in the directive is disturbing because it doesn’t say that the President will work with the other branches of government equally to ensure a constitutional government is protected. It says clearly that there will be a cooperative effort among the three branches that will be coordinated by the President. If the President is coordinating these efforts it effectively puts him in charge of every branch. The language in the directive is entirely Orwellian in nature making it seem that it is a cooperative effort between all three branches but than it says that the President is in charge of the cooperative effort.

The directive defines Enduring Constitutional Government as the following.

“Enduring Constitutional Government,” or “ECG,” means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers among the branches, to preserve the constitutional framework under which the Nation is governed and the capability of all three branches of government to execute constitutional responsibilities and provide for orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency;

Further on in the document it states the following.

The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government.

This directive on its face is unconstitutional because each branch of government the executive, legislative and judicial are supposed to be equal in power. By putting the President in charge of coordinating such an effort to ensure constitutional government over all three branches is effectively making the President a dictator allowing him to tell all branches of government what to do.

Even worse is the fact that the directive states that the Secretary of Homeland Security will serve as the lead for coordinating overall continuity operations. We already know that the Homeland Security department is not really working to secure the homeland. Instead the Homeland Security department is really working to enslave the homeland just like the Home Office over in the United Kingdom has made that country an Orwellian hell of closed-circuit TV spy cameras. If such an emergency is declared, we can only guess what sort of surprises the Homeland Enslavement department will have for us.

The directive itself recognizes that each branch is already responsible for directing their own continuity of government procedures. If that’s the case than why does the President need to coordinate these procedures for all of the branches? This is nothing more than a power grab that centralizes power and will make the President a dictator in the case of a so called “Catastrophic Emergency.”

It is insane that this directive claims that its purpose is to define procedures to protect a working constitutional government when the very language in the document destroys what a working constitutional government is supposed to be. A working constitutional government contains a separation of powers between three equally powerful branches and this directive states that the executive branch has the power to coordinate the activities of the other branches. This directive is a clear violation of the constitutional separation of powers and there should be angry protests from our legislators about this anti-American action that came from the President.

9-22

How Much Will You Need? (2)

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By Bob Wood, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

Last week’s article, “How Much Will You Need?” omitted one important detail: how much will you need to accumulate in savings to maintain the lifestyle you’ve enjoyed while working and collecting a paycheck? In this column, I’ll attempt to offer some formulas to answer that important question.

First, the longer you will continue working before forgoing those regular paychecks means that your calculations regarding what you’ll need for retirement will be less reliable than for those who are now closer to retirement. If you still have at least 20 years to work, the assumptions made now may well generate inaccurate estimates for your savings goal that are, possibly, well off the mark. But since we must begin somewhere, annual assessments of today’s assumptions will allow for corrections or adjustments to keep you on a plan with a reasonable chance of success.

The first assumption we need to establish is what your standard of living will cost in that future first year of idleness. The best place to start is with how much you spend annually now — while working. No, it’s not a perfect place to begin, but it may be as good as any other.

If you and your family now spend, on average, $3,000/monthly for living expenses, assume that you will need that much in retirement, too. Sure, your circumstances will change. For example, the kids will be grown and on their own, and isn’t that a nice thought? So your food and energy costs will decrease. Obviously, education costs will go away, as will other associated costs of child rearing.

The possibility exists that, by then, you will have paid off your home mortgage, so those costs may be eliminated. So far, this looks like you’ll have some extra cash on hand. Good for you, if that’s the case!

But offsetting those decreasing expenses will be other costs not incurred now. One of the biggest will involve filling your time. What would you do today with the time you spend working and getting to and from work? If you plan to spend most of your time on the sofa, watching Oprah and eating bon-bons, no problem! But most retirees, hopefully, have better ideas.

While your retired friends are playing more golf, going out to dinner often or traveling frequently, they may invite you to go along from time to time. And you probably have your own interests regarding hobbies and travel. Here’s a quick exercise that can generate some thinking in this planning. On a clean sheet of paper, make a weekly activity schedule as though next Monday began your first day among the leisure set. What will you do each morning, afternoon and evening to fill that time?

Here’s another exercise that can help with your planning. Find friends or relatives who are already retired and ask how much their spending changed in the first years of retirement. If they are like most retired people I know, they will tell you that they still spend the same amount as they did while working. And many will mention that needs for medical attention and associated health care expenses seem to rise each year.

Of course, help will be available from government programs like Social Security and Medicare. And some of you may be lucky enough to have earned monthly pension payments. So, be sure to include those in your estimates for income and outlays.

Next, let’s assume that you will need that same $3,000 from your savings each month to augment your other sources of income. And we’ll add on the income that you do not enjoy while working, like those Social Security and pension payments, to cancel out any new spending needed to fill your free time. Those other sources of income will also help offset taxes incurred if you’re taking money from tax-deferred savings accounts like IRAs. Don’t forget taxes!

Now you have an initial estimate for retirement needs. So let’s figure how much savings you will need to accumulate to generate that monthly paycheck of $3,000. One rule of thumb estimates (and is as good as any other in this field of uncertainty) that you can safely use up to 5% of your savings in the first year of retirement without undue concern of spending too much of your savings, too quickly.

Taking 5% of the total amount you have saved means that your remaining savings will need to generate a 5% return in that first year to maintain your available assets. Should your investments suffer a bad year and your savings fail to generate the needed 5% return, you may suffer damage that cannot be recouped in the following year.

Of course, a nasty fall in your account value could throw the whole plan into disarray, but proper allocation of investments can limit downside risk. And that’s yet another reason why I advise the use of ”hedging” strategies, but that’s another topic for another time.

But let’s assume that your savings enjoys at least moderate growth each year and does not suffer a large drawdown in any one year while you are removing money. So if you need $3,000/monthly for living expenses, you will withdraw $36,000 in the first year. And if that represents 5% of your savings, multiply $36,000 by 20, with the result of $720,000. That is how much you will need to have saved to begin that monthly withdrawal schedule.

Another major consideration is recalculating, in the second year of retirement, your future needs. Of course, with inflation now running hot and perhaps getting hotter, as future liabilities owned by our government in those same social programs that should benefit you, the potential for huge increases in the money supply are assumptions I would include in my estimations. With this in mind, assume that you will need to increase your monthly withdrawals by about 5%/year. So recalculating your plan for the second year of retirement shows you will now need savings of $3,150/month, times 12 months, times 20 years. This plan requires a savings goal of $756,000.

Do you see a potential problem? By my estimates, you need to have earned a 10% return on your savings in that first year of retirement to not only fund your monthly withdrawals but to ensure sufficient growth to cover inflationary effects on future spending.

At the start of your third year of retirement, you would need to grow your savings to almost $800,000. So growth of about $40,000 on top of withdrawals of $38,000 means you require annual growth close to 10%/year, ongoing.

What’s difficult is that, in the real world, an average annual return of 10% or thereabouts means investing in a riskier fashion than most retirees find comfortable. Such returns like those over sustained periods are almost impossible to achieve, even in the best of times. Adding to this problem is that you should keep a portion of your savings in stable assets like cash, money markets and higher-yielding securities like bonds, if philosophical guidelines allow. So you may find yourself in the situation where about 70% of your portfolio needs to generate the entire 10%/year gain, which is a mean feat, indeed!

So, what is the plan now? First, I think that a higher-risk profile for a retired investor is not a bad thing. Keeping large portions of your savings in equities still makes sense. But investing according to a strict value-oriented mandate is essential, of course.

Here’s what I suggest, and this involves another exercise. Make three circles on a sheet of paper, each representing a pot of money. In the first circle, put a number that closely estimates your cash needs during your first three years of retirement. In the second circle, recalculate your estimate to include the effects of inflation. In the third circle, write the number reflecting what remains of your savings, or one as close as you can estimate it.

For someone thinking he will need $3,000/month in the first year of retirement, calculating for 5% inflation during the first three years will assume withdrawals averaging $3,165/month. That amount multiplied by 36 months gives a result of $115,000. In the second circle, you should allocate $135,000 to furnish average monthly payments of $3,750 for three years assuming the same rate of inflation annually. That amount should allow for a greater exposure to higher yielding stocks in the third pot of money, assuming $470,000 is left to invest.

In the first circle, your pot of money, including cash and money market accounts, should yield about 3%/annually. In the second pot, moderately risky investments like bond funds could yield 5%/annually. For the third pot, we will assume 7%/annual growth. Hopefully, you’ll do better, but let’s play it safe for now.

Assuming that all goes according to plan, your first year’s growth would add up to about $43,000. If you took $36,000 in the first year, the plan doesn’t look so bad, eh? But there would not be sufficient growth allowing for annual raises of 5% to match assumed inflation rates. So consider a slower rate of withdrawal to add comfort and the ability to increase your withdrawal schedule in later years to keep pace with inflation and unexpected expenses.

Two possible improvements on the 5% withdrawal in the first year plan would involve assuming that you will take 5% in the first year, but only from savings in the third, more risky pot. Or might a first-year 4% withdrawal schedule from all savings be a better way to go?

If you take less than planned in the first year, based on investment returns, you can always adjust in ensuing years and take more. But if your third pot suffers a bad year, don’t worry too much, since that money still has another five years to recover.

This plan is not perfect. Much will change over the next few years, and I am assuming in my own calculations higher rates of inflation than 5%. But you need to start estimating your needs versus availability now, and this is the best method I know of.

Have a great week.
Bob

Bob Wood ChFC, CLU Yusuf Kadiwala. Registered Investment Advisors, KMA, Inc., invest@muslimobserver.com.

9-22

SE Michigan (V9-I22)

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Fundraiser for Crescent Academy International

Canton–May 19–Formally it is known as the Muslim Community of the Western Suburbs (MCWS), but most of us call it the Canton Mosque on Palmer road. This past weekend the Canton mosque held a very interesting and successful fundraiser for its school, the Crescent Academy International (CAI).

Approximately 1,000 people attended the affair, which attracted Muslims from all across Michigan.

CAI is a Montessori-style school with, according to its website, 350 students, PK through 8th grade, described on its website as “a private, college preparatory, Islamic school enrolling students in Montessori preschool up to 8th grade.”

All teachers at the school are certified, most with advanced academic training.

The school first opened in September of 1991, and claims steady growth and progress since then, claiming a reputation as “one of the premiere Islamic schools in North America.”

The school was opened by the Michigan Education Council (MEC).

The ethnicities represented at the school reflect those of the American Muslim community, with a slightly larger than proportional representation from the peoples of the subcontinent which in fact reflects the demographics of Canton itself.

According to the website private schools report, the school is 34% from the subcontinent, 7.3% from African American background, and 58% white (which percentage may include many Arabs and people from the subcontinent.).

According to “www.crescentacademy.org,” on March 1st, CAI students and staff stepped into a newly expanded facility, the culmination of years of planning and hard work. The plant is 60,000 sf, a $7 million facility with 32 large new classrooms and a designated library, computer lab, art room, foreign language room, multi-purpose rooms, teachers’ lounges, and a new administrative area.

The entire facility also has internet access, and is of course fully climate-controlled.

The Crescent Academy International is located at 40440 Palmer Road in Canton, MI 48188. Tel: 313-729-1000; Fax (313) 729-1004.

www.crescentacademy.org.

Community News (V9-I22)

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US Attorney Meets with Colorado Muslims

DENVER – The treatment of Muslims in the United States was the topic Friday night of an informal discussion featuring the U.S. Attorney for Colorado.

The Muslim American Society hosted a town-hall meeting in Denver with U.S. Attorney Troy Eid.

He started by telling the audience about his own Arab ancestry, pointing out that his father emigrated from Egypt in 1957.

He discussed his background, his job, and immigration issues. He focused on concerns that Muslims are being unfairly targeted for investigation and deportation in the name of homeland security.

Muslim jail guard allowed to wear kufi

NEW YORK—In a federal court settlement released Wednesday, New York prison officials have agreed to allow a Muslim correction officer wear a kufi while on duty at a Harlem correctional facility.

The settlement, which federal District Court judge Harold Baer approved last Friday, marks an end to the New York State Department of Correctional Services’ policy of refusing to grant any religious accommodations to state correction officers.

“This settlement is an important victory not only for Mr. Haqq but for correction officers around the state,” said NYCLU Associate Legal Director Christopher Dunn. “New York has now abandoned its policy of refusing to accommodate the religious beliefs of correction officers, and we fully expect that many other officers will receive religious accommodations.”

The NYCLU filed its federal lawsuit on Oct. 5, 2006 on behalf of Abdus Samad N. Haqq, a devout Muslim who is assigned to work at the Lincoln Correctional Facility on West 110th Street in Harlem. In defending the state’s directive to Haqq that he not wear his kufi while on duty, former Commissioner of the New York State Department of Correctional Services Lucien LeClair had stated, “[T]he Department is vehemently opposed to the granting of any accommodations to security staff employees which alter the uniform grooming regulations for reasons of religious practice.”

On March 15, the United States Department of Justice filed a companion lawsuit against DOCS challenging its refusal to grant religious accommodations to corrections officers. That lawsuit is still pending. 5-09-07

Syed Fareed to work at Dallas law firm

Syed Fareed of the University of Minnesota Law School will work in the Dallas office of Fish & Richardson PC this summer as part of the law firm’s Diversity Fellowship Program. It is the second summer that Mr. Fareed will be working at the Dallas office under the program. The program was launched in 2005.

Mr. Fareed has a B.S. in computer science from the University of Texas, Austin, is a student at the University of Minnesota Law School (2008), and will work in the firm’s Dallas office.

Milwaukee mayor to visit places of worship

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced plans to preach against violence in houses of worship this weekend as part of his third annual “Ceasefire Sabbath.” He will visit at least one mosque and at least five churches and could stop at other churches and synagogues as well, spokeswoman Eileen Force said.

“I know that the criminals aren’t likely to be in church this weekend, but their mothers are; their girlfriends are; and their neighbors are,” Barrett says in a statement. “Together, we can work to solve Milwaukee’s crime problems.”

This weekend also marks the launch of the Milwaukee Police Department’s Neighborhood Safety Initiative, which will put extra squads and foot patrol officers into high-crime areas from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. through Sept. 8.

Trenton Mosque sues to remove leader

Trenton, NJ–The founders of the Masjid As-Saffat mosque in Trenton have sued in Superior Court in Mercer County to have their religious leader removed.

The suit, filed by the International Muslim Brotherhood, the mosque’s owner, as well as three founding members, claims that Imam Sabur Abdul Hakim is trying to make the congregation more fundamentalist.

They also claim Hakim has recently adopted stricter views of Islam and is planning to beam in lectures by satellite from a conservative sect in Saudi Arabia.

The mosque was founded in 1981 by local Muslims and state employees needing a place to pray and was open to all sects.

FBI agent was investigating vehicle when confronted by student

IRVINE, CA–An FBI agent confronted by a Muslim student at UC Irvine earlier this month was trying to get a closer look at a “suspicious” truck at the time.

That’s according to FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller, who tells the Associated Press the agents were engaged in an investigation that had “nothing to do with the UCI campus or student activities there.”

The incident occurred May 14th, when a Muslim student said an agent bumped him with his car near the site of an anti-Israel protest.

Eimiller did not elaborate about the investigation.

9-22

Houstonian Corner (V9-I22)

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30 community organizations attend M. J. Khan’s briefing about meeting with Secretary Chertoff

The City of Houston Councilman Honorable M. J. Khan addressed a gathering of office bearers and members from thirty-three community organizations at La-Sani Restaurant in Houston this past Wednesday evening. Among those present were several Muslim Scholars of the Imam Committee of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) including Chairman Sheikh Mustafa, Madarasa-e-Islamiah, Clearlake Islamic Center, Mercy Community Centers, Islamic Dawah Center (IDC) Downtown Houston, Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Muslim American Society (MAS), Islamic Medical Association, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) Houston, Ismaeli Muslims of Houston and many more.

M. J. Khan’s outreach meeting was held in reference to the recent meeting with the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff by five Muslims scholars and leaders at his office in Washington. The purpose of this D.C. meeting was to exchange insights about issues and challenges facing American Muslims and to look for ways to improve the Homeland Security Department’s engagement efforts with the community. Daniel Sutherland, David Gersten and Shaarik Zafar, of the Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, were instrumental in organizing this meeting. They can be reached at: (202) 357-8373; E-Mail: shaarik.zafar@dhs.gov; Web-Page: www.dhs.gov/civilliberties

Mr. Khan was one of the invitees to this D.C. meeting, where various matters with regards to national security were discussed and suggestions sorted for the kind of language used by the government during the ongoing war on terror. More such meetings will be held in the future. The idea is to engage various communities, like the Arabs, South-Asians and Muslims, so as to have meaningful dialog in achieving a safe and prosperous environment for all.

Those invited to the DC meeting included: 1) Shahed Amanullah, who is a Civil and IT Engineer, an Internet Entrepreneur and the founder of one of the largest and best Islamic websites www.ALTMuslim.Com; 2) Dr. Akbar Ahmed, who is Chair of Islamic Studies at the Ibn Khaldun Center of American University in Washington DC; 3) Reza Aslan, author of “No God but God” and an internationally acclaimed writer and scholar of religions, a regular commentator for NPR Marketplace and Middle East Analyst for CBS News; 4) Hon. M. J. Khan, who is a Council Member of the City of Houston, the fourth largest metropolis of the USA, a true political leader of the Muslim and South-Asian communities; and 5) Dr. Eboo Patel, the Founder of Interfaith Youth Corp, who has served the boards of the Aga Khan Foundation USA and has been featured on various mainstream American media: Unfortunately, due to prior engagements, Dr. Patel could not attend this first meeting with Mr. Chertoff.

Khan at this outreach meeting, briefed more than 100 people about the salient features of the meeting with Homeland Security, one of which was the refutation by Secretary Chertoff of the recent New York Times report which said that the U.S. Government is going to make the Visa Waiver Program with the Britain very strict for British Muslims, especially those of Pakistani descent. He confirmed in front of the four American community representatives in the meeting that this was an inaccurate report.

Khan informed us that the Muslim scholars and leaders told Homeland Security how the Muslims, especially the youth, feel hampered in voicing their concerns about what is happening around them because of their fear of getting entrapped by federal agencies and examples from various cities including Houston were cited where there is a strong feeling that young Muslims got deceived.

It was said that the internet is a good place to exchange varying views to get resolutions on many contemporary problems, but due to the fear of reprisals from agencies, Muslim youths are not effectively part of this media: It was promised that Muslim youths can freely go and express their views on the internet against any government policies: They should give constructive opinions as to what needs to be changed: The only obvious caution is no body can be allowed to instigate violence against innocent people.

Last but not least, Secretary Chertoff asked about the jargon used in the war on terror and if it is appropriate, since the Government wants to use the right language, which people feel appropriate. Hon. M. J. Khan said the group informed him words like Islamo-Fascism, Islamic Terrorists, Muslim Terrorists, etc. are all wrong, since Islam and Muslims have nothing to do with fascisms and terrorism. Also Jihadists is a wrong word and should not be used, since real jihad is to bring tranquility in individual and community life–and is therefore good, unlike the bad things that are done in the same name.

The Homeland Security Staff said a word “Takfeer” is under considering to be used for terrorists. On this Chairman Imam Committee of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) Sheikh Mustafa said that this is also a wrong word, since it is used for someone, who is apparently Muslim, but someone judges him or her to be Non-Muslims: As human-beings, we can not make this determination that exactly who is Non-Muslim (or Kafir), so the word takfir should not be used by US Government. He also added that the government should not call Muslims Shi’a or Sunni or Liberal or Orthodox or Conservative, since that creates undue divisions among the Muslims, which is not healthy for peaceful communal life.

Sheikh Mustafa suggested a word out of Qur`an for terrorists, and that is “transgressors.” However, he said the Honorable imams of Houston should sit together and discuss among themselves and then get back with Hon. M. J. Khan with some concrete and appropriate words.

houston@muslimobserver.com.

9-22

Boston (V9-I22)

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Bush Honors Quincy Imam

Boston–March 14, 2007–President Bush appointed Imam Talal Eid of Quincy, Massachusetts to the United States Commission on International Religious freedom, a bipartisan federal agency based in Washington, DC.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is a US government agency created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. It monitors the state of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad according to the definition in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Commission gives independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and the Congress.

The USCIRF advises the US Department of State which countries it believes should receive designation as a Country of Particular Concern for violations of religious freedom. The Secretary of State is not obligated to follow the USCIRF recommendations.

Eid was born in 1951 in Lebanon. He studied at al-Azhar University in Cairo. In 2005, the Harvard Divinity School conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Theology.

Eid is Founder and Director of Religious Affairs at the Islamic Institute of Boston. He served as imam at the Al-Nasir Mosque in Tripoli for seven years and as imam and religious director of the Islamic Center of New England from 1983-2005. He currently serves as Muslim chaplain at Massachusetts General Hospital and at Brandeis University.

The USCIRF’s first Muslim Commissioner was UCLA law school professor Khaled M. Abou El Fadl. But Talal Eid is the first Muslim cleric on the commission. TMO asked Imam Talal Eid to comment on his role in the Commission as a representative of Islam.

“In the mosque, the imam is not the center, rather God/Allah, the Creator. The rabbi is a cleric, but his/her role is different than that of the priest. Even Christian clerics differ in their role toward their communities. And thus do the imams.”

Eid continued, “I am willing to engage people in dialogue. To have a dialogue with people of shared principles is important. But more important is to have dialogue with people who are different, probably very different. People should learn how to solve their social problems through dialogue. Hatred and violence can bring destruction and may cause tragedies and misery.”

“The Commission’s role is to suggest solutions to problems related to religious freedom to the best of my understanding and belief. I may not be able to solve the problems of the world, but I have to start somewhere.”

Harvard Shows Iranian Political Art

Cambridge–May 18, 2007–TMO attended the opening reception of a photo exhibit entitled “Walls of Martyrdom: Tehran’s Propaganda Murals” at Harvard University. To show the power of imagery in Iranian culture, Fontini Christia displayed photographs of Tehran’s public murals in an exhibit designed by Ghazal Abbasy Asbagh.

Asbagh’s husband Alireza Korangy participated in the panel, “Murals and Martyrdom in the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Another panel, “A Comparative Perspective of Martyrdom and Propaganda Art in Iraq, Lebanon, and the Palestinian Territories” followed.

The program claims, “The exhibit’s primary objective is to document and present images that are part of the daily urban experience in Tehran…the exhibit also aspires to debate and deconstruct…the extent to which they express revolutionary fervor and religious fundamentalism or merely the regime’s anxieties and insecurities.”

Some felt the art expresses Iran’s “death culture.” Yet others found that the smiling martyr murals clearly celebrate transcendence, like the American “Give me liberty or give me death.”

“Martyrdom is the legacy of the Prophet” (s) an Islamic pieta, shows a haloed image of Prophet (s) holding the unmoving and visibly wounded body of a young man.

A young volunteer in the Iran-Iraq war is pictured in a field of flowers stretching into the horizon.

Iranians remember their war heroes as beautiful souls. American war heroes are memorialized with white crosses, but seldom remembered so personally.

One mural shows a mindset related to cultural conflict, showing a hand reaching from a satellite dish with a match to burn stylized flowers representing Iranian culture–the flowers are as one might see decorating walls in a traditional mosque.

Exhibit designer Asbagh remarked to TMO that some of the murals have some similarity to Soviet realist posters. She said, “I am happy to bring a little of the real Tehran to the USA.”

She has long noticed a major disconnect between the reality of Iran and the coverage of Iran in the US media. She hopes that this exhibit can help Americans get to know Iranians as people.

Evidence: Frivolous Lawsuit Aimed at Ethnic Intimidation

Boston–May 22, 2007–New court evidence reveals that David Project directors and several attorneys were planning to stop construction of the Roxbury Mosque.

One attorney suggested, “How about simply appealing the building permit and tying things up?”

“Ultimately our interest is based on the premise that…people in the ISB are supporters of terrorism and sworn enemies of America and Jews,” said real estate developer Steve Cohen.

The group decided to investigate potential parking violations and other legal technicalities.

On July 22, 2004 David Project director Anna Kolodner started panicking.

“The steel is going up on the mosque,” she wrote to the group. “We need to have a plaintiff. This is a priority. Please contact any individuals that would consider this role and let us know.”

Using the lawsuit, Kolodner demanded records from the Boston Redevelopment Authority to use for negative publicity.

Realizing that few Americans could care less where the Islamic Society of Boston obtained their mortgage, Cohen discussed creating suspicion by using vague language to question the mosque’s non-criminal foreign “connections.”

“However, the First Amendment will bar any governmental action against the mosque based on these connections – not in the absence of incitement that might lead to ‘imminent action.’ So all we are left with is a public relations campaign.”

This admission betrays a premeditated decision to incite hate by using “terrorist” as an ethnic slur to manipulate public sentiment, while their plaintiff sued the city for selling to Muslims.

“The suit itself will have to stick to the narrow constitutional issues, which have nothing to do with the terrorist connections,” Cohen continued. “However, the PR campaign surrounding the suit can strike a different chord: i.e. that the city of Boston should not be subsidizing a mosque or any organization with terrorist connections.”

“We will be much more effective if we let others ask this question than if we do so ourselves,” Cohen strategized.

On September 2, 2004, Anna Kolodner wrote, “Filing the lawsuit will serve to trip the switch on the larger agenda of exposing the radical fundamentalist underpinnings of the mosque and its leaders…We need to develop a media campaign and identify who will be the public spokesperson for the group…We need an expert in Power Point to develop a presentation that can be used with the media, politicians, and community groups.”

That Power Point expert turned out to be Robert Spencer.

9-22

Depression

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Dear Sisters,
Aslaam u alaikum.

The topic I want to write about today is one which is an issue that I have come across with many people I know and I believe is very important to talk about although it is rarely discussed in Muslim gatherings. And that is the illness of depression.

For some reason in our community depression comes with a stigma.

Causes of Depression

There are a variety of reasons why depression occurs.

Factors involved in causing depression, include:
• A history of depression in the family: It is believed that depression is passed genetically from generation to generation, although the exact way this occurs is not known.
• Grief from the death or loss of a loved one.
• Personal disputes, like conflict with a family member.
• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
• Major events that occur in everyone’s lives, such as moving, graduating, changing jobs, getting married or divorced, retiring, etc.
• Serious illness: depressed feelings are a common reaction to many medical illnesses.
• Certain medications
• Financial strain
• Substance abuse: close to 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major depression. (1)

SIMPLY BIOLOGY

Often when we encounter someone who has depression, we start to speculate as to perhaps there is something wrong in this person’s life. We might think that maybe there is something wrong with their job, maybe they are financially overburdened, or maybe they are not getting along with their spouse, or maybe they are missing their parents, and if we can’t find any other reason, we might simply think that they are weird. Muslims might say that it is a lack of iman, or due to sins, or that the person who seems to have it all is simply thankless.

However it might just be simply biology. Although the above factors might be contributing factors, it is often that a person will just simply get depression and none of the above factors exist. This is because the fact is that depression is an illness, just like any other illness. Just like there are diseases of the heart, or the lungs, or the joints, this is an illness of the brain. It has been scientifically proven that there are changes in the brains of people who suffer from depression. There is a chemical called serotonin which enables the body to communicate with the nerves in the brain. Then there is a small part of the brain called the hippocamus which is important to the storage of memories and it contains the seratonin receptors. If someone has a smaller hippocampus they will have a smaller amount of serotonin receptors, and other chemicals which are responsible for mood control. It is just like someone who has diabetes in which the body fails to produce enough insulin. In the case of depression not enough seratonin receptors are functioning.

There is also proof that shows that there is a genetic predisposition for depression. Therefore if one’s mother or father or other close relative has suffered from depression then there is a greater likelihood that one would also suffer from depression.

Food allergies, prescription drugs, caffeine, hypoglycemia, chronic pain, and especially in women hormonal disorders such as, thyroid disorders, parathyroid, adrenal glands are also causes for depression.

The first thing is to be diagnosed. For major depression, you may experience five or more of the following for at least a two-week period:

• Persistent sadness, pessimism.
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness or hopelessness.
• Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities, including sex.
• Difficulty concentrating and complaints of poor memory.
• Worsening of coexisting chronic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.
• Insomnia or oversleeping.
• Weight gain or loss.
• Fatigue, lack of energy.
• Anxiety, agitation, irritability.
• Thoughts of suicide or death.
• Slow speech; slow movements.
• Headache, stomachache and digestive problems.

You must go to your doctor and speak to her openly and honestly. In order to be diagnosed and prescribed the proper medication.

Treatment

In many Muslim circles you will hear people say that you do not need medicine all you need is prayer and to make your iman strong.

There is a misconception that anti-depressants are addictive. This is not true.

Right now you need to focus on what you need to recover from your illness. Do not worry about anything else.

What I would say is that you need to do BOTH MEDICATION AND PRAYER. Because I believe that Medication is also a gift from Allah, if we do not take advantage then we are hurting ourselves. The medication will make you feel awful for the first week to 10 days or even 2 weeks, but you have to give it time. You may experience nausea (feeling like you want to throw up or vomit) You will feel like spaced out (not able to concentrate) You will feel sleepy and maybe some restlessness. I advise that you not drive or ride motorcycle by yourself during that stage. This is where I believe is the true test from Allah, to see how much sabr we have. And keep praying to Allah. And making Dua. and keep hope alive in you. Do not lose hope. I know it is so hard. But keep telling yourself “I WILL RECOVER. INSHALLAH”.

Keep yourself busy. Sit with your family, I will stress this point. AVOID SITTING BY YOURSELF OR BEING ALONE. Find the people who you can trust and who truly care about you and talk to them. Also there is nothing wrong in seeing a therapist, if you feel there are some issues that are bothering you. Read the Surahs Fatihah, Ikhals, Falaq and Nas. And read Ayat –ul-Kursiy and Darood, as much as possible it will definitely help you.

How to Deal with Someone who Has Depression

How to Help a Friend With a Serious Depression Problem

Helping a friend, partner, or relative with depression is much like helping someone who has recently had surgery. Acceptance and assistance in both situations are foundations to recovery. However, failure to secure professional treatment for serious (clinical) depression can sometimes lead to suicide.

Steps

1. Accept. Research depression and accept that depression is a disease — a disease that takes many forms and one in which the person suffering from it has little control.

2. Acknowledge. Tell the person suffering from depression that you’ve noticed that they seem down or depressed lately.

3. Ask. Ask them if there is anything you can do to help.

4. Listen. If the person wants to talk, actively listen without judging or giving advice.

5. Encourage. Help the person find professional help. Encourage the person to start with a family doctor or local mental health associations. Offer to help them find resources or counselling services.

6. Watch. More severe forms can lead to job loss, dramatic loss of weight, substantial social isolation, and suicide.

7. Act. Ask the person if they are thinking about suicide or hurting themselves. If they say they are, you need to seek immediate professional help. Call a Suicide Hotline for referrals and advice. In the USA call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. (http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org) Local mental health organizations (government or non-profit organizations) can also provide referrals. These organizations are especially important for individuals with limited incomes. They may be able to provide counseling for free or at a reduced cost.

8. Refrain. For those undergoing counseling or using psychiatric drugs, don’t second-guess the treatment being provided by the professional. Mental health professionals are trained and licensed to treat depression. “Second-guessing” may hamper the treatment of depression by undermining the trusting relationship being developed by the professional and their client.

9. Comfort. A person with depression often has problems with basic household chores or providing themselves with things that ordinarily provide comfort. You can comfort them by offering to help with chores and running errands. These simple tasks often feel overwhelming to a person with depression. You can also do special things like taking them out to dinner, buying them a gift certificate for a massage, presenting a bouquet of flowers, etc. Even if the person with depression declines your offers of assistance, increasing the frequency of things you normally do with that person (walk, dine out, go to a movie) may provide them comfort without seeming intrusive.

Tips

• People with depression can’t “snap out of it” or “pull themselves up by the bootstraps,” although society often conveys that message.
• Do not try to make them feel better by reminding them how much better their lives are than other people’s.
• Remember that having a mental illness still carries a stigma in our society. So, before you discuss the depressed person’s condition with a third party, ask their permission to do so. You want to help them, not make them subject to the gossip mill.
• If you honestly mean it and can do so with an open heart, offer to be there 24/7. Tell them that you welcome their phone calls at all hours. You will rarely, if ever, receive a middle of the night call. But a sincere offer sends a message of support that will be heard.
• Offer advice sparingly.
• Many people with depression will turn down your offer of assistance. Don’t take it personally.
• Don’t take rejection personally. Often, a person with depression will reject the best of friends or partners and remain aloof. Although the rejection may hurt, it is not about you.
• Ask what you can do to help, rather than assume you know the answers.
• In helping, be aware that a person with depression is vulnerable. Ensure that you are not using a person’s depression to further your emotional or physical needs.
• Get them to express their emotion. Writing, poetry, art, origami, talking, journals, and video games are all good ways to express emotions.
• If they are serious about doing harm to themselves, you need to contact assistance immediately.
• If you are the least bit worried that a person may be suicidal or may otherwise physically harm themselves, call a suicide helpline or a local mental health organization for advice on how to proceed. The professionals are there to help you also.
• Ask a depressed friend for help. “Can you give me a hand with this tomorrow?” is a great, low-stress method for getting them involved in life and thinking outside themselves. Make it about the project, not about their depression.
• Exercise is one of the better medicines. Set up a walking program or some other form of physical activity with your friend. Exercise serves two purposes. First it helps the body produce chemicals that lessen depression, and second, it helps remove a person from a socially isolating situation. However, be mindful that a depressed person often cannot adhere to a schedule that they perceive as overwhelming. So start slowly.
• Work with the person suffering from depression to find positive social networks, volunteer opportunities, mental health support groups, and spiritual organizations.

I would also like to add that do not think that this person is looking for attention. The amount of damage you can do by giving this feeling is great. The treatment involves talking about the illness and how one is feeling, so by giving the patient the feeling that they are looking for attention is very destructive to the treatment of the person. Islamically, we should understand the dynamics of the disease and be sensitive to the patient. Just as with any other illness we need to be sympathetic and also caring. Do not ostracize the person or stigmatize them.

The good news is that treatment works. Most people make a full recovery from the illness if they receive proper treatment.

I would like to invite our readers to send in any questions they might have dealing with social, religious, even legal issues and I will do my best to try to give you the best answers and information I can, if it is something I can not answer I will find an expert who will be able to answer.

Muslimah@muslimobserver.com

Obama Fundraiser Draws Young South Asian Professionals

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Courtesy NAM, India West, News Report, Ketaki Gokhale

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.-The local chapter of South Asians for Obama had its kickoff event for the 2008 presidential campaign last week at the Dolce Bar and Lounge here in the city’s North Beach district. A crowd of approximately 75 young professionals turned out for the event, contributing over $1,200 to Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

“Most of Obama’s fundraising has been done through small, $20 donations from young people,” SAFO-SF steering committee chair Anhoni Patel told India-West. “It has really infused the campaign with a younger energy.”

“In the South Asian community, the response has been very strong. We’ve seen lots of excitement from a variety of people in their 20s and 30s, and many green card-holders.”

What’s piquing their interest, Patel said, is Obama’s multiculturalism. “He wants to change what American looks like and he wants to bring respect to what it means to be American,” she told India-West. “As a multinational, he knows about diversity and encompasses it. He grew up in Indonesia and has an African father. We are literally Indian American, and he’s literally African American. Whether it’s unconsciously or consciously, it speaks to people, and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Anil Babbar, the Fremont, Calif.-based chair of the group’s communication committee, got involved in Obama’s campaign three months ago because he feels the freshman senator has “the fresh perspective needed to effect change.”

“The South Asian community is still feeling its way about, trying to get to know the candidates,” Babbar said. “The majority do support Democrats, and many will be drawn to Obama’s campaign.”

Organizing committee chair Vikas Gupta compared Obama’s low-key approach favorably to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s. “Hillary is too political for me,” Babbar said. “She’s really targeting the Indian American community, even going to the U.S. IIT alumni meet, but I think Obama will appeal more to the younger age group.”

Tony West, a local attorney and the brother-in-law of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, and Chris Young, the Bay Area representative of the national campaign for Obama, made their appearances and spoke briefly in support of Obama.

SAFO was founded in Washington, D.C. with the goal of mobilizing the South Asian American community to help elect Senator Obama to the presidency. The San Francisco chapter is one of the organization’s first chapters.

To learn more about SAFO-SF and to find out about volunteer opportunities, email safosf08@yahoo.com.

9-22

NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51

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National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive

White House News

NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/NSPD 51

HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE/HSPD-20

Subject: National Continuity Policy

Purpose

(1) This directive establishes a comprehensive national policy on the continuity of Federal Government structures and operations and a single National Continuity Coordinator responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of Federal continuity policies. This policy establishes “National Essential Functions,” prescribes continuity requirements for all executive departments and agencies, and provides guidance for State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector organizations in order to ensure a comprehensive and integrated national continuity program that will enhance the credibility of our national security posture and enable a more rapid and effective response to and recovery from a national emergency.

Definitions

(2) In this directive:

(a) “Category” refers to the categories of executive departments and agencies listed in Annex A to this directive;

(b) “Catastrophic Emergency” means any incident, regardless of location, that results in extraordinary levels of mass casualties, damage, or disruption severely affecting the U.S. population, infrastructure, environment, economy, or government functions;

(c) “Continuity of Government,” or “COG,” means a coordinated effort within the Federal Government’s executive branch to ensure that National Essential Functions continue to be performed during a Catastrophic Emergency;

(d) “Continuity of Operations,” or “COOP,” means an effort within individual executive departments and agencies to ensure that Primary Mission-Essential Functions continue to be performed during a wide range of emergencies, including localized acts of nature, accidents, and technological or attack-related emergencies;

(e) “Enduring Constitutional Government,” or “ECG,” means a cooperative effort among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Federal Government, coordinated by the President, as a matter of comity with respect to the legislative and judicial branches and with proper respect for the constitutional separation of powers among the branches, to preserve the constitutional framework under which the Nation is governed and the capability of all three branches of government to execute constitutional responsibilities and provide for orderly succession, appropriate transition of leadership, and interoperability and support of the National Essential Functions during a catastrophic emergency;

(f) “Executive Departments and Agencies” means the executive departments enumerated in 5 U.S.C. 101, independent establishments as defined by 5 U.S.C. 104(1), Government corporations as defined by 5 U.S.C. 103(1), and the United States Postal Service;

(g) “Government Functions” means the collective functions of the heads of executive departments and agencies as defined by statute, regulation, presidential direction, or other legal authority, and the functions of the legislative and judicial branches;

(h) “National Essential Functions,” or “NEFs,” means that subset of Government Functions that are necessary to lead and sustain the Nation during a catastrophic emergency and that, therefore, must be supported through COOP and COG capabilities; and

(i) “Primary Mission Essential Functions,” or “PMEFs,” means those Government Functions that must be performed in order to support or implement the performance of NEFs before, during, and in the aftermath of an emergency.

Policy

(3) It is the policy of the United States to maintain a comprehensive and effective continuity capability composed of Continuity of Operations and Continuity of Government programs in order to ensure the preservation of our form of government under the Constitution and the continuing performance of National Essential Functions under all conditions.

Implementation Actions

(4) Continuity requirements shall be incorporated into daily operations of all executive departments and agencies. As a result of the asymmetric threat environment, adequate warning of potential emergencies that could pose a significant risk to the homeland might not be available, and therefore all continuity planning shall be based on the assumption that no such warning will be received. Emphasis will be placed upon geographic dispersion of leadership, staff, and infrastructure in order to increase survivability and maintain uninterrupted Government Functions. Risk management principles shall be applied to ensure that appropriate operational readiness decisions are based on the probability of an attack or other incident and its consequences.

(5) The following NEFs are the foundation for all continuity programs and capabilities and represent the overarching responsibilities of the Federal Government to lead and sustain the Nation during a crisis, and therefore sustaining the following NEFs shall be the primary focus of

the Federal Government leadership during and in the aftermath of an emergency that adversely affects the performance of Government Functions:

(a) Ensuring the continued functioning of our form of government under the Constitution, including the functioning of the three separate branches of government;

(b) Providing leadership visible to the Nation and the world and maintaining the trust and confidence of the American people;

(c) Defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and preventing or interdicting attacks against the United States or its people, property, or interests;

(d) Maintaining and fostering effective relationships with foreign nations;

(e) Protecting against threats to the homeland and bringing to justice perpetrators of crimes or attacks against the United States or its people, property, or interests;

(f) Providing rapid and effective response to and recovery from the domestic consequences of an attack or other incident;

(g) Protecting and stabilizing the Nation’s economy and ensuring public confidence in its financial systems; and

(h) Providing for critical Federal Government services that address the national health, safety, and welfare needs of the United States.

(6) The President shall lead the activities of the Federal Government for ensuring constitutional government. In order to advise and assist the President in that function, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism (APHS/CT) is hereby designated as the National Continuity Coordinator. The National Continuity Coordinator, in coordination with the Assistant to the President for National

Security Affairs (APNSA), without exercising directive authority, shall coordinate the development and implementation of continuity policy for executive departments and agencies. The Continuity Policy Coordination Committee (CPCC), chaired by a Senior Director from the Homeland Security Council staff, designated by the National Continuity Coordinator, shall be the main day-to-day forum for such policy coordination.

(7) For continuity purposes, each executive department and agency is assigned to a category in accordance with the nature and characteristics of its national security roles and

responsibilities in support of the Federal Government’s ability to sustain the NEFs. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall serve as the President’s lead agent for coordinating overall

continuity operations and activities of executive departments and agencies, and in such role shall perform the responsibilities set forth for the Secretary in sections 10 and 16 of this directive.

(8) The National Continuity Coordinator, in consultation with the heads of appropriate executive departments and agencies, will lead the development of a National Continuity Implementation Plan (Plan), which shall include prioritized goals and objectives, a concept of operations, performance metrics by which to measure continuity readiness, procedures for continuity and incident management activities, and clear direction to executive department and agency continuity coordinators, as well as guidance to promote interoperability of Federal Government continuity programs and procedures with State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate. The Plan shall be submitted to the President for approval not later than 90 days after the date of this directive.

(9) Recognizing that each branch of the Federal Government is responsible for its own continuity programs, an official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President shall ensure that the executive branch’s COOP and COG policies in support of ECG efforts are appropriately coordinated with those of

the legislative and judicial branches in order to ensure interoperability and allocate national assets efficiently to maintain a functioning Federal Government.

(10) Federal Government COOP, COG, and ECG plans and operations shall be appropriately integrated with the emergency plans and capabilities of State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate, in order to promote interoperability and to prevent redundancies and conflicting lines of authority. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate the integration of Federal continuity plans and operations with State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector owners and operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate, in order to provide for the delivery of essential services during an emergency.

(11) Continuity requirements for the Executive Office of the President (EOP) and executive departments and agencies shall include the following:

(a) The continuation of the performance of PMEFs during any emergency must be for a period up to 30 days or until normal operations can be resumed, and the capability to be fully operational at alternate sites as soon as possible after the occurrence of an emergency, but not later than 12 hours after COOP activation;

(b) Succession orders and pre-planned devolution of authorities that ensure the emergency delegation of authority must be planned and documented in advance in accordance with applicable law;

(c) Vital resources, facilities, and records must be safeguarded, and official access to them must be provided;

(d) Provision must be made for the acquisition of the resources necessary for continuity operations on an emergency basis;

(e) Provision must be made for the availability and redundancy of critical communications capabilities at alternate sites in order to support connectivity between

and among key government leadership, internal elements, other executive departments and agencies, critical partners, and the public;

(f) Provision must be made for reconstitution capabilities that allow for recovery from a catastrophic emergency and resumption of normal operations; and

(g) Provision must be made for the identification, training, and preparedness of personnel capable of relocating to alternate facilities to support the continuation of the performance of PMEFs.

(12) In order to provide a coordinated response to escalating threat levels or actual emergencies, the Continuity of Government Readiness Conditions (COGCON) system establishes executive branch continuity program readiness levels, focusing

on possible threats to the National Capital Region. The President will determine and issue the COGCON Level. Executive departments and agencies shall comply with the requirements and

assigned responsibilities under the COGCON program. During COOP activation, executive departments and agencies shall report their readiness status to the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary’s designee.

(13) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall:

(a) Conduct an annual assessment of executive department and agency continuity funding requests and performance data that are submitted by executive departments and agencies as part of the annual budget request process, in order to monitor progress in the implementation of the Plan and the execution of continuity budgets;

(b) In coordination with the National Continuity Coordinator, issue annual continuity planning guidance for the development of continuity budget requests; and

(c) Ensure that heads of executive departments and agencies prioritize budget resources for continuity capabilities, consistent with this directive.

(14) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall:

(a) Define and issue minimum requirements for continuity communications for executive departments and agencies, in consultation with the APHS/CT, the APNSA, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Chief of Staff to the President;

(b) Establish requirements for, and monitor the development, implementation, and maintenance of, a comprehensive communications architecture to integrate continuity components, in consultation with the APHS/CT, the APNSA, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Chief of Staff to the President; and

(c) Review quarterly and annual assessments of continuity communications capabilities, as prepared pursuant to section 16(d) of this directive or otherwise, and report the results and recommended remedial actions to the National Continuity Coordinator.

(15) An official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President shall:

(a) Advise the President, the Chief of Staff to the President, the APHS/CT, and the APNSA on COGCON operational execution options; and

(b) Consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security in order to ensure synchronization and integration of continuity activities among the four categories of executive departments and agencies.

(16) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:

(a) Coordinate the implementation, execution, and assessment of continuity operations and activities;

(b) Develop and promulgate Federal Continuity Directives in order to establish continuity planning requirements for executive departments and agencies;

(c) Conduct biennial assessments of individual department and agency continuity capabilities as prescribed by the Plan and report the results to the President through the APHS/CT;

(d) Conduct quarterly and annual assessments of continuity communications capabilities in consultation with an official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President;

(e) Develop, lead, and conduct a Federal continuity training and exercise program, which shall be incorporated into the National Exercise Program developed pursuant to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-8 of December 17, 2003 (“National Preparedness”), in consultation with an

official designated by the Chief of Staff to the President;

(f) Develop and promulgate continuity planning guidance to State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators;

(g) Make available continuity planning and exercise funding, in the form of grants as provided by law, to State, local, territorial, and tribal governments, and private sector critical infrastructure owners and operators; and

(h) As Executive Agent of the National Communications System, develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive continuity communications architecture.

(17) The Director of National Intelligence, in coordination with the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall produce a biennial assessment of the foreign and domestic threats to the Nation’s continuity of government.

(18) The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall provide secure, integrated, Continuity of Government communications to the President, the Vice President, and, at a minimum, Category I executive departments and agencies.

(19) Heads of executive departments and agencies shall execute their respective department or agency COOP plans in response to a localized emergency and shall:

(a) Appoint a senior accountable official, at the Assistant Secretary level, as the Continuity Coordinator for the department or agency;

(b) Identify and submit to the National Continuity Coordinator the list of PMEFs for the department or agency and develop continuity plans in support of the NEFs and the continuation of essential functions under all conditions;

(c) Plan, program, and budget for continuity capabilities consistent with this directive;

(d) Plan, conduct, and support annual tests and training, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, in order to evaluate program readiness and ensure adequacy and viability of continuity plans and communications systems; and

(e) Support other continuity requirements, as assigned by category, in accordance with the nature and characteristics of its national security roles and responsibilities

General Provisions

(20) This directive shall be implemented in a manner that is consistent with, and facilitates effective implementation of, provisions of the Constitution concerning succession to the Presidency or the exercise of its powers, and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (3 U.S.C. 19), with consultation of the Vice President and, as appropriate, others involved. Heads of executive departments and agencies shall ensure that appropriate

support is available to the Vice President and others involved as necessary to be prepared at all times to implement those provisions.

(21) This directive:

(a) Shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and the authorities of agencies, or heads of agencies, vested by law, and subject to the availability of appropriations;

(b) Shall not be construed to impair or otherwise affect (i) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budget, administrative, and legislative proposals, or (ii) the authority of the Secretary of Defense over the Department of Defense, including the chain of command for military forces from the President, to the Secretary of Defense, to the commander of military forces, or military command and control procedures; and

(c) Is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its

agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(22) Revocation. Presidential Decision Directive 67 of October 21, 1998 (“Enduring Constitutional Government and Continuity of Government Operations”), including all Annexes thereto, is hereby revoked.

(23) Annex A and the classified Continuity Annexes, attached hereto, are hereby incorporated into and made a part of this directive.

(24) Security. This directive and the information contained herein shall be protected from unauthorized disclosure, provided that, except for Annex A, the Annexes attached to this directive are classified and shall be accorded appropriate handling, consistent with applicable Executive Orders.

GEORGE W. BUSH

“Muslim Code of Honor” signed by Sunni & Shi’a Imams at Islamic House of Wisdom

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TMO Staff Reporter

Farmington–May 15–Michigan’s imams flew in the face of the idea of centuries of conflict between Sunni and Shi’a by signing a “Muslim Code of Honor” that outlines and promises respectful mutual treatment by all signatories.

The impetus for the agreement was, in Imam Elahi’s words, that “Muslims regardless of their school of thought are targets of nonstop Islamophobic prejudice. The fear that the daily tragic news from Iraq may ignite clashes of opinions urgently requires responsible engagement by the highest Islamic leaders.

Therefore 28 of Michigan’s powerful imams and organization leaders signed this document, which specifies among other agreements that “Muslims should respect one another and the people, places and events that any Muslim group or individual holds in esteem.”

Please see the Code of Honor.

9-21

Democracy in the Balkans?

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By Geoffrey Cook, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

Berkeley–I wrote an article several weeks ago about the possibility for a free Islamic Kosova. I promised more information when there had been movement on the issue. Well, there has been movement. The negotiator with US and EU support has referred the issue of independence from Serbia to the Security Council of the United Nations.

Islamic Kosova remains a province of Serbia, an overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian country. The Serb government has recently said it will not grant independence willingly to their overwhelmingly Muslim Province of Kosova unless the UN forces them. Just today (May 13th) a high-ranking Serb politician proclaimed that self-governing Kosovars would be the beginning of the breakup of Serbia itself. At the moment it is on the Agenda of the Security Council to decide on how to proceed. At the same time, they have sent their chief negotiator on Pristina back to Belgrade for further talks.

Another new successfully-sovereign Balkan state in the Southern Balkans is Bosnia-Herzegovina. They are forty% Muslim–the largest group although they still are a minority since they do not make up fifty percent of the population.

About two months ago I was able talk to a previous Head of the UN Mission to the former Yugoslavia, Susan Woodward. She is an expert on post- Soviet affairs and on reconstruction in those areas.

One of the most exciting things for me with shifts within the Second World (Socialist Camp) is that I can study and communicate with people and cultures that are predominantly Muslim. The South Balkans are one, but, since the First and the rest of the Muslim Worlds have been separated from them for so long, there is a lack of scholarship on how to interpret their policies.

I have always held an admiration for the late President Tito. Besides being a courageous and great military leader in driving the better armed fascists from his land during the Second World War (1940s), he was a great political leader in keeping a diverse and contentious nation together. (Of course, he did so with a hard fist.) When he died, there was no one with his skills and personal liberality to follow him, and the once estimable Yugoslavia crumbled ugly into its constituent parts.

I believe it was always the secret dream of the United States that that nation on the Adriatic and the U.S.S.R. (Union of Socialist Soviet Republics) would fall apart into its parts. Now, Washington has to live with a dangerous instability in those once stable regions.

In the Southern part of the Former Yugoslavia there are three political units–now an independent (Orthodox) Montenegro makes a fourth. Susan Woodward doubts that democracy will take root in that soil any time soon because of the legacy of the Communist system. Still, the first Yugoslav democrats were anti-Communists. Yet she asks if a strong sense of statehood is necessary for democracy, but, without a strong state, democratic regimes are likely to snap. She repeats the cliché that democracies will not go to war with other democracies. Even the American Civil and Revolutionary Wars were between democracies. Often they are over territorial disputes such as the Mexican-American War or economic argument such as when the United States and the United Kingdom almost came to blows in 1927 over North Atlantic trade.

There is a development dilemma in this district: faster progress creates more rapid economic growth. She claims that democracy possesses an intrinsic advantage. This is definitely a Western opinion, but does not hold under all instances over all cultural environments. In the four “countries” in the Balkans, a policy dominates due to U.S. bullying. Amongst Europeans there is a nostalgic glance backward toward the Marshall Plan. Foreign policy goals by the U.S., the UN, and the European Union (EU) are similar for each of these territories. Bosnia, Serbia and Kosova are “European compatible moderates,” but in Pristina and Sarajevo many politicians are accused of being anti-European. Of course, the basic struggle for the Kosovars are minimal human rights.

Dr. Woodward deems that Europeanization equals democratization. Although it is my opinion that most younger people in Muslim realms are striving for that, but different religion and cultures have to be factored in, and may make a democratic system look quite different there than in London or other Western European capitals.

In Bosnia there is a considerable debate over this. Their leaders cannot come to a decision over the best model to follow. There is a sense that the International powers are applying undue pressure on their body politic. Susan Woodward questions whether Bosnia is capable of self-determination or not? “How can a country with Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Muslims create a democratic state together?” As an American, your author feels this is rather a rather jaundiced view. There are several nations in the Middle East where there is a significant minority of Christians living together well with Muslims.

The Kosovars, on the other hand, are against outside intervention of any sort. She asks, “Is this a characteristic of Albanians [in general]?”

The Serbians, who are the oppressors, are similar, but we can better understand their deep historical motivations. Serbia has a sensation of being a “cyclical” state.

“Before the question of statehood can be approached, the nation has to first launch firm institutions.” with well-established recognized boundaries. Kosova and Bosnia have not solved these problems yet. Susan is rather baffled over whether they ever will, for they manage the electoral process merely to impress the international community. In other words, foreign powers are pressuring Islamic people to create States that are in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s) image, and not from their own traditions. This would create instability, indeed!

None have been able to settle their Constitutions. The EU has taken responsibility for any Constitutional problems in the region. That means that Muslims cannot insert any of their traditional law into the courts. The final resolution of the Kosova “problem” has been held off “for eight years since they were under Constitutional revision.”

Nationalism over religion dominates the three entities we are discussing. This is preventing a democratic solution for many difficulties in the former Yugoslav provinces.

Then, there is the threat of the military in each budding state to the evolution of social equality. The supposed integration of the Army into Civil Society after the end of the Wars of the 1990s is on paper only. The KLA, a guerrilla army, has merely transformed itself into the KPC, The Kosova Army, without much reform. A democratic society will be impossible as long as the military is not under the control of the civilian government, but the political parties simply have allied themselves with their generals although alliances with NATO has promoted some political liberalization.

“Democracy can only flourish with peace.” Therefore, Bosnia and Kosova are frustrating examples because of their “cyclical” revolutions. The foreign policy goals towards this area of the former Yugoslavia “…expect elections, yet often they do not agree with the results.” The states are not corrupt, but their political parties are. “The citizens use their vote as a protest” while the technocrats determine policy. Islam may dominate two of the states, but the Socialist mentality still holds tight. “The legitimacy for a democratic territory is still born” since “Democratization depends on a starting point.” Unfortunately, it has yet to develop. (For instance, most Serbs identify themselves as Yugoslavian still.)

What all this means is Muslim economics have been obliterated. Succinctly, they do not have an economy there. If Pristina could be divided between the Albanian and their minorities, Kosova could join their brothers in Albania, and this would create internal markets and access to the sea. This would improve their abysmal economic situation; instead, the United States the European Union favor “supervised independence” under the UN. The question becomes, how will Serbia react?

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White House Honors Adeel Khan

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President Bush honored Virginia Tech’s student body president for his leadership in the aftermath of the deadliest shooting rampage in US history.

Mr. Bush presented Adeel Khan with the President’s Volunteer Service Award during a ceremony at the White House to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

The President said Khan’s leadership and poise during last month’s deadly shootings helped to heal the country.

Mr. Bush said: “He took office shortly before the terrible violence hit that campus. He’s had what we call a difficult presidency. And yet he understood the need for leadership. He’s an impressive guy. He worked hard with classmates to organize a campus-wide vigil. He helped bring that important community together. He dealt with the tragedy the way you’d expect a leader to deal with tragedy. This good young man helped lead his fellow students in healing. And we know, as he did so, it helped heal the entire nation.

“We see the true spirit of the Asian Pacific American community in the compassion and decency of citizens like Adeel Khan. We’re grateful for the many contributions that Asian Pacific Americans have made to our nation. We’re proud to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. I congratulate all the honorees.”

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A Sad Day for Pakistan

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By Mahvish Akhtar, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)

Karachi–The 12th of May, 2007, was a sad day for the people and leaders of Pakistan. I don’t need to go in detail and tell you what the whole chaos was about. I know my readers are learned and well-read people.

What I would like to discuss, however, is that we as a nation have demonstrated a lack of morals, ethics and decency.

We demonstrated that we have no concern for human life and that we regard ourselves as being above the law. We killed our own and yet we are only slightly remorseful. When people die in Iraq we blame the Americans. When people die in Afghanistan we blame the Americans. On this day people died and we have no outside forces to blame.

Watching the news it was as though I was watching a movie. People walking around with guns shooting at random and there was no one to stop them. The whole day went by and no one came to rescue those at the other end of the gunshots. It was to the point where a television station was being heavily targeted and there was no help to be seen anywhere. What can be said about the government of a nation where its journalists are so brutally attacked while the officials watch and do nothing? There were promises of sending help, but no help was provided until very late.

That TV station kept its broadcast going amidst all the chaos and attack. They were able to show the faces of the shooters and attackers while under attack. Some would say that would have been helpful in catching the culprits, but in reality no arrests have been made as of yet.

A woman who has three grown children and lives in a decent neighborhood in Karachi said that she wished she had a gun that day.

She explained that they could hear the gunshots from outside and felt really helpless. Also she wondered that if someone decided to come inside her house, what would she do to protect herself or her children? The answer is nothing.

A young boy of only 17 said that it seems as though it’s ‘civil war’ out there. It is an extremely shameful day for a nation when its young can with ease say something like this without batting an eyelash. Mothers and fathers on that day were worried about their sons. Children were worried about their fathers on that day. No one knew what the next moment is going to bring. The uncertainty and chaos was overwhelming for those who understood the whole scenario and realized that this is nothing to kill each other over.

A woman waiting for her husband who had gone to a rally (it is irrelevant as to which side he supported since human life is human life regardless) told me that she was afraid he would not return. She said, “Until he gets back I cannot eat anything–it’s like food refuses to go down my throat.” I asked her if her husband knew things could be this bad why he went. She replied, “How would he know? How would any of us know that people were going to get killed over having different point of view? How could we ever think that our own Pakistani brothers would pick up their guns and want to shoot one another just because their opinions didn’t match?” She was right. But also she was very wrong. Living in this world and living in Karachi, she should have known that we have lost all consideration for truth and fairness. All we have left is weapons. Anything we need done we get it done through the gun or through the fear of the gun.

The people who picked up the guns and spilled so much blood did it to exude their power. They wanted to make sure people understood that every time someone would go against their views they are capable of creating a bloodbath. They believe that this has helped them secure their place in the jungle of politics. Maybe they are right. Actually not maybe, they are absolutely right. They have scared people into submission. Now people who are quiet are so because they fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. And the ones who are still courageous enough to speak their minds are those who are not afraid of dying.

In all this, the question that lurks and still has remained un-answered is–where was our President? Where were the rangers during that day? Where was all the help that was so badly needed? We heard that the President held an emergency meeting on upon finding out about the events. The question still remains, why did he not take any action right away? What was the meeting about? What did he discuss in it? Did he not try to chalk out a strategy to stop the violence which as we all know is still going on?

This brings us to our other big question…The rangers have been put in place and so-to-speak, help has been provided; so why are their masked people roaming the streets holding guns? Who are these people who are apparently above the law? What is their purpose and why are they not being stopped? Going through the news one can very visibly see men with their faces covered, holding guns walking along side the rangers and security officials in the streets of Karachi and it’s as though they are friends. Having security on the streets now is even more heartbreaking for the residents of Karachi. They say that until the rangers had arrived we kept thinking once they come things will be better. Even if they show up late at least things will be under control once they show up. Now that they are here and can be seen allowing people to get killed, and allowing people to walk around with guns, hopelessness and a feeling of complete loss takes over.

It’s the 4th day of violence in Karachi. When we hear reports that there is “calm” in the city, that doesn’t mean things are back to normal–it just means there is less violence than yesterday, or the day before.

This is another shameful moment that we have redefined the meaning of ‘calm’. What is the end? Where is the end? Unless someone unmasks those people there will be no end. Right now it seems no one can dare do that–which means we are stuck in a bad situation until someone gets the courage to walk up to them and shows their faces to the world. Let’s pray that that time comes soon and before too many more innocent lives are taken.

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