By Ilyas Choudry, MMNS

356 Voted on the First Day: Only 8% Desi Cast

SUGAR LAND: The best place to live in Texas is the suburbs of Houston called the City of Sugar Land. It is beautiful with excellent living standards. Early voting for the Mayor and two at-large seats started as of Monday – April 28 – 2008. It will continue till Tuesday – May 06 – 2008 with the Sunday in between off. Main Election Day is Saturday – May 10 – 2008.

According to the information received by our special correspondent, 356 people voted of which majority were senior citizens. Among the minority communities, it seems that the Vietnamese Community voted the most on the first day (22% off 356 voters). About 8% Desi (Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi) voted on the first day.

Our special correspondent visited three polling locations on the second day, but could meet only one candidate Mr. S. B. Gaddi for the At-Large Two Position. He and his family were manning and working hard at all the three locations. Mr. Gaddi showed complete confidence especially after knowing the numbers from the first day. He said although he expected more Desis to come out, but the trends so far are positive. He said it is too early in the voting to make any predictions, but that he is feeling very confident with the overall response.

Mr. S. B. Gaddi appealed to the Desis and all the communities of the City to come out and vote, so as to preserve the high standards of Sugar Land. He added that he is confident that large number of Desi will cast their ballots on May 02 and 03, 2008 (Friday and Saturday) during the Early Voting.

For more information, one can visit: http://www.sugarlandtx.gov/city_hall/city_secretary/elections/

Here is the schedule for the three early voting locations in the City of Sugar Land:
Polling Locations are subject to change

Schedules for Fort Bend Independent School District Administration Building – 16431 Lexington Boulevard, Sugar Land, TX

Sugar Land City Hall – 2700 Town Center Boulevard. North, Sugar Land, TX

Friday May 02, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday May 03, 2008 CLOSED
Sunday May 04, 2008 CLOSED
Monday – Tuesday May 05 – 06, 2008 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Schedule for: First Colony Conference Center – 3232 Austin Parkway, Sugar Land, TX

Friday May 02, 2008 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday May 03, 2008 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday May 04, 2008 CLOSED
Monday – Tuesday May 05 – 06, 2008 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

10-19

By Ruby Amatulla

The challenge and the opportunity to serve humanity that exist before the American Muslims is rare in history. They are at the right place in a critical time in history to do a great work that can help lead humanity towards a positive direction for generations to come. This is an enormous responsibility.

They are the common denominator of the two most confrontational parts of the world and they are conversant with the mindsets and cultures of both: the Muslim world and America. The American Muslims are the citizens of the superpower of our time and they are also a part of the 1.3 billion Muslim umma [the Muslim world] that possesses about 76% of the oil reserves of the world.

They are part of a nation that is the most powerful and influential in the world yet the people themselves are the most open, pluralistic, self-reflective, self-correcting and the most changeable people in the world. This is a rare combination of power and values. The 230 years of history of this nation is a testament of this spirit. The ideals on which the United States of America was founded were not all materialized at the time of the inception: there was slavery and not all citizens rights were upheld and respected.

However, since then this society remained mindful about the ideals and dedicated to the propositions of liberty, equality, equity and dignity of all people vigorously and incessantly struggled to help establish these through continuous changes. In fighting the most bloody civil war and struggling through the collective bargaining movements, the immigration movements, the women’s liberation movement, the Civil Rights movement and other struggles this nation, thank God, has managed to come to the moral side of the equation many a time. This tradition of positive change and the inclination towards self-correction mark the grain of this nation.

Therefore the Muslims — who are rightfully apprehensive and distrustful about the policies of this country towards the Muslim world during the last several decades –still could be hopeful about this nation in bringing about further transformation positive towards the Muslim affairs. This may appear distant and difficult considering the present situation but the potential for this to happen soon –paradoxically enough– is great only if the Muslim leadership can engage intensely with the due process of this society to help bring about a change in the mindset and the modus operandi on the international front.

Such a change is long overdue and the American Muslims can be instrumental towards that goal only if the suggestion of change is offered though constructive engagements. The due process of this nation and the civil society offer opportunities of such engagements of change. Therefore, the American Muslims are at the critical place to spearhead a leadership of constructive engagements, better understanding, mediation, consultation and peace brokering among the conflicting parties outside this nation as well as within this nation. In order to be effective in this undertaking the nature of this involvement must be both political as well as social and this work needs to be initiated simultaneously both on the domestic and on the international fronts.

America is seriously engaged and preoccupied with the Muslim world. However, there is no American Muslim leadership voice on the burning issues of our time: America’s role in the world, the nature of its engagements with other nations, setting the priorities and goals, how to approach most effectively towards the issue of security and equity and how these are intensely interdependent. The vacuum of an American Muslim leadership of this caliber and of this nature is a sign of a great failure of Muslims.

America is the best place to spearhead such a leadership and be most effective. It would need a group of visionary and dedicated Muslim leaders to take this work and come forward to do enormous change and enormous good in the world today. It is a ‘tall order’ indeed but it is within our reach and it is achievable now, God willing.

The context is calling for such leadership to come forward. In history when there is a deadlock and disarray in the affairs of a nation or nations – as it exists now in our time — often a way out is offered by a fresh, often unrecognized personality or group of people. It is my conviction and my vision to see that an American Muslim leadership, God willing, could be that fresh group in our time.

How ripe is the context to help catapult such leadership? Let us explore: America again is in a state of a ‘soul-search’ and a national debate as to the nature of its role in the world. The neo-con strategy has failed, the goals in Iraq and other places have not achieved, a staggering cost and sacrifice is mounting, the Middle East is in disarray and the Muslim world – containing almost 76% of the oil reserve of the world — is in a crisis. The leadership of this superpower is in a redefining state as the mandate for a change is mounting and manifesting from the society itself. How better could be an opportunity for an enlightened and visionary Muslim leadership to come forward with the right idea and agenda to make sense to this people and the world? America is ready to listen to a Muslim voice within. I pray and hope we, Muslim Americans, can prepare ourselves to play this role.

The Muslim world which could be the most prosperous, progressive and dynamic part of the world is in reality – tragically and paradoxically — in a state of degradation and instability. An ‘umma’ which was commanded to offer a leadership of a better society, hope and aspiration through a better example has failed and failed disgracefully. The absence of a legitimate due process in governance, weak and helpless civil society, rampant corruption and incessant violations of human rights and dignity, inequity and sky-rocketing concentration of wealth and power leading towards instability and volatility, a huge and fast growing young generation increasingly becoming hopeless and angry with the way their societies are mismanaged and a countless people going through deep insecurity and inhuman sufferings – all– contribute towards a condition of dysfunction and decay breeding intolerance, sectarian conflicts, extremism, fragmentation and even bloodshed and violence.

This state of volatility and dysfunction is incompatible with a sound economic growth and the social progress most needed in many Muslim counties today. A leadership of vision must come forward to offer a way out of this vicious cycle. A few changes in the attitudes and modus operandi can help change the entire reality of the Muslim world today. The changes that took a long time in the past could be accomplished in a much shorter period of time due to the enormous changes that took place in technology, communication and in the mindset of humanity during the last few decades. These prerequisites are all most conducive and momentum-generating towards a positive transformation. A ‘triggering’ aggressive agenda needs to be initiated by a visionary Muslim leadership. This agenda could be most effective if it is initiated by the Muslim citizens’ group of the superpower of our time.

The extremism and the destructive forces that are feared so much in our contemporary world is a ‘symptom’ and not the ‘disease’. The disease is the failure to offer a better way to change the things those need to be changed to help create this world a fairer and a better place. There could be a way out of this quagmire. The American Muslims are at the most important place to explore the way and be the pioneer to chart its course in our time.

10-19

By Geoffrey Cook, MMNS

Berkeley–At the very end of last year a Xavier Bougarel came to confer with us on the relationship of the Islamic Balkans with the emergence of a modern Muslim Europe.

He stated that the manifestation of Kosovo (Kosova) is not secure yet. Both the Bosniaks and Kosovars are still over depending upon the United States for materiel and protection. The Balkans themselves have only independently been recently energized within Europa.

Strangely, Xavier stated that Balkan Islam is not homogonous to the land! (How long must people with a belief inhabit a terrain to be indigenous?) Dr. Bougarel does admit that the links between their religion and their national identification are strong and firm.

Some say most of the mountainous Muslims converted during the Ottoman period. During the Socialist era of Chairman Tito most of the Yugoslav Turks were forced back into Anatolia.

After the remnants of the Ottomans left the Socialist Republic between the two great Wars, various States within the Federation began to distinguish themselves as Islamic except Albania because it was already an independent Islamic State. The Communists had destroyed Islamic institutions over the Dalmatian Coast and its hinterlands. Like in the Union of Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R.), (all) religion was replaced by authoritarian modernism that has had a great influence on the Islam found in the (former) Yugoslavia. There was a general acceptance amongst the Southeastern European Muslims of State secularism. When the Belgrade-centered State began to crumble, Islam emerged with new opportunities to the point of the materialization of Muslim Nationalism!

Greece early won its battle against Communism right after the Second World War. Therefore, it was not dominated by that ideology. Thus, to Athens, the Balkan Muslims were perceived solely as a religion and not a threatening political force.

Of course, there has been a dramatic change during the last two decades along the Southern Mountains of the Adriatic. There was a sense that they had a right to a nation(s) of their own in that part of the world. Muslim Nationalism hardened even more. The Wars of the 90s opened whole areas where they were in the majority! While the regional realities modified; so, did geopolitics between those who remained in the their traditional homes in the Balkans and the ever expanding Islam over Europe itself.

In the Muslim tradition of South Europe Islamism is alien (surfacing from outside the region), but Sufism is indigenous.

Diversity is what is desperately required on the East Coast of the Adriatic Sea, but the tradition of Socialist Modernism is still challenging customary Islamic institutions generating a deep crisis that within the reappearing Islam that is unique to this locality.

Both the Muslims and those in the West of the Continent all have European citizenship, but there are differences in how they relate to their environs. The Balkans has a sturdy sense of ethnicity while the Western European sense of religion is scattered between many sects, etc.

The Balkan groups are much more sophisticated politically having created their own parties. Also, in the West religious institutions are not as well defined as in he Southern Mountains although there is an important Balkan Diaspora in Western Europe. Thus, it is fair to say there are Pan-European Islamic clusters from the West southward into the Balkans themselves.

Muslims have to obey the laws of the nation-state in which they reside. Islam finds itself protecting the rights of these countries even though they may be in conflict with the greater ulema. Of the utmost importance to Muslims in Western Europe, but especially the Balkans, is the admission of Turkey into the E.U. (The European Union), for Ankara will be a voice for all Muslims inside the E.U. itself.

10-19

In the film industry, a feature film is a film made for initial distribution in theaters and being the “main attraction” of the screening (as opposed to short films which may be screened before it).

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the American Film Institute, and the British Film Institute all define a feature as a film running 40 minutes or longer.

Today, a feature film is usually between 90 and 210 minutes; a children’s film is usually between 60 and 120 minutes. An anthology film is a fixed sequence of short subjects with a common theme, combined in a feature film.

The term evolved from the days when the cinema-goer would watch a series of short subjects before the main film. The shorts would typically include newsreels, serials, animated cartoons and live-action comedies and documentaries. These types of short films would lead up to what came to be called the “featured presentation”: the film given the most prominent billing and running multiple reels.

Early proto-features had been produced in America and France, but were released in individual scenes, leaving the exhibitor the option of running them together; or they were full-length records of a boxing match.

Based on length, the first feature film was the 70-minute film The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) from Australia. The first European feature was the 90-minute film L’Enfant Prodigue (France, 1907), although that was basically an unmodified record of a stage play; Europe’s first feature adapted directly for the screen, Les Misérables, came from France in 1909.

The first American features were a different production of Oliver Twist (1912), From the Manger to the Cross (1912), and Richard III (1912), the latter starring actor Frederick Warde. The first Asian feature was Japan’s The Life Story of Tasuke Shiobara (1912).

By 1915 over 600 features were produced annually in America. The most prolific year of U.S. feature production was 1921, with 854 releases. Between 1922 and 1970, the U.S. and Japan alternated as leaders in the quantity of feature film production. Since 1971, the country with the highest feature output has been India.

10-19