Is it worth talking with right wingers and radicals?

Each one of us thinks differently.  We have a choice to ‘stay away from each other’ and let the ill-will, suspicion and doubts simmer to become unmanageable.  I hope if you take the time to ‘study’ the three videos and the notes below, you will change your mind about using the phrases like “right wing” “Red necks” and other epithets.  These are bad choice of words to describe fellow humans who react differently to situations.

Last week, I posted the following video from a Fox News debate with Sean Hannity and Brigitte Gabrielle on face book in two different places, and got shot down by my friends saying it is a waste of time to deal with the hard wired, without realizing they were as prejudiced as the ones they were accusing of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHgZbPPrE9w

In the above video, if you had the time to ‘listen’ (not hear but listen) to what Brigitte Gabrielle said, without any doubt she sounds hateful and gives her own convoluted reasons. If Muslims (her perceptions) did not do certain things this would not happen.  I hope you see a room for a dialogue there….   Next time you tend to discount someone, please make an effort to listen to them. What sounds like a condemnation may be an actual invitation to clarify concerns?  Will she change her mind? Of course she will as long as it is not to your advantage but for common goodness. She is human and will take a lot of “seeing the facts” for her, and it is worth the effort.

She had invited me to speak at her San Antonio chapter of ACT, there again, there were several who came up and said they did not know Islam teaches peace and non-violence. It was one against all others, I did not see it that way, I saw that they wanted to hear another point of view, and thank God I was one of the two Muslims who went to speak, others Muslims had rejected.

We should not expect people to change just because we speak, but am glad at least they wanted to hear.  Quran often reminds us to honor free will as the overriding value of God’s creation.

Prophet Muhammad during a meditative mood thought it aloud. Lord, I am frustrated, the message of oneness is not received by enough people, what should I to do?  God responds, “Muhammad, don’t give up teaching the values of oneness of God and accountability of one’s actions, do your duty, let me be the one to give them guidance to receive.”  Please note these were not the exact words from Quran or the prophet, but it is the meaning found in many verses including these two; 10:99 and 28:56 referred to in Muhammad Asad’s translation.

It is difficult for a few Muslims or people in any group to understand that we have to talk with the ones who are opposed to us, malign us and tear us apart.   Mother Teresa has the perfect advice for those few, “If you want to make peace with your enemies, go talk with them.”  Talking and gossiping among friends won’t change a thing, but talking with the ones who want to tear you down, does creates a chance.   I have seen the results time and again.

It is not a waste of time, people are getting the message.

As I was walking out of the terminal in the Los Angeles Airport, someone tapped on my shoulder, I looked back – the guy said he was a surgeon in Los Angeles and my fan, and I was plain flabbergasted. He said, he and his friends have discussed about my presence on Hannity, and said, “You break their narrative.”  Before you came on the scene, we took what was given to us as the gospel truth, but when you started to butt in and challenge Hannity; we realized that there is another point of view.  Even though you don’t get to say all your points, the fact that you challenge him has made us look for more.  We must give him the credit for giving your website address and we read your full points.  He moved on by saying, keep up the good work.

This happens frequently in the planes, airports and this week at CPAC. I really wish the progressive attend the conservative meetings and Vice-Versa to have hopes that we can talk with each other.

I continue to believe that we need to listen to people without prejudice; the so called right wing people express their thoughts in a way that frightens many.

You will not believe the following video, what you see is that conservatives are screaming out loud for reassurance,  that we are all in this together and together against extremism.  When we have one voice, see what they do. Here is Stuart Varney about our work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSti7f9F-A

It is a grave mistake to write off others as bad people, at the end we all lose. Listen to the videos again, there is so much to learn, they tell us what it takes, and that is a good beginning. I would rather spend time with them, even if I don’t get anywhere with them.  Remember it is not a business to have measurable returns for your time; it is a service with nothing to be expected but serve.

My late wife used to command me frequently, “Why waste your time for the community, no one would appreciate it, put in the same hours in your consulting business and bring more money, at least I will appreciate it and we can take more vacations.”

My passion for Pluralism (religious, political, cultural, civic and societal) runs deep, and has led me to devote the rest of my life to this purpose.  As you may know, with my qualifications I can make substantial money, as so many do and wither away, but I want to live a purposeful life by bringing a sense of security to every American, where all of us drop our guards and live a tension-free life. If we follow our calling; there is peace and joy in it.

No one will point a single finger at me, if I did nothing.

Dealing with Brigitte Gabrielle, Pamela Geller and their likes does make sense.  There are those like the guy in the Airport, and there are those who call me names. I even get death threats.  I receive a lot of emails and by the way 16 Million people have visited my Google profile and 20 Million have visited my website. Someone is listening some place, what God said to Muhammad was also said by Krishna to Arjuna, do your duty and let God decide to give the fruit.  I am at peace.

Jesus’s wisdom is powerful – don’t condemn the sinners, you have zero chance of redeeming them. If you condemn the sin, in this case what their talk does to create apprehension, you have at least 0.01 % chance of redeeming them. I would invest my time in redemption than condemnation.

Here is another video about Hannity – I strongly believe dialogue is critical to bring a change. We can have meetings all day long, but talking with friends creates fewer chances for change than talking with those who are opposed.

Take a look https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd-mgSFziII

I wrote this piece because I was attacked by a few major Muslim organizations for going on Hannity, they did not see what can be done by positive engagement. God willing, I am seeking a few friends to fund the Center for Pluralism, and I hope to train enough people to start the dialogues and bring about the change we need to.

I urge you not to run from the ones who appear to eat you alive, talk to them, and if you want to get somewhere with them, have patience.

God bless us all, we are one nation, if we can learnt to respect the otherness of others and accept the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

Center for Pluralism is committed to building a cohesive America.

Who Speaks for American Muslims

The overwhelming majority of Muslims are moderate. However, there are not enough speakers out there to articulate what these Muslims actually believe and practice, and their significant contributions to America.

Those who had a morally corrupt agenda filled the gap and spoke negatively about Islam. Unfortunately, their version became the currency and so many Americans fell for it in the absence of the right information.

Everyone wants to see a cohesive America where no one has to live in apprehension, tension or fear each other.  The Center for Pluralism, also known as the America Together Foundation has embarked on a mission to train speakers to deliver the message of Islam, as practiced by American Muslims –which is distinct from Islam practiced elsewhere in the world.

There is no doubt that a few “Islamophobes” are out to get Muslims; they are well paid to do so. But in the same vein, Muslims would not be well served to believe that “all of them” are of the same ilk.  These Islamophobes are simply afraid of what the “Islamists” are doing in the name of Islam and worried sick about its ramifications for America. Rationally they know it is not in America, but still the phobia persists.

We have an obligation to listen to our fellow citizens and a moral duty to allay their fears.
Pulitzer Prize winner Judith Miller speaks out on Fox News, “It is the fear that so many Muslims who are moderates, the fear they have of speaking out and the reaction of their own community. Until we win that battle inside, the Jihadists will take center stage.  We are going to go on creating the impression that the Islamists Jihadists are the majority and they are not.”  Brigitte Gabrielle of Act for America adds, “Where are the funders of people like Mike – is there not a mega millionaire in the Islamic world who can say, you know what I believe in your moderate message and can give Mike $5 Million dollars to build the grass root organization?”

Here is a video: https://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse/videos/1438210749532124/.

The right leaning Muslims curse Gabrielle, Spencer and Geller out, while the left discounts them, leaving the moderates to deal with the issue. What I hear them say is simply this: Where are the mainstream Muslims to speak out about what they practice? The mainstream Muslims have reached the point of zero tolerance towards extremism and have the desire to assertively seek to push the literalists to see the essence of Islam.

The most sustainable way to counter Islamophobia and violent extremism is through education. Our programs are designed to bring Americans together; the more we see each other in social, cultural, civic, religious, political and other settings, the less divisiveness there will be, resulting in fewer misunderstandings and misperceptions between us.

This is the Islam of Moderate Muslims.

Muslims are not arrogant and do not reject the validity of other spiritual paths. They believe that Islam is one of the many spiritual paths that bring support to an individual in dealing with the difficulties of life.

The Quran is a book of guidance to restore harmony within oneself, and harmony with others through a variety of values listed below.

Moderate Muslims are mainstream Muslims; they have no barriers between them and God’s creation.  They are free from prejudice towards others.

They have an inherent sense of equality with respect to men and women.

They do not flaunt their religion at every opportunity.  They will seldom say you will go to hell.

Social life is easy with them, they mix and mingle.  They will go to a bar with you, and while you drink alcohol, they will quietly drink water or soda and not make a production out of their religion.  If you invite them for dinner, they quietly eat what suits them and you don’t have to be stressed out about what to cook for them.  They appreciate it if you are conscious that Muslims don’t eat pork products.

They are not hell bent on converting or missionizing others, as they see other paths as equally valid. They will not engage in the upmanship battle either.

As most White, Black, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh or Christian parents do,   Muslim parents will neither compel their children to observe religion strictly, nor do they throw fits if their kids marry outside their faiths. Personalizing faith is an America value!

Most Muslims may not even talk about religion, it is not important to them, what is important is knowing and caring for their neighbors and respecting and honoring fellow beings, consistent with the Golden Rule.

Sharia is not coming to America nor do American Muslims want the kind of Public Sharia practiced in Saudi Arabia and Iran. American Muslims believe in personal Sharia – that is how you pray, fast, share what you have, care for fellow humans. Let’s “clear the air” of misunderstandings for all Americans. We need to put this fear behind us and focus on prosperity and living our lives.  American Muslims uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our American Constitution. Our faith reinforces the idea of one nation with liberty and justice for all.

These characteristic accurately describe the vast majority of mainstream American Muslims.  They quietly practice their faith; and don’t feel the need to make a show of their religion.

The process of telling the American Muslim story has begun.  It started with Sean Hannity of Fox News – he was the first one to bring a mainstream Muslims on his show.  Before that, Muslims were usually represented by bearded men wearing religious costumes. Let me clarify, the beard and Hijab are not the determinants of one’s moderation or religiosity, they are cultural in nature and are a personal choice.

Gone are the days when you were not Muslim enough to speak about Islam if you did not wear the beard or hijab; did not throw in a ton of Arabic phrases; and did not wear some exotic sort of symbolic body and head covering associated with Islam.

What Islam is not is ruling others or compelling others to believe against their will. The Quran is clear on that, no one bears the burdens of others and no one is responsible for other’s actions. What Islam is, is freedom to believe as you will, and freedom to choose between right and wrong.  And it is very much about taking responsibility for one’s words and actions.

American Islam is minding your own faith, and letting others mind theirs.

Islam is about spirituality – that is, becoming one with nature (God) where all walls fall that divide you from the others.

Islam is pluralism – that is, respecting the otherness of others and accepting the God-given uniqueness of each one of us.  You’ll learn all about this in our class, replete with references from the Quran and the prophet’s practices.  It simply can’t get more authentic than that!

THE NEW SPEAKERS ON ISLAM

Nothing will change without intention and effort.  If we wish for speakers who reflect the values of the majority, we have to find and encourage them.

Fortunately, we have begun this process.

We teach the traditional five pillars of Islam, which are the personal aspect of Islam and a part of being a Muslim.  But our focus is on the major part of being a Muslim, and that is the practices and values that contribute towards building cohesive societies.

The following values are taught:  First Amendment, responsibility and accountability, truthfulness, justice, forgiveness, caring for fellow beings, humility, equality, and pluralism, freedom of speech, harmony, and civil dialogue.  In a nutshell, this is Islam.

Many people, and many Muslims themselves, have been hungry for speakers who spoke about the values of Islam, and now we have taken the first step towards it.

We have just completed the first course, held in metro Washington, DC.  Subject to funding, the next course will be a three weekend 15 hours course to be held in May 2017 also in DC.  The training is open to people of all faiths, and indeed, at least one non-Muslim has already completed it.   Anyone with the knowledge of good universal human values and a heart for harmony within the human family can pick up the training and speak for Islam, the American Islam.

If you are looking for speakers on Islam, we have a good lineup available.  They graduated from the Muslim Speakers training program and are ready to speak on the values of Islam, the values that contribute towards making the world a better place for every human being.  They speak of Islam as it is, the inclusive Islam practiced by contemporary American Muslims.

Thanks to the support from Montgomery County Muslim Foundation, Muslim Community Center of Silver Spring and American Muslim Institution for the sponsorship of the respective classes.  We also thank Imam Faizul Khan (Rituals), Imam Ali Siddiqui (History), Imam Dain Abdul-Fattah Johnson (Hadith),  Nathan Walker (Fist Amendment),  Falah Shams (Denominations),  Rabia Baig (Youth), Alejandro Beutel (Radicalization & CVE),  Haris Tarin (Terrorism,), Katherine Kerr (Media Training) and Mike Ghouse (Quran, Pluralism, Sharia, Islamophobia, Islamic Values) who put the program together.

Here is a statement from each of six graduates about what they can speak about.

Charles Stevenson:  “I can speak as a Catholic friend of Islam and as a childhood son of Northern Virginia’s rural American South, and as a citizen passionate about building an American future built on the rocklike foundation of harmony in diversity.”

Rina Hafiz: “I am a bridge of understanding to help other cross over and experience the view points of both the west and Islam.  I’ve loved and enjoyed the diversity having lived on both sides of the globe; I am an American, a soccer mom and a Muslim woman who feels empowered by my faith.”

Rashed Hasan: I can speak as an American Muslim Professional, who studied engineering at MIT and business at The Wharton School, and have taken a deep dive into the Qur’an to understand Islam at its core in terms of values and principles, not just rituals.  I am currently publishing a series – Removing the Middleman – putting values and principles from the Qur’an in the context of our contemporary lives and societies.    It will give you a sense of what to expect when I speak about Islam, religious plurality and our common humanity for our generation.

Fatima Argun: I can speak about the value of diversity in today’s America and why it is important for shaping cohesive, collaborative and resilient communities.  To that end, interfaith dialogue and true understanding of those in a community that are different than oneself is at the heart of creating a more harmonious, peaceful world.

Shagufta Hasan:  “I can speak on how it was to grow up in the suburbs of Pittsburgh as a young Muslim girl, and later as a mother helping my children understand and navigate the challenges of their adolescent lives and guiding them to focus on the values and morals that are taught in Islam to become a good human being.”
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Mike Ghouse is the president and executive director of the Center for Pluralism. An interfaith, pluralism and a Muslim Speaker, thinker, writer, organizer, human rights activists, news maker and a pluralist committed to building cohesive societies with a belief that what is good for Muslims has got to be good for the world and vice versa to sustain peace, harmony and prosperity.  He is a conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer offering pluralistic solutions to Media on issues of the day. http://www.mikeghouse.net/

Mike Ghouse will be on Hannity Radio at 5:00 with Hannity, Jasser and Gabrielle today

HANNITY RADIO WITH GHOUSE , JASSER AND GABRIELLE AT 5:00 PM

Dr. Ghouse will be on Hannity radio at 5:00 with Gabriel and Jasser about Carson, Trump and Ahmed log on to www.AmericanMuslimInstitution.org for details. 

The show will be broadcasted in over 250 stations across America, to find your local station go to http://www.hannity.com/pages/find-a-station/

1. Dr. Ben Carson out- trumps Trump in Discriminatory Attitude. http://americanmusliminstitution.blogspot.com/2015/09/dr-ben-carson-out-trumps-trump-in.html
2. Donald Trump - Muslims have become the latest Punching Bag in the Republican Party Presidential Campaign for 2015 http://americanmusliminstitution.blogspot.com/2015/09/donald-trump-muslims-have-become-latest.html
3. Ahmed Mohamed - Islamophobia Strikes a 14 year old in Texas http://americanmusliminstitution.blogspot.com/2015/09/islamophobia-strikes-14-year-old-ahmed.html   

Hannity Radio http://www.hannity.com/articles/shows-472046/radio-show-recap-sep-21-13962453

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I4jdf71JKc

5:00 P.M. EST - Brigitte Gabriel, President of ACT for America, Mike Ghouse, President of the America Together Foundation, and Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and author of "A Battle for the Soul of Islam: An American Muslim Patriot's Fight to Save His Faith." The three guests will be discussing the controversy surrounding the GOP candidates and Islam as well as the latest on Ahmed and his “clock” and the European refugee crisis. 

Over the weekend, Dr. Ben Carson said he wouldn’t support a Muslim for president of the United States because Islam is at odds with American values and our constitution 

Last week, Donald Trump came under fire for not rebuking an audience member who claimed Obama was a Muslim and was not born in this country 

The story of 14-year-old Ahmed and his “clock” captivated much of the country last week and had Muslim groups crying “Islamophobia,” but it turns out there was a lot more to his story… 

Over a thousand Arab immigrants a day are seeking asylum in Sweden, with the promises of free housing and blonde women 

Muslim migrants chanting “Allahu Akbar” attack Slovenian police 

Read more: http://www.hannity.com/articles/shows-472046/radio-show-recap-sep-21-13962453#ixzz3mUf6FYF2

Sean Hannity with Mike Ghouse, Zuhdi Jasser and Brigitte Gabriel at 5:00 PM 

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