The Bane of South Asian Diaspora- Arranged Marriages?

The Desi crew know how arranged marriages work- your parents through the social networks, either familial, tribal, village, ethnic or diaspora based, find suitable partners that are then interviewed, vetted and introduced to the potential husband/wife-to-be's. I just got this song by Wilbur and how one person described it to others, the anthem for our desi generation, enjoy!

All Art Is Derivative

Lately I have been exploring copywrite laws. Its fascinating how much money there is to be made in protecting and ensuring the production of work that is protected from being copied or used in a way that falls outside the authors control.

I have discovered the story of "Sita Sings the Blues" which is a lovely personnel retelling of the forlorn-ed love story of Sita and Ram in the Ramayana. Nina Paley, the creator of Sita, says makes her work "copywrite free" saying that "there is the question of how I'll get money from all this. My personal experience confirms audiences are generous and want to support artists. Surely there's a way for this to happen without centrally controlling every transaction. The old business model of coercion and extortion is failing. New models are emerging, and I'm happy to be part of that."

Here is Nina Paley on a Saudi TV show talking about Copy-write Laws

Finally here is something I have always felt about art- that its derivative- art comes from and is based off of something that came before it and to continue to develop and reproduce the art. Enjoy "Art is Derivative" however, know that it has some images and depictions that would violate Muslim sensibilities.

The State of the Internet- Staggering!

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from JESS3 on Vimeo.

Congrats to La Palma- California's Most Affordable Suburb

BusinessWeek names La Palma, California's most affordable suburb. Very proud to hear the great new for the city of La Palma, literally, a city I didn't even know existed up until this point, and the sadder truth is that I live/work right next to the city. Some fun facts about La Palma:

• It was originally incorporated as Dairyland, and was one of three dairy cities in the region (the other two being Dairy Valley in Cerritos and Dairy City in Cypress)
• La Palma was listed in 2007 as the 16th best place to live among small cities (50,000 or less) in the United States by Money Magazine.

Nearest major city: Los Angeles
Population: 14,837
Median family income: $95,853
Median home price: $495,000
Unemployment rate: 9.1
Violent crime index: 31

La Palma, once primarily dairy farm territory, has grown into a bedroom community in Orange County with three parks and public facilities for tennis, soccer, and softball. It is also one of the most ethically diverse suburbs on this year's list: According to the U.S. Census, the area is about 36% white but also has a large Asian population and a significant Hispanic population. Events such as holiday ceremonies, outdoor concerts, and an awards program for outstanding homes help to preserve the small-town feel.

I am Majid Tavakoli: Being Green With Iran

Most of our news outlets have dropped coverage of Iran, and we are once again captivated by Israel and its fear of a nuclear Iran. On December 7, 2009, Majid Tavakoli, a student activist, was arrested. He was amongst many who were arrested, yet his story stands out. Iranian authorities claim Mr. Tavakoli was dressed as a woman trying to escape after delivering a speech in Tehran on Student Day.

However, human rights activists in Iran have published a report from an eyewitness saying: “All the pictures published by the state media are false and a clear use of immoral means against student and civil activists in Iran.”

I have been contemplating how precisely I would be able to support the people of Iran as they rise up in this moment of historic drama.

So when I saw the online campaign where men donned the "chador" and proclaimed solidarity with Majid Tavakoli I felt that that was precisely how I could support not only the Green movement but also Mr. Tavakoli.

I also had other reasons that made me feel so moved to participate in the online campaign- far too long the hijab has been politicized. Especially in the current Tavakoli campaign there has been this suggestion that the women of Iran have been suppressed and in solidarity with Mr. Tavakoli and women of Iran men should wear the hijab.

In my participation with the campaign, in no way am I suggesting that the Hijab is suppressive to women. Actually, by wearing the hijab I have found a new found, heightened, level of respect for women who wear the hijab. But I still stand by my previously stated comment, that the hijab- while compulsory for women- should not be forced upon them, its a individual decision (again, I now respect that decision even more so then before.)

The hijab, like Saudi Arabia, is compulsory for Iranian women. The state forces them to wear the hijab and I for one do not believe that states should do so, rather I strongly feel that even in an Islamic nation, the state should maintain a religious presence, however, it should be well short of compulsion. How does one do that, I have no clue, I am not a political scientist nor a Islamic jurists. However, in dealing with post-modernity and Islam, that is a critical question that desires our attention and this is precisely why I stand by the Iranian people.

Iran represents an ongoing experiment in Islamic political development. Unfortunately the reins of such a government were subjugated too the short sighted religiously narrow minded theologians early on in its revoluation. What we have in Iran is a possibility to see a development of a nation that is unlike Turkey and unlike any other majority Muslim population nation- balanced with its religious identity and its secular responsibilities, socially and geographically intact, with a strong economic horizon and an indigenous manufacturing and educational system.

So here I am sitting back and watching in the comfort of my home, what more can I do but support Majid Tavakoli. Of note is that on February 22, 2010, according to STREET JOURNALISM:

Majid Tavakoli was taken back to the Revolutionary Court in Tehran in prison uniform and with laceration marks above his right eyebrow. Tavakoli was not given any reason for his appearance before the court. He was detained in solitary confinement for 3 weeks before today’s court appearance.According to Bamdad Khabar, prior to today’s closed door court hearing, the student activist had previously been tried and sentenced to 8 and a half years in prison and a 5 year ban from political activities and foreign travel.

On March 9, 2010 Czech NGO People in Need made the Iranian regimes shame tactic into a badge of honor by awarding Mr. Tavakoli along with Abdolleh Momeni with the Homo Homini Award. Surprisingly Mr. Momeni was a student leader from the 1999 Iranian uprising who was released a few days before he got the award after spending more than six months in jail, including reportedly some 100 days in solitary confinement. As a former leader of the student movement and an outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment, he campaigned for reformist cleric Mehdi Karrubi ahead of last year's disputed presidential vote. He was arrested in late June and sentenced to eight years in prison.

This year at SXSW there is a screening of "No One Knows About Persian Cats" a movie that follows a young boy and a young girl as they plan to launch a music group shortly after being released from prison. Both characters travel to Tehran where they meet other underground rock musicians and attempt to convince them to leave Iran. However, their dreams to flee to Europe in order to play music freely seem improbable without money or a passport. I wish I could be in Austin for SXSW this year because this pick has me all excited, check out the trailer:

The Kiffiyah Wars

The Kiffeyah- Malkin's (terror cloth) keffiyeh kerfuffle- is this wonderful square cloth. I got my first kiffeyah when a friend of mine brought it back for me. I really enjoyed wearing it because it was convienent in many ways- it served as a great prayer cloth, it served to keep me warm, it served me well when I went for hikes, as a broke college student it also was great throw cloth for my computer desk. Yes, I also wore it during the protests against the Iraq war.

The kiffeyah was in many ways a political cloth as well. I guess it is like the Scottish kilt, something that took on a romanticized reinterpretation during the modern era to represent the political and social aspirations of the Palestinians. Wikipedia has this to say about the kiffeyah:

The keffiyeh (Arabic: كوفية‎, kūfiyyah, plural كوفيات, kūfiyyāt), also known as a (ya)shmagh (from Turkish: yaşmak "tied thing"), ghutrah (غترة), ḥaṭṭah (حطّة), mashadah (مشدة) or shemagh is a traditional headdress typically worn by Arab men made of a square of cloth (“scarf”), usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles around the head. It is commonly found in arid climate areas to provide protection from direct sun exposure, as well as for occasional use in protecting the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand. Its distinctive woven check pattern originated in an ancient Mesopotamian representation of either fishing nets or ears of grain.

What I find funny is that Malkin went after poor little Racheal Ray for wearing the Keffiyah in the Dunkin' Donuts advertisement, but God only knows if she actually did her research what she would have done to the US and Australian Armed forces:

Australian Army forces have also used the shemagh since the Vietnam War, and extensively during Iraq and Afghanistan, particularly by Australian Special Forces units. Since the beginning of the War on Terror, these keffiyeh, usually cotton and in military olive drab or khaki with black stitching, have been adopted by US troops as well. Their practicality in an arid environment, as in Iraq, explains their enduring
popularity with soldiers.

Malkin, ever so the Patriot states "It’s just a scarf, the clueless keffiyeh-wearers scoff. Would they say the same of fashion designers who marketed modified Klan-style hoods in Burberry plaid as the next big thing? Fashion statements may seem insignificant, but when they lead to the mainstreaming of violence—unintentionally or not–they matter. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. In post-9/11 America, vigilance must never go out of style."

So back to the story about the Jew. This kid named Dveykus released what has been dubbed the "Israeli Keffiyeh" in parntership with Shemspeed. The picture above, on the right, is what it looks like.

What I find particulary interesting is the arguement "They took our land, then our humus and grape leaves, now they take our keffiyeh."

Here is my thoughts on the "Israeli Kiffiyeh." I find it peculiar how identity works. On the one hand Racheal Ray wears the kiffiyeh and Malkin calls it the kerfuffle, while American Jewry for the most part going up in arms about the "terror cloth." Then there is this move to reappropriate the cloth and make it "Israeli" to remove that "terror" attribution, and all of a sudden there is this "embrace" for Jewish "Arab" roots.

Talk about deflection. I can hear Malkin now sactioning the holy sacrement known as the "Israeli Kiffiyeh" for all those "fashionistas."

I am happy that there is a recognition of the Arabness found within Jewish culture. I am happy there is a interpretation of that Arab cultural identity. I love the idea of cultural exchanges and developments. I would in fact probably sport the "Israeli Kiffiyeh" if I got it as a gift.

At the end of the day, the kiffeyah serves much more of a utilitarian purpose for me. I find that the cloth holds significant cultural and social value, and I apprieciate that value, as a American and Pakistani who has nothing to do with the Kiffiyeh besides that it has Arab roots that through its roots intersects Islamic/Arab cultural roots. For me the white cotten cloth or the black turban, the Afghan coarse cap and the Kashmiri tribal scarf have more cultural significance. However, I believe in a world that is fast globalizing I can appriciate the Israeli kiffeyah as well as its counterpart the "normal" kiffeyah.

I Found My Calling

From the sea to the expansive sky...I have found my new addiction. I want to learn how to parasail. Surfing is all fun, but this, this looks like a perfect addiction. Watch it and live vicariously...

Oren- On the Flipside

Talk about rushing to judgment. I posted up a quick blurb on my gchat status and facebook reading "shame on the kids...shame". I admit this was in immediate response to the OC Register's post on "Ambassador" Oren- of Israel- speaking at UC Irvine last night, where 11 individuals got arrested for causing a public disturbance (sounds bad, but it is not).

All of sudden I got messages asking if I "condemn" or "condone" the situation. Interesting. Who exactly am I to condone or condemn anything? Why would people take such peculiar interest in what I have to say about the happenings? Also, people were quick to assume that the "kids" implied the students that got arrested, I actually think they were the adults in the situation.

I realize this, silence is a form of acceptance, yet ignorant comments are a form of condemnation. So here is the deal- I do not condemn the actions of individuals at the Oren event. If I were to be at the event I would not have participated in the actions carried out by individuals there.

Yet, this situation strikes as being fairly similar to the University of Chicago speaking engagement by Ehud Olmert last Fall. Very similar tactics by students, possibly actually endorsed by a student organization, who carried out the tactical interruption and mass exodus thus rendering the entire event a complete waste of time on part of Olmert and those who were present.

If anything it further galvanized pro-Israeli/Zionist factions into this "paranoia" state of frenzy, that the whole world is out to get them and this world cabal is lead by Iran's Ahmedinajad.

Even then I found the Olmert action to be disappointing. Here was my reasoning- as a representative of any state (don't argue about the legitimacy of Israel, there is no sympathy here for that line of debate that suggests Israel isn't a state) there are certain diplomatic privileges and accepted behavior.

What is of concern to me is the idea of reciprocity- no matter how horrible Iran's Ahmedinajad is, he must and should be accorded a certain level of respect, even if he believes Iran doesn't have any gay people (silly Ahmedinajad, Ecstasy is for kids?).

The same is true of any diplomatic figure. I tend to think that its a matter of being above "street behavior"- diplomacy has always had this finesse, when you want to pummel your enemy, you do with a velvet glove over your iron knuckles. To that extent, I cheered and hung my head in shame when the Iraqi journalist tossed his shoe at President Bush (and was AMAZED at Bush's ability to quickly duck out of the way of the shoe, it would make for such great entertainment had he not....no it would not. wrong way to think, unthink, unthink it Affad.)

But then who am I to think so highly of these individuals? I mean I yell at my Congressional representative for being spineless, who is this diplomat from some other country to escape from that criticism and practicing of American ideals?

I had to think back to all those health care town-halls last summer (here's one with Arlen Specter):

Seems to me that the booing, interrupting and "co-opting" of events is part of the whole FREEDOM OF SPEECH spiel found in the our tradition of public speeches.

It would be sad to think that booing and heckling at an Obama health care rally or Ahmedinajads speech would be permissible, yet doing such things at a speech or event with a Israeli representative would be reprehensible- double standards?

And please lets not kid ourselves to think that Pro-Palestinians are the only one's implementing this tactic- well documented at UC Irvine is the heckling and interrupting of Pro-Palestinian events along. Furthermore, the stifling of student views that are anti-Zionist with unwarranted and unfounded complaints placed with the DOJ. Furthermore, here is the Daily Show with Anna Baltazar and Mustafa Barghouti, where we got our own JOE WILSON

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Anna Baltzer & Mustafa Barghouti
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

What is evident and extremely shameful is the behavior of elderly PRO-ZIONIST community members doing the following:

and calling Muslims- "sand niggers" and "sand coons" and lets not forget this gentlemen saying "I hope you drop out of school, because YOU will fail your finals"-here- really sir, REALLY Gary Dalin, was this behavior in response to the interruptions by these students or your own lack of civility?

I think people confuse this idea of "freedom of speech" suggesting that individuals are entitled to be listened too. The fact of the matter is, you are not entitled to be heard, you can be heckled and the hecklers removed and duly cited. You can't be denied your ability to speak, unless you clearly are a white supremacist or something deplorable (would a war criminal qualify as deplorable?).

Finally, Muslims should not kid ourselves into thinking that this one instance of "Muslim gone wild" as someone described it, is going to further destroy the "image of Islam." Islam is not beholden to individuals actions, the principles of the individual and their intentions and application of the religion are there's alone to be judged by God. If I as an individual believe that I can go to this Oren event and sit down to listen to him talk on about the Foreign Minister giving him a "hard job" and stand in front of God and say I did speak out against injustice, that I stood up against injustice, that I lifted my mind above my self interest and stood up against the oppressor in whatever fashion that was feasible and viable and legal within the laws that I live my life out under- then I have no room too pass judgment on others.

And there is reason to believe that the Muslim Student Associations do not engage in support of activities deemed "objectionable", from the UCSD MSA (UCSD, where Oren is slated to speak tonight) I got an email that read:

As most of you are aware of, Micheal Oren, the Israeli Ambassador to Washington DC will be arriving to give a lecture tomorrow. As your elected board officials, we are asking that you do not engage in any activity that may reflect negatively upon all Muslims on campus. While we do not support his arrival here on campus nor his views and actions, we understand that as representatives of the Muslim Community here on campus, we will choose the route that allows us to convey best our message of voicing our opinions in a calm, respectful, tolerant and dignified manner. Alhamdulilah, as representatives of Islam, we need to take into account the fact that each and every action we take will affect all Muslims as a whole, not just you as an individual.

Also, just as we do not wish individuals with opposing ideals to disrupt our events, especially during Justice in Palestine Week, we hope that you do not disrupt theirs. Think about how the Prophet (SAWS) would have dealt with this situation. Control your actions, control your emotions and most of all control your temper and know that Allah (SWT) is on the side of those who are patient, but yet speak the truth in the best manner.

I do want you all to know and understand who Oren is. Oren is, in my eyes a war criminal. He was a central player in orchestrating the Gaza war, killing civilians- women and children and elderly, indiscriminately- using mass destruction and slaughter tactics to subdue and destroy the will of Gazans and to further their suffering by imposing inhumane blockade and imprisoning Gaza in the worlds largest prison since World War II. Oren is a through and through right wing, pro-war, Zionist that has honed in on his tactics through the first Lebanon-Israel war and the second invasion of Lebanon by Israel. He denounces anyone whose interests do not align with right wing pro-war Zionist political views, most recently maligning J-Street, a Jewish lobby seeking to break away from American Jewry's blind support of Israel.

Please feel free to invite him to speak at any event, but don't expect people to come and just sit down to listen to him.

Who are the radicals?

The huge stink coming from New Orleans isn't post-Katrina clean up, unfortunately. Its all about this kid- James O'Keefe (the third).

His brazen, and I do admit very savvy, techniques are all the rage. Yet, looking at how Conservatives made him into a celebrity over night was quite alarming. The establishment, conservative that is, seems so quick to jump on board with anything and everything, even when it defies wisdom. In a tell tale conservative fashion the apple hasnt fallen from the tree.

You would wonder if conservatives ever learned any lessons from Watergate. From O'keefe's antics it seems they are all to willing to accept anyone willing to do the dirty work and all to ready to kick'em off the station wagon.

All the bravado about laws and the Constitution, our American principles and values- seem fake. They seem like a facade a sham. Concocted to present one self as "holier then thou art!" On the one hand Conservatives prop up this rhetoric and on the other you have them touting and propping up the next generation of "fixing up the system" Joe Plumbers. When faced with his pants down, O'keefe's father says about his son, "wouldn't break the law. He would know better than that". Yes, much like a sheep would know better then consorting with the wolf?

Conservatives fall back on the same thing- lie, lie, lie. But look, liberals aren't all too innocent either. The fact is O'keefe is coming from a system where audacity and extremism were necessary to get his point across. I remember at UCSD Conservatives would have a bake sale where the prices for their baked goods were based on your age, your race, your class. I remember a conservative group brought out pictures of aborted fetuses to line the Library Walk at UCSD to prove the point that a fetus is a living being. I remember the conservative sleazy magazine "The Koala" constantly running absurd headlines and stories.

This was a personal club, a club for individuals who felt that the university environment was "too liberal" and they had to create their space and get their message across- to build their perspective and bring out the closet conservatives.

How different would that be from Gay rights activists seeking to create a center on campus? Or, creating a space for multiracial students? Granted the practices and fashion conservatives went about doing things are questionable- but part of the problem with people who had issues with what conservatives on campus, was that it left them speechless, meaning they couldnt effectively respond to the absurdity. So their tactics worked.

Conservatives got their 1. message across, 2. got exposure and 3. quite possibly built mechanisms to undermine any effort to challenge them in the future through recruitment and undermining of accepted liberal norms/culture/arguments by making them seem trivial.

It was only a matter of time when college conservative activists would leave college and need to find something to do with the skills they acquired, so there shouldn't be this gasp when O'Keefe and his minions took their activist cause and applied it too the real world. Yet there was.

Working in the non-profit sector, along with many partner non-profits and, also, having just done a non-profit board of governance training- these Okeefian tactics brought up a healthy discussion on internal policy, programming, marketing, social media etc. Beyond that, like in college, everyone was left speechless.

What gets me all worked up though is, why? Why are these activists in the liberal world so shocked? You have absolutely no grounds too be. In fact, liberal activists have been pioneering the very tactics that Okeefe and his conservative minions have been implementing- they are just doing it in a way that incorporates technology.

A while back during Obama's campaign I was introduced to Saul Alinsky. There was some article on Obama's community organizing and how Alinksy pioneered the methods that Obama and other liberal activists were pounding the ground with. I made a mental note and moved on.

However, with Okeefe's new antics in New Orleans I have a new found interest in Alinsky. NYT reported in "High Jinks to Handcuff for Landrieu Provacateur" about the history of the four, including O'keefe, arrested in New Orleans. According too the report

They studied leftist activism of years past as their prototype, looking to the tactics of Saul Alinsky, the Chicago community organizer who laid the framework for grass-roots activism in the ’60s, as well as those of gay rights and even Communist groups.

and

The group’s other main tactic, which Mr. O’Keefe has said was inspired by “Rules for Radicals,” Mr. Alinsky’s manifesto for left-wing organizing, was to caricature liberal political and social values by carrying them to outlandish extremes.

That made all the connections. I never read or heard about Alinsky while I was in college. I took a quick survey of those liberal activist friends from college I could get in touch with to ask if they had ever heard of Saul Alinsky or gotten any sort of training for liberal activists. Each one- about five- said "no" to the first and on the second "yes". The training though was nothing of note. In fact, it sounded so mundane and useless, it seemed the training was more for having an excuse to have a conference and kick it with cool kids from across the country.

What's ironic is that the Conservatives were learning from and applying practices that the very groups they detested developed, but I guess imitation, in this sense, is the best form of "suck on this, you commie sympathizer!"

So then its clear to me that the liberals who pioneered and applied the techniques that Alinsky developed have long lost touch with that history.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, will the liberal activists embrace Alinsky, again? Will they apply his teachings to immigration, health care, prison reform?

That answer will require a certain type of activist, unfortunately, liberals are not faced with the situation conservatives are- they are not marginalized or disaffected, they are not ideologically vacant or distracted, and worse, they are not a majority- the conservatives have a lot more motivating them then do liberals. In fact, liberals are to busy dicing up theories rather then actually pursuing actions. That was visible over last summers rallies against health care and tea parties.

So since I analyzed the situation, there is nothing further I have left to share with you, and I am definitely not interested in a solution to the liberal dilemma, and now I am going to put Saul Alinsky "Rules for Radicals" on my Amazon books to buy list.

Might as well drink the cool aid everyone else at the party is drinking from.