If you are a conservative, then
grudgingly you'll see the value in what this book offers, and if you are on the
left, you want more of it, and if you are moderate, you will dance with joy.
HOSTING A BOOK TALK
The book is about building a cohesive America where each one of us feels secure
about our faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual and political orientation.
Who does not want to live a tension free life at home, workplace, and in the
public space?
The "American Muslim Agenda” serves a two-fold purpose. On the one hand,
it separates the chaff from the grain for fellow Americans to see Muslims for
who they are and not how the media projects them. On the other hand, it
challenges Muslims to restore Islam to its original purpose; that is to create
cohesive societies, in our case, a coherent America, where each one of the 323
Million Americans feels proud of his or her uniqueness.
The book presents many success stories to keep the reader bemused. I am pleased
to submit three versions of the blurbs on the book talk. The format can be 10
minutes or 20 minutes presentation with room for Q&A. We want our esteemed
guests to go home fully satisfied with all the questions they have had about
Islam and Muslims.
Our conservative friends would grudgingly acknowledge the pathway laid out in
the book, while the moderates will dance with joy. If your vision of America is
in tune with the book, together as Americans, we can contribute towards the
greatness of our nation.
Would this book bring a change?
Would this bring a change among Muslims towards others and others towards
Muslims? Indeed, this book lays out a clear agenda to foster harmony among
fellow Americans. It is akin to planting a seed and nurturing to give the
beneficence to the next generation.
Some of the reservations we have about Muslims is based on what we have heard
from our parents, friends, teachers, pastors, and TV. It is time for us to
learn first-hand about them and remove the misunderstandings and live freely.
It is one of the bold books written about Muslims, and it highlights the
sources of extremism and how to cure it.
Unfortunately, some of the Muslim scholars from the past have reduced Islam to
a religion of rituals and obedience. This book brings clarity to Muslims and
fellow humans and separates the chaff from the wheat for you.
What is the overall theme of your
book?
The overall theme of the book is to open people's hearts and minds towards each
other. I believe that the ultimate ‘unexpressed’ purpose of humans is to live
freely and be comfortable with one's culture, race, religion, ethnicity,
sexuality, and individuality.
Why do you think that this book will appeal to readers?
It will appeal to Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, as they have never seen the
pristine, pluralistic Islam. Moreover, for the first time in Islamic history,
the essence of Islam is explained. Also, for the first time, the book explains
twelve values directly from the Quran that contributes towards building
cohesive societies with no privileges to one over the other. It is human nature
to get along with fellow beings, and this book will resonate with them and pave
the path for them to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
TEN TAKE AWAY POINTS FROM THE
BOOK
1. The American Muslim Agenda
challenges Muslims to think and restore Islam to its original purpose – i.e.,
to create a cohesive America, where each one of the 323 Million Americans feels
secure with his or her faith, race, ethnicity culture, sexual and political
orientation.
2. The American Muslim Agenda paves the way for Muslims to own their mistakes,
and remedy them. It corrects how fellow Americans perceive Muslims.
3. Islam is not about imposing
(Sharia) your ideas or governing others. Islam is about living your life and
letting others live theirs with freedom. That is the original Islam. Islam is
about freedom and firmly stands for free will.
4. The essence and purpose of Islam
from a humanity’s (Aalameen) perspective for the first time.
5. Never before in Islamic history,
twelve values of Islam that contribute to creating secure, orderly and cohesive
societies have been articulated. Verses from the Quran fully back each value.
Thus, the book becomes a reference manual to teach and learn about Islam.
6. The best way to combat
Islamophobia is through education, engagement, and dialogue. There are many
success stories narrated including dealing with Fox News, Sean Hannity, Stuart
Varney and the supposedly most of the Islamaphobes.
7. This book is the product of
twenty years of research and interviews with the right, left, and the moderate
fellow humans from many faiths including 150 interviews at Fox News and its
many right-leaning guests.
8. Can a Muslim become President of
the United States? What does it take, there is a full chapter on the topic?
9. In the end, it is learning to
respect the otherness of the other and accepting the God given the uniqueness
of each one of the 323 million Americans.
10. There is a whole lot more, and
it is all in the book.
Talk Version 1.0
Title of the talk: Muslims making
America the Greatest nation on earth.
Americans Muslims are committed to
building a cohesive America, an inclusive America where each one of the 323
Million Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture,
sexual and political orientation.
When you are free from
apprehensions, and connect with fellow workers, the workplace becomes a joy to
be. You will give 100% of your heart and mind to your work, and your family
benefits from having a whole of you, thus creating a little heaven for
yourselves.
Dr. Mike Ghouse, author, public
speaker, pluralist, interfaith wedding officiant, and the president of the
Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC., will discuss how Muslim efforts in
building a cohesive America are working.
He points out that we are Americans,
we are free and brave people and must jettison our apprehensions about each
other to live freely. Mike advises that if you are a conservative, then
grudgingly you'll see a value in what this book offers, and if you are on the
left, you want more of it, and the moderates will dance with joy.
He points out that we are Americans,
we are free, and the brave people, and must jettison our apprehensions about
each other to live freely. How do we accomplish that? It is by knowing each
other.
America has always led the world in
science, medicine, math, agriculture, automation, information technology,
exploration and all the advancements of the human race, and it is time for us
to lead the world in building a cohesive nation. The book offers concrete
solutions to Americans to make America a great and powerful model nation of
inclusion for Americans to enjoy living their lives productively and
purposefully, and the world to look up to us to emulate.
We have to assure each other and
every American without exception that we are committed to each other's
security, prosperity, and peace. Our goal is to reach out to every American who
has not been reached before, particularly those who do not understand us. As
American Muslims, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined
in our constitution.
Mike will share a few incredible
success stories of dealing with our friends on the right and answer questions
about Muslim efforts.
The book “American Muslim Agenda”
will become a reference manual to knowledge seekers and teachers of Islam, and
those who want to see one nation, one people and one America. For Muslims, it
is backed up with verses from the Quran. You can order this book from Amazon,
Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Google, and other book stores. See the talking
points at http://www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com and Mike’s profile appended at
https://www.linkedin.com/inmikeghouse.
Talk Version 2:0
Title of the talk: Muslims making America the Greatest nation
on earth
Americans Muslims are committed to
building a cohesive America, an inclusive America where each one of the 323
Million Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture,
sexual and political orientation.
When you are free from
apprehensions, and connect with fellow workers, the workplace becomes a joy to
be. You will give 100% of your heart and mind to your work, and your family
benefits from having a whole of you with them creating a little heaven for
yourselves.
Dr. Mike Ghouse, author, public
speaker, pluralist, interfaith wedding officiant, and the President of the
Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC., will discuss how Muslim effort is
ongoing in building a cohesive America, where each one of the 323 Million
Americans feel secure about his/her faith, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual
and political orientations.
He points out that we are Americans,
we are free and brave people and must jettison our apprehensions about each
other to live freely. Mike advises that if you are a conservative, then
grudgingly you'll see a value in what this book offers, and if you are on the
left, you want more of it, and the moderates will dance with joy.
The book paves the way for Muslims
to own their mistakes, remedy them, and correct how fellow Americans perceive
Muslims. Mike argues that Islam is not about imposing your ideas or governing
others. Instead, Islam is about living your life and letting others live theirs
with freedom. It is a bold challenge to Muslims. He shows a narration from
humanity's (Aalameen) perspective of the essence and purpose of Islam for the
first time in history.
Mike articulates, for the first time
in Islamic history, twelve values of Islam that contribute to creating secure,
orderly and cohesive societies. He concludes that the best way to combat
Islamophobia (and other phobias) is through education, engagement, and
dialogue. Mike lays out a clear agenda to foster harmony among fellow
Americans. It is akin to planting a seed and nurturing to give the beneficence
to the next generation.
Mike believes when Muslims become
one with all and defend American values with their souls, they will become part
of the American story, and everyone’s language will automatically shift from us
vs. them to us, the one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. As
American Muslims, we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined
in our constitution.
This book will become a reference
manual to teachers of Islam and knowledge seekers about Islam, as it is backed
up verses from the Quran. You can order his book from Amazon, Kindle, Barnes
& Noble, Google, and other book stores. See the talking points at
http://www.AmericanMuslimAgenda.com and Mike’s profile appended at
https://www.linkedin.com/inmikeghouse.
BOOK - Version 3.0
The American Muslim Agenda is a primer,
a blueprint, and a road map for Americans in general and Muslims in particular.
A Muslim is someone who is a
conflict mitigater and a goodwill nurturer, following the formula for peaceful
societies practiced by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and guided by the Quran.
As a community, American Muslims
have not developed any concrete plans to extricate themselves out of the
chaotic situations, hostility and incessant Islamophobic rhetoric we face. Each
time a terrorist acts out, we start praying and wishing that the terrorist not
be a Muslim. We are Americans, and we can do better than that.
There is only one America, and all
of us are fully integrated parts of that nation. We need to learn to engage
with those who are opposed to us, and reassure them that we are all in this
together. Mike will share some success stories.
When we start defending America and
the American values we are in! We become an integral part of American Fabric.
That is the clear objective articulated in this book.
The book is available at Amazon,
Kindle, Google, Xlibris, Barnes & Nobles, and other book stores. The
softcover is priced at $19.99, and the hardcover is $29.99. It is also
available as an eBook.
The American Muslim Agenda will be
in the hands of lawmakers, presidential candidates, media persons, lobbyists,
think tanks, educators, interfaith activists, CEO, and fellow Americans. The
book is about building a cohesive America where each one of us can live
securely with our faith, race, ethnicity, and culture.
As American Muslims, we uphold,
protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our constitution.
Mike is a public speaker, author,
interfaith wedding officiant, a newsmaker and the executive director of the
Center for Pluralism in Washington, DC. More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeghouse/
Email
to: SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com or text (214) 325-1916