Health Care Reform Winners and Losers

The biggest winners are the American Public and losers are the Republicans
Article follows my commentary.

HEALTH CARE is a national priority right after the defense of the nation. We need a safe and a healthy America. Healthy Americans can be more productive and produce more tax dollars to offset the investment. As Republicans have it, it is not a charity, it is an investment in productive citizenry. Congratulations to ev...ery American! This is one of the best things that has happened in America. Thank you Mr. President

The Eisenhower road system cost us trillions, it was considered a sheer waste at one time; on the other hand it gave America mobility and automobiles, home construction jumped - it boomed our economy and enriched us with quality of life that you can only imagine.

Education system, no child left behind program is a serious investment in our future, it is not a hand out, it is an investment that keeps us up with the world and perhaps ahead.... See More... See More

This reform will enrich every American, it is not a charity, it is a serious investment in well being of Americans that make America.

I am a damned Republican too, who wanted to oppose every good reckelessly, but we owe it our country and not the party. Republicans are loosing big time, and they will loose a whole lot more ground until they come to senses, and reflect American values and conncet with Americans. A majority of Republicans like me are silently enduring the extremist take over of our party. It is time to change and we need moderate people in the leadership and not extremist right wingers. We have a choice to let the party go to dogs or survive in the interest of democracy and have serious oppostion in the governance.

Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

Health Care Reform Winners and Losers
Steve Pendlebury

http://www.aolnews.com/the-point/article/obama-pelosi-stupak-health-care-reform-winners-and-losers/19409302?icid=mainhtmlws-bv-wdl2link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fthe-point%2Farticle%2Fobama-pelosi-stupak-health-care-reform-winners-and-losers%2F19409302


AOL News (March 22) -- House passage of his health care bill is President Barack Obama's biggest triumph since his election. But Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Bart Stupak are also high on the list of those getting credit -- or blame -- on the day after the history-making vote. Here's some of what's being said online about who won and who lost.

Winner: President Obama
Commentators across the political spectrum acknowledged the monumental significance of Obama's victory on health care reform. Slate's John Dickerson called it "a turning point in his presidency."

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi made it happen, but Obama worked harder and more intensely than he has on any other issue of his presidency," Dickerson said -- noting that, unlike emergencies such as the auto industry bailout and economic stimulus package, this was a project the president chose to take on.

"If Barack Obama does nothing else in his term in office, this will make him one of the most consequential presidents in history. It's a huge transformative event in Americans' view of themselves and of the role of government," said National Review Online's Mark Steyn.

The conservative blogger added that it's "hard to overestimate the magnitude of what the Democrats have accomplished." However, Steyn warned that Obama's plan would lead to "longer wait times, fewer doctors, more bureaucracy, massive IRS expansion, explosive debt, the end of the Pax Americana, and global Armageddon."

Not everyone on the left is cheering the president's win, either. Pro-choice groups are upset about his agreement to issue an executive order clarifying the ban of federal funding of abortion -- a deal with Stupak that helped push the bill past the magic 216-vote mark. The National Organization for Women charged that Obama's decision "breaks faith with women," and NARAL Pro-Choice America called it "deeply disappointing."

Winner: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
While the reforms that eventually are enacted will no doubt be branded Obamacare, they are also very much Pelosi's handiwork.

"When the history books are written, it'll be Pelosi's cajoling, wrangling, consoling and corralling of the fractious big tent Democratic majority which will get the credit for passing health care reform," Japhy Grant predicted on True/Slant.

Salon's Steve Kornacki noted that the nation's first female speaker of the House has "racked up an impressive list of achievements" since Obama took office, such as the stimulus bill, cap-and-trade, and now health care. "For a woman who supposedly hails from her party's left-wing fringe, she sure has a knack for winning over moderates when it matters."

"If she's not the best [speaker] to do this job, she's certainly in the top two or three in history," said House Democratic Whip Jim Clyburn.

Her success on health care makes Pelosi an even bigger target for her critics. GOP Chairman Michael Steele declared immediately after the House vote: "It is time to fire Nancy Pelosi." The Republican National Committee's Web site now redirects to FireNancyPelosi.com -- a fundraising page featuring a photo of a defiant-looking House speaker on a background of flames. Of course, there's a Twitter hash tag #FirePelosi for those who agree with Steele. But there's also the hash tag #hotforspeaker for those who don't.

As far as the likelihood of Pelosi actually losing her job goes, "Saturday Night Live" recently addressed the matter in a sketch about how unpopular the health care bill was. At one point, Fred "Obama" Armisen remarked: "Does anyone seriously think Nancy Pelosi could lose in her San Francisco district? A place where Republican candidates often finish fourth, behind professional dominatrixes and homeless people."

Winner and Loser: Rep. Bart Stupak
The Michigan Democrat who insisted on tough anti-abortion language in the House-passed version of health care reform was a hero to abortion opponents. That changed in just a few hours Sunday when Stupak agreed to vote yes after Obama promised an executive order to satisfy anti-abortion Democrats.

The Susan B. Anthony List has stripped Stupak of the "Defender of Life" award it was to present to him Wednesday night. Marjorie Dannenfelser, the group's Campaign Fund president, issued a statement saying anyone who votes for this health care bill "can no longer call themselves 'pro-life.'"

Big Journalism's Izzy Lyman blasted Stupak as a "liar" in a post that was typical of reaction from the right. Lyman accused the abortion foe of "trading his 'yes' vote for a 'worthless, non-binding' executive order." Other conservatives pointed out such an order can be trumped by a federal law.

Stupak came out on the winning end of the vote. But on the question of whether he ranks as a winner or loser, Politics Daily's David Gibson called it a draw.

"Before all this, Bart Stupak was a little-noticed congressman from northern Michigan, and while it's clear he gained an enormous amount of national recognition in these past months, it is also clear that among conservative pro-lifers his reputation has been seriously tarnished. The 'Judas' charge quickly zipped around the anti-abortion blogosphere," Gibson said.

Loser: The Guy Who Yelled 'Baby Killer' at Stupak
For more than a year, the debate over revamping the nation's health care system has been notable for its lack of civility. After reports of protesters screaming racial and anti-gay slurs at Democratic lawmakers, House Minority Leader John Boehner had to tell his members to "behave like grown-ups" if the bill passed.

But it seems every major event on Capitol Hill these days must have its "You lie!" moment. While Stupak was speaking about abortion funding Sunday night, somebody on the House floor -- apparently a lawmaker -- shouted "Baby killer!" But who? If anyone knows for sure, they're not saying.

"It was on the floor, but it wasn't very far behind me," Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., told reporters. "But it was definitely on the floor, but it wasn't me. I don't think it's appropriate at all."

Later, Campbell told Talking Points Memo, "I am being told it's a Texan. The people who know won't give it up."

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, refused to identify the shouter, but added "I can make a guess." However, his fellow Republicans Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and Tom Price of Georgia denied it was a congressman.

UPDATE 2:15 PM: Rep. Randy Neugebauer has admitted he did it. The Texas Republican said Monday afternoon he has apologized to Stupak and his House colleagues.

Scare tactics were the big loser in the health care battle, according to Paul Krugman. The New York Times columnist charged that "the emotional core of opposition to reform was blatant fear-mongering, unconstrained either by the facts or by any sense of decency." Krugman called the House vote "a victory for America's soul" -- adding, "This time, fear struck out."

The president's opponents are already vowing to strike back at the polls in November. As Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence notes, it remains to be seen how health care will affect the next election. But even short-term gains in Congress pale in comparison to what David Frum described as the "most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s" for conservatives and Republicans.

"Legislative majorities come and go. This health care bill is forever," the conservative columnist wrote on Frum Forum.
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3000 THANKS; What are you most likely to say?

Just imagine if aliens from different planets gather in a convention on “Protecting the Universe” held on Planet Zenorina. The first thing we would do, is to introduce each other when we meet face to face with the “others” and while banging the heads (their custom) what would you say about yourselves?

Continue: http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/03/3000-thanks-what-are-you-most-likely-to.html
---

A tribute to Elliott Dlin

Notes Added: The Holocaust Museum has just sent the release on Dr. Dlin, it follows my tribute.
~~~~~

A tribute to Dr. Elliott Dlin
6:00 PM, March 3, 2010

I am saddened to hear the loss of our own; Dr. Elliott Dlin from the Jewish community of Dallas. I am stressed up, I cannot believe this. We had a dinner last week on February 23rd with our group after the Holocaust event at SMU.

On Wednesday 24th, he shoots me an email to go for lunch to talk about the conference on Holocaust and Genocides I have scheduled, I could not meet with him then, I get another email to meet at Bishop McGriff's funeral on Friday 26th. Alas, we had connected.

I have known Elly since 2006, we have worked together at two of the three Holocaust and Genocides events here in Dallas. He is (was) one of the best educators about Holocaust and gave me a personal tour of the Dallas Holocaust Museum with my other friend Bernie Mayoff.

I had invited him to a meeting at the Memnosyne Foundation in 2008, and from there he became friends with us at Memnoysne as well and he was part of the interfaith service network advisory. We planned a interfaith work to clean and paint the holocaust museum, where people from different faith joined in for the project.

Eliott was the Directors of Dallas Holocaust Museum and through his encouragement I became a member of the Museuem.

The foundation for Pluralism honored him with aplaque recognizing his work in the community at the 2nd Annual Holocaust and Genocides commemoration -
http://picasaweb.google.com/HolocaustandGenocides/IIAnnualReflectionOnHolocaustAndGenocideslectionOnHolocaustAndGenocides#
I will be updating information about him on the face book as well as at:

I mourn the loss of a friend, from God we come and to God we go.
May your soul be blessed and rest in peace. Amen

Mike Ghouse, Chair
Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides
www.HolocaustandGenocides.com
Dallas, Texas

LINK TO THIS TRIBUTE:
http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/03/tribute-to-elliott-dlin.html

________________________________________________

Shared by the Dallas Holocauts Museum at 4:00 PM March 4, 2010

Elliott Dlin: The Ultimate Upstander

Dear Friends,

On Wednesday, March 3rd, we lost a friend and Holocaust scholar. Elly Dlin brought as much passion and knowledge as anyone could to our mission to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to teach the moral and ethical response to prejudice, hatred and indifference, for the benefit of all humanity.

Elly's enthusiasm for teaching about the Holocaust and genocide made it impossible for his audiences to be indifferent; he had the power to transform bystanders into Upstanders. His contributions to the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance were many, but his most remarkable and impressive was the exhibit he set up at our current Record Street location, which now serves as the foundation for all that we do. To say he will be missed is an understatement.

Elly fulfilled many roles, but just last Sunday, he performed a comedy routine at the DHM/CET Purim Party in his Edmonton Oilers hockey jersey. A man of many talents and many friends. And, many have expressed an interest in making contributions to the DHM/CET in Elly's memory. Your sincere support is very much appreciated. We will be working to create a lasting and appropriate memorial to Elly, what he stood for, and his many contributions to the DHM/CET. Your input would be most welcome as we proceed in a thoughtful discussion on how to best honor Elly's legacy.

Sincerely,

"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people"

Elliott Dlin, an internationally-regarded expert on the Holocaust and Museum Director of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance, devoted his life to fighting indifference.

Dlin believed that indifference is not a neutral position. The Holocaust, he said, would not have been possible without the inaction of so many who stood by from 1933-1945. In dozens of lectures to teachers, school students and community groups, Dlin championed the term "Upstander"--someone who stands up to racism, prejudice and indifference.

"The Holocaust is the turning point in modern history that transformed the unimaginable into the replicable," he said recently. "It demands involvement and vigilance, and its lessons must be taught anew to each generation."

Dlin, 57, died Wednesday, following a heart attack. Services will be 2 p.m. Sunday in Edmonton, Canada, where he was born. A memorial service in Dallas is pending.

"Elly brought as much passion and knowledge as any one could to our mission to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to teach the moral and ethical response to prejudice, hatred and indifference, for the benefit of all humanity," said Thomas S. Halsey, Chairman of the Board of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance. "His enthusiasm for teaching about the Holocaust and genocide made it impossible for his audiences to be indifferent; he could transform bystanders into Upstanders."

Rabbis William Gershon, David Glickman and Joseph Menashe of Congregation Shearith Israel said, "Elly was not only a wonderful Holocaust Scholar, but an excellent communicator who deeply touched so many lives. Our hearts go out to the Dlin Family, his colleagues at the Holocaust Museum, as well as to the entire Jewish community. His passing is a true loss for all of us."

Dlin joined the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance as its Executive Director in January 2002, when the Museum was located at the Jewish Community Center of Dallas. In 2005, the Museum relocated to 211 N. Record St. in Dallas' West End Historic District. Dlin personally developed the Museum's current exhibition, which examines one day in the Holocaust-April 19, 1943-from three different perspectives. The Museum hosts more than 50,000 visitors annually.

"Elly's contributions to the DHM/CET were many, but his most remarkable and impressive was the exhibit he set up at our Record Street location, which now serves as the foundation for all that we do," said Halsey. "To say he will be missed is an understatement."

Last December, at the request of the Museum board, Dlin assumed the new title of Museum Director, focusing on educational, archival and other content-related programs. The Museum has purchased land for a new facility at Houston Street and Pacific Avenue, adjacent to the Sixth Floor Museum, and a fundraising campaign is being planned.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Elliott Dlin emigrated to Israel in 1977 after completing an MA in Modern European History from The University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Initially, he taught high school in Jerusalem, then spent 22 years in senior positions for Yad Vashem, Israel's national museum and memorial to the Holocaust in Jerusalem. Dlin worked in the education department where he focused on developing and writing curriculum as well as training teachers to teach about the Holocaust. He helped establish the "International Seminars for Teaching Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust," a multi-language, multi-dimensional program that continues today. From 1993 to 1999, he served as director of the Valley of Communities, a 2.5-acre commemorative site in Yad Vashem where he lectured and curated more than a dozen exhibitions.

In Dallas, Dlin was a passionate speaker and captivating educator. His lectures and presentations wove together historical fact and moral perspective, often leaving spell-bound audience members wanting to hear more. He specialized in bringing a comprehensive worldview to the approach of teaching about the Holocaust, believing memory is both personal and communal.

In January, Dlin was Guest Scholar at Temple Emanu-El for a three-part lecture series entitled, Understanding the Holocaust: Changing Reflections in Film, Media and Beyond. On February 23, he was a presenter and panelist for a program at Southern Methodist University exploring the Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission, established by the Texas Legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Perry last June.

At the time of his death, Dlin was nearing completion of a Ph.D. dissertation in Museum Education at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, the subject of which is a comparative study of Holocaust Museums in North America.

Dlin is survived by his wife, Carol Bachman-Dlin; four sons, Yeshai, Oren, Ronen and Raviv; his mother, Helen Dlin; his brother, Dr. Arnold Dlin; a sister, Bonnie Cassios; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made in Dlin's name to the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance, the American Heart Association or to Yad Vahsem.

Elly at a Feb. 23 panel
Elly was a presenter and panelist at the Museum's Feb. 23 event at SMU, exploring the Texas Commission on Holocaust and Genocide, co-sponsored by the Memnosyne Foundation and the SMU Human Rights Program


Elly at the Feb. 28 Purim Party
Elly was an avid fan of his hometown National Hockey League team, the Edmonton Oilers.

Elly at a Yom Hashoah Event
Since his arrival to the Museum in 2002, Elly has overseen planning of the annual Yom Hashoah Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at which we recognize and honor our cherished Holocaust Survivors.

The Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, and to teaching the moral and ethical response to prejudice, hatred and indifference, for the benefit of all humanity.

For more information, visit dallasholocaustmuseum.org.
And, please visit us at 211 N. Record Street, Suite 100, Dallas, 75202.
~~~~

Religious Conversions or Recruitment

Religions are beautiful, if every one gets it as Jesus intended, Mohammad wanted, Moses taught, Krishna explained, Nanak practiced, Buddha enlightened, Zarthustra showed or the native traditions point out... there would be no problem. All they wanted was a better world by following a few basic principles. They were looking at the end result and not the means. Religion is not the problem.

The purpose of religion is ......... Continued at: http://wisdomofreligion.blogspot.com/2010/03/religious-conversions.html

Indian American for Texas State legislature

Congratulations Massarat

 

Mike Ghouse

www.MikeGhouseforAmerica.net

 

Masarrat Ali Runs as Texas Democrat

February 28, 2010 by TMO 
http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=5863

 Son of a poor tailor is Democratic candidate in Texas elections

An Indian-American is standing in American state-level elections. No big deal, it's happened before. The elections are in Texas. Not much of a big deal either. Texas has politicians from immigrant families.

Now consider this: The Indian-American is Masarrat Ali, a biotechnologist-entrepreneur and a first-generation immigrant, son of a tailor from the village of Jhansi, UP, the eldest of nine siblings, all who got their first schooling in a run-down establishment that used to be part of Rani of Jhanshi's kotwali. When you add to this the fact that Ali is the first Indian-American and the first Muslim to get a party ticket in Texan elections, then his case becomes special.

Masarrat Ali is the Democratic candidate for District No. 122 (in San Antonio) for the Texan House of Representatives (the lower house). San Antonio is no backwater—the second largest city in Texas and the seventh largest in the US. Ali's rival for the Democratic ticket for District No. 122 was Art A. Hall. But on January 15, Hall dropped out and endorsed Ali's candidature. The elections are in November and Ali has a tough job. District 122 in San Antonio, Texas has been held by Republicans for 18 years. Texas is a Republican-leaning state and Ali is a newcomer to politics. But, as Ali says, "If Obama could happen, why not Massarat? His (Obama's) victory has given hope to all minorities."

Win or lose, though, Ali's is already a remarkable story.

It started in Jhansi, in the Bundelkhand region of UP, then as now, a place development has passed by. Ali was born to a tailor, Haji Maqbool Ali. Ali Senior says he used to stitch suits for "commissioners, collectors and ministers". But the money wasn't enough for his large family of nine children, of whom Masarrat was the eldest. They lived in a narrow lane crowded with old houses. The neighbourhood is called Gandhigarh Tapra. "It was a typical mohalla with little sense of education. It was full of eighth-class fails. The highest qualification there was high-school-fail," Masarrat said.

The lane is still the same. But Ali's house has changed — a well-constructed, three-storey building, marble floors, modular kitchen and modern furniture. "The house got renovated just a couple of months back," said Ali's mother Rasheedan Ali.

The school Masarrat attended—the Urdu-medium Wakf Board-run Islamia primary school —is just a stone's throw from his house. "During my days, it had no chairs, no electricity, no bathrooms and just two-three teachers who never cared," Ali recollects.

Today, it's almost the same — a decrepit building whose plaster is peeling off and whose wall has 'I love you' scribbled on it at many places and posters of local politicians pasted on it. The school is on a single floor and the building that houses it was a kotwali during the time of Rani Laxmi Bai, according to Ali's younger brother Zaheer , a local businessman. "When Masarrat was a kid, there was no power supply for homes in Jhansi," the father recalled. "He would study with a lantern. Though he loved studying, he had no career ambition. When you are busy just trying to survive, there's little time to think about lofty things such as ambition," Ali recollects.

But the father—who also attended the Islamia school and didn't study further —made sure that his children at least aspired to get an education that would make them fit for white-collar jobs. So, he didn't let them mingle with other children in the neighbourhood; they had enough siblings to play with at home. "Without his efforts, I would have been lost in the galis of Jhansi today," says Masarrat. But the father takes no credit. "Sab Allah Miyan ka diya hua hai. It's god's gift," he said.

Ali's education progressed from the Islamia school to the Hindi-medium Government Intermediate College and then Aligarh Muslim University. Everything Masarrat did after graduation, Masters in Biochemistry from Aligarh in 1977, PhD from the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, in 1981, post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Paris, France (where he was research assistant professor till 1984), the Louisiana State Medical University in New Orleans and Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, (together, he spent 10 years there) was on scholarship.

The tailor's eldest son set the example for his younger sons — one is an MBA, the other is an IT professional and a couple others are graduates and running local businesses in Jhansi such as a pharmaceutical distributorship and a ladies' clothes store. His daughters are either high-schoolers or intermediate-pass, which according to Ali, is "a great achievement" as women in his family had previously never attended school.

Masarrat Ali traded academics for entrepreneurship after he moved to his current residence, San Antonio, in 1993. That year, while he was doing his research on breast cancer at the University of Texas Health Science Center, his thesis supervisor, also an Indian, told him that research published only in papers or journals was "meaninglss". That prompted Ali to do a "crazy" thing. He quit his comfortable job as an assistant professor, and started the Alpha Diagnostics International (ADI). ADI sells biotechnology laboratory equipment. Ali says it's a success. ADI has a centre in San Antonio and one in Shanghai. How much is he worth? Ali won't get into specifics.

And how did politics happen? Always a Democrat voter, in 2004, Ali was among those who founded the Texas Muslim Democrat Caucus, a body that, Ali says, voices Muslim political concerns within the Democrat party and also works to get Texan Muslims to register as voters. Masarrat is currently the Caucus's vice-president. His ambition is to convert the caucus into a national affair and it has now been rechristened as American Muslim Democrat Caucus. San Antonio has 30,000 Muslims and Texas, about 5 lakhs.

Convincing Muslims in Texas to be politically active is tough, Ali says. Muslims from India are more willing, he says. Those from the Middle-East are the most reluctant. Two years ago, Ali was elected Precinct Chair for District 122, which required grassroots working like getting in touch with the voters and organizing them. The candidacy followed from that. Ali's father, who visits his son in Texas every year, doesn't have any particular views about his son's political goals. But Ali Senior says, he "likes the Americans he met". "My beard, my kurta-pajama, my topi don't seem to be a problem when I am there," he says.

~~~~

The Smearing of Rashad Hussain

The world is crying out loud for Muslims to take initiatives to bring about a positive change, and when they do, the right wingers start pouncing. They sound like cranky men, damn if you do and damn if you don't.

To be critical is part of our democracy and am glad if some one is critical with the intent of finding the truth and not to act out their crankiness. Well, in the case of Rashad, it's a blessing that the right wingers pounced on him, as we have found Rashad's admirable position in the following write up by Marc Lynch.

My response to Cal Thomas at his blog was, " It is always good to be critical, and I appreciate the note. However, you have not taken the time to learn about Rashad Hussain and simply going by Robert Spencer, who is in the busines of making money by maligning others or frightening the Cxxp out of others." more at his link.

http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/smearing-of-rashad-hussain.html

Mike Ghouse for America
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Smearing of Rashad Hussain

Posted By Marc Lynch Tuesday, February 23, 2010 - 9:15 PM Share
http://lynch.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/02/23/the_despicable_smearing_of_rashad_hussein
Rashad Hussain's appointment as the Obama administration's envoy to the Organization of Islamic Countries, part of the broader strategy of outreach to the Muslim world, was as welcome as it was overdue. Hussain, a lawyer who had been working in the White House counsel's office and also working with the NSC on Muslim engagement, seemed an excellent pick. The announcement in Doha showed a renewed sense of urgency about delivering on the promise of Obama's Cairo speech to the Muslim world. It is good to see a Muslim appointed to such a position. After the failed Christmas bombing most would agree that the task of combatting violent extremism is as urgent a national security priority as ever.

But then, an all-too-familiar script began to play out. A paper-thin but insinuation-heavy hit piece laid out the template for a rapidly unfolding smear campaign: damning him by association for appearances at various events sponsored by Muslim organizations, for being on the "wrong" side of a number of controversial trials of Muslims (as if there were only one legitimate perspective on those hotly contested issues), and of allegedly doctoring the record of comments about Sami al-Arian (see Daveed Gartenstein-Ross's detailed, rigorous analysis of the textual evidence which decisively debunks the charge). The hit piece was quickly picked up by the noise machine and disseminated through a range of right wing blogs and websites, migrating seamlessly to Fox News and Politico, and becoming the fodder for another manufactured scandal of the day. Within days, it has become standard to describe Hussain as a "terrorist sympathizer"... and the hate is flowing. It is no less despicable for being so commonplace.

One irony is that Hussain is actually one of those Muslims who has been speaking out against extremism, forcefully and eloquently, and whose role in Muslim engagement was explicitly focused on building alliances with Muslims around the world to marginalize al-Qaeda. In a Brookings paper published in 2008, Hussain wrote that "[T]he terrorist ideology is advocated by small, fringe groups and rejected by a vast majority of Muslims . . . as American policymakers and leaders have recognized, Islam rejects terrorism." He argued that "there exists a near-unanimous, overwhelmingly accepted view among Islamic scholars rejecting terrorism and the practice of takfir to justify terrorism." He went on to argue that "If the global coalition to stop Al-Qaeda and other terrorists groups is to succeed, it must convince potential terrorists that Islam requires them to reject terrorism." Indeed, he argued, "The most paramount task for the global counterterrorism coalition is to emphasize that engaging in terrorism is antithetical to the shari’ah, or Islamic law." This is not a close call.

That a Muslim who has written so powerfully against extremism and terrorism is nevertheless so casually tarred as a terrorist sympathizer is shameful. It is also strategically dangerous. Those serious about counter-terrorism and combatting violent extremism now mostly understand that such campaigns also have the potential to deal a sharp blow against U.S. efforts to combat violent extremism and to counter al-Qaeda's narrative. It threatens to offer ammunition to al-Qaeda's claim that the U.S. is at war with Islam, not with "extremism", and to sabotage Obama's efforts to establish a new narrative. Hussain's critics know perfectly well that he's not a terrorist and doesn't support terrorism, and probably understand that their campaign against him will have a negative impact on the Muslim community in America and beyond. Evidently they don't care.

Fortunately, the story doesn't end there. The bright spot in this sordid affair has been the willingness of a few national security experts on the hawkish side of the spectrum to stand up in public and denounce the railroading of Hussain. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, wrote a powerful personal defense of Hussein as primarily motivated by civil liberties concerns, not by Islamism. He took that defense on TV, where he had to face the wild-eyed insanity of Frank Gaffney (apparently, memorizing the Quran is evidence of extremism) and to confont head-on the madness of the anti-Islamic post-9/11 fringe. Some other conservative national security experts rose to Gartenstein-Ross's defense -- I'll single out Max Boot and Eli Lake, though they certainly aren't the only ones. For others, well, welcome to the Islamofascist stealth jihad, ya Daveed.

The response of these national security conservatives has been heartening. There's more and more understanding of the importance of disaggregating the challenge, placing al-Qaeda and the jihadist movement as a dangerous but tiny fringe movement rather than lumping together all Islamists or Muslims. Pushing back against this campaign is important just as it was essential to not over-react after Fort Hood or the Christmas bombing. So is the response of the White House, which has stood fast against the smears rather than folding at the first sign of an attack. Hopefully both national-security conservatives and the White House will continue to do so. If sensible people stand up against these contemptible smears, it could send a powerful message that the days of such intimidation and smear campaigns are past. Let's hope.

~~~

Program at SMU to explore Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission

I am glad to see the comments from Mr. Kaul, and thank God, we were able to include all human failures and tragedies in our program on January 24th. I invite every one to join to nights program at SMU and learn a different perspective. www.HolocuastandGenocides.com Program at SMU to explore Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission
	4:05 PM Thu, Feb 18, 2010 Sam Hodges/Reporter

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/02/program-at-smu-to-explore-texa.html

The release below gives details on a fast-approaching program at Southern Methodist University:

On Tuesday evening (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m. at SMU's Hughes-Trigg Theater in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center (http://smu.edu/maps/flash/) , the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance (www.dallasholocaustmuseum.org) is hosting a special program exploring the role of the newly-established Texas Holocaust and Genocide Commission.

The program is free and open to the public, and complimentary valet parking is provided.

The Commission was established during the last session of the Legislature and signed into law last summer. State Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) and State Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) co-sponsored the bill creating the commission, which was passed unanimously.

Texas is the nation's 13th state to establish a commission or council devoted to Holocaust and genocide education. By law, the commission--considered the most important development in Holocaust education in Texas in years--is to help preserve information and experiences of the Holocaust and other genocide events. The commission will also work with organizations, agencies, museums, survivors and liberators to provide information and experiences and to coordinate memorial events in the state.

The SMU program will explore the commission's purpose in a Q&A format moderated by Texas Tribune Editor Evan Smith, formerly president and editor-in-chief of Texas Monthly. The panelists include Senator Shapiro; Peter Berkowitz, a Houston business executive who chairs the commission; Amy Fisher-Smith, an associate professor of psychology at University of Dallas, and a Holocaust educator; and Elliott Dlin, Museum Director of the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance.

Texas is home to several hundred Holocaust survivors, and a few are expected to attend the event, co-sponsored by the Memnosyne Foundation (http://memnosynefoundation.org/) and the SMU Human Rights Program (http://smu.edu/humanrights/)

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Goofy Clinton avoided nuke question

Clinton avoided nuke question
From correspondents in Riyadh,
Herald Sun, Australia

This note is in reference to statement in the article below, "Ms Clinton had been on a three-day trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss, among other things, how to confront Iran's alleged programme to develop nuclear weapons."

Why do we go about the negative way? Aren't we causing Iran to take the challenge and dig in their heels, is that what we want? We should spend similar energy on friendship rather than placing a wedge between other nations, such a measure is based on a short-term need but creating eternal enemies, forget about them, it puts us on guard all the time, do we want that? There is a famous Chinese saying, the only way to remove the enemy for good is to friend him.

Hilary, your approach is goofy. When we create space, room and respect for others, we have won their hearts and at the end both of us benefit.

Mike Ghouse

Here is the article:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/clinton-avoided-nuke-question-student/story-e6frf7jx-1225832790510

A SAUDI student blasted US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for skirting her question on Israel's nuclear arsenal during a "town hall'' meeting at a Jeddah college. "I did not get a straight answer,'' Mariyam Alavi said in a letter published in Arab News on her question to the top US diplomat last Tuesday.

"My question was simple and direct enough,'' she wrote, but Ms Clinton's response "was very unsatisfying.'' Alavi, a 12th grader at the International Indian School in Jeddah, attended the meeting at the elite Dar al-Hekma College with six classmates.

She had asked Ms Clinton about Washington's stance on the existence of nuclear weapons in the Middle East. If the Americans "so vehemently oppose Iran's nuclear programme,'' she had asked, "then why isn't the US asking Israel to give up their nuclear weapons?''

Ms Clinton gave a lengthy answer detailing the US case against Iran, but did not mention Israel.
She did, however, say that "we want not only a world free of nuclear weapons, we want a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, including everyone.''

Alavi's Arab News letter assailed US "hypocrisy'' over the issue, reflecting a widely held sentiment in in the region. "Clinton said that the United States, under the able leadership of President Barack Obama, was trying to repair and strengthen its ties with the Muslim world.

"It is high time she realised it couldn't be done without answering the questions uppermost in the minds of the Middle East people.'' Alavi said she had been nervous about asking such a "politically provocative question'' but was then encouraged by strong applause from the audience when she addressed Ms Clinton.

Ms Clinton had been on a three-day trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss, among other things, how to confront Iran's alleged programme to develop nuclear weapons.
~~~

A tribute to Bishop Larry McGriff

My friend Bishop Larry McGriff passed away yesterday, Thursday, February 18, 2010.

I mourn his loss; he was a friend and a true interfaith leader. I have known him for about six years and have attended his church, the Church of Living God in Oak Cliff several times. Larry asked me to do the Pluralism greetings every time I have been to his church; in short they are religious greetings from Bahai to Zoroastrian traditions and every one in between.

I will miss his graceful presence at our events; he attended every one of the Unity day USA programs, the Holocaust and Genocide event, the Thanksgiving Celebrations event and the commemoration event to pay tribute to my late wife’s life of exemplary service. He sang ”the Change is coming, hold on" song, and indeed it was uplifting.

Right after one of the Unity Day events, Dallas Morning News captured him on the camera and published his picture, which he had framed and made a point to show it to me every time I visited his church.

On December 27, 2009 he married Dr. Karen Hollie, another interfaith leader; as a groom on the stage, he sung the song "change is coming, hold on" again. Their wedding was the interfaith wedding of the year, where several religious leaders blessed the couple.

Together the couple has served their community well through their programs "walk to the destiny" where they served the children with new shoes, clothing and school bags in collaboration with the interfaith network service of Memnosyne Foundation.

Bishop Larry McGriff’s and I have been associated through the Universal Peace Federation, where he was bestowed upon the recognition as an Ambassadors of Peace; he has been a part of my organizations the Foundation for Pluralism and the World Muslim Congress; and we have collaborated service projects through Memnosyne's center for interfaith.

Selected Pictures, slide show:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157623470524140/show/

Facebook: Wedding pictures http://www.facebook.com/MikeGhouse?ref=profile#!/album.php?aid=368523&id=851280248&op=6

Walk to destiny pictures
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=275095&id=851280248

Selected pictures
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=395475&id=851280248&l=669b563b7b

Meanwhile, I found another song to honor him, he uplifted interfaith in his community as the following song "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke traces the African-American history, from the struggle of black Americans from the early days up to the present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWZjTPlQhc&feature=player_embedded

Link to this tribute:

http://mikeghouseforamerica.blogspot.com/2010/02/tribute-to-bishop-larry-mcgriff.html

Mike Ghouse
http://www.mikeghouse.net/

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Bishop Larry McGriff, a fixture in southern Dallas church and politics, is dead at 58
04:57 PM CST on Thursday, February 18, 2010

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/021810dnmetbishopmcg.12e5088ea.html

By SAM HODGES and RUDOLPH BUSH / The Dallas Morning News

samhodges@dallasnews.comrbush@dallasnews.com

Bishop Larry McGriff, a well-known clergyman from East Oak Cliff, died this morning at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas.

McGriff, 58, was pastor of the Church of the Living God on Overton Road near Lancaster Road. He was active in local politics and interfaith work and was known for helping the poor.

Dallas pastors marry in interfaith ceremony
Get Oak Cliff news and resources
Blog: Oak Cliff

“He had a heart not only for his congregation but for the entire community,” said Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, a friend of McGriff's. The mayor said he admired McGriff's charitable work, particularly a program to provide Christmas toys for needy children.

Dallas City Council member Tennell Atkins, another friend, said the pastor suffered an aneurysm Wednesday night and was rushed to the hospital. He died about 11:30 a.m. today
"He gave people food, clothes. Every day he was helping people," Atkins said.
"I could call him at four in the morning. He wouldn't ask why. He'd just show up."

McGriff's wedding last December to Karen Hollie, pastor of Lifeway Church in the Red Bird area, drew various dignitaries, including Leppert. The pastor's interfaith commitment was demonstrated by having a rabbi and an imam participate in the service.

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Pictorial Report - Holocaust and Genocides

Pictorial Report - Holocaust and Genocides
The III Annual Reflections on Holocaust and Genocides.
Sunday, January 24, 2010

This was an educational program, where 7 speakers reflected on 7 topics for 7 minutes each. Then 7 commentators made comments about 7 different situations. The topics ranged from the Holocaust to Genocides, massacres and tragedies.

This is perhaps the first time in our history that we have acknowledged the genocides of the indigenous Americans and Native peoples of Americas in a public forum along with other tragedies.

There is a shameless cruelty in us, either we shy away or some times refuse to acknowledge the sufferings of others, worrying that it will devalue our own or some how it amounts to infidelity to our own cause, and shame on us for justifying massacres that the victims deserved it or they asked for it.

Continued at: http://holocaustandgenocides.blogspot.com/2010/02/pictorial-report-holocaust-and.html
~~~