Apr

28

Advertising to Muslims in America

April 28, 2007 | 3 Comments

A great piece appeared in the New York Times today that sheds light on efforts to incorporate the interests of Muslim Americans in advertising for products mainly in the US. Rewriting the Ad Rules for Muslim-Americans discusses the efforts of one of the largest advertising agencies in the country to study the buying habits of Muslims in the US.

Over the last few months, JWT conducted a large study of Muslims in the United States and Britain to determine whether they would be receptive to specialized advertising. There were 835 people in the United States study. Muslim Americans spend about $170 billion on consumer products, JWT estimates; this figure is expected to grow rapidly as the population expands and younger Muslims build careers.

Ms. Salzman said the study found that Muslims were buying many standard products but that they felt excluded from mainstream advertising. In particular, she said, they wanted companies to recognize their holidays.

Estimates of Muslims in America number from 7 to 10 million, and are concentrated in areas like California, northern Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, New York, and Texas. They’re buying power is, as mentioned above, more than $170 BILLION!

I’m always excited to see products try to reach out to Muslim shoppers like myself. We do have certain needs and most of us are willing to pay to find something that suits our tastes, from food products to clothing.

I was very excited to read that some stores will be reaching out to Muslims during our holidays. I remember in December I really wanted to decorate the house for Eid, especially since Christmas and Hanukkah decorations were all over the place. I desperately searched the malls for something that wouldn’t be too Christmas-y, and could give a nice Ramadan or Eid theme, but to no avail! I ended up putting Christmas lights outside the house, and wondered when Eid moves down to March, what will the neighbors think? Christmas lights in the spring?!

And now, Ikea, which recently opened a store in the suburb of Canton, Mich., that has had trouble attracting as many Muslim customers as it had hoped, has been touring local homes and talking to Muslims to figure out their needs.

The store there plans to sell decorations for Ramadan next fall and is adding halal meat to its restaurant menu, or meat that is prepared according to Islamic law. Catalogs in Arabic are being planned, and female Muslim employees are expected to be given an Ikea-branded hijab, to wear over their head if they wish.

So if you’re listening to me corporate America, I’m just letting you know that I’m willing to pay for Eid and Ramadan decorations. I want you to reach out to me and convince me to buy your products that have been tailored to my needs as a Muslim American woman.

Until then, I’ll just wait and hope.

Be sure to read the full article, and watch the accompanying video.

Apr

24

The Story of an Iraqi, Not a Statistic

April 24, 2007 | 2 Comments

I want to share with you the story of Bilal. It is not my story to tell, but it has touched me so deeply that I believe everyone should read it. In light of the Virginia Tech tragedy, I think it is most timely to highlight the lives of one of the victims of Iraq’s daily tragedies.

This is the story of a human being, a student, a son, a brother, a cousin, a friend. When you read his story, he will no longer be a statistic… one of the more than 300 hundred Iraqis who were killed last week.

Fellow blogger Fatima, of Thoughts From Baghdad, relays Bilal’s story of anguish over the past few days. I recommend you read her posts in chronological order:

Crying for Bilal

Crying for Bilal: Day 2

Waiting for Bilal: Day 3

Hoping for Bilal: Day 4

Day 5…

Day 6…

God bless your heart, Bilal.

Apr

23

In Solidarity, from the West Bank to Virginia

April 23, 2007 | 2 Comments

pali1.jpg

Palestinians plant an olive tree in memory of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, along the route of Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank village of Maasarah, close to Bethlehem, Friday, April 20, 2007. Palestinians planted 32 olive trees, one for each victim at Virginia Tech. (AP Photo/Nasser Shiyoukhi)

pali2.jpg

An Israeli soldier argues with a Palestinian man during a planting of olive trees along Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bit Ommar, near Hebron April 21, 2007. The tree-planting is in memory of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings in the U.S. this week. REUTERS/Nayef Hashlamoun (WEST BANK)

Apr

19

On Tragedies, Media, and Desensitization

April 19, 2007 | 4 Comments

The tragedy that took place on Monday a few hours away at Virginia Tech still dominates the headlines and will do so for at least a few weeks. I have tried my best over the past 24 hours to stay away from following the latest details of the aftermath of the shooting spree, but to no avail. I find myself wanting to hear every story, see every picture, and watch every video that is related to this unspeakable tragedy. And the more I see, the more depressed I feel, the more hopeless I get, and the more I think about why this horrible event has consumed my life for the past 4 days.

For the past few days, I was offended when I saw regular programming on television. I was angry when people walked around the office as if nothing had happened. I was mad when I barely saw a mention of the shooting on the Arab blogosphere. I didn’t like it when people tried to undermine this tragedy by pointing to “bigger” massacres around the world. I wanted the world to come to a stop and everyone to simply mourn the victims at Virginia Tech. I wanted to just sit and watch the coverage and cry all day. I wanted to cry for them, for their friends, their mothers and fathers, their siblings, their neighbors and acquaintances, and everyone that had ever met them. I just wanted to cry for them, and for the world we live in.

But I didn’t cry. My eyes have filled with tears but they never burst. My throat dried up and I felt knots in my stomach. But the tears didn’t flow. I’ve internalized it and I don’t know how to release it. It’s not that I find it hard to cry or that it’s uncommon for me to cry in reaction to such events. Maybe it’s because I was reading their stories at work and didn’t want to cry in public. Or maybe I just didn’t want to unleash this sea of tears that will not stop at Vtech but will cross oceans and continents to Iraq and beyond. Or maybe I just felt too guilty to cry.

I wonder why I don’t feel my stomach churn as much when I see the images of car bombs in Iraq and hear the ever-increasing number of casualties. I wonder why the sporadic violence in Mogadishu doesn’t make me want to curl up in a corner and cry. And then I stop wondering. Because it appears that the answer is simple. I am close to Virginia Tech in many ways, and I can relate to the students and community there on many levels. I am also bombarded with every detail of the investigation. I’ve seen the pictures of the victims, and read their stories. I’ve heard about their accomplishments and their aspirations. I’ve seen their family and friends talk about them, cry for them, and pray for them.

I haven’t heard the stories of the shopkeeper who was gunned down in Iraq. I didn’t see the picture of the 20 year old student who was kidnapped on his way to college. I didn’t see the children of the mother who was killed as she walked to the open market. I just saw what was left of the car bomb that blew up next to her. I can’t possibly know every one of those 170+ victims. They’re just numbers to me. And I hate that. I hate that I don’t know their stories. I hate that I can’t see their faces and see the anguish in their family’s eyes. I hate that I’ve become desensitized to their suffering. I hate that I can think to myself, “today is better than yesterday, only 20 people were killed in Baghdad”. ONLY?! Only 20 mothers and fathers and husbands and wives who have to suffer? Am I even human for thinking that? How can I be so cold hearted? Are they less human than the student at Vtech? Is their life worth less than the professor at Vtech?

Of course not. But I don’t know them. The news reports don’t tell me who they are. They just tell me the numbers. And until I find out who they are, they will probably just be numbers.

Still, I can’t seem to wrap my head around this event. I know I shouldn’t be surprised after Columbine, after all the random acts of violence we hear about, and after all the other tragedies we see on a daily basis. Why does it surprised me that an angry young man would not grab a weapon and take it out on his surroundings? I don’t think I’m surprised. I think I’m simply angry that it happened. That it could happen. That it happened to those innocent souls. That they have been stripped from their families and friends. I can’t help but imagine what I would’ve felt if someone close to me was taken away like that. I try to not imagine that. What’s worse, is that I have this sickening feeling that we will soon forget what happened and go on with our lives.

But I also know that things happen for a reason. That this is a reminder of the fragility of life, and the unexpected nature of death. It’s a reminder for us to do what we have to do before our time comes, to prepare well, to not waste a moment, to appreciate what we have, and to love our family and friends unconditionally.

Apr

17

And The Tragedy Continues in Virginia

April 17, 2007 | 1 Comment

vt.jpgThe tragedy of the mass shooting at Virgina Tech continues to reverberate around the country, and indeed all over the world. As with most people, I am finding it difficult to think about anything else. All night, we watched as the media tried to grab on any string, interview any witness, and attempt to put the blame on various sides. Why didn’t the university put a lockdown after the first shooting? Why didn’t the police respond fast enough? Why did this person have access to weapons?

Too many questions, and not enough answers. I don’t think the answers really matter right now. We can’t turn back time. We can’t bring back the lives of those innocent students, professors, and staff.

Also last night, I spent a lot of time on Facebook. I visited the VTech network page. I was invited to tons of groups to honor the victims. From one group you can find the victims families, you can see the friends leaving messages of love for those who were lost. It’s beyond comprehension, really. You can find the profiles of those who died. It’s surreal and mind numbing. My heart aches as I read the notes of grief and sorry, the descriptions of the victims, and as I look at their pictures, some taken just a few days ago.

Living in Northern Virginia most of my life, I can honestly say that this community has been through a lot over the past few years. On 9/11, we felt the tragedy hitting home as many of our family members worked in and around Washington, D.C. A year later, a sniper terrorized this area randomly targeting innocent people at shopping centers and gas stations.

And now this. Virginia Tech is a couple hours drive from here, but many many students who lived in the DC metro area went to school there. It’s nearly impossible for you to live here and not know someone who goes there or went there at some point in time.

I don’t think something like this could have been avoided. Gun control is definitely an issue, and so is school security. But someone who is dedicated to kill will find ways to overcome the obstacles placed to prevent such tragedies.

I know that the next few days will be even harder as the victims are identified and the mass media begins to publicize their lives, their stories, their tragedy.  In my head, I keep hearing “Norris Hall” and ”West Ambler Johnston Hall” all day long.

May God have mercy on the victims and their families.

Omar Samaha talks about his sister, who was one of the victims

More witnesses describe the tragedy that unfolded in front of them

update: The shooter has been identified as Cho Seung-Hui, 23, a senior in the English department. He is a permanent legal resident, originally from South Korea.

update: Although university officials have not yet released the names of the victims, some news sources have compiled the names through various means. The latest is from MSNBC with a list of the known victims so far.

update: I’m following Facebook throughout the day because it’s really where you can sense the feelings of students around the country. With the release of the name of the shooter, dozens of groups were formed within minutes. Some asking for forgiveness for him, others wishing he could burn in hell (with only 3 members I might add). In general though, these groups don’t have many members. Most people are joining groups to honor the victims. The group I talked about in my earlier post, “A tribute to those who passed at the Virginia Tech Shooting”, has surpased 114,000 members.

Another interesting note, members of the media are posting “events” on Facebook asking students to meet with them and tell them if they saw or heard anything, or if they knew anything about Cho.

update: The convocation at Virginia Tech began at 2PM est. You can watch it live right now on the CNN homepage.

Apr

16

Shooting at Virginia Tech Hits Close

April 16, 2007 | 3 Comments

I am almost numb right now with sadness, anger, and disgust at the shootings that occurred this morning at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, VA. Although the university is a few hours away from here, I feel very close to the actions. I know people who go/went to VTech. I have VTech alumni in my family. Everyone in Virginia knows at least one person who went to VTech. I cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of this atrocity.

From the moment I heard about this around 11:30 AM EST through the CNN homepage, I have not been able to get anything done at work. At first we only heard about one death, then when the number jumped to 21, you begin to realize just how huge this is. I immediately called my mom and told her to tell her friend and co-worker to call her son and make sure he’s doing fine because he’s a senior at VTech. She called me back later to tell me that he’s ok. I’m sitting here now just going from one news website to another, trying to get the latest. I have a sickening feeling in my stomach. I feel like this happened in my own backyard, on my own campus. All I can do is pray and hope it doesn’t get worse.

Eyewitness acounts on CNN and BBC.

Yahoo! page on the shooting spree.

update: I just heard from a friend that the death toll is up to 31.

update: My friend who is at home watching the news says that the gunman was looking for his girlfriend and could not find her. He started shooting in the dorm, then 2 hours later started shooting in a classroom. CBS News says he is an Asian male. It’s not known whether he killed himself or police shot him.

update: ABC News says a “single gunman used 2 semi-automatic pistols and may have been wearing a bullet proof vest.”

Facebook is one of the most popular ways right now to find out if your friends are ok. Most people are able to access the Internet and update their “status”. They’ve already created a “tribute to those who passed at the Virginia Tech shooting” group on Facebook, with more than 7,550 members already. Every second I refresh the page, the number goes up. People are already opening up the gun debate, although most are condemning the politicization and sensantionalization of this tragedy.

Apr

15

Free Abdel Monem Mahmoud

April 15, 2007 | 2 Comments

Abdel Monem Mahmoud is the latest victim of the Egyptian police state. A blogger, journalist, activist, who also happens to be a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Abdel Monem was arrested by Egyptian security police as he was waiting for a plane to take off on a business trip. The recent sentencing of blogger Kareem for statements he made on his blog set the stage for a wider crackdown on active members of the Egyptian blogosphere as more dissenting and anti-government opinions are being expressed through this powerful new medium.

Fellow blogger Alaa gives a brief run-down of the events on Abu Aardvark’s blog:

the sequence goes as such.

*state security sends special forces to arrest several muslim brotherhood members
* Monem receives a phone call from his mother informing him that special forces raided their alexandria home and he is wanted
* Monem decides to turn himself in in order to spare his parents any hardships
* in preparation for his arrest monem sends emails and smss informing people he is about to turn himself in and posts a couple of posts on his blog that can be used as a seed for a campaign
* monem contacts his lawyers who tell him to wait until they find out more details
* lawyers find out there is no legal arrest warrant and advice monem not to turn himself in
* monem hears his father’s health is deteriorating and he needs to be hospitalized, monem is now confused and starts contemplating hiding for a longish period
* monem shoots two videos, one about his father’s health that gets posted on youtube (is this the first time a wanted political prisoner on the run posts videos on youtube? I’m sure state security appreciated this touch), the other is an interview with Al Hewar TV (his current employer)
* monem judging that since there are no legal arrest warrants he is technically allowed to travel and decides to try and leave the country on a pre-shceduled business trip
* monem passes passport control and boards the plane but gets arrested before plane takes off
* hours later Monem shows up in front of shobra prosecutor is charged with silly charges that can put him in jail for a very long time, monem will spend 15 days in custody then appear before the prosecutor again, prosecutor will most probably send him back to jail when th 15 days are over. this can go on for 6 months (enough time to cook up a good anti-terrorism law?). his arrest is now legal (or as legal as it gets in the land of the pharaohs)

meanwhile we (as in everyone who does that kind of thing) are franticly trying to organize a campaign.

Of course not only was Abdel Monem arrested for being an outspoken critic of the Egyptian government, but his active membership in the Muslim Brotherhood is most definitely another excuse for him and his family to be intimidated and tortured. Abdel Monem’s arrest is in accordance with the severe crackdown Mubarak’s regime has initiated against the Brotherhood, as it fears any force that may rival its unquestionable power. The latest example is the arrest of Dr. Mohammad Abdelaal, a professor of medicine at Ein El-Shams University. Mubarak’s cowards called the doctor at his home and asked him to come pick up a laptop and camera which they had confiscated from him recently. When he arrived at the station, they arrested him. They are not even manly enough to come arrest him in his home, because they have no reason to. Just like Abdel Monem, they will hold him for 15 days and then attempt to make extensions. It’s a process of intimidation, psychological warfare, and the epitome of lawlessness.

I’m curious to see if there will be any condemnation from US government officials or the media over these flagrant human rights abuses.

I won’t hold my breath, but I will be praying for them, and every other political prisoner.

(Arabic Network for Human Rights Information Press Release on AbdelMonem)

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