Juan Williams comments betrayed irrational bigotry toward Muslims, but not maliciously so. He should have had an opportunity to acknowledge the mistake and keep his job. That said, I understand and appreciate that any media outlet or broadcast entertainment organization, whether public or private, are well within their purview to dismiss on-air talent who make public statements that alienates their audience, subscribers, and advertisers.

I refuse to call it the Ground Zero mosque because, well, it’s not at Ground Zero. It’s close, but it’s not at the site…which I think most people who opposed it think it is. But here’s the thing…looks like it’s moving to another part of the city. From Haaretz: After weeks of heated debate over [...]

When has a President this early on in his first term made such an ambitious speech? As I said before, I thought it was historic. Because finally an American president has said publicly (and forcefully) that Israel needs to modify their behavior too. That’s huge. And regardless of what the right wing will say, that’s [...]

Jeffrey Goldberg’s words, my thoughts… An African-American President with Muslim roots stands before the Muslim world and defends the right of Jews to a nation of their own in their ancestral homeland, and then denounces in vociferous terms the evil of Holocaust denial, and right-wing Israelis go forth and complain that the President is unsympathetic [...]

“So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.” – Obama in his speech to the Muslim [...]

Obama has arrived in Cairo to give a major speech that is expected to focus on improving ties with the Islamic world. One speech alone is obviously not going to be enough. The Islamic world is angry enough with the West that they are unlikely to suddenly forgive us just because the US has a [...]

“Whatever titles we give these murderers, both deserve our attention. Violence like that is no way to solve a political dispute nor a religious one. And the fanatics on all sides do great disservice when they confuse dissention with rage and death.” – Sarah Palin on the similarities between the Tiller and Long shootings Credit [...]

Awful news out of Little Rock, Arkansas… A man with “political and religious motives” killed a soldier just out of basic training and wounded another Monday in a targeted attack on a military recruiting center, police said. The shootings were not believed to be part of a broader scheme. [...] William Long, 24, of Conway, [...]

Given that his first call as President was to the President of the Palestinian Authority and his first official sit down interview with any news outlet as President is with an Arab station, it sends a pretty powerful message right off the bat that this administration is ready to reengage in the peace process in [...]

Yesterday afternoon, a Muslim family with nine members including three children was ordered off an AirTran flight from Reagan National to Orlando. Passengers claimed members of the family had made suspicious remarks. The family claims they were just discussing the safest place to sit on the plane. The FBI cleared the family and helped them [...]

Jihadists appear unsure how to handle the election of Barack Obama. Their messages since Obama’s election stress their uncertainty and confusion. Some Jihadists want to ignore Obama, others praise the American people, some threaten Obama to change Bush policies and still others want to convert him to Islam. In sum, radical Muslims are divided on whether to [...]

I am an Obama supporter, but I have to step back and be critical when it merits so.  This Monday, at the Obama rally in Detroit, two muslim women were denied prime seats because they refused to remove their head scarfs.  Now, the Obama campaign apologized, but was it enough? Is the Obama campaign paranoid [...]

The blogosphere can cough up a lot of interesting controversies. This week’s revolved around a Dunkin Donuts’ online ad featuring Rachel Ray in a scarf similar to the Arab keffiyeh which has come to symbolize Palestinian militantism. The company pulled the spot after conservative commentators, most notably Michelle Malkin, harshly criticized Ray’s clothing choice, claiming [...]

The NYTimes op-ed pages, via CSIS’s Edward Luttwack, promoted a new type of Obama Islam smear: that because Obama was once a Muslim he is going to get killed by Muslims for being an apostate. I have a response to this at Huffington Post. Just one part: First of all, under orthodox Islamic law, the [...]

Looks the the Iraqi Army has taken the city back from the militia, and that’s got Muqtada al-Sadr really angry. The only problem for Sadr? Iran seems to be backing Iraq’s moves, and Sadr has always been under the thumb of Iran. From NY Times: Mr. Sadr’s stock has recently fallen in Iranian eyes, the [...]

If you haven’t seen Frontline’s documentary about how we got into Iraq and how it all went wrong, you need to. It’s probably the most well researched piece I’ve seen so far, and the interviews with insiders are simply stunning. Many saw this train wreck coming, but Bush and Cheney and Rumsfeld just didn’t listen. [...]

All 70+ pages of it. Here’s the gist… In the March 14, 2003 memo, Yoo says the Constitution was not in play with regard to the interrogations because the Fifth Amendment (which provides for due process of law) and the Eighth Amendment (which prevents the government from employing cruel and usual punishment) does “not extend [...]

Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, recently stated that he believes the eventual adoption of some aspects of sharia law into British law is unavoidable. This has caused quite an outcry. As an Episcopalian and thus part of the Anglican Communion, I’m familiar with Archbishop Rowan. He’s a [...]