Best Weapon is Truth

"Imagine" Lyrics

2010-07-09T02:45:00.000-07:00

Listen yo we got a sister in jail
Wounded severely her appearance is frail
The system’s merciless so they gave her no bail
She could barely sit, but she donned her veil
Demand a doctor! Bet the guard who shot her
Is somewhere on vacation drunk from sipping vodka
But we sit here and do nothing about it
Some heard it once but they soon forgot it
Government’s story’s rotten but the media bought it
Muslim leaders are quiet Zionists applauded
When will we speak up? it’s hard to keep up
Too busy then you gotta free up son it’s time to d-up
Time to meet-up and strategize the position
How to bring an end to the inquisition
Never mind the Zionists they’re on a hate mission
But there’s people of conscience that don’t share their vision

Just imagine, Just Imagine

The FBI had her kidnapped along with her children
Two still missing who knows if they killed them
Wouldn’t put nothing past them yo they’re straight savages
Like a starved wolf that sees prey and ravages
It’s no time to be weak, if things look bleak
Things can get far worse if we fail to speak
Yo they’re taking our children, they’re taking our brothers
Our imams and scholars even wounded mothers
And our national organizations, they don’t care
They’re too afraid to speak or they just don’t care
Stand up for the weak they don’t dare
When the FBI already set their snare
So it’s time youngins to represent
Forget mom and pops forget the president
We need creativity, faith, positivity
Imagine Sister Aafia free from captivity

Just imagine, Just Imagine

"Collaborators" Lyrics

2010-06-29T02:14:00.000-07:00

Do you resist or enable let’s go around the table
Here’s a marker and nametag please affix the label
Where it proudly on your chest so we know who you are
And for collaborators we got a special star

Collaborators are many that’s why bullets are plenty
Zero tolerance for treachery, son, that’s how it’s meant to be
In these resistance movements they always try to infiltrate
So they can sabotage the tactics we use to liberate
My people are hungry for self-determination
Tired of the humiliation imposed by the occupation
Starving, due to economic blockades
Terrorized by indiscriminate raids
Held and tortured indefinitely, forced to live an uncertain destiny
Defending themselves with rocks and limited weaponry
We live in infamy ‘cause we enable at least
The massacre to continue due to feeding the beast
Living in the West we prostrate toward the east
Our tax dollars help to keep our brothers deceased
And we don’t stop we’re good at making excuses
We help purchase the rope used for tying the nooses

Do you resist or enable let’s go around the table
Here’s a marker and nametag please affix the label
Where it proudly on your chest so we know who you are
And for collaborators we got a special star

If we fail to act yo, we’re letting happen
Myself included all I’m doing is rapping
If more of us were willing to die for the cause
Stand with the victims against immoral laws
Head to Kashmir, Chechnya, Iraq and Mindanao
Plus Afghanistan, Gaza activists will show us how
Boarding vessels despite the Israeli Navy
Props to Cynthia McKinney one brave lady
Sadly ask a brother he says maybe
Although why don’t you take my old lady?
Right, I’m calling you spineless
Men who don’t stand up and fight should sport vagin--
Careful this rhyme could be heard by the minors
My fault, I couldn’t pass that sick one liner
Plus I’m inclined to cut cowards no slack
Women and children are starved while we’re turning our back

Do you resist or enable let’s go around the table
Here’s a marker and nametag please affix the label
Where it proudly on your chest so we know who you are
And for collaborators we got a special star

"My Jihad" Lyrics

2010-06-26T02:47:00.000-07:00

what's the fronting for son?
sooner or later than later this life is going to gone
bump your block and your area code
haven't you heard these days i'm operating in guerilla mode
switched off cnn crushed the remote in my hand
picked up the qur'an to read about the martyrs' end
what's my path time to chose it
life is use it or lose it
sunday night's when the blues hit
pictured a rose withered so i picked up the pad
and scribbled some prose my mind froze but my hand quivered
got an idea to make a quick buck
didn't bother to jot it,
i'm still broke so i must have forgot it

night of power phenomenon
during the last days of Ramadan
first to believe i pray that i'm the last to run
absent these days is bravery without a gun
had 2 daughters without a son God gave us another one
i'm sick of nonsense hypocritical rulers
we sit and do nothing about the harm that they do us
i live in the US but everyday i think of leaving this nation
the umma was founded when the order came for migration

My Jihad is up to me
struggle in Allah's cause to be free
My Jihad is up to me
going to war with the pen so you could bring your army

coming with lyrical ammunition from a position
deep underground to avoid the enemy rounds
asymmetrical blood pounds inside the ventricles
keeping it steady with the trigger finger i'm ready
manifest destiny historically got the best of me
clampled the umbilical i only grew to be cynical
colonialism distorted the mechanism
divide and conquer methodology evil psychology
dropping bombs with impunity wanting security
fairy tales for citizens who suffer from innocence
keepin it skeptical inside my skull is an arsenal
so i lay waste every adversary i bury
materialism your idol mentally suicidal
rebel militia mujahideen on a mission

My Jihad is up to me
struggle in Allah's cause to be free
My Jihad is up to me
going to war with the pen so you could bring your army

drop it collossal some say abstract like Picasso
never debate the ignorant cuz it's not worth the hassle
just give 'em the message say peace then i'm out
content was on point so i never needed to shout
struggle on many fronts in as many ways
took it underground no doubt sometimes i miss the sun's rays
weary of those who open their wallets to pay us
next thing you know they peg us as collaborators
key is to stay independent give our lives to defend it
a mystery to the weak only the strong comprehend it
strapped with the truth so I didn't wear the explosives
lyrics akin to swords so don't confuse them with roses
i wasn't born in the Deen i'm one of ones who chose this
spit it in small amounts just to prevent overdoses

My Jihad is up to me
struggle in Allah's cause to be free
My Jihad is up to me
going to war with the pen so you could bring your army

"Bread and Water" Lyrics

2010-06-11T08:03:00.000-07:00

No thanks just bread and water
Used to fatten us up like cows for slaughter
Now we saw the light we join the oppressed in the fight
And we stay lean so we don't forget their plight

These days I got war in front of me
I'm against it it's my duty to protest it
Thousands marched and no one got arrested
Zero media coverage-word you guessed it
And the government chose to ignore the people
Now it's evident that they're prepping for a sequel
The way I see it we got a choice to make
Is it business as usual or is it time to wake?
Same ways of protest won't be effective
We got to sacrifice more it's got to be collective
Five days a week you're a part of the system
Now you’re going to take the weekend to play the victim
Nah son, it's got to be a fundamental change
Reassess priorities and rearrange, man
We got family and we don't want them to grieve
But we got to lend a hand to those who struggle to breathe

No thanks just bread and water
Used to fatten us up like cows for slaughter
Now we saw the light we join the oppressed in the fight
And we stay lean so we don't forget their plight

Son you know this life is temporary
Some of the shortest life spans are legendary
It ain't the number of years but the worth they carry
So we may as well live life revolutionary
The more we have, the more we're afraid to risk sometimes
Frustration leads me to pencil rhymes
We hesitate when someone's being attacked
We don't help right away we're watching our own back
Thinking: what could we lose if we get involved?
By living leaner it could be the issue is solved
It ain't a choice it's a duty to intervene
You might disagree but it's a part of my deen
We place our life on the line if need be
Son this life it ain't supposed to be easy
That's why we're still standing up to tyrants
Fearless marching through the sound of sirens

No thanks just bread and water
Used to fatten us up like cows for slaughter
Now we saw the light we join the oppressed in the fight
And we stay lean so we don't forget their plight

The Tip of the Iceberg

2010-04-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

May God comfort the families of the civilians murdered by US troops, and may He grant paradise to the victims.

The fact that the army ruled that the killing of the innocents did not violate the "rules of engagement" says volumes about the nature of our assault on Iraq and its people.

Some US Exports Are Booming

2010-03-18T14:45:00.000-07:00

While US manufacturing exports are not much to speak of, there is one product (or "service" if your prefer) that the US government continues to export in large amounts: torture.

According to an article by Stephen Lendman that recently appeared on DissidentVoice.com, former detainees at some of the many US secret prison sites around the world report the following forms of abuse:

being hooded or blindfolded;
painfully shackled for extended periods;
exposed to extreme heat and cold;
kept naked;
waterboarded numerous times;
held in isolation or tiny cells with other prisoners where sleeping must occur in shifts;
severe physical and psychological treatment creating permanent trauma for many;
beatings;
continuous blaring noises or music;
24-hour bright light or total darkness;
sleep deprivation for days;painful stress positions for extended periods;
being sodomized;
denied food, too little, or inedible kinds;
painful force-feeding for hunger strikers;
denied medical care;
coerced to confess to offenses they never committed;
hung from steel bars in their cells or from metal hooks in interrogation rooms for extended periods;
kept in tubs of ice water creating hypothermia;
threatened with or attacked by dogs;
given electric-shocks;
and other cruel, abusive and degrading treatment.

The US and its allies in the war on terror (read "war of terror") routinely round up hundreds of people, mostly civilians, and subject them to this barbaric treatment. Each one of these abuses is an act of terror. While the headlines of traditional media routinely showcase suicide bombings and other low-tech tactics of fighters engaged in resisting US imperialism, the systematic and pervasive acts of terror perpetrated with the consent of the US government go largely unreported.

At a time when we are running a huge trade deficit, it is a shame that the traditional media is failing to report the continued strength of our reliable exports of weapons and terror. After all, we must give credit where credit is due.

Who Shows More Restraint Than Muslims?

2010-03-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

The traditional media and its corporate masters make millions from exploiting the stereotype of the "Muslim extremist." But let us take a moment to ponder the reality of what Muslims are facing.

Tens of thousands of our men and women, including children, are arrested, kidnapped, caged, raped, and tortured. Our lands are occupied and our people oppressed and driven from their homes. Our people are starved and deprived of medicines through sanctions. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been murdered, made refugees, and orphaned. Our Prophet (PBUH) is mocked and or religion maligned.

And what do Muslims do? Yes, a few here and there resist. Yet, the majority of Muslims call for peace and even join the calls for their fellow Muslims to abandon armed resistance.

Sabra and Shatila. Jenin. Fallujah. Abu Ghraib. Haditha. Kunar. Gaza. The list goes on and on. The Israelis hold over 11,000 Palestinian prisoners, including children, and most without charge. Our brothers are kidnapped and torn from their families. Children are raised without fathers and women struggle without their husbands; mothers grieve over the loss of their sons. And these are the fortunate ones. Others regularly bury their young after they are slaughtered by occupation forces.

Here's an account that details the fate of a Muslim prisoner at the hands of US guards at a detention center in Bagram, Afghanistan:

Dilawar, who died on December 10, 2002, was a 22-year-old Afghan taxi driver and farmer who weighed 122 pounds and was described by his interpreters as neither violent nor aggressive.

When beaten, he repeatedly cried "Allah!" The outcry appears to have amused U.S. military personnel, as the act of striking him in order to provoke a scream of "Allah!" eventually "became a kind of running joke," according to one of the MPs. "People kept showing up to give this detainee a common peroneal strike just to hear him scream out 'Allah,'" he said. "It went on over a 24-hour period, and I would think that it was over 100 strikes."

The Times reported that:

On the day of his death, Dilawar had been chained by the wrists to the top of his cell for much of the previous four days.

"A guard tried to force the young man to his knees. But his legs, which had been pummeled by guards for several days, could no longer bend. An interrogator told Mr. Dilawar that he could see a doctor after they finished with him. When he was finally sent back to his cell, though, the guards were instructed only to chain the prisoner back to the ceiling.

"Leave him up," one of the guards quoted Specialist Claus as saying. Several hours passed before an emergency room doctor finally saw Mr. Dilawar. By then he was dead, his body beginning to stiffen.

It would be many months before Army investigators learned a final horrific detail: Most of the interrogators had believed Mr. Dilawar was an innocent man who simply drove his taxi past the American base at the wrong time. (Source: wikipedia.org)

Not to mention the harrowing ordeal of Dr. Aaafia Siddiqui, thought to be the same prisoner 650 who was repeatedly raped and tortured by US prison guards over a period of years at the same Bagram facility. The journalist Yvonne Ridley reported on the accounts of former prisoners who are still haunted by the woman's screams.

Conclusion: Our restraint borders on insanity.

Throw Some $$ in the Hat

2010-03-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

Alright, in my case it's throw some money in the kufi. In any case, I'm posting this because some of you have asked me how you can support my work. As you know, I release my music free of charge so the message can reach a wider audience. That said, it all costs money. I won't say how much, but let's say it adds up. If you feel strongly like I do that it's important to speak up for the oppressed and against injustice and tyranny, then help me continue to use this medium of hip hop to do just that. Thank you and may Allah reward you.

"Say it Loud" Album is Here!

2010-03-05T17:16:00.000-08:00

Greetings of Peace!

I am very happy to report that "Say it Loud" is finally complete (Alhamdulillah). It has been a long journey, and I've received a lot of support from many of you along the way. The list is long, but you know who you are.

Click here to download the album.

Here is the official announcement:

“Say it Loud,” Abu Nurah’s second outing, pays tribute in title and spirit to the legendary James Brown’s revolutionary song by the same name.

As is now customary of Abu Nurah’s work, the album pulls no punches. The title track reclaims the much maligned term Jihad and expounds on the virtues of selfless sacrifice to help the weak and downtrodden.

Another track, “Imagine,” tells the story of Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a woman kidnapped along with her three children from the streets of Pakistan only to spend years in captivity in the infamous U.S.-run torture prison at Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan.

Just as uncompromising as the message is the quality of the beats and rhymes. Backed by contributions from veteran producers like DJ Roddy Rod (Maspyke, Low Budget Crew), the album’s 17 tracks prompt head-banging as well as soul-searching. Emcees Tableek (of Maspyke) and Zulu Sheksta (from Poland) are featured on two of the tracks.

Other production credits include Kashmir, The Wayfarers, Maro-One, Sumo Lex, and Umar Jibril. Cuts and scratches are courtesy of DJ Henry C and The Wayfarer.

Click here to download the album.

As always, I appreciate your feedback. I will be selling hard copies of the CD for those of you who really like the album and want to support my work. More to come on that insha'Allah.

Peace & Justice,

Abu Nurah

www.twitter.com/abunurah
ww.AbuNurah.net
"Best Weapon is Truth!"

Come to Success

2010-02-20T07:48:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

As-Salaamu Alaykum! (Peace be with you). If you are a friend of peace and justice, you are someone I care about. As such, I want to share with you the best of what I have. I have no doubt shared my opinions on political issues and my music, but I have so far neglected to share with you my most prized asset: Islam.

I hereby invite you and all people of conscience to believe in the Creator of the universe, the One God we call Allah. Allah sent many prophets, including Adam, Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) with a common message: to worship Allah alone, without partners.

Allah is the reason for my contentment and inner peace. How can I be ungrateful for any of Allah's gifts? Even the trials are gifts, for they help cleanse my sins and cause me to reflect on the fact that this short life is but a testing ground. As Allah says in Surah Al-Asr: "By the token of time, verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual enjoining of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy."

Allah is the reason I have no fear of any of Allah's creation, for none can harm me except by Allah's will, and I accept Allah's judgment, whatever it may be.

Allah is the reason I exert myself beyond my 9-to-5 job and my family responsibilities to take a stand against injustice. I fear the day when I will be held accountable before Allah for the things I failed to do while injustice and oppression reigned.

Allah is the reason I have hope, because Allah has promised to reward those who show faith, patience and perseverance in the face of adversity. These will be the successful ones on the Day of Judgment.

I want you to be among the successful. I want us all to be among the successful.

Hands Off Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki!

2010-01-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

Silence is indeed deafening when it comes to public defence of Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki. As the government and their media lackeys rev up their attacks on the Imam, none of our Islamic organizations and leaders want to touch him with a ten foot pole, as they say. While the motivations of these individuals and organizations may vary, their silence speaks volumes about the state of American Muslims.

As I write his, Sheikh Anwar is probably somewhere in Yemen trying to avoid missile strikes ordered by his country of citizenship, the United States. That the US government targets its own citizens for unpopular speech is nothing new. What is disappointing, though also not surprising, is the lack of support on the part of Muslims for a reputable scholar who finds himself the victim of character assassination. Following the Fort Hood attack, the media was quick to trumpet Maj. Nidal Hasan's alleged contacts with Imam Al-Awlaki and the Imam's alleged statement supporting Hasan's actions. That was enough for our major Muslim organizations to publicly denounce Imam Al-Awlaki. The recent allegations that the young Farouk Abdulmutalib, who allegedly tried to bring down a Detroit-bound airliner, may have had contact with Imam Al-Awlaki are just icing on the cake.

So while our government actively cooperates with the government of Yemen in attempting to assassinate Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki, everyone including the American Muslim community tacitly approves or at least looks the other way. Never mind that the only thing that the Imam is guilty of is unpopular speech. Never mind that extra-judicial assasinations are illegal. Never mind that there are numerous hints that Abdulmutalib may have had "help" from CIA covert operations to get as far as he did. It would not surprise me in the least to learn that this so-called "security lapse" was nothing less than inside job to justify US intervention in Yemen.

I first learned of Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki not through any of his controversial speeches but from listening to his audio tapes on the Lives of the Prophets (PBUT). I was instantly gripped by his storytelling ability. From these and other very spiritual lectures, it is apparent that this is a very sincere Muslim whose primary goal is pleasing Allah. His public stances regarding the invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan reflect his love of justice. As his father stated in a recent interview, he is deeply moved by the suffering of his fellow Muslims, as any conscientious Muslim should be. Yet unlike many of his coreligionists, Imam Al-Awlaki has shown time and time again that he is unafraid to speak out against oppressors. His fear and love of Allah are far greater. Therefore he calls it like it is, even at great personal risk. May Allah protect the likes of him and may Allah grant the rest of us the courage of our convictions.

And the Winner Is...

2009-10-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those of you who submitted designs for the "Say it Loud!" album cover contest. Congratulations to Shoaib Mohammad! His design (below) did the best job of capturing the essence of my upcoming album ("Say it Loud!"), which God-willing will be out by the end of the year.

Shoaib is a student, poet, and artist residing in Kashmir. Given that one of the songs on the album will be dedicated to the struggle for freedom in Kashmir, it is very fitting that his is the winning design.

Album Cover Design Contest

2009-09-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

I've got a new album in the works to be titled "Say it Loud!" As with my previous album, I plan to make it available for free download. I'm accepting design entries for the album cover. The winner will receive design credit on the CD insert, acknowledgement on this blog, as well as 5 complimentary copies of the CD.

The deadline for submissions is October 19, 2009. The winner will be announced on October 31.

Entry rules: Submission must be for a standard 2-panel insert (1 sheet, front and back). Front panel must display album cover and include "Abu Nurah" and album name ("Say it Loud!"). Back panel must include song titles and credits (to be provided to winner for production of final design). Please submit designs in JPEG format to abunurah@gmail.com.

"What's Real" Lyrics

2009-09-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

bringin the revolution to streets
droppin messages over beats

what's real is the topic before i began to drop it
i made du'a to the Lord, make these lyrics your sword
and if i'm spittin' the truth then gimme reward
my intention is pure i'm not intent on sowing discord
not the type cat to be bought they must've forgot
that it wasn't the deputy, it was the sheriff i shot
remember back when the world i knew was only my block
my purpose in life never really gave it much thought
what's real is making time for our kids
so what if the money's tight they're worth more than the biz
some separate cause it's too hard to sacrifice
parents are selfish and it's the children who pay the price
might have to work for the man just to keep the flow steady
put the children to bed, peaceful huggin' their teddy
not asking you to martyr for Palestine
your sacrifice is to support and give your family time

kids think they know the meaning of real
i'm bringin' the truth that's why i never have to pack steel
kids think they know the meaning of real
it's not about the papes, son; it's how you earn the next meal

what's real is having a cause, forget the applause
rather give to the poor never felt we needed to floss
so just keep those diamonds under the earth
'cause they bring death to my people plus they're not as precious as birth

what's real is those who put their lives on the line
speaking the truth is more dangerous than holding a nine
to your head Rachel Corrie i'd never say that she's dead
martyrs will live for ever should've been us instead
facing a tank in Tienanmen square made us aware
the best weapon is truth and not he bullets we share

kids think they know the meaning of real
i'm bringin' the truth that's why i never have to pack steel
kids think they know the meaning of real
it's not about the papes, son; it's how you earn the next meal

what's real is not to criticize but come up with solutions
life is short so we gotta work to build institutions
halfway houses battered women's shelters and more
foundations for education and less money for war
credit unions and banks that don't steal from the people
laws that reflect that all men were created equal
news networks that show truth when it's controversial
record labels making hardcore bump the commercial

what's real is the way we earn the next meal
it's easy to steal rats got it in their nature to squeal
it's not the papes let's think about the way they were made
maybe you hustle or maybe is just you than got played
there's definitely more money in crack than droppin' knowledge on tracks
you laugh at the 9 to 5 the people breakin' their backs
they count money in cents while you measure in stacks
just watch the angel of death, he's vicious when he attacks

kids think they know the meaning of real
i'm bringin' the truth that's why i never have to pack steel
kids think they know the meaning of real
it's not about the papes, son; it's how you earn the next meal

Say it Loud! Jihad and I'm Proud!

2009-08-15T02:17:00.000-07:00

It is generally accepted that to fight in defense of the weak and oppressed is morally good. From an Islamic point of view, it is essentially a moral imperative. Yet the "war on terror" was achieved such a high level of intimidation among Muslims that jihad, or struggle, in defense of the oppressed is very rarely a subject of sermons or even informal discussions among Muslims.
Muslims have reason to be concerned, as governments the world over are using the "war on terror" to imprison Muslims on the flimsiest of evidence, often amounting to less than "thought crimes."

A case in point is the latest media hysteria over the North Carolina "jihad" case. The charges leveled against the seven suspects include practicing "military tactics" on private property. One wonders whether performing military push-ups in one's back yard is now cause for arrest. From the U.S. government's point of view, a Muslim who even aspires to defend his brothers and sisters is a criminal. The indictment states that one of the men traveled to Gaza "to introduce his son to individuals who also believed that violent jihad was a personal obligation on the part of every good Muslim."

The government knows full well that the American public has no idea that jihad means struggle. In fact, corporate media has conspired with the government to equate jihad and terrorism in the minds of most casual observers. The framers of the "war on terror" are well-versed in propaganda tactics and know that by repeating phrases such as "violent jihad" and "Islamic terror" often enough, they become part of the American psyche.

Would it not make sense that a country who spends billions in wealth and human capital waging a "war on terror" first define terrorism? After all, it helps to know what one is fighting. It is no surprise that the government has little interest in such an exercise, as it would clearly reveal that our nation is among the prolific perpetrators of terrorism.

Let it be known that jihad is not terrorism and that it need not take the form of armed struggle. I for one subscribe to the notion that jihad is a personal obligation on the part of every good Muslim. There are times when jihad may take the form of armed struggle but its goal is never to take innocent lives, as the government and its lackeys would have us believe. So let us proclaim it loudly, as it is an honor to struggle and advocate in defense of the weak and oppressed. Let us hear it from the minbar (pulpit) and let us discuss it in our schools. There is no shame in sacrificing for others, only honor and reward from our Creator. Let us be good Muslims indeed.

"Mujahideen Chronicles" Lyrics

2009-06-08T18:14:00.000-07:00

I co-wrote this song with Genocide, a Bosnian emcee living in New Zealand. Below are my verses. The idea was to make a song that is a conversation between mujahideen from different parts of the world, sharing their common story. These are not the stories of madmen hell-bent on taking innocent lives, but rather about human beings struggling to defend themselves and their homelands against all odds.

Some say I’m cursed cuz Gaza was the place of my birth
Where as a youth I fought invaders with a fistful of earth
My father martyred, two brothers locked in Zionist dungeons
I fought the soldiers ‘til a rifle butt knocked me unconscious
My mother’s tears they begged me to avoid the resistance
I did my best to obey her wish as God is my witness
When the brigades paid a visit I said I couldn’t enlist
They said no problem you could start by raising your fist
Over time the urge to resist grew strong in my heart
I regret that I didn’t lock and load right from the start
I pray for ample ammunition cuz the world won’t listen
So we I resist by any means ‘til my sole is risen
The more of us they massacre the more their plot is in peril
We pray for martyrdom Zionists made a pact with the devil
After the bombs fall, witness a fist emerge from the rubble
Now tell me what’s your story how did you enter the struggle?

We dug a trench like the Holy Prophet did in Medina
Some said build a wall and top it off with concertina
but the Zionist enemy dropped bombs from the sky
Good thing most of our fighters were ready to die
What kind of tactics do Chechen fighters bring to the battle?
Here we got punk collaborators roped like cattle
But much worse cuz with these snakes we show no mercy
My only aim is to please Allah, these rats can curse me

Confusing Cause and Effect

2009-02-12T09:39:00.002-08:00

Media pundits and government officials often make the argument that US troops must remain in Iraq to curb the insurgency (resistance) and quell violence. In fact, it is the presence of the US (the foreign occupier) that foments the resistance in Iraq and Afghanistan. The resistance is not the cause, but an effect produced by the occupation. Similarly, Zionists claim that the occupation of Palestine is out of necessity to bring security to Israel. The truth is that resistance movements in Palestine arose from the dispossession, imprisonment, and violence meted against Palestinians since the formation of the state of Israel. The effect of occupation is resistance; to insist on the contrary is willful ignorance or worse.

The US and its allies have worked hard to equate resistance with terrorism, and their hard work has paid dividends. Those committing the worst atrocities and thereby inflicting the most terror are the same who wield the 'terrorist' label as a weapon against those who resist their aggression. In crafting this "War on Terror," the architects have created a self-perpetuating campaign of violence with no end in sight. How can there be an end, when the very actions that are ostensibly taken to curb terrorism are themselves terrorist in nature, and when this terrorism will give rise to more resistance, which the US and its allies will in turn label terrorism to justify further aggression?

That's not to say that those with blood on their hands are the only ones getting it wrong. Those of us in solidarity with the victims of war and occupation often fall prey to the same backwards reasoning. For example, one of our prefered tactics is to hold protest marches and ralies to try to get out our message. May of us have grown up believing that marches are a tried and true tactic in large part due to the success of the civil rights movement. Marching then, especially for African Americans, was a true sign of resistance. It also was the result of considerable organization and mobilization by a large segment of Americans. When so many Americans witnessed on television how African Americans were brutalized for simply marching peacefully, the movement reached a critical mass. The rallies and marches were more a manifestation and the result of this broad-based coalition and solidarity with the civil rights movement. The large rallies and marches did not themselves bring about the change, rather the groundswell of support culminated in many poeple coming together. We must keep this in mind during our anti-war struggles. The tide is not going to turn based on our protest marches, especially when these events are blacked out by corporate, traditional media. What we need to do is develop the conditions that create a culture of resistance and solidarity among a broad base of people until it reaches a critical mass. Protest marches are not resistance, unless those in power are preventing us from collectively gathering and we do it anyway and pay the price. Then it becomes compelling enough perhaps for even corporate media to take note.

During the Vietnam era, there was a culture of resistance against the war, much more so than there is today. And still it took many years for that misadventure to come to an end. It will take much more than mimmicking effects to bring about a withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, and even more so to end the occupation of Palestine. Many in the civil rights movement were martyred and imprisoned for their struggle. That's the kind of currency (blood & freedom) it takes to be a player in this high stakes game. Until we're ready to up the ante, we're just selling popcorn, so to speak.

Castration, Because Oppression is Not Enough

2008-09-21T02:43:00.000-07:00

In the war of ideas, our core task is not to promote our brand, but to destroy theirs. The effort is to help show populations that the ideology and actions of violent extremists are not in the best interests of those populations.
- James Glassman, Undersecretary of State

During a recent address before the Council on Foreign Relations, James Glassman, Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, laid out the government's strategy to achieve complete subjugation of still restless natives. "Our mission today in the war of ideas is to create an environment hostile to violent extremism," he began.

While it should be obvious to anyone that our own extremism and violence is responsible for the upsurge in violent resistance across the Muslim world, those in power want to ignore this fact. Instead, they want to see if they can brainwash Muslims into giving up the human instinct to fight back against those who oppress and brutalize them.

"We seek to isolate or marginalize violent extremists who threaten freedom and peace," Glassman continues. One can speculate how far the government is willing to go in order to achieve this. Is it a wonder that much of the world, including the majority of Muslims in the Western world, considers Al Qaeda to be evil without question? Most people do not even give it a second thought. The media arm of the US government, the traditional, corporate-owned media, have done a lot to cement this perception.

But how far has our government gone to promote this view? Certainly they are capable of hiding and distorting evidence that would reveal Al Qaeda's intent as resistance to U.S. and Israeli aggression. Instead, they promote the image of a bloodthirsty organization without regard for human life. So effective are the government's propaganda and media complicity that most of us have accepted this notion at least in part, despite the fact that a dispassionate assessment of reality would reveal that Israel and the U.S. are by far greater purveyors of violence and terror. So crucial is this propaganda effort to the government that it is no stretch to imagine our government's use of black ops methods to indict Al Qaeda in the court of public opinion. Examples would be bombings of worshippers in Iraq and any number of bombings that could easily be staged to "bear the hallmarks of Al Qaeda."

Continues Glassman:

It is a fact that the battle is going on within Muslim society that makes our role so complicated, and that requires that we ourselves not do much of the fighting. The most credible voices in the war of ideas are Muslim.

Thanks to there being no shortage of collaborators in the Muslim world, as evidenced by puppet rulers such as Hamid Karzai and Jalal Talabani, among a host of others, the U.S. government's tactic of using Muslims to occupy their own countries and advance its political agenda is at least in theory very attainable.

Glassman outlines the desired outcome of this approach:

Here is our desired end state: a world in which the use of violence to achieve political, religious, or social objectives is no longer considered acceptable. Efforts to radicalize and recruit new members are no longer successful, and the perpetrators of violent extremism are condemned and isolated.

Putting aside the colossal hypocrisy inherent in that statement, it reveals a concerted effort to marginalize Muslim militants -- that is, Muslim willing to take up arms to thwart U.S. aggression. The "end state" Glassman refers to is one in which resistance is no longer acceptable, in which Muslims are so brainwashed that they consider their own brothers willing to put their lives on the line in defense of freedom and decency to be not freedom fighters, but villains.

One has to give credit to the U.S. government for even attempting this ambitious goal. After all, it is no easy task to deceive a group of people that has been under the boot of U.S. and Zionist-propelled aggression for so long.

But not to fear, Glassman reminds us of the policy of diversion that has worked so well on our own population:

Shorthand for this policy is diversion -- powerful and lasting diversion, channeling potential recruits from violence with the attractions of entertainment, technology, sports, education and culture, business, in addition to politics and economics. We seek to build counter movements by empowering groups and individuals opposed to violent extremism -- movements using both electronic and physical means that bring people together with similar constructive interests, such as mothers opposed to violence, built on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving model; believers in democratic Islam; even electronic gaming.

Yes, folks "education and culture" as a means to subdue would-be freedom fighters. It used to be that reading itself was a revolutionary act. The times have changed, I'm afraid. The government is more interested in segregating groups into those that fight and those who won't. It boils down to the tried and true method of 'divide and conquer.' MySpace, anyone?

Before We Point Fingers

2008-07-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

The level of arrogance and hypocrisy among members of our government, and among many Americans (or United Statians, as I prefer to call us), never ceases to amaze. With the Olympics almost underway in Beijing, the traditional media are full of stories that aim to highlight China's less than stellar human rights record. There should be nothing wrong with that. After all, much of the criticisms are well deserved. What bothers me is the source of the criticism.

How can our government--with its atrocious record Native American genocide, slavery, military interventions, CIA political assassinations, nuclear bomb attacks, domestic spying, COINTELPRO, indefinite detentions, extraordinary renditions, occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan--have the nerve to point a finger at anyone? Bush, of all people, is set to deliver a speech critical of China at a time when his government is subjecting the people of Iraq and Afghanistan to the brutality and indignity of occupation. Has he forgotten Fallujah, Abu Ghraib, and Guantanamo, which is filled with political prisoners?

And what of our spineless, complicit traditional media? Have they no memory or capacity to research the many times our government has squelched dissent in our own country? Have they forgotten that until last month Nelson Mandela was on our terror list? Was not MLK, Jr. under investigation by the FBI? The U.S. government has a long history of terrorizing its own citizens any time it feels its interests threatened. China is no different.

Sure, our government allows non-violent protests and a degree of dissent. It does so in order to give us the illusion that we have a voice. In 2003, the whole world stood up and marched against the impending invasion of Iraq? Did that stop our leaders? No. They have grown accustomed to marches. But try withholding payment of taxes that fund the profitable wars and see how quickly you land in jail? For that matter, let any group organize effectively against the government's actions and they will be squashed under whatever pretext it finds convenient.

Should China give its people greater freedoms? Yes, but until we clean our own back yard and put an end to our own human rights violations the world over, we're in no position to call them on it.

"Expressions of Nakba" Competition

2008-05-17T20:51:00.000-07:00

It has been 60 years since about 750,000 Palestinians were ousted from their land--60 years of Israeli occupation. To educate the public about the Nakba, or Catastrophe, and the plight of Palestinian refugees, the U.S. Campaign to End The Israeli Occupation launched a competition called "Expressions of Nakba." The competition features entries in Visual arts, Digital Media, Poster Design, Recorded Audio, and Written Work.

I am pleased to announce that my song "End the Occupation" (produced by Maro-One) received an honorable mention.

Election Blues

2008-02-17T16:28:00.000-08:00

Usually around this time during an election cycle I'm urging friends and relatives to vote their conscience (i.e. to vote for the best candidate regardless of whether the mainstream media casts them as 'electable'). The logic is simple enough. If we all voted our conscience, candidates like Kucinich and Nader might have a chance. But with most people holding back out of fear that they might be throwing away their vote if they don't vote for a front-runner, such worthy candidates do not have a chance.

Now that Kucinich has left the race (yes, Edwards would have been my less enthusiastic second choice) I'm left with Obama. Why not Ron Paul, you ask? While I agree with many of his positions, particularly his foreign policy, his stance on immigration is something I can't support. Clinton, who voted for military action against Iraq and in favor of designating Iran's Republican Guard a 'terrorist' organization is way too hawkish for my taste.

So it's Obama or nothing. From a certain standpoint, nothing looks pretty good. Nothing means that I refuse to partake in the charade of "democracy." The candidates after all, are the best money could buy. They were screened by special and corporate interests long before we commoners got to put in our two cents. Why lend further legitimacy to this farce?

On the other hand, we saw what happened when Bush was elected. Things can actually be a lot worse depending on who gets into office. But maybe a lot worse is a good thing. Let me explain. 'A lot worse' might help in disabusing people of the notion that our leaders have our best interests in mind. Maybe we need to take a few more steps back so we gain the momentum to move forward with a new approach. By simply electing another wolf in sheep's clothes, we may only be masking over the real issues with our corrupt and dysfunctional system of government. McCain, anyone?

"My People" Lyrics

2008-01-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

make yourselves at home my people put your feet up
we got the fire burning the room's about to heat up
i don't eat up emcees i'm vegetarian these days
but i've seen a lot of roadkill on the trail that i blaze
went through a phase that was very ethnocentric
if you weren't the right complexion you couldn't enter it
plus i envisioned the white race as the source of evil
but based on experience found the notion unbelievable
over the years i expanded my perspective
old negative energy is now redirected
used to think the same color made us kin
but now i have to pause to learn what lies within
i'ma let em speak and see how they act
if they come correct cool if not they get jack
from me that's how i plan to move cautiously
waiting for others who deserve a pound from me

you could look like me, you could talk like me
but if you don't believe in justice you ain't down with me
my real brothers and sisters are those that who sacrifice
we all struggle together so that we all rise

it's kinda funny how some kids be stepping, son
there's bigger targets i'm handling with my weapon
i ain't reppin any hood in specific
go ask the freedom fighters they'll tell you i spit terrific
mess with computers but i'm no bill gates
just make an honest living with some small time papes
enough to support my family plus help my moms
pay my fair share of taxes to help bush buy bombs
looking to make amends with these rhymes i spit
can't help feeling in my heart that i'm a hypocrite
bigups to those that refuse the military
vulture recruiters wishing the contrary
offer you free tuition if you go on a mission
to target brown people and beat them into submission

you could look like me, you could talk like me
but if you don't believe in justice you ain't down with me
my real brothers and sisters are those that who sacrifice
we all struggle together so that we all rise

with certain people i'm feeling the camaraderie
straight to the heart rushing through the main artery
when they got troubles i feel it like it's a part of me
mess with my peoples i'll have to damage you bodily
bringing it for my people i gotta divide it equal
same love i got for mexico got it for puerto rico
i'm in the heart of the beast far from its tentacles
it's still dangerous cuz i'm forced to breathe the chemicals
in these ventricles cash flows manipulated money supply grows
in chains we rock shows bring light to lost souls wish we could bring freedom
we got plenty of critics but we really don't need em
we need people to take action bring that raw passion
we got a few but it's only a fraction of what it takes to get the revolution started
the fever is spreading thank God for those that caught it

you could look like me, you could talk like me
but if you don't believe in justice you ain't down with me
my real brothers and sisters are those that who sacrifice
we all struggle together so that we all rise

"Cop It" Lyrics

2008-01-03T09:57:00.000-08:00

came from south of the border papers wasn't in order
land routes covered by snipers he navigated the water
this land that was stolen like the Golan Heights by Israel
redneck militia try to keep us out but they fail
70 years before Columbus set sail came to America
Chinese Muslim explorer didn't come to exploit
peep the contrast putting Europeans on blast
greed and ignorance is not a thing of the past
meditating on the irony of the predicament
we're the Native Americans they pretend to be ignorant
so they call us illegal like we don't belong in the vicinity
i'ma keep rep'ing the truth till the devil says he's feeling me
witnessing a renaissance gotta have it at once
first the era was gold this one is coated in bronze
bring us your poor, weary, and downtrodden
2007 now the apple is rotten
Amadou Diallo don't think that we have forgotten
it's not the diamonds or pearls it's justice we be wanting

i send peace to the Prophet
wrote this rhyme for the people not for profit
next time i'm ready to drop it
insha'Allah my people go ahead and cop it

bringing the fury, the executioner, the judge and jury
born skeptical show me i'm from Missouri
how could you cure me if you don't know the disease
my people suffer from years of living life on their knees
hopping the border costs more than 2 Gs
keeping it moving when the border agent said freeze
got caught twice, but passed the third time
didn't even have to get wet, just walked across the line
like they do it in reverse when they visit Mexico
to dance at the discoteca by way of mecca my heritage is Azteca
siempre trucha porque traigo mica chueca
coming back to the second tongue as i digress
not a preacher but sometimes the mic i bless
kill the racism i'm for the progress
sometimes i tune to c-span to watch the congress contemplate legislation
bringin us back to Jim Crow segregation
they scapegoat on immigrants just to get elected
manipulating the masses a strategy they perfected

i send peace to the Prophet
wrote this rhyme for the people not for profit
next time i'm ready to drop it
insha'Allah my people go ahead and cop it

whose jobs are we taking wake up son the funk ya faking
i bring home only halal bacon
it's globalization that terrorizes the nation
below minimum wage promotes sterilization
change that conservative talk radio station
talking extreme nonsense of an alien invasion
let's say that tomorrow the immigrants stopped coming
first you celebrate but soon you would be bumming
in the service sector wages may rise
but you're gonna pay more for those burgers and fries
bottom line many jobs would disappear overseas
corporations will find people more desperate than these
to exploit more wealth in fewer hands so they pillage young and old in foreign lands
100 grand's not enough so people want more
that's why Castro came to power to settle the score
the greedy are most weary of socialism
the best place for the poor is to put em in prison
and make the money from their incarceration
steady income from the burgeoning prison population
three strikes and you're out one more for the home team
no doubt they framed imam Jamil Alameen
plus Mumia Abu Jamal i pray for them all
much respect my people but no respect for the law

i send peace to the Prophet
wrote this rhyme for the people not for profit
next time i'm ready to drop it
insha'Allah my people go ahead and cop it

"End the Occupation" Lyrics

2007-12-24T15:17:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine end the occupation now is the time (2x)

it's essential for a people to govern their own affairs
and return to the land of which they're rightful heirs
living in exile is like life suspended
for people back home the misery never ended
those who resist are accused of terrorism
for refusing to accept conditions worse than a prison
to the world, much of the suffering is invisible
mountains of evidence held to be inadmissible
occupations dehumanize populations
their strongest supporters are the world's wealthy nations

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine end the occupation now is the time (3x)

it's the women and children who suffer most from occupation
their stories should be broadcast on every U.S. station
maybe then the people would push the administration
to suspend the billions we give the Israeli nation
and maybe one day mothers could breathe a sigh of relief
and their hearts begin to heal from the decades of grief
enough of roadmaps and Israel's iron fist
the immoral state of affairs must cease to exist
how do you explain a 3-year-old shot in the head
or an 80-year-old being crushed to death in his bed
bishop Tutu has said that Palestine is a replica
of what Blacks had to endure in apartheid South Africa
many see the connection, others choose to ignore it
they say no to divestment but back then they were for it

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine
end the occupation now is the time (3x)

Iraq was invaded against the will of the people
and now the same clique is trying to bring us a sequel
human rights to the rulers are just meaningless words
they don't care about the Americans and much less the Kurds
war means profit and power for the corporate elite
contractors looted Iraq and they weren't even discreet
just like pimps in the night and the soldiers their hookers
along with perverted patriots and the curious onlookers
Falluja was no mistake nor Abu Ghraib and Haditha
human life gets no respect recall the song by Aretha
if it were animals being abused in a cage
the mainstream media by now would have the world in a rage
but it's only human mothers and daughters
so the corporate networks make sure nobody bothers
images of the carnage are considered in poor taste
the masses are blind as blood rivers flood to the waist

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Palestine
end the occupation now is the time (3x)

"Played" Lyrics

2007-12-10T17:41:00.000-08:00

if you're headed for iraq you might not come back
that's what happens to kids when they're on the wrong track
watching too much b.e.t. and nba on tv
got you hooked on the jingle 'be all you can be'
once they signed the contract, that was all she wrote
pack your bags, son, and don't forget your coat
cuz at night in the desert it gets mighty cold
and when death is in the air there's a chill i'm told
if you choose to go that's your life to destroy
but don't pretend it's for me or the freedom that i enjoy
you might think there's respect in doing what you're told
you never question authority like a slave you're sold
you've become the defender of the corporate elite
send to guard their oil so at night they sleep
like a soldier for the mafia you protect their loot
invading the people's homes point your gun and shoot

you got played by the devils' advertising campaign
either you died in the invasion or came back insane
you were sold on the lies of the war profiteers
so you chose to be a killer and brought mothers to tears (2x)

the resistance you confront is labeled terrorist
for defending their country from your iron fist
where's the honor in terrorizing the iraqi population
you're the pawn in the game of a corrupt administration
it's kill or go to prison for refusing to kill
conscientious objector, do you have the will?
if you have any honor left you'd choose incarceration
take a moral stance and resist the manipulation
you wanted discipline but what you got was slavery
don't confuse brainwashed with a thing called bravery
you got sold on adventure but got humiliation
your brain got washed so hate became your motivation

you got played by the devils' advertising campaign
either you died in the invasion or came back insane
you were sold on the lies of the war profiteers
so you chose to be a killer and brought mothers to tears (2x)

today you call them hadjis yesterday they were gooks
you invaded for the oil cuz they had no nukes
if they had em like north korea there would be negotiation
saddam wouldn't sell out so you brought the devastation
the pro-israeli lobby had a hand in the invasion
if they had any faith they'd pray for arab annihilation
instead they plot behind the scenes to start the next war
they don't fight themselves they prefer to keep score
if you want to find nukes then israel is the place
or better yet the u.s. and help us fix our ways
you signed on the dotted line to go commit the crime
if you're brave enough to die be man enough to do time
it's time to fight for justice and not for the empire
make amends for your sins lest you inherit the fire

you got played by the devils' advertising campaign
either you died in the invasion or came back insane
you were sold on the lies of the war profiteers
so you chose to be a killer and brought mothers to tears (2x)

"Rebel Militia" Lyrics

2007-11-28T18:20:00.000-08:00

they say they wanted saddam the target all along was islam
that's why they sent these kids into the new vietnam
i'm struggling, making jihad is a part of me
my love for justice is greater than my love for harmony
it's hard to shake hands while the b-52s are bombing me
filthy soldiers some of them guilty of sodomy
this is the start of an era not the apocalypse
grab the mic with my right hand to bring truth to the populace
the dilemma i'm facing strictly 'cause the fire is blazing
praying you go to hell you and very dollar you're chasing
you could care less your taxes blasted open my chest
to my brothers and sisters that was just a part of the test
drop it from east to west like it was arabic text
my state of mind is intense i'm hardly thinking of sex
i'd rather give charity down with economic disparity
people living humble these days is a rarity

at the beginning there was light but at the end is fire
bastard hypocrites around their necks wearing a burning tire
rumsfeld, perle and wolfowitz each get a yokohama
plus the lighter fluid and matches courtesy of osama
for bush and cheney i bet firestone will do the trick
so the heat quickly causes the rubber on their necks to stick
this isn't cruelty son it's reparations
intended to serve as warning to future administrations

this is the start of an era, not the apocalypse
bringing heat to these bastards plus truth to the populace
this is the start of an era, not the apocalypse
rebel militia, it's abu nurah that's dropping this

forget the camouflage let's bring this out in the open
it's a shame i never became the citizen you were hoping
because i pledge allegiance only to the creator
these patriot sellouts like to label me a traitor
i lay waste all those years of indoctrination
the day i took my shahada and welcomed emancipation
my occupation was simply for paper creation
spitting microphone venom was just a side operation
they call them terrorists but the term is mujahideen
resistance fighters fear nothing but the unseen
you know them only from the lies the media submit
that's why you can't imagine that their cause is legit
our collateral damage is justified as an accident
theirs is called terrorism by the corporate news outlets
so your mind is co-opted and your views take shape
they tell you it's liberation while iraq is raped

the alarm has sounded but i'm not leaving the premises
ready for war i'm strapped blowing the spot like a chemist
in another life this might get done with legislation
but these days we have to bring heat into the equation
asking permission to protest is admitting defeat
go ahead live on your knees i'd rather die on my feet
i'm merciless that's why i'm killing this beat
one thing you're not gonna see is abu nurah retreat

this is the start of an era, not the apocalypse
bringing heat to these bastards plus truth to the populace
this is the start of an era, not the apocalypse
rebel militia, it's abu nurah that's dropping this

Media Disclaimers

2007-10-17T02:46:00.000-07:00

You have to love the mainstream media's (MSM) feeble attempts to shore up its own credibility by wielding the 'state-run' label to qualify reports from any news agency that is sponsored by a foreign government. Examples abound. Here are a few:

Two Iranian diplomats detained by US troops in Iraq were released early Friday in Baghdad, Iran's state-run television and news agency reported. (USA Today)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is rejecting new United Nations sanctions as illegal, according to IRNA, the state-run Iranian news agency. (CNN)

In Sudan, state-run media spreads misinformation and hatred for America. (FOX News)

The state-run Qatar News Agency said Saturday that Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, decided to contribute that amount for relief "and humanitarian supplies for the victims of [Katrina]." (CNN)

The implication is that information from state-run news outlets is often propaganda and must be taken with a grain of salt. Apparently, the MSM consider their audiences so unsophisticated as to believe everything they read. Thus, the 'state-run' warning labels. But MSM have a point here. Anyone that relies on the likes of CNN and FOX for their news and analysis does need warning labels.

The issue is that not everything that requires warning labels or disclaimers comes with them. For example: 'Fox News reported...' should read 'Murdoch-owned Fox News reported...' But perhaps this is a bad example, as FOX News is a giant disclaimer in itself. Of course, there's the Murdoch-owned Sky Network, not to mention the Murdoch owned NY Post and the most recent addition--the Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal. For those seeking media diversity, there's also Disney-owned ABC News, General Electric-owned NBC Network News, and Time-Warner-owned CNN. What do all these "news" sources have in common? They're all corporate-owned. As such, their main objective is to turn a profit.

While the government's goal is to maintain power, the goal of the Corporation is to make money. It can be argued that Murdoch and others also seek to promote their own ideology. Thus, both corporate-owned and state-run news sources are compromised. The only legitimate sources are independent. My suggestion: either do away with the disclaimers or use them for both corporate and state-run media.

President Sheehan? Why Not?

2007-10-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

First of all let me assure you that, as much as I would like to see someone with her convictions holding the office of President of the United States, this is not a call for Cindy Sheehan to enter the race. Given the nature of the U.S. electoral system, which masquerades as a democratic process, our participation in it makes us complicit in what is no less than a farce. What I am proposing is an alternative election, one for president of the United States we would like to live in. You know, the U.S. that really stands for the ideals in our constitution and respects international law.

This election would parallel the upcoming election. The candidates would be nominated from among the best our country has to offer. Access to a personal fortune will not be a requirement. Our media will be the Internet, and candidates will have an equal opportunity to share their platforms. The discussion will be about issues and not about how much money the frontrunners have raised. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Prior to any election, we would have to found this new nation. Instead of marching on Washington to petition our current government to end this war, the hundreds of thousands would be there for the purpose of inaugurating our new nation. We would invite dignitaries from other countries without regard for whether our hypocritical leaders have branded them "terrorists" or members of an "axis of evil," as well as current members of government that share our vision of a nation that rejects imperialism and strives for peace and justice. At this event, we would stage a massive naturalization ceremony and pledge allegiance to this new nation. We would issue formal certificates of citizenship and population statistics of our new nation would be updated regularly on line. As every growing nation needs capital, our nation's 'citizens' would voluntarily pay a 'tax' be used exclusively for peaceful purposes (unlike the traditional federal taxes we're forced to pay).

More important than who wins the election would be the fact that this new leader would represent the ideals of peace-loving people the world over. This leader would be accountable to the people, not corporate power and greed. He or she would have a moral authority far more commanding than that of the current president or, for that matter, of any president our nation has seen in our lifetime. And who knows, come November '08 when we've decided, maybe we can all agree to go to the polls and write in our candidate.

Effective Resistance

2007-09-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Surely all oppressed people have the right to resist. It is for them to choose the mode of resistance. But some ways of resistance are more effective than others. In each case, it is critical to understand the context. In these times when States wield such arsenals of firepower, armed struggle is less and less practical as a means to remove the chains. Faced with such an imbalance of power, the people must resort to their strongest weapon: Truth.

Let's take the US civil rights movement. Many in the African American community were tired of asking for their rights. After suffering so much brutality and indignity, many were ready to go to war. What the leaders of the Movement understood is that the State's best weapon is force, while theirs was the truth and justice inherent in their struggle. Once the bullets start flying, you are fighting their game. Now you make it easier for the State to fool its citizens into believing that your cause is violence rather than justice.

By sticking to nonviolent civil disobedience, those in the struggle for civil rights were able to focus the dialogue on the injustices that were taking place. The fact that the civil rights movement included a diverse group of people alongside African Americans was in itself a blow to the segregation regime. Another key point is that the acts of civil disobedience were effective because they were actions that were at the core of the issue. Blacks were not allowed to enter certain establishments, so the sit-ins directly challenged the injustice. They couldn't sit at the front of the bus, so Rosa Parks did. When they were arrested and publicly beaten for these actions, those represented victories for the movement. Each time, it showed to the world what was occurring. The oppressor was oppressing and the oppressed were being oppressed. Each was properly playing their role. Those in the movement successfully forced the State to play their game--that is, to help shed light on the injustices.

An example of an action that is not particularly effective would be, for example, blocking an intersection to bring attention to your cause. You might put it on the map, but it will be the wrong kind of attention. Blocking an intersection is not a right. By doing it, you are playing the role of a perpetrator and you allow the State to play the role of arresting you and restoring "order". Being arrested is not always a good thing for your cause.

Okay, maybe that one was a bit obvious, but how about refusal to pay taxes à la Thoreau. The argument here is that it is immoral to knowingly contribute funds that are used to fight unjust wars. I respect that. If the US government were forcing us to buy war bonds to help fund its "war on terror," I would rather go to jail like Thoreau. Paying taxes, which are used in part for roads, welfare programs, etc. is a bit more complicated. The trick here is that paying taxes in itself is not immoral. In fact, it is part of upholding your contract as a citizen. What is immoral is the use of that money to invade and occupy a country. Therefore, while it is commendable to risk jail for refusing to have any part in an unjust war, I don't think tax resistance is the best way to go. A better way might be to become an expatriate and go assist the people in their struggle. It can be argued that just by living and working here we are supporting this system. No government survives without willing agents.

The reason I promote civil disobedience is not because I believe first and foremost in nonviolence. The primary goal is upholding truth and justice. Nonviolent resistance is a tactical choice.

Cowardice or Freedom?

2007-09-30T02:07:00.000-07:00

The state of affairs in this country is disgraceful and it has been for a long time; to pretend otherwise is to engage in self-deception and wishful thinking. Our so-called leaders continue to spew their lies and rationalize (with the help of the media & commentators) our continued occupation of Iraq, despite the daily bloodshed and abuses it entails. Undeterred, these same criminals, unstated by the brutality of their current crime, are marshaling their forces to attack Iran and its people.

The rhetoric is the same, the same cast of characters, from Ziocons hungry for blood to editors and "journalists" trying to have us believe that Iran is run by a madman who will press the button and cannot be trusted, so we have to go and bomb his people. The same was said about Saddam. Evidence revealed he was not as crazy as the media made him out to be. More importantly, there was no 'button' to push. Donde estan los WMDs?

Truth is it is we that are run by madmen--the same who incinerated hundreds of thousands in Japan with nuclear weapons, flesh falling off their limbs as they walked dazed and confused in the aftermath. We are the ones, along with Israel, that are most likely to use weapons of mass destruction. That is why nations the world over are racing to get nuclear capabilities to deter our plans to invade them, especially nations with oil that refuse to bow down to US imperialism.

And what are we doing?--those of us who care about justice and value humanity regardless of race, religion, or nationality. In a nation that claims to be the beacon of democracy, where a person must be wealthy and receive immense support from corporations and other affluent individuals to be elected, and where political corruptions is legal (lobbying), a person's vote, if it is counted at all, matters less and less. So as the average person is disenfranchised, the ballot box is taken away as a means to redress our grievances.

We then take to the streets and demonstrate and hold rallies. Sometimes hundreds of thousands of us attend. Yet our resistance is invisible to most of the population because the corporate media is intent on silencing our voices, making them complicit to the crimes. They are not afraid to give voice to protesters criticizing a foreign government such as China (which does deserve ample criticism), but when it comes to our own government, or to the untouchable Israel, the media will be silent, never a protester will be interviewed (with notable exceptions like Pacifica Radio/Democracy Now!)

So with our voting power diminished and our protests censored, what will it take to be heard? It may take civil disobedience on a massive scale, placing our liberty, property, and possibly our lives at risk. If those Iraqi women and children were being laid to waste before our eyes, few of us, except the truly worthless would not stop what they're doing and risk everything to save them. Yet when it's thousands of miles away and the media does such a good job of hiding our crimes, we merrily go about our business.

Those of us concerned about justice have a choice to make: either we admit our own cowardice or prepare to take the next step in embracing our own humanity and place our livelihoods on the line if need be--that is true freedom, to sacrifice for our fellow human beings.

Amen, Vatican!

2007-09-28T19:43:00.000-07:00

Note to readers: Please note that I am being sarcastic in this piece. I believe the Vatican is in no position to urge Muslims to reject violence, when adherents to Christianity are responsible for far more violence both now and in the past.

For once I completely agree with the Vatican. Today they issued a statement calling on Muslims to "reject, denounce and refuse every recourse to violence" and dialogue with Christians to achieve peace. I believe that as Muslims we need to stop invading countries and spilling innocent blood. We need to be more considerate of the millions of displaced people that suffer from our thoughtless actions, not to mention the hundreds of thousands that have died as a result of our insatiable appetite for profit and unsavoury alliances.

Furthermore, I want to repudiate the notion of collateral damage as acceptable. When we receive intelligence about the whereabouts of a terrorist (i.e. someone that won't play by our rules), our rush to strike targets and level dwellings is morally indefensible.

As the Vatican points out, we Muslims must teach our young to love and respect all people. It is not acceptable to invade and occupy a people and hold their lives to be less valuable because they look different or practice a faith that is alien to us.

The Vatican is also correct in stating that "dialogue is the tool which can help us to escape from the endless spiral of conflict." When those we believe to be our enemies express their willingness to dialog with us, we must at least meet them halfway. Our branding of certain groups or countries as "terrorists" and refusing to dialogue with them only makes conflict inevitable.

We certainly have a lot to learn as Muslims, but I am encouraged by this gesture from the Vatican to help us realize the error of our ways. We who have a very long history of intolerance, as evidenced by the despicable way in which we carried out the Crusades and Inquisition, can only hope to benefit from the brotherly advice of the Vatican.

Open Letter to People of Iran

2007-09-26T13:11:00.000-07:00

As-Salaamu Alaykum & Ramadan Mubarak,

I am writing to express my apologies as a citizen of the United States for the deplorable way that certain elements of the media, government, and academia have treated President Ahmadinejad. As you well know, headlines such as the ones that appeared on the NY Daily News and NY Post are not representative of what a great many of us think. These corporate-owned tabloids along with most mainstream media in the US are a poor excuse for journalism and are truly an embarrassment to us all.

I commend President Ahmadinejad for the dignity and integrity he has displayed. These so-called journalists and so-called free-thinkers only disrespect their own souls by what they have done, for they will have to answer to Allah for their injustice.

I am only one of many in this country that are with the people of Iran and in solidarity with those around the world who seek justice and reject imperialism.

Ma Salaama.

Who's Afraid of a Little Protest?

2007-09-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

The rulers of Burma apparently. But why would they feel so threatened as to clamp down so harshly on any dissent? Why don't they do what the Bush administration does and simply ignore hundreds of thousands of us that march and hold rallies? The answer probably lies in what they're demanding.

Don't get me wrong, when Bush criticizes another country's human rights record, I usually cheer him on. It's not like Abu Ghraib, Haditha, Guantanamo, etc. etc. make him guilty of colossal hypocrisy. And naturally I support the protesters.

But let's put things into perspective. Burma is a military dictatorship from what I gather. Protesters that call for a democracy are in effect calling for a revolution or overthrow of the present government. I doubt very seriously that protesters in this country calling for the overthrow of the government would be treated any less harshly by the powers that be. Let us not forget how our goverment has delt with dissent in the past: MOVE Bombing, Kent State shooting, COINTELPRO, not to mention the recent police brutality and shooting of May Day protesters in LA.

Yes, in the US as in many countries, peaceful protests are a regular phenomenon, but it has been a long time since we made demands that really threatened the status quo. We call for an end to the War in Iraq and our leaders simply continue sending troops and dropping bombs. Ours are carefully orchastrated events for which permits are sought and granted and clear guidelines exist.

What the protesters in Burma are doing is powerful civil disobedience. It's something we in the US could learn from.