A Blues Jihad

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Listening to the musical genius of the late Yusef Lateef takes us to a blues place.  The complexity of notes, innovative compositions, Lateef blended soul-stirring sounds from all over the world…blues sounds if you will, translated to what he called 'autophysiophsychic' music.  In his masterful sonnets you can hear the blues of Arabia, Africa, Brazil, Asia and America.  His musical lane covered most of the suffering world as his Blues found existential harmony with theirs. The world has always found a common language in the blues of struggle and music.  Music scores across hues and ideologies landing on the spirit of humanity…this is where we find the Blues.  This isn’t an ode to the 'Gentle Giant' but a reflection of the Muslim women and men of his generation who weren't afraid to express their Blues and triumphed in a bipolar world.

To borrow Cornel West’s contextualization of the Blues, catastrophe and struggle lies within the quiet beats of the Blues.  In other words, out of struggle, pain, agony and despair of living with one's 'back against the wall', the Blues is born, bearing testimony to atrocity while applying comfort and perspective to the pain-filled disciple.  This Blues, popularized through African-American music, has roots everywhere there is struggle, it is the elixir of the sufferer, activating them on a spiritual journey, confronting their struggles and finding resolve through compassion.  As the Blues teaches many lessons, there’s an important message for a group of people who culturally rarely partake of its musical feast…Muslims.

The term for struggle in Islam is Jihad.  Like the Blues, it is the struggle against the catastrophic.  Oppression, poverty, abuse, sin are all catastrophic events affecting the body-spirit and community.  Islam teaches its disciples to combat the evils with compassion and prayer.  To uplift and correct the spirit through reflection and community transformation.  Like the Blues, Jihad speaks to and speaks out against injustice to the body-spirit and humanity while covering both with peace and love.

You see, Islam means Peace and Jihad is its Blues song.  Have you ever witnessed a Muslim Bluesman or Blueswoman recite al-Fatiha in prayer? Like any great Blues song, the first verse draws the supplicant in as the disciple's somber tones reflects the difficulties of the day and pains of the community.  By the 2^nd verse (rakaa), the disciple has transported the congregation to the foot of the Creator, crying a Blues hymn for himself and the community, begging for relief and peace from a world filled with catastrophe.  

The Blues is the yang of Jihad, without it, Jihad becomes chillingly misconstrued and out of balance.  If Muslims learn from a Bluespeople who have suffered with perseverance, revolted with compassion and exercised liberation with inclusion and forgiveness then perhaps Islam could become a 'gentle giant' in the world.  A faith fighting against the catastrophic with love and compassion...a Blues Jihad.   

Where are the American Muslims in the media?

With a second round of Congressional 'Radicalization' hearings complete, Islam in America continues to be under fire. Americans continue to be misled into thinking Islam is any less American than Judaism or Christianity. If we go by strictly numbers, Christianity would be the religion of America, although, it landed on American shores the same time as Islam. Some may argue Islam preceded Christianity as Muslims have been documented to have traded and lived among Native Americans. However, it is a known fact that Muslim 'Moors' accompanied Columbus on the Santa Maria.

Today, Christianity is the religion of the land. Our national holidays, historical context and 'natural' religion of the majority comes from the Christian tradition. It is important to note that race has played an unfortunate role in American religious culture. During slavery, traditional African religions and Islam was forcibly rooted out of the enslaved population considered to be dangerous to the oppressive institution. For all practical purposes, there was only one acceptable American religion, Christianity and it was being unfairly used to segregate and oppress.

American religion evolved as racial status progressed. As African-Americans found freedom, Black Churches were established to support the welfare and advancement of Blacks. The Black church found itself in contention with the racial theology of mainstream America as it provided a theological foundation for the liberation of slaves and later a platform for the Civil Rights Movement. Still today, Black churches are primarily segregated but are now considered a part of mainstream American religion.

The journey of Islam in America has been rooted in a similar struggle for liberation as the Black church. Enslaved African Muslims are documented to have maintained their faith, although not allowed to openly practice. To practice meant physical reprimand, abuse and death. Islam represented the antithesis to the slave doctrine and oppression. Theologically, it abolished slavery and could not coexist in a system of injustice. Islam still survived through slavery and continued to be relevant in Black life during the turn of the 20th century up through the Civil Rights movement. African-American Muslims played a critical role in the American struggle to freedom and equality.

Looking at Islam in the media, few could determine its long and important history in America. Media outlets are either choosing immigrant Muslims to address issues of radicalization, terrorism and the dangers of Islam in America or Muslim organizations are making the choice. Some representatives are born Americans, usually 1st generation but they still look and feel non-American. Their appeal is closer to what and who we are being led to fear...a stereotypical prototype of a Muslim or worse a terrorist who is of middle-eastern or south Asian descent.

I can't help to think that the lack of indigenous Americans being shown in the media is aiding in creating a climate of Islamophobia. African-Americans makeup the largest single ethnic segment of Muslims in America, yet they are rarely seen in the media. Immigrant Muslims are commonly seen usually attempting to look more 'american' to accommodate the American public. This is a poor image to present as most terrorist are seen wearing the traditional dress of Muslim immigrants. By not presenting a 'normal' Muslim, in traditional dress, speaking of peace and inclusion in the context of Islam, then the 'radical' Muslim becomes anyone who doesn't 'appear' to have assimilated into American culture.

To make a better impact in the fight against unjust discrimination, why not bring forth the folk, whose very image is wrapped in the liberation movement of America. The image of the American Muslim, is an indigenous American image. An image historically rooted in American religion and culture. It comes with the historical wherewithal of discrimination and segregation. It maintains a voice of justice and equity for all Americans and maybe, most importantly, reminds America to be weary of repeating her crimes against humanity.

A lot of damage has already been done since 9/11 to the image of Muslims in America. Without question, immigrant Muslims are taking the biggest hit in this era of Islamophobia. But just as the history of America reflects, we can overcome injustice. To do so, Islam in America needs to employ representatives who have the seniority and experience in speaking out against injustice. The people whose image is not only wholly American but has helped shape what is considered to be American tolerance and humanity. The African-American image is already normalized as American and being the oldest Muslim population in America, it should be represented. By doing so it will help in bringing clarity and focus to the conversation of terrorism and injustice.

Obama's Wright Mind

This past week's events have re-patrioted a nation while putting the world on caution. The killing of Usama Binladen last Sunday was vital news to most Americans. Much like 9/11, Americans will remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news...'Usama Binladen is dead'.

I was watching Celebrity Apprentice, enjoying the cackling between NeNe and Starr (you have to watch the show to understand). The "Breaking News" abruptly interrupted the show right at the best part. Maybe intentionally done by the Prez to poke back at Donald Trump for the birther nonsense over the past month. Nonetheless, the President addressed the American people saying Osama bin Laden had been killed.

As I watched the TV, I was neither happy or sad, grateful or remorseful. The news came and I thought...Ok...now what. There hasn't been much in the way of major news on Binladen since 2004...Bush's election year. Although, we could deep dive and argue the relativeness of Binladen and the origins of his terrorist theology but for this blog we can agree that his persona has been the galvanizing focus legitimizing a war against terror for the common American.

In the now what of a 'Binladen-less' world, we saw scenes of people cheering at the White House, Ground Zero, interviews and blogs expressing happiness that Binladen was dead. In the midst of the country's joy, I couldn't help feeling justice may have been replaced with vanity. Americans, in all of our bravado, all of our 'winning', our 'John Wayne-ness', were happy that the good guys won but I couldn't help but wonder what was going through the mind of our President.

In the wake of 5/1, I began wrestling with the realization that our President may not be who we thought he was. Historically, African-American leadership has maintained a priority of social justice and equity. Our leaders have always had a moral prophetic tongue, willing to speak out against injustice to the most powerful of the land. But what happens when the most powerful of the land is one of us?

During the 2008 campaign, we learned that President Obama was nurtured and mentored by Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Then Senator Obama, came under fire for his 20-year relationship with Rev. Wright as Wright was mis-characterized as a hate-filled, separatist Black preacher. But Black folk are familiar with the theology of Rev. Wright, a theology founded in Black Liberation, an exegesis of social justice from the doctrine of Christ applied to the struggle of oppressed peoples.

For many of us, Rev. Wright legitimized Sen. Obama, giving him clout as a subscriber to a long history of social justice warriors. Rev. Wright was a mentor to him, like Elijah to Malcolm and an inspiration like Thurman to Martin. President Obama spent formative years engaged in the study and application of Wright's theological narrative of Black struggle. He was a student and well grounded in what King called the triplets preventing social change, "racism, materialism and militarism". Bearing the most profound legacy of social justice then any President, accompanied with a familiar ‘face’ and language, preaching a rhetoric of hope and change, prompted the Norwegian Nobel Committee to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. Today that awarding seems premature as our nation is more occupied with Bush's "Axis of Evil".

So, what now… We have to give up the notion that President Obama has come in the spirit of King. He's not a Civil Rights leader or a social activist, he is a politician. A politician filled with empathy and compassion but a politician nonetheless. Being a politician requires conciliatory responses to what you may normally oppose done for the sake of progress. Binladen was a concession to the Presidency. It was a political goal, whether we like it or not that had to be achieved if presented the opportunity.

This wasn’t his first Presidential concession and won't be the last. We’ve witnessed others like Libya and the continued push of militarism in Africa and the middle East. There are national efforts that were in place long before President Obama. Maybe we shouldn’t hold him to the fire for those and look deeper into their origins and purpose.

A President of Change is a momentous task. President Obama maybe our best prepared leader for change. Yes, I cringe every time he refers to Abraham Lincoln as a great influence but I believe he can be a ‘King’ sitting in the oval office… but only if he maintains his ‘Wright’ mind.

The Islamic Exclusionary Act of 2012: The Beginning

In 1942, America was at war. The bombing of Pearl Harbor marked U.S. entry into World War 2 and also exposed the still latent bigoted prejudices of a country. Americans of Japanese descent were politicized with the war and were subjected to discrimination and regulated to American concentration camps.

Japanese presence had been established with immigrants coming to America working the gold mines in the late 1800s. America in those days was not only prejudiced against African-Americans but also Asians and any other ethnicity considered to be 'non-white'. Japanese students were segregated in California schools and with the passing of the "Oriental Exclusion Law", were blocked from attaining American citizenship.

The Japanese were not violent or aggressive, combative or even anti-American. They were victims of fear-mongering propaganda during a time of war. In 1942, 100,000 Japanese were sent to "War Relocation Camps" on Executive Order 9066. Of the 100,000 forced into these camps, 70,000 were Japanese-American citizens.

How could this happen in 1940 America? How could Jim Crow and "colored only" segregation happen? And who was enforcing these unconstitutional practices? We could argue the complicity of state and government officials but certainly, the assent of fear and hate propaganda placed the common American in opposition to peaceful minority groups.

This proliferation of fear and hate has always been the pre-amble to the acceptance of the "radicalization" of our constitution and our American values.

It is important to note that Anti-Islamic propaganda did not begin with 9/11. I can recall, as a young boy, threatening phone calls made to our Mosque during the Iran hostage crisis in 1979. At that time, the "radicalization" of the Muslim image was exacerbated through the media and hollywood, as middle easterners were consistently cast as anti-American terrorist.

In Denzel Washington's movie, 'The Siege', a friendly American Muslim was cast as his partner and good friend. A movie set in New York following the first 1993 terrorist attack depicting New York City under siege by suicide bombers. As if taken directly from the archives of Japanese-American history, Muslims were 'relocated' into gated camps by the military out of fear that any Muslim could take allegiance with the enemy.

Today's Homeland Security Committee hearing chaired by Rep. Peter King seemed all too surreal and yet familiar. I watched the hearing as if I was the 'Muslim' in a documentary depicting how the "Islamic Exclusionary Act of 2012" began to take shape.

Rep. King's, supposedly innocent, preemptive hearing to examine the 'status' of the American Muslim mindset further moves the paradigm of imbalance and xenophobia closer to the danger zone. If there was some good to come out of the hearing, which I watched and did hear some stories of support, most of America will mostly draw concern as they only get media sound bites, a headline or two and the news ticker scrolling at the bottom of their TVs showing,

"A Congressional Hearing was held on the Extent of Radicalization of among American Muslims".

Once again, the words 'Radical' and 'Muslim' are made to be synonymous and the fear propaganda continues.

We as Americans must be very careful at this particular time. We cannot accentuate the extremist actions of a few over the peaceful lifestyles of the majority of Muslims. Terrorism should not be categorized or presented as a 'Muslim' issue. Terrorism itself is a perceptive concept. Edgar Hoover labeled Martin Luther King and most Black Civil Rights groups as threats to America and terrorist.

There is a long-standing American Muslim narrative of peaceful civility and the American Dream. The narrative being presented by Rep. King and most American media outlets is not only unfair to the six million American Muslims but is also beginning to challenge the American Muslim's civil and possibly human rights.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation which apologized for the internment of the Japanese on behalf of the U.S. government. The legislation said, "government actions were based on race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership". The U.S. government not only admitted it's fault but disbursed more than $1.6 billion in reparations to Japanese Americans who had been held captive and their heirs. I should mention descendants of 300 years of slavery still have not received any reparations...but I digress.

America has long been the 'melting pot' of the world. Today's Americans are descendants from every corner of the earth. Our values as a country are God-centered which is ecumenical, cross-cultural, aracial and at the foundation of the Constitution. It doesn't matter our faith, the moral authority to recognize right vs. wrong is something we have always shared.

It is not Islam that is radical but the individual who becomes radical. Rep. Shelia Lee said it well, "you can't clean a dirty kitchen with dirty water". We have a constitution that upholds the rights and freedoms of every American...Muslim and non-Muslim. Terrorism is ugly and immoral but it's also indifferent of faith. Acts of terrorism are committed by and against individuals from all groups and from all faiths. Hearings such as these are not how we 'clean the kitchen'.

The KKK and Martin Luther King were both Christian. Yet, a hearing was not held on the "Radicalization" of American Christians. We don't demonize the silent Christian liberals and conservatives who remained quiet during the Civil Rights movement or during the detainment of Japanese-Americans. We also have not charged them with the responsibility to eradicate a radical minority.

I get confused with all the different terminologies being used to define Islam. Radical Islam, Islamism, Muslim Moderates, Islamic extremist, Muslim Extremist, etc. are all terms referencing Islam but none define what it is or what a Muslim is to be.

I don't really know what a 'moderate' Muslim is, as if there is a Muslim meter with moderates in the middle and extremist at the end. There's only one type of Muslim described in the Holy Quran, which is one who serves God and serves humanity. Muslims live by the universal moral code that all people of faith follow.

What should be addressed is the "politicalization" of Islam and how western imperialist politics have aided in creating this climate. Hmm...I wonder who would actually conduct that hearing? Anyway, radicalization of individuals doesn't happen in a vacuum, it's a process fueled by apathy and pain...not religion.

Just like in 1942, America today is at war with a people whose lifestyle and religious practices are virtually unknown to the American people. There were officials who falsely proselytized discrimination and hate against Japanese Americans. Today Rep. King, in the spirit of his bigoted forefathers commenced to committing the same crime.

After watching the hearing, I do believe the racist motives of the organizers were thwarted with honest testimonies and defenses of Muslim Americans by both Muslims and non-Muslims. I pray this is the spirit that goes forward....aw damn....just read the news ticker.