Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner can do the right thing and support Middle East peace by rejecting a bill sponsored by pro-Israel activist Il Rep. Sara Feigenholtz and urge the Illinois General Assembly to support peace based on Two-States, non-violence and the respect of human rights. Rauner can also take a strong stand to defend the…
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Supporters of the foreign government of Israel are using their influence in local governments to bully and intimidate and label critics of Israel as “anti-Semitic,” introducing laws that undermine the American Constitutional right of free speech of Americans who challenge Israel’s extremist policies that oppress Christian and Muslims in Israel and in the Occupied West Bank…
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While the World is pausing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the massacre of more than one million Armenians by the former Ottoman Empire, many major Muslim American organizations and Arab World leaders have been either silent or have argued that the Armenian genocide is little more than a part of World War I. Armenians, who are Christian,…
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Armenians across the world have been joined by organizations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the massacre of more than 1 million Armenians, mostly Christian, by the Ottoman Turkish empire at the beginning of World War I. But the commemoration has caused some consternation among Muslims. The US Council of Muslim Organizations based in Washington D.C., issued…
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Every year, Holy Land Christians commemorate many religious traditions, some of which may have been forgotten by many mainstream Christians in the West. But in Taybeh and in Jerusalem, Palestine, the traditions live on including this celebration of the annual Miracle of the Holy Fire By Maria C. Khoury, Ed. D. Although I am in…
Orthodox Christians, mainly from the Middle East or Mediterranean region, closely follow the same traditions as Catholics and Protestants, but in a fundamental origin that has been preserved over the two millennium. The Orthodox Easter observations and celebrations begin a week after mainstream Christians leading up to this year’s important Easter date, Sunday April 12, 2015 By…
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Rarely can anyone have a discussion that involves Muslims without a little bashing even when it has to do with boot stomping, dressing flaying Country music. Is Country music more patriotic, or does it intentionally fan the flames of Muslim-bashing? By Ray Hanania What do country music, Ted Cruz, terrorists and Muslims have in common? This week…
Officials of Orthodox Christian Church commemorate the Miraculous Lady of Cicero, the Tearing Icon of the Virgin Mary, with an honorary street naming in front of the church located in Cicero, Illinois. By Ray Hanania Orthodox Church officials joined Archpriest Nicholas Dahdal and officials from the Town of Cicero in commemorating the miracle of the Tearing Icon…
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Amine Gemayel, Lebanon’s former president, raised the “specter of genocide” in speaking of atrocities against Christians and other minorities in the Middle East. Gemayel says Middle East Christians have never been in more extreme danger By Managing Editor “I have never in my life witnessed Middle East Christians in such extreme danger,” Amine Gemayel warned on…
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The Greene Space at WNYC & WQXR presents MUSLIM/AMERICAN, a five-part event series kicks off with special advance screening of Aasif Mandvi’s “Halal in the Family” on Thursday, April 9th New York City is home to over 600,000 Muslims, many with strong family ties rooted in cultures from all over the world–Southeast Asia to North Africa, Europe to…
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President Obama has begun a debate on the issue of terrorism and Islam asking Americans to recognize that just because the terrorists claim they represent Islam doesn’t make it so. Why give the terrorists what they want? Defeat terrorism by being educated and understanding the facts, as complex as they may be. We are a smart…
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By Ray Hanania When I was a child, my mother took my younger sister and I to see the Reverend Billy Graham in downtown Chicago. It had to be around 1959. My mom was a very religious Christian. She was born in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus and of Christianity. And she was proud of…
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The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) firmly believes the senseless murder of the three Arab and Muslim American students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina is a result of hate rhetoric and the spread of anti-Arab sentiment and Islamophobia. ADC has observed a drastic increase of anti-Arab sentiment and Islamophobia within the last few years. This increase…
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As salaamu alaykum. It is with great sadness that we learned of the three young Muslims who were murdered near Chapel Hill in North Carolina yesterday. Our hearts and prayers are with the families and friends of Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, 21, and her sister, Razan Abu-Salha, 19. May Allah grant these…
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Washington, D.C., February 11, 2015: The Muslim American Society is shocked over the execution style murder of three American Muslim students in Chapel Hill, North Carolina last night, and calls on local and federal authorities to look into the incident as a possible hate crime. The Students, Deah Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Abu-Salha, 21…
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By Ray Hanania Chapel Hill police have identified the alleged killer of three Muslim Arab students as Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, of 270 Summerwalk Circle. According to police, Hicks was involved in a “dispute” over a parking place at the condominium parking lot with the victims. Hicks is currently being held without bond, and many…
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Three Arab Muslim students living in a region of growing anti-Arab and anti-Muslim anger were found slaughtered Tuesday night in Chapel Hill by a White man whose motives have not yet been determined by police. But the community is wondering whether or not this is another example of a racist hate crime by mainstream White America. By…
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By Ray Hanania Author and Muslim feminist rights voice Asra Nomani discusses the fight to confront growing extremism in the Muslim and the Arab World, and the more important battle to strengthen the voices of moderate. Nomani, the author of several books on her life as a Muslim woman, talks about the need to understand how…
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