The Lone Star Crescent

Folks, there’s more inside... > Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus visits Dallas ....................................................................... > Annual Young Muslim Quiz competetion in Richardson ....................................................................... > Monthly Youth Arts Contest ....................................................................... > Irving Masjid hosts another open house ....................................................................... > Noaman Azhar continues on H1-B Visas ....................................................................... > Muslim charity active in Haiti ....................................................................... > Part-time gigs available ....................................................................... > Comment: Racism or bigotry? ....................................................................... > Candidate concern about PISD ....................................................................... > Raising a bilingual child ....................................................................... > How kids become independent learners?

It never ceases to amaze me just how much our lives continues to go more towards virtual reality with all this modern computer technology. We no longer need a big, fat directory that seems to weigh a ton to look up a place or person’s phone number or address. We can just go to YellowPages.com or anywho.com without even flipping a page. If we want directions to go somewhere, no need to call and write them down, we can find it on mapquest.com and just print it with map and all. Neither do we even need to own a dictionary to look up the meaning of a word. It can be looked up in Microsoft Word instead as well as online dictionaries. It is all there at our fingertips, anything and everything we

ever want to know about or need, just a click away.

Not only is any kind of information just a click away, so is online dating. We can actually pick and choose what kind of partner we are looking for from any country. We can narrow it down to brown eyes, blue eyes, tall, athletic, doctor, soccer player, German, Arab, etc., etc., you name it and something close to what we search for is bound to come up. But wait! As Muslims, Islam does not permit us to date.

The only time a Muslim brother and sister can be together alone (when not married) is in an open public area. And then that is only if they are talking and thinking about marriage. Otherwise they

must be in the presence of their family or a trusted third party.

Then why are there so many Muslim Matrimonial websites out there?

They almost tend to outnumber the non-Muslim dating websites. Now you would think that online dating is just for nonMuslims; well, think again. Although Muslims are not to engage in dating, the vast majority of singles do.

I first became interested in surfing these websites shortly before my divorce. I had a younger friend in her early 20s who was

“It demands great spiritual resilience not to hate the hater whose foot is on your neck, and an even greater miracle of perception and charity not to teach your child to hate.”

-James Arthur Baldwin

hooked on it and would always be on my home computer when she came over to visit with me while alone because she did not have one. I remember always trying to convince her to stay away from them but she continued anyway.

Then one day, I was on my computer and I was stunned >> continues on page 13

P. 02 APR 2010

COMMUNITY REPORT

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Mohammed Yunus Visits Dallas

By Komal Khan Austin College hosted the lecture of Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus. The Bangledeshi banker is primarily known for his work with Grameen Bank and his innovative approach to microcredit. He received the 2010 Austin College Posey Leadership Award, which is given to the individual who exemplifies leadership and dedication through humanitarian services. Previous recipients of the Posey Leadership Award include best-selling author and philanthropist Greg Mortenson. Yunus presented the audience with not only an introduction to the dynamics of social business, but also the potential to find insanity beautifully interlaced with success.

“When you’re frustrated you do crazy things…and that’s what I did. I did a lot of crazy things …and funny thing is they work”. Yunus’s idea goes beyond mere coincidence rather it evaluates economics in its rawest form, that of a behavioral science.

“In Bangladesh there is no shortage of poor people. The loan size in the beginning was like 30 to 35 dollars, but to them it was a huge amount of money. The first time a borrower takes this money in hand, usually it’s a woman, she can hardly stand still, and she starts shaking. She cannot believe someone would give her so money and tears roll down her cheeks. In her mind if anyone has trusted her with that amount she would give her life to make sure that trust is kept”.

Garmeen bank was established in 1983, its purpose is to create economic stability via proximity, along with female and educational empowerment. What makes

the social experiment of Garmeen bank so unique and successful, is its simple basis of trust. Credit was originally defined as “trust” and yet ironically bankers today have taken the word “credit, and built a whole system on distrust”. The fundamental flaw in conventional banking, as according to Yunus, is that they view human beings as one dimensional when in really “they are multi dimensional”. Yunus suggests that this belief stems from our own insecurity and self protection, and that acts of compassion make little sense in theoretical economics.

“If you want to be a selfless person you must walk out of economics and become a philanthropist”. Yunus, due to his experience and attachment could hardly divorce himself from the subject, and as a result became a significant reformer of socio -economics.

Grameen comes from the Bengali word “gram” or village. By pioneering an innovative banking system close to the poor, Grameen bank has established intimate relationships with its clients. “No Grameen bank will be found in the city”. Furthermore, what makes Grameen bank different from conventional banks is there are “no problems, because there is no paper work”.

The absence of collateral when applying for a loan at Grameen would have the average western banker gawking in complete disapproval. The bank is also owned directly by the people, as the majority of loans are approved by the villagers themselves. Woman, are recognized as the primary clients of Grameen Bank. One could explain this phenomenon by evaluating a quote by the Egyptian poet Hafez Ibrahim, “When you

educate a woman, you create a nation”. This observation implies that woman, as mothers, are the natural head of the household.

Essentially, if you give a woman the chance to finically thrive, you give the same chance to her children. This presents another aspect of Mohammed Yunus’s idea. All clients of Grameen must send their children to school.

The bank has provided “over 50,000 students with education loans”, again with no collateral, and in return receives repayment 95% of the time. When describing a visit to a Bangladeshi village, he told the audience of an interesting encounter of a mother and a daughter. “You meet the mother, you meet the daughter, and they’re so much alike.

You ask the daughter ‘what are you doing?’ and she says ‘I’m a doctor, I’m practicing in a nearby town and I have come to see you’.

Looking at both of them a thought comes to your mind…the mother could have been a doctor too...” He then asked the audience a poignant question “Is poverty in the person, or is it something imposed on the person?” and left us with this answer, “Poverty is

not created by the poor people.

Poverty is created by the system we have built. A system, which is consistent of institutions, policies, concepts …look at the institution called banking, why should we not lend money to poor people?”

For the average Nihilist, Mohammed Yunus’s ideas seem deceptively coated in pretty rhetoric. Although Yunus is nothing short of eloquent, he suggests that hope is probably the rarest commodity of them all. It does not take a socially evolved economist like Yunus, to understand that the average individual is very critical of their fellowman. It is Yunus’s ability to establish an economic institution, such Grameen bank, which is open to giving people second chances that makes his idea extraordinary.

So how can we bring such an idea to the credit battered of America? In conjunction with Gayle Ferraro, Mohammed Yunus brought his social experiment to New York City in January of 2008. “Now we find out it works everywhere”, Yunus said as he described the success of the experiment. Ferraro and Yunus’s documentary “To Catch a Dollar” was presented at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Another noteworthy project includes the joint venture of Grameen Danone, which provides vitamin enriched yogurt to prevent malnutrition in Bangladeshi children. His accomplishments in social business stem from his belief that people are an investment in and of themselves. Furthermore, by conceding to the conventional terms of economics we are stifling a person’s potential to be empathetic to their fellow man. “Life is about happiness, you shouldn’t care about what theoreticians have to say…”

P. 03 APR 2010

COMMUNITY REPORT

Young Muslim Quiz 2010

Story & Photos By Youth Contributor Anam Bakali Children ran around playing hide and seek with their friends. Girls chatted in the classrooms. Excited parents looked for the right room their kids were supposed to be

in. Volunteers helped settle down the eager participants so they could start the program.

The 13th Annual Young Muslim Quiz Com-

petition brought together over 550 students at the Dallas Central Mosque in Richardson, TX on March 13th to participate in four of the six competitions occurring this year.

The four competitions held were Qiraa’, the recitation of the Qur’an, Adhan, the call to prayer, Hifz, the memorization of the Qur’an, and Arabic calligraphy. The written quiz and the presentation competitions were held the next Saturday on March 20th, along with the awards ceremony.

The competitions were open to all students from Pre-k to 12th grade. “My children do not go to an Islamic school so competitions like these are really good for them to participate in,” said Dania Hameed.

Hameed had four children who participated in the YM Quiz competitions for two years. She said they prepare a lot before the competition. “They love participating in it. It’s really exciting for them to win after putting in so many hours every week practicing and studying for the different competitions,” she said.

There were strict guidelines and

study materials for each competition.

Participating in the written competition was required for all participants. The written quiz has reading material, different for each level, which they must study just like they would for any other exam. Topics ranged from the basic fundamentals to deep analysis of Quranic verses.

With study material given, participants were expected to prepare beforehand.

“I practiced every day for two weeks for the Qiraa’ competition,” said Quratulaen Peera.

Currently in 11th grade, this was her first year participating in the competition.

Seema Ahmed, another parent, said her sons love participating in these competitions. Because they go to public school, they do not have many Muslim friends, but at events like these they get to meet and hangout with their Muslim friends. “They feel really good about being in the competitions; they get to do it with friends, and they really like that,” said Ahmed.

For many, having to wait for a week to find out if they won was the hardest

part. Samira Ateeq participated in the calligraphy competition for the first time this year. She was surprised when she found out she had won. “I was shocked for the first few seconds, because I hadn’t ever won before, but I was really excited. It was really fun!” said Ateeq.

It is always hard for the students to go into the competition with high hopes and not win a prize. Before the competition, Peera was very confident she would win.

“I had put in a lot of time and effort into it, and was very sure of placing,” she said.

So, to keep the students motivated, each participant is given a gift and a certificate just for taking place in the competition.

For a complete list of winners, go to http:// www.ymquiz.com/results.htm

P. 04 APR 2010

COMMUNITY REPORT

ICI OPEN HOUSE ANOTHER SUCCESS By: R. “Ruqayyah” Khalifa B

“What Does Peace Mean To You?” * Age Group Allowed: 9 – 12 year olds * Entries must be received by April 15, 2010 * Submission Guideline: Artwork must be in Color Pencils / Crayons / Pastels * U.S. students & children from all schools, religions, race, and ethnic backgrounds are welcome to partcipate SUBMISSION MUST INCLUDE: 1. Original artwork 2. Parent / Guardian’s Full Name 3. Complete Street Address, a Valid Phone Number, and a Valid Email Address 4. Child’s full name, age, and grade level 5. Name of School attending 6. Child’s recent photograph 7. Incomplete submissions will not be considered Send your child’s submission to: The Lone Star Crescent Student Artwork P.O. Box 851764 Richardson, TX 75085 USA

Or email to Dallas@myCrescent.com Please write “Student Artwork” in the subject line and include all the necessary information in the body of the email to be considered for this contest.

Policies: * Only one winner per contest. Winner will be chosen by The Lone Star Crescent / Melanz, LLC * Children / families of Melanz, LLC employees / personnel / writers are not eligible. * Only winner’s work will be published in the print edition of The Lone Star Crescent. We will also share few selected works on myCrescent.com website. * The Lone Star Crescent / Melanz, LLC is unable to return submissions. * Open to all legal residents of the U.S. * No phone calls please

Once again the Islamic Center of Irving (ICI) held an open house on March 6, 2010 for the Dallas/Irving non-Muslim community at-large. It was the first one for 2010. ICI continues to make an effort to hold at least two or more a year. It is always a pleasure to see some of the same faces return who attended in the past. At

their next time around, some previous guest bring with them a family member or friend.

It is good to see them come back again accompanied. For one guest it was her second time and she mentioned that she felt people should come out to the open houses every time one is being held. That this is a good chance to ask questions and get the answers from the true source; thus, getting an education about Islam as well as getting to know their Muslim neighbors. She knows how the media reports can be deceiving and blow things out of proportion. Another guest, Maria Arellano, expressed her gratitude towards ICI’s Imam Zia-ul-Haq Shaikh who was the main speaker and presenter.

“It makes me feel comfortable to know I can ask anything about Islam” she said.

“He spoke with an open mind.”

A big part of every open house success at ICI is due to the never-ending

support and hard work from the Dawah Team. The team’s members make it a point to do their best for the comfort of the guests as well. A feeling of appreciation

was sensed when the guests continuously gave their compliments for having different kinds of such tasty food for them to enjoy.

There is always someone new who attends that has never had the pleasure of eating Middle Eastern food. As they eat to their hearts content, it makes it easier for them to mingle with Muslims, ask questions, and ask for reading material they can take home and read. They become ecstatic when they are directed to the table with the colorful gift bags and told they can fill it up with any of the material provided. It makes them feel special knowing that the time was taken for them to feel relaxed around Muslims and an Islamic environment. In addition, the event succeeds when the people ask if they are allowed to come back and observe a khutbah during Jummah prayer on Fridays.

So whether they come just to enjoy the food, talk to someone different who

speaks a foreign language, or just to see what the masjid looks like from the inside, the main objective is making dawah. For the most part, there is a lot of curiosity and eagerness to find out more about Islam and its way of life. And when you continue to see some of the same faces over again at a future open house then the main goal is being accomplished. Non-Muslims need to know that Muslims are not a threat to them and pass the word.

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P. 05 APR 2010

P. 06 APR 2010

SUPPORT VICTIMS OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE

UMMAH RELIEF IS HELPING OUT NEEDY FELLOW CITIZENS IN HAITI

P. 07 APR 2010

COMMUNITY REPORT

NOAMAN’S EYE ON IMMIGRATION

H-1B Eligibility – The Employer

By Attorney Noaman Azhar

With the H-1B cap officially open, employers eager to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations may now file their petitions. Both the employer and employee must meet rigid criteria to secure the H-1B visa. While the alien has to demonstrate that they are academically qualified for the visa, the employer must demonstrate that they have the financial capability to pay the foreign worker a minimum wage (prevailing wage) as set forth by the Department of Labor.

One problem that our firm tends to encounter is an employer’s inability to show the necessary net income in order to prove that they have the financial ability to pay the prevailing wage. This is because most businesses take advantage of reducing their tax liability by cataloging as many businesses expenses as possible, or by issuing end of the year bonuses in order to avoid double taxation. Nevertheless, even if the employer cannot show considerable net income through their IRS 1120 tax returns, they may be able to still demonstrate financial ability to pay through various other methods.

While 1120’s are typically the primary piece of evidence USCIS relies on, when determining a company’s profitability, an employer should be encouraged to provide alternative forms of evidence if their 1120’s are not sufficient to support the alien’s prevailing wage. This can include unit reports, revenue reports, audited

profit/loss statements, assets and liabilities, bills of lading and inventory.

During last year’s H-1B season, this firm handled a case on behalf of a hospital that desired to employ a physician. The problem was that the hospital’s 1120’s reflected a negative net income.

This firm was still able to secure the H-1B visa by evidencing the extensive business activities of the hospital. In another similar case, this firm was able to secure an H-1B visa for a convenience store, despite negative net income, by demonstrating the company’s business activities through the purchase of hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory, as well as their net assets and reduced liabilities.

Although USCIS has become increasingly demanding in their approval criteria, employers should not be discouraged by limited or no profits. Oftentimes, alternative methods of demonstrating eligibility can be as effective as conventional methods. This firm takes the approach of employing as many methods as possible in order to ensure case approval. .......................................................................

Noaman is an attorney at Azhar & Azhar, PLLC. The information provided in this article is not immigration advice and should not be interpreted as immigration advice.

This article is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. As always, readers should consult with an experienced immigration attorney before making any immigration decisions on their case.

P. 08 APR 2010

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P. 09 APR 2010

COMMUNITY REPORT

Muslim Charity Continues Its Service In Haiti AMOUD FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER IN PHOTOS By Jeanie Jibawi organizations have been able to reach 60% of Although two months have passed since the devastating earthquake of January 2010, hunger is still a serious problem in Haiti. Where ever you turn, your eyes fall upon undernourished children, widows and elderly people. Doctors complain that the common sicknesses of Haitian children are caused primarily by their chronic malnourishment. Nursing mothers who themselves are not eating well, are not producing an adequate amount of milk to feed their infants. For this reason, Zakat Foundation is still distributing food to those people whose consistent access to food is fragile.

While we are also working towards a new phase in our work in Haiti, which includes building earthquake resistant homes and disseminating practical information to all levels of Haitian society about how to build safe, feeding programs must continue for the foreseeable future.

With the coming of the rainy season, shelter and sanitation will become an increasingly difficult challenge to the infrastructure of earthquake stricken areas. Zakat Foundation hopes to address the issues of disease (diarrhea, malaria, etc) that are heightened during the rainy season with a health care facility that will be free to the public.

It is true that international and local

the over one-million internally displaced people of Haiti, nonetheless 40% of the earthquake victims have yet to receive the help that they need, and this includes people living in small isolated tent cities. In order to continue our effort of feeding children, widows, and elderly people, we need your continued support.

Although media attention has faded, the reality of life for most Haitians with its misery and trials continues. We ask you please help us to help children of Haiti because the disaster is not over!

On March 4, 2010, Zakat Foundation of America brought together five experts in earthquake studies and earthquake resistant building for a pointed discussion on what is needed to rebuild a safe and resilient Haiti.

Attendees included invited guests from Haitian and American NGO’s, Haitian and American government officials, architects, engineers, and other members of Haitian civil society.

The presenters spoke about the lessons that could be learned from the January 12th earthquake as Haiti rebuilds. They stressed the need to educate the general Haitian public about no- cost or low-cost changes that could be implemented to avoid a repeat of massive casualties from collapsed houses when the next expected earthquake strikes Haiti.

Seismologist Dr. Roger Bilham ex-

plained to the group that the January 12th earthquake was not the “end,” and that the people of Haiti must prepare for additional earthquakes that will no doubt strike the area anytime within the next thirty years. Other presenters, Dr. Rebekah Green of Western Washington University and Dr. Elizabeth Hausler of Build Change recounted public education programs they had previously carried out in other earthquake prone areas such as Turkey and Indonesia and offered suggestions as to how programs that teach people how to build as well as how to identify safe houses could be adapted to the specific needs of Haitian society and cultural norms.

Architect Martin Hammer, who worked building straw bale homes in Pakistan and Hurricane Katrina survivor Rev. Eddie Hartwell who works with ThermaSave building systems, spoke about specific building materials that have proven to be resilient in earthquakes.

The meeting was attended by international and local Haitian media who translated the important points about building safely into the Haitian Creole language. Zakat Foundation intends to build upon the momentum of this meeting to begin building earthquake resistance houses in Haiti while also employing multiple techniques to educate the general public about safe building methods. A larger conference that will facilitate the carrying out of these two major activities is scheduled to take place in April in Port au Prince, Haiti.

P. 10 APR 2010

ADVERTISEMENTS

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Our recent survey shows that over 37% of Muslims want a local community news media and 31% want read about Muslim lifestyle. So over 60% of population is waiting for a quality Muslim media in their community! In the age when national media is shrinking, community and specialized news media is expanding to serve niche markets which is a robust $4 billion industry. By joining hands with The Lone Star Crescent, you get to serve a rapidly growing market without tons of resources!

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EVENTS LISTING COORDINATOR 1. Posting DFW Muslim / local community related events 3. Communicate events monthly membership options to organizations 4. Educate new organizations on posting events 5. Offer events coverage package for their program, online and in print 6. Manage existing relationships and acquire new accounts 7. Spread the links on facebook, twitter and other social networks 8. Keep your myCrescent.com profile updated and current 9. This is a 1099 position. $8.00 per hour plus commission on sales. 10 hours per week. Apply to ads@myCrescent.com. EOE ....................................................................................................................................

EVENTS REPORTER 1. Coverage of local community events in the Metroplex.

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In order to be considered for an internship, please send us the following: * Work examples (doesn’t have to be published) * A cover letter about your writing experience and how you think an internship with The Lone Star Crescent benefits you * One-page resume To apply, submit the above to ads@myCrescent.com. ....................................................................................................................................

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P. 11 APR 2010

COMMENT

Abercrombie & Fitch: Religious Bigotry in the Workplace

By Abdullah MacKay Make no mistake, a thousand 7.62 mm rounds in the rifles of a hundred foot soldiers are not as effective a weapon as a thousand words from the “pen” of one journalist. In juxtaposition to the honor carried by both combatants, the invader and the defender, who stand firmly and honestly for their beliefs taking full responsibility for their own actions in the service of justice, the journalistic pundit is a coward hiding behind polite society as they weave misery through their attacks on people of faith in the press then run and hide behind “freedom of the press” and “democratic ideals”… they are, in fact, no better than the scum of the Nazi propaganda machine, and in many ways fully deserving of a similar end.

“Juden haten” I have heard it called…a term that cuts straight to the bone of the issue, religiously motivated bias, a cultured well directed faith based hatred. Now this tactic the Nazis used against the Jewish people is unique in one respect as the form of attack can be interpreted as both religiously and racially motivated as the Jewish people can identify with both, so merely labeling this Nazi issue “racism” is accurate in only one sense, as “religious bigotry” is, as well, at the black heart of the issue.

The Third Reich took full advantage of the unrest brought on by the financial ruin the German losses of World War I caused. The National Socialists redirected the accountability of this social unrest and targeted the Jews by employing racist and religiously motivated bigotry and their propaganda resulted in one of the greatest

tragedies of humankind, the Holocaust.

Why is this important to revisit again, you might ask? It’s old news, isn’t it?

Hasn’t the film industry run this Holocaust issue into the ground a million times bleeding it for every dollar they can squeeze out of it? “There’s no business like shoa business!” some in the film industry jest…but I digress, the issue is a relative one of grave importance to note, as we must head off this same process from happening again, and, sadly, it is occurring right here in America.

We must educate the average citizen as to what is really happening, as, I feel, we are now full swing into the next great holocaust, but it is not happening with the intensity and focus as it did in 1930’s as it is very hard for the powers that be to get away with. Yes, an occasional drone missile attack on twenty or thirty innocent people, yes, an occasional bombing that can easily be blamed on the targeted group…black book operations are a specialty in this new culture of war, this War on Terror, because the culture has not yet succumbed to this propaganda where they are ready to accept official acts of genocide as they were in Nazi Germany, and so the powers that be maintain a low intensity in their assaults.

We must educate the average citizen as to the reality of this situation.

There are similarities between what the Third Reich did in the run up to their great atrocity and to what the modern culture has allowed to fester in the name of the War on Terror. Islam bashing is not only allowed in the news, film, and radio industries but it is encouraged with rabid intensity and it is profitable both economi-

cally and politically for those who engage in it.

Through propaganda the establishment attempts to denigrate the Islamic religion and demonize the group through carefully scripted media attacks, a dissociated hint at something evil, a negative image in the press, an unrelated historical reference, a subtle hint at some grand take over plan…all these are employed by their propagandists and work in concert to mould the subconscious of the average person.

Public pressure is applied to unwitting average citizens as they suffer under the continuous media blitz that reinforces the negative image. How many times have we read “Islam” in the same sentence as “terrosim” and “suicide bombing”, or “Islamo-(negative word)-isms” thrown out with machine like regularity? This is by design as they seek to apply a negative stigma to their target. The Nazis did the exact same thing, and current media forces are using the same plays from the same play book with the same success.

Take for instance a Nazi film review of “The Eternal Jew” a 1940 film that attacked Jews and Jewish religious practices: “The most revolting scenes show Jewish slaughtering methods. These customs, which cast a particularly vivid spotlight on the so-called Jewish religion, are so terrible that it is hard to watch the film as the grinning Jewish butchers carry out their work. It is illuminating to see how stubbornly Jewry holds to its method of slaughter and with which casuistry it defends it against the horror of the civilized world.”

Sounds familiar to attacks that have been made against the same practice in Islam, doesn’t it? And it is important to note that in closing the author, whose name was withheld even in the Nazi Propagandists circles, uses a similar rallying cry as the latest Islam-bashing politicians: “… We must win this battle for ourselves, for Europe, for the world. This film will be a valuable tool in that struggle.”

They attempt to mould public opinion so that their warped world view that Islam and Muslims are out to “take over the Western world!” becomes the accepted popular opinion, and thus we arrive at today in the political climate they desired to manufacture where we have people who think

it is acceptable to fire someone because of their religious affiliation.

I was mildly surprised that Abercrombie and Fitch would have a manager that lacked the wherewithal to realize that termination of an employee based upon religious bigotry is a serious offense.

Why did he think he could do that and get away with it? I will tell you, the popular public opinion is on his side…such is the success of this concerted unopposed propaganda war against Islam, against Muslims as it rages unchecked, because any attempt by decent people to oppose it is met with squeals of indignation, as if “freedom of press” were under attack, when in fact it is just decent human beings defending the right to religious dignity against decrepit journalists.

Words are weapons, indeed, and yet what one needs is a weapon to oppose and defend with. The Jews defense weapon is “anti-Semitism”…it curdles the blood of those on the receiving end of the moniker, it has been used with more success than the “race card.” And yet Muslims are decried for even trying to defend our dignity…as if we are just supposed to accept these smears and attacks on our entire faith, on our entire people, and do nothing about them despite how fallacious they are…some pundits are even so brash as to demand apologies of us for things which have no basis or foundation in our faith, things which can neither be personally attributed to us as Muslims nor accurately and truthfully based in Islam.

Why do they feel they have the right to demand this? The propaganda attacks of the last two decades against Islam and Muslims has been that successful, that’s why.

What would be the result if one were to fire a Sikh, or a Hindu, or a Christian, or a Jew and tell them, “We don’t want your kind here. That’s not our image.” In my humble opinion every news outlet in the world would be screaming for justice and demanding “heads roll” for the prejudicial attack on that person’s faith…the indignation against “western freedom of religion” would rise to a crescendo. .......................................................................

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P. 12 APR 2010

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P. 13 APR 2010

Matrimonial Sites Out of Control?

To make matters worse, some of the so called Muslim sisters on these websites look more like models We must be reminded that Islam is one way or the highway. You would think that as Muslims we should understand and know that by now. It does not matter if we are living on earth, Mars, or the moon; the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Hadeeth stay in tact to be practiced as ordered by Allah (SWT) no matter where

>> from page 01 Then one day, I was on my computer and I was stunned at what I stumbled into. My friend had bookmarked the site on the desktop so I clicked on it to see what it was about and to my surprise, as I was looking through the picture gallery I found my ex’s photo with that proud look on his face. I signed up to log in and check out his profile.

I was in disbelief to be reading his personal information since he was such a secretive, private person during our marriage. Shortly after this bolt from the blue, my divorce was finalized and a few months after that I found myself surfing more than one Muslim Matrimonial website. It was easy to get linked to so many different ones.

Two things I see quite a bit is the wearing of sunglasses. Now please, when looking for a potential marriage partner the other party has every right to see your face without the shades from the get go.

It was effortless to meet and chat with brothers whether it was online or by phone. I met quite a few as the days went by but then the days turned into months and the months turned into years. I eventually got so disgusted with all the lies and deceiving pictures that I took myself/profile out. It is rare to find someone fitting the requirements wanted that does not lie on their profile. The first thing that we tend to look at of course is the photo. There are so many brothers out there with no selfconfidence either. They take their picture in some of the worst places and pose to where you cannot really see their facial characteristics at all. Some of the poses are just plain crazy too. Two things I see quite a bit is the wearing of sunglasses. Now please, when looking for a potential marriage partner the other party has every right to see your face without the shades from the get go. To top it off, sometimes the picture is fuzzy making it difficult to make out what he looks like at all. Do they not realize that seeing a decent picture is the first step before the actual meeting? This step is what determines a meeting in person. The other thing I cannot understand is why a picture has to be taken while talking on a cell phone (or pretend to be talking), puffing on a cigarette or cigar, or getting ready to put something in their mouth; such poor taste. Then there is the ‘look at my bare chest and muscles’ pictures taken at the gym or the bedroom, sometimes even in the bathroom; so tacky as a means for attention. Just as it is for a Muslima who wears tight fitting clothes or exposes her chest to show cleavage. But yet it makes me feel sorry for them because they do not have what it takes to obtain respect; not only as a Muslim but as a hu-

rule, not man’s, for the Muslima to cover for modesty. It is saddening to know that the majority who do this were born and raised in a Muslim country. In spite of this, the sisters cannot bear all the blame either.

They know that this is what many brothers want. Most are not shy to write their preferences in their profiles stating they do not want a hijabi, or that she must be beautiful or do not waste your time, she must have this, she must not have that, and so on. You could say this is the latest ongoing Muslim matrimonial marketing; especially through the websites.

Looking

man being in general so they resort to their bodies. And the winner of them all is the 45 or 50-year old that posts a picture from 10years ago or so and 30 to 40 pounds thinner.

There are also the ones who state they are U.S. residents or citizens then as you communicate a little more you come to find out they are not but, the paperwork is in progress. These are the green card/citizenship seekers.

And the “occasional alcohol drinker” is the killer of them all.

We then get to the fun part of the basic information. I once met a brother whose profile read that he did not have any children. He was not honest when asked either. Throughout our conversations I came to find out he had not one or three but “five” kids from two different women.

When asked why he did not include them his excuse was that he did not know how to make the change on his profile. Yeah--right!

There are also the ones who state they are U.S. residents or citizens then as you communicate a

little more you come to find out they are not but, the paperwork is in progress. These are the green card/citizenship seekers. And the “occasional alcohol drinker” is the killer of them all. It is bad enough that so many Muslims smoke which is the same as slowly committing suicide since smoking is known to cause cancer and cancer is known to kill. Not to mention how the second-hand smoke can also kill a non-smoker if he/she lives with a smoker.

But for a Muslim to say he only drinks occasionally is really stretching it.

He puts us on this universe. Sometimes I had to double check to make sure I was on the right website for Muslim matrimony.

To make matters worse, some of the so called Muslim sisters on these websites look more like models for Playboy Magazine the way they pose exposing themselves looking like hoochie mamas with their push up bras---forget about wearing hijab. There was one Muslim website where I contacted the administrator because I came across a prostitute soliciting sex through her profile. It showed and read as plain as day and it slipped right through the administrator---or did it? Soubhan’Allah!

In giving the Muslim websites the benefit of the doubt, I also signed up with some non-Muslim sites with pictures of me covered and wearing hijab. My thought there for a while was maybe I can make dawah. To my amazement, I was contacted more than I had anticipated with many questions about why I was covered and about Islam. Most were just curious as to why I was dressed all covered up but yet the men were very polite about it from the first greeting to the end. And I must say that they are so much more organized and watchful of who signs up whether you become a paid member or not. You also see clear, decent pictures of its members; they mean business. Speaking of greeting, there are many brothers who do not greet with assalaam alaikum anymore. It is either a “hi”, “hello”, or “hey there”; so westernized.

As Muslims, being single is not easy regardless of our age or gender. It gets worse as you get older, especially for the sisters. It is also not to say that a Muslima wearing hijab is better in deen or Emaan over the Muslima who does not cover.

However, do these sisters who expose their bodies on a website for ‘Muslims’ really think they are going to find a good God fearing husband by letting the whole world see her body? Better yet, why not just go to a westernized dating site. It is Allah’s

for a spouse in cyberspace is no fun but what is a Muslim to do when the significant other cannot be found elsewhere or takes too long to wait for family and friends to introduce us to someone. Our computers and modern technology have taken over our lives in many capacities too and it can become addictive. It is also very easy for either party to just cut one another off when they feel like it without a word by deleting and/or blocking the name.

If the creators, owners, and administrators of these websites for Muslims would do their part in screening new sign ups and set better standards like some of the non-Muslim do, the sites can truly be a threshold and not out of control for finding a spouse.

Although I will have to say, there is still hope to fulfill the other half of our deen through ‘some’ of the Muslim websites. I have met some really good people with whom I still keep in contact with.

Most are married with kids now and I have had the pleasure of communicating with their wives as well.

If the creators, owners, and administrators of these websites for Muslims would do their part in screening new sign ups and set better standards like some of the non-Muslim do, the sites can truly be a threshold and not out of control for finding a spouse. In addition, as Muslims, if we try harder to live our lives according to the Glorious Qur’an, Sunnah, and Hadeeth as our Creator commands on us, we would not be going through all this foolishness. May Allah keep us all on the straight path and make our Ummah strong.

POST YOUR EVENTS ONLINE www.myCrescent.com

P. 14 APR 2010

EDUCATION

Robert Canright Announces Run for Plano ISD Board of Trustees

Raising a Bilingual and Bi-literate Child

By Kena Sosa

(PLANO, TX) Robert Canright, running for Place 1 in the Plano ISD election, declares it is time to halt the decline of the Plano School District. “I demonstrated last year that our neighbors all provide a better education at a lower cost. The results this year are worse. One of our schools, Armstrong Middle School, was declared Academically Unacceptable by the T.E.A.,” says Robert Canright.

“What’s more,” says Mr. Canright, “T.E.A. test results show Plano schools have had lower performance as long as we have had test results.”

Responding to the Board of Trustees claim that the large number of National Merit Scholars proves Plano schools are superior, Mr. Canright says, “Let’s examine this by analogy. Wall Street banks are making record profits, but that does not mean the American economy is doing well. I am glad the cream of the crop does so well, but the average student would be better served by the neighboring school districts.”

“Economic trends show our children will face difficult times,” says Mr. Canright. “Disposable income has dropped from an average of 33% in the 1960’s to less than 2% in the 2000’s. If these trends continue our children will face a life of hardship.”

“We must do more than fix problems with our school curriculum,” says Robert Canright. “Our children must be educated in economics, business, and finance so they can succeed in the difficult

times ahead,” he says. “Our children need a better education in history,” says Mr. Canright, “so they understand how civilizations fail or succeed and can steer their way to success.”

Mr. Canright’s public service includes the creation of the Texas Ascendant Campaign, a road-map to prosperity for our children.

He is the founder of the Timeless Way Foundation, a Texas Education Think Tank.

Mr. Canright holds a BS in Mathematics, a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Electrical Engineering, is a Senior Member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and is a licensed Professional Engineer (Electrical Engineering).

Robert Canright is a founding member of the McDermott Road Church of Christ, where he is a Sunday School teacher and a worship coordinator. Mr. Canright has worked for Fortune 100 companies, solving difficult technical and management problems. He has been an Adjunct Professor at the University

More and more families today, whether it be due to interracial or international relationships, or families having just arrived in the United States from other countries, are learning how to best raise their children to be bilingual, sometimes even trilingual, between their native languages and English.

Schools are receiving an influx of children who are proficient in non-English languages and having to choose whether or not to put them in bilingual, ESL, or general education classrooms. Texas law states that if there are more than 20 students at a certain grade level who speak a language other than English in an area, bilingual education must be available to them. Yet, often times districts are finding it impossible to find certified teachers who speak the language of the children. Thus, many are placed in ESL classrooms or general education classrooms. Sometimes this is also by choice of the parents.

Parents have many ways they can encourage bilingualism in their children.

They can continue to encourage their child to keep their native language and speak it with them often. Parents should also find books written in their native language and have these available for their children to read at home. In the case of languages that do not use a Romanized alphabet, parents can become the teacher and teach their children how to read and write in their language. Although it may be difficult to find books in certain languages in the United States, the Internet provides other means of finding these books.

One cannot be considered truly bilingual if they are not biliterate as well. Those who are not only bilingual but biliterate will be at an even greater advantage in the future job market and global economy than those who only speak the second language. Children must learn to fluently read and write in the second language as well.

A few publishers have recognized the need for such books, especially for children. One such company is My Second Language Publishing, who feature books that are multifunctional, either helping non-English speakers learn basic English or English speakers learning other languages that include Japanese, Russian, and Arabic.

Print books are available at $15.95, but one can also download the same books for only $5.00. For children who are emergent readers, these books are just at their level for both languages. Multicultural Review Magazine provides reviews on multicultural literature which can be sure to expose children to positive influences within their native and host cultures as well as help them learn about other cultures. Websites such as Netflix feature films from many countries that are in foreign languages. Choosing childappropriate movies in this language, or even switching the subtitles onto the language of choice provides another opportunity to practice.

Children who become immersed in a language or in situations where they are forced to speak and communicate in their second language tend to be more successful.

As often as you can, travel to visit family or friends in areas where the language is spoken by native speakers. At first your children may feel intimidated or not want to speak, afraid of making mistakes or being made fun of. However, once they realize they have little choice if they wish to communicate, they will put forth more effort.

Most importantly, keeping close ties with second and third generation family members is helpful to create bilingual children. When children see that the language is not only important to their parents, but grandparents, cousins, and other relatives, they will feel more encouraged to try and maintain their language. Language is a link to and a big part of culture, and if we do not maintain it, our children will miss out.

Resources for Arabic Children’s literature:

of Central Florida. A certified math and science teacher, he has taught math and science in Texas public schools. Robert Canright is the author of the book, Achieve Lasting Happiness. He has been a resident of Plano for 17 years, with one child in Plano schools and another child a graduate of Plano Senior High School. http://www.RobertCanright.com/ http://VoteForCanright.blogspot.com/

* America’s Source for Arabic Books www.alkitab.com/m1080-childrens-collection.html * Al Salwa Publishing House www.alsalwabooks.com/ * Araboh www.araboh.com/ * Jarir Bookstore http://jarirbooksusa.com/m1080-childrens-collection.html * Multilingual Books www.multilingualbooks.com/arabicchild.html * My Second Language Publishing www.mysecondlanguagepublishingusa.com * World Language www.worldlanguage.com/Products/Arabic/ChildrensBooks/Page1.htm

P. 15 APR 2010

EDUCATION philosophy. In fact, it is one of many building blocks within our model that helps develop leaders.

THE STEPPING STONE TO INDEPENDENT LEARNING

By Annie Ghazi Part 1: The Subtle Change Its eight o’clock in the morning and the shuffling of shoes quiets as everyone takes a seat and walks their eyes to the message board. Scribbling their thoughts across the sheets of their journal, students answer the morning message as their teacher sets down each child’s work plan near their folders.

A couple students whisper to each other – discussing their answers and elaborating on the points they wrote. One at a time they approach her with their journals for review before settling once again to look over the work they need to complete.

Part 2: A Moment To Take-in The View A short while later, after a lesson on the reproductive cycle of plants, another class transitions into their independent work session hour. Some of the girls gather at the work table to look over their math assignment. One of the boys takes a seat in the corner of the room with a book he grabbed from the library center across the room.

A few others pull out some paper to get working on their poetry collection. A low hum takes over as students delve into their work. The instructor walks around to gauge students’ need for help, and then stops at the parakeet’s cage to let them out to stretch their wings. Time ticks away, as students move around the room grabbing resources from different corners to complete the objectives set for them in their work plan. An array of books and papers are spread across

the tables or in a shuffle on the floor, as pencils scribble and click away rapidly.

Part 3: The Secret is in letting go Click, click, click. Asim taps his mouse away as he answers his math quiz just before lunch. “A five out of five!” He stands up with excitement and skips over to the math chart to give himself a sticker for that day’s lesson. A few steps away his classmate sits at the math center pulling together manipulatives from the shelf to explore the math concept for tomorrow’s lesson. Since it’s just a few days before the unit exam, their teacher reviews the math chart to ensure everyone is mastering the lessons and moving along smoothly.

Part 4: Culmination of learning opportunities It’s early afternoon now and the rhythm changes from English to recitation in Arabic. In one room students smile at each other eagerly as they compete to memorize one line more. In another, students vote on whose qiraa is more beautiful. The objective is to ensure every student is concentrating on retention and enthusiasm of learning the Qur’an, despite their different levels.

The day is nearly ending. Everyone has gathered in the Musallah to discuss the topic of the day: How To Make & Keep Good Habits. Soon, the halaqah comes to a close and students line up behind their 5th grade classmate so he may lead the Duhr Prayer.

The End..........

One Piece of the Pie Although independent learning is a major component of our approach, it is just one aspect of the Good Tree educational

Many times the educational system is so busy pouring in information that we forget if we’ll get anything out of it. Through the process of independent learning we see the results of what and how we teach almost immediately and continuously. More importantly it offers children autonomy in an academic environment that is supportive and rich with variety. Its often unbelievable, when children say, “learning is fun,” but a truth that we offer at Good Tree Academy through such practices.

P. 16 APR 2010