The changing face of America

#68 Mr. Ahmadzai.... I agree MMA is party with future.
People has tried Jinnahs secularism, Ayub`s basic democracy, Yahyya election( which lead to destruction), Zia`s Nizam E Mustafa, BB and NS democracy, Musharaffs cheif executive,LFO and fraud of 1 candidate election ( and corrouption and looting by all regimes) and people have rejected it.
Its time most people want to give chance to ``Islamic principle`` and see. The idea of MMA has come and nobody even puppet of USA Musharaff can stop them.
Let them have chance and see.

This is how the over-protected, pampered burger types feel when they leave their burger housing socieites for the first time and come to the real world.

Welcome to the USA, Aliya. This country doesn`t care much about whiners though.

zahraj is a trouble maker ...... next thing you know she will be asking why women can`t lead juma prayers, or go to funerals and offer namaz janaza, or have equal inheritance rights or, anauzobillah, be able to testify at par with men in a court of law ............ women like her are a source of fitna ......... we were warned by the prophet (pbuh) .........``The Prophet said: `I have not left any calamity [fitnah] after me more detrimental to men than women.```[146] (Bukhari, Agreed upon)

..... la holay wala quwat !................

Zahraj #66 if everyone was being served creme broulee in the plane while i was not, i would thank my stars i was in the plane and not walking. If i was walking and everyone was in a plane, i would thank God i was walking with shoes on, and not barefoot like hundreds of millions of people. if i did not have shoes, i would thank God i had feet. if i did not have feet, i would thank God for making me alive for a few decades.

as for the custard (sorry, creme broulee), if i really felt i needed the extra calories, i would ask the hostess (and if she told me the plane was out of it, i would give her a huge smile so she feels really really bad that such a nice guy had to go without dessert). i certainly wouldnt call it racial profiling, like aaliya.

#63: Tahmed: You will feel equally bad if in a plane of 50 - 100 passengers, everyone was served creme brulee and you were asked to rely on aqua-fina(o). That`s very human vs. specific to Aliya.

# 62: Naqshbandi: It`s haram to indulge in adultery, rape, murder, alcohol and when it comes to mistreating human beings. Muslim Men are players in all the above mentioned ``haram`` stuff. Who are we kidding here? So, if a woman intends to perform Umraa on her own that is haram? Are you telling me that my performing the Umraa on my own is equivalent to the above-mentioned acts ? You are simply sick! Please get yourself treated.

Also, when my mehrams have no issues with my performing umrah on my own. Who the hell is anyone else to come and route me? Yes, one thing I am ready to buy in and that`s the law of the land being run by screwed up men. They should have asked me to get a permission letter from my mehram that I can perform the Umrah on my own. And, I have no issues with that.

The saddest part for me is also that I cannot pay my respects to the graves of both my late aunt and uncle who are buried in the holy places in Mecca and Madina. My late popho, was also like our grandmother to us, and strangely enough I still feel her presence around me. My late uncle served as the 1st governor of S.A.M.A and eventually got settled there and has been buried there. It`s very hard for the immediate family to even visit the restricted land due to all these stupid restrictions.

Another friend, who is a Ph.D candidate in one of the best schools, but has logic and rationality of duffers, tried to convince me of the bad people on that land and how corrupt the men are. As if I am toddler who has never been out in the world on my own. Her father is appointed as an educationist in Saudi Arabia and she recently performed her Umraa a few years back. Upon my asking her, the way she conducted her Umraa was simply mind boggling. She was acommpanied by her parents. But she did not land there with any mehraam. I do not want to get into the ins-and-outs of her trip(since I would never ever adopt that route), but I do want to mention that it`s disappointing when people with right mind and action have road-blocks infront of them. And, hoodwinkers get away with their tactics. This friend is also quite religious. Interestingly, after sharing her trip with me she started giving me a sermon on the presence of a mehram and stuff. I get so disgusted with these not practicing what you are preaching people that I have no words to express.

Presently pakistan is painted as generator of terrorism in usa by indian lobbies and they are successful in substantial way. Also on going local criminal activities by extretimist in pakistan does not help.
I was reading a news so came to mind our lobbist and pakamerican organizations can not change that global perception. What they can do to utilse news like that to damage Indian interets just as they did in painting pakistan as a dictetorship and out of control fanatics.
Our lobby can work hard in usa to show HOW INDIA IS STEALING JOBS FOR AMERICANS> THIS IF PUT IN ADVT IN BIG NEWS PAPERS CAN HARM INDIA MORE than any thing. American will be angry as they can say cow worshippers are peaceful but if they start stealing jobs hell to india which is made up of bunch of stupid animal worshipping bunch of hindus. China is stealing jobs but they are stealing of power red neck working class poors. INDIANS ARE STEALING JOBS OF EDUCATED CLASS, THEY are POWERFUL(EUCATED) people, as I am told.> IF PAKISTAN ALONG WITH ALL MUSLIMS FROM AMERICA START CAMPAIGN AGAINST INDIA IT WILL BE BLOW TO HINDUS AND INDIA.( I see black americans hate hindus and most indian murders are done by them, check statistics- and blacks are muslims). There is resentment against hindus`s success in america. Can Pakistan and Muslim Ummah members can give proper direction? is question . now news

Washington: Observing that India and China are `key threats` to continued American dominance in important high technology sectors, Intel Chairman Andrew S Grove has said India could surpass America in software and tech-service jobs by 2010.

India`s booming software industry, which is increasingly doing work for US companies, could surpass America in software and tech-service jobs by 2010, Grove, one of the founding fathers of America`s hi-tech industry and co-founder of Intel, told a global technology summit in Washington via satellite on Thursday.


He warned that America`s software and service industries, strong drivers of US economic growth for nearly two decades, are showing signs of emulating the struggles of the US steel and semiconductor industries.

He said that the nation`s software and service businesses are under siege by countries like India and China taking advantage of cheap labour costs and strong incentives for new financial investment.

While the US economy as a whole is improving, its high-tech employment is not, he added.

According to industry figures, he pointed out, more than half a million technology jobs were lost from mid-2001 to mid-2003. Many of these losses were due to a contraction of the tech sector after the dot com bubble (in the telecommunications sector) burst in 2000.

Grove said the US tech industry itself is responsible for numerous jobs leaving the country, as firms take advantage of considerably cheaper labour costs in India and elsewhere.

PTI
I am aware about $200 million exports are from pakistan may be affected to little extent (we should more concentrate on job of IT in muslim world of middleeast and central asia which is our area). The damage to indian export will be considerable. This is for defence of pakistan as more india is hurt in dollars earning she has no money to buy expensive foren vepons. Also I think oil producers are hooked to 18 Billion dollras Purchase of oil products and they do not say nothing about Kashmir. Malasia and Indoneasia will do nothing against india as India is largest purchaser of Palm oil in World. It is ironic customers start controlling producers. So do not expect from IOC. BUt america is free , Pakistan should use this type news aginst india. Some time I do not understand why mney is wasted on lobbies in USA. Indians paid lots of money and got oscors ( lots of jews vote for that) and Gandhi got prize and gandhi`s name became popular. Contrast is for MOVIE Jinnah pakistan govt did not SPEND A DOLLAR except cheap support by mouth. How many people know jinnah as say Gandhi . Gandhi hs become cult figure its mandatory for politicians in world to say and paid homage to gandhi. ( But in realty they do not give damn, ). Many inworld think Mo Ali (boxer- brain damaged) is sane as MO Ali JInnah.
THis is war going against Pakistan by hindus in USA, we should answer them with their bitter medicine and EXPAK will easily contribute millions. If each contribute 100 dollras per yera will have 1 billion dollrs in fund and interest on that money from pakistani banks will give 100 million dollars for this war. Also pakistan will get foreign currancy helping prosperity of pakistan. Just suggestion
This is war and it should be

#51 by tahmed32:

You wrote:

``a. That Musharaff is not sincere in curbing terrorism. He is in fact using islamic extremists to maintain his own power in Pakistan by making them the alternative to his rule. And he has very specifically done this by interfering with the last elections to keep the mainstream secular parties out of power, while bringing the religious parties as the main opposition group. In addition, known islamic terrorists are allowed to go free in the country (e.g. the leader of a proclaimed terrorist group).``

My response:

This is my problem with Hoagland and other writers. They do not know the ground realities of Pakistan. The reality is that Post-Taliban, the support for MMA in Pakhtoon belt of Pakistan is genuine. You have to visit our urban and rural areas to find that out. Even the presence of Nawaz and BB would not have mattered. The anti-Mulla votes might have gotten distributed some other pattern, but MMA would have gotten their votes. Have it in writing from me now. If BB is invited to lead Pakistan in Pakhtoon belt, the votes in favor of MMA will increase.

Why MMA is popular in Pakhtoon belt has been debated many times by myself. Is our choice of MMA intelligent, this is highly questionable. People under emotionalism make unintelligent decisions. How to turn their choice around will take economy to boom and speak anti-Mullaism. This is what the Government of PM Jamali doing. President Musharraf/PM Jamali have started mega projects all over Pakistan to convert unintelligent decisions into intelligent ones for next elections. However, the ignorant western writers are constantly writing garbage against President Musharraf and people are tentalizing us by asking as to what have we gained from supporting the USA against Talibans. We are being increasingly cornered. Our mega projects will speak for us, but they will take some time to come to fruition.

You wrote:

``b. That Pakistan is dragging its feet in sending troops to Iraq. Most recently, someone pointed out how Turkey had no problems agreeing to send 10,000 troops to Iraq a few days ago, while Pakistan is still calling for a UN umbrella. This is more debatable. ``

My response:

Pakistan cannot send its troops unless the Government gets 2/3rd majority on this in the parliament. Although I am in favor of sending the troops, I would not like to have it my way if I am a minority on the issue. In Turkey, their parliament has recently voted over-whelmingly in favor of sending the troops.

In Pakistan, if President Musharraf does that on his own, we will have chaos.

Please read some articles written by anti-Mulla moderate / progressive columnist in Dawn and News. You will notice that even they are not supporting sending our troops to Iraq without UN mandate.

naqshbandi: i see you make no references to your Man Gods in this post, although I see you still refer to Allah and the prophet as if they are at par and thus you remain sunk in shirk.

Are you really trying to give up your miserable Man Worshipping tendencies and this is a half-hearted attempt by you to become a muslim? Or is this merely an attempt to promote the male chauvinistic habits of your saud family gods by putting their abuse of islam to cling to power at par with the Quran?

Zahraj: Agreed that the name Aaliya is female - i simply didnt give second thought to the nick (since it is what the person writes that I am interested in, not whether it is a he or a she or a space alien from the third planet from the star alpha centauri. You should ask my wife who will tell you I dont need to get high on anything to come up with such bloopers: last night, at a ``sweet sixteen`` party for a friend`s daughter, I mistook a mother of two teenagers as being one of the teenage classmates. although in my defence the mother does keep herself very fit and young-looking, and did not seem offended at all at being mistaken for a teenager.

i beg to differ on chocolates. i think it is childish to complain about being discriminated against because they didnt give her a piece of chocolate with her halal food.

For all those whiny pakistanis who think increased security at US airports is so-o-o unfair, this news item from todays NYT may be of interest:

England fans deported from Turkey

Forty-three England football supporters are being deported from Turkey ahead of the Euro 2004 qualifying match...The strict measures are in place to ensure no violence flares at the match...
``They have not been guilty of any criminal behaviour, it is just that the government and police service here adopted the approach where they refused them access,`` he said.
... The deported fans, all men aged between 20 and 35, were not on a list of 1,800 banned people, he said, but the measures were appropriate given previous violence.

``The best way to reduce disorder is to make sure the fans do not come alongside each other.``
Mr Swift branded those trying to get to the ground ``damned irresponsible``.

``They are not doing us any favours as British subjects,`` he added...


End of extract from NYT


So: here we have the british official siding with the Turks and calling his fellow brits ``damned irresponsible`` even though the 43 men were not just given an extra check by airport security but actually sent back to UK by the Turks purely on the basis of ``racial profiling``. Compare this to the pakistani whining - not one pakistani official has had the guts to say that the US airport people do extra checks for a good reason. What a difference an ounce of character and honesty makes!

ZahraJ--it is haram for a woman to travel to umrah or hajj without a male mahram. This is why the Saudis--whom I do not like much either--will not issue you with a visa without one. It is the Sacred Law as taught to us by Allah via his Beloved Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam. As Muslims we hear and obey.

Zahra,

For a second time I find myself agreeing with you!

The American Heritage Dictionary (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1983) : ``fas-cism (fbsh`iz`em) n. A system of government that exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, typically through the merging of state and business leadership, together with belligerent nationalism.``

Metamorphosis: From USA to USSA

That America is changing, and rapidly so, is not in question. The points raised by the author and most commentators only touch upon peripheral issues or some minor symptoms. The author`s airline and customs experince, in addition to being an unfortunate combination of attitudes may also have something to do with a mismatch between her/his expectations and the actual events. That is not sufficient grounds on which to declare the arrival of a sea change in the USSA.

The other theme that is being mentioned by many is the singling of Muslims. Yes, there are some elements that are now more expressive of their aversion towards Muslims generally, and since those kinds of people are also in law enforcement agencies, it has resulted in unfortunate incidents which cannot be explained away by random chance alone but have to be considered as a symptom of an increasing general bias. But that, I beleive, is a passing phase and should eventually pull-back from current high levels even if it does not totally subside. Blacks, Chinese, East European Jews, Japanese, Irish and Italian Catholics, Koreans, Vietnamese and Iranians have all experienced ``selective treatment`` by American society at various times in the country`s history. At the present time it is the Muslims turn, but this too shall pass.

The real (and most ominus) change that is overtaking America is that it is turning into a fascist police state, and that is not just for Muslims or Arabs (though these groups may feel singled out and paranoid at the moment).

Fascism is when an authoritarian government, in order to consolidate power in the hands of an oligarchy, concludes that government alone isn`t enough and thus reaches out to industry and forges an alliance, bringing former executives of the nation`s largest corporations into high government positions. A flood of government money pours into corporate coffers to fight an ever expanding war against real or imagined enemies that supposedly lurk within the homeland, and to prepare for wars overseas. Fascism encourages large corporations friendly to the elite in power to acquire media outlets and other industrial concerns across the nation. Fascists build powerful alliances with industry; one or two corporate allies get the lucrative contracts. Soon more follow and the selective corporations flourish.

It is a historical myth that the Soviet Union was a ``communist`` country. In fact what we had there was ``state monopoly capitalism`` where one mega corporation, called the Communist Party, Inc., merged and acquired the entire economy and contolled the lives of ALL employees. It was fascism at its ultimate. The USSA is heading in that direction though it is, as yet, nowhere as close. We in America can still proudly claim that we`ve got the world`s best democracy that money can buy. In its truest form we have a government of the corporations, by the corporations for the corporations and everyone else can go to hell.

It is in recognition of this gathering storm beyond the horizon, that after 24 years of living in Ameica, my wife and I are moving and taking our kids to Europe to make a new home there. Europe is not too far behind, but the distance between Western Europe and the United Soviet States of America is still great enough for our personal comfort.

...SR

Samina and TAhmed:

Shukriya...I just wrote my previous note cum unending post in the heat of the moment ...it seems something sane may have spilled out :)

TAhmed:

I find your remarks about Aliya quite condescending. First of all, why are you tweaking her name and making it sound like a male ? You may have overlooked the fact that the article was penned by a female than a male;but still that`s a little strange. I hope you were not on something while reading this article(serious concern).

Secondly, your other remarks about the chocolate stuff were equally out of line. She is stating her experience as a student in a new country. Why shut her up? That`s very sad. And, this is our weakness as Pakistanis/Pakistani Americans or from Timbuktu. We do not have the tolerance to withstand diverse point of views. Sharing silly nonsense is one thing, but sharing personal experience is another. And, inculcating tolerance to listen to the other person is certainly not everyone`s cup of tea. Probably, that`s something that we all need to work on as part of our Year 2004`s resolution.

Chowk will die and be deprived of Pakistani participation if we do not let people speak about what they believe in, what they have gone through, how they envision this world, how they intend to lead their lives and last but not least, who they are.

Regards,
Zahra

re:#9 by Romair

``Just like there is a huge gap between the views of John Ashcroft and the views of MMA. Ashcroft being less extremist than MMA, which is less extremist than BJP. But all three are ideologues, and thus need to be controlled. ``
Ask your MMA to do better than BJP. Under BJP, India is about to hit a 8% growth rate. What are you, a jerk?
Sridhar