Miss Kelly

Zhudi Jasser in Boston April 22 - Ford Hall Forum

Dr. Zuhdi Jasser is a terrific,passionate speaker, and he's in Boston tomorrow to speak at the Ford Hall Forum about Islam and America.  Details here:

Modern Islam:

Engaging questions of faith, fanatics, democracy, and reform

Mona Eltahawy, award-winning New York-based journalist and international lecturer on Arab and Muslim issues; Zuhdi Jasser, Founding Member and President of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD), an American Muslim organization advocating for the separation of mosque and state; and Bilal Kaleem, Executive Director of the Muslim American Society of Boston, join moderator James Carroll, Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at Suffolk University, recipient of the James Parks Morton Interfaith Award, and Boston Globe columnist, to address the questions facing Islam, America, and democracy in the twenty-first century.

Thursday, April 22, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Main Function Room, Suffolk University Law School

Open to the public and free.  You may register (no cost) here.

Dr. Jasser is a wonderful speaker, I heard him at a forum at Tufts University some years back.  I highly recommend attending this forum!  Jasser should be quite an antidote to the Muslim American Society strand of Islamism so widespread in our society and media. 

Mona Eltahawy is a journalist/writer, you can read her writings here. She spoke at an earlier Ford Hall Forum about three years ago.  I was disappointed in her speech back then, which can be summarized as "there's no threat by radical Muslims in the US, it's just Islamophobia, the media only covers the angry bearded Muslims, don't worry - be happy." Will we just hear the same old/same old from Mona at Suffolk?

Bilal Kaleem is the face of the Muslim American Society/Islamic Society of Boston here in Boston.  Smart guy (MIT grad), photogenic, courteous and affable, diligently promotes Islam.   Kaleem is able to ignore that the parent organization of the MAS is the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt, and that one of the founders of the Muslim Brotherhood's organization in the U.S.is Dr. Jamal Badawi, a trustee of the ISB.  Kaleem's wife, BTW, is the Muslim chaplain at Wellesley College.  The MAS has a strong presence in the Boston area colleges and in the leadership of several Muslim organizations, including mosques in Sharon, Worcester, Lowell and Revere.  

Should be a lively talk! 

Boston Tea Party April 14, 2010

I attended the Boston Tea Party yesterday.  It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day, and the large crowds (10,000 people? more?) were friendly and in high spirits.  I missed Sarah Palin's speech, got there a little late.  Who knew knew that the keynote speaker would be one of the first speakers?? However, from what I saw on the internet, I don't think I missed much there.  As one prominent local tea partier wrote this this morning:

"I have to admit that I was underwhelmed by Sarah Palin.  She was strident and loud and had nothing new to say.  I'm disappointed that I felt that way, but there it is.  Too much is at stake to be anything less than honest."

I totally agree.  Sarah was a big draw and was probably largely responsible for the great turnout, but the speech itself sounded screechy. She strung together a lot of one-liners and platitudes, and that was about it. Not an inspiring speech.

Not to be too crabby, but the music was pretty hokey and out-of-place.  What, the Tea Party Express couldn't find any local musicians?  Where were the Dropkick Murphies??

End of complaints!  I went there to be part of that crowd, to show the politicans and media that there are a great many people - people who weren't politically active until the Tea Party movement - who want the following things:

• Less government intrusion in our lives
• lower taxes
• fiscal responsibility
• freedom and liberty
• personal responsibility

We are just getting started, my friends! We want out country back.

Solomonias has some excellent photos from the event.  Sisu was there, working the crowd and taking good pics too.  Any yes, I'd agree with Sisu, it's time to set our sights on Barney Frank. After the exhilaration of helping to elect Senator Hottie McAwesome, I'm ready to sign up for another great upset. Former Marine Sean Bielat might be just the man, need to do more research on that.  Which I will, at this weekend's Republican state convention in Worcester!

Senator Scott Brown, I still love the sound of that! Who'd of thought it could happen in Massachusetts?!

Boston Tea Party Happens Tomorrow!!

Looking forward to this, here's the scoop on the Tea Party Express/Great Boston Tea Party.  Hope to see you there!

Wednesday, April 14th at 10:00 AM - 1 PM

Rally Location:

Boston Common

Charles Street at Beacon Street

Boston, MA

Special Guests:

Gov. Sarah Palin

Michael Graham, 96.9 Boston Talks

Todd Feinburg, WRKO

Jim Martin, 60-Plus

Victoria Jackson, NBC’s Saturday Night Live

Jim Labriola, ABC’s Home Improvement

 

More info on the event, location, directions, etc.  here. 

"Fusion Centers and Homeland Security Centers" March 25, 2010

This panel discussion promises to be lively and informative, although the majority of the sponsors no doubt do not support the Fusion Centers.

“Fusion Centers and Homeland Security Directives”

When: Thursday, March 25th, 2010 from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC), 100 Malcolm X Boulevard, Roxbury, MA  02120 (Main Hall, First Floor).
Sponsors: Muslim American Society of Boston (MAS Boston), Dept. of Homeland Security, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Arab-American Institute, Bill of Rights Defense Committee (BORDC)

Speakers:
Mike German (Policy Counsel, Washington Legislative Office, American Civil Liberties Union ACLU). Mike German is a sixteen-year veteran of the FBI, where he served as a Special Agent in domestic terrorism, bank fraud and public corruption investigations. While at the FBI, German also served in undercover operations, successfully helping to prevent several terrorist attacks. He resigned in 2004 to make Congress and the public aware of the continuing deficiencies in FBI counterterrorism operations after the implementation of the 9/11 Commission’s reforms.

Carol Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.  A lawyer and journalist, Carol has spent her career advocating for human rights and civil liberties both in the United States and abroad, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal, Japan, Sri Lanka, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Northern Ireland, and Vietnam.

David Gersten (Acting Deputy Officer for Programs and Compliance, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, US Department of Homeland Security) David Gersten normally holds the position of Director of the Programs Division for DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.  Before joining DHS, Mr. Gersten led customer service efforts for the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.  Prior to his work at the Department of Education, he served as executive director of the Center for Equal Opportunity providing assistance and scrutiny for the public and private sector on immigration and assimilation policy making.  Mr. Gersten also spent four years as director of education for an educational foundation dedicated to identifying, training and placing young people in public policy positions.  He is the proud parent of five children including six year old triplets.

Juliette Kayyem (Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, US Department of Homeland Security) Juliette N. Kayyem was appointed as Massachusetts’ first Undersecretary for Homeland Security by Gov. Deval L. Patrick in January 2007. When appointed by Governor Patrick, she became the first Arab-American to serve as a homeland security advisor at the state level. As undersecretary, she has been responsible for developing statewide policy on homeland security and specifically focused on preventing, protecting, responding to, and recovering from any and all critical incidents.  Undersecretary Kayyem focused much of her time on coordinating efforts across local, state and federal entities.

"None of the Characteristic Uptight Liberal ...."

Great quote from Eugene Rivers, Boston community leader and Penetecostal minister, about Senator Elect Scott Brown.  Yesterday, Scott Brown met with Black and Hispanic clergy and community members, as reported in the Boston Globe:

“ 'It was important, I felt, to come and reach out to the leaders of this community and tell them about who I am and not be defined by anybody else, but let them look in my eye and ask honest and frank questions,' Brown said, flanked by leaders of the Black Ministerial Alliance and the Boston TenPoint Coalition at a press conference in Roxbury, a community that voted overwhelmingly for his opponent. 'While we may not agree on everything, I think we’re going to find more common ground than not.' ’’

Eugene Rivers, co-founder of the Boston Ten Point Coalition, had this to say on NECN News last night:

"There was a very natural quality about the interaction. There was no defensiveness. There was none of the characteristic uptight liberal 'let me say the politically correct thing' ."

 

When NECN reporter asked Rivers what he attributed Brown's "natural quality" to, Rivers replied that Brown had "an organic connection to the Black community through a Black sport: basketball." Rivers noted that Brown played high school and college basketball and had interacted with many Black basketball players for years. 

Love the smiles in the photo, love the quote!  (Globe photo/Pat Greenhouse)  Direct speech beats PC every time.  The Globe characterized yesterday's meeting as Brown venturing into the "urban Democratic heart of Massachusetts."  Mix it up, Scott!  

 

10 Observations of the Scott Brown Campaign and 1 Question

What a wild ride!  I confess to be actually disappointed that the election is over.....  I'm delighted that our candidate won.  Massachusetts now has Senator Elect Scott R. Brown (R!) to represent its good people. It was exciting and gratifying to work on the campaign, I've never been that involved before. The world feels like it's shifted and broken up a bit, and it won't go back to the way it was before.  Here's ten things I learned along the brief but intense campaign trail, in no particular order:

1. Scott Brown ran a superb campaign, it was disciplined, agile, connected, upbeat and authentic. Just like Mr. Brown, I suppose.  Whoever was in charge of this campaign was brilliant.  Every interaction I had with the campaign - be it their website, campaign office, other volunteers or Scott Brown himself - was positive.  The website was updated all the time, it was engaging and visually appealing.  The campaign office manager in Littleton (Karl) was always appreciative of the volunteers, thanking me and others each and every time we came to phone bank.  We felt needed and valued. What a good feeling! Phone banking is a drag.  Being told you're appreciated never gets old.

2.  The long reign of the ultra-liberal Democrats has come to a close in Massachusetts!!  Hoorah!!  We're in a post-Camelot era, the tribal loyalties that kept voting Ted (and John Kerry and Mayor Menino) year in and year out are dying out.  Expect a lot more competitve races starting right now! 

Scott Brown Rally in Littleton MA - "Mighty Good Man"

Wow, as the Salt n'Peppa song goes: "What a man, what a man, what a mighty good man."  Wicked handsome fella, that Mr. Brown.  Uffda! 

I attended one of four Scott Brown rallies held today, this in Littleton MA.  It's a small, pretty town west of Boston (pop. ~9,000).  A crowd of some 300-400 revved up people stood in the slushy, cold, slippery sidewalk in front of the Scott Brown campaign office, across from the Littleton common.  We were all waiting for the Scott Brown bus!

My Husband's Hockey Playing Friends Are All Voting for Scott Brown

Anecdotal evidence 1: my husband came back last night from playing in his over-40 ice hockey league, and he said everybody was talking about Scott Brown, and all of them were voting for Scott Brown.  This is not a bunch of guys who normally pay much attention to politics, but they're paying attention now. They've had it with the Democrat Machine on Beacon Hill and Washington, and they're sick of the ever growing "redistribution" of their hard-earned money. 

Anecdotal evidence 2: I just got back from phone-banking at the Scott Brown campiagn office in Littleton, MA, and the place was buzzin' like a beehive.  There were over 20 volunteers there, mostly manning the slick automated phone banks and getting out the vote.  Yee haw!

The Lowell Sun came out and endorsed Scott Brown as US Senator today, this is the fourth major endoresement in two days.  Excerpt:

"Massachusetts doesn't need to elect yet another person who will toe the Democratic Party line and kowtow to leadership. Massachusetts needs a senator who will challenge the status quo, is strong enough to take a stand on controversial issues, and will put Bay State residents first when making decisions."

"In the race to fill the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy in the U.S. Senate, Republican Scott Brown is the candidate who promises to best represent the state's 6.3 million residents."

I love this comment in the Lowell Sun from Floyd:

"I am a union member with a so-called Cadillac health insurance plan that I fought 30 years for. Me and all the rank & file are voting for Brown."

 

Yeahh buddy!

Don't You Want to Be Part of a Historic Upset?

That's what I ask everyone I'm talking to these days about voting for Scott Brown in the Special Election to be held Tuesday, January 19th.  And I'm talking to a lotta people: family, friends, co-workers, mail man, manicurist, hairdresser, supermarket cashier, neighbors, the UPS guy.  Enough already of another liberal Democrat going to the Senate from Massachusetts, let's end that era, shall we?

Enough with the Damn Kennedys Already - Give Me Scott Brown!

OK, I'm late to jump on this bandwagon, but I'm on it!  It's not even that I'm crazy about Scott Brown, although he has many solid conservative values, something dearly needed in Massachusetts.  It's that I'm beyond sick and tired of The Kennedys running everything around this state.  This Senate seat isn't Ted Kennedy's seat.  It is one of two Senate seats that belong to the Commonwealth of Massachusestts.  It belongs to us. The MA Senator is supposed to represent us, not The Kennedys.

History: Ted "inherited" the senate seat after his brother Jack was elected president in 1960. 

Press Conference Thursday - Extremist Leadership at Roxbury Mosque

UPDATE:  You can see a video of the press conferencehere.

This sounds extremely interesting.....I hope our local media and politicians pay attention to who's in charge at the Islamic Society of Boston.  This deserves attention, scrutiny and action from our leaders. From Americans for Peace and Tolerance:

WHAT: Press Conference to Caution about Extremist Leadership of the Boston Islamic Center.

WHEN: Thursday, June 25^th, 10:30 AM

WHERE: Sheraton Crowne Plaza Hotel, Newton, 320 Washington Street, Newton MA 02158

Tea Parties Catching on Around Massachusetts Too

It's about time! They've been taking place all around the country, attracting crowds ranging from hundreds of people to over 5,000!  I've heard of a number of Taxpayer Revolt Tea Parties scheduled for Massachusetts, including the following:

Saturday March 28, 2009 - Essex County Tea Party, from: 12-2pm, 60 Pleasant St. (City Hall), Newburyport, MA.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - Worcester Tea Party! 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Lincoln Square, Worcester. For more info, e-mail [email protected]. 

Also on Tax Day, the Boston Tea Party, Boston 10:00am - 8:00pm at City Hall Plaza (Government Center T-stop).  I think a lot of WTKK radio talk show hosts will be at this one.

There's a Lowell Tea Party in the works, also be on April 15th. It's planned for JFK Plaza in front of Lowell City Hall, from 3-7 PM.  Will post additional info as I get it.

National clearinghouse info here.  The tea bag image came from those folks. More tea parties listed here.

Newt Gingrich has caught the tea party fever too.  

Don't just stand there while Mr. Obama tries to turn the U.S.A. into a socialist country!  Tell Congress to stop right now with their reckless "stimulus" bills, and remind them that they work for us.   Join a Tea Party rally!

Stimulus Money Used to Memorialize the Kennedy Family

Our tax dollars.  There was a time in America when wealthy families donated their own money for these sorts of things.  Libraries, unviversities, hospitals and parks all over New England were often built by philanthropists. Not so the Kennedies:

"The federal government has approved $5 million for the construction of the first building on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, a 2,500-square-foot pavilion that is intended to serve as a "gateway" to the Boston Harbor Islands national park area."

"....The funding was included in a $410 billion federal spending bill that was passed by Congress Tuesday night and signed by President Obama today. The bill also included $22 million for an addition to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and $5 million for the new Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate."

The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate?!

Do we really need to subsidize the Kennedies, one of the wealthiest and most politically powerful families in the country?   Ayy gevalt!

"Diversity in the Muslim World: Between Pluralism & Division"

The American Islamic Congress is putting on a public lecture series in Boston on "Diversity in the Muslim World: Between Pluralism & Division."  The events start Monday, March 16 and go through March 29, events are free and open to the public.  Go here for details, press release here.  Some of the events sound fascinating.  From the AIC:

"Sponsored by the Boston Foundation, the series seeks to inform Bostonians - both Muslims and non-Muslims - about Muslim cultural diversity. The panels address distinct geographic regions of the Muslim world (Africa, Europe, Near East, South Asia, and Far East). Speakers and artistic performers include experts from Harvard, Tufts, Brown, and other local universities."

"We hope to shatter stereotypes about Muslim identity and offer a nuanced look at the Muslim world's complexity. Unusual communities spotlighted include Russian Tatars, Berber Shi'ites, Sufis who go on hajj to Senegal instead of Saudi Arabia, and Nigerian tribes featuring Muslims and Christians in the same nuclear family - plus a non-Muslim MIT professor who helped build a mosque in Cambodia."

The artists include Senegalese drummers a funk band, Pakistani and Bangladeshi poets, aPakistani singer,  a Turkish classical music ensemble, and a Tunisian oud player.  Pretty cool line-up of events. 

Citizens for Peace and Tolerance Finds ISB Locals Ties in HLF Trial

Dennis Hale of the Citizens for Peace and Tolerance finds many connections between the recent Holy Land Foundation trial in Texas and our fair city.  From Market Watch:

"Dennis Hale, President of Citizens for Peace and Tolerance, called today for a public investigation of the Boston Redevelopment Authority's sale of land to the Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) for the construction of New England's largest mosque."

"Hale noted that officers of the largest Muslim charity in America, The Holy Land Foundation (HLF), convicted in Texas last week of funding Middle East terrorism, have ties to the ISB and its close affiliate, the Muslim American Society. 'The convictions in Texas are a victory in the government's efforts to prevent charities from being used to support terrorism,' said Hale. The Holy Land Foundation and five of its organizers were convicted for sending more than $12 million to the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. 'It is shocking to discover the ties between the HLF and the leadership of the Islamic Society of Boston,' said Hale.

"Hale enumerated the ties:

-- " 'Hossam Al Jabri, President of the Muslim American Society's Boston branch (MAS Boston), which now controls the ISB Cultural Center, personally donated money to the HLF while they were sending funds to Hamas,' Hale said. 'And the Islamic Society of Boston as an organization sent thousands of dollars to the HLF as well.' "

--"  'Jamal Badawi, an ISB Trustee, was a frequent speaker at HLF fundraising events, and was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the HLF prosecution.' "

-- " 'Osama Kandil, the ISB Board Chairman, founded the Muslim Arab Youth Association (MAYA), which provided venues for HLF fundraising events where Hamas members made explicit calls to murder Israelis.' For its role in Hamas fundraising, MAYA was also listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the HLF trial"

Yup, FBI Arrests Boston Blogger!

OK, I got a vowel wrong, the FBI arrested Tariq Mehanna, not Mohanna.  From today's Boston Globe:

"Statements that Tarek (correction: Tariq) Mehanna allegedly made to the FBI two years ago in the midst of a terrorism investigation came back to haunt him last weekend, when the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy graduate was arrested as he was about to board a Boston flight to start a new job overseas."

"Mehanna, 26, who was living in a sprawling house in Sudbury with his parents, is charged with lying to the FBI in December 2006 when questioned about the whereabouts and activities of Daniel J. Maldonado, a former Methuen resident who was suspected of training at an Al Qaeda terrorist camp to overthrow the Somali government."

"An FBI affidavit unsealed in federal court in Boston Monday alleges that Mehanna told agents on Dec. 16, 2006, that he had known Maldonado for three or four years and that when he last spoke to him two weeks earlier, Maldonado was living in a suburb of Alexandria, Egypt, and working for a website."

"But Maldonado had actually placed several calls from Somalia to Mehanna's Sudbury home four days before the FBI interview, urging him to 'join him in training for jihad,' the affidavit says."

"After Maldonado's capture a month later, a cooperating witness secretly recorded conversations with Mehanna, who fretted about lying to the FBI, according to the affidavit."

"...The complaint filed against Mehanna in Boston charges him with knowingly making false statements concerning an FBI investigation involving international terrorism. He is not facing any charges of terrorism."

The Globe reports that "a cooperating witness secretly recorded conversations with Mehanna".  Good to know there are people on the inside who are exposing these  jihadi supporters and wanna-be's. 

The Boston Globe article doesn't mention that Tariq Mehanna is likely blogger Abu Sayaba, who runs the 'Iskandari' blog which posts English language translations of classical Islamic texts in support of violent jihad.  And warns Muslim men that women are forbidden, especially "women of this country."   How do we know this?  According to The Jawa Report, Samir Khan of North Carolina, a violent jihad supporter, wrote about the arrest on his blog.  Samir Khan operate Inshallah Shaheed, an openly pro-jihad, pro-Osama website.  The New York Times wrote about Samir last year. 

You can read the Google-cached version of Samir Khan's blogpost about the arrest here (thanks, Howie!).  Quote:

"We have been informed from our brothers that are good friends with Abu Sabaya, that he was recently arrested in the Boston airport. He was on his way to his new hospital job to a Muslim Country when the FBI arrested him."

Kind of gives lie to the notion that Muslims are driven to jihadi ideology and terrorism due to poverty or oppression, doesn't it?  A pharmacology degree  and lives in Sudbury?

Something else is at work here.  We need to talk openly about the spread of Islamist ideology, be it by the Muslim Brotherhood or Deobandi or Salafi/Wahabis or the Islamic Front.  The feds can never arrest enough people to do more than make a dent, although these arrests and trials do put a damper on things and make people think twice.  Something much bigger is needed to counter the violent jihadi mentality, and to expose the "stealth" jihadi ideology that primes young Muslims to support violent jihad against the West. 

UPDATE: Latest from The Jawa Report here, putting the pieces together, compiling young Tarek's online jihadi friends. 

FBI Arrests Boston Area Blogger?

Hmm, this report isn't substantiated, perhaps some of my readers know if it's true.  From The Jawa Report:

"Samir Khan (wacky Jihadist supporting blogger in North Carolina) reports that a Boston area blogger who goes by the handle 'Abu Sayaba' has been arrested by the FBI. Abu Sayaba runs the 'Iskandari' blog which frequently posts English language translations of classical Islamic texts and rulings in support of violent jihad."

"...According to commenters who claim to know him, Abu Sayaba was a frequent protester at hearings regarding Aafia Siddiqui. Siddiqui was captured in Afghanistan, suspected of being an al Qaeda financier, and is accused of attempted murder. According to this post, Sayaba was in the audience at one of Siddiqui's hearings."

"....I haven't heard of any arrests in the Boston area related to terrorism. If any one has any information about the true identity of Sayaba or about an arrest made in Boston on terror related charges, please let me know."

Ditto.  Enquiring minds want to know if it's true.  Readers, know anything about this?

Abu Sayaba's Aafia Siddiqui post notes that Ms. Siddiqui was quite inspiring in encouraging Muslims to donate to various jihadi causes, and a local imam took off his shoes at a Bosnia fundraiser: "She was so effective in her plea that even the imam took off his boots and donated them!"  Which one, Bsayouney or Masood? 

Here's a Sayaba post warning Muslim menfolk about womenfolk, especially kufr American women:

"And stay away from women (and likewise, women should apply the same for men), as this as the source of all tribulation for those at your age, and in fact for those at any age. Stay from women who are forbidden for you. It is an obligation for you to stay away from them. Of course, all of the women in this land are forbidden for you. It is forbidden for you to look at them, it is forbidden for you to sit with them, it is forbidden for you to chat with them, and it is forbidden for you to be alone with them."

Alrighty then. Believe me, you're doing us kufr women a big favor!

Update: Survey says that a Tariq Mohanna was arrested today.  Not even in the newspapers yet.

Reminder- Pilgrimage of Hope, Magnificat at Boston

Save the date, October 11 to 12, 2008 (Columbus Day weekend) for Pilgrimage of Hope.  Sounds like it will be a terrific, inspiring, uplifting weekend, with beautiful musical to boot!  From the Magnificat website:

"The Pilgrimage of Hope is a spiritual journey toward Christ for all Catholics, and all who desire to experience more deeply the beauty and richness of the Christian tradition.  The two-day event, which takes place in Boston this October 11-12, will feature prayer, Mass, confessions, speakers, brunch, and various musical offerings." 

"We are expecting Cardinals, Archbishops, bishops, priests, deacons and religious from around the world, as well as thousands of lay men and women who pray with Magnificat every day! We have great speakers in the line-up, including Fr. Peter Cameron, Ralph Martin, Douglas Bushman, and over a dozen more!" 

The specialized sessions on Saturday afternoon are listed here. The musical concert for Saturday sounds beautiful.  No doubt we will be treated to gorgeous, transcendent music:

"This concert of sacred music, presented with prayerful reflections and historical explanation, traces the evolution in song of Mary’s canticle of praise and thanksgiving. Boston’s Seraphim Singers will perform selections from Gregorian chant and sacred polyphony, concluding with Bach’s Magnificat in D."

You can attend the concert only for $20 in advance, or $25 at the door. Good deal!

Pilgrimage pass: $199 for the weekend, $125 for one day.

Who Will Be the Next Muslim Adviser at Wellesley?

I'm hearing that Nancy Khalil will no longer be the Muslim Chaplain at Wellesley College.  I'm further hearing that Najiba Akbar is slated to walk into that position, with no open announcement or competition for for job.  That's a little odd, innit? 

Phyllis Chesler raised a few questions about the former Muslim chaplain here last October.  Ms. Khalil was known as a big proponent of hijab.  According to several Wellesley Muslim students, there was strong  peer pressure in the Wellesley Muslim student group to wear headscarves and cover up. Otherwise, you were not considered a “real Muslim.”  Another student reported being told "not to run and not to laugh too loudly" at an Al-Muslimat weekend retreat. At Wellesley, Hillary Clinton's college, imagine a woman being told this!  The former Wellesley chaplain routinely took her students to the ISB mosque and she studied under the ISB's imam Basyouny Nehela.  Will the next Muslim chaplain also be an advocate for the ISB?

Najiba Akbar (seen in this photo) is reportedly married to Bilal Kaleem, the Executive Director of MAS Boston.  As I've mentioned before, the Islamic Society of Boston and the Muslim American Society are esentially the same organization, sharing funding, directors and office space.  The ISB/MAS organization  works hard to establish itself as the voice of Massachusetts Muslims.  But not all Muslims are happy about the "Muslim mafia" and their monopoly on leadership in local Islamic organizations.  If it's true that Ms. Akbar is going to simply assume a vacant chaplain position at Wellesley College, then it appears that the ISB/MAS is further spreading their tentacles, putting their people in positions of power at prestigious local colleges.  Is this some sort of dynasty? 

Why woulnd't Wellesley publicize this position in the open job market?  Why wouldn't the MAS/ISB send out an e-mail announcement of this vacancy at Wellesley?  They send out job openings - both religious and secular - all the time, but I've not heard a peep about the vacancy at Wellesley.  Is Ms. Akbar the most qualified person for this position?  Why doesn't the college advertise and have an open competition?  Who funds that position?  Are there requirements for a transparent hiring process - with equal opportunity for all - in hiring chaplains at Wellesley? 

Aafia Siddiqui Extradited to US

I had a feeling this was gonna get hot and heavy....

"NEW YORK (CNN) -- A Pakistani accused of shooting at U.S. officers while in Afghan custody last month has been extradited to the United States, federal prosecutors said Monday."

"Aafia Siddiqui -- who had been sought by the FBI for several years regarding terrorism --- now faces federal charges of attempted murder and assault of a U.S. officer and U.S. employees, federal authorities said."

"Authorities say Siddiqui shot at two FBI special agents, a U.S. Army warrant officer, an Army captain and military interpreters who unknowingly entered a room where she was being held unsecured."

"Siddiqui was behind a curtain and shot at the personnel with an officer's rifle, officials said."

"She fired two shots, but hit no one, officials said. The warrant officer returned fire with a pistol, shooting Siddiqui at least once. She struggled with the officers before she lost consciousness, said officials, adding that she received medical attention."

"The day before the shootings, Afghan police had arrested Siddiqui outside the Ghazni governor's compound after finding bomb-making instructions, excerpts from the 'Anarchist's Arsenal,' papers with descriptions of U.S. landmarks and substances sealed in bottles and glass jars, U.S. officials said Monday."

"The 36-year-old Siddiqui is an American-educated neuroscientist and a suspected al Qaeda operative. If convicted, she faces a maximum of 20 years on each charge."

Wowee.  Does this mean Boston is going to be the home for another major terrorism trial?  Cool! Think of what we'll learn about the Boston terrorist infrastructure from this trial!  I bet even the Boston Globe covers it.

What precipitated the acknowledgement that Siddiqui was in custody in Afghanistan and the extradition?  This seems to be related to the petition for a hearing on Siddiqui filed by Pakistani lawyer Iqbal Jafree about a week ago.  Jaffree also threatened to report Siddiqui's detainment as a human rights violations in Pakistan to the United Nations human  rights commissioner in Geneva, as reported in Geo.

"Siddiqui’s lawyer, Javed Iqbal Jafrey, moved the Islamabad High Court claiming that Siddiqui had been handed over to US security officials by Pakistan authorities without informing the woman’s family. The Islamabad High Court heard the case in its entirety."

"A single bench of the court, head by Chief Justice Sardar Aslam, on Wednesday directed the Interior Ministry to furnish a complete report to the court providing Siddiqui’s full details. The court has adjourned until Sept. 9."

British "journalist" and Muslim convert Yvonne Ridley has publicized Aafia Siddiqu's case recently, referring to her as the Gray Lady of Bagram:

"Ridley said she first learnt about the woman while reading a book by Guantanamo ex-detainee Moazzam Begg. Ridley added that one of the four Arabs who escaped from the Bagram cell in July 2005 also told a television channel that he had heard a woman’s cries and screams in the prison but never saw her. 'I call her the Grey Lady of Bagram because she is almost a ghost, a spectre whose cries and screams continue to haunt those who heard her,' she said.

"The woman is registered as Prisoner number 650 and the US officials can’t deny the fact, Ridley said. 'I demand that the US military free the Grey Lady immediately. We don’t know her identity, we don’t know her state of mind and we don’t know the extent of the abuse or torture she has been subjected to,' Ridley said."

Ridley further claims that Siddiqui has been "physically tortured and continuously raped by the prison officers at Bagram prison."   Of course! Let the spin begin.  CagePrisoners writes that not only did Siddiqui have nothing to do with Al Qaeda funding, but Aafia was a victim of domestic abuse.  She's the victim here. There are many questions about how long she's been held and by who and why.  But the reflexive "she's been raped and tortured" is both predictable and vile. But we're sure to hear a lot of such things in the days to come.