Jill Carroll is free. Now what about the others?

I was very happy this morning to hear the news that Jill Carroll had been released. I was not surprised to hear that she had been treated well. In spite of what many like to contend, women are generally respected in Islam.

What about the others? Does America stand for the respectful treatment of women? If so, why are Iraqi women being held in prison? What is being done to them? Are they treated with kindness, or are they being molested?

Islam does not condone kidnapping and holding of hostages. But I was happy to hear of one of the stated conditions for Jill Carroll's release, which was the release of Iraqi women prisoners. Has this been done?

Jill Carroll is smiling, and I'm happy for her. But if an Iraqi woman manages to get out of an American-run prison alive, I don't think she'll be happy. I imagine she'll be humiliated and ashamed.

The U.S. likes to lecture other countries about the treatment of women. Respect the women of Iraq, and maybe the world will start listening.

The road to war

Lies about Tonkin Gulf leading to Vietnam.

Lies about WMDs leading to Iraq.

Lies about insurgents leading to Syria.

Lies about nuclear proliferation leading to Iran.

Where will it end?

Shake-up? What we really need in Washington is a shakedown

One Bush associate resigned. Another Bush associate is taking his place. I don't know if I can stand all the excitement.

The Washington, D.C. political situation reminds me of a bad 1960s sitcom. A major character would be faced with a life-changing decision. Moving to another city. Marriage. A new job. Whatever. The point is, at the last moment the deal would fall through, or the character would realize "there's no place like home." The next week it would be back to normal.

That was bad enough. Washington, D.C. is worse. Going through the motions of change and reform. Nothing changes. And any small changes are the ones that favor the rich and raise taxes, and military duty, for the poor.

Censure is good. It's not enough.

Let's throw the bums out.

The only thing we have to fear. . .

I generally don't like watching the network news, because I know the programs are full of half-truths and innuendos. A Muslim terrorist could plant a bomb. A Muslim country might attack.
Or might not.

Still, I usually force myself to watch the news because I want to know what most of America is seeing, and what the majority of Americans believe to be true. Sometimes it becomes an exercise in masochism.

Such was the case tonight. The lead story? Moussaoui planned to attack the White House on 9/11. His accomplice? Richard Reid, the wild-eyed shoe bomber who was not in the U.S. in September 2001.

People will say the story must be true because it came from Moussaoui himself. Maybe. But why would someone who says he hates the U.S. come across as a poorly-coached actor in a B-movie? Kill the infidels. War is deceit. He had all the right lines.

Muslims are not as stupid as we appear to be. Someone who was truly planning a spectacular attack, who sincerely believed he was fighting in the name of Allah, would not be so transparent. So Hollywood.

When I was young, I believed almost everything I heard from the government and the media. Now I believe almost nothing.

Moussaoui confesses to a fifth plane, and refers to the attacks with glee. Government investigators contend that they successfully smuggled nuclear materials across the border. (Which is really strange. The last time I came over the border with Canada, I couldn't even successfully smuggle a styrofoam container of beef curry.) Bombs. Hostages. Trials. Murders. These Muslims are seriously bad guys, aren't they?

That's the image in the news. Reports have been carefully crafted so that, if there is another major attack, Muslims will be the natural culprits. And if that happens, all Muslims will be fair game. Children, mothers, grandmothers, everyone. I mean, if you believe what you hear on the news, can there really be such a thing as an innocent Muslim?

Fear itself. The patriotic fervor being raised to an ever-louder crescendo. The anti-Muslim sentiment. The paranoia.

This is what I'm afraid of. I pray a lot these days. May Allah help us all.

Your freedom extends as far as my nose

One day in 1986 a friend from North Africa gave my husband a small bottle of perfumed oil. I don't remember how many days or weeks it took for me to realize that my sinus problems and tightness in my chest started with that little bottle.

For the last twenty years, I have been struggling with my sensitivity to scents. My husband stopped applying them, but he continues to have them on his clothes. Every time he goes to the mosque, or even goes to work at the Islamic school, some brother hugs him. It's on his clothes and in his hair. I pay for that hug with worsening symptoms.

It has truly been a struggle, because most people have a hard time understanding my sensitivities. Once, several years ago, some middle school students tried to make me sick by scenting the classroom carpet. I didn't learn of the prank until the next year, but teachers who did know chose to do nothing.

Many others simply do not take my problems seriously. I must be crazy or trying to get attention. It must be "all in my head."

I haven't gone to the mosque in two months, and I don't know when I'll be able to go. There are too many scents. I've gone from post-nasal drip and stuffy nose to bleeding gums and vomiting. Now I have chronic leukemia, and I'm convinced my condition is related to my sensitivities.

No matter how hard I try, I can't get away from it. My husband has it on his clothes. Women wear heavy perfumes--at the mosque, in meetings, even in the health food store. I attended an Islamic conference last Sunday and got very sick when I came home.

I need to be able to avoid it, but unless I live in my own little cottage, and never leave, I don't know how that will be possible.

Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Prophet Muhammad said, "You must wish for your brother (and sister) what you wish for yourself."

It is unkind, but sometimes I wish everyone could have my sensitivities just for one day, so they would understand. One day only. Not the twenty years I've tried to live with it.

Some days, I feel scared. I want to be healthy. How can I get away from my unhealthy environment? Can I live, or must I hide?

Go ahead and smell good. But please respect those around you.

Missing boys and little white girls

Here in Milwaukee, the top story is that two boys, ages 10 and 12, have not been seen since Sunday. Family, friends, neighbors and concerned citizens are searching. I pray for their safe return.

A side issue is the fact that an Amber Alert was not issued. Local authorities have their reasons, but they don't sound credible to me. One searcher warned not to concentrate on that issue, because finding the boys is more important, but I wonder.

When a little white girl goes missing, an Amber Alert is issued immediately. And it should be.

I just hope that our young black boys (both were honors students, as if that should make a difference) are treated with the same concern.

What in the world is an Islamo-fascist?

A couple of years ago, I discovered that I'm an Islamic fundamentalist. I didn't mean to be one, but the fact is that I was doing it before it became taboo. From what I can deduce, an Islamic fundamentalist is a Muslim who prays five times every day and, for a woman, wears a scarf. In other words, someone who strictly follows the religion--or at least tries to. I didn't even want to be a fundamentalist. It just sort of sneaked up on me.

Today I heard the guy in the white house talk about defeating the "Islamo-fascists." I wish someone had stood up and said, "What, exactly, is an 'Islamo-fascist'?" A Muslim who has read Mein Kampf? (I bought a copy once, but never got around to reading it.)

I still don't understand that term. It makes about as much sense as saying that the U.S. had to invade Iraq in order to liberate the people--from their homes, their family members, their lives. Or saying that we need to "impose democracy" on the poor unfortunate people of the world. If "democracy" means "the people rule," then how could one possibly impose it? And if the majority of the people choose to have an Islamic government, is that democracy or Islam0-fascism? If the majority of people are Muslims, and actually want an Islamic government, then how should they go about it? Obviously, the elections in Iraq, Palestine and, several years ago, Algeria which called for Islamic governments were flawed. Weren't they? That's what we're led to believe.

(But, of course, the elections putting George W. Bush in the White House were completely democratic. Right?)

I caught another strange statement in the strange press conference of the strangest president ever to "bless" this land. He said that the insurgents were spreading propaganda through death and destruction--if that's not an exact quote, it is very close. I have studied ways of spreading propaganda, and I cannot see how one could do it through death and destruction. In fact, wouldn't killing the audience interfere with the process? You can spread other things through death and destruction--tyranny, oppression, fervent prayers that you die slowly and painfully. But I cannot understand how one could spread propaganda through those means.

It is a shame that the Muslims of the world don't wish to be free. No, we are happy to be ruled over by oppressive regimes--put in power by the United States--and play out our simple lives. We don't want the right to be heard. The right to practice our religion. We are content to be imprisoned on a whim and beaten for speaking the truth. We are a very sorry lot.

All Muslims of the world should raise our hands in du'a for the blessings brought to us by George W. Bush. He has opened our eyes to possibilities we could never imagine. The right to sell and consume alcohol. The right to revive the drug trade in Afghanistan. The right of women to expose our bodies to ogling men. The right to embrace Christiantiy which, by the way, does not condone alcoholism, drug trade or the sexploitation of women.

The problem with George W. Bush is that he is 1400 years too late. Muslims have had freedom and democracy since the time of the Prophet (S). Muhammad suffered oppresion and abuse, even at the hands of his own relatives, because he opposed injustice. He established equality for women, the right to speak out on public matters and freedom of religion for all--just ask the Jews of Madinah.

Mr. Bush, you say you are trying to save us from ourselves. But we do not require your services. The position has already been filled. Thank you very much for your kind offer. Now will you please go away.