Kurds: The Muslim World’s “Unworthy” Victims

The original version of this article appeared on the Peace in Kurdistan campaign website. 

2011 marked the shift manyMiddle Eastobservers had been anticipating. Since their formation, nations stretching between the Maghreb and beyond theLevanthave endured decades of authoritarian rule. Mohamed Bouazizi’s self immolation within the last year in Tunisia was the ground breaking spark producing an unprecedented defiance to the status quo and has since made revolutionary language requisite to discourse all over the Muslim world – a much needed air of refreshing change.

As protesters demanded fair elections, freedom of speech and expression,

Inside Islam

The original version of this article appeared at “Inside Islam“

They say the onset of authoritarianism happens through a process of incrementalism. If indeed that is the case, I have missed a lot in the 6 years I spent in the United Kingdom away from the United States.

My first few years in the UK were spent wallowing in my new identity as a Paki. In much of the time I spent wallowing, I did a great deal of idealizing my former American Muslim life – one of relative privilege compared to Muslim life in other parts of the world, including Europe.

Muslim life in Britain was different than anything I had experienced prior. American Muslims are more educated