April 2024 - "Let Them Pray!", Mass Graves, Insect Apocalypse
Welcome back to 'Monthly Musings: A Curated Reading List'
“Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.” - Henry David Thoreau
Student Protests
The surge of protests on college campuses across the nation is truly inspiring. I was especially heartened to see students at my alma mater, Virginia Tech, raising their voices against genocide. Numerous videos capture the bravery and perseverance of these young activists and their faculty allies, alongside Holocaust survivors. They stand united, even in the face of university administration decisions to involve the police and media portraying their protests as antisemitic.
One video that made me very emotional was “Let Them Pray!” recorded by students at Ohio State. It sums up the best and worst of our country.
Henry David Thoreau, whose ideas shaped the thoughts of leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., articulated a compelling philosophical framework for student protests in his seminal 1849 essay, "Civil Disobedience." Thoreau championed the belief that individuals must not allow governmental authority to suppress their moral convictions.
Drawing from Thoreau’s advocacy for personal moral responsibility in opposing unjust policies, these brave students have adopted his principles of peaceful resistance. They are organizing sit-ins, marches, and teach-ins to express their opposition to the US government’s active support for genocide. These students are showing us that it is not enough to be passively good; one must act on their ethical convictions.
Essential Watching/Reading related to Student protests:
If there is one link you should click in this newsletter and then read, it is this one.
Sermon for Gaza (Given on Sunday, April 28 at Princeton University)- The Chris Hedges Report
Universities, traditionally bastions of free expression and protests, are increasingly compromising these ideals under the influence of major donors.
'My Own University... Has Abandoned Me': USC Cancels Muslim Valedictorian's Speech - Common Dreams
This article captures the essence of the student-led activism and its ripple effect across the country.
Secret meetings, social chatter: How Columbia students sparked a nationwide revolt - The Washington Post
Rula Jebreal interviews Professor Stanley (Jewish philosopher and professor at Yale), who debunks “the tremendous misinformation” in the mainstream media about what’s been happening on campus at Yale and other Ivy League universities
'They're Obviously Not Antisemitic Protests': Jewish Yale University Professor Speaks Out - Zeteo
The student protests bring to mind a profound saying by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "Whoever of you sees wrong being committed, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable to do that, then with his tongue, and if he is unable to do that, then with his heart; and that is the weakest of faith." Inspired by these words, I aspire to at least fall into the second category, actively speaking out against injustices when I encounter them.
Genocide Watch
Amnesty International’s call for immediate access to Gaza for human rights investigators following the discovery of mass graves, while US government remains in denial. Imagine, if the mass graves were found in Ukraine/Russia.
Gaza: Discovery of mass graves highlights urgent need to grant access to independent human rights investigators - Amnesty International
Part of ongoing war crimes at Israeli detention facilities.
Doctor at Israeli Detention Camp for Gazans Blows Whistle on War Crimes - Common Dreams
Michale Moore, a big supporter of Biden, is distraught knowing that Bidens’ conscience is telling him to support the slaughter of tens of thousands of Paletstinians in Gaza. Biden can stop this today, if he wants to.
Eve of Destruction - Rumble with Michael Moore
I empathize with Hammoud’s predicament. However, personally, I cannot support a candidate who has been complicit in genocide.
5,000 miles away, a Michigan mayor at the center of the Gaza storm - The Washington Post
Two must-watch short videos:
Mohammed El-Kurd Destroys Zionist Victimhood - X
Seeing Hagar, and Seeing Gaza, this Passover - Peter Beinart
Health & Environment
This is a fantastic primer on understanding blood pressure, complete with practical advice on how to effectively lower it.
Why High Blood Pressure Matters to Your Health: And how to get it under control. The New York Times
If you are a lazy gardner like me, you'll appreciate this article. It explains how minimal effort in your garden can actually contribute more to our environment.
Your yard can help avert the insect apocalypse. Here’s how. - Welcome lacewings, sweat bees and lady beetles (back) into your life - The Washington Post
Culture, History, and Politics
You can tell it's election season in India when certain politicians ramp up their campaigns with hate-filled rhetoric, especially those who thrive on sowing division.
Why Did Modi Call India’s Muslims ‘Infiltrators’? Because He Could. - The New York Times
These two articles demonstrate how governments frequently act in their own self-interest, often disregarding international norms. why should we expect other nations to adhere to international laws when we ourselves blatantly disregard them?
An assassination plot on American soil reveals a darker side of Modi’s India - The Washington Post
Lawsuit Links Wild UAE-financed Smear Campaign to George Washington University - The Intercept_
It is hard for me to even imagine playing soccer at this level while fasting
How Soccer Learned to Embrace Ramadan: From Faked Injuries to Bespoke Diets - The New York Times
Please feel free to add your favorite readings of the month in the comments so others can benefit as well. Let me know your thoughts including what was interesting/useful for you.
Thank you for everything you do. I am not a typical reader but, I like to read your articles.
Fauzi