ICYMI: Sheikh Omar Suleiman Sits Down with Mehdi
Plus, some of Zeteo’s best content on Lebanon, Gaza, Trump, the US and more.
Recently, Mehdi sat down with renowned Muslim-American scholar and pastor Sheikh Omar Suleiman in D.C. to talk about the recent US Senate hearings on hate crimes – and how Arabs were actually attacked in the hearing with Islamophobic rhetoric. Have a listen to Sheikh Suleiman’s conversation below.
Since the interview last Friday, Congress passed a resolution in honor of 6-year-old Palestinian-American Wadee AlFayoumi who was killed in a violent hate crime last year and whose mother attended the hearing.
In the ‘Wadee Resolution’, they state on the record that “the recent Israel-Gaza conflict has had a particularly devastating impact on children in the region, including at one point resulting in a Palestinian child dying every 10 minutes, according to the World Health Organization” and that “it is the duty of elected officials and media to tell the truth without dehumanizing rhetoric when informing the public of factual information.” You can read the full text of the Wadee Resolution here.
Watch the interview with Sheikh Omar Suleiman below:
But there’s more…
Last week, Zeteo contributor Naomi Klein and Mehdi sat down for a deep dive into the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Movement: it’s history, debunking common myths/misconceptions, why the movement gets so much backlash in the US, and why Israel “gets a special pass”. You’ll no doubt learn a few things.
If you’re looking for something of a lighter tone, check out the latest episode of ‘We’re Not Kidding’ with British comedian Nish Kumar. They are talking about Gaza and race riots in the UK, but not without some jokes about the insane world we live in (and food). It’s a really informative but also really fun conversation.
Our political correspondent Prem Thakker penned his first piece for his new, weekly column ‘Subtext’. He wrote about the execution of Marcellus Williams in Missouri and what it reflects about the US’ ability to kill so comfortably.
Plus, don’t forget to check out what our columnists have been writing about…
Viet Nam, Gaza, and the Power of Spectacle
Pulitzer Prize Winner Viet Thanh Nguyen on how Hollywood has become the US military-industrial complex’s unofficial ministry of propaganda.
And just last week…
Owen Jones and Mehdi sat down together in London for the return of their podcast ‘Two Outspoken’. It’s gone viral! They had a very timely venting session about UK politics and Israel’s latest escalation in Lebanon.
“We Have Normalized the Mass Slaughter of Arabs”
In the latest episode of ‘Two Outspoken’, Mehdi and Owen get outraged about the lack of outrage in the US and UK in the wake of Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon, attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians. (This conversation was recorded before the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.)
And if you’ve been following the news out of the Middle East, be sure to check out the latest episode of ‘Mehdi Unfiltered’ where Mehdi broke down the ‘5 Things You Need to Know’ about Hezbollah, Lebanon, and Israel, and foreign policy analyst Trita Parsi’s piece on the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and what happens next.
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It's STILL traumatizing. Even now. RE-watching Kennedy commit a hate-crime, in a congressional hearing, and seeing NO ONE stop him.
I think people who are part of the racial & religious majority have no idea just how THREATENING that is. (I don't mean Kennedy & company; I only mean people.) Kennedy & company know precisely how threatening that is. Kennedy & company INTEND that threat. Kennedy & company know a lot of the white-supremacist terrorists who would ACT on that threat.
I felt fear. ME. As a non-Muslim. From a fairly long DISTANCE from Washington. Watching that through a SCREEN. Happening to SOMEONE ELSE. I still FELT it.
Those aren't just words. Dehumanizing words are a THREAT. Hate-speech is a THREAT.
I understand that the combination of SHOCK at the crudeness of their racism, as well as her need to put on a brave face, combined to make her laugh... but she MUST have been terrified! Given the fact that MY heart was racing. Given the fact that NO ONE IN THAT ROOM came to her defence!
To be in a public place, when NO ONE SEEMS TO MIND that you're being victimized, feels as vulnerable as being alone in a dark alley.
What a wonderful lady, and so sad for her plight. Kennedy is a very ignorant and rude person, he needs two bags to hide his head in - he always looks like he forgot to put his teeth in! How such a person gets anywhere near a governing job is beyond me. If only Americans were more tuned in to what their government does, and who is in that government; perhaps things would be a lot better.
p.s. I know ad hominem remarks are not polite but since Kennedy doesn't mind throwing them around, neither do I !