Thursday, January 14, 2016

Human Rights are more important than the sovereignty of nations

What it means is, that a nations’ sovereignty is inferior to the sovereignty of human rights. Human rights are more important than nations or religious rights.

What it means for Saudi Arabia is, that they have to honor the inalienable rights of individuals over the laws of the nation or religion, any religion for that matter. Nothing is greater than the inalienable rights of individuals.

In our land, we have come a long way, but more to go. Little men like Trump attempt to mess it, but all of them come and go, and our constitution remains an enduring value for ages to come, and we have to defend it no matter what sacrifices we have to make. Mike Ghouse

Our Immortal declaration of Independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, news maker, and a speaker on PluralismInterfaithIslampolitics, terrorism, human rights, India, Israel-Palestine and foreign policy. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. Visit him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net for his writings at TheGhousediary.com and several blogs listed there in. 

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Hundreds of Muslim workers fired after dispute over prayers

Muslim Workers fired in Colorado | AmericansTogether.org

January 2, 2016, CBS News reports "Nearly 200 Muslim workers have been fired from a Cargill meatpacking plant in Colorado, for walking out after a dispute over prayer breaks." 

This report has generated some of the following responses;

"Company was right in firing them. Today its time off for prayers, tomorrow its objection to wearing work uniform, next day its objection to facial hair policy."
"I do not think that it is too much to ask our employees to not go every one to gather and stop the work.  I think we are going on the evil side instead of goodness."

Being American is to honor a woman when she is pregnant, and pay for pregnancy leave. The companies did not say, don't get pregnant, we don't pay you to get pregnant. 

Being American is appreciating our school cafeterias to respect a child's choice to eat, vegetarian, kosher or halal foods, good things happen when people start believing in living their lives and letting others live theirs. 

Being American is letting each faith member practice his or her faith, and build his or her place of worship. 

Being American is respecting and believing in the rights of others, and being American is to value others life liberty and pursuit of their happiness.

Being American is NOT drawing sadistic pleasure by denying others rights. The idea of Liberty is; I don't agree with you, but I'll fight for your rights.  

The stupid employer could have gotten more out of their employees by working with them, and setting a great example.  

For some people their faith is important, and for some it is not important, and yet there some who will sell their mothers or faith to have an income. 

We have to stand up for the legitimate inalienable rights for people, no matter what religion they belong to ...

First they came for blacks... 

Then for gays and lesbians

Came for Mormons,

Then for Muslims 

Hindus, Jews ....

I didn't give a shit, I was not one of them

But when they finally came for me,

No SOB was there to defend me.

Is this the world we want?

Thank you,

Mike Ghouse, 
(214) 325-1916
Washington, DC 


Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, newsmaker and a professional speaker on PluralismInterfaithIslam,  politicshuman rights, and foreign policy.  Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. More about him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at TheGhousediary.com 



 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hundreds-of-muslim-workers-fired-after-dispute-over-prayers/

Hundreds of Muslim workers fired after dispute over prayers

FORT MORGAN, Colo. -- Nearly 200 Muslim workers have been fired from a Cargill meatpacking plant in Colorado, for walking out after a dispute over prayer breaks.
Praying five times a day is a must for many Muslims.
But Tony Aden says missing even one of those prayers over a break time dispute caused him and many others to walk away from their jobs.
"It don't matter if I don't have a job, my religion is more important," Aden told CBS News.
muslim-workers.jpg
A Cargill meatpacking plant in Colorado fired nearly 200 Muslim workers after they walked off the job in a dispute over prayer breaks.
 CBS DENVER
Cargill spokesperson Michael Martin says prayer is allowed. But he says a misunderstanding of company policy came on December 18th, when 11 workers asked for a break to pray at the same time.
"Coming from that specific work area would have disrupted the workflow so the supervisor told the employees that they could go pray, but they would have to go in smaller numbers than 11," Martin told CBS News. "It would have to be three at a time."
The following Monday, nearly 200 employees from the Muslim community didn't show up to work for three consecutive days. The company fired them all.
"There are times when accommodation is not possible," Martin said. "But in an overwhelming majority of instances, we do everything we can to ensure sure that we do accommodate employees."
Jaylani Hussein represents 150 workers who are now without a job.
"Now we are getting supervisors who are telling our clients to go home if they wanted to pray," Hussein said. "If they are denied their basic rights to practice their faith reasonably at their employment, they seem to be losing one of the basic fundamental rights."
cargill.jpg
The Cargill plant in Fort Morgan, Colorado is hiring replacements for the Muslim workers it fired.


CBS DENVER
Cargill is now hiring to fill the shoes of those who walked out.
Areas have been set up at Cargill since 2009 to accommodate anyone who requested time to pray.
The Council on American Islamic Relations is currently working reach an agreement with Cargill so that those fired workers can return.

Monday, January 4, 2016

Donald Trump's first TV Commercial, what can Muslims do about it?

What can we do about Trump's ad Campaign?  | www.AmericansTogether.org 

Washington, DC, January 5, 2016 -- Perceptions are created through imagery, and the images drive one into taking clumsy actions.  Senior Bush had won against Dukakis through the imagery of Willie Horton, and Junior Bush used the speed boat commercial against John Kerry, both were reprehensible actions, but had won them the elections.  The new political ad from Donald Trump is no different, except that it may create chaos. 

The image of Hijabi woman used in this video poses serious security issues to innocent women wearing Hijab at work place, hospitals, Halls of Congress, Senate, buses, cafeteria or in the Public Square.  To protect the rights of fellow Americans, we may have to deploy more police in every street corner. That is not the America we want to become. 



Two CNN shows on Sunday (1/3/15), laid out the profiles of Trump supporters as uneducated middle income Americans, who are dwindling in numbers, and were referred to as losers.  Americans in general, and Muslims Americans in particular don't like such terms ascribed to fellow Americans.   

They see Trump as a savior who would regain the lost glory from two devastating wars. Who would not want America to do well?
  
As American Muslims, we take this responsibility seriously, and to do our share of work in restoring the glory days by assuring fellow Americans that we are committed to the safety of every American, we believe, whatever happens to one will happen to the other.  We will also continue to report any one who is a suspect or a threat to the security of our nation, and finally, we will watch out for the tell tale signs of members who are asocial and isolated for no reason.

We are in this together and we will solve our problems together without pitching one American against the other.

# # #

My op-ed will be out on Wednesday presenting the outline and 
I am available for interviews

Mike Ghouse | (214) 325-1916 | MikeGhouse@aol.com 
America Together Foundation 
Dr. Mike Ghouse is a community consultant, social scientist, thinker, writer, newsmaker and a professional speaker on PluralismInterfaithIslam,  politicshuman rights, Terrorism,  and foreign policy.  Mike is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. More about him in 63 links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at TheGhousediary.com