My thoughts on 2012:

Author’s note:
In light of all of the anxiety surrounding 2012, with all of the Sci-Fi movies that have come out, all of the documentaries, and Nostradamus-type prophecies about the end of the world, begin in the year 2012, I’ve decided to put everyone’s heart at ease, by reminding all of us that Allah, the Creator of the Universe is in-charge of the happenings of the Universe, both positive & negative. So, whatever will happen is unstoppable anyway. We are, however, personally responsible to Him, to be the best people possible, and to care for ourselves, one another, and the Earth as much as we’re able to.

I’m not worried about 2012:

I’m not worried about things coming to an end, or the Earth’s ice-caps drastically melting away.
When it comes to what this year will bring, Allah is the Lord of the Universe, He’ll save the day.

There is no way that any of us can tell how this new year will unfold.
To assume that we have all the answers makes us arrogant and bold.

We have know idea what’s in store for us in the future.

To ponder upon this is fruitless, we only need to concentrate on doing our very best.
The problem is most of us use the unknown as a lame excuse to be just like the rest.

What will happen won’t be in our control anyway; so, why worry?
It’s like we race towards death and destruction; what is the hurry?

When death does come, we’ll wish that we didn’t waste time.

Let us concentrate on what we do now, with whatever time that we have left.
We only need to work towards a better tomorrow; this is our only safety-net.

Whatever 2012 will bring is Allah’s test, to see what we will do, whether we will turn to Him for refuge.
Only He can protect us from whatever calamities that may occur; as long as He’s with us, we can’t lose.

Reliance upon Allah’s promise is a must.

Allah promises glad-tidings to any & all who believe and do good.
We are to trust in Him completely, as servants of our Lord should.

None of us know what will happen tomorrow.

Gareth Bryant/2011

My thoughts on the Egyptian military:

Author’s note:
This article has been written in light of the recent gruesome & shameful beating of several persons in Egypt, particularly one woman, who was not only beaten, but shamefully stripped publicly of her traditional Islamic-dress, exposing her private parts-The sad & horrible irony is that the ones who did this are Muslims, in a Muslims country. This is simply ridiculous!!! May Allah help the Muslims, because we are truly pitiful, Amen!!!

It’s bad enough that the history of modern Egyptian politics has been dominated by corrupt politicians. But, now, even the military are showing their true colors, of not having any regard for the sanctity of Human dignity. And, because they have the guns & martial authority, their oppression is left unchecked. Earlier in December, people were being beaten in the streets, which has not been unusual lately, unfortunately. But, then, someone caught on film, a very heinous beating & stripping of a woman in public, in broad daylight, by the same individuals who are supposed to ensure the safety of the people, not to use their authority to continue the legacy of tyranny that most Egyptians would die along with the power of Mubarak.

Truly, this is a very sad reality-The military has in fact not only continued where Mubarak left off, but they’re even more outlandish, as a result of the fact that there’s no governmental structure or bureaucracy which is holding people accountable. At present, the only personnel at the helm of the Egyptian government are the same military generals, whom are from the Mubarak old-guard, whom are also loyal to their troops & they to them. So, based upon these realities, it’s very safe to assume that nothing is going to be significantly done to see that due justice is served for the unnecessary violence unleashed against the recent victims of humiliation & brutality by the Egyptian military.

Of course, the international-community has had something to say about this. But, how can they put a stop to the abuses of a military that’s in control of a country which receives the most international U.S. foreign-aid in the world, with the exception of Israel? The irony, is that U.S.-aid has not been cut-off. Even while Mubarak was still in power, in spite of all of the known atrocities that he had personally co-signed, those foreign-aid checks kept rolling in.

This is something serious to think about. But, now, back to the military of Egypt. It’s very clear that the Egyptian military is being given a free-hand paint the town red, with the blood of their own people, quite literally, by the way. If the U.N. & U.S. really wanted to, they could’ve easily done the same thing that they’ve just finish doing in Libya, incite open rebellion & bomb the hell out of  this country. Why hasn’t that been done?!!!


It’s very obvious to me that the atrocities committed against Egypt’s people are deliberately being tolerated & accepted by the international community, to consolidate support & good-relations with the largest military in the Arab-World, to keep them at bay & prevent a revisit to the Egyptian-inspired Arab-Israeli conflicts/wars of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s. And, because Egypt’s military is so massive, compared to the Israeli military, any incitement of a military still spells significant problems for both Israel as a nation & the U.S., which uses Israel, as a pitbull, against the keep the spaded & neutered Arab fat-cat rulers of the Middle-East in-check/under pressure.

However, the Egyptian military is not nearly as passive as the militaries of most of their regional neighbors. So, in light of that, in order to keep Israel safe & ensure that the level of stability that the U.S. & international-community requires is maintained, Egypt’s regime-indoctrinated military will continue to practice iron-curtain tactics, that are remnants of the Soviet Union’s iron fist, which America & her allies, past & present, have continually claimed to despise greatly, unless/until America decides that they want to invade, which I can clearly see Egypt being invaded by the U.S., depending upon who the Egyptian military decides to give governmental/bureaucratic allegiance to.

#I’m just tellin’ the truth!!!

My thoughts on Aisha Khan (Part II):

This poem is in celebration of the confirmation of Aisha Khan, a student of Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, being found alive as well as unharmed in any way:

Welcome home, Aisha!!!

You’re back, and we’re glad that you’re safe & sound.
I’m happy that you’ve finally been discovered & found.
You had us so worried about you; but, now our hearts are at ease.
There’s a sense of content at your return, now we can have peace.

You’re very special to us, all though we don’t even know you.
Our love for your safety & concern for your well-being is true.

You’ve returned to your family & we’re glad that you’re back in their arms.
We are happy that Allah has chosen to protect you from any and all harms.

We were hoping only for you to just be okay, waiting for news about you day-by-day.
We were so anxious about you being gone, sad, afraid of the fact that you were away.

It’s good a joyous occasion that your safe and sound.
It’s a true blessing from Allah that you’ve been found.

Gareth Bryant/2011

My thoughts on Aisha Khan:

Author's note:
This poem is in commemoration of Aisha Khan, a student at Johnson County Community College, in Kansas, who has been missing since December 16th, 2011. It is my sincere hope that this poem will raise awareness about her & will also encourage anyone & everyone with any type of information about her to come forward & cooperate with the proper authorities working on finding her.

Aisha Khan:

I don’t even know you; yet, I love you.
You’re my Muslim sister; although we don’t have the same parents, we’re siblings in faith.
The bond that you & I share is like so spectacular, it’s divinely inspired, and it’s just great.

I don’t even know you; yet I miss you.
The fact that you’re distant from me hurts.
Knowing that you’re missing is the worst.

I don’t even know you; yet, I want you to come home.
Please, come back to your family & those who’ve expressed love & care.
Please, come back to us; we are concerned about you & we’re in despair.

I don’t even know you; yet, I’m hurt that you’re gone.
It happened so suddenly & without any warning.
I keep thinking that you’ll be back in the morning.

I don’t even know you; yet, I feel empty not knowing your whereabouts.
Not knowing where you are or how you are doing is very unbearable.
The reality of you not being around is just simply incredible & stressful.

May Allah protect you & bring you back to us safe & sound where you belong, Amen!!!

Gareth Bryant/2011

My thoughts on Kim Jong-il & the future of North Korea:

The recent death of one of the most controversial leaders of the 20th century has been confirmed. Kim Jong-il, the 40-year iron-hand ruler of North Korea has left a legacy of criticism which will long out last most of our lifetimes. He has been often ridiculed as being one of the leaders of the "Axis of Evil", he's been the brunt of many entertainment political spoofs on both T.V. & in movies.

However, when you look at this man's life in context, you can somewhat appreciate his drive to be the sole influence of his nation, ruling by his own rules, something that most world-leaders have not been able to do, nor had the balls to even attempt to do within the last century. Even though North Korea's greatest political and financial ally, China, had very frequently tried to place its reins upon Kim's administration, for "rockin'-the-boat" sort-of-speak on the international stage, pertaining to Kim's insatiable quest for an established nuclear arsenal, you must admit, he's nobody's puppet. The aid that China has & is still currently giving North Korea has in no way convinced North Korea to back down from its staunch position to acquire nuclear equal-footing with other nuclear-nations.

He definitely knew how to play the great-game, and he always came out as a winner. As far back as the Clinton years, Kim was a master political chess-player, buying time to stall & manipulate diplomatic visits from the U.S. in particular, with concerns about his provocative nuclear weapons programs, which would obviously translate as trouble for the rest of America's Asian interests & allies.

Even when Bush, Jr. was in office as Commander-in-Chief of the U.S., he managed to play with the Bush administration like a Tonka toy. In light of the recently-ended Iraq-War, Kim used this opportunity to go to the highest gear & stepped on the gas, to intensify the pursuit of nuclear establishment, with virually no definitive international opposition, other than trade & aid sanctions, which did not hurt Kim but rather the people of North Korea.

Even at the brink of his nation being starved-out, as a result of famines, financial-failure, as a result of no economic-growth, and the whole world demonizing him & his policies, Kim still managed to come out on-top, with his nuclear program in-tact, along with six confirmed nuclear war-heads, and still, the fifth largest military in the world, at 1 Million strong to-boot.

The death of Kim has placed a lot of suspicions in the air, as to whether North Korea can still sustain itself, without it's most dynamic, powerful leader to date. Kim's son, Kim Jong-un is the most likely to take the reins of leadership. However, even so, does his son, if he were to succeed him, have what it takes to withstand the onslaught of political & economic isolation, along with constant fear of potential attack both militarily by his Asian neighbors and/or international opponents? none of this is known to us.

All & all, Kim Jong-il was, in fact, a political giant-For better or worse, love him or hate him, he was a dominant presence as well as a prolific figure in the modern-politics of our times.

Help me help others!!!

Salam!!!

I'm a part of a team of Muslims, who are working to get donations to help build water-well projects all around the world. Just to let you guys know, 1/7 of the current Human population (basically 1Billion people) are dying, about to die, and just wasting away, only because they don't have access to clean-water, to drink & wash with.

We all have the ability to do something substantial about this. We have an established donation page, with a very reputable non-profit organization, by the name of Charity Water. They have been collecting money & building water-wells in countries all over the planet for the past 4 or 5 years now. We have a donation-page on their landing-page.

Here's where you can donate online, as well as learn more about what we've been doing & our current progress:

http://mycharitywater.org/p/campaign?campaign_id=21496

Help us help others!!!

Please, donate whatever you can, if not, then try to encourage others to donate to this most noble cause!!!

Thank you very much in advance

My thoughts on the official end to the War in Iraq:

Considering the brand-new announcement about the final segment of U.S. Military servicemen leaving the now further-ruined state of Iraq, let's look at just some of the results of this most unnecessary, deceptive & politically-driven military endeavor over the past seven years:

These are but some of several estimated casualties of the War in Iraq (2002-2011):

American tax-payers money spent/wasted: $1 Trillion

Iraqi civilians killed: 600,000

Iraqi Military & Police servicemen killed: 10,125

Iraqi "Insurgents" killed: 55,000

U.S. Military personnel killed: 4,486

U.S./Non-U.S. contractors & civilian-workers killed: 572

U.S./Non-U.S. journalism personnel killed: 150

Non-U.S. Military personnel killed: 316

WMD's (Weapons of Mass-Destruction) founded: 0

I think that I've made my general point quite clear by this point.

#I'm just sharin'!!!

My thoughts on Lowe's boycotting the TLC show "American Muslim":

What I have to say can pretty much be summed up with the following personal statement:

Dear Lowe's:

Y'all Niggas is mad wack for boycotting the TLC show "American Muslim" like that!!!!

That's some bullshit, period & I hope y'all Niggas go bankrupt for this, seriously!!!

#I'm just ventin'!!!

My thoughts on the economic meltdown in Europe:

It's very obvious that historically, as well as contemporarily, that if/whenever you have a globalized economy based upon the pathological acquisition of wealth, at the expense of having others perpetually financially destitute as well as having a populace of work-horses, like the middle/working-class, for example, who are used to be the engine of that economy, then that economy is bound to fail & collapse.

Now, referring to the financial meltdown in Europe, with the recent failing of the Euro, one needs to critically look back, historically as well as contemporarily, how does a financial-system fail. One of the easiest ways for a financial-system to fail is the unnecessary imposition of an interest-based economy, which wraps people up in unnecessary perpetual debt, this affects both individuals & nations alike-The accumulation of debt will rot any economy, just as dampness will rot wood.

Not that the American economy is doing any better, I mean honestly, the same reason that the Euro has been broken is the same reason that the U.S. economy has been plagued by the threat of collapse. And, the interest-based economy is in fact the main culprit. This is simply because you can only bleed people dry but for so long. Like for example, the whole Real-Estate collapse in the U.S. basically started as a direct result of American homeowners not being able to keep up with mortgage-payments that had tons of interests-rates attached to them.

Millions of Americans were thus forced to foreclose on their own homes because they just couldn’t afford the unjust interest rates imposed upon them from the Banking industry. But, of course, it was the financial institutions are the ones who received the Federal-bailouts, instead of the more deserving U.S. citizens, who were being jerked around & were economically left for dead. Now, let’s head back to Europe.

There are three main reason why in fact the Euro has not lived up to the projected expectations of the European Union:

1. Lack of economic growth, as a result of a weak job-market, as a result of lack of domestic industrial production.

2. The lack of governmental-confidence in European democracy, as a result of notorious political corruption from conservatives & leftists.

3. The European Union being dominated by a handful of powerful European nations, while marginalizing European countries with weaker governments and/or weaker economies, prior to even joining the European Union.

All of these factors, combined, have made the possibility of a utopian European political & economical network unravel right in front of their eyes. The irony is that the warning-signs were crystal-clear, yet no one wanted to take heed to the painfully obvious damage that was being caused by the lack of regulation of the crumbling value of the Euro. Can Democracy & the Euro survive? Well, we’ll just have to see whether the European Union is gonna actually work to strengthen their united governmental ideology & currency, or just pretend like nothing is wrong, and just put their heads in the sand.

#I’m just sayin’!!!

I've been nominated for the 40under40 hosted by Modest Beautiful Muslima Magazine!!!

Modest Beautiful Muslima Magazine is currently nominating Muslims from around the Globe, under the age of forty, whom have been beacons of light & of immense benefit to their respective communities, whether in the capacities of leadership, activism, writing, blogging, community-service, etc. I've been fortunate enough to have been nominee, and would appreciate all of you to nominate me as well. 


To nominate me, please go to the following link:


http://mbmuslima.com/index.html/40-under-40-nomination-form

The mercy of Allah can never be measured by any of us:

My story:

I distinctly remember, a few years ago, as I was still struggling with my own ego & desires to become more religious, more of a true Muslim, I used to party a lot. It's was like I was at every single jump-off-I was just everywhere. I was a well-known party-dude in my day, but this is not about my party-days; but, rather, this is about an event that compled me to quit partying. I used to frequent several dancehalls & clubs, obviously being a Muslim at the time indulging in so many things unbecoming of a Muslim in the first place, there was one party that I had went to, one night, that really changed my life.

It was a bout 1:30am.-The party had just started gettin' live, people were packing themselves into the party spot, and like at any party, people are dancing, drinking, smoking, trying to leave with somebody, to wake up with them the following morning, the usual club life-style. Anyway, I was no different at the time than anyone else who indulged in this life-style. But, this night, things were really different.

This one clown starts a fight with someone, which just comes with the territory of the urban club atmosphere: Dudes from other hoods got beef with one another, either over a bruised ego, gang-affiliation, drug-turf, money, girls, or just random dumb stuff, like the proverbial "he stepped on my sneakers", which, actually happens sadly (all of the above in most cases). Well, I don't know who started the fight & I didn't really care, I was just pissed that people never wanted to jst have a good time, especially Niggas (Yeah.....I said Niggas!!!). So, as the altercation went on, dude pulls out a gun (which by the way is oh so easy to sneak into clubs, still til this very day, it's just what it is).

To make matters worse, people who see the gun start a mad frenzy of a chant, "Gun...Gun...Gun!!!". Now, growing up in the hood, I know for a fact that when someone yells, "Gun", or any word remotely akin to "Gun", it means that 9-10 someone's either gonna get shot at or shot down. So, as Humans we naturally all panic & start trying to use one another as shields, to prevent getting shot at. Then, the dude just starts shooting at the crowd.....

Now, here's where Allah's mercy steps in & saves the day, literally:

.....Now, keep this in-mind: As a Muslim, I wasn't supposed to be there, partying, anyway, or doing any of the other things that occur at these parties. So, here I am, this wanna-be Muslim, doing things prior to my life being in imminent danger that was obviously Islamically prohibited, and now, my back is against the wall, literally, not knowing whether I'm gonna live or die (I really don't know how many of you all out there have been in a similar situation; but, just in case you haven't, let me tell you know: Being shot at is not fun!!!). But what happens next is why I'm even here to write this-The dude who shot at us missed every single shot that he fired, no joke-The guy was less than 5 feet away from the crowd, and even though the lights were off & it's so scary & confusing at the same time, I could see him pointing the gun at all of us, just lettin' off, round by round, by round, and yet, no one got hit.

So, after he emptied, he tried to reload & that's when the crowd decided to rush the guy & get the hell out of dodge before he decides to use as as target practice again. For a long time, I was just astounded as to why I didn't die, or, at the very least, get shot, because I know that I particularly was definitely within his firing range. It really wasn't until I became more religious that I had realized that it really wasn't so much of him not having good aim that saved my life, but it was Allah the One who controls life & death, who decided that it wasn't my time yet & I'm most certainly grateful that he chose to preserve my life even in spite of the fact that I was committing blatant acts of disobedience towards Him, in front of Him.

This experience was one of many necessary happenings, which still stand as definitive signs of Allah's existence, power, and particularly His mercy, because realistically, Allah didn't have to allow me to live on. The things which I've done were so shameful, from an Islamic perspective, that if I were not myself, I would've punish myself for doing those things. But, this is why Allah is who He is & we are who we are. Now obviously, I can't predict how exactly Allah chose to keep me safe, I can take a pretty good guess: I'm guessing that He sent Angels to that particular place, to protect not just me but the whole crowd, even people who were not Muslims were protected. That's even more amazing than me, a disobedient Muslim, still being protected.  I'm guessing that they wrapped there wings around the crowd, basically an angelic bullet-proof vest, stronger than any type of teflon vest out there.

Honestly, it doesn't even matter how Allah chose to save me, or even whom He chose to use to save me, the point is that He did save me, and that's something that I'm always compelled to think & reflect upon, the night when my life could've came to a bitter end.

#I'm just sayin'!!!

My thoughts on a Woman's beauty:

The Canvas & the Painter!!!

The woman is like a canvas, and I am like her painter.

I’ve used my long, brown paintbrush, with its gentle bristles, to paint her entire body.
I’ve longed to give her blank body expression; it is just as though she consumes me.

I’ve drawn ridges up and down her tender spine, similar to the lengthy mountain ranges.
I’ve drawn for her a smile unforgettable, like the radiance of the Sun & without changes.

The woman is like a canvas, and I am like her painter.

She never worries about me making mistakes; I keep her mind at ease.
She is always in awe of my expertise; I always produce a masterpiece.

On her canvas, I have placed lush green valleys, with beautiful lakes, rivers & springs.
Her arms and legs are drawn & painted delicately like an Eagle’s noble, golden wings.

The woman is like a canvas, and I am like her painter.

I have made her skin, as soft as clouds in the Sky; the woman’s canvas is certainly a treasure.
A woman’s grace and beauty is simply priceless; a woman’s value has absolutely no measure.

So, whenever you see a woman, think of a beautiful painting.
She is a perfect display of artistry; she’s just simply amazing.

Gareth Bryant/2011

Our Caves: The Graves!!!

We view death as something so far, and yet, it’s so very near.
It’s not until the Angel of Death comes that we’ve got it clear.
When he comes for our souls, we cannot even use a ruse.
Death is a battle that we are all divinely-destined to loose.

Welcome to your grave, it’s your final resting-place, it’s just like a cage.
Eventually, you’ll go there, no matter your life-stage, no matter your age.

It’s like “Tag”, ready or not, he will come; but, unlike a game, getting caught by him will not be any fun.
The pain that’s in store for you, if your body tries to cling to your soul, is something anyone would shun.
You cannot resist what you can’t control; once he takes hold, he's never letting go.
Only Allah's mercy will determine whether your soul leaves your body fast or slow.

Welcome to your grave, it’s your final resting-place, it’s just like a cage.
Eventually, you’ll go there, no matter your life-stage, no matter your age.

We will all be draped from our heads to our two feet, we will be covered with a three-sheeted clad.
The grave will be deep, dark, hallow and sad, there is no bright beautiful clothes, no satin nor plaid.
We will all eventually cross the other side, housed inside of a narrow cavern of a coffin.
So attached to this material-life are we, refusing to reflect upon this reality far too often.
It will be a cold, tight, dusty place, full of mold, this place is a reality that we all have to learn about.
There’s but one way in & yet no way back out, too late to return to life, you can’t scream or shout.
The Blue & Black Angels will question you.
Shame on you, if your answers not be true.

Welcome to your grave, it’s your final resting-place, it’s just like a cage.
Eventually, you’ll go there, no matter your life-stage, no matter your age.

There will be a day and a time when we’ll all be committed to the ground.
So, worship Allah until you die & make your relationship with Him sound.

Gareth Bryant/2011

Season's Warnings!!!

Author's note:

This is my advice for all of you out there who've been waiting all-year for this holiday shopping season to befall us. Well, it's here; but, I'm here just to give you some insight, to make sure that you don't become just another victim of the industries which feed off of our pockets.

Brand-Names!!!

For some strange reason, we all love to don designer labels, to bear another man’s name.
It could be Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, or Louis Vuitton, wanting to be owned is the same.

We are all victims of our own self-enslavement, to these big-time corporations.
We give them our money without question; we represent consumer generations.

It’s sad how we need allow the names on our clothes to determine our self-worth.

We are only valued as a sale, a fashion serf, tied to the the label of a greedy designer baron.
We place so much importance on brands that do nothing for our communities or children.

These brands project lifestyles that most of their consumers would never be able to afford.
But, the image of wealth & status in our society is appealing; we just want to be on board.

It’s sad how we need allow the names on our clothes to determine our self-worth.

These fashion pariahs only want our money; they need us to stay at a lowly societal rank.
We waste our money on brand names, while these people laugh all the way to the bank.

Their only concern is what they can get out of our pockets; it’s the reality we must know.
Buying these name brands are one of the reasons our communities don’t prosper & grow.

It’s sad how we need allow the names on our clothes to determine our self-worth.

It is high time to take ownership of one’s own self back!!!
Don’t allow these brand names to own you, that’s wack!!!

We must love & dignify ourselves enough not to enslave ourselves to brand names!!!
If this cycle doesn’t end soon, we’ll continue to be senseless, fashion-crazed lames!!!

Gareth Bryant/2010

My thoughts on the Night & Day:

The Sunset!!!

The Day is just about nearly done.
The Sun sinks slowly, in the West.

The Sun is almost gone.
It has to leave, for rest.

The Sky gets darker; the Horizon becomes pink & yellow.
There’s a slight breeze; the atmosphere is quiet & mellow.

The Night begins to chase the Sun far away.
It has shed enough of its light, for one day.

There’s a dark blue tint, stretching & covering the Sky.
The Sun leaves us with its Solar glare, saying goodbye.

The Sunset has arrived, the Sun must give way.
We must endure the departure of our sunny day.

We look on, as we see the Sun being devoured, by the land.
We are helpless, as if we’re watching it sink, into quicksand.

The Darkness has overtaken the Light.
The Day is gone, it is now the Night.

The Sunset reminds us that nothing lasts forever.

Gareth Bryant/2009

The Sunrise!!!

Bright rays of light cut the Sky.
They form shades of pink & blue.

They give chase, to the dark shadow of the Night.
The Sun begins a day that is bright & brand-new.

From the long-stretched Horizon, the Sun’s golden rim emerges high.
As if it were a mighty Tree, it springs rapidly above, from the ground.

Its glow is greater with each moment, as it ascends to the Sky.
The Sun is big & bright; it begins shedding its light all around.

The mood is calm, as the Sky becomes lighter, yet clearer.
The Sun floats in the Sky, just like a leaf floats on a River.

In a Rainforest, the Sun makes the leaves of the Trees greener.
In a Desert, it makes the winds of a Sandstorm a little meaner.

It rises from the East every day, without the slightest hesitation.
It is one of the signs of Allah, made for Human contemplation.

In Nature, the Sun shines on Mountains & Valleys.
In cities, it even shines on street corners & alleys.

The Sunrise is a reminder, that we’ve made it through the Night.

Gareth Bryant/2009

What “Change” has there really been in America?!!!

Since we are approaching the last official year of the 1st. presidential term of Barack Obama, one has to honestly reflect upon how his presidency has affected this country & the world. We cannot just get caught up in the nostalgia of “He’s the first Black President, woo hoo!!!”. We must critically think about what policies that he’s supported & carried out as the Chief Executive of the United States, during his nearly four-year tenure of what could potentially be his only term as the leader of the “Free-World”.

No, it’s not time to break out the worn out Obama hats, shirts, bumper stickers, etc. labelled “Yes, We Can”, or “Change We Can Believe In”. It is truly time for reflection as to whether the U.S. is truly a better country since this man’s been a President. For this reflection, I’ll be taking the liberty of mentioning several happenings throughout the current tenure of this U.S. President & I’ll let you decide has “Change” that this man had promised for this country truly come.

Hate crimes:

Dec. 10th, 2010:

A twenty-seven year old Black man, by the name of Frederick Jermaine Carter, was found hanging to a tree, in Greenwood, Miss. The Obama administration has yet to even acknowledge the event taking place, and there was no mention of a Federal investigation of this case (ironically enough, Greenwood is a mere 10 miles away from Money, Miss., where Emmett Till, a 14-year-old Black youth, was tortured and murdered by racist whites, exactly 50 years after the Emmet Til tragedy)-This case was just swept under the rug, by Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks, along with the county coroner, declaring Carter’s death a “Suicide”, as a result of him having a history of “Mental-Illness”.

Now, for you & I, who possess basic-intelligence, here’s some serious questions for us to sincerely ask ourselves: When is the last time that a legitimately mentally-ill person used a tree to assist them in a “Suicide”?!!! (Never); when is the the last time that Black man used a tree to assist him in a “Suicide”?!!! (Never!!!); also, how is the man going to “hang himself”, when he was found tied/bounded to the actual tree that he “hanged himself” from?!!! (Impossible!!!).

Now, just by virtue of the fact that there’s a Black man in the White House is justification enough to have had this case world-wide news; however, sadly, it was just another important issue that was kept under cover, for fear that people would truly realize that having a Black man as a President doesn’t secure shit for Black people, those who came out in droves to vote for this man, really believing that he was their savior-If a White man, or any group of Non-Black individuals would’ve done the same to one of them, this case would’ve been treated the same exact way, especially if they weren’t of any type of known, significant status in our society.

The economy:

It’s not that the Federal bailouts given to the Wall Street titans were bad enough, but to add insult-to-injury, they’ve grown more wealthy & powerful during the Obama years, thus far-According to a report, by Zachary Goldfarb, of the Washington Post:

• Wall Street firms — independent companies and the securities-trading arms of banks — are doing even better. They earned more in the first 2 1/2 years of the Obama administration than they did during the eight years of the George W. Bush administration, industry data show. [...]

• The largest banks, including Bank of America, Citigroup and Wells Fargo, earned $34 billion in profit in the first half of the year, nearly matching what they earned in the same period in 2007 and more than in the same period of any other year.
• Securities firms — the trading arms of big banks and hundreds of other independent firms — have fared even better. They’ve generated at least $83 billion in profit during the past 2 1/2 years, compared with $77 billion during the entire Bush administration, according to data from the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association.

#Enough said!!!

International relations:

As recent as this year, Anwar Al-Awlaki, a Muslim, as well as a U.S.-citizen, was violently blown to bits, by a CIA-controlled drone-missile attack in Yemen. What still puzzles me, till this very day, is the simple fact that none of the actual charges of “terrorist-activity” against this man was even established, until after he conveniently out of the country, relocated to Yemen, even though he was continually probed by the Feds for at least 5 years before he even left the U.S. to spend the rest of his life in Yemen-Ironically the charges that he had actually gotten arrested for & then released while in the U.S. had absolutely nothing to do with “terrorist-activity”. This is something really difficult to wrap my head around: Anwar Al-Awlaki was accused of being the chief recruitment figure for Al-Qaeda in America, yet you wait until the man leaves the U.S. to go to Yemen to do something about it?!!! What sense does this all make?!!! (None).

He was denied his right as a Human being & a U.S.-citizen to have his day in court/any court, via due-process, even though his historical counterpart, Oliver North, the most corrupt U.S. Military official on record, who aided known terrorist-groups, by supplying them with money gins, in exchanges for drugs to be smuggled into the U.S. during the 1980′s, infamously known as the Iran-Contra Affair, did more than Al-Awlaki was even accused of. Yet, North was eventually acquitted of all 16 counts of Federal felonies thrown at him, received an official Presidential-Pardon, and retired with full rank & pension as a Lt. Colonel of the U.S. Marines (check out my article on www.garethbryant.wordpress.com titled, “If Anwar Al-Awlaki were Oliver North, he’d still be alive & chillin’” for more info. about the Iran-Contra Affair). Then, there’s Somalia, the mythical land of African Al-Qaeda & pirates, even though, unlike the Taliban, Saddam, and Qaddafi, As-Shabab have not been ousted (check out my article on my blog, www.garethbryant.wordpress.com titled, “Somalia [The Anatomy of a Tragedy]” to find out why).

These are just a few of the countless examples of how the mythos of Barack Obama has continually become a political epic-fail, and has been able to keep the American people deaf, dumb & blind. It’s very obvious to me, and should be just as obvious to you all, that Obama being a President, the first Black President, or what ever posthumous title that you’d wish to refer to him by, has not changed any of the business-as-usual policies well-established in this nation.

In short, “Ain’t shit change, except da number after da dot, on da Range (Rover).”

(Notorious B.I.G. voice)

#I’m just sayin’!!!

Pro-Life Vs. Pro-Choice: Where do the Muslims stand?

The issue of Abortion has and will always cause significant controversy among all people, regardless of religious beliefs, political stances, cultural traditions or social affiliations. Whether for or against it, there will always be debates over this topic. This issue has become one of the most debated subjects concerning people around the world, as well as in the United States. It is my attempt to clarify the Islamic position on Abortion. Although, there are many Muslims who may not share my views, I want to make it very clear, based upon sources from the Qur'an & Prophetic-Tradition, in order to prove my point. In order to get a clearer picture of the entire issue, it would only be fair to define Abortion, from the Linguistic/Medical perspective, in order to have a better understanding of the entire process.

Abortion:
The expulsion of the Fetus, from the womb of the Human female. This is usually done surgically, or manually, resulting in the Fetus being physically removed, from the womb of the Human female.1

This is often done, for several of the following reasons:

1. The potential mother-to-be experiences complications during her pregnancy. Thus, causing serious health risks, possibly life-threatening, to the respective mother-to-be.

2. The potential mother-to-be was either a victim of Rape/Incest. Thus, causing her, or her relatives to rid themselves of the reminder of the rape (i.e. ridding themselves of the potential child).

3. The potential mother-to-be may have gotten pregnant, without planning to. She may be afraid of having the responsibility of bring another life into this world, as well as taking care of it.
1. TheFreeDictionary.com, Dictionary.com, Merriam-Webster.com

4. Also, either her family, or her significant-other (husband, boyfriend, lover, etc.) may not want her to have the baby. Thus, placing immense pressure upon her to make a decision, which would be in their personal favor. The parents of this female may think that she is too young to have a child of her own. While her significant other may not want to be a father yet, or ever, or just not with her.
Now, on the surface (as on a Universal level), these are probably all acceptable reasons to abort a child. However, from the Islamic perspective, there are many issues at hand. This is mainly due to the fact that as Muslims, we believe that Allah alone creates life. Knowing this, then how can anyone just take the liberty of taking something out of existence, when they were not even responsible for it coming into existence?2

We all know that in order to take someone, or something out of existence which already exists (such as Humans & Animals), you have to kill it. According to Islamic-Law, killing is an act of Worship. Since killing is an act of worship, then a Human does not have the right to kill whoever or whatever he wants. Whoever or whatever they do kill must be in accordance with the Qur'an & Prophetic-Tradition.3

What I intend to present is whether or not the reasons people have abortions are valid or not, according to Islamic-Law.

Analyzing the reasons for Abortions:

1. In the case of the Fetus causing a health risk, or death to the potential mother-to-be, then there is no harm in having an Abortion. The reasons are very simple: according to Islamic-Law, self-preservation is valid. In a situation of this nature, it becomes crucial that the potential mother preserve her own life, since she is already alive. As for the Fetus, then there is no sin on the woman, or those who advise her under these circumstances, to eliminate it.
2. Noble Qur'an: Chpts. 17, V. 33 & 60, V. 12; Tafsir-ul-Jalalayn, Safiyy-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakfury
3. Noble Qur'an: Chpt. 6, V. 151; Ibid.

2. In the case of Rape/Incest, then the Fetus should most definitely be spared. Why should the Fetus be eliminated, because its potential mother was a victim of Rape/Incest? It is not the fault of the potential child-to-be, that it was conceived under this condition. If anything, the potential child is just as much of a victim as the potential mother. Every Human has the right to live, even before they are born.
4 Rather, it was the fault of the sick bastard who committed the Rape/Incest. Realistically, if anyone is to be killed, it should be the one who committed the Rape/Incest. After all, it was they who deliberately decided to dehumanize someone, by robbing them of their sexual-integrity.
Also, less than 10% of all women, around the world, who get Abortions are in fact Rape/Incest victims. In the U.S., it's even lower.....less than 5% of all women, who get Abortions are in fact Rape/Incest victims. Now, they want the quick-fix, the Abortion. This basically sends a message to your child that: "As long as I don't get pregnant/get someone pregnant, I can screw whoever the hell I want....yessss!!!" They are now programmed to use the following rationale: In order to avoid the responsibility of caring & providing for another Human (which I helped to produce), the ultimate way-out is going to a Doctor and solicit their Medical expertise, in murdering your unborn child.

3. In the case of an unwanted pregnancy, it should also be kept. Why should a child have its existence snuffed out, just because its mother & father didn't want it? The whole reason why guys & girls have to deal with unwanted pregnancies is because of their own foolish choices. So, basically, a male & female can have sexual-intercourse all they want. But, when a baby is on the way, then they are just given the liberty to get rid of the their child, like some worn-out clothing?
This is so wrong!!! Then, you have these parents, who don't really care about how many times their children have sex, who their having sex with, whether or not they are practicing safe-sex, abstinence or getting married (Marriage of course being the best possible option).5

The youth have basically been given a free-hand, to act exclusively upon carnal impulse, instead of their parents or communities cultivating them with values & morals/ethics. All until someone gets pregnant. Only then, are these types of parents on the war-path, wanting retribution. It's too late for all of that now!!! You should have been better parents!!!

My closing remarks would just be this, any Muslim or Non-Muslim, who reads this must really ask themselves: "After learning all of this, would or should I still support Abortion?" That is all that I leave with you, to think about. If nothing else, just think of yourselves. How would it make you feel, if you were that unborn child, who was denied their right to live? How would you feel, if your parents saw you as just a nuisance, or just some piece of garbage, ready to be trashed? How would it make you feel, if your parents disregarded you, to such an extent, that they were willing to kill you, just so they would not have to care for you? If you really just think about that, it's really messed up.

Anyone who reads this, should know very well how precious life is, and it should not just be wasted. Just because an unwanted pregnancy occurs, does not give any of us the right to erase that person from existence. I know that it's easy for me to be against Abortion, because I'm a guy. But, just try to think about the unborn child who is suffering. Keep in mind that Abortion inherently is a very inhumane & brutal procedure to begin with.

Even in the case of Incest or Rape, realistically, the one who was sexually violated is not going to feel any better about herself, just because she had an Abortion. The Abortion itself is not a fair compensation, for the fact that she was robbed of her dignity. Honestly, that's not even justice. The sexual offender does at the very most ten years, and he is free, to live the rest of his life. However, the victim is forever emotionally & psychologically wounded. These wounds never heal sometimes. My point is to take the children, who are also victims, into strong consideration. Abortion is not reversible!!! When the damage is already done, it's too to change one's mind.
4. Ibid
5.WHO.int

#I'm just sayin'!!!