A conversation with Rev. Romal Tune, founder of the non-profit group Faith for Change, about the religious response to the not-guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman; the rapidly growing number of Hispanic Protestants; and the mixed-success and controversy over the British government’s strategy to address homegrown Islamic extremism.
Author Archives: Fred Yi
Religious Reaction to Zimmerman Verdict
There were demonstrations all across the country in reaction to the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, which has prompted a national discussion about race, violence, and justice. Watch our discussion about the religious community’s reaction with managing editor Kim Lawton and Rev. Romal Tune, founder of the non-profit group Faith for Change and author of God’s Graffiti: Inspiring Stories for Teens.
Combating Muslim Extremism in Britain
In the wake of terrorist bombings by British-born Islamic extremists in 2005, the British government set up an initiative called Prevent to engage with the Muslim community and to intervene before a person became radicalized. But many British Muslims feel that the policy amounts to religious profiling, and others have criticized Prevent for being misguided and ineffective.
Egypt’s Turmoil, Bloodless Surgery, Kahlil Gibran
A conversation about the ongoing unrest in Egypt; bloodless surgeries for those with religious objections to blood transfusions; and the legacy of one of the best-selling poets of all time, Kahlil Gibran.
Egypt’s Turmoil
“I think Egyptians just rose up and said we don’t like the direction Egypt is going in. It’s not because we don’t love Muslims – most of us are Muslims – but we don’t like the idea of an Islamist Egypt,” says Kate Seelye, senior vice president of the non-partisan Middle East Institute. Watch our discussion with her about the ongoing unrest in Egypt in the wake of Mohamed Morsi’s removal from office.
Bloodless Surgery
It began as a way to allow Jehovah’s Witnesses and others with religious prohibitions on blood transfusions to undergo surgeries. But at some hospitals, bloodless surgeries are now the preferred method for all patients. “If there’s any way to avoid getting a blood transfusion, one is better off in general if they can avoid it,” says Dr. Abe Steinberger, a neurosurgeon at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey.
Kahlil Gibran’s Legacy
He is one of the best-selling poets of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism. Gibran’s book “The Prophet,” first published in 1923, has sold over 100 million copies and has been translated into over 40 languages. “He helped present an appealing mystical idea of the wisdom of the East. He was someone who helped humanize and popularize Eastern thought,” says literary critic Liesl Schillinger.
Bangladesh Worker Justice, Muslim Community Building, Heartbeat
Correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro reports from Dhaka in Bangladesh on garment workers’ rights in the wake of a deadly factory collapse in April; Lucky Severson visits the Inner City Muslim Action Network on Chicago’s South Side where a health clinic, youth services, and interfaith engagement help fulfill its social justice mission; and we interview members of Heartbeat, a band of young Israeli and Palestinian musicians who believe music can transform conflict.
Bangladesh Worker Justice
“Only a couple of months ago, if you asked a garment industry owner what do you think of a union, they will say no, no unions,” says Fazle Abed of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee. “But now many of them are saying yes, maybe the union is something we have to accept.”
Muslim Community Building in Chicago
“Do I believe there’s a problem with some sectors of the community that are vulnerable and susceptible to violence? Absolutely. I wouldn’t deny that…The largest antidote, cure if you will, to any concern about radicalization and violence associated with it is meaningful, critical engagement.”
