usa - The Chronikler

March 1989 demonstration against The Satanic Verses in the Hague.

Khaled Diab September 30, 2022October 21, 2022 1 Comment atheism, edward said, fatwa, freedom of expression, india, islam, khomeini, multiculturalism, racism, satanic verses, uk, usa

The misinterpretation of Salman Rushdie and The Satanic Verses

Decades after the release of The Satanic Verses and the calls for his death which followed it, Salman Rushdie remains one of the most wildly and widely misunderstood contemporary writers in the English language.

The tragic consequences of Gaza’s endless catch-22s

Israel will not lift its blockade of Gaza until Hamas is removed from power, but Hamas will not fall so long as there is a blockade. This is just one of the many tragic, circular paradoxes in which Gaza is entrapped.

How not to fight extremism in America

A sudden lurch from ignoring or underplaying the threat of right-wing extremism in America to treating white crusaders like jihadis and QAnon like al-Qaeda will set off the insurgency timebomb rather than defuse it.

The heroes fighting online hate speech

Donald Trump’s latest impeachment throws a spotlight on the politics of grievance, the role of social media and the dangers of online hate speech spilling over into real life. Fortunately, the pushback has started.

Billionaires and the welfare of nations

The super rich are leaving only the scraps for everyone else to fight over, which is fuelling a mounting wave of intolerance as minorities and migrants are scapegoated for falling wellbeing. For the welfare of all, we must end these stark wealth inequalities before it leads to unmanageable social unrest.

Arab exiles: Fleeing nightmares or chasing dreams

When Arab revolutionary dreams turn into anti-revolutionary nightmares, the fortunate ones find safety abroad. But with exile comes unprocessed trauma, guilt, fear and painful yearnings for home.

The truly dangerous homegrown extremists in Europe and America

Despite the hype about Islamists and jihadis, the truly terrifying threat for the democratic future of Europe and America are far-right extremists, who are becoming both increasingly mainstream and violent.

Mohamed Morsi’s ghost will haunt Egypt for a long time

The death in court of Mohamed Morsi completed the incarcerated former Egyptian president’s unlikely metamorphosis from mediocre mundanity to mythical martyr whose political ghost will haunt Egypt, the Middle East and the West for years.

The shocking similarities between white supremacists and Islamist extremists

Despite their conviction that they are polar opposites, white supremacists and Islamist extremists share much in common, including a hatred for minorities and the enemies within, a persecution complex, and nostalgia for past glories.

Ending America’s arms race with… America

America’s addiction to weapons is destructive abroad and at home. Time to end this devastating arms race.

Enjoyed your visit? Please spread the word