Faiz Ahmed's Personal Blog

Faiz Ahmed Oakland University Food: A Power Struggle The current global economic system is fragile, threating a most basic need: food. Eric Holt Gimenez, author of ‘From Food Crisis to Food Sovereignty’ mentions that in the summer of 2008, there was massive starvation and hunger world over, despite “record harvests and record profits for the world’s major agro-food corporations.” He cites World Bank records of price hikes in food which amounted to “83%” over a period of “three years” and according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN, food price hikes amounted to “45%” in just over a period of nine months. The author mentions that this caused riots. “Protests in Mexico, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Indonesia, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Yemen, Egypt, Haiti and twenty other countries were sparked by skyrocketing food prices.” The author also mentions that according to the FAO, “There was more than enough food in the word to feed everyone in 2008 – at least 1.5 time

Meat from large factory line food industries must be avoided. First, large corporations destroy the way of life for the rural farming communities, by running small family farming businesses into the ground because they can afford to sell meat at a lower price. Second, the meat that they do provide is associated with many health problems. Third, the industrial farming method is energy intensive and contributes in a large way to the contamination and pollution of our environment in ways that organic and natural farming does not. Fourth, employees suffer health risks because of the factory system and the fumes, usually are underpaid and do not have benefits. Fifth, the animals themselves are treated in very unethical ways. The meat that consumers get looks good but is in antagonism to their needs, ethics, health and the environment. Meat that is accessible in the supermarkets or restaurants should be avoided at all cost, rather the meat that we must consume should be purchased from local

By Faiz Ahmed Oakland University Rarely, has the world ever seen so many world changing and tumultuous events taking place in such a short period of time. From the start of the year 2011 the world has seen massive revolutions and protests across the globe especially in the Arab world however not limited to it. Europe has had its own protests’, USA has had its protests, nuclear disasters and earthquakes in Japan, tornadoes in USA. This leads me to think, that we are living in monumental times when wars, revolutions, poverty and destitution and natural disasters are all coming about at the same time. All these are culminating at the same time. Is this all by chance or is the world, in its political, economic and in its cosmic and ultra cosmic realities shifting? Is the world reaching the climax of this era? Last month, the USA, went into Pakistan and supposedly killed Osama Bin Laden, its arch nemesis. In the eyes of the Pakistani people, the USA invaded Pakistan, killed an o

By Faiz Ahmed The question was posed to me about whether advertising is a positive activity in relation to society or whether it is a negative one. There are two types of advertisements, informative advertisements and commercial advertisements. Informative advertisements are just that – informative. Informative advertisements are used to inform us about health issues, political issues, social issues, religious issues etc. Commercial advertisements on the other hand, are used to inform people about goods and products in the market. There is nothing wrong with that, however when advertisements start effecting the consumption patterns of people, wherein people become so attached to acquiring material possessions that the rest of the world suffers, then advertising in indeed a danger to society. Materialism, through advertising and marketing has created some of the most dangerous problems for the world as a whole. Materialism has created the problems of global warming and global poverty an

Faiz Ahmed ---“The domestic anti-communist crusade of the 1940s and 1950s was essential during a time of great peril. American communists posed a legitimate threat to national security and the American way of life. Indeed, many American communists were spies and traitors. Although it is possible that some innocent people suffered, that was a relatively small and necessary price to pay to defend American freedoms. Those who fought communism at home deserve our nation’s highest praise”---- McCarthyism was a phenomenon in the history of the United States at the time of the Cold War, when elected officials used extremely exaggerated fear mongering tactics to marginalize Socialists, Communists, Leftists and even Liberals. Many patriotic Leftist, centrist and even conservative people suffered because of the actions of a few members of the communist party. McCarthyism brought about a lot of repression and many of the constitutional rights of people were trampled upon. Senator Joe McCa

By Faiz Ahmed Oakland University Orange County, California recently was the scene of a really ghastly, disgusting and repugnant hate rally, with self proclaiming “patriotic” citizens yelling obscenities at women and children. The rally was held as a protest outside a community center where ICNA was holding a fundraising dinner for a women’s shelter and services for the homeless. There were many political leaders on the scene as well who were encouraging the mob. Republican Councilwoman Deborah Pauly showed her ugly side, by threatening Muslim families, children, organizations and leaders. This is what Deborah Pauly; the Republican Councilwoman came down to; encouraging a probably drunk mob who were shouting obscenities at children by telling the mob that her “wonderful 19 year old son who is a marine” would “help these terrorists (Muslim families and Muslim children) to an early meeting in paradise.” I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out she was frothing at t

By Faiz Ahmed Oakland University   The life of Malcolm X is an example of sincerity and devotion. Malcolm X is an example of change, an example of rehabilitation, an example of broadmindedness and fluidity of thought and an example of courage and bravery. He lived for the cause to which he was devoted and he died for that same cause. The life story of Malcolm X is one that can bring anyone to love this great man. Malcolm X was born to Earl Little who was a Baptist preacher who taught African Americans to respect themselves. He was a follower of the militant Pan Africanist, Marcus Garvey. Earl Little was assassinated by the Ku Klux Klan because of his unrelenting preaching and the family was later targeted by government agencies which locked up the mother in an insane asylum and parted the children out for adoption. American society at that time was unrelentingly and openly racist. African Americans were denied decent housing, education, jobs and were forced to live in