Join MultiplyOpen a Free ShopSign InHelp
MultiplyLogo
SEARCH

erfin syafrizal

HomeWelcomeOct 16, 2006
Assalamu'alaikum wr.wb.. Salam Sejahtera. Senang sekali atas kunjungan anda diblog saya ini semoga bermanfaat bagi kita semua.


Visitor Map
Create your own visitor map!



INDOVITA

http://indovita.multiply.com

http://indonetwork.co.id/indovita


ASSALAMUALAIKUM WR.WB. SALAM SEJAHTERA.

INDOVITA BERGERAK PADA BIDANG INTERIOR DAN EKSTERIOR.
PRODUK : KASA NYAMUK MAGNET, PINTU PANEL DARI KAYU MERANTI, RANGKA ATAP BAJA RINGAN, PLAFOND / LIST GYPSUM,KUBAH MASJID,GRANITO, KUSEN ALM/KACA, FOLDING GATE, PINTU PVC, KACA PATRI, KITCHEN SET, VERTICAL/HORIZONTAL BLINDS, WOODDEN BLINDS, KACA ES MOTIF, STAINLESS STEEL / BESI (TANGGA,PAGAR,TRALIS,CANOPY), FOLDING / ROLLING DOOR, ROLLING GRILLE, SHOWER SCREEN, MARMER GRANIT,CAT PILAR MOTIF MARMER DLL

Hub : ERFIN SYAFRIZAL, SE.

Hp 0812 56 1617 20 Ph 0251 4777182

Office : JL DAMAI NO 15 RT 01 / RW 01 CILUBANG LEBAK KEL SETU GEDE BOGOR BARAT JAWA BARAT INDONESIA

Web :www.indovita.multiply.com

E mail. erfin234@yahoo.com
**********************************

MEMBELI PRODUK KAMI BERARTI ANDA TELAH MENYUMBANG 2,5 % DARI KEUNTUNGAN UNTUK FAKIR MISKIN DAN ANAK YATIM
View Profile

Blog EntryJan 29, '12 4:02 PM
for everyone
Finally Vatican Admits Being Muslim World’s Largest Religion
Friday, 30/12/2011 16:13 pm | Archives | Print
Vatican City, headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, finally admitted that Islam has now become the largest religion in the world.
“For the first time in history, we are no longer on the top: Muslims have overtaken us,” Monsignor Vittorio Formenti said in an interview with the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano.
After a long wait finally the Vatican formally acknowledge that Islam is the religion most prevalent in the world, and through more than three million Christians around the world for nearly a year ago, and became the religion shared by many citizens of the west according to the Vatican statement, because the number of Muslims in the world has surpassed the 1.3 billion people.
The Vatican noted the overwhelming demand by the citizens of Western Christianity and Judaism and other religions and other beliefs to convert to Islam in recent years, despite the negative campaign against Islam masiv done, and a large amount of money spent to preach Christianity. (FQ / iqra)
0 comments

NoteMay 12, '11 12:11 AM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteApr 24, '11 11:01 PM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteMemoar ElBaradei: Bush Pantas Diseret ke Pengadilan Internasional http://bit.ly/f1WtAgApr 24, '11 10:46 PM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteElBaradei suggests war crimes probe of Bush team AP By CHARLES J. HANLEY, AP Special Correspondent – Fri Apr 22, 3:25 pm ET NEW YORK – Former chief U.N. nuclear inspector Mohamed ElBaradei suggests in a new memoir that Bush administration officials should face international criminal investigation for the "shame of a needless war" in Iraq. Freer to speak now than he was as an international civil servant, the Nobel-winning Egyptian accuses U.S. leaders of "grotesque distortion" in the run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, when then-President George W. Bush and his lieutenants claimed Iraq possessed doomsday weapons despite contrary evidence collected by ElBaradei's and other arms inspectors inside the country. The Iraq war taught him that "deliberate deception was not limited to small countries ruled by ruthless dictators," ElBaradei writes in "The Age of Deception," being published Tuesday by Henry Holt and Company. The 68-year-old legal scholar, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) from 1997 to 2009 and recently a rallying figure in Egypt's revolution, concludes his 321-page account of two decades of "tedious, wrenching" nuclear diplomacy with a plea for more of it, particularly in the efforts to rein in North Korean and Iranian nuclear ambitions. "All parties must come to the negotiating table," writes ElBaradei, who won the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with the IAEA in 2005. He repeatedly chides Washington for reluctant or hardline approaches to negotiations with Tehran and Pyongyang. He is harshest in addressing the Bush administration's 2002-2003 drive for war with Iraq, when ElBaradei and Hans Blix led teams of U.N. inspectors looking for signs Saddam Hussein's government had revived nuclear, chemical or biological weapons programs. He tells of an October 2002 meeting he and Blix had with Secretary of State Colin Powell, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice and others, at which the Americans sought to convert the U.N. mission into a "cover for what would be, in essence, a United States-directed inspection process." The U.N. officials resisted, and their teams went on to conduct some 700 inspections of scores of potential weapons sites in Iraq, finding no evidence to support the U.S. claims of weapons of mass destruction. In his own memoir, published last November, Bush still insisted it was right to invade to remove a "homicidal dictator pursuing WMD." But the ex-president also wrote of a "sickening feeling" when no arms turned up after the invasion, and blamed an "intelligence failure" for the baseless claim, a reference to a 2002 U.S. intelligence assessment contending WMD were being built. But that assessment itself offered no concrete evidence, and Bush and his aides have never explained why the U.S. position was not changed as on-the-ground U.N. findings came in before the invasion. ElBaradei cites examples, including the conclusion by his inspectors inside Iraq that certain aluminum tubes were designed for artillery rockets, not for uranium enrichment equipment to build nuclear bombs, as Washington asserted. The IAEA chief reported this conclusion to the U.N. Security Council on Jan. 27, 2003, and yet on the next day Bush — in a "remarkable" response — delivered a State of the Union address in which he repeated the unfounded claim about aluminum tubes, ElBaradei notes. Similar contradictions of expert findings occurred with the claim, based on a forgery, that Iraq had sought uranium from Niger, and an Iraqi exile's fabrication that "mobile labs" were producing biological weapons. "I was aghast at what I was witnessing," ElBaradei writes of the official U.S. attitude before the March 2003 invasion, which he calls "aggression where there was no imminent threat," a war in which he accepts estimates that hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians were killed. In such a case, he suggests, the World Court should be asked to rule on whether the war was illegal. And, if so, "should not the International Criminal Court investigate whether this constitutes a `war crime' and determine who is accountable?" Formidable political and legal barriers would seem to rule out such an investigation. But ElBaradei, citing the war-crimes prosecution of Serbia's Slobodan Milosevic, sees double standards that should end. "Do we, as a community of nations, have the wisdom and courage to take the corrective measures needed, to ensure that such a tragedy will never happen again?" he asks. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110422/ap_on_re_us/us_elbaradei_memoirApr 24, '11 10:39 PM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteGrup Islam http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_111353462268765Apr 24, '11 10:30 PM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteTokoh Intelektual Israel Sahkan Negara Palestina http://bit.ly/e9oWzKApr 22, '11 2:43 AM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteIngin menjadi agen marketing media online IKLAN789 ?, daftar disini http://bit.ly/hezNwhApr 22, '11 1:41 AM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteCara mengetahui spesifikasi hardware komputer http://bit.ly/gkqxNLApr 22, '11 1:41 AM
for everyone
0 comments

Blog EntryApr 20, '11 10:01 PM
for everyone
Originally, Myriam Francois Cerrah Learning Koran to Attack Her friend Opinions 

Wednesday, April 20, 2011 13:14 pm

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON - For Myriam Francois Cerrah, the Qur'an is the culmination of philosophical contemplation.Qur'an are later delivered it on Islam.Oxford University graduate student of Middle Eastern politics is embraced Islam in 2003 at age 21.
In fact, the philosophy graduate of Cambridge University graduate is starting to open the Koran to "angry".He discussed about the Lord with college friends.The friend, using the argument of the divinity as that which is stipulated in the concept of Islam."I studied it as part of an effort to prove my friend's opinion that a Muslim is wrong," he said.
Then he began reading with a more open mind.The opening of Al-Fatiha, with the address for all mankind, mencengangkannya."In Islam, all human actions, he alone will bear the consequences. That is the importance he took the straight path, the path of God," he said.
In a world governed by relativism, he says, then there are only two guidelines: a moral objective and the foundation of morality."As someone who always has an interest in philosophy, the Koran feels like the culmination of all my philosophical musings. This combined Kant, Hume, Sartre and Aristotle. Somehow managed to answer the deep philosophical questions posed during the centuries of human existence andanswer one of the most fundamental, "why are we here?" he said.
About the Prophet Muhammad, Cerrah recognize him as a man who was tasked with an important mission, like his predecessors, Moses, Jesus and Abraham.
The longer he studied the Koran, the greater the desire to embrace Islam.Original purpose, to argue his argument, turned into a confession, "You're right about your religion!"
Not wanting to waste time, he immediately bersyahadat."Some of my closest friends do their best to support me and understand my decision. I remain very close to some of my childhood friends and through them I recognize the universality of the Divine message, that the values ​​of God shines through good deeds of man, Muslim or not,"he said.
He said the conversion of his faith not as a "reaction" of, or opposition to Western culture."On the contrary, it is a validation of what I always think," he said, while criticizing some of the mosques in Britain are to close the door dialogue about the divinity and too dogmatic."Note: rules and protocol that they a lot of confusing and even stressful."

 I did not immediately identify with the Muslim community.I find many things strange and confusing a lot of attitude.Attention is given to the outside top to the continued problem I was.
According to him, is the duty of Muslims to make Islam appear not as a foreign religion.And now, he becomes a part of Tutut carry out the task."Being a Muslim, does not mean we lost all trace of ourselves. Islam is a validation of good in us and means to improve the bad," he said.Editorial: Siwi Tri Puji BSource: Emelhttp://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/mualaf/11/04/20/ljxtbf-semula-myriam-francois-cerrah-belajar-alquran-untuk-serang-pendapat-temannya
0 comments

NoteNapolean Bonaparte as Quoted in Christian Cherfils, ‘Bonaparte et Islam,’ Pedone Ed., Paris, France, 1914, pp. 105, 125. Original References: "Correspondance de Napoléon Ier Tome V pièce n° 4287 du 17/07/1799..." "Moses has revealed the existence of God to his nation. Jesus Christ to the Roman world, Muhammad to the old continent... "Arabia was idolatrous when, six centuries after Jesus, Muhammad introduced the worship of the God of Abraham, of Ishmael, of Moses, and Jesus. The Ariyans and some other sects had disturbed the tranquility of the east by agitating the question of the nature of the Father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad declared that there was none but one God who had no father, no son and that the trinity imported the idea of idolatry... "I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based on the principles of Qur'an which alone are true and which alone can lead men to happiness." Sir George Bernard Shaw in 'The Genuine Islam,' Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936. "If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam." "I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Savior of Humanity." "I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today." Bertrand Russel in ‘History of Western Philosophy,’ London, 1948, p. 419. "Our use of phrase 'The Dark ages' to cover the period from 699 to 1,000 marks our undue concentration on Western Europe... "From India to Spain, the brilliant civilization of Islam flourished. What was lost to christendom at this time was not lost to civilization, but quite the contrary... "To us it seems that West-European civilization is civilization, but this is a narrow view." H.G. Wells "The Islamic teachings have left great traditions for equitable and gentle dealings and behavior, and inspire people with nobility and tolerance. These are human teachings of the highest order and at the same time practicable. These teachings brought into existence a society in which hard-heartedness and collective oppression and injustice were the least as compared with all other societies preceding it....Islam is replete with gentleness, courtesy, and fraternity." Dr. William Draper in 'History of Intellectual Development of Europe' "During the period of the Caliphs the learned men of the Christians and the Jews were not only held in great esteem but were appointed to posts of great responsibility, and were promoted to the high ranking job in the government....He (Caliph Haroon Rasheed) never considered to which country a learned person belonged nor his faith and belief, but only his excellence in the field of learning." Thomas Carlyle in ‘Heroes, Hero Worship, and the Heroic in History,’ Lecture 2, Friday, 8th May 1840. "As there is no danger of our becoming, any of us, Mahometans (i.e. Muslim), I mean to say all the good of him I justly can... "When Pococke inquired of Grotius, where the proof was of that story of the pigeon, trained to pick peas from Mahomet's (Muhammad's) ear, and pass for an angel dictating to him? Grotius answered that there was no proof!... "A poor, hard-toiling, ill-provided man; careless of what vulgar men toil for. Not a bad man, I should say; Something better in him than hunger of any sort, -- or these wild arab men, fighting and jostling three-and-twenty years at his hand, in close contact with him always, would not revered him so! They were wild men bursting ever and anon into quarrel, into all kinds of fierce sincerity; without right worth and manhood, no man could have commanded them. They called him prophet you say? Why he stood there face to face with them; bare, not enshrined in any mystry; visibly clouting his own cloak, cobbling his own shoes; fighting, counselling, ordering in the midst of them: they must have seen what kind of man he was, let him be called what you like! No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of his own clouting. During three-and-twenty years of rough actual trial. I find something of a veritable Hero necessary for that, of itself... "These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century, - is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark, on a world of what proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada! I said, the Great man was always as lightning out of Heaven; the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then they too would flame..." Phillip Hitti in 'Short History of the Arabs.' "During all the first part of the Middle Ages, no other people made as important a contribution to human progress as did the Arabs, if we take this term to mean all those whose mother-tongue was Arabic, and not merely those living in the Arabian peninsula. For centuries, Arabic was the language of learning, culture and intellectual progress for the whole of the civilized world with the exception of the Far East. From the IXth to the XIIth century there were more philosophical, medical, historical, religiuos, astronomical and geographical works written in Arabic than in any other human tongue." Carra de Vaux in 'The Philosophers of Islam,' Paris, 1921. "Finally how can one forget that at the same time the Mogul Empire of India (1526-1857 C.E.) was giving the world the Taj Mahal (completed in 1648 C.E.) the architectural beauty of which has never been surpassed, and the ‘Akbar Nameh’ of Abul Fazl: "That extraordinary work full of life ideas and learning where every aspect of life is examined listed and classified, and where progress continually dazzles the eye, is a document of which Oriental civilization may justly be proud. The men whose genius finds its expression in this book were far in advance of their age in the practical art of government, and they were perhaps in advance of it in their speculations about religious philosophy. Those poets those philosophers knew how to deal with the world or matter. They observe, classify, calculate and experiment. All the ideas that occur to them are tested against facts. They express them with eloquence but they also support them with statistics."...the principles of tolerance, justice and humanity which prevailed during the long reign of Akbar." Marcel Clerget in 'La Turquie, Passe et Present,' Paris, 1938. "Many proofs of high cultural level of the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent are to be found in the development of science and law; in the flowering of literary works in Arabic, Persian and Turkish; in the contemporary monuments in Istanbul, Bursa, and Edirne; in the boom in luxury industries; in the sumptuous life of the court and high dignitaries, and last but not least in its religious tolerance. All the various influences - notably Turkish, Byzantine and Italian mingle together and help to make this the most brilliant epoch of the Ottomans." Michael the Elder (Great) as Quoted in 'Michael the Elder, Chronique de Michael Syrien, Patriarche Jacobite d’ Antioche,' J.B. Chabot, Editor, Vol. II, Paris, 1901. "This is why the God of vengeance, who alone is all-powerful, and changes the empire of mortals as He will, giving it to whomsoever He will, and uplifting the humble beholding the wickedness of the Romans who throughout their dominions, cruelly plundered our churches and our monasteries and condemned us without pity, brought from the region of the south the sons of Ishmael, to deliver us through them from the hands of the Romans. And if in truth we have suffered some loss, because the Catholic churches, that had been taken away from us and given to the Chalcedonians, remained in their possession; for when the cities submitted to the Arabs, they assigned to each denomination the churches which they found it to be in possession of (and at that time the great churches of Emessa and that of Harran had been taken away from us); nevertheless it was no slight advantage for us to be delivered from the cruelty of the Romans, their wickedness, their wrath and cruel zeal against us, and to find ourselves at people. (Michael the Elder, Jacobite Patriarch of Antioch wrote this text in the latter part of the twelfth century, after five centuries of Muslim rule in that region. Click here for a relevant document sent to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai, 628 C.E.) Sir John Bagot Glubb “Khalif (Caliph) Al-Ma'mun's period of rule (813 - 833 C.E.) may be considered the 'golden age' of science and learning. He had always been devoted to books and to learned pursuits. His brilliant mind was interested in every form of intellectual activity. Not only poetry but also philosophy, theology, astronomy, medicine and law all occupied his time.” “By Mamun's time medical schools were extremely active in Baghdad. The first free public hospital was opened in Baghdad during the Caliphate of Haroon-ar-Rashid. As the system developed, physicians and surgeons were appointed who gave lectures to medical students and issued diplomas to those who were considered qualified to practice. The first hospital in Egypt was opened in 872 AD and thereafter public hospitals sprang up all over the empire from Spain and the Maghrib to Persia.” On the Holocaust of Baghdad (1258 C.E.) Perpetrated by Hulagu: “The city was systematically looted, destroyed and burnt. Eight hundred thousand persons are said to have been killed. The Khalif Mustasim was sewn up in a sack and trampled to death under the feet of Mongol horses. “For five hundred years, Baghdad had been a city of palaces, mosques, libraries and colleges. Its universities and hospitals were the most up-to-date in the world. Nothing now remained but heaps of rubble and a stench of decaying human flesh.” http://www.cyberistan.org/islamic/quote2.htmlApr 20, '11 7:16 AM
for everyone
0 comments

Blog EntryApr 19, '11 4:04 PM
for everyone
Bilal Philips, a former "Guitar Gods" who Creating Thousands of U.S. Soldiers Embrace Islam

Thursday, 14/04/2011 11:08 pm | email | print
The name of Bilal Philips is becoming the talking point among Danish parliament and politicians, Muslim scholars related to the plan was coming to Denmark to be a speaker at the conference youth organization held in Denmark's Muslim community.
Several MPs and politicians in the country feel uneasy with the plan because it considers the arrival of Philips Philips is a hard-line Muslim leaders.Country United Kingdom and Australia, was banned Philips entered the second country, because of religious lectures by Philips which was considered inciting people to violence.
Philips in one of his lecture video recordings also once said that AIDS is divine punishment for the homosexuals, and he proposes death penalty for homosexuals.In another videotape, Philips defended suicide, and called a suicide attack as a legitimate weapon of war.
Who was Bilal Philips with a doctorate is and what his background so he was labeled as a hardliner Muslim scholars by Western countries?
Former "god" Guitar
Philips or full journey Doctor Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips to become a Muslim scholar who was well respected at this time, it was very interesting.Men born in Jamaica and grew up in Canada, was a convert to Islam and before he became a Muslim, he works as a musician, or rather a professional guitarist.
"When I lecture at Simon Frasier University in Vancouver, Canada, I play guitar in musical performances at night clubs. When I lived in Malaysia, I was performing on stage-the stage known as Jimmy Hendrix and his Sabah in East Malaysia,"Philips said the Gulf Today.
"But once I became a Muslim, I do not feel comfortable doing it all, and I decided to stop playing music personally and professionally," he continued.
Philips decided to convert to Islam in 1972.Islam entered the process was fairly short, just six months after reading Islamic books and discussions about Islam.
A year after saying two sentences creed, Philips register with the department of Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Medina, Saudi Arabia.
"I want to learn Islam from classical sources, and not take away from cultural practices," said Philips.
He then continued his education at the University of Riyadh.While completing courses for his MA degree, Philips is set up and host the "Why Islam" in Saudi television station, Channel Two.The event was a program of interviews with new Muslims from various backgrounds, to determine why they chose to convert to Islam.
He also conducts research and poured it in his books, among others, entitled "Polygamy in Islam" and "Fundamentals of Islamic Monotheism."
Islamize U.S. Army
Having earned his MA degree, Phillips worked in the department of religion Air Force headquarters in Riyadh Saudi Arabia.When it is broken "Gulf War" and his job was to teach about Islam on U.S. forces in their military bases in Bahrain and in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
"Because so distorted picture of Islam in the U.S., I and five other Americans, after the Gulf War, for five and a half months involved in the project to eliminate doubts about the Islamic religion in about half a million U.S. troops in the Gulf region. As a result, more than3000 U.S. troops who eventually converted to Islam, "said Philips.
He then went to the U.S. to help provide spiritual guidance for the new soldiers who converted to Islam.With the aid organization "Muslim Members of the Miltary (MMM)", Philips held various conferences and activities that succeeded in urging the U.S. military to build a mosque facilities around military bases.The U.S. government is also obliged to ask the Muslim community of scholars who propose candidates will be spiritual pembimbin for a Muslim soldier in the U.S. military.
"Some Gulf War soldiers who converted to Islam, went to Bosnia to provide training to the people of Bosnia and join to fight with them against the cruelty of the Serbs," said Philips.
Establishing the Islamic Information Center
After living in the U.S., Philips moved to the Philippines and give lectures at various places in Mindanao.He emphasized the importance of Islamic education system for Muslims in every lecture and lecture, thus encouraging the establishment of Islamic-based University in Cotobato City.At this university, he opened the department of Islamic studies to the level to get an MA and prepare teachers in the Islamic-oriented.
In 1994, Philips immigration to the United Arab Emirates at the invitation of Sheikh Salim Al-Qasimi and join charity Dar Al Ber in Dubai.Philips also established the Islamic Information Center is now known as the "Discover Islam" in Karama.Center for information made to rectify the wrong views about Islam.He is aided by new Muslims from various countries such as Uthma Barry Irish origin Abalos Philippines Ahmed and Abdul Latif from Kerala, in managing the information center.
"Within five years after the establishment of the Islamic Information Center, about 1,500 people from America, Australia, Britain, Russia, China, Germany, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, converted to Islam in this Information Center," said Philips.
"The reason they converted to Islam because of frustration and dissatisfaction, in addition to the need for rational and spiritual foundation is strong. Some of them converted to Islam, since married to Muslims and others choose to convert to Islam because it encouraged their curiosity about Islam and Muslims,"said Philips.
Having successfully established the Islamic Information Center, he established a printing department to publish the Dar Al-Falah Islamic literature in various languages ​​to educate people about the teachings of Islam for non-Arabic languages.
Of all the preaching activities to establish the religion of God, moments of the happiest in life Philips is when his parents, at the age of 70s last year also accepted Islam as their religion.Philips parents who are used to living in Muslim communities in various countries, including Nigeria, Yemen and Malaysia chose to convert to Islam after they witnessed the destruction of community life in America.
Until now, Bilal Philips is still active in education.He teaches Islamic history and study of the Hadith of the Prophet.(Ln / multiple sources)
http://www.eramuslim.com/berita/dakwah-mancanegara/bilal-philips.htm

==============

Bilal Philips, Mantan "Dewa Gitar" yang Membuat Ribuan Tentara AS Masuk Islam

Kamis, 14/04/2011 11:08 WIB |email |print
Nama Bilal Philips sedang menjadi pembicaraan di kalangan parlemen dan politisi Denmark, terkait rencana kedatangan cendekiawan muslim itu ke Denmark untuk menjadi pembicara dalam konferensi yang digelar organisasi pemuda komunitas muslim di Denmark.
Sejumlah anggota parlemen dan politisi di negeri itu merasa resah dengan rencana kedatangan Philips karena menganggap Philips adalah seorang tokoh muslim garis keras. Negara Inggris dan Australia, memang melarang Philips masuk ke kedua negeri itu, karena ceramah-ceramah keagamaan Philips yang dinilai menghasut orang untuk melakukan kekerasan.
Philips dalam salah satu rekaman video ceramahnya juga pernah mengatakan bahwa penyakit AIDS adalah hukuman tuhan untuk para homoseksual dan ia mengusulkan hukuman mati bagi kaum homoseksual. Di rekaman video lainnya, Philips membela aksi bunuh diri, dan menyebut serangan bunuh diri sebagai senjata perang yang sah.
Siapa sebenarnya Bilal Philips yang bergelar doktor itu dan apa latar belakangnya sehingga ia dicap sebagai cendikiawan muslim garis keras oleh negara-negara Barat?
Mantan "Dewa" Gitar
Perjalanan hidup Philips atau lengkapnya Doktor Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips hingga menjadi seorang cendekiawan muslim yang cukup disegani saat ini, ternyata sangat menarik. Pria kelahiran Jamaika dan besar di Kanada itu, adalah seorang mualaf dan sebelum menjadi seorang muslim, ia berprofesi sebagai musisi atau tepatnya seorang gitaris profesional.
"Ketika saya kuliah di Universitas Simon Frasier di Vancouver, Kanada, saya memainkan gitar dalam pertunjukan musik di klub-klub malam. Ketika saya tinggal di Malaysia, saya tampil di panggung-panggung dan dikenal sebagai Jimmy Hendrix-nya Sabah di Malaysia Timur," tutur Philips padaGulf Today.
"Tapi, begitu saya menjadi seorang muslim, saya merasa tidak nyaman melakukan itu semua, dan saya memutuskan berhenti main musik secara pribadi maupun secara profesional," lanjutnya.
Philips memutuskan masuk Islam pada tahun 1972. Proses masuk Islamnya pun terbilang cukup singkat, hanya enam bulan saja setelah membaca buku-buku Islam dan berdiskusi tentang Islam.
Setahun setelah mengucapkan dua kalimat syahadat, Philips mendaftarkan diri ke jurusan studi Islam di Universitas Islam Madinah, Arab Saudi.
"Saya ingin belajar Islam dari sumber-sumber klasiknya, dan bukan mengambil dari praktik-praktik budayanya," kata Philips.
Ia lalu melanjutkan pendidikan ke Universitas Riyadh. Sambil menyelesaikan kuliah untuk meraih gelar MA-nya, Philips menjadi menyiapkan dan menjadi pembawa acara "Why Islam" di stasiun televisi Saudi,Channel Two. Acara itu berupa program wawancara dengan para mualaf dari berbagai latar belakang, untuk mengetahui alasan mereka memilih masuk Islam.
Ia juga melakukan riset dan menuangkannya dalam buku-bukunya antara lain berjudul "Polygamy in dalam Islam" dan "Fundamentals of Islamic Monotheism".
Mengislamkan Tentara AS
Setelah berhasil meraih gelar MA-nya, Philips bekerja di departemen agama markas besar Angkatan Udara Arab Saudi di Riyadh. Saat itu sedang pecah "Perang Teluk" dan tugasnya adalah mengajar tentang agama Islam pada pasukan AS di basis-basis militer mereka di Bahrain dan di provinsi bagian timur Arab Saudi.
"Karena gambaran tentang Islam begitu terdistorsi di AS, saya dan lima orang Amerika lainnya, setelah Perang Teluk, selama lima setengah bulan terlibat dalam proyek untuk menghilangkan keraguan terhadap agama Islam pada sekitar setengah juta pasukan AS yang ada di kawasan Teluk. Hasilnya, lebih dari 3.000 tentara AS yang akhirnya masuk Islam," ungkap Philips.
Ia kemudian pergi ke AS untuk membantu memberikan bimbingan rohani bagi para tentara yang baru masuk Islam. Dengan bantuan organisasi "Muslim Members of the Miltary (MMM)", Philips menggelar berbagai konferensi dan kegiatan yang berhasil mendesak militer AS untuk membangun fasilitas-fasilitas mushola di seluruh basis-basis militernya. Pemerintah AS juga berkewajiban untuk meminta komunitas Muslim mengajukan kandidat ulama yang akan menjadi pembimbin rohani bagi tentara yang muslim di kemiliteran AS.
"Beberapa tentara Perang Teluk yang masuk Islam, pergi ke Bosnia untuk memberikan pelatihan pada rakyat Bosnia dan ikut berjuang bersama mereka melawan kekejaman tentara Serbia," ujar Philips.
Membentuk Pusat Informasi Islam
Setelah tinggal di AS, Philips pindah ke Philipina dan memberikan kuliah di berbagai tempat di Mindanao. Ia menekankan pentingnya sistem pendidikan yang Islami bagi umat Islam dalam setiap ceramah dan kuliahnya, sehingga mendorong didirikannya Universitas berbasis Islam di Cotobato City. Di universitas ini, ia membuka jurusan studi Islam sampai level untuk mendapatkan gelar MA dan menyiapkan tenaga guru-yang berorientasi pada Islam.
Tahun 1994, Philips imigrasi ke Uni Emirat Arab atas undangan Syaikh Salim Al-Qasimi dan bergabung dengan lembaga amal Dar Al Ber di Dubai. Philips juga membentuk Pusat Informasi Islam yang sekarang dikenal dengan nama "Discover Islam" di Karama. Pusat informasi dibuat untuk meluruskan pandangan-pandangan yang salah tentang Islam. Ia dibantu oleh para mualaf dari dari berbagai negara seperti Uthma Barry asal Irlandia, Ahmed Abalos asal Philipina dan Abdul Latif dari Kerala, dalam mengelola pusat informasi itu.
"Dalam kurun waktu lima tahun setelah dibentuknya Pusat Informasi Islam, sekitar 1.500 orang dari Amerika, Australia, Inggris, Rusia, Cina, Jerman, Philipina, Sri Lanka, India dan Pakistan, masuk Islam di Pusat Informasi ini," kata Philips.
"Alasan mereka masuk Islam karena frustasi dan rasa tidak puas, selain kebutuhan akan landasan rasional dan spiritual yang kuat. Beberapa di antara mereka masuk Islam, karena menikah dengan muslim dan yang lainnya memilih masuk Islam karena terdorong rasa ingin tahu mereka tentang Islam dan muslim," jelas Philips.
Setelah sukses mendirikan Pusat Informasi Islam, ia membentuk sebuah departemen percetakan Dar Al Falah untuk menerbitkan literatur-literatur Islam dalam berbagai bahasa untuk memberikan edukasi tentang ajaran Islam bagi masyarakat non-bahasa Arab.
Dari seluruh kegiatan dakwahnya menegakkan agama Allah, saat-saat yang paling membahagiakan dalam hidup Philips adalah ketika kedua orangtuanya, dalam usia 70-an tahun akhirnya juga menerima Islam sebagai agama mereka. Kedua orangtua Philips yang sudah terbiasa hidup di lingkungan masyarakat Muslim di berbagai negara, antara lain Nigeria, Yaman dan Malaysia memilih masuk Islam setelah mereka menyaksikan bagaimana rusaknya kehidupan masyarakat di Amerika.
Sampai sekarang, Bilal Philips masih aktif dalam dunia pendidikan. Ia mengajar sejarah Islam dan studi Hadis Rasulullah Saw. (ln/berbagai sumber)
0 comments

0 comments

0 comments

NoteDI BALIK PERANG IRAK HARUN YAHYA Kirim artikel ini Rencana perang Irak, yang dilancarkan meski mendapat tentangan dari seluruh dunia, telah dipersiapkan setidaknya puluhan tahun lalu oleh para ahli strategi Israel. Dalam upayanya mewujudkan strategi pelemahan atau pemecahbelahan negara-negara Arab Timur Tengah, Israel memasukkan Mesir, Syiria, Iran dan Saudi Arabia dalam daftar sasaran berikutnya. Saat tulisan ini disusun, Amerika Serikat (AS) telah memulai penggempuran terhadap Irak. Meskipun kenyataannya kebanyakan negara di seluruh dunia, bahkan sebagian besar sekutu AS sendiri, menentangnya, pemerintahan AS bersikukuh untuk meneruskan rencana serangannya. Ketika kita melihat apa yang ada di balik sikap keras kepala AS ini, maka Israel-lah satu-satunya yang bertanggung jawab atas pertumpahan darah dan penderitaan di Timur Tengah sejak awal abad kedua puluh. Kebijakan pemerintah Israel yang ditujukan untuk memecah-belah Irak memiliki akar sejarah yang panjang" Rencana Israel Membagi Irak Laporan berjudul "A Strategy for Israel in the Nineteen Eighties" (Strategi Israel di Tahun 1980-an), oleh majalah berbahasa Ibrani terbitan Departemen Informasi, Kivunim, bertujuan menjadikan seluruh kawasan Timur Tengah sebagai wilayah pemukiman Israel. Laporan tersebut, yang disusun oleh Oded Yinon - seorang wartawan Israel yang pernah dekat dengan kementrian luar negeri Israel - memaparkan skenario "pembagian Irak" sebagaimana berikut: Irak, negeri kaya minyak yang menghadapi masalah perpecahan dalam negeri, dijamin bakal menjadi sasaran Israel. Mengakhiri riwayat Irak jauh lebih penting bagi kita ketimbang Syria" Sekali lagi, Irak pada intinya tidaklah berbeda dengan para tetangganya, meskipun sebagian besar penduduknya adalah penganut Syi'ah dan sebagian kecil Sunni yang menguasai pemerintahan. Enam puluh lima persen penduduknya tidak memiliki andil dalam politik di negara di mana sekelompok elit berjumlah 20 persen memegang kekuasaan. Selain itu terdapat minoritas Kurdi berjumlah besar di wilayah utara, dan jika bukan karena kekuatan rezim yang memerintah, angkatan bersenjatanya, dan pemasukannya dari minyak, masa depan Irak akan takkan berbeda dengan nasib Libanon di masa lalu" Dalam kasus Irak, pembagiannya menjadi sejumlah provinsi berdasarkan garis suku atau agama sebagaimana yang terjadi pada Syiria di masa kekhalifahan Utsmaniyyah adalah sesuatu yang mungkin. Jadi, tiga (atau lebih) negara kecil akan terbentuk di sekitar tiga kota utama: Basrah, Baghdad, dan Mosul; dan wilayah kaum Syi'ah di selatan akan terpisah dari wilayah kaum Sunni dan suku Kurdi di utara. Kita hanya perlu sedikit mengingat kembali bagaimana skenario ini sebagiannya telah dilakukan pasca Perang Teluk 1991, di mana Irak secara efektif, kalau tidak secara resmi, dibagi menjadi tiga wilayah. Fakta bahwa rencana AS menduduki Irak, yang sedang dilakukan saat tulisan ini dibuat, dapat kembali mendorong terbaginya wilayah tersebut, merupakan sebuah ancaman nyata. Peran Israel dalam Perang Teluk Penerapan strategi Israel telah dilakukan sejak tahun 1990. Saddam Hussein menyerbu Kuwait dalam serangan mendadak pada tanggal 1 Agustus 1990, sehingga memunculkan krisis internasional. Israel menjadi pemimpin bagi kekuatan-kekuatan yang mendorong terjadinya krisis itu. Israel adalah pendukung tergigih sikap yang dianut AS menyusul serangan terhadap Kuwait. Kalangan Israel bahkan menganggap AS bersikap moderat, dan menginginkan adanya kebijakan yang lebih keras. Sedemikian jauhnya sehingga Presiden Israel, Chaim Herzog, menganjurkan agar AS menggunakan bom nuklir. Di sisi lain, lobi Israel di AS tengah berupaya untuk mendorong terjadinya serangan berskala luas atas Irak. Seluruh keadaan ini mendorong terbentuknya pandangan di AS bahwa serangan terhadap Irak yang sedang dipertimbangkan, sesungguhnya dirancang demi kepentingan Israel. Komentator terkenal, Pat Buchanan, merangkum pandangan ini dalam kalimat " Hanya ada dua kelompok yang menabuh genderang perang di Timur Tengah - Kementrian Pertahanan Israel dan kelompok pendukungnya di Amerika Serikat." (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/patbuchanan1.html) Israel juga telah memulai kampanye propaganda serius dalam masalah ini. Karena kampanye ini sebagian besar dilancarkan secara rahasia, maka Mossad pun terlibat pula. Mantan agen Mossad, Victor Ostrovsky, memberikan informasi penting mengenai hal ini. Menurutnya, Israel telah berkeinginan melancarkan peperangan bersama AS melawan Saddam jauh sebelum krisis Teluk. Bahkan Israel telah memulai melaksanakan rencana tersebut segera setelah berakhirnya perang Iran-Irak. Ostrovsky melaporkan bahwa departemen Perang Psikologi Mossad (LAP - LohAma Psicologit) melancarkan kampanye ampuh menggunakan teknik disinformasi. Kampanye ini ditujukan untuk menampilkan Saddam sebagai seorang diktator berdarah dan ancaman bagi perdamaian dunia. (Victor Ostrovsky, The Other Side of Deception, hlm. 252-254). Agen Mossad Berbicara tentang Perang Teluk Ostrovsky menjelaskan bagaimana Mossad menggunakan para agen atau simpatisan di berbagai belahan dunia dalam kampanye ini dan bagaimana, misalnya, Amnesty International atau "para penolong Yahudi sukarelawan (sayanim)" di konggres AS dikerahkan. Di antara cara yang digunakan dalam kampanye tersebut adalah rudal yang diluncurkan ke sasaran-sasaran penduduk sipil di Iran selama perang Iran-Irak. Sebagaimana dijelaskan Ostrovsky, penggunaan rudal-rudal ini oleh Mossad di kemudian hari sebagai sarana propaganda sungguh janggal, sebab rudal-rudal tersebut ternyata telah diarahkan ke sasarannya oleh Mossad, dengan bantuan informasi dari satelit AS. Setelah mendukung Saddam selama perangnya melawan Iran, Israel kini tengah berupaya menampilkannya sebagai seorang monster. Ostrovsky menulis: Para petinggi Mossad mengetahui bahwa jika mereka dapat menjadikan Saddam terlihat sebagai sosok sangat jahat dan sebagai ancaman bagi pasokan minyak Teluk, yang hingga saat itu ia telah menjadi pelindung pasokan tersebut, maka Amerika Serikat dan sekutu-sekutunya takkan membiarkan Saddam begitu saja, tapi akan membuat perhitungan yang akan menghancurkan angkatan bersenjata dan kekuatan persenjataanya, khususnya jika mereka sampai yakin bahwa ini hanyalah kesempatan terakhir mereka sebelum Saddam menggunakan senjata nuklir. (Victor Ostrovsky, The Other Side of Deception, hlm. 254) Israel sangat bersikukuh dalam masalah ini, dan dalam kaitannya dengan Amerika Serikat, pada tanggal 4 Agustus 1990, Menteri Luar Negeri Israel, David Levy, mengeluarkan ancaman menggunakan bahasa diplomatis kepada William Brown, duta besar AS untuk Israel, dengan mengatakan bahwa Israel "menginginkan AS akan memenuhi semua tujuan-tujuan yang ditetapkan Israel untuk mereka sendiri di awal krisis teluk," dengan kata lain AS hendaknya menyerang Irak. Menurut Levy, jika AS tidak melakukannya, Israel akan melancarkannya sendiri. (Andrew and Leslie Cockburn, Dangerous Liaison, hlm. 356.) Akan sangat menguntungkan bagi Israel jika AS terlibat perang tanpa keterlibatan apa pun di pihak Israel: dan inilah yang benar-benar terjadi. Israel Memaksa AS Berperang Akan tetapi, kalangan Israel terlibat secara aktif dalam perencanaan perang oleh AS. Sejumlah pejabat AS yang terlibat merancang Operation Desert Storm (Operasi Badai Gurun) menerima arahan taktis jitu dari kalangan Israel bahwa "cara terbaik melukai Saddam adalah dengan melancarkan serangan terhadap keluarganya." Kampanye propaganda yang diilhami Mossad sebagaimana dilaporkan Ostrovsky membentuk dukungan publik yang diperlukan dalam Perang Teluk. Sekali lagi, para pembantu lokal Mossad-lah yang berperan menyulut api peperangan. Lembaga pelobi Hill and Knowlton, yang dikendalikan oleh Tom Lantos dari lobi Israel, mempersiapkan rancangan yang dramatis guna meyakinkan para anggota Konggres perihal perang melawan Saddam. Turan Yavuz, wartawan Turki terkenal, memaparkan kejadian tersebut: 9 Oktober 1990. Lembaga pelobi Hill and Knowlton mengadakan pertemuan di Konggress yang bertemakan "Kebiadaban Irak." Sejumlah "saksi mata" yang dihadirkan dalam acara itu oleh lembaga pelobi tersebut menyatakan bahwa tentara Irak membunuh bayi-bayi baru lahir di bangsal-bangsal rumah sakit. Seorang "saksi mata" memaparkan kekejaman itu dengan sangat rinci, dan mengatakan bahwa para prajurit Irak telah membunuh 300 bayi baru lahir di satu rumah sakit saja. Berita ini sungguh mengguncang para anggota Konggress tersebut. Ini menguntungkan bagi pihak Presiden Bush. Namun, belakangan diketahui bahwa saksi mata yang dihadirkan oleh lembaga pelobi Hill and Knowlton di hadapan Konggres ternyata adalah anak perempuan duta besar Kuwait untuk Washington. Kendatipun demikian, kisah yang dituturkan anak perempuan tersebut sudah cukup bagi para anggota Konggress untuk menjuluki Saddam sebagai "Hitler". (Turan Yavuz, ABD'nin Kürt Karti (The US' Kurdish Card), hlm. 307) Hal ini mengarahkan pada satu kesimpulan saja: Israel berperan penting dalam kebijakan Amerika Serikat untuk melancarkan perang pertamanya terhadap Irak. Perang yang kedua tidaklah banyak berbeda. Alih-Alih "Perang terhadap Terorisme" Berlawanan dengan keyakinan masyarakat luas, rencana untuk menyerang Irak dan menggulingkan rezim Saddam Hussein dengan kekuatan senjata telah dipersiapkan dan dicanangkan dalam agenda Washington sejak lama sebelum dilancarkannya "perang mewalan terror," yang mengemuka pasca peristiwa 11 September. Isyarat pertama adanya rencana ini mengemuka pada tahun 1997. Sekelompok ahli strategi pro-Israel di Washington mulai memunculkan skenario penyerangan atas Irak dengan memanfaatkan lembaga think-tank "konservatif baru", yang dinamakan PNAC, Project for The New American Century (Proyek bagi Abad Amerika Baru). Sebuah artikel berjudul "Invading Iraq Not a New Idea for Bush Clique: 4 Years Before 9/11 Plan Was Set" (Penyerangan atas Irak Bukan Gagasan Baru bagi Kelompok Bush) yang ditulis William Bruch dan diterbitkan di the Philadelphia Daily News, memaparkan fakta berikut: Namun kenyataannya, Rumsfeld, Wakil Presiden Dick Cheney, dan sekelompok kecil ideolog konservatif telah memulai wacana penyerangan Amerika atas Irak sejak 1997 – hampir empat tahun sebelum serangan 11 September dan tiga tahun sebelum Presiden Bush memegang pemerintahan. Sekelompok pembuat kebijakan sayap kanan yang terdengar mengkhawatirkan, yang tidak begitu dikenal, yang disebut Proyek bagi Abad Amerika Baru, atau PNAC – yang berhubungan erat dengan Cheney, Rumsfeld, deputi tertinggi Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowitz, dan saudara lelaki Bush, Jeb – bahkan mendesak presiden waktu itu, Clinton, untuk menyerbu Irak di bulan Januari 1998. (William Bunch, Philadelphia Daily News, 27 Jan. 2003) Minyakkah yang Menjadi Tujuan Sebenarnya? Mengapa para anggota PNAC sangat bersikukuh untuk menggulingkan Saddam? Artikel yang sama melanjutkan: Meskipun minyak melatarbelakangi pernyataan kebijakan PNAC terhadap Irak, namun tampaknya ini bukanlah pendorong utama. [Ian] Lustick, [seorang profesor ilmu politik Universitas Pennsylvania dan ahli Timur Tengah,] yang juga pengecam kebijakan Bush, mengatakan bahwa minyak dipandang oleh para pendukung perang terutama sebagai cara untuk membayar operasi militer yang sangat mahal. "Saya dari Texas, dan setiap orang perminyakan yang saya kenal menentang tindakan militer terhadap Irak," kata Schmitt dari PNAC. "Pasar minyak tidak perlu diganggu." Lustick yakin bahwa dalang tersembunyi yang sangat berpengaruh kuat kemungkinan adalah Israel. Ia mengatakan para pendukung perang dalam pemerintahan Bush yakin bahwa parade pasukan di Irak akan memaksa Palestina menerima rancangan perdamaian yang menguntungkan Israel"(William Bunch, "Invading Iraq not a new idea for Bush clique" Philadelphia Daily News, 27 Jan. 2003) Jadi, inilah dorongan utama di balik rencana untuk menyerang Irak: membantu strategi Israel di Timur Tengah. Fakta ini juga ditengarai oleh sejumlah ahli Timur Tengah lainnya. Misalnya Cengiz Çandar, ahli Timur Tengah asal Turki, memaparkan kekuatan sesungguhnya di balik rencana penyerangan atas Irak sebagaimana berikut: "Siapakah yang mengarahkan serangan atas Irak? Wakil Presiden Dick Cheney, Menteri Pertahanan Rumsfeld, Penasehat Keamanan Dalam Negeri Condoleeza Rice. Mereka inilah para pendukung "tingkat tinggi" terhadap penyerbuan tersebut. Akan tetapi, selebihnya dari gunung es tersebut sungguh lebih besar dan lebih menarik. Terdapat sejumlah "lobi." Yang terdepan di barisan lobi ini adalah tim Jewish Institute for Security Affairs (Lembaga Yahudi untuk Masalah Keamanan) JINSA, yang merupakan kelompok kanan Israel pro-Likud yang dikenal memiliki hubungan dekat dengan industri-industri senjata AS" Mereka memiliki hubungan erat dengan "lobi persenjataan," Lockheed, Northrop, General Dynamics dan industri militer Israel" Prinsip mendasar JINSA adalah bahwa keamanan AS dan Israel adalah tak terpisahkan. Dengan kata lalin, keduanya adalah sama. Tujuan JINSA tidak terbatas pada merobohkan rezim Saddam di Irak, tetapi juga mendukung penggulingan rezim Saudi Arabia, Syria, Mesir dan Iran dengan logika "perang total", yang diikuti dengan "penegakan" demokrasi. …Dengan kata lalin, sejumlah Yahudi Amerika yang seirama dengan kelompok-kelompok paling ekstrim di Israel sekarang terdiri atas orang-orang yang mendukung perang di Washington. (Cengiz Çandar, "Iraq and the 'Friends of Turkey' American Hawks", Yeni Safak, 3 September 2002.) Proyek Israel "Penguasaan Dunia secara Diam-Diam" Singkatnya, terdapat kalangan di Washington yang mendorong terjadinya perang yang awalnya dilancarkan terhadap Irak, dan setelah itu terhadap Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran dan Mesir. Ciri mereka paling kentara adalah mereka berbaris di samping, dan bahkan sama dengan, "lobi Israel." Tak menjadi soal betapa sering mereka berbicara tentang "kepentingan Amerika," orang-orang ini sebenarnya mendukung kepentingan Israel. Strategi melancarkan peperangan terhadap seluruh Timur Tengah sehingga menjadikan seluruh rakyat di kawasan tersebut bangkit melawan AS tak mungkin akan menguntungkan pihak AS. Penggunaan strategi seperti ini hanya mungkin dapat dilakukan jika AS tunduk pada Israel, melalui lobi Israel, yang luar biasa berpengaruhnya terhadap kebijakan luar negeri negara tersebut. Dengan alasan ini, maka di belakang strategi yang mulai dijalankan pasca 11 September dan yang ditujukan untuk merubah peta seluruh dunia Islam, terdapat rencana rahasia Israel untuk "menguasai dunia." Sejak pendiriannya, Israel telah bercita-cita merubah peta Timur Tengah, menjadikannya mudah diatur sehingga tidak lagi menjadi ancaman baginya. Israel telah menggunakan pengaruhnya di AS untuk tujuan ini di tahun-tahun belakangan, dan memiliki andil besar dalam mengarahkan kebijakan Washington di Timur Tengah. Keadaan pasca 11 September memberi Israel kesempatan yang selama ini telah dicari-carinya. Para ideolog pro-Israel yang selama bertahun-tahun secara tidak benar telah menyatakan bahwa Islam sendirilah yang – dan bukan sejumlah kelompok radikal militan yang berbaju Islam – memunculkan ancaman terhadap Barat dan AS. Merekalah yang berusaha meyakinkan kebenaran gagasan keliru tentang "benturan antar peradaban," dan telah berupaya mempengaruhi AS agar memusuhi dunia Islam setelah peristiwa 11 September. Sudah sejak tahun 1995, Israel Shahak dari Universitas Hebrew, Jerusalem, menuliskan keinginan Perdana Menteri Rabin sebagai "gagasan perang melawan Islam yang dipimpin Israel." Nahum Barnea, penulis opini dari surat kabar Israel, Yediot Ahronot, menyatakan di tahun yang sama bahwa Israel tengah mengalami kemajuan "[untuk] menjadi pemimpin Barat dalam perang melawan musuh, yakni Islam." (Israel Shahak, "Downturn in Rabin's Popularity Has Several Causes", Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, Maret 1995.) Semua yang telah terjadi di tahun-tahun berikutnya adalah bahwa Israel menjadikan niatannya semakin kentara. Iklim politik pasca 11 September memberikan peluang untuk mewujudkan niatan ini menjadi kenyataan. Dunia kini tengah menyaksikan tahap demi tahap menerapan kebijakan Israel dalam memecah-belah Irak, yang telah dirancang di Konggres Zionis Dunia pada tahun 1982. Satu-Satunya Jalan Menuju Perdamaian Dunia: Persatuan Islam Keadaan di atas dapat dirangkum sebagai berikut: Tujuan Israel adalah untuk menata ulang kawasan Timur Tengah menurut kepentingan strategisnya sendiri. Untuk mencapai hal ini, untuk menguasai Timur Tengah, wilayah paling mudah bergejolak di dunia, Israel memerlukan sebuah "kekuatan dunia." Kekuatan ini adalah Amerika Serikat; dan Israel, dengan kekuatan pengaruhnya terhadap AS, tengah berupaya menggadaikan kebijakan luar negeri AS terhadap Timur Tengah. Meskipun Israel adalah sebuah negara kecil berpenduduk 4,5 juta jiwa, rencana yang disusun Israel dan para pendukungnya di Barat mengendalikan keseluruhan dunia. Apa yang perlu dilakukan menghadapi kenyataan ini? 1) Kegiatan melobi perlu dilakukan dalam rangka menandingi pengaruh lobi Israel di Amerika Serikat guna membangun dialog antara AS dan dunia Islam, dan untuk mengajaknya mencari cara damai dalam memecahkan permasalahan Irak dan permasalahan serupa lainnya. Banyak kalangan AS menginginkan negeri mereka mengambil kebijakan Timur Tengah yang lebih adil. Banyak negarawan, ahli strategi, wartawan dan cendekiawan telah mengungkapkan hal ini, dan gerakan "perdamaian antar peradaban" harus digulirkan dengan bekerjasama dengan kalangan tersebut. 2) Pendekatan yang mengajak pemerintah AS kepada pemecahan masalah secara damai haruslah dibawa ke tingkat pemerintahan dan masyarakat sipil. Bersamaan dengan ini semua, jalan keluar paling mendasar terletak pada sebuah proyek yang dapat menyelesaikan seluruh permasalahan antara dunia Islam dan Barat, dan dapat mengatasi perpecahan, penderitaan dan kemiskinan di dunia Islam dan sama sekali merubahnya, dan ini adalah Persatuan Islam. Perkembangan terakhir telah menunjukkan bahwa seluruh dunia, tidak hanya wilayah-wilayah Islam, memerlukan sebuah "Persatuan Islam." Persatuan ini haruslah mampu meredam unsur-unsur radikal di Dunia Islam, dan membangun hubungan baik antar negara-negara Islam dan Barat, khususnya Amerika Serikat. Persatuan ini juga hendaknya membantu menemukan jalan keluar bagi induk dari seluruh permasalahan yang ada: perseteruan Arab-Israel. Hanya dengan penarikan diri Israel hingga batas wilayahnya sebelum tahun 1967, dan pengakuan bangsa Arab atas keberadaannya, akan ada perdamaian sesungguhnya di Timur Tengah. Dan umat Yahudi dan Muslim – yang keduanya keturunan Nabi Ibrahim dan beriman pada satu Tuhan saja – dapat hidup berdampingan di Tanah Suci, sebagaimana yang telah mereka tunjukkan di abad-abad yang lalu. Dengan demikian, Israel takkan lagi memerlukan strategi untuk mengganggu keamanan atau memecah-belah negara-negara Arab. Dan Israel takkan menghadapi balasan atas pendudukannya dalam bentuk kekerasan dan ketakutan terus-menerus terhadap upaya penghancuran terhadapnya. Lalu, keduanya, anak-anak Israel dan Irak (juga Palestina) dapat tumbuh dalam lingkungan yang damai dan aman. Inilah wilayah Timur Tengah yang seharusnya didambakan dan berusaha diwujudkan oleh setiap orang yang bijak. http://www.harunyahya.com/indo/artikel/028.htmApr 2, '11 2:54 AM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteA Greek book on Nicolas Sarkozy Updated: 23/Dec/2007 11:19 Andrée Mallah, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's mother. ATHENS (EJP)---"I the grandson of a Greek," a book about the roots of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, went bon sale in the country this week. One of the three Greek authors, Leon Nar, is a Jew from the northern port city of Salonika. The book reveals various details of Sarkozy’s Greek roots such as that two members of the family, Asser Mallah and Pepo Mallah, were members of the Greek parliament during the early 20th century. The book theorizes that the Mallah family came to Salonika from the French region of Provence although their research found the name in Syria, Lithuania and Poland. Sarkozy’s great-grandfather, Mordechai Mallah and his wife Reina, both living in Salonika, had seven children. One of the children, Benico Mallah was 14 when he left Greece with his mother for France where he studied medicine and served in the French army as a doctor during WWI. There, he met his future wife Adel Bouvieux, a pretty nurse. In order to marry her he was baptized Catholic and took the name Benedict. The couple had two girls of which Andree Mallah married Paul Sarkozy, an Hungarian refugee and advertising executive, the father of Nicolas. The president’s father left the family when he was five-year old and Benedict Mallah took care of them. Nicolas got very attached to his grand father who used to tell his grandchildren stories from Salonika. Until his death in 1972, Nicolas and his siblings knew nothing about their Jewish roots. All they knew was that from their mother side they came from Salonika. The book says that the grandfather never told them about their Jewish roots because he didn’t want to distress his grand children. Also, traumatized by the Holocaust and the pre-war anti-Semitism in Europe, he was worried that this might happen again. Only after the death of Benedict Mallah did Nicolas and his siblings learn the truth about their Jewish roots from their mother. Related stories Sarkozy: “My roots are in Salonika” Nicolas Sarkozy, new President of France: Past and Future The period was marked by financial difficulties for the family. The book reveals a trip of the twenty-year old Nicolas Sarkozy in 1973 to Salonika in order to sell any property that was left by his family and mainly by his great-grandfather, the well known Salonika jeweller Mordechai Mallah. The book shows two public notary records of the sale. The young Sarkozy sawed the 4,000 French francs from the sale in the lining of his jacket in order to smuggle the money out of Greece which at that time prohibited the export of foreign currency. Honoured by the Salonika Jewish community In July 2006, while on a visit to Greece, Nicolas Sarkozy was honoured at the French embassy in Athens by the Jewish Community of Salonika. A plaque was unveiled which said: “In memory of Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to Greece from the Thessaloniki Jewish Community, the town of your ancestors, mother and city of Israel and Jerusalem of the Balkans.” Along with the plaque the community gave the French minister an album of his genealogical tree going back to his great-great-grandfather along with pictures of his ancestors. Sarkozy recognized some of the people in the pictures from his family albums. At the event Lucy Saltiel, wife of the president of the Jewish community of Salonika David Saltiel, who was herself born from the same Mallah family, was also present. A visibly moved Sarkozy thanked the community and said: “my roots are here”. Most of the members of the Mallah family perished in the Holocaust. Today the remaining members are living mainly in Switzerland, France and England. The book will be presented in Athens on 9 January by Greek Foreign minister Dora Bakoyanni and former Foreign Minister Theodor Pangalos, once a lecturer at Paris’s Sorbonne university. French President Nicolas Sarkozy accepted an invitation to pay an official visit to Greece during the first half of 2008. The invitation was extended to him by his Greek counterpart Karolos Papoulias during their meeting at the Elysée Palace in Paris in October. http://www.ejpress.org/article/22741Mar 31, '11 11:18 PM
for everyone
0 comments

NoteMar 22, '11 1:19 AM
for everyone
0 comments

0 comments

Blog EntryMar 7, '11 1:04 PM
for everyone

Helen Thomas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Unbalanced
Theneutrality of this article isdisputed. Please see the discussion on thetalk page. Please do not remove this message until thedispute is resolved.(February 2011)
This articlemay containoriginal research. Pleaseimprove it byverifying the claims made and addingreferences. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on thetalk page.(February 2011)
Helen Thomas
Helen
Helen Thomas in February 2009
BornHelen Thomas
August 4, 1920(1920-08-04)(age 90)
Winchester, Kentucky, USA
OccupationAuthor, retired journalist and columnist
Spouse(s)Douglas B. Cornell (1971–82)
EthnicityLebanese
NationalityAmerican
Religiousbelief(s)Greek Orthodox
Years active1943–2010
Official website
Helen Thomas (born August 4, 1920) is anAmerican author and formernews service reporter, member of theWhite House Press Corps andcolumnist.[1] She worked for theUnited Press International (UPI) for 57 years, first as acorrespondent, and later asWhite House bureau chief. She was an opinion columnist forHearst Newspapers from 2000 to 2010, writing on national affairs and the White House.
Thomas, a Lebanese-American,[2][3] covered everyPresident of the United States from the last years of theEisenhoweradministration until the second year of theObamaadministration. She was the first female officer of theNational Press Club, the first female member and president of theWhite House Correspondents' Association, and the first female member of theGridiron Club. She has written five books; her latest, with co-authorCraig Crawford, isListen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do (2009).
Thomas retired on June 7, 2010, following comments she made about Israel, Jews and Palestine.[4]

Contents

[hide]

[edit]Early life

Thomas' parents, George and Mary (née Rowady) Thomas, immigrated to the U.S. fromTripoli, located in northern Lebanon.[5][6][7][8] Her parents could neither read nor write,[5] and Thomas claims her father's surname, which was "Antonious", wasanglicized to "Thomas" atEllis Island.[6] She was born inWinchester,Kentucky,[9] the seventh of nine children but was largely reared inDetroit, Michigan, where her family moved when she was four years old, and where her father ran a grocery store.[10][11][12]
Thomas said "I was very lucky to be born in America.... [My family was] never hyphenated as Arab-Americans. We were American, and I have always rejected the hyphen and I believe all assimilated immigrants should not be designated ethnically."[13] Of growing up in Detroit in the 1920s, she said, "They wanted to make you feel you weren't 'American'... We were called 'garlic eaters'".[12] She was called "foreigner" in Detroit schools, leading to her coming home in tears.[12]
She was raised as a Christian in theGreek Orthodox Church[6]
Thomas attendedWayne University in Detroit, graduating with abachelor's degree in English in 1942.[14]

[edit]Early career

Her first job injournalism was as acopygirl for the now-defunctWashington Daily News, but shortly after she was promoted tocub reporter, she waslaid off as part of massive cutbacks at the paper. Thomas joinedUnited Press International in 1943 and reported on women's topics for its radiowire service, earning $24 ($305 in current dollar terms) a week.[15][16] Later in the decade, and in the early fifties, she wrote UPI's "Names in the News" column, for which she interviewed numerous Washington celebrities.[17] After 1955, she covered federal agencies such as theDepartment of Justice,Federal Bureau of Investigation and theDepartment of Health, Education, and Welfare.
Thomas served as president of theWomen's National Press Club from 1959–60. In 1959, Thomas and a few of her fellow female journalists forced theNational Press Club, then barred to women, to allow them to attend an address by Soviet leaderNikita Khrushchev.

[edit]Presidential correspondent

Thomas withGerald R. Ford andDick Cheney in 1976
In November 1960, Thomas began covering thenPresident-electJohn F. Kennedy, following him to the White House in January 1961 as a UPI correspondent. Thomas became known as the "Sitting Buddha." It was during Kennedy's administration that she ended all presidentialpress conferences with a signature "Thank you, Mr. President",[18] reviving a tradition started by UPI’sMerriman Smith during the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt.[19]
Throughout her career as a correspondent, Thomas earned a reputation for being relentless and demanding.[20] In an interview withFidel Castro,USA Today founderAl Neuharth asked the Cuban leader what the difference was between democracy inCuba and democracy in the United States. Castro replied, "I don't have to answer questions from Helen Thomas."[21]
Thomas was the only female print journalist to travel to China with PresidentRichard Nixon during hishistoric trip in 1972.[22] (Barbara Walters was a member of the NBC News team that went to the People's Republic of China to cover the visits of President Richard Nixon in 1972.) She traveled around the world several times with all US Presidents since Richard Nixon, and covered everyEconomic Summit since1975, working up to the position of UPI's White House Bureau Chief, a post she would hold for over 25 years. While serving as White House Bureau Chief, she authored a regular column for UPI, "Backstairs at the White House",[23] a column begun by Merriman Smith.[24] The column provided an insider's view of various presidential administrations.
Thomas was the only member of the White House Press Corps to have her own seat in theWhite House Briefing Room. All other seats are assigned to media outlets.

[edit]Departure from UPI

On May 17, 2000, the day after it was announced that theUPI had been acquired byNews World Communications Inc., an international media conglomerate founded and controlled byUnification Church leaderReverend Sun Myung Moon which ownsThe Washington Times and other news media, Thomas resigned from the UPI after 57 years with the organization.[25] She later described the change in ownership as "a bridge too far".[25][26] Less than two months later, she joinedHearst Newspapers as an opinion columnist, writing on national affairs and the White House.[27]
After leaving her job as a reporter at the UPI, Thomas became more likely to air her personal, negative views. In a speech at theMassachusetts Institute of Technology, she quipped, "I censored myself for 50 years when I was a reporter. Now I wake up and ask myself, ‘Who do I hate today?’"[28]

[edit]George W. Bush administration

During President George W. Bush's first term, Thomas reacted to then-Press Secretary Ari Fleisher's statements about arms shipments to the terrorists by asking: "Where do the Israelis get their arms?" He responded "There's a difference Helen, and that is --". "What is the difference?", she asked. He responded: "The targeting of innocents through the use of terror, which is a common enemy for Yasir Arafat and for the people of Israel, as well as --". She interrupted him, saying: "Palestinian people are fighting for their land." He responded: "I think that the killing of innocents is a category entirely different. Justifying killing of innocents for land is an argument in support of terrorism."[29]
In January 2003, following a speech at aSociety of Professional Journalists banquet, Thomas told an autograph-seeker, "I'm covering the worst president in American history." The autograph-seeker was a sports writer forThe Daily Breeze and her comments were published. After that she was not called upon during a press conference for the first time in over four decades. She wrote to the President to apologize.[30]
Traditionally, Thomas sat in the front row and asked the first question during White House press conferences. However, according to Thomas in a 2006Daily Show interview, this ended because she no longer represented awire service. During the Bush administration, Thomas was moved to the back row during press conferences; She was called upon at briefings on a daily basis but no longer ended Presidential news conferences saying, "Thank you, Mr. President." When asked why she was seated in the back row, she said, "they didn’t like me...I ask too mean questions."[31]
Thomas in theJames S. Brady Press Briefing Room half an hour before morning gaggle, 2007
On March 21, 2006, Thomas was called upon directly by President Bush for the first time in three years. Thomas asked Bush about theWar in Iraq:
I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is: Why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet...your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth...what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil...quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?
Bush responded by discussing theWar on Terror, and stated as a reason for the invasion thatSaddam Hussein chose to deny inspectors and not to disclose required information.[32] Thomas was criticized by some commentators for her exchange with Bush.[33]
In July 2006, she toldThe Hill, "The dayDick Cheney is going to run for president, I'll kill myself. All we need is another liar... I think he'd like to run, but it would be a sad day for the country if he does."[34]
At the July 18, 2006, White House press briefing, Thomas remarked, "The United States ... could have stopped the bombardment of Lebanon. We have that much control with the Israelis... we have gone for collective punishment against all of Lebanon and Palestine." Press SecretaryTony Snow responded, "Thank you for theHezbollah view."[35] Other members of the press weighed in. According toWashington Post television criticTom Shales, questions like the one above have sounded more like "tirades" and "anti-Israeli rhetoric."[36] However, Greg Mitchell ofEditor & Publisher described Shales' attack as "disturbing".[37]
In a press conference on November 30, 2007, Thomas questioned White House Press SecretaryDana Perino as to why Americans should depend on GeneralDavid Petraeus in determining when to re-deploy U.S troops from Iraq. Perino began to answer when Thomas interjected with "You mean how many more people we kill?" Perino immediately took offense, responding,
Helen, I find it really unfortunate that you use your front row position, bestowed upon you by your colleagues, to make such statements. This is a...it is an honor and a privilege to be in the briefing room, and to suggest that we, the United States, are killing innocent people is just absurd and very offensive.[38]

[edit]Obama administration

PresidentBarack Obama presenting Thomas cupcakes on her 89th birthday[39]
On February 9, 2009, Thomas was present in the front row for newly elected PresidentObama's first news conference. President Obama called on her with the statement "Helen. I'm excited, this is my inaugural moment",[40] seemingly a reference to her long-term presence in theWhite House Press Corps.[41] Thomas asked if any Middle Eastern country possessednuclear weapons. Obama replied that he didn't want to "speculate" on the matter.
On July 1, 2009, Thomas commented on the Obama administration's handling of the press, "we have had some control but not this control. I mean I'm amazed, I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and you have controlled...".[42][43][44] She also said that not evenRichard Nixon tried to control the press as much as President Obama.[45]
On August 4, 2009, Thomas celebrated her 89th birthday. President Obama, whose birthday is also August 4, presented Thomas with birthday cupcakes and sangHappy Birthday to her before that day's press conference.[46]

[edit]Controversy and resignation

Unbalanced
An editor has expressed a concern that this articlelendsundue weight to certain ideas, incidents, controversies or matters relative to the article subject as a whole. Please help to create a more balanced presentation. Discuss and resolve this issue before removing this message.(February 2011)

[edit]Comments on Israel and Jews

Thomas retired abruptly on June 7, 2010, following negative reaction to comments she had made about Israel, Jews, and Palestine during a brief interview with RabbiDavid Nesenoff of RabbiLive.com.[1][47][48][49][50][51] Nesenoff was on the White House grounds for anAmerican Jewish Heritage Celebration Day, and he questioned Thomas as she was leaving the White House via theNorth Lawn driveway:[50][52][53][54]
Nesenoff: Any comments on Israel? We're asking everybody today, any comments on Israel?Thomas: Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.
Nesenoff: Ooh. Any better comments on Israel?
Thomas: Hahaha. Remember, these people are occupied and it's their land. It's not German, it's not Poland...
Nesenoff: So where should they go, what should they do?
Thomas: They can go home.
Nesenoff: Where's the home?
Thomas: Poland, Germany...
Nesenoff: So you're saying the Jews go back to Poland and Germany?
Thomas: And America and everywhere else. Why push people out of there who have lived there for centuries? See?
Nesenoff: Are you familiar with the history of that region?
Thomas: Very much. I'm of Arab background.
Nesenoff: I see. Do you speak Arabic?
Thomas: Very little. We were too busy Americanizing our parents... All the best to you.[55]
—May 27, 2010, RabbiLive.com[50]
A one-minute excerpt of the May 27, 2010 interview was posted on Rabbi Nesenoff's site on June 3, 2010. On June 4, Thomas issued an apology on her personal web site:
I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon.[56][57][58]
However, in October 2010, while being interviewed by Scott Spears of Ohio radio stationWMRN-AM, Thomas stated that while her comments had touched a nerve, they were "exactly what I thought." She said she realized soon afterward she would be fired, stating, "I hit the third rail. You cannot criticize Israel in this country and survive." Thomas added that she issued an apology because people were upset, but that ultimately she "had the same feelings about Israel's aggression and brutality."[59]
Again on December 2, 2010, shortly before a speech, Thomas told reporters that the comments she made to Nesenoff were "the truth", "I stand by it, I told the truth". Then referring that it led to the end of her decades-long career in journalism, she said "I paid a price, but it's worth it to speak the truth", adding "the truth is always a casualty in disputes like that".[60] In her speech (see below), Thomas told about how she was jokingly referred to as "Hezbollah," "Hamas" and a "terrorist" by White House press officials. She said she didn't protest the comments because "I know who I am".[61][62]

[edit]Reactions and repercussions

Thomas's agency, Nine Speakers, Inc., dropped her as a client because of her remarks.[63][64]Craig Crawford, who co-authoredListen up, Mr. President, said "I ... will no longer be working with Helen on our book projects.”[65] Her scheduled delivery of a commencement speech atWalt Whitman High School inBethesda,Maryland, was canceled by the school.[66] TheWhite House Correspondents' Association, over which she once presided, issued a statement calling her remarks "indefensible".[67] On June 7, Thomas abruptly tendered her resignation from Hearst Newspapers.[68]
Paul Jay, CEO and Senior Editor ofThe Real News Network, suggested that the acrimonious reactions related to the previous instances on which Helen Thomas had questioned American support for Israel; Thomas had previously asked President Obama aboutIsrael's "secret" nuclear weapons, and why the White House did not condemn the Israeliattacks on the aid flotilla.[69] Others saw it as recrimination for past questioning of "Zionist" tactics within America.[70]
On June 8, in an interview onNBC'sToday Show, President Obama called her remarks "offensive" and "out of line", and said her retirement was "the right decision". He remarked that it was a "shame" her celebrated career had to end in such controversy, and at the same time he recognized her long service covering U.S. presidents, calling her "a real institution in Washington."[71] Her comments also garnered rebukes from numerous others, including White House Press SecretaryRobert Gibbs, former White House Press SecretaryAri Fleischer, former special counsel to and White House spokesman for President Bill Clinton,Lanny Davis, former Arkansas GovernorMike Huckabee, and Hoover Institution senior fellowVictor Davis Hanson.[56][72][73][74]
Helen Thomas' alma mater,Wayne State University strongly condemned what it called her "wholly inappropriate comments."[47]
Thomas' defenders either supported her comments or tried to put them into what they felt was a proper context. These arguments included the belief that she was completely correct and should not have felt any repercussions (Hezbollah called Thomas' comments "courageous, bold, honest and free opinion," whileHamas said she had "told the truth."[75][76]), that Thomas was only referring to the West Bank when she talked about Israelis getting the hell out of "Palestine", or that her comments could not be explained away but should not erase what she had achieved in her memorable career, such asSam Donaldson, another former White House correspondent who did not agree with what Thomas said. Donaldson, however, praised Thomas' achievements as an early woman journalist, and said her comments likely reflected the view of many people of Arab descent).[77]
After Thomas' resignation, her coveted front row center seat in theWhite House Briefing Room was awarded to theAssociated Press (AP), whileFox News moved from the second row into the AP's former front row position.[78]
In August 2010, a group of Holocaust survivors and relatives criticized theArab American National Museum ofDearborn, Michigan for its plans to place a statue of Helen Thomas in its museum, saying that it would be immoral to honor her and that "American values are at stake."[79][80]
The president of theSociety of Professional Journalists, Kevin Smith, said in June that Thomas's comments were "offensive" and "inexcusable."[47] The society was later asked why it decided to continue the Helen Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement after Thomas's comments. Smith's successor as the society's president, Hagit Limor replied in December: "We discussed the issue at our exec board meeting in July 2010. The majority believed this to be a one-time slip that didn't change Ms. Thomas's lifetime of service, which is what we were honoring."[81][82] However, on January 14, 2011, the Society of Professional Journalists voted to retire the Helen Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement; stating that it staunchly defends the right to free speech, but that "the controversy surrounding this award has overshadowed the reason it exists". "...No individual worthy of such honor should have to face this controversy. No honoree should have to decide if the possible backlash is worth being recognized for his or her contribution to journalism."[83] "SPJ will simply not give a lifetime achievement award (anymore)" said Scott Leadingham, spokesman for SPJ.[84]

[edit]December 2010 speech controversy

On December 2, 2010, in a speech for the eighth annual "Images and Perceptions of Arab Americans" conference at the Byblos Banquet Center on Chase, Thomas said: "Congress, theWhite House andHollywood,Wall Street are owned byZionists. No question, in my opinion."[60] Thomas defended her comments on December 7, telling Scott Spears of Marion, Ohio AM radio station WMRN, "I just think that people should be enlightened as to who is in charge of the opinion in this country."[85]
The next day, theAnti-Defamation League called for journalism schools and organizations to rescind any honors given to Thomas. The organization said that Thomas had "clearly, unequivocally revealed herself as a vulgar anti-Semite" in the speech.[86] Hours later,Wayne State University inDetroit discontinued the Helen Thomas Spirit of Diversity in Media Award, which it had been granting for more than ten years, citing what it called herantisemitic remarks. The school issued a statement saying: "As a public university, Wayne State encourages free speech and open dialogue, and respects diverse viewpoints. However, the university strongly condemns the anti-Semitic remarks made by Helen Thomas...". Speaking for the school, Matthew Seeger said: "The controversy has brought a negative light to the award, which was never the intent of the award."[60] Thomas herself reacted with scolding remarks saying that "the leaders of Wayne State University have made a mockery of the First Amendment and disgraced their understanding of its inherent freedom of speech and the press." She also stated that "the university also has betrayed academic freedom—a sad day for its students."[87] The university's Arab American Student Union held a protest on campus December 10. In a news release the Palestine Cultural Office of Michigan made a call for concerned individuals to contact the university. Also, members of the Congress of Arab American Organizations held a meeting with university officials on December 7 in an attempt to make them repeal their decision. In a later response the university said it would not reverse its position.[88] Asked byThe Detroit Free Press how she'd respond to people who say she's anti-Semitic, Thomas responded: 'I'd say I'm a Semite. What are you talking about?'" referring to the fact that her parents were Arab.[89] However while the term'setymology might suggest that antisemitism is directed against allSemitic peoples, the term was coined in the late 19th century in Germany as a more scientific-sounding term forJudenhass ("Jew-hatred"),[90] and that has been its normal use since then.[91]

[edit]Awards

Thomas has received numerous awards and more than 30 honorary degrees. In 1976, Thomas was named one of theWorld Almanac's 25 Most Influential Women in America.[92]
In 1986 she received theWilliam Allen White Foundation Award for Journalistic Merit from theUniversity of Kansas.[18] Thomas received anAl Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media from theFreedom Forum in 1991. TheWhite House Correspondent's Association honored her in 1998 by establishing theHelen Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2000, her alma mater,Wayne State University, established an award for journalists in her honor, theHelen Thomas Spirit of Diversity award;[93] but in December 2010, the award was discontinued by Wayne State citing her renewed remarks that she stands by what she had said earlier in May to Nesenoff. Speaking for Wayne State, Matthew Seeger, its interim dean said, that the award is given to promote the importance of diversity in the media; but this award “is no longer helping us achieve our goals”.[94] In 2007, Thomas received a Foremother Award from the National Research Center for Women & Families.
In October 2010, theCouncil on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) honored Thomas with a lifetime achievement award.[95][96]

[edit]Bibliography

[edit]See also

[edit]References

  1. ^abJTA staff (June 7, 2010)."Helen Thomas quits". Washington DC:Jewish Telegraphic Agency.http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/06/07/2739488/helen-thomas-quits. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  2. ^Marilyn D. Anderson (January 2006).Arab Americans (World Almanac Library of American Immigration). World Almanac Library. p. 44.ISBN 0836873076.http://books.google.com/?id=E103mxJ2820C&pg=PA44&dq=%22Helen+Thomas%22+arab#v=onepage&q=%22Helen%20Thomas%22%20&f=false. Retrieved August 6, 2010. 
  3. ^Randa A. Kayyali (December 2005).The Arab Americans. Greenwood Publishing Group.ISBN 0313332193.http://books.google.com/?id=w2rc0RI7EqYC&pg=PA157&dq=%22Helen+Thomas%22+arab#v=onepage&q=%22Helen%20Thomas%22%20&f=false. Retrieved August 6, 2010. 
  4. ^Jeremy W. Peters (June 7, 2010)."Reporter Retires After Words About Israel".New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/08/business/media/08thomas.html. Retrieved March 5, 2011. 
  5. ^ab"Elders with Andrew Denton – episode 4: Helen Thomas". Abc.net.au. July 7, 2008.http://www.abc.net.au/tv/elders/transcripts/s2721488.htm. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  6. ^abcHelen Thomas (May 3, 2000).Front Row At The White House: My Life And Times (link to Ch. 1). Simon & Shuster.http://www.northshire.com/siteinfo/bookinfo.php?isbn=9780684868097&item=0. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  7. ^Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 3. Gale Research, 1998;Encyclopedia of World Biography Supplement, Vol. 19. Gale Group, 1999;Current Biography, H.W. Wilson Co., 1993.
  8. ^Helen Thomas (1975).Dateline: White House. Macmillan.ISBN 0026176203. 
  9. ^"Helen Thomas, Consumer Advocate".National Press Club speech.NPR. July 13, 2000.http://www.npr.org/programs/npc/2000/000713.hthomas.html. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  10. ^From staff and wire reports (June 7, 2010)."Famed Winchester native, Helen Thomas, retires amid controversy". WinchesterSun.com.http://www.winchestersun.com/stories/2010/06/07/loc.931294.sto. Retrieved June 20, 2010. 
  11. ^Encyclopedia Britannica staff."Helen Thomas (American journalist)". Britannica Online Encyclopedia.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/592820/Helen-Thomas. Retrieved June 20, 2010. 
  12. ^abcGregory Orfalea (November 2005).The Arab Americans: a history. Interlink Pub Group Inc.ISBN 1566565979.http://books.google.com/?id=FuhpfUECtRcC&printsec=frontcover&q. Retrieved June 20, 2010. 
  13. ^Hugh Downs (September 3, 2002).My America: what my country means to me by 150 Americans from all walks of life. Simon & Shuster.ISBN 9780743233699.http://books.google.com/?id=h4qpzo7yNxEC&pg=PA238&dq=tripoli+%22helen+thomas%22&q=tripoli%20%22helen%20thomas%22. 
  14. ^Reuters staff (May 16, 2000)."Helen Thomas Quits UPI". Reuters. CBS News.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/16/national/main196040.shtml. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  15. ^BBC staff (May 16, 2000)."Veteran journalist quits White House". BBC News.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/751363.stm. Retrieved June 7, 2010. 
  16. ^Kayyali (December 2005).The Arab Americans. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 157.ISBN 9780313332197.http://books.google.com/?id=w2rc0RI7EqYC&pg=PA157&dq=%22Helen+Thomas%22+%22winchester%22+1920#v=onepage&q=%22Helen%20Thomas%22%20%22winchester%22%201920&f=false. Retrieved August 6, 2010. 
  17. ^ Thomas, Helen.Dateline: White House. Macmillan, 1975, page xiii.
  18. ^abPittsburgh Press staff (June 24, 1985)."Helen Thomas honored".The Pittsburgh Press: p. A2.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=U4McAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UWIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5835,5656080&dq=helen-thomas+thank-you-mr-president&hl=en. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  19. ^Mike Allen (February 20, 2007)."Helen Thomas Moving Back After 46 Years Down Front".Politico.http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2847.html. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  20. ^Jimmy Orr (August 16, 2008)."Helen Thomas featured on HBO special". 'Christian Science Monitor.http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2008/0816/helen-thomas-featured-on-hbo-special. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  21. ^"NOW with Bill Moyers" (Transcript). PBS. January 16, 2004.http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript303_full.html. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  22. ^UPI staff (February 8, 1972)."Nixon's China Trip Journalists Chosen". UPI. The Pittsburgh Press. p. 8.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZvcbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qFMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5872,2624976&dq=helen-thomas+nixon+china&hl=en. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  23. ^Helen Thomas (March 11, 1980)."Backstairs At The White House".Nashua Telegraph (New Hampshire). UPI: p. 7.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t58rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6171,1845216&dq=backstairs-at-the-white-house+helen-thomas&hl=en. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  24. ^Merriman Smith (February 17, 1954)."Backstairs At The White House".The Times-News (Hendersonville, NC). United Press: p. 2.http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TAMaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gSMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5290,1927066&dq=backstairs-at-the-white-house+thomas&hl=en. Retrieved June 11, 2010. 
  25. ^abStout, David (May 17, 2000)."Helen Thomas, Washington Fixture, Resigns as U.P.I. Reporter".The New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/2000/05/17/us/helen-thomas-washington-fixture-resigns-as-upi-reporter.html?pagewanted=1. Retrieved March 7, 2008. 
  26. ^Greg Winter (July 10, 2000)."Helen Thomas Is Back as a Columnist With Hearst". The New York Times.http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE2D91538F933A25754C0A9669C8B63. Retrieved April 15, 2008. 
  27. ^AP staff (July 6, 2000)."Helen Thomas joins Hearst as a columnist". Associated Press. The Free-Lance Star (Fredericksburg, VA).http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iDIzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QwgGAAAAIBAJ&pg=4944,1288668&dq=helen-thomas&hl=en. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  28. ^Susan Stewart (August 17, 2008)."Just a Few More Questions, Ms. Thomas".The New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/arts/television/18hele.html?ref=arts. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  29. ^Ari Fleisher (March 1, 2005).Taking Heat: The President, The Press And My Years In The White House. Harper Collins.ISBN 9780060747626.http://books.google.com/?id=ZZV7BY-sFbIC&dq=israel+%22Helen+Thomas%22. Retrieved June 16, 2010. 
  30. ^Ann McFeatters (Summer 2006)."Thank 'You', Ms. Thomas".Ms. Magazine.http://www.msmagazine.com/summer2006/thankyoumsthomas.asp. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  31. ^"Five Minutes With: Helen Thomas" (Interview).Campus Progress (Center for American Progress). February 28, 2006.http://www.campusprogress.org/features/779/five-minutes-with-helen-thomas. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  32. ^"Press Conference of the President". The White House. March 21, 2006.http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/03/20060321-4.html. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  33. ^Julie Millican (March 27, 2006)."O'Reilly, others smear veteran journalist Helen Thomas over exchange with Bush".Media Matters.http://mediamatters.org/items/200603270001. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  34. ^Albert Eisele (July 28, 2006)."Reporter: Cheney's Not Presidential Material".The Hill.http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/UndertheDome/072805.html. [dead link]
  35. ^Lynn Sweet (July 18, 2006)."Tony Snow: On Lebanon-Not calling for cease fire if it leaves status quo intact".Lynn Sweet: The scoop from Washington (Chicago Sun-Times).http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2006/07/tony_snow_on_lebanonnot_callin.html. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  36. ^Tom Shales (August 18, 2008)."A Story With a Few Holes: Portrait of Helen Thomas Obscures Flaws". The Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702454.html. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  37. ^ Greg Mitchell,"Tom Shales Hits Helen Thomas -- Way Out of Line?",Editor & Publisher, August 18, 2008
  38. ^White House Office of the Press Secretary (November 30, 2007)."Press Briefing by Dana Perino and Mark Dybul, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator". The White House.http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2007/11/20071130-5.html. Retrieved June 12, 2008. 
  39. ^ Cook, Dave.; Orr, Jimmy.Obama shares a birthday and a smooch with Helen Thomas.Christian Science Monitor. August 4, 2009.
  40. ^ NBC News, February 9, 2009
  41. ^Jeff Zeleny (February 10, 2009)."New Media Breaks in, but Tradition Lives On". New York Times.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/us/politics/10media.html. 
  42. ^"White House Reporters Grill Gibbs Over ‘Prepackaged’ Questions for Obama".CSPAN-2. July 1, 2009.http://www.breitbart.tv/white-house-reporters-grill-gibbs-over-selected-questions-for-obama/. Retrieved July 2, 2009. 
  43. ^Kim LaCapria (July 2, 2009)."Helen Thomas calls Obama administration out on social media smokescreen".The Inquisitr (Nichenet Pty Ltd).http://www.inquisitr.com/28013/helen-thomas-calls-obama-administration-out-on-social-media-smokescreen/. Retrieved August 9, 2009. 
  44. ^Daniela Sicuranza; Stephen Clark (July 1, 2009)."White House Disputes Criticism That Health Care Town Hall Meeting Is Staged". FOX News.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/01/white-house-disputes-criticism-town-hall-meeting-staged/. Retrieved August 9, 2009. [dead link]
  45. ^Penny Starr; Fred Lucas (July 1, 2009)."Helen Thomas: Not Even Nixon Tried to Control the Media Like Obama". Cybercast News Service.http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=50445. Retrieved August 9, 2009. [dead link]
  46. ^Mark Silva (August 4, 2009)."Obama Celebrates two birthdays – his and Helen Thomas’".The Los Angeles Times.http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-birthday5-2009aug05,0,6598638.story. Retrieved August 4, 2009. [dead link]
  47. ^abcJudson Berger (June 10, 2010)."Groups Consider Renaming 'Helen Thomas' Awards". FOX News.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/10/groups-consider-renaming-helen-thomas-awards-controversy/?test=latestnews. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  48. ^Timothy Bolger (June 16, 2010)."L.I. Rabbi Faces Blowback for Helen Thomas Expose". Long Island Press.http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/06/16/l-i-rabbi-faces-blowback-for-helen-thomas-expose/. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  49. ^Sam Youngman; Emily Goodin (June 7, 2010)."Helen Thomas quits after Israel remarks".The Hill. Archived fromthe original on June 11, 2010.http://www.webcitation.org/5qPIVDRlZ. 
  50. ^abc, Rabbi David Nesenoff; Helen Thomas. (posted June 7, 2010, recorded May 27, 2010).Helen Thomas, Complete Version, (2 minutes). [video]. Washington D.C.: RabbiLive.com.http://www.rabbilive.com/RabbiLIVE/Helen.html. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  51. ^BBC News staff (June 7, 2010)."US reporter Helen Thomas quits over Israel comments".BBC News.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/us_and_canada/10259646.stm. Retrieved June 7, 2010. 
  52. ^Jon Ward (June 13, 2010)."Why we'll miss Helen Thomas". The Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/11/AR2010061105355.html. Retrieved June 14, 2010. 
  53. ^Sam Stein (June 4, 2010)."Ari Fleischer: Fire Helen Thomas". The Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/04/ari-fleischer-fire-helen-thomas_n_601565.html. Retrieved June 5, 2010. 
  54. ^Amy Goodman (June 8, 2010)."Veteran White House Reporter Helen Thomas Retires After Israel Remarks" (Transcript).Headlines (Democracy Now!).http://www.democracynow.org/2010/6/8/veteran_white_house_reporter_helen_thomas. 
  55. ^http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc4OeRu7cfs
  56. ^abFox News staff (June 6, 2010)."Ex-Spokesmen Lead Charge for White House Reporter Helen Thomas to Be Fired". Fox News.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/06/ari-fleischer-helen-thomas-fired/. Retrieved June 6, 2010. 
  57. ^Natasha Mozgovaya (June 5, 2010)."Jews should leave Palestine and return to Europe, top U.S. journalist says".Haaretz.http://www.haaretz.com/news/international/jews-should-leave-palestine-and-return-to-europe-top-u-s-journalist-says-1.294284/. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  58. ^Helen Thomas (June 4, 2010)."Helen Thomas".http://helenthomas.org/. Retrieved June 4, 2010. 
  59. ^"Helen Thomas on being anti-Semitic: 'Baloney!'". Associated Press. 12 October 2010.http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hrzSPl26rYhOVbdFZ6x94gFhc8aAD9IQ8CQ81?docId=D9IQ8CQ81. Retrieved 12 October 2010. [dead link]
  60. ^abcWayne State ends Helen Thomas Award, UPI 04-12-2010
  61. ^"Helen Thomas stands by remarks about Israelis". The Detroit News. 2 December 2010.http://www.detnews.com/article/20101202/POLITICS03/12020480/Helen-Thomas-stands-by-remarks-about-Israelis. Retrieved 2 December 2010. 
  62. ^Helen Thomas: Thrown to the wolves, Danny Schechter,Aljazeera, December 28, 2010
  63. ^Patrick Gavin (June 6, 2010)."Thomas gets dropped by agency". Politico.http://www.politico.com/blogs/onmedia/0610/Thomas_gets_dropped_by_agency.html. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  64. ^Kristina Wong (June 6, 2010)."Columnist Draws Fire for Telling Jews 'Go Home'".ABC News.http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hearst-columnist-helen-thomas-fire-telling-jews-back/story?id=10842149. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  65. ^Martina Stewart (June 6, 2010)."Helen Thomas under fire for saying Jews in Israel should go back to Germany, Poland". CNN.http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/06/helen-thomas-under-fire-for-saying-jews-in-israel-should-go-back-to-germany-poland/. Retrieved June 7, 2010. 
  66. ^Martin Weil (June 7, 2010)."Helen Thomas agrees to bow out as commencement speaker at Walt Whitman High". The Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/06/AR2010060604269_pf.html. 
  67. ^"Statement issued by the board of theWhite House Correspondents' Association". June 7, 2010.http://www.whca.net/blogs.htm. 
  68. ^Reuters (April 7, 2010)."Groups Consider Renaming 'Helen Thomas' Awards". FOX News.http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/10/groups-consider-renaming-helen-thomas-awards-controversy/?test=latestnews. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  69. ^Jay, Paul (June 7, 2010)."In Defense of Helen Thomas -- On Apologizing to Apologists".Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-jay/in-defense-of-helen-thoma_b_602972.html. Retrieved January 9, 2011. 
  70. ^Nga, Jawal (June 10, 2010)."Anti-Israeli Hysteria and Helen Thomas".Huffington Post.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jawal-nga/anti-israeli-hysteria-and_b_604052.html. Retrieved January 9, 2011. 
  71. ^Mimi Hall (June 8, 2010)."Obama calls Helen Thomas' comments "offensive"". USA Today.http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/06/obama-calls-helen-thomas-comments-offensive/1. Retrieved June 12, 2010. 
  72. ^Patrick Gavin (June 7, 2010)."Gibbs rebukes Thomas". Politico.http://www.politico.com/blogs/onmedia/0610/Gibbs_rebukes_Thomas.html?showall. Retrieved January 9, 2011. 
  73. ^Times, Arkansas (June 17, 2010)."Smart Talk,". Arkansas Times.http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/smart-talk-june-17/Content?oid=1205627. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  74. ^Victor Davis Hanson."Helen Thomas, Turkey, and the Liberation of Israel". National Review.http://article.nationalreview.com/436085/helen-thomas-turkey-and-the-liberation-of-israel/victor-davis-hanson. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  75. ^James Taranto (June 7, 2010)."Helen Thomas and Peter Beinart".Opinion (The Wall Street Journal).http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704002104575291341382226952.html. Retrieved August 6, 2010. 
  76. ^AFP staff reporter (June 9, 2010)."Hezbollah lauds Helen Thomas: Lebanese group stands by disgraced White House correspondent; praises criticism of 'racist' Israel". AFP. YNetNews.http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3902922,00.html. Retrieved June 17, 2010. 
  77. ^Howard Kurtz (June 6, 2010)."Helen Thomas never shied from piping up. In the end, that was the problem".The Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/07/AR2010060701493.html. Retrieved July 26, 2010. 
  78. ^Keach Hagey (1 August 2010)."Associated Press takes Helen Thomas's seat, Fox News moves up".Politico.http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40530.html. Retrieved 18 October 2010. 
  79. ^Niraj Warikoo (August 6, 2010)."Holocaust survivors condemn tribute to newswoman, call proposed honor immoral". The Detroit Free Press.http://www.freep.com/article/20100806/NEWS05/8060364/Holocaust-survivors-condemn-tribute-to-newswoman-call-proposed-honor-immoral. Retrieved August 6, 2010. [dead link]
  80. ^David Ng (August 6, 2010)."Journalist Helen Thomas still making waves".Art (Los Angeles Times).http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2010/08/journalist-helen-thomas-still-making-waves.html. Retrieved August 7, 2010. 
  81. ^Worse Than Bigoted: Helen Thomas's latest may be too much for the Society of Professional Journalists, James Taranto, Wall Street Journal Dec. 6, 2010
  82. ^Awards Honoring Helen Thomas May be Renamed, CBS News June 8, 2010
  83. ^Steele, Micki (January 14, 2011)."Journalism group shelves Helen Thomas award".The Detroit News.http://detnews.com/article/20110114/METRO/101140457/1409/metro. Retrieved January 19, 2011. 
  84. ^Journalism group shelves Helen Thomas award, Detroit News January 14, 2011
  85. ^Warikoo, Niraj (December 9, 2010)."Helen Thomas says Anti-Defamation League is intimidating her".Detroit Free Press.http://www.freep.com/article/20101209/NEWS05/12090446/Helen-Thomas-says-Anti-Defamation-League-is-intimidating-her. Retrieved December 30, 2010. 
  86. ^Helen Thomas: 'Congress, White House owned by the Zionists', Jerusalem Post 05-12-2010
  87. ^Warikoo, Niraj (December 7, 2010)."Helen Thomas blasts Wayne State University for ending award in her honor".Detroit Free Press.http://www.freep.com/article/20101207/NEWS05/12070439/Helen-Thomas-blasts-Wayne-State-University-for-ending-award-in-her-honor. Retrieved December 30, 2010. 
  88. ^Dado, Natasha (December 30, 2010)."Arab Americans still fighting to reinstate Helen Thomas award at Wayne State".The Arab American News.http://www.arabamericannews.com/news/index.php?mod=article&cat=Community&article=3734. 
  89. ^Detroit Free Press
  90. ^ See, for example:
  91. ^ See, for example:
  92. ^25 Most Influential Women [1976].World Almanac.
  93. ^AP reporter (June 9, 2010)."Wayne State to keep award named for Helen Thomas". Associated Press. Chicago Tribune.http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-helenthomas-detro,0,5962872.story. Retrieved June 9, 2010. 
  94. ^Lori Higgins (December 3, 2010)."Wayne State pulls diversity award named after Helen Thomas". Detroit Free Press.http://www.freep.com/article/20101203/NEWS/101203051/1319/Wayne-State-pulls-diversity-award-named-after-Helen-Thomas-. Retrieved December 3, 2010. 
  95. ^"Defining Our Faith, Defending Our Rights". Council on American-Islamic Relations.http://www.cair.com/banquet/. Retrieved 16 November 2010. 
  96. ^Bridget Johnson (18 September 2010)."Helen Thomas receiving lifetime achievement award from CAIR".The Hill.http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/119595-helen-thomas-receiving-lifetime-achievement-award-from-cair. Retrieved 16 November 2010. 

[edit]External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:Helen Thomas
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:Helen Thomas
0 comments

0 comments

NoteGuestbook
   
erfins wrote on Nov 3, '11
Kartu suara
Dari Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas
Perubahan tertunda ditampilkan di halaman iniBelum Diperiksa
Langsung ke: navigasi, cari

Kartu suara (Sound Card) adalah suatu perangkat keras komputer yang digunakan untuk mengeluarkan suara dan merekam suara. Pada awalnya, Sound Card hanyalah sebagai pelengkap dari komputer. Namun sekarang, sound card adalah perangkat wajib di setiap komputer. Dilihat dari cara pemasangannya, sound card dibagi 3:

* Sound Card Onboard, yaitu sound card yang menempel langsung pada motherboard komputer.
* Sound Card Offboard, yaitu sound card yang pemasangannya di slot ISA/PCI pada motherboard. Rata-rata, sekarang sudah menggunakan PCI
* Soundcard External, adalah sound card yang penggunaannya disambungkan ke komputer melalui port eksternal, seperti USB atau FireWire

Sound Blaster Live !

Salah satu contoh sound card yang terbilang sangat sukses di pasaran indonesia adalah Sound Blaster, dari Creative Labs.

Untuk memainkan musik MIDI, pada awalnya menggunakan teknologi FM Synthesis, namun sekarang sudah menggunakan Wavetable Synthesis Sedangkan untuk urusan digital audio, yang dulunya hanyalah 2 kanal (stereo), sekarang sudah menggunakan 4 atau lebih kanal suara (Surround). Kualitas nya pun sudah meningkat dari 8 bit, 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit, bahkan sampai sekarang sudah 64 bit.
[sunting] Cara Kerja

Ketika anda mendengarkan suara dari sound card,data digital suara yang berupa waveform .wav atau mp3 dikirim ke sound card. Data digital ini di proses oleh DSP (Digital Signal processing : Pengolah signal digital) bekerja dengan DAC (Digital Analog Converter :Konversi digital ke Analog ). Mengubah sinyal digital menjadi sinyal analog, yang kemudian sinyal analog diperkuat dan dikeluarkan melalui speaker.

Ketika anda merekam suara lewat microphone. suara anda yang berupa analog diolah oleh DSP, dalam mode ADC ( Analog Digital Converter : Konversi analog ke digital). Mengubah sinyal analog menjadi sinyal digital yang berkelanjutan. Sinyal digital ini simpan dalam format waveform table atau biasa ditulis Wav(wave) dalam disk atau dikompresi menjadi bentuk lain seperti mp3
erfins wrote on Nov 3, '11
Chasing PC nyetrum??

PostSubyek: Chasing PC nyetrum?? Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:20 am
Sugeng enjang

Chasing PC nyetrum biasa... Medan Listrik statis, sekitar 26 volt AC
Walaupun mengganggu ternyata ada gunanya lho...
Setuju dengan pengaktifan ion tubuh. bikin sehat. cuma kalo keseringan ngga baik kan disamping kaget juga mengganggu.
Ada trik mudah nich buat ngurangin media listrik statis dari chasing PC, disamping bikin penggunaan listrik lebih irit.
Dari pabrikan biasanya sebuah PC membutuhkan 3 buah tegangan (220V (+), 0, sama Ground). Cuma PLN kita nich hanya menyediakan 2 buah yaitu 220 V (+) sama 0 aja.
Terminal yang ketiga di steker jarang dipakai kecuali pada pemasangan PLN sebelum thn 1990. soalnya rumahku pakai kabel 3.
Kita bisa buat ground tambahan dengan menghubungkan terminal ke 3 tersebut dengan kabel yang di hubungkan ke tanah. ( biasanya kalau di steker ada di sisi atas dan bawah )
Menghubungkan terminal tersebut ke tanah akan mengamankan tegangan PC kita tetap pad kisaran 215-225 V secara konstan.
Penggunaan alat lain selain PC di rumah tidak akan banyak mempengaruhi konsumsi listrik pada PC karena perbedaan tegangan yang konstan antara 2 kutub tersebut.
Pengalaman saya walaupun dengan jam yang sama. Konsumsi Listrik pada PC saya jadi lebih irit. Performance lebih baik dan mengurangi terjadinya medan listrik statis pada chasing PC.
Semoga berguna
erfins wrote on Feb 28, '11
Daftar Ijazah (MA/SMA dan MTs/SMP) yang Disamakan dengan SMA dan SMP Al-Azhar : Madrasah Aliyah Negeri/MAN Seluruh Indonesia, disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar: 1. Madrasah Tsanawiyah Negeri/MTsN Seluruh Indonesia disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar; 2. Madrasah “Miftahul Ulum مفتاح العلوم”, Palisingkar, Pamekasan, Madura (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA-Al Azhar); 3. Pondok Pesantren “Nurul Islam النور الإسلامي”, Penambut, Bekasi, Jawa Barat (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar, dan Ijazah Aliyah dari Pesantren tsb disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar); 4. Pondok Modern Islam "المعهد العصري الإسلامي” Surakarta Indonesia (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 5. Pondok Pesantren “Raudhah Hasanah الروضة الحسنة” Medan (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 6. Madrasah Muallimin dan Muallimat Pondok Pesantren “Bahrul Ulum بحر العلوم” Tambak Beras Jombang Jatim (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 7. Pendidikan Agama “Sunan Ampel سونان أمفيل” Jombang Jatim (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 8. Kulliyatul Muallimin al Islamiyah Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor Ponorogo Jatim (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 9. Madrasah Islam Darul Ulum مدرسة دار العلوم الإسلامية” Banyuanyar, Pamekasan, Madura (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 10. Tarbiyatul Muallimin al Islamiyah Pondok Pesantren Al Amin Prenduan Sumenep Madura (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 11. Yayasan “Raudhatul Ulum al Islamiyah “مؤسسة روضة العلوم الإسلامية” Guyangan Trangkil Pati Jawa Tengah (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 12. Pondok Pesantren Islam ‘Al Falah معهد الفلاح الإسلامي” Lindasan Uling Banjar Baru Kalimantan Selatan (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 13. Madrasah Islamiyah “Mathaliul Falah مطالع الفلاح” Jawa Tengah (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 14. Pondok “Persatuan Islam/Persis معهد الاتحاد الإسلامي” Bandung Jawa Barat (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 15. Madrasah Raudhatul Ulum al Islamiyah مدرسة روضة العلوم الإسلامية Sakatiga, Palembang, Indonesia (Ijazah MTS disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar); 16. Kulliyatul Mu`allimin Al Islamiyah معهد القرآن الكريم (Ijazah MA dan MTS disamakan dengan SMA dan SMP Al-Azhar); 17. Pondok Al Anwar ad Dini (معهد الأنوار الديني) Karang Manggo Sarang, Rembang Jateng (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 18. Pondok Attaqwa “معهد التقوى” Bekasi Jabar (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 19. Madrasah “Amanatul Ummah مدرسة أمانة الأمة “ Sulan Karto, Surabaya Jatim (Ijazah MTS disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar); 20. Madrasah Tsanawiyah Islamiyah, Dinanyar Jombang Jatim (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 21. Madrasah “Miftahul Ulum مدرسة مفتاح العلوم” Lumajang Jatim (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 22. Madrasah Manba`ul Ulum Bata-bata مدرسة منبع العلوم باتا باتا الإسلامية Pamekasan Madura Indonesia (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 23. Kulliyatul Muallimin al Islamiyah, Pondok Modern Al Iman Jawa Timur (Ijazah MTs disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar); 24. Kulliyatul Muallimin al Islamiyah, Pondok Modern Al Iman Jawa Timur (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 25. Madrasatul Muallimin al Islamiyah (مدرسة المعلمين الإسلامية بمعهد التربية الإسلامية (دار القلم) Gintung Banten Indonesia (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 26. Madrasah “Nahdhatul Ulum al Islami (مدرسة نهضة العلوم الإسلامي) Sakatiga Indralaya Palembang (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 27. Madrasah ”Nahdhatul Ulum al Islami (مدرسة نهضة العلوم الإسلامي) Sakatiga Indralaya Palembang (Ijazah MTs disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar); 28. Tarbiyatul Muallimin wal Muallimat Pondok Pesantren Darunnajah Jakarta Indonesia (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 29. Pondok Pesantren “Al Muayyad المؤيد الإسلامي” Mangkuyudan Surakarta Jateng Indonesia (Ijazah MTs & MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 30. Pondok Modern “Al Ikhlas معهد الإخلاص للتربية الإسلامية الحديثة ” Ciawilor Kuningan Jabar (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar). 31. KMI Pondok Modern Al Kautsar Al Gontory, Aik Nyambuk Aik Mil Lombok Timur NTB. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 32. Madrasah Tsanawiyah Diniyah Pondok Pesantren “Ass Saidiyah " السعيديةTambak Beras Jombang Jawa Timur. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 33. SMA PB Sudirman, Cijantung Jakarta Timur Indonesia. (Ijazah SMA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 34. Ma'had Nurul Ulum Yayasan Nurul Hilal Peureulak Aceh Timur Indonesia. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar); 35. Yayasan Al-Khairat Palu Sulawesi Tengah Indonesia. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar). 36. Pondok Pesantren Sidogiri. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-AZhar). 37. Pondok Pesantren “Nurul Fikri "نور الفكر Jakarta. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar). 38. Pondok Pesantren “Takmirull Islam "تعمير الإسلام Surakarta. (Ijazah MTs disamakan dengan SMP Al-Azhar). 39. Pondok Pesantren “Takmirull Islam "تعمير الإسلام Surakarta. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar). 40. Pondok Pesantren “Al-Ulum Diniyah Islamiyah "معهد العلوم الإسلامية Mesjid Raya Samalanga Kab. Bireuen Aceh. (Ijazah MA disamakan dengan SMA Al-Azhar). _______ *) Sumber: Kantor Urusan Mahasiswa Asing, Islamic Research Academy, Al Azhar el Syarif, Nasr City Cairo Mesir Daftar Nama-Nama Sekolah Menengah Atas Yang Telah Mendapatkan Penyetaraan (Mu'adalah) Dari Kementrian Pendidikan Tinggi Mesir (Non Al-Azhar) http://www.atdikcairo.org/ke-azharan/daftar-izajah-muadalah.html
erfins wrote on Dec 31, '10
Pajak pertambahan nilai
Dari Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia, ensiklopedia bebas
Perubahan tertunda ditampilkan di halaman iniBelum Diperiksa
Langsung ke: navigasi, cari

Pajak Pertambahan Nilai (PPN) adalah pajak yang dikenakan atas setiap pertambahan nilai dari barang atau jasa dalam peredarannya dari produsen ke konsumen. Dalam bahasa Inggris, PPN disebut Value Added Tax (VAT) atau Goods and Services Tax (GST). PPN termasuk jenis pajak tidak langsung, maksudnya pajak tersebut disetor oleh pihak lain (pedagang) yang bukan penanggung pajak atau dengan kata lain, penanggung pajak (konsumen akhir) tidak menyetorkan langsung pajak yang ia tanggung.

Mekanisme pemungutan, penyetoran, dan pelaporan PPN ada pada pihak pedagang atau produsen sehingga muncul istilah Pengusaha Kena Pajak yang disingkat PKP. Dalam perhitungan PPN yang harus disetor oleh PKP, dikenal istilah pajak keluaran dan pajak masukan. Pajak keluaran adalah PPN yang dipungut ketika PKP menjual produknya, sedangkan pajak masukan adalah PPN yang dibayar ketika PKP membeli, memperoleh, atau membuat produknya.

Indonesia menganut sistem tarif tunggal untuk PPN, yaitu sebesar 10 persen. Dasar hukum utama yang digunakan untuk penerapan PPN di Indonesia adalah Undang-Undang No. 8/1983 berikut revisinya, yaitu Undang-Undang No. 11/1994 dan Undang-Undang No. 18/2000.
Daftar isi
[sembunyikan]

* 1 Karakteristik
* 2 Perkecualian
o 2.1 Barang tidak kena PPN
o 2.2 Jasa tidak kena PPN
* 3 Lihat pula
* 4 Pranala luar

[sunting] Karakteristik

* Pajak tidak langsung, maksudnya pemikul beban pajak dan penanggung jawab atas pembayaran pajak ke kantor pelayanan pajak adalah subjek yang berbeda.
* Multitahap, maksudnya pajak dikenakan di tiap mata rantai produksi dan distribusi.
* Pajak objektif, maksudnya pengenaan pajak didasarkan pada objek pajak.
* Menghindari pengenaan pajak berganda.
* Dihitung dengan metode pengurangan tidak langsung (indirect subtraction), yaitu dengan memperhitungkan besaran pajak masukan dan pajak keluaran.

[sunting] Perkecualian

Pada dasarnya semua barang dan jasa merupakan barang kena pajak dan jasa kena pajak, sehingga dikenakan Pajak Pertambahan Nilai (PPN), kecuali jenis barang dan jenis jasa sebagaimana ditetapkan dalam Pasal 4A Undang-Undang No. 8/1983 tentang Pajak Pertambahan Nilai Barang dan Jasa dan Pajak Penjualan Atas Barang Mewah sebagaimana telah beberapa kali diubah terakhir dengan Undang-Undang No. 18/2000 tidak dikenakan PPN, yaitu:
[sunting] Barang tidak kena PPN

* Barang hasil pertambangan atau hasil pengeboran yang diambil langsung dari sumbernya, meliputi:

1. Minyak mentah.
2. Gas bumi.
3. Panas bumi.
4. Pasir dan kerikil.
5. Batu bara sebelum diproses menjadi briket batu bara.
6. Bijih timah, bijih besi, bijih emas, bijih tembaga, bijih nikel, bijih perak, dan bijih bauksit.

* Barang-barang kebutuhan pokok yang sangat dibutuhkan oleh masyarakat, meliputi:

* Segala jenis beras dan gabah, seperti beras putih, beras merah, beras ketan hitam, atau beras ketan putih dalam bentuk:

1. Beras berkulit (padi atau gabah) selain untuk benih.
2. Gilingan.
3. Beras setengah giling atau digiling seluruhnya, disosoh, dikilapkan maupun tidak.
4. Beras pecah.
5. Menir (groats) beras.

* Segala jenisng putih, jagung kuning, jagung kuning kemerahan, atau berondong jagung, dalam bentuk:

1. Jagung yang telah dikupas maupun belum.
2. Jagung tongkol dan biji jagung atau jagung pipilan.
3. Menir (groats) atau beras jagung, sepanjang masih dalam bentuk butiran.

* Sagu, dalam bentuk:

1. Empulur sagu.
2. Tepung, tepung kasar, dan bubuk sagu.

* Segala jenis kedelai, seperti kedelai putih, kedelai hijau, kedelai kuning, atau kedelai hitam, pecah maupun utuh.
* Garam, baik yang beriodium maupun tidak beriodium, termasuk:

1. Garam meja.
2. Garam dalam bentuk curah atau kemasan 50 kilogram atau lebih, dengan kadar NaCl 94,7%.

* Makanan dan minuman yang disajikan di hotel, restoran, rumah makan, warung, dan sejenisnya, meliputi makanan dan minuman baik yang dikonsumsi di tempat maupun tidak; tidak termasuk makanan dan minuman yang diserahkan oleh usaha katering atau usaha jasa boga.

* Uang, emas batangan, dan surat-surat berharga.

[sunting] Jasa tidak kena PPN

* Jasa di bidang pelayanan kesehatan, meliputi:

1. Jasa dokter umum, dokter spesialis, dan dokter gigi.
2. Jasa dokter hewan.
3. Jasa ahli kesehatan, seperti akupunktur, fisioterapis, ahli gizi, dan ahli gigi.
4. Jasa kebidanan dan dukun bayi.
5. Jasa paramedis dan perawat.
6. Jasa rumah sakit, rumah bersalin, klinik kesehatan, laboratorium kesehatan, dan sanatorium.

* Jasa di bidang pelayanan sosial, meliputi:

1. Jasa pelayanan panti asuhan dan panti jompo.
2. Jasa pemadam kebakaran, kecuali yang bersifat komersial.
3. Jasa pemberian pertolongan pada kecelakaan.
4. Jasa lembaga rehabilitasi, kecuali yang bersifat komersial.
5. Jasa pemakaman, termasuk krematorium.
6. Jasa di bidang olahraga, kecuali yang bersifat komersial.
7. Jasa pelayanan sosial lainnya, kecuali yang bersifat komersial.

* Jasa di bidang pengiriman surat dengan perangko yang dilakukan oleh PT Pos Indonesia (Persero).

* Jasa di bidang perbankan, asuransi, dan sewa guna usaha dengan hak opsi, meliputi:

1. Jasa perbankan, kecuali jasa penyediaan tempat untuk menyimpan barang dan surat berharga, jasa penitipan untuk kepentingan pihak lain berdasarkan surat kontrak (perjanjian), serta anjak piutang.
2. Jasa asuransi, tidak termasuk broker asuransi.
3. Jasa sewa guna usaha dengan hak opsi.

* Jasa di bidang keagamaan, meliputi:

1. Jasa pelayanan rumah ibadah.
2. Jasa pemberian khotbah atau dakwah.
3. Jasa lainnya di bidang keagamaan.

* Jasa di bidang pendidikan, meliputi:

1. Jasa penyelenggaraan pendidikan sekolah, seperti jasa penyelenggaraan pendidikan umum, pendidikan kejuruan, pendidikan luar biasa, pendidikan kedinasan, pendidikan keagamaan, pendidikan akademik, dan pendidikan profesi.
2. Jasa penyelenggaraan pendidikan luar sekolah, seperti kursus.

* Jasa di bidang kesenian dan hiburan yang telah dikenakan pajak tontonan termasuk jasa di bidang kesenian yang tidak bersifat komersial, seperti pementasan kesenian tradisional yang diselenggarakan secara cuma-cuma.

* Jasa di bidang penyiaran yang bukan bersifat iklan seperti jasa penyiaran radio atau televisi, baik yang dilakukan oleh instansi pemerintah maupun swasta, yang bukan bersifat iklan dan tidak dibiayai oleh sponsor yang bertujuan komersial.

* Jasa di bidang angkutan umum di darat dan air, meliputi jasa angkutan umum di darat, laut, danau maupun sungai yang dilakukan oleh pemerintah maupun oleh swasta.

* Jasa di bidang tenaga kerja, meliputi:

1. Jasa tenaga kerja.
2. Jasa penyediaan tenaga kerja sepanjang pengusaha penyedia tenaga kerja tidak bertanggungjawab atas hasil kerja dari tenaga kerja tersebut.
3. Jasa penyelenggaraan pelatihan bagi tenaga kerja.

* Jasa di bidang perhotelan, meliputi:

1. Jasa persewaan kamar termasuk tambahannya di hotel, rumah penginapan, motel, losmen, hostel, serta fasilitas yang terkait dengan kegiatan perhotelan untuk tamu yang menginap.
2. Jasa persewaan ruangan untuk kegiatan acara atau pertemuan di hotel, rumah penginapan, motel, losmen, dan hostel.

* Jasa yang disediakan oleh pemerintah dalam rangka menjalankan pemerintahan secara umum, meliputi jenis-jenis jasa yang dilaksanakan oleh instansi pemerintah seperti pemberian Izin Mendirikan Bangunan (IMB), Izin Usaha Perdagangan (IUP), Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak (NPWP), dan pembuatan Kartu Tanda Penduduk (KTP).

[sunting] Lihat pula

* Direktorat Jenderal Pajak
* Nomor Pokok Wajib Pajak

[sunting] Pranala luar

* (id) Tanya jawab mengenai PPN dan PPNBM di situs resmi Direktorat Jenderal Pajak
* (id) Informasi mengenai perpajakan di Indonesia di Pajak.Net
* (id) Daftar barang impor kena pajak

Diperoleh dari "http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pajak_pertambahan_nilai"
Kategori: Perpajakan
View All 31 Comments
Pages:12345678910NextLast