2018 Message of Optimism - Happy New Year

We wish you, your family and friends the very best of 2018. Each New Year is a milestone in one’s life. Indeed, it is as much a day of reckoning as it is of celebrations. Reckoning involves reflecting on the reasons you did not get what you had wanted in 2017, and celebrating for what you got by cheering for the effort you made to be where you are today.

Let’s go forward, if I were to ask you on 12/31/2018, that is a year from now, how was your 2o18? You may respond in one of the following ways;

1. Nothing Changed, same o same.

2. Things have gotten worse

3. Celebrating the achievements

4. Lost or gained weight

5. Relationship entanglements and distanglements

6. Financial soundness or mess

7. Spent good time with family and friends

Let’s focus on two extremes; things that got worse and celebrating the achievements. The question is did you want it to be good or worse? Did you get what you want? Did you work for getting what you got? Did you at least plan?

Nothing happens by itself; things happen because someone causes them or drives them to happen. Did you let others drive your life or did you drive it yourselves? You cannot go on vacation unless your dream about it, think about it and plan on it. You cannot buy anything unless your start it with a want. Unlike the planets, stars and many other things in the universe which are programmed to function precisely, humans were given a free will to chart their own course. God does not do anything; He simply cannot do good things for you and not for others, God is not like that, God is an idea about justness, evenness and balance.

He has laid everything out for you to pursue your own happiness and peace; it is up to you to get it.

Here is a simple way of getting what you want! The first thing is to know what you want; you should know where you are driving to when you turn the ignition on.

Buy a dozen 5x3 Cards or fold three regular blank white papers and cut them out into 12 pieces. Write the following down on top of each piece and place them in your pocket or purse. As you start driving, making coffee, watching TV or whatever you are doing, take one piece at a time and start thinking about that item, until you have clarity of what you want keep thinking. Pull the car over or go to a coffee shop and sit down and write your thoughts in bullets. Did you know you can day dream while taking a shower? You can think better sitting on the crown? Here are your 12 or more cards to jot down the points as to what you want out of each item of life.

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Profession

4. Income

5. Health

6. Vacation

7. Volunteerism

8. Spirituality

9. Retirement

10. Self-improvement

11. A new image

12. …..

An on and on.....       Wake up to the day's most important news.

At the end of the day or two, take a picture of each card/paper and save it on your cell phone. One evening sit down for a few hours and put it all together. This would be your guideline to go by, and this would be your plan for 2018. The more you stare at it, the more it becomes a part of you.

12/31/2018

If you were to receive my note on 12/31/18, and without any doubt you will. If you’ve received this note, you will get that one too unless you block me. You can proudly say that your life was as planned on 12/31/2017. Why do I do this? It is simply because my mission in life is to build cohesive work places, communities and nations and open people’s hearts minds and souls to fellow beings. Everyone has a purpose in life, find yours now. Mine is to make life meaningful to as many people as I can.

I am pleased to share what I do.

Center for Pluralism is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 (as Foundation for Pluralism). It is based on a simple principle; the more we know about each other, fewer the misunderstandings would be.

CFP is committed to vigorously promoting and advancing pluralism in the realm of religion, politics, social and cultural aspects of life. We have published over 3500 articles on promoting harmony and reconciliation, appeared on 300 national TV shows, addressed in 700 national Radio talk shows and produced hundreds of programs. We need your wisdom, wealth and work to continue this work.

CFP will continue to focus its energies on ensuring a safe and secure America for all, where no one has to worry about his race, faith, ethnicity or other God-given uniqueness and live her life without apprehensions.

Our programs are designed to prevent chaos and maintain coherence and stability with the ongoing changes. We need to prepare the next generation to cope with these changes and minimize potential conflicts with ease. No American needs to worry about losing his or her way of life. As Americans we uphold, protect, defend and celebrate the values enshrined in our Constitution.

The Center for Pluralism has established over 20 annual programs to bring Americans together on religious, social, political and cultural aspects of life. The more we know each other, the less conflicts we would have. Please review our programs and except the Religious workshops and Unity Day all other programs can be run as your sponsorship for $5,000/year, but you can contribute any sum that is in your budget. Please review them in this mini-Brochure at - http://centerforpluralism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/4.-CPF-Programs-4-Pages.pdf

CFP will be an antidote to Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, Racism, Homophobia, Hindu phobia, Xenophobia, Misogyny and other phobias. Through research and activism we are establishing a respectful space for Pluralism with the policy makers, interfaith groups, both Republicans and Democrats and of course the media and you!

The Center for Pluralism will become the energy to give a solid cohesive social structure to our nation. By the year 2025, there will not be an office, school, playground, college, restaurant, theater, train, bus or a work place where people of different faiths, races, ethnicities and national origins do not work, interact, play, live and marry together. This is bound to create conflicts in airports, public spaces, board rooms, and in bedrooms as well as places of worship, work places, politics, eateries, and schools.

We have a responsibility to shape the future of our society so our kids, grandkids and us can retire in peace and live without apprehensions.

Please donate today: http://centerforpluralism.com/donate/

Are you ready for 2017 - https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/happy-new-year-are-you-ready-for-2017_us_5866d64fe4b04d7df167d49c

A Blueprint for a purposeful 2014 - https://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/2014-a-blueprint-for-a-pu_b_4517662.html

Should Muslims Celebrate New Year? It is about building an integrated Americahttps://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/fatwa-should-muslims-celebrate-new-year_us_5a465e47e4b06cd2bd03df69

Let’s stay focused on peace and prosperity and not conflicts and confusion. In 2018, you will see me a lot more of me on National TV and Radio shows, and lot more activism and research. Of course I will jump with both my feet in political campaigns to work to ensure checks and balances in our system. The House and Senate must be given a simple majority to two different parties and not the same, most of the evil decisions were made by our government when all the three; President, Senate and House were from the same party. We have to break this to make sure America remains the America we all want and dream. An America that is good for every one with no exceptions.

# # #

A short Bio

Mike Ghouse is committed to his life mission of building cohesive work places, communities and nations. He works for an America where every one of the 322 million Americans should feel secure without apprehension or fear of the other.

He is one of the 5 people in the world who is actively pursuing research, activism and teaching Pluralism.  Just Google and find a tremendous amount of work on pluralism in religion, politics, society and culture.  Mike defines Pluralism as an attitude of “respecting the otherness of other” and accepting the God-given uniqueness of each one of us.

He is a pluralist, thinker, writer, activist and a speaker on Pluralism, Interfaith, politics, Islam, human rights and foreign policy including India and Israel-Palestine. He is a news maker, interfaith wedding officiant and a community consultant and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Happy New Year ya’ll. God bless you and God bless America.

Mike Ghouse, President Center for Pluralism Washington

Severe Warning to Terrorists - the big red poster

CLICK ON THE RED POSTER TO VIEW IN FULL SIZE

The acronyms SOB, AH, BS and others are certainly uncouth, but they effectively communicate a purposeful message, hence I made that choice.  The Warning poster to Terrorist is a double edged sword and is at the bottom - the big red poster.

The following comments have been received against the poster below.

1. “sometimes your brain goes on strike I guess”,
2. “Don’t jeopardize”
3. “Who gave you the authority to represent Muslims?”
4.  “Not appropriate and safe for you in today's hostile environment.”
5.  “this is a mindless drivel”
6. “You are not qualified to speak for Islam”
7.  “Do you think your severe warning will have any darn effect on these fanatics”
8. “I second it”
9. “it is appropriate response”.

In a learning environment, good thoughts and concrete ideas are developed with criticism and feedback; here is why this kind of response is needed. 

1. Don't bark at the religion for the acts of bad guys. Punishment is set for bad acts, to restore the trust in a given society. When a Rapist is running around in a neighborhood, everyone is apprehensive, but when the guy is caught and nailed, peace of mind is restored in the neighborhood. Instead of catching the guy, if we blame his raising, his family, his religion, his race or nation, and his imam, rabbi, pastor or pundit – we will not restore peace. I intend to aggressively communicate this idea, the right idea, and intend to speak at various law enforcement agencies as well as religious institutions.  
2. The criminal ought to know that he will be punished; we will not allow the poor alibi of religion, not at all. The Law enforcement and the media people also need to get this in their heads, the purpose of investigations and chasing the bad guys is to restore trust and not to aggravate by barking at a non-entity like Religion. The more you bark at criminal’s religion, race or ethnicity, the worse it gets. You cannot shoot, kill, hang, beat or bury the religion, then why bark at it?
   
   
3. 72 Virgins are promised. Both the terrorists and the communicators of the problem (Media and Politicians) to the world at large have gotten it wrong. The poor guy needs to be outraged at the recruiters that he was duped, and there are no 72 virgins waiting for him, instead the SOB will rot in Jail if we Americans get him, or killed mercilessly if he is caught by the opposite party. No Geneva conventions will be observed by either the terrorist or his chasers.  The Media needs to stop the BS of propagating the falsity with nothing to back up in the Qur'an.
   
   
4. Both the criminal and the law enforcement (coupled with the media and politicians) must be aware that it is the Sin, and not the sinner we are after. The clarity should prevent us from being unjust.  We should not be abusive in disciplining or punishing the wrong doer. As a civil society, we cannot become the very evil we want to eradicate.
    
5. We should seek the criminal to lead us to the source of recruiting material and the recruiters by mitigating his punishment. 
6. The Challenge to “read the right translation/interpretation” of Qur'an applies to both the criminal and the law enforcement. I am certain, the criminal will become a genuine repenter, and the law enforcement will not buy or propagate the dished out non-sense in the market or bark irrelevantly.

This is the right time to forge peace to the society in general, and American society in particular by boldly and loudly getting people to get the message, and i.e.,

I am being assertive, never has any Muslim or other communicated this so clearly and it is time we do that, thank God for the opportunities he has blessed us with to find solutions.   If I don't, no one will speak, and I sincerely hope many of us to speak up, do it on your own or join me.

It is time we separate the evil from good.

Bottom line is to free Islam and Muslims from the stupid stereotyping, and focus on punishing the bad guys and restoring trust in the society. 

 
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CLICK ON THE RED POSTER TO VIEW IN FULL SIZE

You SOB, you are the damned murderer, you messed up the peace, and your ass will nailed big time.

Don’t give me the BS about your job, childhood, parents, kids, siblings, spouse, imam, rabbi, pastor or the pundit. You did it and you'll pay for it.


I am not stupid to buy in your argument that your religion made you do that, and then bark at the religion endlessly. AH, you are the bad guy and you are going to pay for it. I am here to restore justice in the society and not be detracted and scream at your religion like a stupid ass. I can hang you, shoot you, bury you and beat you up to restore justice and trust in the society, and that is my goal

 Note: Mr. Terrorist, I don't condemn you, it is your sin I condemn. If you claim to be a Muslim, just remember, those guys who recruited you, and cheated you with  false promises of Hoories and virgins in paradise were dead wrong. There is no such thing nor is it mentioned in Qur'an, instead you will rot in jail for life. Would you turn in your recruiters for cheating you? Would you read the correct translations of Qur'an, we might minimize your sentence?

This should be the attitude of Law enforcement
Authorized by Mike Ghouse, World Muslim Congress.

Thank you
 
Mike Ghouse
(214) 325-1916 text/talk
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com 
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Mike Ghouse is a public speaker, thinker, writer and a commentator on Pluralism at work place, politics, religion, society, gender, race, culture, ethnicity, food and foreign policy. He is commentator on Fox News and syndicated Talk Radio shows and a writer at major news papers including Dallas Morning News and Huffington Post.  All about him is listed in several links at www.MikeGhouse.net and his writings are at www.TheGhousediary.com and 10 other blogs. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day.

Decmocracy alive in Indian Parliament, thanks to Asaduddin Owaisi

INDIAN DEMOCRACY IS ALIVE - ASADUDDIN OWAISI
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2014/06/decmocracy-alive-in-indian-parliament.html

I have criticized Mr. Asaduddin Owaisi in the past and will continue to do so for his approach. However, given that there is no spineful opposition in our parliament, we need to admire him for being critical of the government and question them.   We need to have men like MallikArjun Kharge and Asaduddin Owaisi to question and criticize, it is a sign of a healthy democracy.  Shehzada and others will probably speak nothing and do nothing.

As Indians we need to mature, and appreciate the men and women who question the government. I would say, the most patriotic Indian would be the one who keeps the government on its toes, like my friend Sean Hannity. If we don't keep the government in the line, they will become what we hated before, and before.

Today at the parliament he spoke up loud and clear.   Vajpayee had done it, Sushma had done it,  and so they do at the US Congress and Senate or any democratic system. Even the shouting responses are democratic, as they do in the UK Parliament. At least chappals were not flying.

As people, we need to appreciate the men and women who criticize our governments. I am sure Modi will speak up about it, and I hope and pray that he values dissent - the foundation of democracy.   


Mike Ghouse
www.MikeGhouse.net

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kmbn_Xu4Go

Asaduddin Owaisi and Shanavas baffle BJP in Lok Sabha

The Milli Gazette Online

Published Online: Jun 12, 2014

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kmbn_Xu4Go

NEW DELHI : Asaduddin Owaisi, President All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen and M.P. from Hyderabad created uproar in Lok Sabha during his address. He hit at BJP with his precise points. Even he sarcastically congratulated Narendra Modi for destroying myth of Muslim vote bank, and added that "in doing so you have proved there is a Hindu vote bank which can be consolidated". Further he said:
 

"I stand here as the son of Ehsan Jafri...
"I stand here as the brother of Ishrat Jahan...
"I stand here as the Uncle of Mohsin Sadiq Sheikh..."I stand before you as the voice of those poor voiceless people affected by Gujarat genocide  and I want justice to be done with them.

Owaisi's remarks regards Babri Masjid and Gujarat riots evoked sharp reaction from BJP members who were heard shouting "shame on you". Unperturbed by the protest, Owaisi noted there are very few Muslim representatives from BJP in the Lok Sabha. “Where is the inclusiveness?” he asked and demanded that the Prime Minister make it clear what he proposed to do for the minorities. He didn't spare Najma Heptullah for claiming Muslims are not minorities.

Owaisi added that soon, this Parliament would nominate Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse for Bharat Ratna.

Congress MP from Wayanad M I Shanavas  in his address said despite the defeat, Congress would rise again. "Congress will never die. Congress can die only with the nation... Whatever may be your victory, victory is not all that matters. Hitler had won, Mussolini had won, Stalin had won, victory will not make all the differences. I tell you in this august House that the Indian National Congress will come back like a storm in this House itself," he said.

http://www.milligazette.com/news/10567-asaduddin-owaisi-and-shanavas-baffle-bjp-in-lok-sabha

Banares ki tahzeeb ka ek pehloo, Thank you Burkha Dutt, Nidhi Razdan and NDTV.

THANK YOU NDTV, BURKHA AND NIDHI
http://mikeghouseforindia.blogspot.com/2014/05/banares-ki-tahzeeb-ka-ek-pehloo-thank.html

I have watched Burkha Dutt and Nidhi Razdan over the last thirty days with admiration.  They give me great hope for India – they are as sensitive as they are here on our networks, except of course my Channel; Fox, which I will be on this Friday on Hannity about Boko Haram. 

Burkha is aggressive but will not let anyone dodge her, when she calls on politicians for making dumb or stupid comments, where as Nidhi is always calm and collected with a flair for getting the answers.  Journalists hon to aisay hon.

Most of us can relate with the Hindi-Urdu-English language of the shows.  We speak just like Burkha - Hinglish or Urlish.

They did a fabulous job in covering politics. 

Burkha concluded her show on Asis Ghat with Shayers and Kavis gathered around sharing their poetry.  I was happy to see the poets sit together and share their rachnayien in Hindi and Kalaam in Urdu.   Koi khas baat nahin, phir bhi achcha laga, hope you enjoy it. 

http://www.ndtv.com/elections/video/player/the-buck-stops-here/watch-chai-stop-campaign-2014-from-worse-to-verse/321088

Odd things

Chaliye my bhi es ausar pay ek sher likh deta hoon.

Shayer aur Kavi, ghat ghat pay mil jul ke baith-tay hain
A hai yahan ki sabhyata, chai pay charchay kartay hain

One of the Kavis was wearing a loose topi with 2 points pointing upwards,  I knew I have seen that before, and that took me to the film Mere Mehboob, where Pandit Mukri wears it.

Mere Mehboob is perhaps the only film in India, where each one of its song was a super hit.  4 of them are among my personal 10 favorites – if you have the romance alive in you, you will applaud the poetry, particularly the king of all romantic songs – Mere mehboob Tujuhe.



Narendra Modi

Mr. Modi is expected to become the next Prime Minister and the nation is both apprehensive and happy. For those who are apprehensive I would say:

Hindustan ka koi  kuch bhi bigaad nahin sakta,
Hamari sabhyata ragon say koi nikal nahin sakta

And for those who are happy I would say;

Aap nay Modi per bharosa kiya, etebar kiya
Ab dekhna hai ke aapne acha kiya a bura kiya


My latest article on Modi at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ghouse/indias-modi-on-his-best-behavior-can-we-trust-him_b_5280892.html#es_share_ended

 Jai Hind

Mike Ghouse
http://MikeGhouseforIndia.blogspot.com
www.MikeGhouse.net

Ground Breaking Ceremony of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza in Thomas Jefferson Park, Irving, Texas.

URL - http://theghousediary.blogspot.com/2014/05/ground-breaking-ceremony-ofmahatma.html

The Ground Breaking Ceremony of ”Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza" in Thomas Jefferson Park, Irving happened today, Saturday, May 3, 2014 in Irving  (Caveat - please read my note at the end of this write up).

Hon. Nikki Haley, Governor South Carolina, Hon. Beth Van Duyne, Mayor of Irving City, and India’s consular General from Houston, Hon. Mr. Parvathaneni Harish and many other dignitaries including Dallas’s two Padmashri’s (India’s civilian Medal of Honor) Dr. Venkat Ram, Ashok Mago and the India's who is who  attended the ceremonies.

The 7’ Bronze statue was cast in Andhra Pradesh, India and will be installed by October 2, 2014 on a 6’ platform, and a granite wall in the back will be adorned with inscriptions from Gandhi’s saying and the quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Einstein. The cost of approximately $250,000 is borne entirely by the community and not a dime will come from the public funds. However, you can  donate generously.

Nothing ever happens in the world without the drive of an individual and his or her supporters. For the last four years, Dr. Prasad Thotakura, Tayyab Kundawala and Dr. Rao have been working hard to have an iconic representation of Mahatma Gandhi in Dallas. There are many others who are involved in it in so many ways,  but these are the faces of the organization that I have seen.

It was not an easy task, but finally they got the former Mayor of Irving Mr. Herbert Gears to agree to place the statue in the heart of the Thomas Jefferson Park, and the new Mayor of Irving Beth Van Duyne affirmed her support a few years ago.

The event was graced by her Excellency Gov. Nikki Randhawa Haley. She is the first woman governor of South Carolina, youngest governor in the United States, and the first Indian American female Governor, and Bobby Jindal is the first Indian American male Governor.  As Shabnam Modgil, Dallas' face of India said, "she is the most beautiful Governor".

The Governor said, “ that there is no reason we cannot have peace and love with everyone, and one thing he constantly said was if we want to truly have peace and love, we have to start with Children.  By putting this statue in a park, we are starting out with children, reminding them who he was, reminding them what he was about, and reminding them of the celebration he wanted his life to live on. He said be what you want.

She then turned to Prasad Thotakura and said, " Prasad, there is nothing you could not do.” Indeed, that is the truth.

She continued, “when I look at the statue, I see a man of the peace. To walk in the state house of South Carolina as a first India American woman as Governor, I hoped that's exactly what he wanted for all communities, for all people, and for all minorities to be able to be free as they wanted to be, as peaceful as they wanted to be, and to get to contribute to the world, and that is what we are celebrating today.

She said, "Indian American community is the least dependent community on receiving aid from the state, and most educated communities in America."

Nikki Haley must be a moderate Republican like me, even though she is billed as a conservative Republican.  She sounds like Obama with inclusiveness, a trait missing among the conservative Republicans and acutely deficit with regular Republicans.

Later in the evening I mentioned to her that Sean Hannity is a great fan of hers, and we have talked about her - as fellow Indian Americans. She was excited to hear about the message of my upcoming book, standing up for others and wants to read it.

At the dinner she mentioned about skills data collection from recipients of unemployment benefits, and matched it with employers that could use those skills and thus  removed several thousand from the welfare to income ( I forgot the number). Then she said something interesting that is unlike Republicans - These men and women want to work rather than receive the benefits, wow Nikki! Glad to hear the affirmation that she is a moderate Republican and I can relate with her.  I did mention to her earlier that I was glad she was speaking like a moderate,  rather than a conservative Republican.

Mayor Beth Van Duyne appreciated the community for funding it entirely on their own and she asserted that zip code 75038 had the most diverse population in America.

I must also mention the role of John Hammond and Shabnam Modgil of FunAsia in the affairs of desi community.  It was my dream a long time ago, like the dream of many of you here in Dallas that there should be an energy that brings people together, and facilitates knowing each other. Thanks to John, his Radio is a major catalyst in Dallas to bring the Desi communities together.

Funds are needed to complete this project by October 2nd. , please  donate generously, and be a part of the future. If you donate over $5000, your name or your parents name will written on the granite wall. 
 
Remembering Mahatma Gandhi

This statue symbolizes the work of Mahatma Gandhi, who believed in resolving conflicts through non-violence.  I hope this statue does not remain a symbol, but an inspiration to all of us – to think, talk and act like him.

As a pluralist, I often think how he would handle a given conflict, up0n reflections pat comes the answer – no bias towards the other and justice to all.  He once said, a good Hindu is a good Muslim, a Good Muslim is a good Christian and a Jew… and so on.

Gandhi is an example of what a Hindu ought to be.  He believed in many of the guiding principles of what is known as Hinduism – of them I will mention two here;

The highest ideal of a Hindu (or any one) is to become Brahma – i.e., become one with  energy of the Universe also known as God – when you become Brahma , then there is no distinction between you and another human being, you and the mountain – this all become part of you, and you become part of the  whole.

No more will you consider another human to be anything less than you or greater than you, but another spoke in the wheel of life.

The second principle he really believed in was the wisdom of our pluralistic ethos embedded in the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum, a concept where everyone is considered to be a part of one big human family and hence must take care of each other.  If one is hurt, you feel the hurt, if one is happy you feel the happy – thus creating a cohesive world where no one has to be afraid of the other.

This is also the Islamic concept, where God says we are all made from the same couple into many tribes, communities and nations and enjoins us to know each other to create harmony and cohesiveness.

The third principle is that of non-violence.  When God created animals and humans, he programmed them how to handle conflicts between any two.

For instance, when two goats or tigers are fighting for food or a loved one, God has given them horns or fangs to settle the dispute, the mighty gets it.  In Hindi and Urdu there is a saying Jis ki laathi us ki bhains.

However, look at the non-violence built into us that we forget often, and Gandhi invoked it all the times.  God did not give us horns or fangs or paws to tear each other apart in a conflict – instead he gave us a tongue – to dialogue and resolve the issues.  That is non-violence method of resolving disputes.

I hope this statue reminds us how to deal with each other, particularly during this election season. We have a tongue to dialogue without tearing each other.

I hope every time, and every day, if we feel biased, hatred, or angered towards another human being,  think of this great man – the great soul, Mahatma Gandhi and find inspiration to seek freedom from the shackles of bias. 

Mahatma Gandhi’s soul would be smiling at the people gathered in the park today. He lived and sacrificed his life for the unity of people of the Subcontinent.  As the balloons were released into the bright sunny blue skies, I was imagining the smiling affectionate face of Mahatma Gandhi – seeing the Pakistani community members joining hands with the Indians to get the memorial built as a reminder of unity. Indeed it is a great accomplishment for the people of Dallas. 

I hope this statue beams the energy of positive living, learning to respect the otherness of others and accepting the God given uniqueness of each one of us.

Peace be upon all the peacemakers!
----
PLEASE NOTE:
1. This my personal note as a member of the community and not an official note of the organization. the information I have added is from what I have heard from the podium. For the full official version go to http://www.iafcusa.org/ and  http://mgmnt.org

2. There were many people involved in this, and all of that will be in their official record.  When this gets published, it will be reduced to 1200 words, but here on my blog www.TheGhouseDiary.com and http://MikeGhouseforIndia.blogspot.com will remain in full size.

3. I am not a paid to paid to write, nor do I write for any organization on a paid basis, when I attend an event, I usually write a short to long note depending on the availability of time. when I see something good, I write and I have written over 2500 pieces in the last 30 years, none were paid even though most of them were published including a bulk  in Dallas Morning News (over 160), Huffington Post (nearly 100) and news papers and magazines around the world. I encourage you to write, to get all perspectives in.  Most of them are at www.TheGhousediary.com. 
 PICTURES - https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeghouse/sets/72157644499431684/
These pictures were taken by me personally, and I wish I had ten hands and ten cameras to capture every one who attended,  but no one can do that except the paid photographer, in this case Bombay Photography.  I will add the link later where you can see almost all the pictures where every one who attended (impossible) will be in the pictures.  
I am a proud life member of India Association of North Texas, and I urge you to become one by reaching out to any one at: www.iant.org

THE DRESS CODE

I could not resist watching the caps on the ground, I made a mistake by not wearing one myself, God willing I will dress up and urge all to do the same on October 2, 2014 when the Stautue of Gandhi will be unveiled.  The best fitting topi award should go to John Hammond, and the runner ups were Kuntesh Chokshi and Jack Godhwani. I meant it looked good on them. If you differ, propose the names as I have not seen all of them.  Look at John's picture and Pandit Jawahar Lal’s topi - well creased - the perfect topi.  

Among the founding fathers of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi did not wear the cap in the last years of his life, even though he did at the beginning.  Maulana Abul Kalam Azad had his own cap, Sardar Patel probably did not wear the cap and neither Dr. Ambedkar (correct me if I am wrong). Anna Hazare made it popular again and Arvind Kejriwal has made it his trade mark now.

Jai Hind


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Mike Ghouse is a speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, peace, Islam, Israel, India, interfaith, and cohesion at work place. He is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day at www.TheGhousediary.com. He believes in Standing up for others and a book with the same title is coming up. Mike has a strong presence on national and local TV, Radio and Print Media. He is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News; fortnightly at Huffington post; and several other periodicals across the world. His personal site www.MikeGhouse.net indexes all his work through many links.