These are the words of Arthur Blank who is the owner of the Atlanta Falcons. His stadium hosted several World Cup matches. I don't think I've ever heard a more profound and eloquent line from any current figure in American sports, modern politician, or an Imam.

The conclusion of the World Cup is a bittersweet moment. England fell short in the semifinals, breaking my heart. It didn't come home, but the Three Lions redeemed themselves in a loose and fun match against France for third place winning 6-4. Spain’s defense completely shut down Argentina in the finals as they captured their second World Cup in history. I watched matches at home, at bars, and with Muslim friends. Wherever I was there was a spirit of joy.

For Americans, the World Cup, and soccer in general, can serve as an education and a passport to the world. As a kid, I didn't learn American geography in the classroom or the textbooks, I learned it in the sports pages and watching sports on television. This isn't unique to soccer. I've known boxing fans who use the sport as a way to learn about the different US cities boxers come from and countries they hail from. Following a fight can be accompanied by immersion via YouTube videos and even books. Fans who follow wrestling have known about Dagestan for years and boxing fans know Cinco de Mayo weekend, Mexican Independence weekend, and the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York will bring big fights.

Soccer is the most international of all sports. So, as I watched matches at The Pitch, Halftime Pub and Grill, Beffa's, and at the home of Indonesian students, I was exposed to an international crowd. This doesn't negate the special nature of uniquely local experiences, such as rooting for Cardinals baseball, but it's a time when Americans can shed our parochialism and appreciate the world. Nowhere was this more visible today than in south St. Louis where they closed the street to make room for the overflow crowd at the Amsterdam Tavern.

American news broadcasts often have no international coverage at all. Print media has scaled back international coverage dramatically and fewer and fewer Americans are reading. A large percentage of Americans don't have passports or have any interest in international travel. As a consequence of all of this, Americans tend to know very little about the world. This is true of those in red states and blue states and Democrats and Republicans. My hope is that this World Cup served not only as a tool of education for Americans, but that it also sparked curiosity in reading international translations, nonfiction about things outside of our borders, consuming social media content from creators not based in the US, and a desire for international travel.

I would also hope that this World Cup would serve as an advertisement for the American people to the world. We aren't the caricature we are made out to be in the European press. Americans are generally friendly and helpful to tourists. In this one country you can experience the beautiful beaches and sunsets of California, the national parks of the West, the BBQ of Texas, the open roads of the Midwest, and the vibrancy and diversity of our major cities. Our stadiums are second to none, the world really loves AC, and people who came here had a great time. I would hope that they leave the US with a favorable impression.

This doesn't mean we don't have serious issues. Our violent crime is the highest in the developing world, public order is often non-existent in places like St. Louis, there is a decreasing respect for elders, public transportation is lacking, and our infrastructure is crumbling. A World Cup in Saudi Arabia or Qatar will certainly be much safer and a World Cup in Europe will certainly have much better transportation options. But can hundreds of Norwegians row in Walmart in unison?

I also believe that events like the World Cup are often more educational than anything a kid will learn in school and more spiritually fulfilling than a service at a mosque, synagogue, or church. Ask a Spaniard when is the last time they left Mass as excited as they were after winning the World Cup?

This past Jummah the Imam discussed the World Cup. He generally tried to convey the message that Islam isn't against sports and he personally liked soccer; but don't let it interfere with religious and family duties or cause beefs between you and the supporters of other teams. Wise words.

My personal experience has been that most religious and political fanatics I've known have hated sports. They think it's a waste of time. People should be busy living in daily fear they're going to Hell or trying to memorize what Abu said to Abdul 700 years ago so they can argue some meaningless theological point on Facebook or in a Whatsapp group. One Imam was complaining students seemed less interested in his pay to learn religious travel scheme, because they were too busy watching the World Cup.

The political fanatic is similar. In America these can be divided into three categories. The snobby urban liberal who has a disdain for sports fans who they see as unsophisticated and unintelligent rubes. Anytime NPR or PBS has to cover a sports story this disdain is likely to come through. The second is the leftist fringe who were once fringe, but now on the cusp of changing the Democratic Party. They see sports as capitalist, hyper masculine, and interfering with people's ability to focus on the revolution. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was very intelligent to distance himself from this sentiment as he fully embraced the New York Knicks during their championship run and gave interviews in which he professed his love of soccer and considerable knowledge of the sport. These interviews conveyed a sentiment that many Mamdani critics and supporters won't catch- you don't have to be a weirdo or a theater kid to support my political movement.

Conservatives generally show a greater interest in sports, but on the right-wing fringes there is an increasing disdain for teams or athletes of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities and what they see as the interjection of wokeness into sports.

So, as I close, I think about the wise words of Arthur Blank. How do we make every day the World Cup? Because tomorrow tens of millions will be returning to jobs they either hate or barely tolerate, economic problems, and family drama. Not every day will see a devout Catholic like Ferran Torres kick a game-winning goal and Lamine Yamal dropping to his knees in Muslim prayer for the glory of Allah and Spain.

I will try to make every day the World Cup. I've just finished a really good book and I'm reading another now. Reviews will be coming. There are films to watch and upcoming trips. And, yes, there is a pretty hot election coming up for us St. Louisans.

The letter

In 2008 organizers in St. Louis began holding an annual event known as “St. Louis World Naked Bike Ride.” This event is part of a global movement promoting cycling and body positivity. The event is scheduled for July 25th this year. I’m writing to ask you to enforce the laws of the State of Missouri and protect area residents, especially our children, from the harm this event inflicts upon the public.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department annually cooperates with event organizers and helps close down streets. What is being protected? Why are our police helping people break the law? Cyclists who are either nude or barely dressed take over city streets. Under normal circumstances such people would either be arrested or receive a wellness check due to suspected mental health issues. (Just this week a man was arrested near St. Louis City Hall for exposing himself)

This police protection is very bizarre as their behavior seems to run afoul of this law.

• Sexual Misconduct in The First Degree (RSMo 566.903) which makes it illegal to expose one’s genitals in a public place.

As these cyclists are on public streets they are exposing themselves to other citizens and to children. Motorists are often stuck at lights for an extended period, waiting for the parade of flesh to pass. Families who may have wanted to enjoy a night out are trapped as prisoners in their own homes that night because they don’t want to lay their eyes upon a sea of unpleasant sights.

I have also heard from several women who participated in this event that men harassed them, and registered sex offenders are among the crowd. Some have stated that this began as kind of a fun event and turned into something darker in recent years. This is a time to “believe women.”

I’m asking for the State of Missouri to enforce the laws of our state in the great City of St. Louis and put an end to this annual madness and flouting of the law.

I don’t talk or text during Jummah even if I’m bored more often than not, but as an aging and overweight guy, whose knees are often as bad as those of Conor McGregor, I do try to find a nice piece of the wall to rest against. Because I was late and, in the back corner, I could see everyone in the crowd and the arriving latecomers. In front of me I noticed a young man wearing a track suit with an ankle monitor attached. For readers unfamiliar with ankle monitors these are devices placed on people who are going through criminal court proceedings or are still under court supervision. I noticed that the young man struggled praying his two Sunnah rakats and seemed to not know how to properly pray. I made it a point to talk to him after Jummah and direct him towards some online prayer tutorials and other resources and I then lost him in the crowd because I couldn’t remember where I’d placed my shoes. This was a reminder to me, that if you take away immigration and births, one of the few places where Islam is still vibrant and growing in the US is in prison. People will make fun of the prison Muslim and question their sincerity and I’ve done so myself. There are varying degrees of commitment, often a mixture of a street/criminal mentality with Muslim concepts, and a lack of observance once released. That cat is out of the bag, thanks Druski. Given all of those issues people are often skeptical when they see such young men, and many don’t have the time or energy. Yet some of our greatest US Muslims, Christian evangelists, artists, and community leaders served time in prison. If we turn our backs on these men and women, we may be turning our backs on our own future. This is why it’s important to support the efforts of organizations like Link Outside which work on Islamic education for prisoners and with their release plans and readjustment to society. If you don’t have the patience they do.

Being a Muslim, a Christian, an Orthodox Jew, or part of modern American religious movements such as the DSA and MAGA, doesn’t immunize anyone from the problems of life. I was reminded of this as I left the musalla and spoke with a young Muslim man who had just been involved in a shootout with robbers in which there was multiple fatalities. This is a young brother known for his charity and commitment to the community and is well-liked but also involved in a business that is questionable from a Muslim perspective and in a very high crime neighborhood. He was shot six times in the altercation, was able to shoot back and wound his robbers, and survived. The brother answered a key question in life. When something serious goes down will you run and hide? Panic? Get scared? Or will you have the courage and clear mind to engage your attackers? The brother successfully passed his test, and I would want him on my side in conflict. But, as I told him, take this as a lesson to change your friends, business, and surroundings. He may not be so fortunate in the next shoutout.

Not that one has to be doing anything wrong to get shot and lose their life in St. Louis. Life can be very cheap here. My mother was asleep in her home in Meacham Park when she lost her life. This past week a local man named Rashad Rice was on a Metrobus on St. Charles Rock Road in north St. Louis County. Rashad was minding his own business and coming home from work. Didn’t matter. There was a disturbance, guns started going off, and Rashad lost his life (along with one other person). It just so happens that Rashad was a good friend of my brother and friend Anthony (who is in our local brotherhood class). The family is collecting donations.

When I left Jummah I headed to a bar. You can think of it as going from the Halal to the Haram, but I prefer to think of it as going from one place of community gathering to another. Beffa’s has been open since 1898 and was founded by an immigrant from Switzerland. In those days St. Louis was a very attractive place in the US to land. The city was booming and among the most important places in America. We would host the World’s Fair and Olympics a few years later in 1904. Perhaps St. Louis was akin to what Dallas or Atlanta are today in terms of the national consciousness. What I know is that if we don’t support local businesses, they will disappear. What will replace them? Vacancy, a dog park, an overpriced luxury apartment building, or a chain restaurant? Beffas has touted itself as one of the places to watch World Cup games locally and I sat next to a family from Japan (on their way to KC for Argentina-Switzerland) for the beginning of Spain beating Belgium. Of course, that experience was minor compared to the absolutely raucous crowd I was with on Saturday to witness England (the team I always root for) defeat Norway and fan-favorite Erling Haaland. Halftime Pub and Grill in St. Peters is one of a handful of local establishments dedicated to watching soccer and is serving as a hub for England fans. Most of the crowd appeared to be from England based on their accents. Why the St. Louis Metro has so many people here from England, I have no idea, but watching the Three Lions roar to victory along with them was a blast.

We are not having as much fun in St. Louis as our friends in Kansas City who have actually hosted matches at Arrowhead Stadium, but we are having our share of it and even getting some tourists on road trips. Many of us are also visiting KC for the festivities. Friends of mine actually went to KC this past weekend to strictly watch from the FIFA Fanfest and ended up scoring cheap tickets and were able to watch Argentina defeat Switzerland. This was a father taking his son and a memory was created that will never be forgotten. A blessed memory that billions would’ve loved to have had for themselves, but only so many people can fit into a stadium. The weekend was not as great for others. A longtime Unites States Senator passed away. I’m old school, and I don’t speak ill of the dead, nor do a heap false praise and accolades over someone I wasn’t fond of, so I’ll leave it at that. I do find the joking and snarky humor towards this death to be very distasteful, and a further example of the cultural problems urban progressives have at coming off as likeable and trustworthy outside of their bubble. Who did leave a positive record that I can speak highly of is Yahya Emerick. I didn’t know him personally and only knew of him through his writings and translations. I do know that he greatly contributed to the availability of readable and accessible English language literature for those seeking to study Islam. Brother Yahya passed away and was buried yesterday in New York. إِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ

Etc.

My reading and film viewing has really slowed down during the World Cup. My America 250 reading has transitioned to Japanese and Southeast Asian history and literature, but I did watch the 1969 comedy Putney Swope yesterday which was hilarious. The film even contained an utterance of the shahadah in Arabic which had to be one of the first times in American film.

Independence Day this year comes during the World Cup which has totally wrecked my book reading schedule and essentially taken my film viewing time to zero. July 4th was essentially a breather, and not a full one at that, from viewing soccer on TV.

The day began in Ferguson. I’d read on social media that Americans are in a bad mood and don’t feel like celebrating, that Black Americans are boycotting Independence Day, that fireworks will not be shot off this year. St. Louis didn’t get these memos. Residents lined up Florissant Road in Ferguson for the annual parade. The firetrucks came first throwing candy to children and were followed by a procession of drummers, dancers, church groups, youth sports teams, and a variety of community organizations. Most joined firefighters and threw candy at kids who collected their loot in bags and sacks.

These parades are also a time for politicians to ask for votes. Several candidates and campaigns were on hand including that of my friend John Bowman, his opponent, and a number running for county offices and seats in the state legislature. Reggie Jones, who is the mayor of neighboring Dellwood, was on hand as well. Going onto glory doesn’t even stop politicians in St. Louis from showing up at parades as the Hazel Erby Foundation was there with a large delegation led by a beautifully painted portrait of the late member of the St. Louis County Council. One of the largest contingents belonged to the campaign of Cori Bush who is running to get her old seat back from Congressman Wesley Bell. An elderly white man walking with the assistance of a cane screamed at the top of his lungs admonishing the crowd to help Bush save America for their grandchildren. He had the youthful enthusiasm common among supporters of Bush, The Squad, and even the vibes and TikTok voters in St. Louis enthralled by the Mayor of New York. He didn’t appear to only be asking for our vote- he was inviting us to follow a prophetic and divine figure who could lead us and our children to salvation. To vote for her is to be among the Rightly-Guided, “The Elect”, and to oppose her renders one an Infidel. This enthusiasm aside, I’m expecting a close race, but favor the incumbent to win. More than likely the seat becomes a victim of Republican redistricting, so, no matter who wins, it’s unlikely they’ll hold the seat long.

In 2014-15 Ferguson made national headlines and I was even part of some of those headlines. Ferguson has moved on after national and international media have left and local media has returned to not caring about north county. The media remains tied to an old city-centric narrative and reality, while ignoring the very real stories and issues of places like Ferguson where the vast majority of metro residents actually live.

What does one eat on July 4th? What’s the most American thing one can consume? BBQ, hot dogs, and burgers are common on the 4th, but I don’t have a place to grill. Despite really wanting Chinese food or a Pirrone’s Pizza, I decided to eat in the spirit of the day (no disrespect to my Chinese and Italian friends) and grab a burger in Florissant. Henke’s was closed so we opted for Florissant City Diner. The exact spot we ate in is where my sisters and I used to walk to purchase penny candy as kids. The thought of kids having that freedom today is unthinkable. Parents have even been jailed for allowing their kids to walk the neighborhood unsupervised, ride public transit alone, and be at home by themselves. I'm very fortunate to not have grown up in such an era and in one where I was allowed to play outside alone and with friends, adventure, day dream, get cuts, scratches, and bruises, and learn how to navigate away from uncomfortable situations without the assistance of an adult.

The Florissant City Diner has an excellent burger and it was served to me by a South Asian waitress, dressed in a decorative patriotic hat for the holiday, and speaking in accented English. Even in Old Town Florissant, which ranks among most quintessential and classic of old school American places to visit, we see the positive imprint of recent waves of immigration. We topped the burgers off with Fritz’s Frozen Custard, but, in the interest of health, opted not to head across the street to Old Town Donuts.

That evening we joined Indonesian friends (a recent Wash U PhD recipient and her husband who is in the same program along with their young son) and watched France defeat Paraguay in a foul-filled match. I know France aided us in the Revolution and them winning on July 4th makes sense, but I shall remain a hater of the French National Team! At least Morocco knocked Canada out of the World Cup earlier in the day. A hater of Morocco, I'm not, and, if I was, I’d be in trouble with my local Moroccan friends in Pagedale and University City, and they were the first nation to recognize our independence. Is Morocco still the official team of the Muslim Ummah? Or has Mo Salah and Egypt snatched that distinction from them?

The night ended going downtown and watching fireworks. It was so peaceful it was almost surreal. Perhaps the calm had something to do with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department doing ID checks and enforcing curfew laws on youth. I did see some groups of young men slip in sporting the hoodie in 100 degree weather, purse, and backpack look, but not many. What I did see was a lot of families and children and a very diverse crowd for St. Louis standards. A crowd much more diverse than I can recall in all of my years going downtown to see the fireworks. Our party included a Wash U law student from Indonesia who was experiencing her first 4th of July in the US. Next to us I chatted with a Mexican and Colombian couple and introduced myself to a Korean family and a Filipino couple. We saw several Muslim families, identified by women in hijab, walking by us. The drone and fireworks show itself was amazing and worth the wait. I think we made a good decision staying in St. Louis.

America declared independence on July 4th, just as Indonesia declared independence on August 17th, but, in both cases, there were many battles still to fight and be won and, perhaps, even more importantly, treaties to be negotiated. 250 years on from that day in Philadelphia, when our nation declared independence, I found myself on the edge of my seat cheering for England to defeat Mexico. Anyone who missed this match did themselves a real disservice as it will go down as an instant classic and a winning experience English fans will never forget. Why do I cheer for England? Especially on the day after we commemorated our independence from England?

The foundation of why I cheer England begins with the fact I don't particularly care for American soccer culture and our team has historically been bad and not had many stars (and the US still doesn't have stars despite the media hype). I just don't take US soccer that seriously. Football in England is everything US soccer isn't. History, tradition, spirit, passion, and a sport that can unite all racial and social classes. England is hated by the world and doesn’t have the benefit of a President ordering FIFA to remove a red card suspension. When England plays (and when the US plays Belgium tonight, thanks to Trump) the world is united in supporting the opponent. So, in this sense, supporting England is also about being for the underdog. I also happen to really like England and the United Kingdom in general so there is that as well (stay tuned for an update on an event I’m trying to plan across the pond).

We must also add the element of human relations and history. One could say that the US and England began our relationship in warfare and in a fight. That version of history is a myth. The Revolutionary War was a Civil War fought between Englishmen. The war divided families and sometimes there were siblings on opposite sides and even fathers and sons opposing one another. The relationship began in England- not on the battlefield. The long arc of history shows us that after a few decades of quarreling and fighting we went back to being brothers and when we have needed one another the most we've always been there for each other. If one doubts this they are more than free to visit the American cemeteries in France, Belgium, and throughout Europe (including Cambridge and Brookwood in England). Or visit The Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial located in the Victoria Embankment Gardens in London which honors the British troops who unfortunately lost their lives in those unnecessary US- led misadventures. Like marriages, friendships are complicated, and have their highs and lows. The US is now an incredibly diverse nation and we've fought with almost everyone in the world. If there was a World Cup of wars we would hoist the participation trophy routinely. We're in conflict with Iran now, but in a generation perhaps we can become great friends? Think this is crazy? My grandfather fought in the bloodiest battles for the US in WWII against Japanese forces and today we are the best of friends. Same here for South Korea and increasingly Vietnam.

The American Revolution began an experiment both in self-government, by the people, and a new era of international relations. Both have evolved over time. America is an experiment and we are all part of it. The pessimistic only point to America’s flaws. They look in the history books and find nothing to praise. They see American excellence, innovation, sports, music, and film and see dark sinister conspiracies. They don't see that America is complicated and flawed because we are humans and our nature is complicated and flawed. A government by the people means you will have the problems of the people and you cannot place the blame on a monarchy or divine forces. We must celebrate our successes and take accountability for our shortcomings- but the framers gave us all the tools needed to innovate and address our issues. Above all we must not take the blessing of American citizenship for granted.

In the ultimate scheme of things winning the World Cup means nothing to the US- it would mean everything in England. So, fresh off the excitement of last night's viewing, I'll finish with these words “It's Coming Home”. Then, once the smoke clears, I will give my energy to the upcoming playoff run of the St. Louis Cardinals!

A news reporter in Texas recently got into trouble for saying she couldn't find Bosnia on the map and didn't wanna learn. She was later forced to do one of those fake HR mandated apologies. Unfortunately most Americans cannot identify Japan, the United Kingdom, and France on a map and a sizable percentage struggle to find their own states or the US. She isn't unique, but not within the spirit of the World Cup.Being the most international of all team sports soccer often connects people across continents. You'll find that many players on European squads in the World Cup are eligible to play for 2-3 nations and this is true of roughly half of the Team USA squad as well. Much of this is due to migration patterns and history. St. Louisans should understand this well as Team USA faces Bosnia today. Bosnians are no strangers to us.

The roots of soccer run deep in St. Louis. In 1882 there is a record of a soccer match being played at Sportsman's Park in north St. Louis before 2,000 spectators. The city is widely credited with both creating the first professional soccer league in the United States in 1915 and popularizing the usage of the word soccer (FTR in my household I code switch between soccer and football depending on who I'm talking to). There are more than 30 players with St. Louis roots in the Soccer Hall of Fame. The storied US team that beat England in 1950? Five starting players from St. Louis. Four were Italian-American kids from The Hill and the fifth was the Irish kid from Carondelet named Harry Keough. As a taxi driver I had the pleasure of picking up Harry (R.I.P.) and his son Ty (also a Hall of Fame player and former US Men's World Team player). The first ever player drafted in the MLS was a kid named Matt Mckeon from Florissant. More recent stars out of the St. Louis have included Taylor Twellman (Gen X people should remember Twellman Soccer, Norco, Scott Gallagher, Kutis, and others) and the captain of the US squad in the 2026 is a St. Louis area kid named Tim Ream (St. Dominic High School). Josh Sargent (a St. Charles County kid with north county family roots) played in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar for Team USA and currently plays for Toronto in the MLS. There are so many more stories I can add in including the ten NCAA national championships won by St. Louis University in men's soccer and their recent deep runs. Long before the MLS expanded to St. Louis this town has been a hotbed for American soccer and produced more soccer talent per capita than perhaps anywhere in the US.

Soccer was a popular pastime for immigrants in the late 19th Century with immigrants from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ireland and in the early to mid 20th Century with immigrants from Spain in Carondelet, Italians on The Hill and north of downtown, Irish in Dogtown and north St. Louis, Lebanese, Croatians, Czechs, Bohemians, Serbs, Greeks and others. The love of soccer traveled with families. These families would later be instrumental in the development of soccer leagues and clubs in St. Louis County and St. Charles County in the post-WWII years thanks to the suburban housing boom and westward shift in population.

These days immigrant families from East Africa and Latin America can be seen playing soccer regularly in parks just north of downtown where immigrant Italian and Irish families once played and can also be found in northwest St. Louis County and other parts of the region.

The largest immigrant wave to St. Louis in recent years has been from Bosnia. This population influx began in the 1990s as Bosnians fled the atrocities and brutality of the civil war that occurred after the break-up of Yugoslavia. Bosnian Muslims were targeted for removal and there was a coordinated effort to prevent the existence of a majority-Muslim state in Europe. While Bosnians settled in cities throughout the United States, St. Louis has the largest population. When Bosnians first arrived in the 1990s they largely settled in south city neighborhoods like Bevo and Dutchtown. The vast majority of local Bosnians now live in south county with large concentrations in the Mehlville, Bayless, Affton, and Hancock school districts.

Bosnians have been remarkably successful in St. Louis and are having a major impact having established restaurants, mosques, construction businesses, and much more. However, Bosnians didn't just bring Cevapi to St. Louis- they brought a love of soccer and would go on to play for local schools and clubs. A few like Vedad Ibišević would play professionally and even for the Bosnian national team.

This match will be viewed with special interest from St. Louis given our connection to Bosnia and I'm sure our local bars and Ballpark Village will be packed. I know I'll be picking up a Yapi Burger tomorrow before settling in.

I'm sharing these photos of my visit to Bosnia. It's a beautiful mountainous region with Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and other influences. Mosques, Catholic Churches, and Orthodox Churches sit in close proximity to one another. I even visited the Jewish cemetery of Sarajevo which is a reflection of the historical diversity of the city. Many my age may recall that the 1984 Winter Olympics took place in Sarajevo. The US-Bosnia match may be the biggest sporting event since then. Just 30 years ago forces tried to erase Bosnia- and the Bosnian people, from the map. Today Bosnia stands on center stage for all of the world to see. Interestingly enough, US star Christian Pulisic has family roots in the former Yugoslavia himself as his grandfather was born in what is now Croatia.

I'll be tuning in.

“BJ's Bar in Florissant will be closing today after 70 years in business. Although it was a bar and a popular hangout with a distinctly blue-collar vibe it may have been most famous for pizza which generations of north St. Louis County residents grew up eating.

Closings are always sad and make us yearn for earlier times. BJ's opened in 1955 when Florissant was transitioning from a mostly rural community and small town to a booming post-war suburb. BJ's reflected the working-class nature of the community as it was a popular hangout for union members and a place where union officials would sometimes even conduct business informally. Mostly it was just a place for people who worked hard to have a cold drink with friends or by themselves and enjoy a pizza.

The signs on the wall are reflective of something increasingly uncommon in the United States. A respect for the flag and military service, labor unions, and Democratic politics. An old kind of Democrat that more than likely jumped ship after crossing the Missouri River. This is a reminder of a Democratic Party that was once much more labor and much less latte. More Stag than Silicon Valley. A party of hard workers, hard drinkers, and big eaters who would be up for Sunday Mass at Scared Heart, North America Martyrs, St. Dismas , St. Thomas The Apostle, and other surrounding parishes.

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BJ's will surely be missed. I hope the site is repurposed and remains open and isn't turned into another grill, discount store, or something the community already has an endless supply of. The population has shifted and along with that many things close. When I was growing up Florissant was a national powerhouse in soccer. The first ever MLS draftee is from Florissant. Wrestling, hockey, baseball, and JFL football kept young people busy in addition to the CYC. Most of that is now gone. Jamestown Mall, Village Square, and Northwest Plaza were all short drives. As were Northland and Riverroads. All closed, as have the local movie theaters such as Grandview, Cross Keys, Paddock, and the 270 Drive-In.

Nothing remains the same forever. Across the street from BJ'S newer businesses like Mann Meats and Big Belly Deli are succeeding as is Helfer's Pastries. Old Town Donuts have once again been voted the best donuts in the US. Fritz's in Florissant can still give Ted Drewes a run for their money. You can still get the best St. Louis Style Pizza in the metro area at Pirrone's and Angelo's and newer options like Costello's have good pizza as well. You also have options in Florissant and the surrounding areas that once seemed unthinkable. Halal restaurants, Mediterranean, Thai, Ghanian, authentic Mexican, and more. So, while we mourn the past, there is still much to celebrate today, and things to look forward to in the future. If you want to eat good you can certainly do so in Florissant. If you wanna lose weight you may be in trouble.

Political junkies and those interested in history may enjoy some of these signs. They include signs for the presidential campaigns of Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and John Kerry. As well as signs for countless Democratic candidates in Florissant, St. Louis County, and St. Louis City over the decades.

As a sign of the continued life and energy in a changing Florissant there is currently an Hispanic Festival going on just down the street from BJ's. I've attended this wonderful event in previous years, but will not this year due to the rain.”

I wrote this while sitting in my car. I then drove to Old Town Donuts and bought a vanilla long John and an old fashioned, grabbed my wife from her job, and picked up two Imo’s pizzas on the way to a friend's house to watch the World Cup. They added some halal fried chicken. It wasn't exactly a health food day.

After the matches of the day I began thinking of places like BJ’s that are disappearing and what they mean to a community. It's not just traditional family bars and working-class establishments that are closing. Restaurants, churches, synagogues, and places people gather are struggling in the age of app deliveries, legalized marijuana, and many young people being seemingly unable to speak to others and function in public spaces.

People need third spaces and they need sacred spaces. Sometimes the lines may be blurred between the two especially in a state of intoxication. We have a loneliness crisis in America, especially with men, and, in addition to secularism and the rise of the Nones feeding it, so has the closing of family-owned bars and restaurants.

Places close for many reasons. For a place like BJ'S, I suspect the changing racial demographics of Florissant played a major role. Most of their traditional customer base has moved to St. Charles County and further west. Someone also mentioned on social media that they're older, had left the Democratic Party, and were turned off by the signage and labor Dem vibe of BJ’s.

In an era of increased secularism Americans are finding meaning in place and politics. People just don't live in St. Louis City, as opposed to Chesterfield or Florissant, living in the city is their entire personality and identity. One is just not leftist or MAGA, but they proselytize at every opportunity with the fanaticism of a young missionary. They wear the MAGA hat and mask like a hijab, kippah, or crucifix. Those who disagree with them on politics aren't just wrong. They're infidels and love or friendship is impossible with those on the other side. Family members aren't even excluded from this dynamic as it's a badge of honor, particularly on the Left, to brag about cutting off family members in the name of politics.

The politics of BJ'S is increasingly dead in America. Those evoking an old school labor Dem vibe, such as State Rep candidate Jimmy Lappe or State Senator Doug Beck, are extremely rare. What's left is identity. I'm not sure Sam Page, Cara Spencer, or any progressive members of the Board of Aldermen, world be comfortable in a working-class family bar like BJ’s. (Of course, those living in glass houses can't throw bricks, I can go and eat a pizza or order a burger, but as soon as someone recognizes me as the “Muslim radical” who tried to bring down the monument of King Louis IX, I may need to resort to my grappling skills). The Royale on the south side emerged as a political bar of sorts for Gen X urban liberals and I believe that's what owner Steve Smith had in mind. Different crowd for a different era and place.

To their fans, the new generation of St. Louis Dems, check the right beliefs and identity boxes; urban, secular, liberal on social issues, signal the right way on the environment, college educated, a certain aura of cosmopolitanism and sophistication. The difference is in economics and layers of commitment to identity politics and nonprofits. Cara comes off as the boss, Megan as HR, but where is a shop steward like Dick Gephardt? Cori Bush, for many, comes off as a great avatar for their piety and virtue. A Bush sign in the lawn isn't a political sign- it's a testimony of faith. In previous generations that symbol of piety was more likely to be the union sign in the window next to the American flag.

Many St. Charles County Republicans sound a lot more like Wallace Democrats, or even Charles Lindbergh, than anything from the era of Reagan and the Bush family. But I'm sure they could eat or drink at a place like BJ'S just fine.

The bar as an institution has been a secular sanctuary of sorts for many Americans. I first began to think about this while living in New York. The city may be freezing in the winter and hot in the summer, and you may be stressed out at your job and at home, but the traditional bar offered a removal from the world. Places like the old Burke’s in Maspeth or any number of old Irish pubs in Bay Ridge Brooklyn or the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. I told a friend these bars reminded me of the mosque. The intoxication of prayer and dhikr is replaced by an intoxication of the mind from alcohol. The regulars at the bar are like those in the prayer lines with you. There may be little to no communication between you and them, but you're united in purpose. You are seeking a removal from the world, an often quiet time, and time to contemplate what is going on in your life. Not quite ready to come home after dealing with all the bullshit at work and not ready for the drama and arguments at home. As these types of bars were closed and sold they were reimagined and became brighter, louder, more expensive, and less about appealing to working-class adults and more about attracting horny young people. Then apps came where you can find dates and order drinks and food and that was a wrap.

The speed of Catholic churches closing in the St. Louis area is staggering and I'm sure even more Protestant churches are closing. Muslims offer a newer, younger, and often more vibrant community. Mosques are so packed you have to game plan parking in advance. Yet, as congregations age, they'll have the same problems. Thus the need for Halal “third spaces”. So far the celebrated third spaces in the Muslim community have been exclusively targeted to affluent young professionals. That tracks as young Muslims are typically educated, upwardly mobile, and seek distance from working-class neighbors (despite the affinity many may have for DSA-style candidates they are just as uncomfortable around a bunch of construction workers as your typical white urban progressive is).

The only places I've personally witnessed that differ from this trend are Salaam Square in Atlanta and our Monday Night Brotherhood class in St. Louis and both are rooted in the Black American Muslim tradition. My friend Mohammed Shargzadeh, who is my favorite Iranain Ayatollah, recently lamented the fact the Diyanet Center of America in PG County, Maryland is showing World Cup matches. I actually love the idea and immediately contacted a board member of the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis and requested the matches be shown at a local masjid when I found out what they were doing. I personally prefer watching sports alone or with a small number of close friends and family. However, for many, watching sports with a large group of friends is an important communal bonding experience. Imagine being inside BJ'S when Bob Gibson mowed down batters in the 1964 and 1967 World Series, when Bruce Sutter threw the final strike of the 1982 World Series, and when David Freese sent the 2011 World Series to game seven.

“Both the mosque and the tavern remove a person from ordinary worldly concerns, but they do so in opposite directions. The tavern seeks forgetfulness through intoxication; the mosque seeks presence through remembrance (dhikr). Both respond to the human desire to transcend daily burdens, yet one achieves this by dulling awareness while the other intensifies it.

“The taverns are full of every class of people—janissaries, sailors, merchants, poets, Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Muslims—laughing, singing, forgetting their cares.”

- Evliya Celebi

Bosnia Takes on America

Thirty years ago Serbian (and to a lesser extent Croatian) forces were bound and determined to prevent the emergence of a Muslim-majority state in Europe. A campaign of mass murder, starvation, and sexual violence began. St. Louis became home to the largest Bosnian refugee community in the US in the aftermath. They first settled on the south side and have now largely migrated to south county. Many Bosnians came not knowing how to pray and very little about Islam due to the communist repression of religion, but asked local mosques to teach their children how to pray and read Quran. Today there are four Bosnian-majority mosques, restaurants, bars, and countless businesses. Bosnians have been incredibly successful in St. Louis and left the city for the suburbs before they could make a real political impact. While there are now countless Bosnian police officers and public employees, Mirhad Hasanovic is seeking to be the first Bosnian in the Missouri State Legislature as he runs in the Republican primary in a south county district this August.

I have no delusions that the US is going to win the World Cup, but they should beat Bosnia. For many Bosnians just making it this far gives them tremendous pride and a sense of accomplishment. Not only did Bosnia survive an attempt at genocide- they've shown they can thrive.

Here are my picks for the round of 32

World Cup Tourists Go Crazy For America

One of the stories I'm enjoying most from this World Cup is how crazy tourists are going for many of the real cool things in America. BBQ, pizza, Buc-ee’s, fast food, ranch dressing, huge portions, AC, and that most glorious of all American offerings- free refills! Many of these things are stuff a certain class of snobby Americans are embarrassed by and wish we could be more like Europeans. Turns out many Europeans are wishing they could be more like us.

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Boots Ennis Survives a Scare in Brooklyn

A sold win for Boots Ennis over Xander Zayas. We know the Philadelphia fighter has the speed and power to be at the top of the game. Does he have the chin and the defense? After last night's fight, and especially the third round, I'm still not convinced. If that's Terence Crawford or Vergil Ortiz in round three, or perhaps even Sebastian Fundora, Ennis ends the fight on his back.

Before I give my review of this book I will note a recent video exchange I viewed between comedian Hasan Minhaj and a Catholic. For the record, I don't find Minhaj funny, and I don't listen to any of these comedians from Muslim backgrounds. In fact, I've never been to a comedy show. I've been tempted to see Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Bill Burr, Jiaoying Summers, Ali Wong, Russell Peters, and others, but don't have a plus-one interested in such things.

Hasan asks the question why do Catholics make conversion so hard and notes you can become Muslim by simply saying the Shahadah in front of two witnesses. Of course, Hasan is right, this is how you convert. But, is it the only way to convert? Is it how you should convert? Once you convert the Shariah and what is binding in terms of Halal and Haram is mandatory on the Muslim. Is it fair to convert someone who doesn't even know the basics of Muslim practices and obligations? What are the results of these quickie conversions? What are the retention rates? Where are the programs to nurture them? Wouldn't it make a lot more sense to put them through a year or so of study and practice as Catholics and both Orthodox Jews and Christians do? Give them time to learn theology, basic Fiqh, how to pray and fast, what is Halal and Haram, and socialize with Muslims? Instead of criticism of the Catholic RICA program for converts I actually think it's a very good program and one Muslims should emulate (I've also argued in favor of a sponsorship Mawali program for converts as was practiced in the Umayyad period).

Now to the book review. Note: Being a US Senator before being VP has its perks. J.D. Vance was able to convert to Catholicism without going through the RICA. Under my scenario Muslims could still have the same grace for celebrity converts like Giancarlo Esposito and Rae Lil' Black.

I found the faith journey part and criticism of modern American values, priorities, and lifestyles compelling. Vance is part of a growing trend of Catholic and Orthodox Christian converts attracted to the faith by history, intellectualism, ritual, and continuity with the early Church. This is a rejection of the emotionalism, often thin theology, and ahistorical nature of Evangelical Protestantism and liberalism of Mainline Protestantism in addition to being a rejection of elite secular Western norms. The more I read about these Catholic and Orthodox converts the more they remind me of Neo-Trad (conservative Sufi) converts and the newly religious (those from Muslim families attracted to Neo-Trad Sufism in their adult lives). Or even Baal Teshuva newly observant Jews. There is clearly a yearning for a deeper meaning, tradition, moral guidelines, and a connection to history that transcends religious lines.

Vance is making an argument for a specific type of Catholic appeal. One that often leads to the Latin Mass. Not the cultural Catholicism of places like my hometown of St. Louis where fish fries, CYC sports, and Catholic schools with secular outcomes are the norm. The natural alternative for Vance is Orthodox Christianity or Reformed Protestantism. The problem of Orthodoxy often being a problem familiar to Muslim converts- you may lack the ethnic component to truly fit into your new faith home despite their efforts to welcome you. The problem with Reformed Theology is the Protestant problem- it’s only so deep and only goes back so far. Thus Catholicism, even with its decline in status in the US and the West, and a history of serious institutional corruption.

Vance quoting St. Augustine is something no Catholic I grew up with would do and I was surrounded by them. At my Southern Baptist Church very few, including the teachers, had more than a rudimentary understanding of theology and Church history. I’ve seen this with Muslims too. Converts obsessively arguing over Madhabs and Fatwas and small issues of Aqeedah and Fiqh. These are issues few born Muslims know or care about. Go and ask a random Muslim on the street what their Madhab is or if they’re Ashari, Maturidi, or Athari. You’ll be greeted with blank stares 90% of the time. These theological arguments aren’t important to them and they historically have not been issues many Muslims have cared about as most believers were illiterate until the last few generations. Islam is and has been for the vast majority of Muslims what is taught to the believers by their families and in their community. In modern times this often involves public schools in Muslim-majority societies.

Vance is seeking to take this Catholic worldview and make the argument that secularization has been bad for the West (which I wholeheartedly agree with) and the Church provides much of the antidote (which I also generally agree with).

This should be familiar to Muslims of my generation influenced by Islamic Revivalist politics and the Ikhwan- religion as a political tool as the answer to what ails society and an alternative political system. However, what we learned was that Muslim political parties were often the source for the decline of religion in the society (Morsi in Egypt, Khamanei in Iran, etc) and that Muslim political actors, most notably the Ikhwan, were willing to sacrifice religion in pursuit of political power (and in the US and UK this means an alliance with the Left). The model that is perhaps more compelling is one such as you have in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and other Gulf states. Rulers who are generally influenced by religion, but not so rigidly they can’t work towards progress and the national interest, and a public who are informed by faith as inherent to their culture without making it into a revolutionary political ideology. I see this understanding of faith as close to the role Christianity played in the US and most of the West until the last few generations. More of a guardrail to ensure people and society doesn’t get too crazy than a theocratic political system.

How does the US and the West arrive at such a point as Vance argues for? Or return? I’m afraid Vance didn’t answer these questions. I will say that no modern figure has embodied my political vision more than Pope John Paul II and I’ve also been a fan of Pope Francis and our current American Pope. I just remarked to some friends the other day how Pope Leo is current and addressing the true issues of modern society and our imams seldom talk about anything relevant to our lives and when they attempt to it’s normally an idiotic political diatribe.

When Vance attempts to weave Trump Administration policies into the narrative and fawns over his wife Usha at every opportunity (which I’m sure comes off sweet to some romantics) I find the book a chore. Vance is clearly still working out some things in this book, as he did in Hillbilly Elegy, and has some unresolved issues from his childhood like many of us do without the benefit of such a platform.

Vance applies Christian ethics to ideas of economics. One of the beautiful things about the Muslim community is there are brothers at the mosque that I’ve been seeing for decades. I don’t know what their job is and I don’t care. We are praying together as brothers and there is no need for them to share their CV with me. This is contrast to modern American professional norms. In settings of educated (usually secular) professions people often rattle off their resumes within seconds of meeting them. Our phones go off constantly with emails from work. After work we are invited to work happy hours and parties. Our work has become central to our identities in a very unhealthy way. Work should just be a means to spend more time with your family and do the things you enjoy. Not the end. I agree with Vance when he makes these arguments. I haven’t seen the administration he serves in do much about it.

I see quite the opposite from most Republicans. The same can be said for a host of issues Vance mentioned. We shouldn’t worship the GDP, we should see children as a blessing and not a burden, we should reject workist culture, we should care for our elders and treasure them, we should not succumb to a pessimistic view of America, we should not measure success in terms of consumption. Family, values, quality of food, children, learning, travel, and so many things are more important than contributing to the GDP and making Wall Street and Big Tech happy. So, yes, I agree with the words of Vance in this book, but where are the policies that will enable more Americans to have affordable housing, to have more children and give them a decent home, to not be forced to put elders in nursing homes, and not have to work insane hours and multiple jobs to just survive?

Another value Pope Francis and Leo have been emphasizing is empathy and love for fellow humans. Of course toxic empathy is bad. Having empathy for the murderer, robber, and sex offender and not the victims (and future victims) isn’t an admirable trait.But striving to be empathetic humans in general is a good trait. Sober empathy. We cannot help everyone at all times but we can help many. This seems difficult to reconcile with Haitians are eating dogs and cats in Ohio and Muslims are attempting to turn Texas and Oklahoma into Caliphates governed by Shariah Law. One cannot make an appeal to Christian ethics while being engaged in crude, otherizing, and hateful language towards political opponents, ethnic and religious minorities, and those in foreign lands.

As we all know 2028 will see Vance in the ring against Marco Rubio I would like to see a similar book on faith from Marco. Unlike Vance, he never fell away from faith, and didn’t go through a period of atheism. Marco has had an interesting faith journey, has a devout wife, and raised Christian children, but he is a Catholic who often attended an Evangelical church, and was a Mormon for part of his childhood. That’s an interesting story I wanna hear about..

Books I Want Scholars of Islam in America to Write

I've often noted that scholars of Islam in America don't seem to like Muslims in America that much. They're like white jazz aficionados. They have an idealized vision of what they love and most of the men they praise are dead while largely holding a disdain for the living. I was reminded of this last week as I read a writer who is popular in Muslim academic circles trash the pre-911 Muslim community in the US. I was actually offended by this. The community was a little too idealistic, overzealous at times, and rowdy, but I have very fond memories of the 1990s Muslim community. There was a warmth then that disappeared after 9-11.

There are so many interesting Muslim stories to write, but when we do get a book, it's usually boring and about a small number of rebel Muslims who the faculty lounge at an Ivy League university would find attractive. The real stories are ignored. I attempted to ask this question to a Muslim academic at Washington University in St. Louis a few years ago. She responded that she isn't opposed to writing about converts. I never mentioned converts. So here are some interesting titles in case y'all need some help.

1. From Genocide to Southern California: Cambodian Muslims in The Inland Empire

2. West Africa in The New Harlem: Little Senegal and Gentrification

3. Arab Cool: Arab Boys Growing Up in Metro Detroit

4. Coney Island Zindabad: How Little Pakistan Was Formed in Brooklyn

5. Sarajevo to St. Louis: From Genocide to Middle Class Suburbia

6. The Philadelphia Muslim: How a Small Group of Sunni Teachers Mainstreamed Islam in Black Philliy and Created a Subculture

7. Makkah and Madinah: Sunni Black Harlem and Brooklyn in the 1970s (Focus on the Dar)

8. Muslim Organized Crime: How Black Muslims Operated Crime Families in Philadelphia, Kansas City, and St. Louis

9. Zohran: How a Privileged Ugandan Immigrant United New York Muslims and Became a National Figure

10. Al Fuqra: How a Pakistani Mystic Created a Controversial Black Sufi Sect

11. Khomeini and Saud in DC: How the Iranain Revolution and Salafis Erupted in Violence

12. Come With Me: The American Muslims Who Responded to Abdullah Azzam's Call to Jihad

13. Paintballers: Northern Virginia and the Post-911 Hysteria

14. NYPD Green: The Muslims of The New York Police Department

15. The Rise of the Latino Muslim: Case Studies in NYC, Chicago, and Houston

16. MegaMosque Islam: How The Muslim Prosperity Dawah Found a Home in the Dallas Suburbs

17. The Hijrah Babies Return: American Salafi Children Raised in Muslim Lands and Their Adult Lives in the US

18. Bernie at Home and Islamist Abroad: The Political Conundrum of The Muslim Activist

19. The Hood Store: Arab American Muslims Slanging Pork, Liquor and Weave in The Hood

20. The Muslim in Popular Culture: From Chappele to The NBA

21. Ramadan in Prison: Fasting While Incarcerated in America

When I removed the absurdities of the event from my mind I saw where he was coming from. The backdrop of The White House and monuments, fighters warming up inside surrounded by artwork and splendor, doing octagon walks escorted by decorated veterans and first responders, jets from our armed forces flying overhead, some amazing singers and musicians from a military orchestra, and more. Paramount+ and CBS Sports are veterans of broadcasting major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness. Dana White and the UFC organization have also excelled at pacing PPV events even before arriving at Paramount+. Boxing fans often suffer through endless talking and vignettes between fights. DAZN, in particular, seems to believe boxing fans need a dozen or so commentators and half a day on their broadcasts. ESPN+ was just as bad before Top Rank was axed.

The fights themselves were outstanding. Diego Lopes, who was been training in Stillwater with Oklahoma State Wrestling Coach David “Magic Man” Taylor, scored a knockout win over Steve Garcia. In a battle of Pennsylvania residents, 3X Penn State Wrestling national champion Bo Nickal, a favorite of President Trump, scored a KO over Kyle Daukaus. St. Louis area resident and former Mizzou wrestler Michael Chandler got roughed up by Mauricio Ruffy. Fresh off victory, Ruffy proposed marriage to his girlfriend in the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. In a battle between two non-Americans Ciryl Gane overpowered Alex Pereira.

Sociopolitical observers have much to chew on with regards to the remaining fights. Sean O’Malley is a fan favorite due to his social media celebrity and appeal to young people. This particularly makes him an asset for Trump’s base of young male voters who have been turned off by the messaging of progressives and many in the Democratic Party. A Charlie Kirk or Franklin Graham, O’Malley is not. A professed swinger with a tattooed body and hair that looks like it has been dipped in a Kool Aid packet he is. This, of course, is much of the new right in the US. Not that religious, and not that traditional, but vaguely in opposition to what has been presented to them as wokeness. None of that matters in the octagon and O’Malley scored a KO over Aiemann Zahabi (even if the stoppage was quick).

Josh Hokit perhaps more closely resembles the average male Trump voter. He toyed with fan-favorite Derrick Lewis, who gave the impression he’d rather be anywhere, but in the octagon, before stopping him. Hokit, another heavily tatted fighter, is a former college football player, California native, and known for making crass remarks. The majesty of The White House in the background didn’t seem to temper his remarks. Hokit praised Jesus in his post-fight interview while stopping short of quoting scripture as Bo Nickal did (which is common in the ultra-Christian world of US wrestling). Hokit then repeatedly racked up the profane language before asserting that Michelle Obama is a man.

The juvenile and incredibly stupid slander that Michelle Obama is a man is popular in conservative social media outlets. It stems from the same otherizing of the Obamas as the birther conspiracies and alleging Barack was a crypto-Muslim. The Michelle slander is by many times more ridiculous and yet social media rewards this kind of language and people like Candace Owens can even build successful podcasts over such foolishness. No professional sports league other than the UFC would tolerate such language. On no boxing event would such language be imaginable. Not that the worlds of boxing and the UFC aren’t growing closer with Zuffa Boxing and Dana White in the mix. Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford, Conor Benn, Jai Opetaia, and other boxers were in attendance. Fury even wore a “Donald Trump for Prime Minster” hat for the event.

The main event was truly a great fight. Ilia Topuria from the Republic of Georgia had looked unstoppable in recent bouts. Elite striking skills and fight IQ. And through the first two rounds it looked like the Georgian was on his way to another win as Justin Gaethje (another former college wrestler) appeared to be completely overmatched. Things changed in the third round as Gaethje landed a big sot and turned the fight around. After a bumbled doctoral intervention in between the third and fourth rounds, which featured Topuria telling his corner he was unable to see, the fight continued, before the Georgian retired on his stool after the fourth.

An outstanding fight and victory for Gaethje. Leading up to the fight, Gaethje had been feuding with UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland. Earlier in his career Strickland was known as a MAGA guy and supporter of Trump. Not anymore. Strickland has accused Trump of being under Israeli and Jewish control and has increasingly used antisemitic language on his social media platforms. Strickland accused Gaethje of being a “good goy” and happily eating up his “goy slop”. Reportedly barred from attending the White House event. Strikcland showed up nonetheless, wearing a t-shirt reading “Trump is in the Epstein Files”. It should be noted that Strickland also has a history of making anti-Muslim remarks and has a neo-nazi past.

After the main event Trump and his family filled the ring surrounding a giddy Dana White and Gaethje family. It was past 1:00 in the morning, and Trump was wide-awake, that’s how you know it was a good card.

RAF in St. Louis Ends With a Chechen Brawl

I was unable to watch most of game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night because I attended Real American Freestyle Wrestling in St. Louis. I had a great time and encourage everyone to tune into Fox Nation if you want to see some entertaining wrestling. The model Eric Bischoff and the wrestling minds at RAF are using is a hybrid of matches featuring wrestlers from elite NCAA and international backgrounds with stars from the UFC who can bring in casual and non-wrestling fans.

RAF 10 in St. Louis featured NCAA champions such as Keegan O’Toole (Mizzou) and Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado), All-Americans like Ausin Desanto (Iowa), and a number of international wrestlers (six Muslims from the former Soviet Union in particular). Former youth wrestling standout and now UFC fighter Aaron Pico looked sensational in his mat return and in a battle of UFC stars Arman Tsarukyan delighted Armenian fans by easily getting past Tony Ferguson.

The main event featured Chechen Muslim Khamzat Chimaev who is a former UFC champion and recently lost his belt to Sean Strickland. Khamzat faced Dilon Danis who is perhaps best known for getting pounced on by Khabib after the Conor McGregor fight. Danis has a history of post-match brawls and this night proved to be no exception. After Khamzat pinned Danis in 44 seconds the two men exchanged kicks and then all hell broke loose with dozens of people rushing onto the mat to fight. Khamzat was dragged off by the ref, but I personally saw several people punch and kick Danis. The Chechens came ready to fight. Wrestling purists be damned, I was entertained. It would be helpful to remember that Final X this week, which will feature better matches than the NCAA Championships, will be contested before a crowd you can fit into a high school gymnasium. Wrestling has not grown and with wrestling alone RAF will have limited appeal outside to a tiny and hardcore audience. UFC stars, other crossover athletes, and a little shit talking and brawling creates the needed buzz. I would personally like to see modified battle royals, tag teams, handicap matches, and figured from pro wrestling added. Chaifetz Arena was sold out for this event, and I expect RAF to be back in St. Louis. Possibly local guys like Tyron Woodley and Luke Lilledahl competing?

I did manage to see the ending of the Knicks-Spurs game in my car after the event. Congrats to Spike Lee. Larry David, and all Knicks fans.

Philly Masjid Fighting and Criminal Culture

I will say what I have to say in this video. The situation with violence and criminality among segments of the US Muslim community is the talk of Muslim social media right now, but I believe that most have been too broad, and conversely narrow-minded, in their assessments. This video and commentary doesn’t even fit the theme of this week’s newsletter and since Muslims are generally not big fans of reading I made a video which you can view here . Neglected in the video is my failure to mention that is a masjid or organization begins with a violent takeover that will probably be the cultural ethos in which it operates.

New York is the exact opposite. The whole world paid attention to the NYC mayoral race. People who have never been to NYC say, “Zohran is my mayor”. Coincidentally this is one reason I believe his election will ultimately make the city more expensive for working-class families in the city. His popularity will create an even larger wave of affluent (mostly white, but some second-generation daughters of immigrants) transplants to the city. But that’s a discussion for another time. Regardless, it isn’t unique to Zohran. Hipsters were flooding New York under Rudy and Bloomberg and neither of them were viral on TikTok.

The fact is people care about New York. Often, they care too much. It’s an interesting place and most of us live in places that are only mildly interesting or not interesting at all. New York is a city of romance and dreams and just when you think you know New York it changes. Some people are in love with the art scene, the glitz and glamour of Manhattan, the elite social status of liberal Brooklynites in gentrified neighborhoods, midwestern creatives in Queens, Wall Street, the international wealth scene, Broadway, culture, museums, endless entertainment options, the night life, lightly stepped on coke, high-end prostitution, and the list goes on. That’s at the high-dollar end.

Those things never interested me much. Not that I had money to hang out on Wall Street anyway or could’ve spent five minutes around Park Slope dogs and their moms without wanting to jump into the East River. The thing about New York is there isn’t just one New York. There isn’t even one-hundred versions of the city. There are endless. Yes, you can be a rich kid from Ladue inspired by Sex in the City and seek that version of New York; but you can also be a Jewish kid from Chesterfield, not quite bold enough to move to Jerusalem, but confident enough to move to Flatbush to see what it’s like to live in a place where you aren’t socially isolated.

They say Miami is the Capitol of Latin America, and it seems that way, when you visit, but if Miami is DC, New York has to at least be Falls Church. From Dominicans Uptown and in the Bronx to the fading Puerto Rican population to newer waves of Mexicans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Venezuelans, and others the streets of New York are alive with a vibrant Latin culture.

I’m nostalgic for the Black New York in the 80s and 90s that gave us hip-hop, Spike Lee, and so much more. There are expressions in the Muslim community about “the Philly Muslim”. All of that began in Brooklyn and Harlem. Pre-gentrification New York was one where Black Sunnis were out and visible- especially in Brooklyn. That flavor is gone in New York thanks to reverse-migration to the South. You no longer walk up and down Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy giving Salaams, smell the incense burning, and hear the mixture of Quran recitations, Islamic lectures, and the adhan mixed in with Biggie and Nas. That’s gone. If you weren’t there you missed it. Because New York is the city it is means that the loss of this community means the arrival of something else interesting. West African Muslims with their unique traditions. Becky with her massive dog, not interesting. You have to take the good with the bad.

Some come to New York to shop and eat in Chinatown. The city now has several Chinatown areas with the one in Manhattan perhaps being the least vibrant and most touristy. If you go to Queens, you can also find Koreatown, basically anything from the continent of Asia from Nepalese minority groups to Uyghur Muslims fleeing China to Afghans. Can’t make it to Pakistan then go to Coney Island for lunch and Kazakhstan for dessert. If, like me, you find the future yuppies of Williamsburg and Bushwick odd, boring, and not interesting, you can literally stay in those same neighborhoods and go to established neighborhood Italian, Jewish, and Puerto Rican restaurants and shops. People used to come to Bensonhurst to get Italian food and a whiff of the mob, and some of that is still there, but you can now get Halal food and authentic Chinese food there as well. Neighboring Bay Ridge is similar. No longer Irish in the way Woodlawn is in the Bronx, but Irish enough if you just wanna have a few, and you can sober up with Yemeni coffee.

That international city has come together to cheer on the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. It’s really something amazing to watch from afar and it has to be magical in person. Yes, there are some bad scenes of New Yorkers beating up Spurs fans. That’s unfortunate; but America is very often a violent and unruly place. That wouldn’t happen in St. Louis, but not everyone has our home training. Our youth just riot at Six Flags and 6-7 parties for no apparent reason. Those negative incidents shouldn’t take away from the fact that this is an overwhelmingly positive experience bonding New Yorkers across racial, ethnic, religious, and class lines in a way that only sports can.

The scenes of fans dancing together in the street cannot be duplicated in any other city in the world. Hasidic Jews dancing with Puerto Ricans and Jamaicans, Palestinian Muslims dancing with white transplants who just became a Knicks fan last week, and diehard fans bursting with enthusiasm in the streets. The Knicks last won a championship the year before I was born and I’m old. It’s been a long time. Patrick Ewing never got his ring. Will Jalen Brunson? Everyone wants in on the action. Madison Square Garden, that magical arena in Manhattan where I have been blessed to see so many boxing matches, was full of celebrities and the powerful to watch game three. Of course, other than sugar babies, no working-class person could afford to get into The Garden. President Donald Trump, who is a longtime fan of the New York Knicks, and has attended many games over the years, even flew in for game three. He appeared to be a little sleepy as the Knicks lost in their first finals game at home.

When New York sports teams are winning the world takes notice. They sell Yankees caps all over the world. Good luck getting a Diamondbacks or Nationals cap in Brighton, Lyon, or Singapore. The closest city to New York in global cultural significance is London (although I believe the Gulf cities are catching up and will perhaps surpass London). London is diverse, global in nature, and has a rabid sports culture, but they could never repeat what we’re seeing in New York. The city has numerous football clubs, and the city isn’t united in cheering for one team. Not only is New York united in wanting to see the Knicks win- it appears the world is united. No pressure, guys. Sorry, San Antonio and Phill Collins, Forget The Alamo.

A Knicks victory would also help dispel the junk theories of the Great Awokening. There is nothing more New York than working-class immigrant communities clawing their way into American prosperity through faith, family stability, hard work, education, and finding a good marriage partner. Yet, as with race in America, things are often fluid both within families and in generations (despite the rantings of nitwits like Robin DiAngelo). Along with the beer and wine flowing in celebration after a Knicks win semen will be shot throughout the five boroughs like a fire hydrant on a hot day in Brownsville. In nine months, little babies will be born named Brunson, Karl-Anthony, Landry, and Josh. Their future Instagram bios will contain multiple flags representing their ethnicities. That’s another thing that is so New York. Combining the flavors like a Baskin Robbins cone.

The World Cup Comes to North America

The excitement for the NBA Finals can’t make us forget that the biggest sporting event in the world is starting this week. I didn’t grow up watching the World Cup of soccer. In fact, I’d never witnessed soccer being played in person at any level until I visited London in 2022 and saw West Ham play Manchester City live at London Stadium. When I was growing up, I viewed soccer as a sport for affluent white Catholic kids who were scared to play football. There was some truth to this as a lot of soccer moms didn’t want their little boys playing against Black kids on teams such as Matthews-Dickey, the Royal Knights, Herbert Hoover, NYA, Jennings, Normandy, U City, ABC, and Florissant in the old St. Louis JFL. I played football growing up while waiting on wrestling season and never thought of playing soccer. Also, my dad had told me when I’d been handed a flier from a soccer team given to me at Desmet Elementary (now senior housing), “son, soccer is for p*****s”.

In 1994 I was introduced to watching soccer on TV by some Malaysian friends living in Dogtown who were attending Washington University. I knew them both from the mosque and our complex, yet legal, baby formula hustle. That year the World Cup was also in the US, and we were introduced to the likes of Alexi Lalas. who didn’t do a lot to endear me to American soccer culture. He looked a lot like the middle-class “grunge” kids who were cosplaying blue-collar grandfathers despite never working a hard day in their lives. So, I rooted for Brazil and other Latin American teams. If I didn’t know a lot about the sport, I might as well root for the teams with the best-looking fans. I additionally cheered for all of the teams representing majority-Muslim countries.

In 1998 I watched the World Cup in Northern Virginia with a Saudi friend, and we had a string of Muslims in and out of the apartment watching the games. In 2002 I was broke and reeling from the post-911 trauma and all of the heat we were facing and wasn’t able to watch many games, but I would slip into some crowded New York bars and watch some games without ordering anything. In 2006 I think I watched nearly every game of the World Cup from my apartment in Maspeth, Queens (where I’d just moved from Brownsville Brooklyn and it seemed like being in Beverly Hills in comparison). I would often visit restaurants and bars associated with the various teams playing in the World Cup and mingle with their fans. I recommended this to anyone of you if really wanna catch the spirit of the tournament. In 2010 I found myself back in a personal mess and in St. Louis. Without a TV I forced my friend Mukhtar, a Black American convert who grew-up in the old Pruitt-Igoe projects, to watch the games with me, despite him having no interest in soccer. He had the TV and his wife was gone for the summer to Morocco. I think he enjoyed watching the games in the end even if he was perplexed by the sound of the vuvuzelas in South Africa. The two of us still have a tradition of watching the NBA Finals together and of course we’ve also watched many Cardinals baseball games, boxing matches, and Super Bowls together over the years. In 2014 my heart was broken watching Germany crush Brazil at home. At least I was watching in comfort from my apartment in Old North St. Louis. I honestly don’t remember where I watched the 2018 World Cup, but as someone who has never cared much for France, I remember being upset by the result.

2022 I remember very well. Let’s start with the pompous shitheads on American and British TV networks refusing to broadcast the opening ceremony in Qatar in the name of human rights. These same networks had jizzed all over themselves broadcasting opening ceremonies in China and Russia so the concern over human rights is situational and heightened when they can point a finger at Muslims. It was a beautiful ceremony (as opposed to the filth we saw to begin the 2024 Paris Olympics). Unfortunately, I had to watch it online. My wife roots for Argentina and is a big fan of Lionel Messi. Indonesia has only played in one World Cup despite being the fourth-largest nation the world and being fanatical about soccer (she blames the average height). Like every Muslim I know we enjoyed watching Morocco make their run and how the players carried themselves. The Ummah adopted Morocco. And we enjoyed the ending and seeing Messi finally lead Argentina to victory. More than anything else we enjoyed Qatar and what it represented during the World Cup. Arab and Muslim excellence, games with no alcohol, law and order, no drunk hooligans in the stands, and a family-friendly environment. This is a model Saudi Arabia will replicate and exceed when they host the tournament. I decided right then that I wanted to visit Qatar and I was blessed to do so last year and left very impressed with that small nation.

I will be watching the 2026 games here in St. Louis and am saddened that despite our outsized role in American soccer history we will not be hosting any matches. Kansas City will. Perhaps FIFA organizers are into the BBQ and meth combo. Ticket prices are absurdly high, many fans can’t even get into the country to begin with, regular fans have been priced out, tickets remain unsold on the secondary market, the booze will be flowing, fans will be fighting, and I expect at least a few fatalities. Not from brawling. I’m reading World Cup Fever by Simon Kuper now and he has reminded readers no fans have died in World Cup brawls. I expect fatalities from driving and walking. If there are two thing Americans care very little for it’s pedestrian safety and drunk-driving laws.

Over the years I have continued to cheer for Brazil and Muslim countries, but I shifted to being a fan of England years ago. Being from St. Louis perhaps leaves me attracted to faded powers who typically fall short of expectations.

Andrew Tate and UFC Freedom 250

The New Yorker has an excellent and thoroughly researched article from Heidi Blake on the violent pimp and all-around degenerate Andrew Tate who attracted so many young Muslim men and was even schmoozed by social media imams in Dubai. He has since been surpassed in convert popularity by the activist grifter Shaun King, the quasi-Nazi Dan Blizerian, and, by far, my favorite, former adult performer Rae Lil’Black.

Tate is even worse than I imagined. His popularity with Muslims still confuses me. I know that anyone who says Free Palestine will get supported by Muslims. Doesn’t matter if they’re a racist, a fascist, or a communist. That alone will win Muslim fans. I didn’t know pimping and abuse would be so endearing to so many young Muslim men. I haven’t heard a single khutbah address this issue. Nor have I heard one address the rise in fatal drug overdoses, drunk driving deaths, suicides, and murders I keep getting Janazah notifications about. Just keep reminding us of when the next fundraiser is.

The other major upcoming sporting event is UFC Freedom 250 this Sunday. It’s ridiculous, of course. But many of us will be tuned in. I will probably not watch live as there are World Cup games slotted for that time. Or I may catch it on my phone. Hopefully the President will be able to stay awake for the entirety of the evening as it’s a pretty solid card.

“If God doesn’t exist, anything is permissible” …

Dostoyevsky

These days my social media feed often gets flooded with fight videos or people in public displaying antisocial behavior. Several recent videos have gone viral on St. Louis social media including young women fighting at Six Flags, more young women fighting in Carr Square leading to shootings and homicides, kids fighting each other and staff at a local entertainment venue (thus wrecking the “our kids don’t have anything to do” argument), and a good ‘ole brawl to ignite race-based comments on social media at a carnival at Mid Rivers Mall (another “thing to do”).

The Mid Rivers Mall fight was pretty tame for my Gen X eyes. As a teenager I pretty much saw something similar every weekend and have been both on the giving and receiving end. That said, this isn’t the 90s (even if I’m still mentally in that decade), the behavior was certainly bad, and of course the parents of the kids beaten will be upset. It’s also an example of why local malls were struggling way before online shopping became popular. Malls became the place for teens to fight and that doesn’t make for a pleasant shopping experience. The refrain, “where are their parents?”, assumes their parents don’t support or participate in bad behavior themselves. Or even care.

Mosques aren’t immune from brawls either. I cannot be judgmental in this matter as I’ve personally been involved in some masjid brawls. Mostly in the wild wild west of the Muslim 90s, but a couple many years later. There is currently a viral video of a Muslim man, who was recently released from prison, entering a Philadelphia mosque, receiving what appear to be instructions from Imam Anwar Wright, praying, and then walking over to a brother and punching him in his face. In the musalla!

There is a time and a place for everything and Six Flags, the carnival, and the masjid aren’t the place for fighting. The Philadelphia fight has led to people blaming the violence on the Salafi Dawah or on the Black American Muslim community of Philly in general. The fight, which is far from the first in a Philly masjid, can be blamed on neither. If this behavior was something peculiar to the Salafi Dawah, then Uthman ibn Farooq, Yaser Birjas, and Faris al Hammadi lectures would routinely be followed by fistfights and gunplay. If this was something normalized in the Black American Muslim community of Philly, then it would be occurring at masjids in the community the late Imam W.D. Mohammed as well.

The blame for masjid violence is not on the Salafi Dawah or the BAM of Philly. Violence occurs inside the masjid because it happens in the community outside of the masjid. If this is how disputes are settled in Germantown Philly and there has been no counseling, education, and lifestyle alteration, and only a list of do’s and dont’s, and lists of biddah and sunnah given, then the behavior will continue. If your only method of correcting behavior is relying on the wisdom of people from an entirely different culture and family structure in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, or Egypt then the behaviors will persist.

Incidents such as those mentioned above are why people often check out of masjds in working-class neighborhoods. Why go to a masjid full of ankle monitors that has the vibe of a prison break room or a craphouse when you can just go and pray on the comfortable carpet of a suburban Islamic Center where the only thing you have to worry about is the bad parking and boring (often political) khutbahs?

Not that all fights involve brawls. The City of St. Louis is currently locked in a battle with the State of Missouri and police board over pay increases. The money police are asking for would bankrupt the city. Maybe that’s the point? All sensible people believe police are needed and deserve fair pay like everyone else. The era of “defund the police” is over, never really happened to begin with, and has returned to being a talking point among privileged young people on college campuses, a collection of oddballs in gentrified neighborhoods, and the septum piercing brigade on TikTok. In real life we know what happens when police throw in the towel. We’ve seen it in St. Louis. The most vulnerable are preyed upon, suffer, and even lose their lives. Not that anyone beginning a talk with a land acknowledgement is paying attention to suffering they can’t virtue-signal off of.

That said, all cities run on more than one department. There are multiple needs. The trash has to be picked up, the water must stay clean, trees trimmed, buildings inspected, potholes fixed, and the list goes on. No one department can bankrupt the rest of the city. Unless that’s the plan? The arguments have been getting heated and they’re far from over.

For those who enjoy this spirit of conflict President Donald Trump has your back. Gone is the East Wing of the White House and in comes a UFC Octagon. Again, there is a time and a place for everything, and the White House Lawn certainly isn’t the time or place for such an event. Perhaps it will make for a great 60 Minutes feature in the upcoming weeks from new correspondent ThatMMABro8662. Who needs award-winning journalists anyway!

250 Reads

I’m lining up my June, and early July reads to coincide with America 250. Starting with a book on the American Revolution, I will then backtrack to the founding of Virginia, and then presidential biographies of Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson or Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Lyndon Baines Johnson, and either Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagen, we’ll see how I’m doing with time. In July I’ll need to transition to readings corresponding with my international travels this autumn which will also include literary fiction.

Reads and Films Thus Far

I’ve had a great year of reading and film thus far.

Recommendations

Books Nonfiction

The Last of The Old Breed

Rasputin and The Downfall of the Romanovs

Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and The Christian Roots of North Korea’s Personality Cult

The Tragedy of Liberation: A History of the Chinese Revolution 1948-1957

Heartland: A Forgotten Place, An Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird

A Kim Jong-Il Production

The Rise of Marco Rubio

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth

Killing The Messiah: The Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth

El Paso: Five Families and One-Hundred Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory

The Highest Exam: How the Gaokao Shapes China

Volga Blues: A Journey Into the Heart of Russia

Always Carry Salt: A Memoir of Preserving Language and Culture

The War that made The Middle East: WWI and The End of The Ottoman Empire

Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes

Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer The Future

Books-Fiction

Forbidden City by Vanessa Hua

Homeseeking by Karissa Chen

Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe

Bernard Malamud: The Complete Stories

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

The Feast of The Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa

A Map for The Missing by Belinda Huijjuan Tang

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano

James by Percival Everett

Film

A Foggy Tale (Taiwan)

Bugonia

Maborosi (Japan)

Mr. Nobody Against Putin (Russia)

Cloud (Japan)

A Sun (Taiwan)

Stagecoach (1939)

12 Angry Men (1957)

The Promised Land (Denmark)

Falling Down (1993)

Free and Easy (China)

Raging Bull (1980)

No Other Choice (South Korea)

Mountains May Depart (China)

Good Will Hunting

The Nightingale (China)

Marty Supreme

Pop Aye (Thailand)

Mean Streets (1973)

In The Mood for Love (Hong Kong)

Manila In the Claws of Light (Philippines)

Back to The Future (1985)

Grandma and Grandpa

On Memorial Day I visited my grandparents, great-grandparents, and two of my uncles graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. I was thinking of my grandpa over the weekend after watching the new WWII film Pressure and beginning to read The Last Of the Old Breed. I left this review for the book on Goodreads and Fable:

“Like many people I read this book thinking of a family member and after reading the Old Breed books by E.B. Sledge. For me this person was my grandpa whose name was Ivan Loyal Lee (who raised me along with my grandma). At the age of 17 he went to a Marine recruiting office in St. Louis and volunteered. He was in the 1st Marine Division and worked in communications helping with the Navajo code talkers and running and laying lines in the battlefields and such. He had wanted to be a machine gunner and he relayed the story several times that all of his friends who became machine gunners were killed in action.

Many of the testimonies in this book tracks with things he mentioned to the family. He had a great time in Australia and was a big hit with the local ladies, Peleliu was gruesome, brutal, and the worst action he saw in the war, and Okinawa was also very bloody and intense. He didn't talk all that much about the war but I vividly remember a story about him finding a Japanese soldier in a cave.

One thing no one in the book really mentioned in depth was the time the 1st Marine Division spent in Tientsin (Tianjin) after the war. He described China as a place that was very impoverished and devastated from the Japanese occupation.

I also appreciate the way this book closed out talking about adjustments after the war. Some were more fortunate than others. My grandpa had a job waiting for him at the St. Louis Dairy (where the soccer stadium is now) when he returned and met my grandma there. At the beginning of the Korean War, he attempted to volunteer for the Marines once again and the recruiter told him, "go home to your wife and son, old man". Years later, by then working as a pipefitter at the old Chevrolet plant in north St. Louis, his son was serving in the Army in Vietnam. I can only imagine the stress that put him through after seeing what he saw.

These testimonials are very important. For some reason I didn't think to record my grandparents' testimonials (although I do have some audio recordings of a lower quality). Perhaps many of us neglected that, thus making the work of Scott Davis all the more important as he interviewed The Last of The Old Breed.”

Today would’ve been my grandma’s 93rd birthday. Thinking of you on this day “Just Over in the Glory Land”. You will forever be missed.

Many American sports fans don’t share my view. Some never leave the US because they have no desire to do so. The St. Louis mentality is, if you’re any good, why are you in St. Louis? The attitude of American sports fans is often, if you’re any good, why aren’t you competing in the US? Two recent events bring this home.

Naoya Inoue vs. Junto Nakatani

Naoya Inoue has been listed by The Ring Magazine as the number one pound for pound boxer in the world. The Japanese “monster” solidified that position last weekend by defeating the rising Japanese star Junto Nakatani. The reaction from many American fans? If he’s that great, he would be fighting in America. Never mind the fact that Inoue is undefeated, a multi weight-class world champion, and knocked out the previously undefeated Philly fighter Stephen Fulton, the question remains.

What makes this question even more bizarre is that Inoue fights before huge crowds in Japan. The fight with Nakatani drew 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome. Tyson Fury fought his last fight in London in front of over 60,000 fans. The biggest stars in the US often struggle to draw more than 10,000 fans and most boxing matches are contested within venues full of empty seats. An America isn’t even sniffing at a heavyweight title at the moment.

Here are the current Ring Magazine Rankings and number of Americans in each division. Note- in the previous century most of these divisions were dominated by Americans. Most of the top-ten in these divisions were from America and in some cases the entire top-ten:

Number of Americans in The Top-Ten:

Heavyweight: 1

Cruiserweight: 0

Light Heavyweight: 1

Super Middle: 2

Middleweight: 3 (one being a Cuben defector)

Junior Middle: 4 (including the top two)

Welterweight: 5 (including 4 of the top 5)

Junior Welter: 5 (including the champion, Shakur Stevenson, and 5 out of the top 7)

Lightweight: 4 (4 out of the top 6)

Quite simply, the era of the US dominating boxing is over. One could argue that this may be true but if fighters still want to become global superstars and make a lot of money they need to fight in the US. That is no longer the case. In 2000 Asia accounted for roughly 25-30% of global GDP. Today Asia accounts for roughly 45-50% of Global GDP. That economic power eventually turns into political, cultural, tech, and sports power. The Korean show Squid Game is the most streamed TV show of the past few years, K-Drams regularly crack the Netflix global top-ten, K-Pop has become a global success creating some of the biggest pop stars of our era, Japanese Anima and Manga have developed into a global industry creating billions of dollars in revenue annually, Japanese wrestlers kicked ass at the 2024 Olympics, Shohei Ohtani is the best player in baseball, China dominates with social media tech, and the best films of the 21st Century aren’t being made in Hollywood, London, or Paris- they’re being made in Asia.

Moral to the story? Inoue is the best fighter in the world, and he has no need to leave Japan to fight at an arena in Las Vegas or New York with thousands of empty seats.

Sharing the Inoue fight with Fulton for American fans who need a reminder.

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland

Few Americans knew anything about Chechnya until we began reading about their war for independence against Russia in the late 1990s. Round one went to the Chechens, dysfunction and chaos followed, and Valdimir Putin rallied Russia to a brutal win in the rematch. There have been many wars in the Caucasus over the centuries involving a myriad of combatants. The region is mountainous, rugged, and difficult to govern. The majority Muslim population often has a less-than-ideal relationship with the Christian (or post-Christian and post-Communist) Russians to the north.

People who follow international wrestling always knew about this region because it produces the most wrestling talent of any place on Earth. Especially Dagestan. Khabib Nurmagomedov took the UFC by storm and became a global Muslim icon after defeating Conor McGregor. Since that time there has been a flood of Muslim fighters from the Caucus region earning MMA stardom. Most notably Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev.

These fighters often draw the ire of American combat sports fans because of their wrestling. They claim wrestling is boring. The reality is their favorite fighters cannot handle high-level wrestling and they’re upset. Many of these same fans who claim they just want to see stand-up and striking refuse to watch boxing. Go figure!

Conversely, I believe these fighters filled a needed void for Muslim men. Post-911 Muslims were heavily pushing a narrative of the wimpy and non-threatening Muslim male (think of the corny comedians and writers) in order to present the image of Muslims as harmless and non-threatening. That PR message didn’t land in Dagestan and Chechnya and quite frankly it didn’t land with a lot of Muslim men globally. The success of these Muslim men seems to have led to a rise of Muslim youth in the US and UK entering wrestling, boxing, martial arts, and other combat sports programs. This is a positive development and a definite improvement from the days Muslim men in the US were discouraged from playing basketball together because it seemed too threatening. However, I still wouldn’t advise Muslim public figures to adopt Khamzat’s patented “I kill everyone, Allahu Akbar” line.

Khamzat is no Khabib. While they both grew-up wrestling and in an environment of combat sports, Khamzat moved, along with his mother and brother, from Chechnya to Sweden when he was 18. While Khamzat has the conservative Muslim look of Khabib, and by all accounts he is a serious Muslim, he isn’t quite as traditional as Khabib. Landing in Sweden as a teenager probably has something to do with that. He is the current UFC middleweight champion.

Sean Strickland has a reputation. A bad one. He is known for making racially insensitive jokes, promoting gross stereotypes, saying offensive things about Muslims, and generally being a jerk. Strickland was hardcore MAGA but has since questioned Donald Trump due to his support of Israel.

This Saturday the two men will meet at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Security better be tight. To add to the already tense atmosphere of this fight it is rumored that Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, a rabid combat sports fan, may actually be working Khamzat’s corner!

The way the global MMA economy is structured means that the best of the best come to America and fight. Inoue can make a fortune fighting in Japan. Khamzat cannot do that in Chechnya or Sweden. I’ll be tuning in.

Growing up in St. Louis I didn't know any college-educated liberal-minded white residents. If I did, they kept it to themselves. Most people I'd encounter could care less about politics. Others were Black Dems, white labor Dems, or religiously-minded Reagan Republicans. I'm sure many are MAGA today.

When Donnybrook debuted in St. Louis I was twelve years-old and I would watch it weekly with my grandma. Ann Keefe seemed familiar because she had been on KMOX for years. Martin Duggan came off like a grandpa. Not my grandpa, who said of Duggan “he's always trying to start shit and get everyone arguing”, but someone's grandpa. Mark Vittert reminded me of my Uncle Jim. Rich Koster reminded me of a principal at school. Bill McClellan reminded me of a slightly fancier version of half the dads I knew. I didn't know anyone like Ray Hartmann.

Ray was young, articulate, loud, and still had his long and dark mullet. He advocated for civil-rights, improved race-relations, historic preservation, police accountability, and more. I'd really never been exposed to a white St. Louisan who talked like this.

At some point I began reading the Riverfront Times. It was kind of a subversive read. Happy ending massage and escort ads in the back, columns in the front, and serious journalism in the middle. Years later I was even published in the RFT on a couple of occasions when Sarah Fenske was at the helm. Ray had started the RFT to fill a void in the local journalism scene. A paper that could be hard-hitting and do serious investigate work, provide a voice to more progressive voices, but also review shows and eateries that the Post-Dispatch may overlook. It was our version of the Village Voice even if our village seemed to be a difficult one at times.

Over the years Ray further established himself as a St. Louis media legend. Nearly forty years on Donnybrook, buying into St. Louis Magazine, a radio career, and a return to the RFT for a spell after selling it. We won't see a career like that again in St. Louis.

Ray joined beloved local media figures like the late Mike Shannon and Frank Cusumano. Local guys, born and raised, who loved St. Louis, and that feeling oozed out of them with everything they did. He also represented an older era of progressive St. Louisans. Ray loved St. Louis and loved St. Louisans even while being a fierce critic when the need arose. Unlike our current crop of progressive St. Louisans who often isolate themselves in a select handful of neighborhoods, limit interactions with anyone outside of their bubble, and generally seem to disdain the majority of people living in our metro, Ray embraced the whole region and could sit down and have a reasonable conversation even with those he passionately disagreed with.

Ray Hartmann will definitely be missed and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. I’m thankful for Ray and what I learned from him. Perhaps it was due to being the son of a Holocaust survivor, perhaps it was something that he experienced growing up in St. Louis, whatever it was, Ray most often was looking out for the little guy and weary of corporate and establishment power.

I looked for Ray last week at Donnybash and didn't see him. Little did I know he would lose his life a week later .

If there is anyone today who reminds me of Ray Hartmann, it would be Jason Rosenbaum. Fortunately he is also a semi-regular panelist on Donnybrook in addition to his podcasting and radio duties at St. Louis Public Radio. In fairness, he's a suburban Chicago native and a fan of the White Sox.

Michael

I have many pet peeves with TV and film depictions of 1980s childhoods. There is no Cosby Show, no kids playing sports in the streets, all athletes are jerks, no pro wrestling, no baseball card collecting, no religion, and limited financial struggles. Then there is the music. I can assure younger people that all St. Louisans weren't listening to punk rock or stuff like Kate Bush. There is no artist from that decade who had more fans than Michael Jackson. Revisionist history can't erase that just like it can't erase Cosby.

When talking with my daughter in preparation for us going to see Michael I had difficulty putting into words just how huge he was. No matter what happened later, no matter what uncomfortable truths we may have learned, at the moment in history, we loved Michael. Every kid wanted a Beat It and Thriller jacket, we all wanted to moonwalk, and we all looked forward to his videos on MTV.

I enjoyed the film even if I didn't take it all that seriously. For my wife and daughter they were learning things they didn't know about Michael. With a more critical lense I saw important details were often spun or erased to present Michael Jackson the saint. Of course, we've seen this before with the Malcolm X autobiography and film and many other works. People (and family members and estates in this case) are seldom honest, or even good, narrators of their own story, and scholars and investigate writers and filmmakers need to fill in the gaps later.

That criticism aside, it was just an amazing experience to hear the music of Michael Jackson on the big screen and share that moment.

The Booming Sun Belt

I spent last week in the city of Miami and in the Dallas suburbs.

Miami was a great time. With only three days there I had to make the most of my time. Staying in a working-class Latino neighborhood near Little Havana I was able to explore Little Havana and Miami Beach on walking tours, take a citywide tour and a boat tour, and visit several local museums (the National Museum of the Cuban Diaspora was my favorite). Beautiful weather, beautiful people, and good food. We ate good too. Cuban, Honduran, Turkish, and Indonesian. My foot didn't touch the water.

I've lived in Dallas before and only visit for family reasons. I'm not really a fan. Perhaps it's like Miami with less seasoning, excitement, beaches, and good weather. What Dallas does share with Miami is that both of these booming and growing metros have been transformed by international immigration and transplants. In the case of the Miami metro, over three-million residents with roots in Latin America, with the largest demographic being from Cuba. In Dallas we went to Chinatown, which is in suburban Richardson, which itself is down the street from a heavily Muslim area, and not that far from KoreaTown, Little Laos and Vietnam.

I had Halal Thai, an American style Halal breakfast, and prayed Jummah at Al Ansar Society. This organization was created as a place for Muslim converts and their families and it's located within a shopping and business development with numerous Muslim-owned businesses. The guest imam was a Puerto Rican convert from New Jersey. I met a friend who is a Black American convert from Wichita.

St. Louis was once such a vibrant place. I doubt it will ever be again. We have to be thankful for what we have and improve where we can. Each generation will need voices like Ray Hartmann to keep us honest.

Additional reads:

I listed my Florida reads in my Instagram post above. I mixed fiction and nonfiction. Other reads from this week I recommend.

• London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth by Patrick Radden Keefe

• A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power by Paul Fischer

Rest assured the President was in a more devout mood. On Easter morning he woke up, threatened Iran with great harm in a post filled with profanities, and topped it all with praising Allah. Has Trump converted to Islam? His threat to obliterate Iran not the rantings of a narcissistic old man with dictatorial impulses and a cult following? Rather, Trump is upon the dawah now and pledging to wipe out the rafidah from their Persian perch? The more likely scenario is Trump was watching old Mike Tyson fights.

My prayers are for peace between Iran and all of her neighbors in the region and against warmongers. Trump has threatened to “end Iranian civilization” this evening if they don’t comply to his demands. What this means is anyone’s guess. Committing war crimes by taking out Iranian civilian infrastructure? Nukes? We don’t know. What we do know is that Trump, Pete Hegseth, and the gang have no commitment to international law or American post-war norms. We can also now categorically say that anyone who encouraged Muslims to vote for the likes of Jill Stein is a complete idiot and should never be taken seriously again.

Iran is home to a great and historic civilization which cannot be destroyed by rogues like Trump or anyone else. That this war was ever about “liberating” Iran or in solidarity with the human-rights efforts of Iranian protesters becomes even more laughable with these threats from Trump.

I have been a critic of Iran and their negative influence on the region. Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, and others have legitimate grievances and security concerns with regards to Iran. Yet Trump and Netanyahu are offering nothing of substance in terms of achieving regional peace and stability. What Trump is promising is essentially state-collapse. What happened in Syria, Libya, and Iraq after such collapses (with Iran played a negative role in all)? Civil conflicts and the rise of ISIS. What is the track-record of US involvement? Have we left places better or worse off? I can’t think of any example of us leaving a place better off. Trump had promised to keep us out of such conflicts and when he ran for President largely did so criticizing the Iraq War and the role of George W. Bush. Americans are often immune to these negative consequences of our foreign disasters. The Real Housewives, sports, and social media will continue to consume us while regional neighbors will be flooded with refugees and security concerns that will even extend into Europe. We can obliterate Iran and only a minority of Americans would care. High gas prices, inflation. and American casualties are what Americans care about, and we may very well be headed for all three.

Trouble at Home

I’m also troubled by the hateful and violent rhetoric coming from many Iranian diaspora groups in the US. Even mild criticism of Pahlavi or the war in Iran elicits a hateful response. My friend Muhammad Ali Mojarradi has faced a constant campaign of hate and harassment for speaking out against the war. I suggest you support his free speech by buying his book on Persian poetry.

The unhinged behavior of the Los Angeles based Iranian diaspora was highlighted this week when an Iranian “model” filmed herself committing a hate crime against a man dressed in the clothing of a Shia cleric (some believe the event may have been staged). If this event was real, and not a skit, she should be prosecuted.

My suggestion for the Tehrangeles crowd is to show as much enthusiasm for joining the US military or forming a US-backed militia to actually fight, and not just post unhinged content on social media, as you do for nose jobs, cosmetic surgery, developing the “OnlyFans Chic” look, and leasing a white BMW.

St. Louis Empty

There is nothing more triggering and offensive to St. Louisans as the truth. While in town to play the Cardinals announcers for the New York Mets, including former Cardinals player Todd Zeile, remarked that the streets of downtown St. Louis were always empty. Of course, this obvious truth, outraged St. Louisans. Local commenters and media outlets said the remarks were “bizarre”. If you want to know why there is never any progress in St. Louis, its precisely this attitude. If there isn’t a game, a convention, or a special event then the streets of downtown are dead. On most blocks there is close to no pedestrian traffic. That’s not bizarre, that’s reality. The road to improvement begins with recognition of the present condition. That condition is we have a sleepy downtown and efforts at revitalization have largely failed. There is good news in some St. Louis neighborhoods, but downtown, like much of our region, is struggling. Media outlets can play dumb to make St. Louisans feel good about ourselves; but our eyes don’t lie.

This Ramadan my Facebook timeline has been flooded with vehemently anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant content via suggested posts. Eight or ten years ago one could assume such posts would come from fringe racist bloggers and the websites of monitored hate groups. However, many of these posts are coming from Republican governors, senators, members of Congress, and other elected officials. They range from calls to ban Muslim immigration, denaturalization of Muslim citizens, removing constitutional protections of Islam as a religion, and more.

Where are these posts coming from? Why the sudden surge in hysteria over Shariah Law? Why are we seeing far more crude anti-Muslim rhetoric from Republicans than we saw post-911? Why are Muslims back on the menu after seemingly being an off menu item for hate for the last 10-15 years? This is a coordinated campaign that is organized, and, most importantly, well-funded.

While there are many factors that can contribute to this uptick in hate two that definitely make the list are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the election of Zohran Mamdani to Mayor of New York City. Add to that a general anti-immigration climate in the US and the rise in both white and Christian Nationalism.

Traditional white American conservatives are typically very sensitive and easy to trigger (despite their correct accusation that progressives are snowflakes, which they often are, conservatives are most often worse). Case in point this week. Mayor Mamdani, whose political skills I admire a lot more than his policies and ideology, hosted an iftar at Gracie Mansion (the official residence of the Mayor of NYC, sorry Cara Spencer). It was the type of crowd you'd expect from a wealthy Manhattan kid turned populist progressive. More akin to a coffee shop vibe in a gentrified neighborhood than any iftar I've ever attended. It was about as threatening as a mean mug from Kash Patel. However, right-wing social media, including elected officials and think tank types had a complete meltdown. Why? Because Zohran was sitting on the floor, had his shoes off, and was eating with his right hand. The horror! Not to miss any opportunity, the racist, arrogant, dimwitted, anti-Muslim, and, more than anything else, annoying, Tehrangeles crowd jumped in, along with Hindutva accounts. Along with many Hasbara and MAGA accounts they seemed to equate the very healthy practice of not wearing shoes inside and sitting on the floor with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.

New York may make the headlines, but states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and Oklahoma are leading the way in institutionalized anti-Muslim policy. In other words, mostly former Confederate and Klan states. These states don't just have lunatics like Laura Loomer ranting online (keep in mind, she's one of the closest advisors to the President), they have the elected leadership of these states on board with implementing anti-Muslim policies. In recent years Muslims have flocked to Texas from Blue States and brought billions in wealth and created thousands of jobs. The thanks? The state is banning Muslim schools from voucher grants and passing one law after another targeting Muslims. This comes after the Shariah Law hysteria (I will remind my right-wing Jewish friends that many of these laws could turn around and take aim at halacha and kashrut). Which comes after the EPIC private subdivision controversy that birdbrained and status hungry local Muslim leadership dragged Muslims into.

Meanwhile, Trump appears to be getting us into another “forever war” with no end in sight and no clear concept of victory. Trump ran on not getting us involved in such conflicts and this is a reminder that this is a man with no core beliefs or principles other than self promotion and enrichment. When you look for an ideology with Trump there is nothing there. It's whatever is in it for him at that moment and everyone else falls in line. He is surrounded by sycophants who will bend to his whims, grifters, bigots, and religious charlatans like Pete Hegseth and Paula White who represent raunchy and unserious strains of evangelical Protestantism.

Not all is doom and gloom this Ramadan. Locally in St. Louis many are observing 314 Day today along with the downtown St. Paddy's Day Parade (a more family-friendly version than the Dogtown Parade which is purely a celebration of alcoholism, hoosierdom, and the color green). Of course, even these events aren't separate from politics. The late Tim Kaminski and I were assaulted at the Dogtown St. Paddy's Parade for protesting the Iraq War. When I asked parade goers why they supported war in Iraq more than half couldn't name the country we were getting ready to invade. As Trump says, “I love the poorly educated”.

Of course ignorance is no stranger to the Muslim community. This past week saw two terrorist attacks perpetrated by Muslims at a synagogue in Michigan and Old Dominion University in Virginia (R.I.P. to the dead and their wrestling program). Thankfully in Michigan no one was killed and this is evidence of why nearly all synagogues have armed security. I have been fearing this type of violence ever since the explosion of rhetoric on social media and by campus activists that celebrated violence. Unfortunately, leadership, as it is with American Muslims, is in possession of equal amounts of arrogance and stupidity, and is of little help to mentor these frustrated young people. After all, as the US, Muslim and non-Muslim, and the world, is catching hell from the rogue leadership of Trump, we should be reminded that self-assured Muslim activists and imams thought it was a brilliant idea to help Trump win. How's that working out for you and your families?

314 Day was not a thing when I was growing up in St. Louis and should be taken about as seriously as Valentine's Day. It's a gimmick to get people excited to purchase locally themed clothing, attend parties, and eat Imo’s Pizza, Old Vienna red hot riplets, gooey butter cake, St. Paul sandwiches, White Castle belly bombers, dark fried rice, Dad's Cookies, and wash it down with Vess Soda. Of course, if one were keeping it totally 314, you could axe the White Castle and replace it with Crown Candy, any Italian restaurant on The Hill, and any number of famous locally-owned spots. I'm all for it. Anything to promote local St. Louis pride and to get us talking about something positive rather than our sports teams being trash, our city being dysfunctional, our state being ran by the caste of Hee-Haw, and our propensity for murder is a good thing.

This past week there was also an iftar at St. Louis City Hall. The mayor didn't attend. A very pregnant Board of Aldermen President Megan Green did. No one was sitting on the floor and everyone had their shoes on so right-wing social media accounts should save that meltdown. The City Hall iftar did illustrate that despite well-funded attempts to marginalize and slow the growth of the American-Muslim community these opponents are failing. There have never been more mosques, halal options, and Muslim events in St. Louis and this is a national trend.

I was not in attendance. We hosted an Indonesian family at home. While my wife made a delicious home-cooked Indonesian spread I purchased an early 314 Day cake along with some red hot riplets and Vess soda to add the local flavor. The next day I prayed Taraweeh at a local Bosnian mosque. There are four local Bosnian mosques and St. Louis County has the largest Bosnian population in the US. By all accounts this community is a story of success and well-liked locally. This represents the present that should be celebrated and the future that cannot be stopped. Today I went to a halal supermarket in Hazelwood to purchase meat and sweets, went across the street to purchase some halal chicken strips and fries, and, in the spirit of 314 Day, headed to Florissant to purchase a Pironne’s Pizza for an iftar combo meal. For my money, Pirrone’s and their extended family make the best pizza in St. Louis. I will share below this list I grabbed from someone on Facebook. Note- the original Fararci's was in Ferguson, Ponticello’s is closed, the new manifestation of Saullo’s is in St. Charles County, and Serra’s is temporarily closed due to a fire.

There is much celebration in the air. Lent fish fries at local churches, the recent Chinese New Year, and the World Baseball Classic. American sports fans are also gearing up for March Madness. I'm personally excited for March Matness- the NCAA Wrestling Tournament next week in Cleveland. Go Pokes! The cold weather is stubborn and doesn't want to quite leave is, but it will soon be pleasant outside. The streets will be full of walkers and children will be playing outside (hopefully). Even as the world seems to be full of violence and doom and gloom there is always much to celebrate.

More than memories of movies, or of watching TV, my life is full of sports memories. My earliest sports memories are of watching boxing on Wide World of Sports and other networks at around age four and learning the names of Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, the Spinks Brothers, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, and Roberto Duran. Becoming a fan of professional wrestling rooting for King Kong Brody, The Von Erichs, and Ric Flair on Wrestling at the Chase around that same time, and hearing about the St. Louis Cardinals. My first real Cardinals memories begin in the 1981 season with Whitey Herzog taking over the team and then that glorious 1982 World Series winning year led by Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee, and Keith Hernandez. And, of course, my favorite, Joaquin Andujar, AKA “One Tough Dominican”.

Believe it or not, my first football memories are of OJ Simpson. In the late 1970s he was everywhere. Football games, commercials, and even trying to break into Hollywood. We had an NFL team as a kid, the St. Louis Cardinals, or “The Big Red” as we called them, before they moved to Arizona when I was in sixth grade. If the baseball Cardinals prepared locals for joy and happiness the football Cardinals prepared us for disappointment, misery, and departure.

I was an adult before I got to see a St. Louis team in the Super Bowl. We are again without a team and may never get one again. Ironically, we almost got the Patriots at one-point before Bob Kraft stepped in and kept them in New England.

Super Bowl Sunday is a special day to me. I consider it an American holiday, and I always have a spread for the game including pizza, wings, chips, sweets, and more. I normally have one or two friends over who will watch that game. I’m not interested in commercials, I’m not interested in the halftime show, I’m only interested in the game. I don’t wanna be around a bunch of people yapping and not watching the game or who don’t know anything about football. My thoughts on this matter are completely aligned with Bill Burr.

I could care less who is performing in the halftime show because I never watch. Most real football fans feel the same way. Halftime is for eating and a bathroom break and then time to lock in for the second half. So, why is the halftime show a big deal? For the same reason Super Bowl commercials are a big deal. The Super Bowl is the most watched show in the year. People watch it who don’t even follow football. Some don’t even know the rules. The commercials and the halftime show gives these non-football fans something to get excited about. The husband may be a diehard fan, and the wife may care less but she’ll join him to see the show.

So, why Bad Bunny? To understand that you have to understand demographics, parenting, youth football, and corporate diversity culture.

Let me preface this by saying I don’t know a single song by Bad Bunny, and I don’t care to know one. I find popular American music to largely be poisonous, pornographic, and absent of meaning, substance, creativity and intellect. Unfortunately, while America may have fallen from a position of world leadership and command the respect we once did, our trashy music culture still dominates globally. The impact of this musical popularity is exclusively negative unless you believe Diddy parties should be franchised. So, I’m not a fan of Bad Bunny and I’m certainly not a fan of Kid Rock or any of the nitwits who popped up to compete for a halftime audience.

The reason we saw Bad Bunny is simple. The NFL sees the demographic trends in America. The nation will be majority non-white in a couple of decades (barring something dramatic). In order to secure the long-term survival of the league there is a need to appeal to the youth in expanding demographics. NFL owners, who are nearly all old, white, and conservative, recognize this.

The NFL has a demographic puzzle to solve. Most owners, luxury box buyers, season ticket holders, and regular paying fans are white. Most players are Black. Middle-class and affluent white women tend to not let their sons play football anymore. It’s seen as taboo and goes against the spirit of “gentle parenting” and many other things popular with white middle-class mothers. Especially liberal ones. Football has also become something of a taboo with white American liberals. For fun, look up NPR mentioning football, and to even utter the word seem to put them on the edge of a breakdown. Indeed, for many white urban liberals, a disdain for football, and other sports, is a way to confer virtue and prestige upon themselves, in a similar manner to the Black Lives Matter and In This House signs. We are not like them- we are elite and advanced. Go to the suburbs and watch your sportsball, you filthy breeding peasants!

Studies show that if you don’t play football when you’re a kid your chance of being a lifelong fan decreases. This was not an issue when I was growing up. Not only did I play on football teams, but we played at recess and played “kill the man with the ball” after school. Younger generations seem too dainty for kill the man with the ball, and their mothers may literally have a stroke if they caught them playing, So, how do you hook these boys in? Sports betting. With sports betting (and weed) increasingly being legal across the nation, square suburban guys, who would have no idea how to gamble ilegally, can bet all day on their phones. They may not know how to make a tackle- but they can read the spread.

The calculation is that gambling will keep white American males hooked on the game while Black Americans and increasingly Hispanics provide the bulk of the talent. The other calculation is to go global. Each year the NFL is now playing several games outside of the US. Fan bases are being cultivated in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Saudi Arabia is hosting a flag football game with Tom Brady. Why flag football? This is actually an important element. While flag football may be incredibly boring to watch and play for someone used to real American football, that version of the sport does provide some benefits. Games can be coed and it can be exported internationally without the heavy infrastructure and equipment costs of exporting actual American football. The NFL international goal? Creating more fans and opening new markets to make up for the losses of any American market share. Will this gamble pay off? Time will tell.

Zakat Money To Trump, Zohran, and Squad Candidates?

I’ve seen a lot of stupid shit from Muslim leadership in America. Organizing people to vote for George W. Bush in 2000, going nuts for Ron Paul in 2004, making takfir on Muslims who didn’t support Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020, helping Donald Trump win in 2024, and much more. The default position of Muslim politics in the US is stupid and that is me trying to be polite. In the spirit of this stupidity a fatwa was recently released on giving zakat for political campaigns. The idea of giving money meant for the poor and needy in the community to politicians is utterly immoral and ridiculous. Of course, this means the fatwa was in favor of the permissibility of giving zakat money to politicians.

I have often said that Ikhwanis view politics as religion and that any matter of religion can be sidelined and erased in order to pursue political power. This made my point. So long unhoused Muslims, working-class families, single mothers, the poor and elderly, refugee families, believers fleeing ICE, the incarcerated, the sick, and those truly in need. Hello PACS!

My first assumption is that the idea was to give this money to Squad type candidates. Muslims often support these candidates because of the Israeli-Palestinian issue and more. But mostly it’s about Palestine. In fact, many Muslims will support anyone if they are deemed “good on Palestine”. This includes a popular imam recently hosting the Catholic fascist conspiracy theorist E. Michael Jones right after praising the progressive candidacy of Zohran Mamdani (political literacy and consistency isn’t a big thing with most imams). Many Muslim men are also singing the praises of Nick Fuentes and the groyper incel, antisemitic, anti-women, and racist movement. This may be something to keep in mind when asking why relations between Black American Muslims and “immigrant” Muslims are often poor. This guy is viewed favorably by many on the akh-right.

In reality, if Muslims are organized enough to pull this grift off, the likelihood is a large percentage of the Zakat money will be pilfered by Muslim political fundraisers and celebrity imams (as has happened with Gaza) and the bulk will go to progressive Squad-like candidates. However, one genius Muslim scholar has another idea. He wants to use the money to bribe President Trump to treat Muslims better and protect them. In order to rationalize this lunatic position, the imam went into depth on matters of Hanbali fiqh. The problem for the dear imam is that in order to understand American politics you don’t need to rely on thousand-year-old Fiqh books and rulings. Instead, you need to be studying American history, politics, and constitutional law. And, even more than that, you need to be outside of the masjid and engaged with a wide variety of Americans in your personal life.

This level of political illiteracy stems from self-imposed isolation and a general ignorance of how politics works in America. It’s impossible to bribe Trump to treat Muslim better. It isn’t legal and there is no mechanism for Trump to receive the money and make such a contract. And, even if one were to bribe Trump, the United States has three co-equal branches of government in addition to the Executive branch (the Judicial and Legislative branches). Besides, Muslims must’ve been too busy arguing with one another to get the most important point about Trump- doing for him doesn’t mean he’ll do for you. He views loyalty as a one-way street.

My advice. Get a clear statement from your local Muslim community. Ask them if they plan to use the Zakat money for political donations. If they say that they will use Zakat money for political donations then refrain from donating to them. Find alternative Muslim organizations to give Zakat money to or donate directly to the poor and those in need.

With Shariah law hysteria in places like Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama I understand the need to get involved politically as a self-defense mechanism. This shouldn’t be done at the expense of the poor and vulnerable. There are plenty of ways for Muslims to get involved in local politics on a daily basis. Meetings to attend, committees to join, volunteer hours to be given, and donations to be made. Unfortunately, I hardly ever see Muslims at this grassroots level. That is what needs to be encouraged. Not a political Zakat swindle.

See you after Ramadan

The stated plans for TikTok is to localize the feed. No, thank you. Maybe that would be cool if I lived in New York or London, but what the hell does a local St. Louis feed look like? Toasted ravioli reviews and beer recommendations? A Missouri feed? Hunting, monster trucks, and square dancing? I deactivated my TikTok, despite the many cool accounts I’ll miss, and the content I uploaded. My challenge now is finding as many of the accounts I followed on other platforms. Others are missing their political content, especially in light of events in Minnesota and Iran, but I intentionally minimized the political content on my feed.

St. Louis Major Demographic Decline

I’ve been following Ness Sandoval for a long time and you should too if you care for the future of St. Louis. He is the man with all of the demographic data and can help you understand what the future of St. Louis may look like.

My commentary. Sandoval points out St. Louis is in the beginning of a demographic winter due to low rates of birth, low rates of immigration, and kids who grew up here and leave after school. The numbers tell the truth, but they only confirm what I’ve been seeing for years.

• St. Louis Love. I will push back on Carol Daniel (who I’m a fan of). Native St. Louisans have a fierce love of place. Even when we leave we represent St. Louis. It’s not the lack of love and loyalty that makes us leave. Rather, it’s the lack of opportunity, dysfunction, violence, a lower standard of living, and wanting a better future for our children.

• St. Louis Future. No matter who is elected mayor, county executive, or to the Board of Aldermen and County Council, the future of St. Louis is pretty easy to see. The city will likely fall to around 200,000 to 225, 000, there will be a clear white majority, there will be very few children, the city will become extremely progressive politically, the city will become relatively affluent, there will be a low percentage of native St. Louisans in the city, you may not even be able to get St. Louis Style Pizza or a St. Pauls in the city. The working-class population needed to support the lifestyle of these city residents will largely reside in St. Louis County and the Metro East. This servant class will be generational St. Louisans with more local taste and flavor combined with immigrants. Federal immigration policy being the major wild card. Under all scenarios the population of St. Louis County is at the beginning of a serious decline. Immigrants could help stem the bleeding and contribute to the quality of life. If a Republican remains in the White House after 2028 or 2032 and continues the current immigration policies of the Trump Administration that will have a long term and very damaging impact on places like St. Louis. It is likely that St. Louis City will either merge with the County or re-enter the County as a municipality as both shrink. Locals pointing to growth in places like St. Charles County and JeffCo don’t travel very much. The growth there is very moderate and will slow and then decline.

• Black Population. Sandoval points to numbers showing Black St. Louisans aren’t just leaving the city- they’re leaving the region entirely. This isn’t unique to St. Louis as we’ve seen the same in NYC, Philly, Chicago, Detroit, LA, the Bay and other cities. The winner is always the South. The metros of Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, Dallas, and even Phoenix. When I was living in Dallas and wearing my St. Louis hats not a week would go by without someone coming up to me asking me where I went to high school in St. Louis. There are so many St. Louisans in the DFW that there are niche businesses opening to cater to them selling St. Louis style Chinese food, Vess soda, red hot riplets, and more. These St. Louisans were majority Black and it was always the same story. St. Louis has too much violence and not enough opportunity and we want better for ourselves and our children. Last month I was in Atlanta, I can’t even count how many Black friends from St. Louis are in the Atlanta metro. I met one for lunch after Jummah. He grew-up in Jennings, became a nationally known journalist covering hip-hop, and then went to law school and became a lawyer. The exact kind of person St. Louis needs to keep but can’t make a rationale argument as to why he should stay. When Houston had a flooding incident a few years back my Facebook told me that sixteen of my friends had reported that they were safe. Nearly all of them were Black St. Louisans I’d went to school with who moved to Houston.

• White Population. White people leaving St. Louis City has been a story since the 1950s. White people leaving north county since the 1980s. The north county hoosiers I grew-up with are mostly lifers. Ambition begins at the Arch and dies somewhere past Troy. I was an anomaly in that I couldn’t wait to get out and see the world and I’ve never lost that desire. St. Louis isn’t losing that many of this demographic. Who we are losing are college-educated middle- and upper-class kids who attended Catholic and other private schools, or districts like Clayton and Ladue. They’re taking their talents and money to places like Nashville, Denver, Austin, Chicago and Phoenix. Some are even headed to places like Brooklyn, Portland, and San Franciso. While these individuals have a propensity to be annoying and difficult to deal with at times, they also have a lot of money and create jobs. As a region, St. Louis cannot afford to lose them. As Sandoval points out, the only way to keep or attract such residents, is to make the city a desirable place to live and stay. A healthy city produces future residents for St. Charles (Unless Chesterfield becomes the new metro base and launch pad Michael Staenberg wants it to be) Even that is a tough sell. We don’t have the beaches of Florida, the mountains of Colorado, or the energy and wealth of the coasts. Difficult to see why any talented young person should choose St. Louis over a hotter metro unless they have local and family ties. Kansas City seems to have figured it out. Maybe we can learn something from them.

• Lack of diversity. When I see a metro that is largely Black-White I feel like I’m living in the past. So many new residents have shared this sentiment with me as well. My wife, who moved here from Northern Virginia, had three questions. Where are the Hispanics? Where are the Asians? Why do I hear gunshots? If you look at my daughter’s school district in suburban Dallas there is no racial majority. Within a short drive you have Korea Town, mega mosques, gigantic Hindu temples, Little Vietnam, Ethiopian, Arab, Laotian, and other enclaves. These aren’t the refugees that St. Louis may attract for a few years while they’re getting on their feet. These are families, many who came from places like California and Chicago, who have bought homes, are making good money, and raising children. That’s modern America and that’s something that frightens a lot of people including many in St. Louis. When I lived in Brooklyn, Queens, and Northern Virginia I also saw this level of diversity. This diversity adds to my quality of life in countless ways. The continuation of rates of immigration can impact future demographics, but what’s baked into the cake is a lot of citizens with roots in Latin America, Asia, the Caribbean, Africa, and the MENA region. If your metro isn’t attractive to people from those backgrounds, then you may find yourself in trouble. Take St. Louis as an example. Look at what is going on with South Asian and Musim owned businesses on Manchester Road in Ballwin and Manchester and in Chesterfield, with Asian businesses on Olive starting in University City and extending to Chesterfield, Bosnian businesses in south county. Without these businesses, and residents that fuel them, St. Louis City and County would be in far worse shape. A huge win for St. Louis would be becoming a major hub for two or three more immigrant groups, and not just Bosnians. Again, we have to look to federal immigration policy and remember that we are also competing with other cities. St. Louis got Bosnians and Nashville got Kurds largely due to the federal government in the initial stages. But places like Carrolton, Texas and Hazelton, PA are getting Koreans and Dominicans because they find it a desirable place to relocate to from SoCal ad NYC. Can we replicate that? Market ourselves as more affordable, less crowded, and lower taxed alternative? Perhaps, but not without addressing issues of public schools, public safety, and image. No one wants to leave Caracas and jump from pan into the fire unless they can help it. If St. Louis looks and feels like a mid-sized city in a developing nation, as we currently do, it will be more than the NFL and NBA who will take a pass on us. (I will not share my other ideas now such as making a sales pitch to Hasidic Jewish communities in New York to relocate as a group. Who needs upstate New York when you have St. Louis County?)

• Red State vs. Blue State. The MSNBC-FOX mind virus is also present in the demographics debate. Progressives see these numbers and shrug off economic and public safety concerns and point the Missouri being a Red State, abortion and gun laws, and the like. The Dallas, Houston, Austin, Nashville, Phoenix, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, and Columbus metros are all in Red States. Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh-Durham are in reddish states. Doesn’t seem to be hurting them. Conservatives point to crime and hint about racial demographics. All of these hot metros have serious crime problems, because the United States of America has a serious problem with violent crime, public safety, and antisocial behavior. Yet that doesn’t stop them from doing well. So, yes, crime is an issue St. Louis is dealing with, and many don’t move here, or leave her, because of crime, but our issues are deeper than that.

Take a watch and listen and subscribe to Carol Daniel’s podcast. As Sandoval points out, most of us will be dead before we can really see how this plays out. As for now, we can argue about it.

Books Read in January and Films Watched

Books

The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol Fiction

James by Percival Everett (fiction) HIGHLY REC

Ring of Fire: A New History of the World at War by Alexandra Churchill

Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future by Dan Wang (I recommend- particularly like the engineering society v. lawyerly society framing)

The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano Fiction (I struggled in the middle, but a great read)

Slow Noodles: A Cambodian Memoir by Chantha Nguon

Duet: An Artful History of Music by Eleanor Chan

A Map For the Missing by Belinda Huijuan Tang Fiction (I gave this book five stars)

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Good book, but I prefer the Davor Garrow bio on Dr. King)

Currently reading:

The War That Made the Middle East: WWI and The End of the Ottoman Empire by Mustafa Aksakal

The Feast of the Goat Fiction by Mario Vargas Llosa

A Bend in The River Fiction by V.S. Naipaul

Five Bullets: The Story of Bernie Goetz. New York’s Explosive 80s, and the Subway Vigilante Trial that Divided the Nation by Elliot Williams

Will soon begin

Volga Blues by Marzio G. Man

The Revolutionists by Jason Burke

Films

Follow my Letterboxd

Best of the month?

Manila in the Claws of Light (Philippines)

Mean Streets

Back to the Future

Pop Aye (Thailand)

Marty Supreme

The Nightingale (China)

Good Will Hunting

There is another America that is more metropolitan, and increasingly suburban, that embraces the present and potential of a diverse society. When a Korea Town emerges in a place like suburban Carrollton, Texas they are excited and frequent the businesses. They take their friend to places like Eden Center in Northern Virginia to eat Vietnamese food when they visit from out of town. Excitedly try West Indian food in Crown Heights when they're in Brooklyn. Explore the literary traditions and emerging young writers and film from different cultures.

In one of these Americas if you seek to open a mosque there is seldom an issue. If there is an issue, it may be due to Muslim antisocial behavior, most notably, a complete refusal to adhere to parking and safety laws on Jummah and during Ramadan and Eid. In the other America, a proposed mosque will be met with protests, legal challenges, and bureaucratic opposition. Anyone who has studied American history, and is even vaguely conscious of the current political and social climate, could easily tell you that attempting to build a mosque in Hoover, Alabama or to construct a Muslim town in rural Texas is a recipe for disaster. Because STEM dominated Muslim leadership in the US is in possession of no such political and social intelligence or general awareness of the society they're living in, these mistakes continue to happen. After all, who is there to advise them? Overseas Madrassa grads who are only marginally aware of their local surroundings and student and progressive activists who worked very hard to help Donald Trump win the presidential election?

Blanket country bans on immigration will have a long-term very negative impact on the Muslim community. Do this experiment. Go a non Black American mosque, and then ask yourself this question, if everyone with an accent were to disappear, how many people would be here for prayers? For volunteering? Halal consumers to keep businesses afloat? In order to maintain current levels in the future, minus the steady waves of immigration over the past several decades, majority retention would be needed with the younger generations. Not retention in name, but retention in practice, in order for things to function, and that simply won't happen. Doors will be closed. People will drive by and say that building used to be a mosque. That boarded up storefront used to sell food from Bangladesh. Mosques won't disappear no more than the Thai and Cambodian communities will cease to exist, but the vibrancy created by new waves of fresh immigrants will blunt the energy and growth, intermarrying will increase, and eventually they'll look like the once vibrant German community of New York City.

Elections have consequences and political decisions have consequences. For those like me, with non-citizens in the family, who like traveling internationally and learning about the world, and are connected to the world religiously and socially, closing off from the world is a very bad development. Not just in terms of recognizing this is bad for society- it's also bad for us as individuals and families. I would imagine many of the loud and profane Muslim activists convinced of their own intelligence, despite no evidence to support this position, may now have family negatively impacted by recent immigration changes. Of course, those my age, saw this film in 2000 as well. No lessons were learned and no lessons will ever be learned. At some point, an individual is who they are, and a community is what it is. Political engagement only results in headaches. Medicine exists, of course, such as self-imposed boycotts on any Muslim event where there is even a hint of political discussion and learning what masjids not to attend.

In the America living in reality real questions are being asked. Who will protect our social security? Medicare? Medicaid? General health care access? Create jobs? Invest in our lagging infrastructure? Modernize our decaying airports? Address issues of housing? Fight discrimination in the workplace? Expand public education? Embrace a diverse society and our immigrant populations? Invest in public safety?

They aren't sitting around bullshiting about long gone religious empires (of which few read the academic history and have any real understanding), hopped up on revolutionary violence that they'll never participate in or receive the negative consequences from, or entertaining ideologies that died with the Cold War. They also aren't weighed down by the neurotic quackery of the Great Awokening and the moronic liberal prestige books of the era, social media hysteria, and weird theories that have been popularized in the past decade by nonprofits, academics, and others.

To be rooted in reality means you're seeking solutions in your everyday life, your family, your workplace, and your politics. How is politics different? It isn't marriage. Unless you're running, you will never agree with a candidate on everything. If you do agree with any candidate on everything it probably means you aren't very smart and lack the ability to analyze anything for yourself. Or you're just a joiner and like belonging. A follower. Perhaps your personal politics gives you an identity or you see it as giving you status. Not a lot of thinking needed in that case. Fox News and MSNBC caters to such brain dead Americans. Full agreement isn't needed for support. The only question needed to be asked is if candidate A will do less harm than candidate B. Not that they'll do no harm, because all humans will do harm. Will they do less harm? That's it. Muslims claiming that they are morally and spiritually so elevated that they cannot bring themselves to think on such a utilitarian level need to get over themselves. The same people, normally based on fake histories and the misreading of history, idolize past Muslim rulers who were capable of the kind of violence and repression that absolutely no one in American politics is capable of today. Many also gladly support authoritarians in Muslim-majority societies who are not supportive of minority rights there. This is ignorance combined with hypocrisy and narcissistic impulses.

You can have a narrow vision in life or a broader vision. Muslims are a very small percentage of the American population and really not that relevant outside of a handful of metropolitan areas. It would be foolish to think of only this small population when organizing and voting. In fact, looking at last behavior, the most wise course of action is to ignore this community as a collective when organizing while embracing individuals. When you see things broadly you're looking at the Black community, Hispanics, Asian Americans, working-class white Americans, the indigenous, and others.

The question you have to ask yourself is who can do the most good and the least harm? Not who you love. Not who you can't disagree with or fight with. In this sense, politics may be like a marriage, because, on the day of your marriage, you have signed an pact with an opponent you will argue with for the rest of your life. These arguments shouldn't end in divorce. Only positioning, repositioning, negotiation, and compromise. These are things you can do when you're on the same team.

For the others, Hijrah to Greenland is an option. Pack your winter coats. As for me, I don't like cold weather. I recognized this about myself a long time ago and didn't forget last November.

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I actually didn't attend much of the convention. I figure that my brain topped out on religious lecture years ago. Occasionally, such as when Ubaydullah Evans visited St. Louis, I'll make an exception. We already get a weekly mandatory religious lecture at Jummah. Of course, some of our imams are auditioning for political pundit roles on cable news networks, so, I guess it doesn't always count. I did manage to pop my head into a few lectures and listen here and there, but the main purpose of me accompanying my wife to this convention was to just hang out in Atlanta.

My first memories of Atlanta are thanks to sports. Watching wrestling on WTBS every Saturday when I had access to cable. This was the NWA, Jim Crockett’s Mid Atlantic promotion to be exact, and the competitor to the dominant WWF, which, at the time, Vince McMahon was seeking to turn into a pro wrestling monopoly (he would eventually succeed). The matches were held in the WTBS studios in Atlanta and during the broadcast they'd promote live arena shows in places such as The Omni in Atlanta, The Scope in Norfolk, Charlotte, and Greensboro. The Fabulous Freebirds, who I first knew from their work in World Class in Dallas, were hailed as being from “Bad Street, USA” in Atlanta, GA. Most importantly, it was during these shows, where Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes would engage in some of the most famous mic work in the history of the business.

In the 80’s, Atlanta was also the home to the lowly Atlanta Braves. Take away Dale Murphy and Braves fans didn't have much to cheer about. WTBS broadcasts often showed a Fulton County Stadium that was damn near empty.

During the 50’s my grandpa worked for a company in St. Louis that built and repaired street cars. He described being sent to the fast paced Philadelphia and being called a southerner. Then going to the sleepy city of Atlanta, which was a podunk town compared to St. Louis, and being called a yankee. Can't win.

The Atlanta of today has long since passed St. Louis by leaps and bounds. It's a major American city, has hosted the summer Olympics, has the busiest airport in the world, is one of the leading economic engines of the country, and is upbeat.

My friend P has a joke that “it never sounds right to me when someone white says they have a cousin. Cousins are for Black folks”. Similarly, in all of my years, I've never heard a single white person express to me the desire to move to Atlanta. Of course, there is humor in both of these observations, but the reality is far different. White people not only have cousins (fewer than in past generations and they may not know them very well, but they exist); but many move to Atlanta. In fact, the Atlanta of today is seeing rapid gentrification as the city and suburbs attact people for job opportunities and the annual influx of SEC and Southern school grads heading to Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Nashville, and Charlotte.

Atlanta once erroneously promoted itself as “the city too busy to hate” to market itself away from the racist reputation Georgia had earned in the Civil Rights era. Shortly thereafter, it became known as the “Black Mecca”. The city that became a magnet for Black college grads from throughout the US. Others came as well, of course, not only Black college grads. Numerous Black kids I went to high school ended up moving to Atlanta, before Dallas and Houston became the preferred destinations. And, for Black New Yorkers, Atlanta effectively became the 6th borough along with Virginia and the Carolinas. The same could be said of Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and other cities. Atlanta was, and for many, still is, the place to be.

This dynamic always meant that Atlanta would have a special place for Black Muslims. The Dallas suburbs are the hub for celebrity imams and capitalistic Muslim business adventures because South Asians are statistically into medicine, tech, and engineering, and the Dallas metro is a leading hub for all of these industries. Northern Virginia was the same type of Muslim hub in the 90’s, although not Desi dominated, because Muslims in the US were still financially dependent on foreign governments and donors. The money and appeal of living in a place comes first and then a community can flourish.

The Atlanta Masjid of al-Islam is flourishing as the leading masjid in the community of Imam Warith-deen Mohammed, as most of their masjids nationally are rapidly shrinking, aging, and in danger of closing. The other WD masjids that are flourishing are in places that are also Black magnets, DC and Houston, or in places where Islam generally is flourishing in the Black community, Philadelphia and Newark. The gentrification of Black Brooklyn had many unintended consequences, but one is definitely the weakening and shrinking of the Black Muslim community. Yet, Brooklyn’s loss, is the gain of Atlanta, Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, and other Southern cities.

I attended Jummah at the Atlanta Masjid of al-Islam. It was actually an incredible experience and something to behold. My first stop was seeing Brother Bilal from St. Louis at the Heritage Halal Market. He gave me a tour and I ate some delicious and fresh halal beef brisket. The place is stocked with fresh Halal meats from Black Muslim owned farms, sausages, jerky, bean pies, and all variety of products. Unlike the majority of halal shops I've visited- Heritage Market is spotless and clean. Even the outdoor grill was glistening in the sun.

Next to the market there is a shared work space “Salaam Square”. Creatives and those needing an office can rent a space. The parking lot also contains a halal restaurant named Springreens (where I also ate, don't judge, after meeting Brother Todd from St. Louis), a law office, and a barbershop. There is also an outdoor souq/bazaar made up of vendors selling food, clothing, books, and more. I bought a few bean pies and a cheesecake.

There was a guest khatib name Enrique Rasheed. Turns out he was in Atlanta for the same reason as me- he's also married to an Indonesian sister and came for the convention. He delivered an excellent khutbah and in it I learned that he's from California, but he's living in Orlando. As I've contemplated moving to Florida, or really anywhere without winter, I made a note to talk to him afterwards, but I wasn't able to. It wasn't my first time to that masjid. I'd visited a few times in the nineties and at that time the imam was Plemon al-Amin. On my first visit to the masjid Imam al-Amin walked across the room to encourage me to continue attending the masjid and keep my mind open for new knowledge. I was a high school student at the time accompanying a brother from St. Louis going to Atlanta to get married and his words stuck with me.

Atlanta is home to several other majority Black American masjids, but I'm not sure any of them have the vibrancy, and Muslim village feel, that the Atlanta Masjid of al-Islam has. I'm actually not sure anywhere else in the US has that vibe with the possible exception of some places in Philly. It most reminded me of seeing Futon Street in Brooklyn for the first time when it was packed with Muslim vendors and brothers and sisters walking to and from the masjid and Muslim businesses giving salaams. Those days are passed. You'll now see more white transplants walking their dogs then you'll see Muslims on Fulton Street.

Famously, Atlanta was also the home of Imam Jamil al-Amin and his community (may Allah have mercy on him and forgive him of his sins). The ingredients came together for a community of Black Muslims to “buy the block” in Atlanta and create a community. This is something that has been talked about in many cities, including St. Louis, but actually done in Atlanta. Of course, maybe it took the leadership of Imam Jamil, but maybe it also took a desirable city for Black Americans interested in building a better future to move to. St. Louis, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and other cities are often losing such people. Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, and other Southern cities have gained them. Yet, that doesn't explain everything. Islam is thriving in Black Philadelphia while the city is also experiencing reverse migration to the South and Dallas is a major Black magnet, but that isn't reflected in the Black Muslim community. There is something special about Atlanta. HBCU’s and the Divine Nine network, the legacy of Dr. King, and more.

On Christmas day in Atlanta I had a choice to make. Head to a kosher restaurant or check out the Asian area around Buford Highway. I changed my mind at the last minute and opted for Buford Highway and the surrounding area. There are countless Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Filipino, Indonesian, Bengali, and other Asian restaurants and businesses in this area. There are also Cuban, Colombian, Venezuelan, and Mexican owned businesses. When looking the area up I saw it had been promoted as one of the best culinary hubs in all of America.

I drove around for a bit and saw a lot of Asian American families walking in and out of restaurants. A lot of kids were playing in the parking lot. That's always the first sign of a healthy community. If there are no children, and if there aren't children who feel safe playing outside, then you don't have a healthy community. In many of our cities we now have neighborhoods without children or neighborhoods where parents are afraid to let them outside (St. Louis City is definitely in this category).

I finally settled on an Indonesian restaurant. The place was packed and it was mostly men eating by themselves. If this had been white guys or Black Americans eating my mind may have wondered. Divorced? Broken off relations with the family? Incels? On the run? Male loneliness crisis? As the restaurant was full of Asian men my assumption was they didn't celebrate Christmas. They were probably looking at me and asking themselves who is this fucking hoosier eating alone on Christmas? Of course, I have a ready made excuse, my wife was chilling with her Indonesian friends at the convention and I wanted to see the city. We later visited the area together to go to an Indonesian grocery store and a dessert shop. The area once again highlights that Atlanta isn't just the Black Mecca- it's a Mecca, period. The city and suburbs are diverse and growing.

Other stops in Atlanta included the historic Plaza Theater, where I saw the excellent Brazilian film “The Secret Agent”, the President Jimmy Carter Museum and Library, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park and Dream Center, and the Al Faruq Masjid. When I was younger, and held a more provincial religious outlook, I wouldn't have included these visits. Now they're my primary motivation for travel.

On my last night I spent more time at the convention and I'm glad I did. I met an Indonesian imam from LA and brothers from the DMV, Boston, Queens, San Francisco, and even Mississippi. I most especially appreciated meeting an enthusiastic young Muslim convert from Georgia named Andy. He comes from a family of Vietnamese immigrants and he had me on the edge of my seat for nearly an hour as he told me his life story and his conversion process. Street corner TikTok theatrics? A charismatic imam in the joint? An expensive seminar? None of these things. His initial attraction to Islam was because the Muslims he knew at school were nice, encouraged him in a positive way, and were there for him when needed.

I also got the chance to meet Chaplain Shane Atkinson face to face. It was a pleasure as I've followed his work for a long time. He's from Mississippi and you can hear it as soon as he opens his mouth. The first thing he said to me was “I didn't know you were married to an Indonesian”. We discussed a variety of things, and shared an excitement for the recent podcast interview featuring Dr. Sherman Jackson, Imam Zaid Shakir, Ustadh Ubaydullah Evans, and Imam Hamzah Abdul-Malik. I described Hamzah as the imam you need at your masjid, Ubaydullah as the voice you need on life outside the masjid, Zaid as the holder of a legacy and institutional knowledge, and Dr. Jackson as the one who could place everything into a grander narrative informed by the wider body of academic study and human experience.

As always, it's a pleasure spending time with my Indonesian brothers and sisters and I look forward to doing so next year as well.

My audiobook companion driving to Atlanta was Stoner by John Edward Williams (thank you to all the smart young book and film accounts on Tiktok) and on the way back the classic “The Fight” by Norman Mailer.

Best Films 2025 Releases

No Other Choice (South Korea) (hands down the best film of 2025).

It Was Just An Accident (Iran)

Friendship (US)

F1 (US)

Eddington (US)

Weapons (US)

One Battle After Another (US)

Rosemead (US)

I’m Still Here (Brazil)

Frankenstein (US)

Highest 2 Lowest (US)

Note- I saw all of these films where new films should be viewed and that is in the theater.

Favorite Films I Watched in 2025 Not Released in 2025 (first time watches)

A Real Pain (US)

The Man From Nowhere (South Korea)

Glengarry Glen Ross (US)

Hoosiers (US)

June 17, 1994 (US)

The Night of The Hunter (US-1955)

High and Low (Japan-1963)

100 Yen Love (Japan)

Ilo Ilo (Singapore)

Casablanca (US-1942)

Inside The Yellow Cocoon Shell (Vietnam)

I plan to see The Secret Agent, a Brazilian film, this week. If you would like to follow my film dairy and reviews you can see me on Letterboxed.

Best Books I Read in 2025

The Last Kilo: Willy Falcon and The Cocaine Empire That Seduced America by T.J. English

One Child: The Story of China’s Most Radical Experiment by Mei Fong

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

The Sorrows of Mexico by various authors

The Afterlife of Malcolm X by Mark Whittaker

The Last Manager by John W. Miller

Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson by Mark Kriegel

Daughters of The Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick

Menachem Mendel Schneerson: Becoming the Messiah by Ezra Glinter

The G*ds of New York by Jonathan Mahler

The Vegetarian by Han Kang

The Wounded Generation: Coming Home After WWII by David Nasaw

Rickey: The Life of An American Original by Howard Bryant

Murder on The Mississippi by Saladin Ambar

Captives and Companions: A History of Slavery in the Islamic World by Justin Marozzi

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

Triumph Of The Yuppies by Tom McGrath

You can follow my reading journey on Goodreads or Fable (which is much better than Goodreads but few are on it).

I got the chance to meet up with Khalid at the Missouri History Museum this past Saturday and discuss the film. It was actually a reunion, because I’ve known Khalid since he was a kid and his father has been a mentor and teacher of mine since I was a teenager. Watch and listen. I think you’ll be interested in our discussion and following Khalid’s career in film.

2025 St. Louis International Film Festival

I have been attending the St. Louis International Film Festival for years. Some years I’m able to attend several films. Other years I can sneak in maybe one. Last year I think my pockets were empty just coming back from Indonesia and I was unable to attend at all. There are also some years when the selection is better than others and SLIFF has dealt with funding cuts and the loss of the Tivoli and Plaza Frontenac. I tend to favor international films over American indie stuff so a lot of it is a matter of preference. This year there were a number of films that I wanted to see, and I was able to get to four of them.

Holding Liat

The first film I saw was at the Hi-Pointe Theatre and it was about a family whose daughter and son-in-law were kidnapped in the 10-7 terror attack. Holding Liat had some powerful and tearjerker moments but couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a political film or one dedicated to following a family in crisis. Liat’s father, who the film dedicated more time to than anyone, perhaps because he seems to be an opinionated blabbermouth, also came off as extremely unlikeable (and his brother seemed even worse). The film would’ve done better following Liat’s siblings and her and Aviv’s children. Perhaps a better film festival selection would’ve been The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue. Crowd size? Maybe 10-15% full.

No Other Choice

I also saw this film at the Hi-Pointe Theatre, and it may be my favorite film of the year. I was blown away. Fatherhood, corporate culture, the ties between your job and identity, ruthless self-preservation, and AI disruption in South Korea all come into play with plenty of laughter. Possibly my favorite film from Park Chan-Wook as of yet. Crowd size? Sold out and everyone left happy.

Rosemead

If Lucy Liu doesn’t win best actress for her starring role in this film, then something is wrong (and of course there is, who am I kidding? I have never watched an awards show and I never will). This film is based on a true and very heart wrenching story. I won’t share many details here, but it deals with the intersection of mental illness, family health, and the Chinese immigrant experience. I saw this for free at Washington University. Crowd size? Maybe 20-25% full.

Forge

This was another one I saw at Wash U. Jing Ai Ng is a new filmmaker, and it showed at times. Forge is set in Miami and is about Chinese American siblings running an art forgery ring. A Chinese American FBI agent just so happens to fly down from New York to crack the case and conveniently eats at the family-owned restaurant. Andie Ju stole the show in a film that otherwise dragged at times while remaining watchable. This will be a good streaming watch at home for many. Crowd size? Maybe 20-25% full.

Book Challenge and 2025 Films

I have just completed book 100 of 2025. I do have plans to finish the year strong! Look forward to a “best books of 2025” list from me in an upcoming newsletter and I may add “2021-2025”. I will also include my favorite films of 2025.

Imam Talib Abdur Rashid

Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Condolenscences to the family of Imam Talib Abdur Rashid and those in New York who were close to him. A pioneering elder of grassroots Black Sunni Islam in Harlem has passed away and left a strong legacy.