DePaul Prof on the Watchlist: 'I Do Not Consider 'Radical' to Be an Insult'

I was only vaguely familiar with Breitbart News until May of this year, when they called me a “radical” (“Meet DePaul’s Radical Director of 'Religious Diversity'”). The piece was an odd collection of my tweets — some light-hearted, about my role in the declining white majority in the United States by having children of mixed background; and serious, drawing attention to the immorality of militarist and anti-refugee policies. Nothing they drew attention to were statements I regretted.

I’m a long-time social justice activist who converted to Islam as a college student after reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X. I went to law school hoping to follow in the footsteps of William Kunstler. I do not consider “radical” an insult, but I was taken aback by the hundreds of hateful and threatening comments subsequently posted on the site and directed at me through Twitter, as well as the copycat articles that followed in the so-called “alt-right” sphere — articles containing outrageously false claims linking me to ISIS, or stating that I sympathized with terrorists. Though some around me, including my wife, were understandably more concerned with what was going on, I would reassure her by saying that, though surprisingly enthusiastic, this was just a fringe group of internet trolls. 

That was, of course, in the days before Executive Chairman of Breitbart Steve Bannon was appointed chief strategist by the president-elect of the United States. The launching of Turning Point USA’s “Professor Watchlist,” while ominous at any time, is much more concerning in the Trump era.

I had a career as an attorney representing children in the child protection system here in Chicago, which I found very rewarding and meaningful, and later returned to work in university ministry because I love the environment of an urban college campus. I love being around young people who are searching for their place in the world and idealistic about their ability to bring change. I love being in an environment of diversity, one which causes people to question what they hold most important and why. I love being in a space dedicated to learning and to engagement about ideas. These processes at the heart of the university — teaching and learning; engagement with others from different backgrounds; examining the problems of the world with the hope to envisioning and acting towards change — are all sacred endeavors in my Muslim faith tradition, and in the Vincentian Catholic tradition of DePaul University where I work.

The creators of the watchlist state that they desire to document mistreatment of conservative students or the spreading of leftist propaganda in the classroom. In my case — as appears to be the case with many named — the list does not make any allegation that I have done either of those things. The creators of the list state that they believe in free speech and ideological diversity, but their actions indicate a desire to silence people who have views they find unacceptable and to discourage students from interacting with such people. 

On closer examination, it seems unlikely that a list such of this will accomplish much of anything. It doesn’t appear that much care was put into putting it together — they seem to have simply scoured right wing sites like Breitbart to find any articles written about people in academia. To the extent it this is simply a list of people in academia who have expressed views that Turning Point USA disagrees with, the list could easily be expanded to include thousands. Instead the actions of those who put together the list seem to point toward the goal of getting publicity (at which they have succeeded), and, from that, raising funds. 

Whether they actually care about the harm such a list may pose to the individuals named is unclear. 

Having said all of this, what do I take away from the experience? It is stated in the Qur’an, “Surely We have created humans in toil and struggle.” (90:4) Part of the wisdom of God is that we grow through struggle. My faith teaches me to look inward at times of trial to determine what is truly important. As a believing and practicing orthodox Muslim, there are many ways in which I do not fit the mold of the liberal academic propagandist. I do, however, stand for the sacred dignity of every human being — a belief which is only made real by standing with the marginalized and being willing to question the powerful. 

It does seem in many ways that it is the mere presence of a visible and outspoken Muslim on campus to which many object.

As a painfully shy young person, I wanted to be a certain type of person but did not know if I had the courage necessary to be so. I’ve learned that it is only by facing our fears, and acting for what we believe in in spite of those fears, that one becomes a person of courage.

In the Qur’an, God describes a group of young people in past who stood against the oppressive rule in their own society — “We gave strength to their hearts when they stood up.” (18:14) If the goal of the “Professor Watchlist” is to intimidate people or make them silent, the list has failed. It has failed because of the courage and commitment of many — those named, and those not named.

As the Trump era begins, it is the time to stand for what we believe in with courage and commitment. And this should be a special gift of people of faith — as Jim Wallis has said, “If people of faith show courage, people will follow them.”