Pluralism Projects and about us in a nutshell

What is Pluralism

Simply put, it is respecting the otherness of the other and accepting the uniqueness of each one of us. In cultural terms, it is recognizing your culture as a beautiful expression of life to you, as my own is to me. When it comes to food, it is appreciating the well done steak you enjoy over the medium rare I delight, or vice-versa. Religiously, it is learning to honor the way your worship or bow to the creator in gratitude, is as divine as my own.

The need for Pluralism

By the end of 2020, there will not be a major city in America, and perhaps in the world, where you will not find people of different faiths, cultures, ethnicities, races, nationalities and social backgrounds working, eating, playing, marrying, and doing things together.

We need to prepare ourselves for those eventualities to prevent possible conflicts and lay a good foundation for nurturing goodwill and effective functioning of the societies. Exclusive communities will become a thing of the past. 

Pluralism is our future

Pluralism is our future, and as a futurist, based on the trends, I foresee, that two generations from now, we would be comfortable in saying, my religion, culture or life style is one of the many choices, and further down the road, a significant number will proclaim that my way of life is not superior or inferior to any.

They will consider claiming superiority would be sheer arrogance and religion (a major part of life to many) is believed to imbue humility that builds societies, communities and nations in creating that elusive kingdom of heaven where all live their lives without apprehension or fear of the other.

American Religious Landscape

We are one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. We are represented by every race, nationality, ethnicity, language, culture and religion. We see God as one, none and many and in every form; male, female, genderless and non-existent, being and non-being, nameless and with innumerable names. Indeed, we must preserve the pluralistic heritage of America.

Founders Experience

Texas Faith Panel, Dallas Morning News. Mr. Ghouse is a member of the Panel and writes about interfaith issues facing the nation every week. He has written close to100 pieces over the last two years and almost every column he writes, weaves through the essence of many religions.

The Huffington Post; Mike has written over 40 articles in the last two years.  Occasionally his articles have been published at Washington Post and several national and international periodicals including Arab News, Tehran Times, Jakarta post and others.

Google: Mike has consistently remained on the first page when you search for Pluralism Speaker, Interfaith speaker and Muslim Speaker, whether it is the text or the images.

Blog: 318 Articles were written on his blog in 2011 and over a 100 of them were published in the Newspapers and periodicals. Mike has written an average of 150 pieces a year over the last several years.  Most of the columns were on interfaith/pluralism, over a range of 10 articles, almost every religion would have been mentioned.   

Interfaith workshops: 78 hours of live workshops from Understanding Atheism to Zoroastrianism and every religion in between were conducted between 2005 and 2007. 

Radio shows: Mike hosted 520 Hours of radio talk shows on “Understanding the essence of religions, each beautiful religion” with a representative of the respective faith 5 days a week on AM Radio 1150 in Dallas between 2003 and 2005. 

Festivals of the World – The essence of major festivals of all religions were written up since 1993 in Asian American Journal, followed by Asian News Radio and the blogs, websites and the newspapers.  

Pluralism and interfaith flows in Mike’s veins. Even the tribute he wrote about his late wife, father, and mother were soaked with the essence of many religions.  

The book “Americans together, building a cohesive America” will be out by July this year and the next book, Muslims in America is poised to make it on his 61^st birthday. 

A documentary “Americans Together” is in the making; and it will present the full spectrum of American diversity, laden with programs and ideas on building a cohesive America, where no American has to live in discomfort, apprehension or fear of the other.        

Blogger: Mike passionately writes on topics including but not limited to; Hate Sermons, Sharia Laws, Holocaust and Genocides, Ground Zero Mosque, Peter King Hearings, Quraan, Terrorism counter, Ramadan, International conflicts, Islam,  Blasphemy, India, Media Muddles, and Israel-Palestine.  

International speaker: Mike has spoken at international forums including the Council for a Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne, Australia; the Middle East Peace Initiative in Jerusalem; and the International Leadership Conference in Hawaii, Chicago and Washington. 

Standing up for others, Mike lives what he preaches. In the blog standing up for others, he has set an example of standing up for almost every representation of Americans. Standing up for others is the right thing to do, every human goes through a period of invincibility to vulnerability, if we don't stand up for those who are susceptible, then who will stand up for us when we are unguarded? 

TV/Radio - Mike is a frequent guest on Fox News, “The Hannity Show”, and on nationally syndicated shows including Dallas TV, print and radio networks, and occasional on NPR

Annual Events

• Annual Unity Day USA is a main stream event commemorating 9/11 for seven years. It is a purposeful event to bring Americans together. The UNITY DAY USA has become a symbol of unity among Americans. It is an initiative to come together to stand up for the safety, security and cohesiveness of America. Every year we recognize five individuals who have made a difference in their communities, the trophy calls them pluralists in their field.

• 9/11 – Mike was on Radio from 10:00 AM till 4:30 on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 trying to make sense out of the chaos, he reached out to Mayors and community leaders to forge a common voice. Mike was a catalyst in commencing interfaith prayers, fund raising and blood donations that day. He pledged to serve the nation every year on that day, and Unity Day USA is the product of that commitment.
   

• Annual Holocaust and Genocides event has continued for the last five years.  We have learned to acknowledge and reflect upon the terrible things we have inflicted upon each other and have committed ourselves to resist the temptations to be prejudiced and stereotype others. We cannot demand peace unless we are peaceful ourselves. Our safety hinges on the safety of others around us, and it behooves us to work for the safety and security of others on this little planet. We have to be continuously aware of the Holocaust and Genocides and prepare to say never again.

• Annual Thanksgiving Celebrations & Awards night was carried out for over ten years and due to overlapping of Unity Day, it is done on a small scale now. The purpose of celebrating this event is to thank God for helping us learn to accept, respect and appreciate each other’s cultural uniqueness.

• Qur’an Conference was held on December 5, 2010 in Dallas to demystify the myths about “troubled passages” from Qur’an with 10 Non-Muslim clergy panelists and 5 Muslim Imams.  

Activism

We are inspired by many a spiritual masters. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of Mike's mentors, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice, whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly".

The Native American Chief Seattle said we are merely a strand in this World Wide Web; if we mess one, we mess the others. Prophet Muhammad’s said when you see injustice, the least you can do is to speak up. Mike's Grandfather and his father also inspired him to be an activist.   
 

·    Anti-Semitism – Mr. Fred Phelps is one of the famous Anti-Semitic Pastors from Kansas, he was protesting in front of the Dallas Holocaust Museum, Texas Jewish Post, Akiba Academy, Synagogues, St. Mary's Guadalupe and the GLBT church. Mike was there standing with the Jews, immigrants and Catholics, believing that we need to stand up together. He pulled the Holocaust Survivors together in the Museum and prayed for the well being of all. 
 

·     Immigration Reforms Rally - Mike joined the Lulac to March in downtown with the community and Spanish leaders to demand immigration reforms, where he gave one of his famous speeches “Standing up for others” at Dallas City Hall to a gathering of 8000.
 

·     Immigration protest at Farmers Branch: When the City undertook to undermine the Federal Government on undocumented aliens, Mike was there walking with the group to Mayor's office. Dallas Morning News printed Mike's picture on the top front page, which was repeated in 200 dailies across Latin America producing a barrage of hate mail.  
 

·   Gaza Protest: In December 2009, during Gaza Siege, Mike represented Dallas Peace Center as a director at the Grassy Knoll, Downtown Dallas where JFK was shot. There was a Jewish man having arguments with a few Palestinians, the police was chasing him for causing distress, Mike stood up for him against the police demand to leave, and when they decided to arrest him, the other guy walked away and they backed off.  
 

·    Gujarat Massacre: Nearly 1000 Indian Muslims were massacred in the mayhem in Gujarat; Mike organized a Rally in protest held in downtown at the court house.  
 

·    Anti-War Rally: Participated in Anti-War rallies down town Dallas several times. 
 

·    Gay March - World War II witnessed the massacre of Gays and the march was organized in Oak Lawn which Mike participated. He also participated in the South Dallas aids walk.
 

·   Gandhi Walk and the Partnership Walk, an Annual event since 2009 and 2000 respectively.

·   Mike has also written petitions, called on people and wrote about the mistreatment of Atheists, Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Pagans, Sikhs, Wicca, Native Americans, Zoroastrians and of course Muslims around the world. 

·   Guest Visitation Programs – Every year civil and religious leadership from Middle East and North Africa visits the United States, and invariably, I have the pleasure of meeting with them to talk about interfaith movements and Pluralism in America.