What Our Editorial Process Revealed in 140 Characters, or Less
Trent Gilliss, online editor
Well, the query we’ve been nurturing over the summer has revealed some real gems for voices. So far we’ve received more than 120 lovely stories from Muslims located in all parts of the globe. And, the age ranges and family histories and professional paths add to the layers of complexity and vivacity of these responses.
We narrowed our list of interviews to 16 eloquent people, 30 minutes each. Over four editorial sessions, a small group of us listened to more than six hours of interviews (thankfully, Mitch answered my emergency call and stepped in for the first two).
While listening, I wanted to share, real-time, with our audiences some of the phrases that struck my ear, kernels of wisdom and insight that surprised me. And what more immediate way is there than through our Twitter stream.
For those of you who don’t follow @softweets, here’s a transcript of what I wrote and interjections from folk following our tweets.
PermalinkRT @trentgilliss We’re in the 1st of 4 editing sessions for our upcoming show featuring Muslim voices. I’ll be sharing some quotes here.
10:33 AM Aug 18thSahar Ullah on the Qur’an: “To listen is an act of worship.”
10:35 AM Aug 18thkeepercaines34 RT @SOFtweets: Sahar Ullah on the Qur’an: “To listen is an act of worship.”
10:36 AM Aug 18thronowen Sahar Ullah on the Qur’an: “To listen is an act of worship.” (via @SOFtweets)
10:42 AM Aug 18thsarasweeneyRT @SOFtweets: Sahar Ullah on the Qur’an: “To listen is an act of worship.”
10:42 AM Aug 18thNy’kisha Pettiford on her Muslim identity: “I am a woman in corporate America and yet keep true to my faith and its laws.”
10:44 AM Aug 18thBasem Hassan on navigating the grey areas of creating art as a Muslim: “…at least understand the spectrum of debate.”
10:53 AM Aug 18thBasem Hassan: “2nd + 3rd generation Muslims are embracing the arts as a form of rebellion.”
10:54 AM Aug 18thkaeti The quotes that @SOFtweets is sharing are the only highlight of my football-deluged twitter stream right now. (Oh, and @kcmpls.)
11:17 AM Aug 18thLibraryben @kaeti thanks for letting me know about @SOFtweets and sorry about the sports, sports, sports
11:25 AM Aug 18th in reply to kaetistephiep33 @kaeti - i love Speaking of Faith! great link @SoFtweets. god bless #NPR
11:39 AM Aug 18thIbrahim Al-Marashi, as a Muslim on living in Spain and Moorish culture: “I can forget the darker side, seeing beauty every day…”
1:44 PM Aug 18thIbrahim Al-Marashi on fasting + ice cream as a student at UCLA: “I learned a Jew from Iran can be more considerate than an Iraqi Muslim.”
1:59 PM Aug 18thIbrahim Al-Marashi worked in a Star Wars analogy and the three monotheistic religions. He’s won us over with his sci-fi acumen! *grin*
2:01 PM Aug 18thSamar Jarrah, who grew up in Kuwait and has lived in many other places in the world: “These Muslims I have only met in America.”
2:07 PM Aug 18thSamar Jarrah on being challenged at a lecture when talking about God: “I had never met an atheist.”
2:10 PM Aug 18thSamar Jarrah, when asked why she remains in Jordan or Egypt for Ramadan: “The best Ramadan I ever spent in my life is always in America.”
2:13 PM Aug 18thEgyTweets RT @softweets: Samar Jarrah, when asked why she remains in Jordan or Egypt for Ramadan: “The best Ramadan I ever spent in my life i …
2:14 PM Aug 18thFeruze Faison, a Turkish Muslim now in NY on coming out: “Rumi and Yunus made me believe that love is what rules, and nothing else.”
2:36 PM Aug 18thFeruze Faison on community: “It’s always easier to talk about peace and joy. When it comes to practice, it’s a little bit more challenging.”
2:43 PM Aug 18thIf you don’t mind, I’ll be quoting from our editorial sessions for the 2nd day of listening to Muslim voices for our upcoming show.
10:13 AM Aug 19thWajahat Ali, a burgeoning playwright and his path from law school to drama: “Allah works in mysterious ways.”
10:18 AM Aug 19thWajahat Ali on his new-found success in the Muslim-American art community: “There is a burden that is upon me, a sense of responsibility.”
10:19 AM Aug 19thWajahat Ali on mastering his ambition: “Do you want to be that petty person who undercuts or be a risk-taker and do something different.”
10:22 AM Aug 19thmuslimvoices RT @SOFtweets: Wajahat Ali on his success in the Muslim-Amer. art community: “There is a burden that is upon me, a sense of responsibility.”
10:29 AM Aug 19thmuslimvoices RT @SOFtweets: Wajahat Ali, a burgeoning playwright and his path from law school to drama: “Allah works in mysterious ways.”
10:29 AM Aug 19thWajahat Ali: “I listen and read everything. … That makes me a product of America.”
10:53 AM Aug 19thMaria Enriqueta Romero, a Mexican-American who converted to Islam: “Living in Seattle makes it easier to be Muslim.”
11:02 AM Aug 19thMaria Enriqueta Romero: “If they only knew my cultural clothing are the jeans and t-shirt that I wear underneath my abaya.”
11:05 AM Aug 19thDomBrady @SOFtweets Does she say why it’s easier to be Muslim in Seattle?
11:06 AM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweetsMaria Enriqueta Romero on how Islam informs her law practice: “If you’re going to do something, do it with dignity.”
11:07 AM Aug 19thMaria Enriqueta Romero on family law: “My faith has developed and that has helped me take on challenges I wouldn’t have taken on before…”
11:11 AM Aug 19thjeantabaka RT @SOFtweets:Maria Enriqueta Romero on how Islam informs her law practice: “If you’re going to do something, do it with dignity.”
11:11 AM Aug 19th@DomBrady Maria alludes to the open cultural atmosphere of the city’s scene and talks about random experiences with people on the street.
11:13 AM Aug 19thDomBrady @SOFtweets Interesting. Thanks.
11:14 AM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweetsMaria Enriqueta Romero when asked why she wears the abaya: “You’re not going to get the most religiously correct answer. They’re beautiful.”
11:18 AM Aug 19thLisamol1 @SOFtweets Love Ms. Romero’s “abaya” answer. Sounds like an interesting show, can’t w8 to hear it.
11:25 AM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweetsYanina Vashchenko, a Russian-born American living in Dallas, converted to Islam after a spiritual path from her Russian Orthodox roots.
11:34 AM Aug 19thKrista poses the question, “Are there two shows here?” A unanimous “Yes!” from Marc, Nancy, Colleen, and me (@trentgilliss). Now, to Kate…
11:37 AM Aug 19thNow, do we create a 2-part series, complementary shows not tied together but reference one another, or discrete shows w/ different formats?
Yanina Vashchenko, on an exchange outside a mosque in Texas: “If you want people to understand you, you have to show yourself to them.”11:51 AM Aug 19th
11:43 AM Aug 19thvisualspeech RT @SOFtweets:”The heart of Buddhist practice is to generate our own presence in such a way that…” Thich Nhat Hanh
11:54 AM Aug 19thzaf4eva @SOFtweets ,r u revert muslim ?
12:10 PM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweetsislamoyankee @SOFtweets I’d go for two complementary shows. Seeing the tweets, and thinking of my pedagogical needs. :)
1:06 PM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweets@islamoyankee *grin*
1:40 PM Aug 19thAdnan Onart, a Turkish-born poet living in Boston, read a beautiful poem, “Ramadan in Dunkin’ Donuts.”
1:52 PM Aug 19thSabiha Shariff, raised in Mumbai and living in Dallas. The Qur’an says that “indulging in gossip is like eating your dead brother’s flesh.”
2:07 PM Aug 19thpoetryc RT @softweets Adnan Onart, a Turkish-born poet living in Boston, read a beautiful poem, “Ramadan in Dunkin’ Donuts.” http://bit.ly/1Mzm0D
2:09 PM Aug 19thislamoyankee @SOFtweets i would check that quote. it doesn’t sound Qur’anic and a quick search doesn’t turn it up. might be an obscure hadith.
2:26 PM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweetsAllee Ramadhan, a retired federal prosecutor: “There was not a large incentive for a black child to be proud of the fact he was a Muslim.”
2:29 PM Aug 19thAllee Ramadhan on memorizing the Qur’an: “…understanding is as important as reciting.”
2:31 PM Aug 19thOur listening session with Allee Ramadhan was interrupted by a tornado touching down in Minneapolis! Will pick up tomorrow.
4:03 PM Aug 19thLisamol1 @SOFtweets Hope everything’s ok in Minneapolis!
5:02 PM Aug 19th in reply to SOFtweets
Our last editorial session for our upcoming programs including individual Muslim voices is now under way. Let the tweets begin!
10:44 AM Aug 20thAllee Ramadhan: “There was nothing b/w me and my God. … When you remain humble in the world, you tend to approach people with equality.”
10:47 AM Aug 20thAllee Ramadhan on being a diabetic + Ramadan, “I try to be a little more generous than I normally am. I try to compensate in other ways.”
10:51 AM Aug 20thafricankelli @SOFtweets Cannot tell you how excited I am to hear these new episodes! Your tweets about them are teasing.
10:53 AM Aug 20th in reply to SOFtweetsTayyaba Syed, on taking care of her parents now and a saying from the Qur’an: “You don’t even say uff to them.”
11:19 AM Aug 20thNicole Queen, a 20-something celebrity photographer from Dallas who converted to Islam, asked herself, “Is the best enough?”
11:24 AM Aug 20thNicole Queen, a party girl on what drew her to Islam: “You start to respect the things that you don’t see often in your own lifestyle.”
11:27 AM Aug 20th
