Confused In Miami

This is the first time I am sharing my views with many of you.
Things are good here in Miami. Alhamdulillah
It's an interesting time to be a Muslim activist.
Even though I'm not very active these days. We're all trying hard to understand what being an "American Muslim" REALLY means. But, It's sad that some groups are going on with the usual activism as if Sept.11 was JUST another time to respond to Hate Crimes and a dawah opportunity.

I found myself agreeing with both Abou el Fadl and Hamza Yusuf and am still going through an intense "introspective pause." But it seems to me that those who are taking the time to look inward and reflect are those who aren't already indoctrinated by "the movement" or blindly critical of it:

-Salafi/Wahhabi groups are still ranting about "Haram"
-Hamza Yusuf "groopies" are still organizing more deen intensives to preserve islamic "tradition"
-"Mujahiddin" supporters are still defending suicide attacks
-Secular muslim still continue to critize "fundamentalism"

Where is the introspection?
I don't see it.
except in a very small group of us.

I don't expect the average muslim to become an instant philosopher. And now I won't expect the average activist to philosophize either, cuz their "shaykh" or amir is seem to have done it for them.

After much reading and reflection, i've come to this conclusion.
any group that does NOT stand up for God's universal principles of Love,
Justice, Truth and Human Dignity; and instead speaks the language of HATRED is suspect to me, this includes:
-the US and Britian - who claim to Hate "Terrorism"
-the Taliban, Wahabbists - who Hate fellow Muslims/women
-and any other "ISLAMIC" movements who hate "THE WEST"

One friend told me that Suicide attacks that kill civilians are wrong in America, BUT..In Palestine...etc, etc, etc

Also, most reps of the american branches of various movements condemnded the Sept.11 attacks and said "Islam means Peace," while their own supreme leaders in India or Egypt or Arabia, or wherever, were running in the streets chanting "Down with America!","We Declare Jihad"

and "the movement" expects non-muslims to NOT think of jihad as "holy war."
regardless how much you say:
"No No, Jihad REALLY means..."
your actions say otherwise.

ITS SAD BRO's and Sis's,
we don't see the ideological or methodological inconsistency in our thought and actions, but the Media and non-Muslims do!
and when they call us out and report about it we send out the usual reactionary
responses and blame them for stereotyping and misrepresenting Islam.
it makes us look like fools who can't think straight.

But...
I guess Muslims ARE fools who can't think straight.

We lost touch with our rich intellectual and cultural heritage and the scholars of that heritage who searched the sources, philosophized, debated, and wrote about the Divine revelation that is there to protect our souls.

I told that friend that we shouldn't be like secular communist fighters or desesitized american techno-warriors who use inhumane tactics to destabilize there opponents,

I would rather fight a war in a dignified and principled way and lose than to be an unjust barbarian driven by Hate and wipe out my enemy with suicide attacks, as in Israel that kill innocents, or with cluster bombs dropped from above, as in Afghanistan.

But man, its hard to say this to a friend who has seen his family or friends killed by the Indian or Israeli War Machine. I won't pretend to understand oppression or what drives them to use the unjust logic of suicide attacks. At the same time, I won't say that it's all good in the name of Allah. I pray that Allah gives
them patience in this time of struggle.

For the moment my activism is centered around giving presentations on Islamic Art for local MSA's. Other than that, I am extremely reluctant to work with most groups. I'n not even sure that groups consistent and coherent in thought and action exist.

peace and love.