Comments on: You are Only as Good as your Last Act

By: AMK

AMK — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:46:51 +0000

Such a brilliant read! I really enjoyed going over the “good bits of my history”. I loved that it wasn’t just about being Muslim or Eastern – it is more about our identity by association. Not sure what Cornell missed but this didn’t sound like a call to religion or the nation to me…

By: Bina Khan

Bina Khan — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 06:23:39 +0000

Aw, and here I was hoping that this article would cause a rise in pakis running back home and to the mosque! You mean it won’t work? Shucks! I did hope that hearing about a singer and two early contributors to the world of cosmetology would help recruit more people back to the faith and to the nation. Oh well, back to the drawing board!

As a make-up artist, that is of course my secret and ultimate purpose: mass conversion and luring immigrants back here through skin care tips! Glad you cracked that code, Cornell!

On another note, not one of the people mentioned in the article lived in Pakistan, and only one is of Pakistani descent. This is an article about a search for identity (whether you live here or not, are religous or not, you are still seen as muslim and brown) and trying to throw off the one that is imposed on us: that of a nefarious, paranoid people who are super religous and don’t want any exchanges with the rest of the world.

You know, like I am here with you!

By: Cornell

Cornell — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 08:17:34 +0000

Article starts off interestingly enough, but quickly veers off into a paranoid reminiscing of Muslim contributions to the world… as if those are going to get despondent Muslims to come running back to the faith or to Pakistan. Please !

By: Faiza Qureshi

Faiza Qureshi — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:21:11 +0000

…your article played the last nail in the coffin for so called friendly banter between me and my friends (: And if I may so – was probably the most equisite shut up call that I have ever come across (:

By: alma

alma — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:16:34 +0000

Awesome article.. i wish it shrieks out loud to the whole world

By: anny

anny — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:57:26 +0000

its just beautifull …its just not the colours n brush u use correctly ,its words too very nice article n specially the last few words..awesome ..beautifull..keep up the good work

By: Khaula Jamil

Khaula Jamil — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:55:38 +0000

I loved this article bina.
it was spot on.
I will definitely be quoting numerous things from this to people i meet randomly here who ask me annoying questions about Pakistan.

Best

By: Moneeza

Moneeza — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:38:02 +0000

Brilliant Bina,not just a pretty face are you!
I want to print this out and leave it on all my colleagues desks at work…with a covering note saying ‘In your face,suckers!’ hahaha

By: mahvesh

mahvesh — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 09:06:00 +0000

that last line just killed me.

By: Basma

Basma — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:31:30 +0000

just when i think i’ve read your best work, Bina, you further crank it up a notch. i don’t know what has wowed me more: the fact that this could be a thesis topic and still not cover the issue but you have packed the punch in just a few paragraphs; or the easy and light-hearted way in which you have tackled head-on the sensitive (and often explosive..uhm pun intended….) issues of racial and ethnic profiling; or the sense of pride this article has left me with. as you said, not all Muslims are “bombers, mass murderers, fanatics and evil plotters,” and you have shown that not all people who speak out against the prejudice do it with bombs. thank you for this, it was so needed!