I'm not the strapping young Muslim socialist that I used to be.

Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago.

The elevation of appearance over substance, of celebrity over character, of short term gains over lasting achievement displays a poverty of ambition. It distracts you from what's truly important.

On the other hand, it is also undeniable that the Palestinian people - Muslims and Christians - have suffered in pursuit of a homeland.

The notion that we can control the flow of information is obsolete.

As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam.

As soon as the recovery is well under way, we need to set up a long-term plan to reduce the structural deficit and make sure we are not leaving a mountain of debt for the next generation.