Just a reminder: Middle Nation is now on Instagram.

https://instagram.com/the_middle_nation?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg==

After just 3 weeks of boycott, Starbucks in Malaysia has reduced operation hours nationwide due to devastating loss of customers.
The next step would be individual outlet closures, and eventually complete disappearance of Starbucks from the country.

#NoJusticeNoProfit #FreePalestine

The tactics are spreading. The message is spreading.

Starbucks, Palestine, and corporate power

Just a reminder: The Middle Nation is now also on Instagram.
https://instagram.com/the_middle_nation?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg==

The truth stands out clear from falsehood, and it doesn't stand out any clearer anywhere than it does right now in Palestine

Insha'Allah Middle Nation is entering a new phase!

We have now started to develop working groups with a focus on themes such as education, web-site development, regional representation, grassroots activism, corporate democratisation and more, to help inshaAllah widen and deepen Ustadh Shahid's impact and reach.

Although these are all at an early stage of development, you can expect to hear more about it soon.

If you have skills to offer in any of these areas, please let us know. We are particularly interested in hearing from people living in Muslim majority countries as we are developing briefings on each country and would love to have people based in relevant locations on the team.

As part of this new phase, we are happy to announce we are now starting a book discussion group. The first book we will be studying is the excellent and highly accessible work, "Arabs and Israel for Beginners" by Ron David, which we strongly urge everyone to read!

As a group, we will be reading a part of the book each week over the coming weeks, engaging in a discussion based on our reading. If you would like to participate, please join the new Book Discussion Section on the Telegram group.

In case you want to join in
https://t.me/+JhmPLGY_fadkZTM0

This isn't a moment, it's a movement

In addition to the Book Discussion Group* al hamdullileh we've set up two other working groups today:

1) MN Countries: for those interested in the regional representation, including Muslim majority countries (and grassroots activism) part of my earlier message.

Join here https://t.me/+y5LX_NIDCz8wMDM0

2) MN Volunteers: for those interested to *otherwise* volunteer their time and skills to Middle Nation, whether as part of tech team, helping build a translation team, education, general organisation or other.

Join here: https://t.me/+ew0ORT85k6UyMzk0

NB you can sign up to both, but please respect the different purposes of the groups and join whichever you think appropriate...

*Arabs and Israel for Beginners
Book Discussion Group link (see earlier post):
https://t.me/+JhmPLGY_fadkZTM0

In at least one state in Malaysia, all part-time Starbucks staff have been put on unpaid leave

Believing non-existent evidence of Israeli victimhood, disbelieving proof of Israeli crimes

Why are the Arab leaders silent?

Long one, big file. You can find it on Youtube, but putting it here for the archives

Nothing is more antisemitic than Zionism

Expulsion of Palestinians would be catastrophic

There appears to be a coordinated propaganda campaign to undermine the Muslim and Arab leaders, and Muslims in the West specifically have been conditioned to believe and spread it, because fundamentally, they themselves don't know whose team they're on.

When somebody tells me my analysis is naive or unrealistic, or otherwise wrong, and it is an issue I follow closely...I just start the countdown to the "I told you so moment"

Unveiling the Victorious Narrative: Why the Muslim Perspective is the True Lens for Understanding History and Current Affairs

Obviously, this is a disastrous move for the Malaysian franchise. In fact, they may as well be invoking the Sedition Act against themselves because what they are doing will only amplify the boycott sentiment.

At this point, franchises like McDonald's and Starbucks need to seriously consider severing ties with the corporate HQs, and go through the necessary steps to rebrand as independent operators.

For activists in the Global South, it will also be more useful to simply emphasize "buying local" and avoiding all Western brands without specifying which ones. And, as I have said repeatedly, do not necessarily say "boycott supporters of Zionism", but rather "only support those who support Palestine".

https://www.malaysianow.com/news/2023/11/15/mcdonalds-turns-to-sedition-act-as-boycott-bites-despite-pr-campaigns

One of the lasting negative impacts of America's so-called "war on terrorism" was the stigma and censoring of institutional Islamic education. This has created a generation or two of self-taught, Google-trained Muslims who severely lack organised knowledge in Usul, and Islamic history; and these same generations were also infused with Western-style activist mindsets .

Owens-Shapiro & the Daily Liar