Good day!

I'm not very good at introductions, but I'm getting practice.

I suppose the best place to start is to describe my political ideology. I was raised in a socialist country, Yugoslavia - but I think socialism as it existed in my country was very unique, a Prague Spring that wasn't oppressed. We had many more freedoms than existed in other socialist and communist countries - including freedom of religion, to an extent. This was very important to my family because we are Muslim and, in my country, religion is, in many ways, our identity. You are born into one religion or another and, even if you are not religious, your name assigns you to one religion or another in the eyes of others. Everyone from my country will instantly recognize that my name is Muslim, just as they will instantly recognize that my husband's name is Catholic. Today I do not consider myself a socialist but more of a liberal, although I support almost every ideal of socialism as it was promoted during the time of Yugoslavia - for example, universal health care, universal access to post-secondary education, generous maternity leave (no less than one year), generous social programs (not unconditional welfare), as well as unity and a sense of common purpose.

My interest in joining this forum is to discuss politics - and perhaps other subjects - with others who share the same views as well as others who don't, as long as the discussion is polite. I like to understand those I don't agree with.

Personally, I am a little complicated. I go to mosque to pray whenever I can but there is usually a flask of vodka in the purse I lay on the steps outside. I always wear high heels and feminine clothing yet I have a deep voice, laugh like a man, smoke, and curse a lot (but I won't here, of course). I love music and dancing, very much.

I suppose that's enough. Have a great day!

Haha, well those stereotypes are inspired by a small percentage of Muslims - mainly Arabs, who are a small minority of the world's Muslims. They're not true of most Arabs and they're certainly not true of the rest of us. But, of course, there are Muslim women from every background who reflect some of those stereotypes, even among my people there are a small number who veil strictly and so on. You wouldn't recognize me if you saw me when I was praying, or when I was having a bad hair day - in these and other situations I veil quite strictly.

I'm not very good at introductions, but I'm getting practice.

I suppose the best place to start is to describe my political ideology. I was raised in a socialist country, Yugoslavia - but I think socialism as it existed in my country was very unique, a Prague Spring that wasn't oppressed. We had many more freedoms than existed in other socialist and communist countries - including freedom of religion, to an extent. This was very important to my family because we are Muslim and, in my country, religion is, in many ways, our identity. You are born into one religion or another and, even if you are not religious, your name assigns you to one religion or another in the eyes of others. Everyone from my country will instantly recognize that my name is Muslim, just as they will instantly recognize that my husband's name is Catholic. Today I do not consider myself a socialist but more of a liberal, although I support almost every ideal of socialism as it was promoted during the time of Yugoslavia - for example, universal health care, universal access to post-secondary education, generous maternity leave (no less than one year), generous social programs (not unconditional welfare), as well as unity and a sense of common purpose.

My interest in joining this forum is to discuss politics - and perhaps other subjects - with others who share the same views as well as others who don't, as long as the discussion is polite. I like to understand those I don't agree with.

Personally, I am a little complicated. I go to mosque to pray whenever I can but there is usually a flask of vodka in the purse I lay on the steps outside. I always wear high heels and feminine clothing yet I have a deep voice, laugh like a man, smoke, and curse a lot (but I won't here, of course). I love music and dancing, very much.

I suppose that's enough. Have a great day!

Yeah, Michigan is the home of the Islamic Center of America, which is the largest Mosque in North America. Although shamefully I must admit many of the muslims here are not treated well especially since the September 11th attacks. Even though we do not get muslim extremists here like they get in the UK, most muslims here are those escaping from the difficulties in the arab world and are generally very passive people.

You read too much media, there is a very very small minority of extremists.