Post hoc ergo procter hoc

So, in August, I volunteered to submit an article to Aslan Media about Syria. It wasn’t much, but I enjoyed writing it and it got published. Then, they asked for another. And then another. Then they were putting me in contact with interfaith leaders, members of the Syrian National Council, etc. and this was suddenly a real thing.

A month ago, Reza Aslan contacted me about becoming a featured columnist for his media outlet. After I picked myself up off the floor and stopped giggling like a madman, I accepted. Reza wanted to know what I would call my column and what I would focus on. After thinking about it for a while, we agreed that i was concentrate on bringing stories out of the Middle East that generally get overlooked by the western media (like women’s roles in the Arab Spring) or that get swallowed up by larger concerns about Islamists and nukes and oil, etc. and give them some prominence.

‘Above the Fold’ was launched on Aslan Media this weekend with my most recent piece, a look at Hamas and its growing role in regional politics. Please check it out, if you can. I am still humbled and a little over-awed at what I’ve gotten msyelf into, but am looking forward to our next steps.