In a previous conversation, Bariz Shah suggested the tables should be turned and the host (that’s me) should be questioned. I dwelt on that for a while, then asked Sara Qasem to be the questioner (There seemed a kind of balance: Sara was one of the speakers at the 2021 launch of The Christchurch Invitation / Mahia te Aroha and was my first podcast guest). But I thank Bariz for suggesting the idea.

So this is loosely framed around asking how I came to have the perspectives that I have. And why respond to the March 15, 2019 Christchurch attacks with these podcasts?

One underlying thread (though I maybe didn't draw the links strongly enough) was that folks like me who were brought up in the West but then accepted Islam had, in teh words of the killer, "turned their backs on their heritage, their cultures, their traditions, and become blood traitors to their race." And yet . . . . having taught literature for many years and having read pretty widely, and feeling deep respect for the lessons from my parents and family, I'm drawn again and again to the areas where we can find common ground to speak together and to listen. There are huge areas of common ground across cultures and traditions: different wordings, different ways of seeing and explaining, but a common ground of questioning of what it means to be human and to exist with others.

I’m not sure how well I’ve addressed Sara's questions. We may just have to try again 🤔 !!