The Ilhan Omar of Brown Pundits

Every movement has its lightning rods. In American politics, Ilhan Omar is one: progressive, unyielding, often correct in substance but polarizing in style. She calls out genuine injustices, but her timing and tone can sometimes drown out the very points she is trying to make.

I’ve begun to realize that Kabir plays a similar role on Brown Pundits. Like Ilhan, he often raises necessary truths (for instance Israel has just killed an American family in Lebanon). Like Ilhan, he brings traffic, visibility, and energy. But also like Ilhan, he has a way of inflaming rather than persuading.

Charlie Kirk’s remarks illustrate why Ilhan Omar’s critiques resonate, even if her tone divides. When Kirk sneers that there are “no tall buildings left in Gaza,” or jokes that Palestinians are “stupid Muslims” for resisting, he is not just making political commentary. He is engaging in dog-whistling — racialized, sexist, Islamophobic rhetoric that devalues human life. Combined with his earlier comments about the supposed lack of “brain processing power” among prominent Black women, the pattern is unmistakable. One does not have to be a progressive to see that such speech corrodes the civic space. At the same time, none of this justifies violence: the murders of Charlie Kirk and Irina Zarutska are deplorable and must be condemned without qualification.

The Progressive Dilemma

This is the paradox of progressivism. At its best, it reminds us of the equal worth of all lives; something I deeply share as a Bahá’í. No loss of civilian life can ever be justified, whether in Gaza, Kashmir, or anywhere else. To that extent, progressives are right.

But principles without pragmatism harden into stubbornness. That is where the line blurs. Kabir and I do not disagree as much as one might think; in fact, ideologically we share a fair amount of ground. Where we differ is in tone and timing. I believe in knowing when to be principled and when to be pragmatic. He leans toward rigidity; a stance that excites, but also polarizes.

Traffic, Tone, and Symbiosis

This rigidity is part of why Kabir has become the “star” of Brown Pundits. His posts and comments attract traffic and spark argument. Instead of quiet discussions on Hinduism or India’s civilizational role, we are drawn again and again into India–Pakistan debates. At one point I feared this would weaken the site. In fact, it has made it more successful. There is electricity in the conflict.

Still, there are limits. When the debate tips into personal attacks; I have to step in. Argument sharpens thought; abuse diminishes it.

Lessons from Nonviolent Resistance

Take Gaza as an example. Why is it that all Palestinian factions; Hamas, PLO, others, have never fully embraced nonviolent resistance? It was nonviolent resistance that broke British power in India. And it is nonviolent resistance that has kept the Bahá’í Faith alive through two centuries of persecution. Resistance must exist, yes, but its power comes not from noise but from principle. That is where I think progressive voices falter. They care less about the cause itself than about being shriller than their rivals.

Cricket, Power, and Perspective

The India–Pakistan obsession is not just political; it’s sporting. In cricket, India has won twelve of the last fifteen encounters against Pakistan, which shows that India no longer fears its neighbour. Against Australia or England, India remains cautious. But against Pakistan, confidence is absolute. That pattern repeats itself on the blog. India and Pakistan draw the eyes, the heat, the noise. And yet the deeper story is elsewhere: the role of Bharat as a sacred space, the unfolding of Indian civilization, the rise of South Asia as a whole.

Closing Reflection

Kabir is to Brown Pundits what Ilhan Omar is to American progressivism: provocative, often right, often shrill, impossible to ignore. The site has become symbiotic with his presence. That is not a weakness; it is a strength, so long as we remember the bigger picture.

Brown Pundits thrives when it hosts conflict, yes but also when it turns that conflict into context. That is the challenge for us all: to turn heat into light.