Stephen Schwartz

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Stephen Schwartz – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life and transformation of Stephen Schwartz (born September 9, 1948) — from left-wing roots to neoconservative journalist, Sufi Muslim convert, founder of the Center for Islamic Pluralism. Discover his writings, views, legacy, and memorable lines.

Introduction

Stephen Schwartz (born September 9, 1948) is an American journalist, columnist, and author whose journey spans radical politics, conversion to Islam, and vocal criticism of Islamic fundamentalism. Known also by his adopted name Stephen Suleyman Schwartz and more recently as Lulu Schwartz, he founded the Center for Islamic Pluralism and has contributed to high-profile outlets including The Wall Street Journal. His evolution from leftist radical to a commentator on Islam and geopolitics makes his life especially compelling and controversial today.

This article provides a full portrait: his early ideological roots, journalistic career, religious transformation, key writings and influence, famous statements, and lessons from his path.

Early Life and Family

Stephen Schwartz was born on September 9, 1948 in Columbus, Ohio.

• His father, Horace Schwartz, was a Jewish independent bookseller.

• His mother, born into a Protestant family (the daughter of a minister), later was a social services worker and was at times associated with leftist political beliefs.

• Schwartz later characterized both parents as “radical leftists and quite antireligious” — his father a “fellow traveler” and his mother a member of the Communist Party in earlier decades.

Shortly after his birth, the family relocated to San Francisco, where his upbringing was immersed in a milieu of literary and left-wing circles. He attended Lowell High School in San Francisco.

From his teen years, Schwartz gravitated toward radical politics. At about age 15, he studied Marxist theory at the San Francisco School of Social Science, digging into dialectical materialism and political economy.

His early writings included poetry and translations of Latin American poets. This bilingual literary grounding would remain a thread through his later journalistic work.

Youth, Ideological Journey & Early Career

Radical Politics and Trotskyism

In his youth and early adulthood, Schwartz was active in leftist politics:

• He joined youth branches and milieu aligned with Communist and socialist ideas.

• Over time, he shifted toward Trotskyist and “ultra-leftist” positions, affiliating with European left groups.

• He eventually broke with the left in 1983 and moved toward ideas he later described as free-market or libertarian leaning.

During these phases, he contributed to leftist and literary periodicals, blending politics and cultural critique.

Early Writing & Labor History

Schwartz worked for a time with labor and union bodies. Notably:

• He became involved with the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, authoring Brotherhood of the Sea: A History of the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific (published for the union’s centennial).

• He also co-founded a small group called FOCUS, a semi-Trotskyist organization, reflecting his blend of activism and intellectualism.

Through the 1990s, Schwartz worked as a staff writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, joining its union (the Newspaper Guild) as part of the newsroom staff.

He also served as Washington bureau chief for The Jewish Forward and as an editorial writer for Voice of America.

In 1999, Schwartz moved to Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina for about 18 months, amid the Balkan conflict. During that period, he wrote works on the Kosovo war, Balkans dynamics, and interfaith issues.

Religious Conversion and Intellectual Shift

One of the most dramatic transformations in Schwartz’s life was his conversion to Islam:

• In 1997, Schwartz formally converted to Islam, adopting the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam and Sufi inclinations.

• He took the name Stephen Suleyman Schwartz (and sometimes uses Lulu Schwartz in later years).

• He has identified as a Sufi Muslim, and has been critical of Wahhabism and other forms of Islamic fundamentalism.

In 2005, Schwartz launched the Center for Islamic Pluralism, a Washington, D.C.–based think tank promoting pluralistic, moderate interpretations of Islam, and opposing extremist ideology. He serves as its executive director.

Thus, his trajectory was not simply ideological (from left to right) but theological and civilizational — he positions himself as a critic from within the faith.

Career, Writings & Achievements

Stephen Schwartz has a varied portfolio:

• He has contributed to periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, Commentary, American Spectator, World Affairs, New York Times Book Review, among others.

• His major books include:

  • The Two Faces of Islam: The House of Sa’ud from Tradition to Terror

  • Kosovo: Background to a War

  • Intellectuals and Assassins: Writings at the End of Soviet Communism

  • Is It Good for the Jews?: The Crisis of America's Israel Lobby

  • The Other Islam: Sufism and the Road to Global Harmony
    

• He has written prolifically on themes like Islamist ideology, Middle East politics, U.S. academic infiltration (alleged), interfaith relations, and critiques of radical Islamism.

• In 2011–2012, he was a member of the editorial board of Folks Magazine.

Additionally, in more recent years, Schwartz has run for public office (e.g. San Francisco Board of Supervisors, District 3, under the name Lulu Schwartz) though unsuccessfully.

Historical Milestones & Context

To appreciate Schwartz’s path, it’s helpful to place him in the context of intellectual and geopolitical currents:

• Leftist radicalism of the 1960s–80s: Schwartz’s early ideological commitments echo the era’s radical politics, the appeal of Marxism, and the intellectual ferment in US literary and political circles.

• Post–Cold War shifts: As the Soviet bloc collapsed and debates over Islamism and identity intensified, Schwartz moved toward critiques of radical Islam and interventionist foreign policy stances.

• War on Terror era: His writings on Islamist movements, the Saudi state, and U.S. policy entered public debate especially post-9/11.

• Identity and conversion: Schwartz’s personal transformation from secular upbringing to Muslim advocacy reflects broader trends in identity, religious conversion, and intellectual critique in the late 20th / early 21st century.

His journey bridges multiple worlds: radical leftism, journalism, religious conversion, foreign policy commentary—placing him at the intersections of ideology, faith, and politics.

Legacy and Influence

Stephen Schwartz’s legacy is complex and contested:

• Voice of dissent within Islam: Through the Center for Islamic Pluralism and his writings, he has sought to challenge extremist narratives from within the Muslim community, advocating pluralism, moderation, and internal critique.

• Bridging faith and politics: He demonstrates how religious identity and intellectual critique can coexist; his life counters easy binaries (secular vs. religious, left vs. right).

• Controversial stances: His vocal criticism of Wahhabism, the Saudi state, academic Islamism, and Islamists has attracted both supporters and fierce critics.

• Intellectual evolution: His shift from leftist radicalism to a more conservative/libertarian stance reveals the tensions and dynamics of personal and political transformation.

While likely not a household name to most, within circles of Islamic studies, foreign policy debate, and religious activism, Schwartz’s writings continue to resonate.

Personality, Traits & Intellectual Style

Some key attributes and tendencies:

• Intellectually restless: Schwartz has repeatedly shifted ideological positions, showing openness to reassess beliefs across decades.

• Courage to criticize from inside: He takes on controversial issues within Islam—extremism, fundamentalism, and power structures—often risking backlash.

• Literary sensibility: His early grounding in poetry, translation, and literary communities gives his prose a reflective and rhetorical dimension.

• Polemicist character: He is not shy about sharp critiques, strong rhetorical framing, and confrontation in ideological debates.

• Bridge-builder: Despite polemics, he often frames his work in interfaith, pluralism, and dialogue terms, aiming to connect Muslims and non-Muslims.

Famous Quotes of Stephen Schwartz

Here are several representative statements attributed to him, showing his views on Islam, intellectual discourse, and politics:

• “I am an American Muslim journalist and author.” (on his identity)

• “I came into Islam in 1997, after more than 30 years of research study, and life experience.”

• “My parents were very active in the left-literary scene … I ended up seriously studying the Spanish language and becoming a fully bilingual writer.”

• “Schwartz’s criticism of Islamic Fundamentalism, especially the Wahhabi movement … has attracted controversy.” (about his public role)

• From his description in biographical sources: “His background is on the political left, but now describes himself as a neoconservative.”

Because his output is largely journalistic and argumentative rather than aphoristic, many of his most salient “quotes” are embedded within essays and articles rather than stand-alone lines.

Lessons from Stephen Schwartz

What can we glean from his life and intellectual journey?

1. Belief is not static
   Schwartz’s transformations show that people’s core beliefs — political, religious, moral — can evolve in profound ways, especially under intellectual challenge.

2. Critique from within builds credibility
   His status as a Muslim critic of Islamic extremism gives him a voice that outsiders cannot claim; internal critique can carry distinct moral weight.

3. Ideological flexibility matters
   Clinging rigidly to a worldview may limit insight. Schwartz’s shifts—from left to libertarian, secular to religious—exemplify adaptability over dogma.

4. Courage is required for dissent
   Challenging both previous allies and current orthodoxies demands bravery, especially when critics label you traitorous from multiple sides.

5. Intellectual life is relational
   His life underscores how family, upbringing, literary culture, politics, and religion intertwine to shape one’s trajectory.

6. The power of narrative and voice
   To shape public discourse, one must not only have ideas but also a distinctive, persuasive voice. Schwartz’s career demonstrates this interplay of belief and medium.

Conclusion

Stephen Schwartz, born September 9, 1948, is far more than a “journalist.” He is a case study of intellectual metamorphosis, religious conversion, and a thought leader who pushes against both Western and Islamic orthodoxies. From radical left roots to a Sufi Muslim advocating pluralism, his journey challenges us to reexamine our assumptions about ideology, faith, and identity.

His writings and activism remain relevant—especially in debates about Islam’s role in modernity, the struggle against extremism, and the space for dissenting Muslim voices. If you like, I can also generate a timeline of his major works, analyze one of his books, or compare him with other Muslim intellectuals. Which would you prefer?