tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83788737584327436472024-03-13T19:10:14.530-07:00The Logickermuslim girl refutes; pontificates; and all-around produces rants unlikely ever to be read.Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-40615995074423612722015-01-13T08:57:00.001-08:002015-01-13T09:00:21.538-08:00The Charlie Hebdo Affair<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is my reply to the Facebook comment thread linked to here:</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/maryam.aldabbagh/posts/10205162318113512?comment_id=10205179546344207&offset=0&total_comments=32&notif_t=share_comment">https://www.facebook.com/maryam.aldabbagh/posts/10205162318113512?comment_id=10205179546344207&offset=0&total_comments=32&notif_t=share_comment</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks to all of you again for taking the time to engage, and the length of this post reflects the seriousness with which I regard this subject. First, a disclaimer:
I’ve never read an entire Charlie Hebdo issue in my life, or indeed heard of it
before this incident. I am largely unfamiliar with French culture and the
reality on the ground in France; I don’t know<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> how widespread
racism is there, whether immigrants are truly accepted in society (and I think
this is a question for many European countries at the moment), etc… so this is
why comparing different viewpoints like this article, over the past several
days, has been very important for me.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One of the things that interested me most about this article
in particular was that it was mainly discussing not just Islam itself but also
the experiences of people of color in France (linking it to the author’s recent
trip to Paris to discuss just that with Parisians of color). It’s very
important to emphasize that for me, questioning this kind of content is not
about making a “special excuse” for Islam, or encouraging double standards.
Cartoons that peddle racist stereotypes about black people, Chinese people, and
Buddhist people, as Alexandre mentioned, would be just as unacceptable for me
as those that depict Islam and/or Muslims – and just as I would be vehemently
against the kind of anti-Semitic cartoons that are already stringently banned
under French law, as they should be. (A fact that calls into question double
standards of a different nature, as many commentaries have already pointed
out.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">First and most important: we can all agree that there is
such a thing as racist, offensive and xenophobic speech. The tricky part is
that, of course, everyone’s standards for what constitutes “offensive” are
different, both on an individual and a cultural level. For example, in the US,
these kinds of cartoons would NEVER be published (even newspapers that are
reprinting them in solidarity blur out some of the more controversial ones).
This has to do with the history and culture of the US, which has had to try and
move beyond a very fractious and still-dangerous “race problem”. This is also
the angle from which the author of this article, who apparently lives in the
US, views this subject by. As a dual citizen of Saudi Arabia and the US, I also
am definitely more on the side of the US in how I interpret speech as offensive
or not. So our standard of judging certain kinds of speech as unacceptable is
pretty low.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">However, what would never be acceptable in the US would in
fact be acceptable in France; as I’ve learned through my research over the past
several days, France has a tradition of no-holds-barred satire that dates back
to the Revolution. As a result, the standards for offensive speech for the
average French person is much higher – which might result in someone French
considering what I think is a tasteless joke as pretty funny; so we can’t
automatically say “oh the French are racists!” just because they might
appreciate a different type of humor than we do. Also, thank you Alexandre for
explaining the cartoon, I see now that it can’t be fairly described as
“racist”. I’ve done some more research and apparently even the cartoon of the
woman as a monkey was also a comment on HER being described as a monkey by
racists. So yes, just calling something racist doesn’t automatically make it
so, and there are multiple ways to read different cartoons. What pushes
someone’s buttons might be absolutely fine for others. (An article that helped
me to digest this: <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/11/1356945/-On-not-understanding-Charlie-Why-many-smart-people-are-getting-it-wrong">http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/11/1356945/-On-not-understanding-Charlie-Why-many-smart-people-are-getting-it-wrong#</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If I understand you correctly, Ejmin,
your main point is that no one has the right not to be offended; freedom of
speech means allowing disrespectful and provocative language, attacking the
holiness that surrounds certain concepts; ‘thumbing it to the man’, so to
speak. While you are absolutely correct, I’d like to question the occasional intentions
behind such speech… I don’t think it can ever really be chalked up to “just for
fun”. You point out just a few comments later (lol) that “satiric expressions
reflect utterly the imagination of the society from the concepts that matter,
so they are good ways of evaluating what's going on in the main stream”. So
framing it as ‘just for fun’ isn’t doing it justice; there’s always
reverberations and repercussions that can’t be immediately detected in these
issues. (Also, </span>I think the point of linking to the CNN report was just
to point out that this kind of talk is becoming more and more widespread). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When ‘humor’ is based on peddling
harmful and negative stereotypes, that’s when it starts being problematic – but
then again, it’s not about what I or anyone else finds tasteless, is it?
However, what I feel clinches the issue for me is not the question of
disrespecting certain minorities over others, but in that it’s a way for the
‘strong’ to clobber the ‘weak’. When ‘poking fun’ is actually ‘consistently
targeting a certain minority’. And w</span>hile I’m not familiar with the legal
definition of “hate speech” (thank you, Saudi legal education, for not having a
class on freedom of expression :P) I don’t agree that the only standard to
judge hate speech should be “proving that people were motivated to conduct hate
crime” as a result. Hate speech should also be understood as maliciously
propagating stereotypes that take away from people’s dignity and can actually
result in a subliminal, unconscious erosion of their sense of respect by the
majority, and leads not only to condescension but also to denigration on a
wider scale. Which is arguably what’s happening here. <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The fact that ‘Charlie Hebdo made fun of white people too’
doesn’t really resolve the issue at hand – as pointed out in this article (<a href="http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/why-i-am-not-charlie/">http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/why-i-am-not-charlie/</a>),
“<span style="background: white; color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Saying the President of the
Republic is a randy satyr is not the same as accusing nameless Muslim
immigrants of bestiality. What merely annoys the one may deepen the other’s
systematic oppression. To defend satire because it’s indiscriminate is to admit
that it discriminates against the defenseless.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just a quick example – would a strong,
loud bully on a playground be allowed to mercilessly taunt a short quiet weak
kid, or would he be stopped? This is the main reason why I feel like there
should be limits; not because some people are more likely to get offended than
other, but because power dynamics in a society are real and because encouraging
widespread stereotypes about people can be very harmful. Not just because it
offends them personally, but because propagating these stereotypes is always
negative, and because, come on – much of this is not intelligent humor that’s
making a point in any way. Maintaining people’s rights to be provocative is one
thing, but also acknowledging that sometimes these provocations are based on
nothing more than childish and immature ways to express oneself, like an
annoying kid sticking their tongue out and going “nyah nyah nyah!”. As the New
York Times put it, ““We have a standard that is long held and that serves us
well: that there is a line between gratuitous insult and satire. Most of these
are gratuitous insult.”</span><a href="http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/charlie-hebdo-cartoon-publication-debate/?_r=2"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">http://publiceditor.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/charlie-hebdo-cartoon-publication-debate/?_r=2</span></a><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So: I guess the takeaway from all this
is that, while I am not going to presume to advocate for more stringent laws on
freedom of expression, nor am I going to try and condemn the French mode of
satire from the outside, I am against lionizing these cartoons and trying to
make them out to be some kind of heroic statement for freedom and liberty. </span>Regarding
the way that some media outlets have reacted to the massacre, the
always-incredible and on-point Glenn Greenwald expresses just what I want to
say on the subject: <a href="https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/01/09/solidarity-charlie-hebdo-cartoons/">https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/01/09/solidarity-charlie-hebdo-cartoons/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also reminded of this thoughtful comic on
the subject by an excellent cartoonist:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jan/09/joe-sacco-on-satire-a-response-to-the-attacks">http://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/jan/09/joe-sacco-on-satire-a-response-to-the-attacks</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">To be honest, my own attitude regarding these kinds of
cartoons is to ignore them. They’re not hurting me, and they’re certainly not
hurting the Prophet. I couldn’t care less what a bunch of people, who are
utterly ignorant about what Islam stands for, think about it. I highly doubt
that these cartoons can be blamed for persuading anyone who is not aware of the
subject that Islam or the Prophet advocate violence. Humor doesn’t operate in a
vacuum, and we need to allocate blame where it is due. I think the cartoons are
tasteless and I don’t agree with them, but realistically, especially in this
day and age, I think it’s going to become less and less likely that my
objection to them is going to lead to them being banned. In the end, the only
thing we Muslims can do is to fight against these stereotypes so that they make
no sense anymore. So that referring to the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist
would be considered an oxymoron that makes no sense, not something that would
make anyone chuckle in recognition. And that is what, largely, we have failed
to do. We do carry the burden of representing ourselves; a demonstration by
Muslims is the one thing I would’ve wanted to see as well. If I lived in a
place where I could organize one myself, believe me, I would. As it is, I hope
and pray that my actions and words in condemning these heinous crimes can be
enough. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the end, what did those terrorists accomplish? Their
disgusting attempt at “defense” of the Prophet, if it really was “defense”,
just led to the propagation of more of these ludicrous cartoons around the
world. To stepping up the attempts at blasphemy, to enforcing the terrible
stereotype of Muslims as terrorists, to increased actual hate crime against
Muslims who are identified with these awful crimes, and on and on… Here in
Saudi Arabia people are actually calling into question that Muslims did this
(though I don’t like engaging in conspiracy theories), since they couldn’t have
harmed Islam more systematically if they tried!!! That’s why, in conclusion,
this cartoon by Carlos Latuff, which I have linked to before, is so apt: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera/photos/pcb.10153092512528690/10153092508728690/?type=1&theater">https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera/photos/pcb.10153092512528690/10153092508728690/?type=1&theater</a>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Peace be with us all.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-90943286407066937952012-11-02T11:53:00.002-07:002012-11-02T12:07:01.350-07:00'Who Speaks For Islam?' - short story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Should I begin with an overused long and heartfelt SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED FOR SO LONG (with any readers to whom this might make sense sure-to-be migrated to more active pastures), or just get on with it?<br />
<br />
Here's a short story I wrote for a contest by an American Islamic organization. Bit cheesy by the end, I fear. Had to tie it up quickly. I finished and submitted it bleary-eyed at about three minutes to deadline at 5 o'clock in the morning (and then the next day I found out that they extended the deadline another fifteen days, go figure!). Worst thing is, I'd known about it for weeks. But there you go, I should be majoring in procrastination, not law.<br />
<br />
So. Do read, and let me know what you think.<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoListParagraph" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; margin-left: 36.0pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Who Speaks For
Islam?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The auditorium's lights glowed under the night sky, stars above
only dimly visible in the city heavens. On either side of the glossy table onstage two
women faced off, a third in the middle acting as moderator. The banner on the
backdrop screen, framed on either side by proud unfurled American flags, announced: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">FACE OFF: ISLAM & AMERICA – TOO DIFFERENT? GCN Debate</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"> <i>–with
Arlene O'Carn & Salwa Abed</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Television cameras and a rapt audience encircled Arlene, Salwa and
the moderator in this modern vision of a gladiator's coliseum. They were
sparring with the modern gladiator's primary weapons: words. Only one,
however, seemed to be winning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"First off," Arlene was saying to cheers from the crowd,
"we don't need you so-called moderates tellin' us we don't need to fear
the fundamentalists. Who says you represent the greater Muzlum community
anyway? For one, where's your, uh, garb?" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">As Salwa across from her, curly-haired and bright-earringed, took a
breath to reply, one of the few women actually wearing hijab in the audience exchanged
a frustrated glance with her friend Fatimah, who was similarly attired. "Is this woman serious?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Quiet, Aliya," hushed Fatimah. "She's
replying."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Just because I don't wear hijab doesn't mean I'm not a
Muslim," Salwa said firmly. "That's beyond what you have the right to
say" –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Do you pray five times a day?" interrupted Arlene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I…" Salwa started, helplessly – and Arlene pounced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Funny how often those two happen to correlate. Y'see,
Katie," said Arlene O'Carn amiably, turning to the moderator, "I've
got no problem with Muzlums like Miz Salwa – just the ones whose <i>practice</i>
of their religion prevents them from assimilating into our greater Western
society!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Salwa attempted heavy-handedly to reply, but the damage had already
been done. A man in the audience clapped and whooped. Aliya shot him a glare.
But the damage had been done; the whole auditorium began clapping, and no
amount of glaring could shut them up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"So now, as long as we <i>don't practice</i> our religion,
we're fine? This is pathetic," muttered Aliya to her friend. "I <i>have
</i>to say something… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">"THIS IS BIGOTRY!" she shouted, cupping her hands around
her mouth, but her voice was drowned out in the cheering tumult. Arlene smiled
and nodded, lapping up every minute of it. Salwa was frowning, slightly slumped
in her seat. "Why doesn't she fight back?" Aliya demanded directly
into Fatimah's ear, who winced. Katie, the moderator, soon brought the crowd
under control. While Salwa did the best she could to make up for her earlier
lapse, the smug smile never left the corner of Arlene's lips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well, we're all out of time, folks," Katie said finally,
turning to the cameras, "thank you for attending this week's Debates by
GCN. Don't forget to tune in next week to resume this interesting discussion.
Thanks for watching, everybody, and goodnight!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The two women onstage shook hands with each other and with the
moderator. Behind her smile, Salwa appeared to be gritting her teeth. The
lights dimmed, and as the TV show music played the audience began to file out
the back. Aliya stayed in her seat, arms crossed. "Are we waiting for
something in particular?" Fatimah inquired after a few minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Without answering Aliya got up and started down the stairs, towards
the empty stage. Fatimah caught at her sleeve. "What're you doing?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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piece of my mind! Both of them!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Come on," Fatimah told her firmly. "Out."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Aliya shot her another glare, but allowed herself to be steered outside.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">They emerged into the bracing night air. The crowd had dispersed,
mostly students heading back to their dorms. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"What is her problem?" Aliya began, unheard by anyone but
the long-suffering Fatimah. "I don't understand it. Obviously we all know
what kind of a no-holds-barred Islamophobe Arlene O'Carn is – but for the
Muslim to capitulate like that in front of her? I just hope she does better
next week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Who is she, anyway?" she gestured to a publicity poster
they passed. "This </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Salwa Abed.</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I've never even heard of her. Where
do they </span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">get</i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> these people?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well," said Fatimah, lagging behind to eye the poster,
"she's Arab-American, she's written books… A couple on the bestseller
lists, it says!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Yeah, I bet she has," Aliya dismissed as they continued
walking. "One of those, <i>'oh look at me, I'm a Muslim but I'm just like
you'</i> stuff. I'm telling you. These days, being a Muslim and having a Muslim
name is worth a lot more than it used to be, if you're willing to shill
yourself properly."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Sounds like you've given this some proper thought,
Aliya," said Fatimah, grinning. "Is this a new career path we should
expect for you?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Aliya rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. I don't blame her,
really, it's easy money. Never mind that she's </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">not actually practicing. Never
mind that making her some kind of poster child for American Muslims is
deliberately misrepresenting us – and Muslims worldwide."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"You know," said Fatimah, "some people might
disagree with you on that. The 'we all sin, so it doesn't matter' crowd…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I know, but that’s not the point. What I'm saying is, the
more people like her, who prop themselves up on TV announcing themselves as the
'real women of Islam', just gives more opportunity to everyone else to label <i>us</i>,
going about our normal business while just happening to cover up our hair and dress
modestly however the heck we choose to and actually practice our religion, as
crazy extreme fundamentalists! It's not fair."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Fatimah was used to her friend's rants and had sportingly allowed
her thus far. "Well, why don't you do something?" she put in, once
Aliya took a breath. "You get yourself all worked up for nothing. I've
heard all this a billion times: why this, why that. The question is, what are
you going to do about all of it?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I don't know – that's the problem."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">They stopped, suddenly, as a van pulled out in front of them. From
the back of the building several figures emerged, and trudged down the lawn
towards it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Is that…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"The moderator," said Fatimah. "And crew, probably. Want to say something?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Sure," said Aliya.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Okay, go ahead. Tell her."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"<i>You</i> tell her," whispered Aliya. The van had
continued past them; the people were almost to the van doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Fine. Um – Miss Katie!" Fatimah called, waving her hand
as though in a classroom, and they hurried over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Yes?" Katie said. As they came up, she fixed them with
one of her screen-worthy smiles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well – we just wanted to tell you what big fans of you we
were" –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Katie's smile widened as Aliya elbowed Fatimah in the ribs.
"Why, thank you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"But we'd also like to say," Fatimah continued, with a reproachful
glance to her friend, "that we were </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">very disappointed in the way the
debate was presented."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"First of all," Aliya put in, "we didn't think at
all that Ms. Abed was a good selection as a representative for Muslims."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I'm sorry you feel that way," Katie said diplomatically,
"but we felt that, due to her status as such a successful author and
speaker…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Aliya snorted. "You can ask any Muslim. I'm sure that plenty
certainly won't agree that she's in any kind of position to speak for
Islam."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well, who would you suggest?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Um…" S</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">lowly, Aliya was horrified to draw a complete blank.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I suppose a more appropriate question would be, who speaks
for Islam?" Katie asked again, with that fixed, bright smile of hers. For
the first time in a while, Aliya was finding herself at a loss for words. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"We gotta move, Katie!" shouted someone from the van, and
saving her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Sorry! Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. See you next
week, then," said the moderator, turning to go with another double-wattage
smile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Looking forward to it," murmured Fatimah, and Aliya's
heart lurched in knowledge of her own sore lacking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">They were back in their dorm by now, in the cluttered and dim
living room. Fatimah was perched on the couch; Aliya paced back and forth.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"We don't know!"</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Aliya said,
gesticulating and practically shouting. "That's the problem! Who speaks
for Islam? We have no idea!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"You keep 'speaking for Islam' that loud, Roya is not going to
be very happy," noted Fatimah, peeling an orange.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Don't say her name too loud, she'll hear you," said
Aliya ominously, glancing towards the closed door. Fatimah wordlessly extended
Aliya an orange slice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"No, thanks… God, why didn't we – why haven't we thought about
this before? Where are our leaders?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well, Roya is president of the Muslim Student Council" –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Yeah, right."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">A muffled indignant noise came from behind a closed door, and Aliya
stopped her pacing just long enough to direct a not-very-contrite "Sorry,
Roya," towards it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Parties and dress-up," she continued in a lower voice, "you
know what I think of her <i>leadership. </i>And I'm not talking students here,
Fatimah, I'm talking about people who could actually hold their own against
that Arlene lady." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"One of the professors, then. We've got plenty of people who
should be up to it within Islamic Studies, at least." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Oh, really?" scoffed Aliya. "So who do you have in
mind? The radical from Yemen, or the mole from the State Department, or the guy
who spends half his time snorting incense and twirling around to voodoo chants?
Or the woman who does?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Not sure they're voodoo chants, exactly…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Voodoo, Sufi, whatever."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Not very respectful, Aliya."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Fine. Sorry. All I'm saying is, not many people would take
them too seriously either. And then" – if possible, the rate of her pacing
increased. "That's not even the central point here! I'm not talking about <i>within
our college</i>, though now that we've brought that up, sure, we are in crisis
mode and we don't even know it. But setting that aside – I'm talking about the
wider community. Big time. Muslims as a whole, the religious community, the
Ummah! Where are our leaders? Where have they been, where did they all
go?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">She stood there, arms outstretched, breathing hard with impassioned
effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Fatimah then observed dryly, "Aliya's Philosophical Musing of
the Day Number 7762," and got started on another orange.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I'm not kidding, Fatoom," said Aliya sternly. She sat
down next to her to nick a slice. For a few moments they sat chewing
thoughtfully.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I know," said Fatimah. "I'm not either. In fact, I
think I might know a member of the faculty who would do a great job against
Arlene."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Really?" said Aliya, turning to her. "Who?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">One week later, once again the auditorium sent its glaring light up
into the sky, and Katie the moderator swiveled her chair round to beam at the
camera almost as twinkly. "Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to the second
round of our debate with Arlene O'Carne and Salwa Abed!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Dutiful applause smattered as they both came out. Fatimah, craning
her neck left and right, didn't bother to join in, and sighed in relief when
Aliya eased into the seat next to her. "Is everything ready?" she
hissed to Aliya, who nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"We'll just wait for the Q & A session. I talked to Katie.
Everything's set."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Forty minutes later, the debate was ending. Aliya, both in
nervousness and frustration at what was going on onstage, had ripped the
program to shreds on her lap. Once again Salwa had failed spectacularly, and
that maddening self-satisfied quirk adorned the corner of Arlene's mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"We will now have our Q&A session," said Katie,
"starting with… yes you, sir, in the blue shirt…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The man labored to his feet; his hair was graying, he had a paunch,
and he shuffled a bit taking the microphone. Self-consciously he cleared his
throat before starting. "I'm, uh, Evan Cornell." The room took a
collective breath of zero anticipation. "This is directed to Arlene. I
just wanted to say…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Yes?" said Arlene, leaning forward faux-attentively.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I just wanted to say what a disgrace to our American spirit
your espoused views are, and how ashamed I am to count you amongst our ranks as
an academic," said the man, his voice suddenly, irretrievably, hardening. Arlene
was visibly taken aback. "As a public figure, you should know better. Your
fear-mongering and saber-rattling are doing far more harm than good in this
country, and I just wanted to say that we, as a country and as individuals,
have had enough of it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Yeah!" shouted someone far off. The applause built and
rumbled to a crescendo, and Arlene looked horrified.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Stop it!" she shrieked. She got to her feet, teetering
on her stilletos. "How dare you accuse me? You're – you're one of them!
You're a Muzlum! I'm gonna sue" –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"If anyone is punishable to serve some libel claims, it would
be you, Ms. O'Carn," said the man, "and actually, I'm not Muslim at
all, though I have the greatest respect for the Islamic faith, and for Muslims." He took a
quick look to where Aliya and Fatimah were seated. "I don't count myself as belonging to any
organized religion, but I feel the need as a human to stand up for what's right when my fellow humans are being prejudiced and discriminated against."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Well, in that case," stammered Arlene, "I'm sure
you'll like it just fine when Sharia creeps over to rule the land! I'm
sure" –<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16px;">I'm a constitutional law professor here at the university. </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Once it gets overruled, I'll let you
know," said the man dryly, to laughter.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I think that'll be all," said Katie, visibly grinning,
"thank you all for the <i>lively</i> discussion…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The music blared over Arlene's continued protestations; in the end,
she was hauled bodily off the stage by her own bodyguards. Aliya and Fatimah
made their way to Evan, with difficulty – surrounded by well-wishers as he was
– to give him their profuse thanks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"So," said Aliya, as she and Fatimah made their way out
afterwards, "successful as that was, I still think we need someone to speak
for Islam who is actually Muslim. I wonder who it should be…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"If you think I'm going to say it should be <i>you</i>,"
retorted Fatimah, "you are mistaken. You've got a long way to go – keep
that temper in check, for one."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">They laughed, together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Hey, towelhead!" someone shouted. Aliya's head whipped
around instantly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Don't," Fatimah cautioned. But someone had already got
to him – there was a helpless squeal and two people broke through the crowd,
one holding the guilty party in some kind of headlock. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Apologize,"
he ordered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Sorry," the other managed wheezily, and once the man had
let go stumbled away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"I'm not Muslim either," the man said gruffly, "but
we all have a duty towards each other."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"Thank you," Aliya told him, and meant it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"We're going to have to do some Qur'an distributing, I
think," she said to Fatimah as they continued walking. "Spread the
knowledge."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">"'We'?" said Fatimah.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">Aliya winked. "You bet."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-19387110762673511152011-12-12T14:39:00.000-08:002011-12-12T15:15:15.202-08:00Women's Rights: Bring Them Into Focus<div><div>-<em> I've been putting these little italicised fore-notes at the beginning of several posts now; I guess I'll keep the 'tradition' going. The following was written in response to an article in the Saudi English newspaper Arab News (<a href="http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article546538.ece">http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article546538.ece</a>) about women's rights; it won't make much sense unless you read the article first.</em></div><div><em>Enjoy.</em></div><div><em>-</em></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>To The Editor:</div><div><br />I am a Muslim Saudi woman. Though I am elated at the news of a conference being held on the all-too-needed topic of women's rights here, the content of your article had me doubting whether the conference really accomplished what it set out to do.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's start out being positive, though. I must agree with your headline: "Muslims Cautioned Against Looking At Women Through Western Prism". Why are we even looking towards the West for guidance in women's rights? 1400 years ago under the Prophet Muhammad women were granted rights to inheritance, to vote, to equality, to humanity... which women in the mud hovels of the Middle Ages -mired West totally lacked. Now, without a doubt - we need to stop deluding ourselves - we are not following our own religious teachings (when did the Prophet Muhammad prohibit women from riding donkeys?), and we are taking for ourselves the very worst aspect of Western women's "liberation": immorality. The question for Saudis, Arabs and Muslims is: when, where and why did we fall behind? More importantly, how do we now catch up, and improve?<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, a conference about that would be very interesting.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To continue: I find it staggering that in an article covering a women's rights convention, 5 of the 6 speakers/moderators mentioned are men. The one woman is tucked into a footnote at the end, not even quoted. This is part of the problem: when will men stop speaking for women?<br />Their endeavors on behalf of women are much appreciated. However, these social problems<br />will never be solved if they keep listening to no one but themselves, repeating<br />they've been saying for many years: "All is well". It's not. I'm sure if you asked the average Saudi woman, she would not agree that "all her needs are provided for". Transportation? Nope. Independence? Nope. Right to work? Oh, they're still discussing that. Mentioned in one of the lectures was 'women having illegal sex and getting abortions'. Those women did not<br />impregnate themselves. As with all problems, the blame cannot be skewed to one<br />side. We need to stop blaming the women for moral bankruptcy in society. It takes two to tango, as the saying goes.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>That said, let's not point fingers at just the men. Women are at fault, too. Many display astonishingly bovine behavior towards very real problems in their own society. Acceptance of the status quo, if they are personally not affected, is rife. I've had people tell me that they are<br />not affected by the driving ban, as they have drivers: "why should they care?" Many women conduct themselves in a way totally bereft of decorum and dignity, much less their supposed 'faith'; why are women who call themselves Muslim walking around malls in drag queen makeup? This merely lends fuel to excuses to hinder women's rights on the hollow basis of 'preventing immorality'.</div><div><br />Point is, the women are not pristinely innocent creatures either: no one is. What we most need to understand is that these issues in Saudi Arabia - and the world as a whole - are not part of a 'gender war': this is a comprehensive social problem. We need to honestly face it, and ourselves, if we are to go anywhere, and if we are ever to find solutions.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And God, how I sincerely hope we do.</div><div> </div></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-44191742862450297892011-12-11T09:19:00.001-08:002011-12-11T09:21:11.227-08:00Thank You For Giving Me The Vote, King Abdullah. Now Can I Please Have Something To Vote About?<div>-</div><div><i>The following is the second of my articles to appear on the Aslan Media website at http://aslanmedia.com/news-a-politics/301-world/4484-thank-you-for-giving-me-the-vote-king-abdullah-now-can-i-please-have-something-to-vote-about. </i></div><div><i>It's an alternate form of my below piece, An Overrated Decision.</i></div><div><i>-</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><p>When I, a Saudi female who lives in the city of Jeddah, first heard the news last month that King Abdullah was going to let women vote, my first reaction was, "vote in what?"</p> <p><img class="caption" border="0" align="left" src="http://aslanmedia.com/images/stories/News/5455880311_8e82e98c73_z.jpg" />As is well known, the country of Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy. The king has the final say in everything. There is no parliament, no prime minister, not even a constitution.</p> <p>I suppose democracy must begin somewhere. But what elections was the king even talking about?</p> <p>Perhaps he meant municipal elections. Those were held for the second time ever earlier this year. Yet when women went to their municipalities to vote, they were turned away at the polls. These women then launched a protest against their lack of a voice (not to mention the nonsensical ban on allowing them to drive), which I view as part of a larger attempt for Saudi women to gain leverage in a male dominated system and society.</p> <p>Perhaps the king meant elections for the Shura Council, the "formal advisory body" in Saudi Arabia that in theory has the power to propose laws to the King (but not enforce them). That would be more interesting. About time, too!</p> <p>But there's something missing here. Did he say anything about women driving? About finally legalizing it? Er… No. Apparently the King is fine with women taking a part in deciding which the (symbolic) road the country should take, domestically and internationally, but not in actually driving on that (physical) road.</p> <p>In any case, the King’s decree is already beginning to look suspiciously ineffective. The fact is that the next municipal elections are scheduled to be held in 2015 and the Shura Council does not directly effect daily life for Saudis (as mentioned, the council merely proposes, not enforces, laws). We need a decree that would bring a positive, practical change to Saudi women's lives, not just lip-service that sounds good – and that the world's media hail as a major milestone – yet makes no real difference at all in anything but perception.</p> <p>Don’t forget that just two days after the announcement hailed as a landmark in the progress of women's roles in Saudi society, a Saudi woman who drove was <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/27/us-saudi-women-driving-idUSTRE78Q3QL20110927" target="_blank">sentenced in court to a flogging of 10 lashes</a> as punishment. Of course, there was an international uproar and the sentencing was eventually overturned. Once again the media talked about a huge step forward for Saudi women! Personally, I do not see the revoking of the sentence as something to be celebrated. It is not like no woman would ever be sentenced for driving again.</p> <p>My pessimism was reinforced when Crown Prince Sultan died (may God have mercy on his soul) and Prince Nayef was announced next in line to the throne. The septuagenarian Nayef is not known for his support of initiatives advancing democracy or women's rights. On the contrary, he "does not see the need for elections or for female members of the Shura council" – both subjects of the decree the world recently celebrated. Nayef has also stated that women's driving is a "non-issue" and "should be decided by society" – whatever that means. On the ground here in Saudi, any mention of the future possibility for women to drive – not to mention other, more basic issues such as guardianship, unfairness in divorce, and child custody – is met with derision. "You think Nayef will even consider it?"</p> <p>I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade. In fact, I will more than gladly join the parade when it does come – but I will make sure any celebration I take part in stands for a real achievement.</p> <p>This story is far from over. Here's hoping for a truly huge step forward for Saudi women, and soon. When that time comes, let's hope it's not limited to just driving a car, but an acknowledgement of just how far Saudi has to go in terms of women's rights. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need to recognize that support women's rights does not only integrate seamlessly with the true message of Islam, but with our worldwide mission as humans with consciences.</p></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-18954225276561265672011-11-20T12:35:00.000-08:002011-12-11T09:24:20.079-08:00At You I Stare In Disbelief<div><i>-</i></div><div><i>I</i><i> wrote this a while ago (mid-November, when #JeddahFire had just happened and the Egyptian protests were raging) and never got around to posting it. It's somewhat dated, but -I hope - still relevant, and decided to post it anyway.</i></div><div>-</div><div><br /></div><div>These days, the thoughts - the emotions - that cross my mind most when watching the news or when I'm on Twitter are ones of horror, pain (only something non human would not feel pain).... but most of all, disbelief.</div><div><br /></div><div>Disbelief. Surprise. Shock.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because most of all, what I think is:</div><div><br /></div><div>How can this be happening? How can this all be true? It can't be true!</div><div><br /></div><div>It all sounds like a cruel joke.</div><div><br /></div><div>How can the great heroes of the Egyptian revolution still be suffering? January 25th, your fighting spirit has returned; but never again did we want to see the likes of January 28th. </div><div><br /></div><div>How can the grand Midan el-Tahrir - Freedom Square - echo once again with screams and cries of pain, choked with tear gas and riddled with rubber bullets - but resound with chants of freedom?</div><div><br /></div><div>HOW CAN THE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS HAVE BEEN WASTED?</div><div><br /></div><div>How can the brave sons and daughters of Syria still be suffering under their wicked tyrant?</div><div><br /></div><div>How can things be the way they are?</div><div><br /></div><div>Closer to home... In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, one of the richest countries in the world - how can a girl's school burn down and cause numerous injuries, and several deaths?</div><div><br /></div><div>The same city that saw tens killed and injured and millions in property damage in the past two years, because of flooding - from *rain*? The same city where people, now, in the winter with the rainy season coming up, look up to cloudy skies with worry clouding their own eyes?</div><div><br /></div><div>The same city where I have seen no tangible improvement, nothing to prevent the same thing from happening again?</div><div><br /></div><div>World, at you I stare in disbelief.</div><div><br /></div><div>People - mankind - all of humanity -</div><div><br /></div><div>At you I stare in disbelief. At our future, I eye in apprehension and stark fear. The rage at our present is building.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then I roar -</div><div><br /></div><div>ENOUGH!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-53669795038529596282011-06-17T01:31:00.000-07:002011-06-18T13:31:02.387-07:00Women To Drive - Let's Go!<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif""><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">So today's the day, everyone: June 17. The day women will finally take the wheel in Saudi Arabia…<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">Or won't they? Will the fear of police detention; of UAE tanks and fighter jets (as the rumor goes); and, of course, of good old-fashioned fire and brimstone hold us back? Will the rumor-spreading fear-mongers, the damning finger-shakers, the regimented naysayers get their way? Will the fight be postponed another 20 years? Let's hope not. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">Let's hope and pray that whatever happens today, women will wake up to a brighter future in Saudi Arabia and in the world as a whole. This Grand Arab Uprising, the Arab Spring, has been a tide of change across the Arab world. It's passed Saudi Arabia by so far – let's hope it can be a force to help bring about, at the very least, the most elemental of rights for women: that of mobility. Let's hope what happens today can in itself be a force of change to bring about the many rights of women in this country that are so sadly lacking.</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia;mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">The arguments people use against women's driving here are each just as illogical, nonsensical and easily proven incorrect as the other. Women's driving is most definitely not against Islam – to ride donkeys and horses was hardly outlawed by the Prophet Muhammad 1400 years ago. An excuse made for the misogynistic customs of society – and in that, we are very much un-Islamic! – is no excuse at all; to upset those outdated traditions that we hold to so closely is something I eagerly anticipate, something that should've been done long ago. For those who claim that 'this is not the right time' – when will be the right time, and who is to suggest just how will we determine this castle-in-the-sky 'right time'? The traffic here is a disaster. Laws are nonexistent. My American mother, a driver with more than 20 years of experience, grits her teeth at the speeding, the recklessness, the road races. Traffic laws need to be implemented here, and fast; perhaps the advent of 'dangerous women drivers' will finally get the police up and running, and the rules practiced.</span><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia;mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">People speak of a dark age of 'harassment' and the 'dissolution of public morals'. Hate to break it to you, but 'the dissolution of public morals' has hardly been stopped by something as meager as women's driving. Walk into any mall you find. Walk along the street in your black tent and see how many honks you get; how many filthy words you get yelled out of car windows at you. It is an anomaly to find a girl without a boyfriend – or, oh the horror, girlfriend! – in our nation's colleges and universities. Same goes for boys. Public morals? What public morals, where? I find this 'dissolution' already rocketing along, due in part to the oppressive stifling so many Saudi youth feel in this country, which this ban is a part of. Countless pious and devout Muslim women drive the world over. It is both unrealistic and disrespectful to assume that to drive is to be a slut, thank you very much. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span dir="LTR" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:200%;font-family:"Georgia","serif"">That distant dream on the horizon of a Saudi Arabia without sexual harassment, with proper traffic laws, of a Saudi Arabian society that does not demean women, that respects them as the Qur'an, the God they claim to follow does: "Never will I turn away from the deeds of any of you, male or female; you are of one another" (3:195) – will be just that, a distant dream, until we women of Saudi Arabia have the courage to stand up and demand our God-given rights.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span class="Apple-style-span" >!And when we do, God be with those who refuse us</span></p><p></p><div> </div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-25789478032437612302011-06-07T15:53:00.000-07:002011-06-07T16:35:22.313-07:00What Defines A Muslim? (3) C'mon, Now, Really<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 26px; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Look. I think it all comes down to one very simple point that I made in Part 1. If you really believe God sent down the Qur'an, do what He says to do in it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Honestly, though? Just do what you want; what you believe to be right. I'm not going to treat you any different or any of that which comes with a medieval outlook and "you're not one of us" BS. It's you and God. But please, claiming yourself to be 'Muslim' as you directly contradict the essence of Islam itself – the Qur'an – is, I think, as much of a crime as Osama Bin Laden's twisting of the Qur'an to fulfill his own sick fantasies. After all – he had an interpretation of his own, right? An interpretation that any sane person immediately condemned. They did not cast him out of Islam – only God can do that, and no human being can judge another – they did not accuse him of 'not being a Muslim anymore', but they condemned his <i>interpretation</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His action.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">That is what I hope we can do here. Never condemn the person – never treat them but anything with the utmost respect, love, kindness. The way you want to be treated. But, for God's sake, do not condone their <i>actions</i>. Condemning a person and what they do are two very different things and that's the reason why I'm not a sick maniac whom you would be justified to call a self-righteous isolationist. Condemning PEOPLE, casting myself as God, determining who's right and who's wrong (and I hope I've made it quite clear) is not what I'm talking about.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I'm just saying, look within yourself and ask yourself if you can really justify what you're doing. I hope I've not offended anyone and that I've been able to get my message across clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">(Incidentally, I also regard with a jaundiced eye those who say my point of view is 'idealistic' and 'not caught up with the times'. So refusing a glass of wine and that flirty hunk is that difficult? Making time for God in your day is impossible? Come on. We have countless examples of faithful, practicing Muslims who manage to do it in spite of the barrage of urges to do otherwise! Why give ourselves the easy way out?)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; line-height: 200%; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; "><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">In all, God gave us these instructions for a reason. C'mon, people. Let's follow them.</span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="RTL" style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:200%;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p></span></span>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-12830298905347060182011-06-04T08:40:00.000-07:002011-06-07T15:52:05.652-07:00What Defines A Muslim? (2) The Interpretation Question<div><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-align:left; line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >Okay all, here's part 2 of this series: my bound-to-come-short attempt at the definition of a Muslim. It was brought on by discussions on Twitter as well as, believe it or not, walking through a Saudi mall! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >One thing that must be stressed here is that this is NOT meant to represent that I'm walking around with a checklist of Criteria To Be Met if someone Claims To Be Muslim - "or else". I'm just kind of annoyed at the extent the 'Muslim by name' phenomenon has reached. Here in the Arab world specifically, Saudi Arabia especially, it's getting kind of ridiculous. I once was speaking to a girl in my class; she mentioned that she didn't cover her hair when she traveled. I asked her, "Do you really believe that you should?" She said "Sure!" – and, when asked further about why she didn't back up her beliefs with actions, simply shrugged.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >So is this a case of words not matching up with actions? Beliefs not translated into real, live, factual stuff? I think it is. I think it's an attitude of carelessness, a kind of laissez-faire picked up from the general attitude about religion nowadays. "It's what in your heart that counts." Of course it is – but what is in your heart and words and intentions are NOTHING without deeds to back them up, as well as vice-versa. That's just common sense. Why else is "those who believe" always, always directly followed by "and do good deeds" in the Qur'an? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >So I really detest this attitude of "I know what I'm going to do but I'm too lazy to do it"… which is the first category of non-practicing Muslims. Frankly, if the girl had told me "no, I actually don't believe I should cover my hair" because she had researched the actual subject and had come to the conclusion (as many have) that covering one's hair is indeed unnecessary, I would've respected her far more. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >This brings us to the second category: Muslims who claim that their interpretation of the sacred texts has enabled them to follow Islam as they see fit. Naturally and as a matter of course there <b>are</b> different understandings of how Islam ought to be practiced. As mentioned in Part 1, that's the beauty of it, and re-interpretation MUST be done if a true Islamic Reformation is to be accomplished. It's part of Islam and refuting the, unfortunately, all-too-often outdated, misogynistic, patriarchal, *insert synonym of BAD of your choice here* system and edicts Muslims have been following blindly for centuries because someone told them the door of interpretation was closed and that's it. I'm of the opinion that the decay and downfall of the Muslim world was in part caused by that cursed idea. It needs to be rectified, immediately – and responsibly. Let's not get carried away here.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >So excuse me if I regard with a jaundiced eye the claims of people who drink, who don't pray, who have sex without being married. It's just, how exactly do you 'interpret' (impolitely: 'twist around') direct orders? Nothing ambiguous, just "do" and "don't do"?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >Don't drink alcohol. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >Direct punishment for those who have sex outside of marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " >PRAY, for God's sake! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; " ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >Do I really need to get verses in the Qur'an to back this up? Really, guys? (As always, I'd love to hear if you've got an interpretation that says it's OK for any of the above.)</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span class="Apple-style-span" >(continued in Part 3 - I'd get sued for length otherwise.)</span></p></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-16543954468246268832011-06-03T02:08:00.000-07:002011-06-07T09:43:01.918-07:00What Defines A Muslim? (1) An Introduction<div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">(I'll be as clear-cut and to the point as possible today. Please do not be offended and if you have any comments you’d like to make after reading this piece, feel very free to comment below or contact me on my Twitter handle @TheLogicker.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Okay, let’s get on with it. Today’s blog post shall be about the definition of a Muslim. Simple, right? You believe in God and that Muhammad is His Prophet; pray five times a day; fast for a month once a year; give to charity; and of course make the pilgrimage to Makkah. The five pillars of Islam, basically... But no.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Two conversations with two excellent people, both on Twitter, brought an opinion contrary to mine (dubbed the traditional viewpoint) to my attention, and which they agree upon: that it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you identify as a Muslim. Basically, as long as you introduce yourself as “I’m Muslim” you can be doing whatever you want, five pillars optional. Just “be a good person” (whatever that’s supposed to mean) and you are welcome to the club.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">No doubt their opinion is shared by many, but not by me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I do see where they’re coming from. An isolationist, self-righteous, “we’re the only ones who are right” technique, an exclusive club in which only self-proclaimed members can join is not the way to go. We see it a lot today in Muslims and I guess that’s what spurred this small but growing movement on. Let us not abandon, isolate, hate. Let us embrace, let us love. But my lack of acceptance of this stems from my belief that there is quite a difference between loving someone and accepting them, and condoning what they do - and that is the difference which concerns us here. Melting into society, to the extent that there are no truly unique people anymore, is not the way to go either. It stands for something not good that it has started happening now.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Because we ARE different. God tells us that He has created us “in different peoples and tribes that you may get to know one another” (Qur’an Hujurat- ), and we should celebrate that difference. No, we do not want to go back to rampant racism, and superiority because of religious or ethnic background. We do not want to go back to “I’m right and you’re wrong” to be settled at the tip of a sword, and a world in which we fight over faith. We have come too far to return to that. But what we most certainly do not want to do is to water our faith down into a name, a label (is not the very worst thing we can do to ourselves is to self-label?), until it means nothing at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Let us begin with something I think we can all agree distinguishes a Muslim: belief in the Qur’an. If you’re going to disagree with me on that, really… Stop reading now, please. The Qur’an is what began identification of Islam as a distinct religion, is the revelation sent to the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, may peace be upon him - so to beat around the bush with anything resembling “I’m a Muslim but I don’t believe in the Qur’an” is going a tad too far. Really. (Any other opinions, of course, disagreeing with my previous statement I’d be glad to hear.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Okay, the Qur’an. I’ve gotten into arguments with people (yes, it would be more polite to call it ‘a discussion’ but I’m being honest) when I tell them MUSLIMS FOLLOW WHAT IS IN THE QUR’AN: they say, “but who can determine what the Qur’an says in the first place? There are so many interpretations!” They are right, and that is the beauty of Islam: the multiple interpretations. The possibilities left open.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I’ll go off on a tangent here: the beauty of Islam is that it is a modern religion without having to be modernized. Islam does not truly need ‘reform’, or change, which is why I distrust any self-proclaimed reformation movements. I think a belief that a religion really needs such a thing would contradict the belief of its being from an all-Powerful, omnipresent, omnipotent Creator. If a religion so desperately needs to be changed from its core, it’s a clear sign to me that it’s just not the right thing to believe in. I’d abandon my faith in that religion - without a single qualm, I hope - because I refuse to belittle myself to the point of attaching myself to a belief system that’s been concocted by human hands.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Because really - would we ever need to teach God anything? Would we need to change anything that comes from He of the Ninety-Nine Names, a system we have been ordered to follow? No. All we can do is cut away the man-made trappings that’ve been draped on it over time - and boy, how those mundane trappings have obscured the crystal brilliance in this religion. The stem of this entire argument - of my entire professed belief as a Muslim - is that whatever discrepancies or faultiness we may see in Islam is nothing but the errors of people. Therefore we should have no qualms in accepting Islam as a whole: mind, body, and soul: the farthest thing possible than merely a label.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Gah. I’ve overstepped myself. Time to cut this off here and continue later - and, I assure you, God willing this will be continued. Like I said discussion is welcome. I’d love to hear your thoughts as I continue with this, so you can help me formulate my own ideas. Nothing in our heads is set in stone unless we deem it to be, and to deem anything in my head solid or beyond doubt is beyond naïve (aka: you of the opposite viewpoint, you have the chance to convince me yet ;).<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">I’ll see you soon.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align: left;line-height:200%;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; font-family: Georgia, serif; ">(NEXT: The Interpretation Question)</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align:left;line-height:200%"><br /></p></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-77670456361870747372011-05-07T12:41:00.000-07:002011-05-07T14:54:30.946-07:00OBL and the Saudi Reaction<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Like everyone else, we'd pretty much forgotten about Osama bin Laden here in Saudi Arabia. Also, like everyone else - other than those who happen to be specially affiliated with the CIA - I was very surprised to learn of his death. But while mine was tinged with something close to a feeling of triumph - I was not sad to see him go, for reasons I will detail later - different opinions were expressed at my girls' government school here. But not for the reasons which might be expected.</div><div><br /></div><div>I won't go as far as to say I celebrated his death: human life is human life. At the very least it's unseemly to whoop and sing about the death of an enemy, to celebrate it. Celebrating the spilling of blood: primitive, isn't it?</div><div><br /></div><div>I digress. There are many who say that the US should not have stooped to his level in killing him; that they should have brought him in for a fair trial; that what happened in Pakistan was no more than an assassination. I'm not going to delve into that today. All I know is that when I went to school and brought it up, I found many who were indeed sad to see him die - but not for the sake of his announced cause.</div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, many people believe he did not orchestrate the 9/11 attacks in the first place. Conspiracy theory or not, it has substantial backing here. But most tellingly, most importantly, they do <b>not </b>support him for his message of terror and fighting against non-Muslims. The idea of a 9/11 setup is essential here. People are proud of him for 'standing up to America', for an attitude of 'never backing down' to a dictator, for 'pride in the face of colonialism' - <b>not</b> for killing non-Muslims. I reiterate that you will not find a single person who says that killing non-Muslims is okay here in Saudi - well, in my school anyway. That attitude simply does not exist anymore. Even with the strictest imams, non-Muslims are considered to be under treaty, at the least. But what <b>does</b> exist is the idea of FREEDOM-FIGHTING. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a Facebook post by a very good friend of mine, she compared Bin Laden to Omar al-Mukhtar, the Libyan hero who struggled against Italian colonialism. The lack of differentiation between political and religious interests comes into play here: just as the US's invasion of Iraq was portrayed as a 'crusade', instead of a political move that played into the US's political interests (I admit, I've recently seen Green Zone); just like the Israeli/Palestinian conflict is portrayed as one between Muslims and Jews, instead of a simple case of land theft and ethnic cleansing. </div><div><div><br /></div><div>This is the fodder of terrorists. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>This is where the work must be done. </div><div><br /></div><div>It is naive, misguided and simply very wrong to say that terrorism is a black-and-white bloodthirsty fight by Muslims against non-Muslims. That is nothing but complete and utter nonsense. Putting aside that that attitude is hardly justified by the Qur'an or the example of the Prophet Muhammad, if that was the case: why do they bring up Palestine 24/7? Why constantly bring up the thousands of innocent lives lost, the blood shed in Iraq and Afghanistan? </div><div><br /></div><div>Because by portraying America as the occupier, the terrorist, the crusader (when I brought up the thousands of innocents killed by Bin Laden on 9/11 some girls even retorted with the exact same rhetoric: "What about the innocents killed in Iraq and Palestine?"), terrorists and their groups find support for their immoral activities. </div><div><br /></div><div>People feel that they are 'fighting back'. The impotent feeling of helplessness created in Arabs by their despotic governments comes into play here as well; to feel that they are doing something to help their 'Muslim brothers suffering in Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan' they join these repulsive people and their repulsive cause, and in the meantime cause so much irreparable damage.</div><div><br /></div><div>That brings me to why I personally am not sad to see him go. Why I replied vehemently to the girls who championed him as 'a representer of us Arabs' with 'if we Arabs are represented by him, we're in big trouble'. Why I insist upon not mourning him; why I look upon his death with a grim feeling of justice being done. Because even with believing he was not behind 9/11 - did Washington really have any proof other than Bin Laden's 'boast of what he saw as a great achievement'? - he did just that. He boasted. Even those who delude themselves - a girl seriously told me "No, he hasn't" when I told her this: it cannot be argued that Osama bin Laden is the single most hated, damaging figure to Islam, Muslims and Arabs today, who does indeed represent Islam, Muslims and Arabs to many Westerners today, unfortunately.</div><div><br /></div><div>Personally, I think he should've gone on trial so this could be resolved one and for all - not to mention the basic human rights it represents. </div><div><br /></div><div>But I am not sad to see him go.</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-10458251070390960012011-04-23T14:07:00.000-07:002011-04-23T14:11:34.886-07:00What's Saudi Arabia's Woman Problem?<div><span class="Apple-style-span"><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">If I'd started writing this before I knew the #KhobarGirlsUnite campaign (check Twitter) had succeeded in registering women to vote</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">in the municipal elections coming up, I would have started off angry and confrontational. At this news </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><a href="http://tl.gd/a1gq2s" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="twitter-timeline-link" style="text-decoration: underline; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">http://tl.gd/a1gq2s</a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">you can all take a breath of relief, I suppose...</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">False alarm. I've decided </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">I'm still going to be angry and confrontational. Especially with these topics - it's too much fun.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">Now first of all, I really don't care about the relevance of these municipal elections. I'm not sure they carry any clout in the first place. But, as I and others have said on Twitter - who cares? It's the PRINCIPLE, the audacity of standing barefacedly against the undeniable, unalienable rights of women. What would the Prophet Muhammad say, he who had taken the pledge of allegiance from some of the most empowered women ever to grace history? May God's peace and blessings descend upon you, O Prophet... If you could see what those who claim to be your followers have done while announcing their dedication to marching in your footsteps...</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; ">How many times has religion been used to stuff women into the background, COMPLETELY GROUNDLESSLY? Trust me, it's groundless... A deep and thorough examination of every single accusation leveled towards Islam of abusing women should be made and completely debunked. it can be and it should; no big deal, wouldn't even take a very long time. The truth is obvious. Really, we Muslims need something like that to back us up when fighting against stuff like this. Every accusation in general, actually. We need a website like that - sound like a good idea, anyone?</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">Anyway, back to our topic.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">"We won't let women vote because Saudi society's not ready for it," their excuse was. Oh really, sir? Since when can one person (or even several of those 'higher-up', whatever) determine what an entire society would think of such a matter? If King Faisal had waited until 'society agreed' to ban slavery or to start educating girls, I guarantee you the country of Saudi Arabia would be more stuck in the past and more backward than it is right now - and that's saying something.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">They've been using that excuse for years, years, years. My mother - American, has been driving for most of her life and is a better driver than 90% of the men here - continually brings up what Prince Naif said a few years ago: "It's up to the family to decide." She turns to my dad and says, let's go to where you can sign something and get me a driver's license! (Notwithstanding the fact that she has an international driver's license, with Saudi Arabia one of the listed countries. We get a kick out of that, say she can use it as an excuse.) And my father can only shake his head with a rueful smile.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; ">The excuse of having no women-only places to vote is also pathetic... Make some!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; ">So what's with it? Seriously, what is people's problem here? What is this awful, horrible, outdated, unfair attitude (to say the least) that comes to anything that could possibly empower women here? Not even 'empower', you get the most ridiculous reactions to the least of things. the attitudes themselves are... Astonishing!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; ">I'll give a quick example. Go to this article in Arab News today</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><a href="http://bit.ly/gbY3m9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" class="twitter-timeline-link" style="text-decoration: underline; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">http://bit.ly/gbY3m9</a><u> </u>and check out the comments. The worst of the "we're not OPPRESSING women, we're HONORING their poor dear helpless selves!" on display. Here's one: </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">"We respect our women</span></span> more than any nation <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia; ">in the world. and we don't like them to be on the streets."</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Something not fitting together there? Jeez, if you respect them, don't shut them up!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">The man in the article who speaks about himself not liking his womenfolk to go out alone speaks FOR himself, he can go ahead and do whatever he wants - but do not impose that opinion on the general population with a dictatorial law. Same goes for the women who titter "Oh, heavens, dearie me at the very IDEA" of being able to drive: DO NOT PREVENT OTHERS FROM THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT WHICH YOU WANT NO PART IN.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Do people here not understand the meaning of 'women must be able to function on their own'?! In case of emergencies, at least! This past year my father had to work and stay in Riyadh, a different city, for a few months. My family was stuck without a man and we were practically under virtual house arrest that whole time, going out only for necessity. He's back now, thank God - we don't have to waste our money and effort on taxi drivers who give women leery looks in the rear-view mirror, or stand in the sun on the street waiting for an empty cab to pass by, trying to ignore the honks that come from every car that passes our way. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world in which women are sexually harassed while dressed in tents. It's disgusting and only serves to incorrectly undermine the role of hijab further...</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Wow.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Long post.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">I need a break.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">So do you.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">I'm not finished, though. I don't think I ever will be.</span></span></div></span></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-60360305351011690592011-04-23T11:42:00.000-07:002011-04-23T11:53:37.905-07:00Letters on Vittorio<div><br /></div><div>This is the letter I sent to our local English newspaper, Arab News, on Vittorio's murder.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article366398.ece">http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article366398.ece</a></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="pageTitle" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; ">By <strong style="font-weight: bold; ">MARYAM AL-DABBAGH, BY E-MAIL</strong></div><div id="mainContent" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 9px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 620px; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><div class="article full" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-color: rgb(217, 217, 217); border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "><h1 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; ">Who killed Vittorio Arrigoni?</h1></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b><strong style="font-weight: bold; "><br /></strong></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b><strong style="font-weight: bold; ">The brutal killing of the Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni shocked the world.</strong></b></p><div class="body"><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b>He lived with the Palestinian people, worked and suffered alongside them, and his death and kidnapping was finally blamed on the people he loved and was loved by. He was a loud and vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and backed his words with action: He stood by the Palestinians in good times and bad, and was one of the only foreigners to stay in Gaza during the December 2008-January 2009 Israeli assault. Hundreds of people took part in a remembrance march across Gaza and the West Bank for him; hundreds across the world mourned him with no less sorrow.</b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b>A Salafist group has been accused of the heinous crime. One of their members, we are told, has confessed.</b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b>The question to ask when looking for the perpetrator of a crime is always: Who stands to gain from it? Who has the motive to plot an atrocity and the capability to carry it out? The answer here is, beyond a doubt, Israel. The 2nd freedom flotilla to Gaza is scheduled soon; Goldstone recently retracted his report on Israel’s 2008 Operation Cast Lead that relentlessly bombed Gaza; and Israel has evidently decided to strike when the iron is hot.</b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b>If it is the way it appears, this crime only serves to underline the “brutality” of the Palestinian people. They are ruthless even to those who help them. Do they deserve peace?</b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b>Let us not allow Vittorio’s death to go in vain. Let us not willingly swallow the story spoon-fed us by those in power. Let his work continue on unabated. Let us honor him as he should be honored."</b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "><b><br /></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >The next day I was pleasantly surprised to find a reply to me in the Letters section:</span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal; "></span></span></b></p><div class="pageTitle" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article369419.ece">http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article369419.ece</a></span></b></div><div class="pageTitle" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></div><div class="pageTitle" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></div><div class="pageTitle" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >By <strong style="font-weight: bold; ">MASOOD KHAN, JUBAIL</strong></span></b></div><div id="mainContent" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 9px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 620px; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); "><div class="article full" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "><h1 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Gruesome murder</span></b></h1><div class="col1" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; width: 460px; "><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><strong style="font-weight: bold; ">I was amazed by the logic put forward by Maryam Al-Dabbagh in her letter “Who killed Vittorio Arrigoni?” (April 20).</strong></span></b></p><div class="body"><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >She builds her case on the assumption that since Palestinians got a bad name because of this killing Israel should be held responsible for this murder. She chose to simply ignore the information that an extremist religious group kidnapped Vittorio and killed him in cold blood when Gaza officials didn’t agree to free their leader in exchange for the Italian hostage. Mind you, the extremist group didn’t demand release of Gilad Shalit, so why to blame Israel to safeguard an internal enemy?</span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >This is the same logic employed in Pakistan by the sympathizers of suicide bombers who first try to accuse the American agents for the mayhem in the country. But when a suicide bomber is caught and his relations with extremist organizations becomes evident, they try to justify the act by calling it a protest against American occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq.</span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >There is no doubt that Israel will try to defame Palestinians for this brutal murder. But there are some people among Palestinians who are giving this chance to Israel. I agree with Maryam’s closing line that we shall not allow Vittorio’s death to go in vain. Palestinians should look for black sheep within their own ranks who are blind by hatred of other faiths. Palestinians need to understand that extremist groups are not going to help them; they simply want to exploit their sufferings for their own nefarious designs."</span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >I replied to Mr. Khan in today's newspaper:</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" ><a href="http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article370001.ece">http://arabnews.com/opinion/letters/article370001.ece</a></span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" ></span></span></b></p><div class="pageTitle" style="font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >By <strong style="font-weight: bold; ">MARYAM AL-DABBAGH, BY E-MAIL</strong></span></span></b></div><div id="mainContent" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 9px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 620px; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); line-height: normal; "><div class="article full" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "><h1 style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 28px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >Vittorio Arrigoni</span></span></b></h1><div class="col1" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; width: 460px; "><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" ><strong style="font-weight: bold; ">In response to Masood Khan’s reply (April 22) to my letter of April 20, I will say that baseless accusations against anybody, whether it is a country, individual or organization, is unacceptable and counterproductive.</strong></span></span></b></p><div class="body"><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >I also admit that in the Arab media Israel gets blamed for things it has not done.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >However, my charge of Israel’s possible involvement in the murder of Italian activist Vittorio Arrigoni was not a knee-jerk reaction in an attempt to exonerate Palestinians; it was put forward after a thorough examination of the motive and developments during and after the murder.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >The motive is clear. Arrigoni was a foreigner well loved by many and his death would serve Israel’s interests very well, especially with the advent of the second international flotilla to Gaza (which, incidentally, was renamed “Stay Human,” after Arrigoni’s motto). What better way to prove the “inherent brutality of the Palestinian people” than to have someone like Arrigoni killed by Palestinians for whom he was working?</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >Vittorio was killed 24 hours before the elapse of the deadline set by the kidnappers; that is hardly the action of people who wanted a prisoner of their own released and were not intending murder in the first place. I also doubt a devout Salafist would shoot himself at the prospect of capture, as one of the three did, cornered by Hamas earlier this week.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >There is no doubt that the ones who tightened the rope around Vittorio’s neck were murderous Palestinians who deserved the death penalty and much more for their crime. I merely wish to put forward a definitive statement — along with many others, including those who knew him best, such as activist Ken O’Keefe — that after examining the murder, motives and intent, it is more than conceivable and quite believable that a nation-state with Israel’s track record would be more than capable of masterminding a gruesome crime such as this.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >Conspiracy theories or not, we will never know what really happened. Either way, I do agree with Masood: The presence of such people within the Palestinians ranks in the first place — collaborators with Israel or not — is detrimental to their very cause, and hurts their case in front of the eyes of the world.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >I think we just need to hope with all our hearts that Vittorio’s death will serve no interests but the cause he believed in — the cause of complete, thorough and permanent justice for Palestinians.</span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></b></p><p style="line-height: 17px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >So, did I handle it right? Waiting for tomorrow's edition to see if I get any further surprises... :)</span></span></b></p></div></div></div></div><p></p></div></div></div></div><p></p></div><p></p></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-57933111980447052872011-04-21T13:12:00.000-07:002011-04-22T15:20:29.261-07:00Vittorio<div><br /></div><div>Before he was kidnapped, I didn't know *of* Vittorio Arrigoni, much less know him in person. I'd never read about him, or encountered anything he'd written himself. I didn't even follow him on Twitter.</div><div><br /></div><div>I do follow many people from Gaza, however, and @AmoonaE, residing in Paris, was the first I saw to tweet the news. An Italian activist has been kidnapped, she said - let us all start with prayers. Then she changed her Twitter picture to one of a dashing, very Italian-looking man with a pipe (read: handsome).</div><div><br /></div><div>For the next couple of hours, I was intently following what was happening. Many other people began to tweet about him using the hashtag #FreeVittorio - I did too. @EbaaRezeq90 tweeted about how she was sure her friend would be back and safe, laughing with them about the ordeal, and would watch the Real Madrid-Barcelona game with them day after tomorrow; he was a Barca fan. I smiled at that - I was looking forward to that game myself, backing Madrid. Then it was late, and I went to sleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>I woke up at 5 to pray; I woke up to the news of his death. And I began to cry. </div><div><br /></div><div>For the next few days I was, to put it mildly, obsessed with what had happened - not because of my hormones, no - he was good-looking, sure, but an exemplary and heroic man first and foremost. I voraciously read about it, watched Al Jazeera like a hawk until their segment about his death, and got suspiciously shiny eyes once more at the sight of such a vibrant, good-hearted face, so alive! </div><div><br /></div><div>I really cannot say more than the people who knew him have. I just wanted to share my own personal experience (and maybe explain to some of you tweeps why I was constantly tweeting about him for a few days). In his death he touched so many of our lives; once again I only wish I had known him before his heart stopped beating for Palestine.</div><div><br /></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-1770195710381399712011-04-12T13:26:00.001-07:002011-04-23T12:05:39.081-07:00Book Review Of 'Miral'<div><br /></div><div>I recently wrote a review of the book Miral - set in Palestine, detailing the lives of four Palestinian women and their struggle, recently made into a movie directed by Julian Schnabel and starring Freida Pinto - which was published on the Aslan Media website.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://aslanmedia.com/component/content/article/302-extras/1888-miral-a-review">http://aslanmedia.com/component/content/article/302-extras/1888-miral-a-review</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-72830075149791618262011-04-11T13:22:00.000-07:002011-04-11T15:49:35.041-07:00FEMINISM, WOOT!<div><br /></div><div>Finally I've gotten around to updating my blog and ONCE MORE an unholy amount of time has elapsed since my last post. Hopefully this one and the ones that will follow soon will make it worth it. This is an introductory post; I'm tackling a meaty subject, after all, and not one I can give credit to in a single sitting, or attempt...</div><div><br /></div><div>Feminism and Islam, and Saudi. </div><div><br /></div><div>The very mention sends a shiver down your spine with the negative, uncomfortable vibes we're saturated with from all directions. We are told that women are oppressed in Islamic countries & especially Saudi Arabia by media of all kinds, whether through books or TV or Internet; by hearsay; and - most rarely - come to realize it through personal experience. The latter of which I have a lot of. Some of what you hear is true: I've told enough horror stories about my experience with Saudi misogyny in my time. </div><div><br /></div><div>What enrages me, however, is not the attacks on the way my country of residence treats women. All too often, the criticism is justified - and needed. I take part in it myself readily. But when it begins to stretch to Islam's treatment of women, my claws are out. After all, as a Muslim woman, as a thinking and rational human being - how is it conceivable that I could possibly remain a follower of a religion that oppresses me? The suggestion that Islam oppresses women leads to that assumption and I refuse to be taken as such.</div><div><br /></div><div>As always, the disrespectful treatment of women in Islamic countries stems from the everlasting problem of culture vs religion: how a religion's origin differs from its practice. It happened with Christianity and Judaism, with, I daresay every mode of thinking in the world; it's happened, sadly, to Islam as well. The Saudi version of Islam is certainly not *the* version of Islam, just like there is no one version of Islam itself.</div><div><br /></div><div>I digress. Certain things have happened within the past few weeks that have pushed these issues to the front of my mind further, and I'll be talking about the experience in Saudi interposed with how it is SUPPOSED to be. In REAL Islam. Taken directly from its sources, the Qur'an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, not clouded by patriarchal systems or closed mindsets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Keep a heads-up and please feel free to bug me on Twitter (@thelogicker) if I haven't updated soon!</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-53052364210526008182011-03-11T09:07:00.000-08:002011-03-16T01:04:40.055-07:00On Revolutions, Saudi, and What Might Happen<div><br /></div><div>Bluntly put, my opinion is worthless. After all, I'm just another spectator of the upheaval going on in Middle East countries. I merely happen to be closer to the epicenter than most people I know, right here at home in Saudi Arabia - where the latest chapter of the ongoing Arab revolution was supposed to happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, March 11, there was a fair amount of hysteria going on within and without the country about it. The story was that there was going to be a 'Day of Rage', beginning from after the Friday prayers - familiar to those who've been keeping up with Arab protests as a strategy to get as many people together as possible, the prayers being mandatory for every Muslim male to attend. Family members went today, and they came back with nothing but a tale of lots of police cars around the perceived 'danger zone' (interspersed with over-excited exaggerations from the younger one, of course), and nothing else.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't surprised.</div><div><br /></div><div>In clear terms, I don't think a revolution in Saudi at this point is going to work. For one, King Abdullah is loved by the people. He recently returned from a lengthy recuperation from a back injury abroad, which brought on a fierce wave of patriotic feeling in most Saudis. I was out late on the day the King returned, and I was entertained at a long stoplight (with a foreign driver, a stranger to me, at the wheel, of course) by the sight of at least thirty cars full of young guys - who don't really need an excuse to coast the streets waving flags and whooping - doing just that. Bellowing the national anthem (off-key, may I add) as though the Saudi national team had just won a match. It's a superficial display of affection, like the BBM I got with the poetic "People burn themselves in protest, but we burn on the inside with love for our king", but genuine. Revolution will happen, if ever, after the king dies, but not before.</div><div><br /></div><div>In general, the Saudi people are content. Yes, there are ludicrous violations of human rights; women are treated scandalously; rampant corruption exists unbridled, and there are scores of examples to set for each of these and many other offenses, a sea of details I don't need to dip my toe in at the moment. But Saudis (well, admittedly I've mostly talked to schoolgirls) are mostly of the opinion that the notion of protesting is foreign. That Shias, that Iran, that general malcontents - not us, not <b>real </b>Saudis - are instigating the unrest is the general consensus. </div><div><br /></div><div>Helping is the manipulation of religion the Saudi government has going on - has had going on for quite a while - justifying itself. In one of my religious subjects last term, my book said that it was <i>haram</i> or unlawful to challenge the leader, the one in position - <b>even if</b> that leader is unfair/committing sins/being generally awful. This strikes a nerve with me, because in my opinion the great Muslim stagnation of the last centuries was caused in part by ineffectual, unfit, unchallenged rulers who used religion much as modern dictators have.</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, though, I just hope for the best. Dialogue, as the foreign minister said, can indeed solve much of Saudi Arabia's problems - if the government will heed the voices of its people and the warning of the fates of dictators past (and recent). Who'd have imagined, several months ago, that Mubarak and Ben Ali would be gone, Gaddafi and others teetering precariously on the same yawning chasm? Perhaps a few months further and we will be looking back in deeper skepticism, wondering at how we were in March!</div><div><br /></div><div>So let us pray that God will lead us all out of this as a better, improved, more dynamic Saudi Arabia; as, indeed, I pray for the entirety of the Middle East.</div><div><br /></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-44103398559315977802011-02-26T08:30:00.000-08:002011-02-26T08:43:49.944-08:00The Sorry-I've-Been-A-Neglecting-Beast Post<div><br /></div><div>It's pretty ironic that my last post on this blog is dated almost exactly a month ago. The last time I clicked 'Publish Post', it was January 25 - the day of the beginning of the Egyptian uprising, a most exciting chapter of the ongoing Arab revolution that has made the world sit up and take notice, that made me start feverishly using Twitter in an effort to find out and be updated on just what was going on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ironically, the very reason I have been neglecting this blog for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>You see, when you are busy checking a social networking site every few seconds (BlackBerries are both a blessing and a curse), checking the TV, checking newspapers, the whole shebang, you tend to neglect other, lesser-seeming stuff. Such as blogging to a nonexistent audience. It's the bitter truth that I must confront myself with. Sorry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Add to that high school end-of-term exams (several of which I botched, incidentally.) Add to that a sudden resurgence of my until-recently-dormant desire to write FICTION, and this blog has been poorly neglected indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>Those are the factors which have left this blog so silent, dank and forlorn-looking. The fact that the color scheme is black doesn't help much either. </div><div><br /></div><div>So here is the inevitable question - whatever shall I write about on this blog next? Probably politics - the eruption that is going on next door (I'm in Saudi Arabia, one of the lucky people who can call the Middle East 'next door') is far too noisy, colorful and dangerous to ignore. Until then, fellas - @TheLogicker on Twitter is where I can most definitely (thanks to that darned Blackberry) be found.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, a month and a day after January 25, I shall click 'Publish Post'. A post that is about absolutely nothing.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you enjoyed it. :)</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-41645625893420069242011-01-25T13:06:00.000-08:002011-01-25T13:08:17.502-08:00Science vs. Religion, a Musing<div><br /></div><div>It's an age-old cliche: science vs religion. Faith vs reason. As though the two are opposites; as though neither can live while the other survives (to quote Harry Potter tongue-in-cheek). As though they are locked at each other's throats in an eternal battle to the death. One will vanquish the other eventually, and for now the victor seems to be science. I mean, it's obvious, right? Religion is fast becoming irrelevant in the developing world for several different reasons.</div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, no more fear of the unknown. People know why things happen now, without having to use God as an excuse. God is now considered to be a 'safety net'; a vain attempt to ward off the threat of looming death into something more friendly. Self-delusion, wasted hope, whatever you want to call it: in their opinion, that's religion. They want to see themselves as people who can depend on themselves, not on some foreign unseen deity in the sky.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then there is the problem that people have with the whole 'organized religion' thing. Churchmen, sheikhs, rabbis; they are all seen as clinging to traditions of the past (whether the traditions are good or bad). Our century is all about shaking up institutions and religion is being treated no differently.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, most people aren't choosing their religion anyway. They take the convenient way out - following their parents' beliefs, mostly without any real conviction. Religious holidays have become empty rituals to be followed half-heartedly, for example; church every Sunday, or the mosque every Friday - even Islam's five daily prayers - has become a drag. Because who's going to go for something they haven't been motivated for, haven't chosen, in the first place?</div><div><br /></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-18700886771269221182011-01-08T10:21:00.000-08:002011-01-11T11:33:20.774-08:00Hero of the Day: Marie Nemani<div><br /></div><div>This is an article I came across on Reza Aslan's website (who deserves a Hero of the Day of his own, actually) by 13-year-old Muslim Australian Marie Nemani. She puts together a coherent, compelling and passionate argument proving the point that a Muslim can be an excellent member of any international community regardless of his nationality or race. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's an argument that needs to be aired more and more in these days of accusations and finger-pointing towards Muslim minorities in non-Muslim countries. Yes, a Muslim can be a good Australian, a good American, a good German or Indonesian or Pakistani or whatever. Because Islam is not "just" for anyone. It is not a racial or nationalistic creed.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is a truly international religion.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.aslanmedia.com/post/2339644878/goodmuslim-goodcitizen">http://www.aslanmedia.com/post/2339644878/goodmuslim-goodcitizen</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-29453841451889140482011-01-04T12:38:00.001-08:002011-01-25T13:06:39.841-08:00Why I'm Not Threatened By Science<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So why am I, a religious person, not threatened by the looming scepter of science-come-to-steal-God? Or rather, why am I STILL a religious person?</div><div><br /></div><div>I think it's because I'm Muslim. Let me explain. </div><div><br /></div><div>In Islam you are ORDERED to seek knowledge, from the cradle to the grave. The bases of many sciences and arts - algebra; optics; the guitar -are of Muslim origin. Go here to find out more about Muslims' inventions: <a href="http://www.1001inventions.com/">http://www.1001inventions.com</a></div><div><br /></div><div>So knowledge is no threat to me. How so? Let's take the example of evolution first, and how it has unbalanced Christianity. (Meaning no offense to any particular religion, incidentally; this is just detailing the wider topic of just why religion has been rejected today.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, the Church rejects the theory of evolution for many different reasons, mostly because it doesn't mesh with the way the Bible describes creation happened. First light, then the plants, then the animals (I'm not listing literally, I don't know the sequence by heart). </div><div><br /></div><div>Evolution - modern scientific discovery - comes along and tips the Biblical account onto its head.</div><div><br /></div><div>What does the Church do?</div><div><br /></div><div>a) Embrace: this runs counter to its own teachings</div><div>b) Bluster: this means nothing except to those doing the blustering</div><div>c) Ignore.</div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, c) is the preferred route.</div><div><br /></div><div>But what would Islam do? Or what do I, as a Muslim, do?</div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, never mind whether or not the theory of evolution is true. Arguing about it will send you down the proverbial rabbit hole (I've tried it) so unless you're a molecular biologist or the like and that stuff directly interests you, I prefer to take another stance. </div><div><br /></div><div>I think that we have no right to outline and put down in concrete exactly how God created the world. He could have created it any way He wanted to, in His infinite wisdom and knowledge. I don't have a problem believing in the theory of evolution because I think that in the end, evolution itself proves the existence of God by violating one of the laws of physics:</div><div><br /></div><div>The Beginning.</div><div><br /></div><div>Something cannot come out of nothing.</div><div><br /></div><div>Therefore, the nothing must have come out of something. The action of the Big Bang must have been caused by... something.</div><div><br /></div><div>What is this something, how is this something, who is this something?</div><div><br /></div><div>I believe it is God.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, if God does exist, and He created this universe, and He created us, then learning about this universe and the nature of our own souls can hold no threat for us or our faith or our eternal souls, as long as we keep the essential thing in mind:</div><div><br /></div><div>That everything has always come into being with a purpose.</div><div><br /></div><div>:)</div><div>_________________</div><div>A good piece dealing with the same topic:</div><div><a href="http://www.emel.com/article.php?id=79&a_id=2209&c=63&return=big%20bang">http://www.emel.com/article.php?id=79&a_id=2209&c=63&return=big%20bang</a></div><div><br /></div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-79876613516964147002011-01-03T12:18:00.000-08:002011-01-03T15:00:32.142-08:00The Year in Islamophobia...<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here is a timeline, a quick look at Islamophobia in America this year. (Yes, I'm being lazy about updating my blog without actually writing anything :)</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/12/year-islamophobia">http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/12/year-islamophobia</a>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-48522734672439517772011-01-02T11:28:00.000-08:002011-01-02T11:40:34.030-08:00Hero Of The Day: Lesley Hazleton<div><br /></div><div>So I'm going to be starting a series. Links to Youtube videos, basically, ('cos I don't know how to put the actual whole video, like, INTO the post yet, if you know what I mean) of people who deserve one way or another to be honored. Looked at. Shouted-out. However you want to put it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Feel free to submit whatever Hero you feel should be given the heart-felt and longed-for honor of being put on my website. Animals, vegetables and minerals may qualify. Justin Bieber, Robert Pattinson and/or Kristen Stewart need not apply. (Unless they've done something enormous to deserve such an honor and the reforming of my view towards them. Which, ahem, would need to be BIG.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, presenting our First Hero of the Dayyy.... (I don't get to announce stuff like this very often, let me have my fun!)</div><div><br /></div><div>LESLEYYYYY HAZLETON!!! (which you already know if you've been half-awake, as that is pointed to very clearly in my subject line itself. Ha.)</div><div><br /></div><div>She is an author, an agnostic Jew who gave a 10-minute talk about the Qur'an a while ago that was heartfelt, enlightening, and very true. She refers to herself as "an accidental theologist" (not very informative, but I liked the way that sounds :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the video that has qualified her for this honor.</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yaDlZfqrc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7yaDlZfqrc</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Her blog:</div><div><a href="http://accidentaltheologist.com/">http://accidentaltheologist.com/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>So, cheers to Ms. Hazleton! Stay tuned :)</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-37012424708667425192010-12-30T12:54:00.000-08:002010-12-30T12:56:26.230-08:00Multiculturalism and Me<div><br /></div><div>This a short-and-sweet "introductory" piece I wrote that may be published somewhere. That might work out or not, but I figured it shouldn't matter if I posted it here for people's feedback :)</div><div><br /></div><div>* * *</div><div><br /></div><div>It's true that coming from a multicultural background, as I do, makes you feel sometimes that you have no real place to call home. You don't fully belong to any one country, and there always seem to be pesky hyphens in however you self-identify. Saudi, American, Palestinian… I don't know which to ascribe to myself. More often than not, my answer to the question "Where are you from?" depends on who I'm talking to and where.</div><div><br /></div><div>I live in an Arab country, Saudi Arabia, and I was born in an Arab country, Egypt; but my pale skin and somewhat accented Arabic never fail to arouse the curiosity of strangers, and the answer "Oh, I'm from Saudi" doesn't satisfy. (Unfortunately for me, Arabs are notoriously curious.) On occasion I have given a painfully condensed tale of my tangled lineage to people I've never met before and never will again in tram stations, in hospitals, and even on the street sometimes.</div><div><br /></div><div>In America, it's my headscarf that gets the attention. I'm not automatically assumed to be foreign, but once it's established that I don't actually live in the States, the question "Where are you from?" tends to make me a nervous wreck. I always answer as breezily as I can, and I've never gotten what you'd call a bad reaction – usually people are quite nice and inquisitive about it – but Saudi Arabia, to put it lightly, is not often seen to be a very nice place to come from!</div><div><br /></div><div>However, I'm not complaining. I always think the advantages of being multicultural far outweigh the disadvantages.</div><div><br /></div><div>For one, it gives you a kind of 'oomph' factor. Once you've gotten over the "She's gotta be oppressed" hurdle from Americans, I usually get reactions like "Wow, that's near Dubai, right?" (For all the good publicity it's given to the Middle East, I personally owe the UAE). Stereotypes must be shattered in the meantime: it's kind of funny and sad at once that there are things I have to say like "No, I don't live in a tent," "No, I don't ride a camel to school," "YES, I go to school, girls are allowed!" But I am glad to say them.</div><div><br /></div><div>In Saudi Arabia and most Arab countries, contrary to popular opinion, being an American is actually a source of wide-eyed amazement, even envy. The technological advancement of Western countries (Western soap operas aired on Arab TV must also get their proper due here) is mostly seen as something to be aspired for and looked up to. People love American culture and the only problem I usually get is the incessant questions that follow, things like "Ooh, you've actually been there? What's it like? Speak some English for us!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Which brings me to the second advantage of bring multicultural: I love that I'm bilingual. </div><div><br /></div><div>Witnessing the struggles of my fellow classmates in English class has given me a renewed appreciation for my parents' efforts to make me proficient in both Arabic and English. In this age of globalization – the age of English! – it's an invaluable tool to have, and guess what? I got it for free, along with countless other children from multicultural families who have had to learn both of their mother tongues.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, it gives you a singular vantage point: two of them. Based on your own experience, you learn that there is more than one side to every conflict; that your opinion might not necessarily be the right one; that there is much to gain and little to lose from befriending your neighbor.</div><div>And that, in my opinion, is basically the essential conclusion of the Age of Globalization right there.</div>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-66858765895953458422010-12-23T15:08:00.001-08:002010-12-23T15:13:28.450-08:00Islam and Violence (2): If You're Telling The Truth, Why Are Muslims Violent In The First Place?<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; line-height: 32px;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><br />Greetings and peace to everybody!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >I don't think my previous post, and what it entailed, is enough in explaining why the core and truth of Islam is one of peace.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Listing down violent-sounding verses in the Qur'an, and detailing why they're actually not, is all very well. However, how does that resolve the question of "Why are Muslims violent anyway?" Sure, they may not supposed to be - but they ARE. Ha! says the New "Expert" on Islam: Explain that!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Today I will attempt to post the summation of my theory on that topic. I'll try to keep it short and concise as possible, which may be difficult because I haven't actually put it in words before, but I'll do my best.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >The difference between violent Muslims and moderate Muslims is the difference between a medieval state of mind and a modern practice of religion, the difference between the way nation-states were formed in the past and the way they are now.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >To make a long story short: you know how Islamophobes like to say "Islam is a political movement"?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Well, if you've been living in the fifth century it was. ALL religions were political movements. If you were in a country, you followed the same religion as everyone else. You believed what everyone else believed - or you were supposed to. After all, if you didn't, the nation would fall into anarchy and strife and would eventually go kaput, right? Right - because in those times, it was true. (More about that later.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Delving in further, another branch of that thinking is the one that goes: Everyone has to be the same! Everyone has to look the same, talk the same; basically, all those trappings of the Dark Ages that the we've been trying to cast behind us with diversity and globalization and all that, that's been going on for a while and is the great gift of the modern world.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >We indoctrinate our kids with it (if I had a penny for every cartoon character that's reached the enlightening conclusion of "IT'S GREAT TO BE ME!"...) and it's getting quite tiresome, actually.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >But the reason I bear the achingly sweet Disney songs is that in the end, however cheesy they are, they are true. We humans are more alike than we realize. With the celebration of diversity and globalization and all that, and the tinny notes of "It's a Small World After All", we reach the most precious thing of all...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Tolerance.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >That blessed idea that as humans, we're all together in the same boat, however different from each other we are; so we need to respect that. You may not necessarily like it - it doesn't have to appeal to you - but you need to put up with it because it's the right thing to do.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >That, there, is Conclusion One. Modern world = (mostly) tolerance.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >So what does this have to do with Muslims?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Well, to bring it along, there's a touchy topic in Islam. It's the issue of overzealous following of what medieval jurists who came centuries after the Prophet ordained.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >That no more is open to interpretation: it's all been done already, you don't need to bother your head about it...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >"Just sit down - there, right there! - take this book" (you struggle with the weight) "Now - don't think, just MEMORIZE!!! Shhh. No arguing. Memorization. Do you think you're better than all these learned scholars who wrote these books?! Huh? Do you?!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >"I didn't think so. Now MEMORIZE."<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >I can say a lot more about this topic, but suffice it for the moment to say that that's why the medieval way of doing things - not the Islamic way, but the seventh-eighth century way - has stuck. People are so afraid of 'going against the Righteous Ancestors' that they won't put a toe out of the line that has been drawn by them.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >This is Conclusion Two.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Keep in mind, and this is very important, I'm not dissing the Righteous Ancestors. I respect them for their tremendous awareness of God, their passion for their religion, the degree of which that we modern people can hardly hope to attain! I'm talking about the general medieval way of thinking. Which is what brings us to Conclusion Three...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >US<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >vs<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >THEM.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Nation-states go to war with each other, right? Obviously. The difference between now and then is that nation-states were based UPON religion. This was the land of the believers, this was the land of the non-believers. If that nation-state invades you, it's the non-believers attacking you - not the people who are probably just want what you have and they don't.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >That medieval mentality - the Righteous Ancestors' mentality, justified as theirs was and unjustified as it is now - has carried off into today. When the US invaded Iraq, it wasn't the US invading Iraq. It was THE NON-MUSLIMS BATTLING OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS! WE MUST GO AND FIGHT FOR OUR MUSLIM BROTHERS AGAINST THE NON-BELIEVERS!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >I believe that may be a direct quote of Osama bin Laden; and just about every other terrorist there is out there. They ALL cite Iraq, or Afghanistan, or any of the countless Muslim countries the US has invaded as reasons to PICK UP YOUR WEAPONS AND GO FIGHT, YOU COWARDS! Not as "it's the US invading" - as a Christian country, as the NON-BELIEVERS invading.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >So hostility is created towards Christians: a majority targeted for the actions of a minority. This is the issue: realistically, terrorists wouldn't have a game plan if the US hadn't invaded wherever they invaded.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >I'm not justifying what they're doing. But, Americans: They don't 'hate you because they're free'. They 'hate' you because they see themselves as wronged, they want to get revenge, and they decide to use the verses in the Qur'an that a less learned person would accept their interpretation of without question, to justify their wanting to kill and kill and kill.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >In the end, in Islam there really is no such thing as "Kill the infidel just 'cos he's an infidel". As illustrated in the previous post, there was always a reason: the oppressors, the ones who have fought against you, those who have broken the treaty...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >That is why Islam is a religion of peace. And because this has gone on for so long, I'll leave it at that. (Short and concise? Dream on, Maryam...)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >Finally, I just hope I got the message across.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span ><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span >To everyone:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" dir="LTR" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:19.5pt;direction:ltr; unicode-bidi:embed"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" >PEACE.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" ><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom: .0001pt;text-align:left;line-height:200%"><span lang="AR-SA" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia;mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;color:#EEECE1; mso-themecolor:background2"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p></p></span></span>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378873758432743647.post-7000033052269971952010-12-03T11:35:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:17:44.519-08:00Islam and Violence (1): The Verses<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align: left; "></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" dir="RTL" style="text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size: medium;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Greetings!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Not that I expect anyone to have been actually paying attention, but if anyone was, I owe them an apology for the unholy delay that plagued this post.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Here at last are some of the violent-seeming verses in the Qur'an, and my replies to those who see them as "incriminating" for the religion of Islam in any way. It also is a refutation of the empty claims of those "Muslim" people who claim that these verses do, in fact, urge them to MAKE WAR UPON THE UNBELIEVERS, however that may be.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">(Which is why I disagree with the empty "Islam's a religion of peace" refrain. Anything can be twisted to unscruplous advantages, and these verses are the ones that are always pointed to in the New "Experts" on Islam's finger-pointings.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Enough intro. Here we go.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">THE VERSES:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><br /></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">(A) Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: an evil fate. (Sura 9:73)"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">"The true believers fight for the cause of God. But the infidels fight for the devil. Fight then against the friends of Satan. (Sura 4:76) "<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">"When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads...(Sura 47:4)"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">These three I've lumped together because the same defense can be used to each. The key words are "Prophet", "the infidels fight", and "in battlefield". "Prophet" makes it clear that this is in historical context, talking directly to Muhammad, the second: "infidels fight" makes it clear that this is not one-sided agression, and the third: "in the battlefield", makes it obvious that we are in a state of war the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Essentially it's clear that the "infidels" are not being fought just for the sake of them being "infidels". People should read up more on the history of Islam and just why all those wars took place. Either way, war is ugly - but it's not an Islamic phenomenon and the verses do not speak of initiated aggression by one side. Therefore these verses cannot be used to signify that Islam mandates mindless violence.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">(B) "Slay them wherever you find them. (Sura 2:190)"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">"Arrest them, besiege them. And lie in ambush everywhere for them. (Sura 9:5)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">"But he forbids you to make friends with those who have fought against you on account of your religion and driven you from your homes or abetted others to do so. Those that make friends with them are wrongdoers. (Sura 60:9)"<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">Now, the problem with these three are one and the same: a laughable elimination of the proper context. Let's just get these verses as they are supposed to be read and perhaps then they will make sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">2: 190. And fight in the Way of Allah those who fight you, but transgress not the limits. Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">191. And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">So here we have self-defense. "Those who fight you".<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">9:5 - Sura 9 deserves an explanation. From the very beginning of the chapter we are told that treaties with the polytheists are to be disbanded. Why? A reading of verses 1-15, approximately, will tell us that it is especially because the polytheists have not respected the treaties they themselves have made. Therefore the Prophet is under no further obligation to honor these treaties that have already been betrayed by the polytheists. (You can find Sura 9 here: <a href="http://www.dar-us-salam.com/TheNobleQuran/index.html"><span style="color:blue">http://www.dar-us-salam.com/TheNobleQuran/index.html</span></a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">60:9: (on unbelievers) God forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are wrong-doers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">This is the most obvious one, and to deal with it one must only read the verse immediately preceding it.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">60:8 - Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">With this understanding, we continue:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">60:9 - It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that God forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are wrong-doers.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">:)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">(C) Muhammad is God's Apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another. (Sura 48:29)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">This is Robert Spencer's translation (for those who are so fortunate as to never have heard of Robert Spencer, he is a most notorious and shameless New 'Expert' on Islam, and has written several books maligning Islam I do not deign to mention here, for fear it will lead to him gaining just a little bit of profit from his lies.) <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">I think he used the N.J.Dawood one. With this, I need only point out that the translation is not correct. The correct translation of the term "shadeed" is not "ruthless" but rather "firm" or "tough". And, uh, given the circumstances, somehow I feel that firm treatment with the unbelievers was justfied...<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">(D) He that leaves his dwelling to fight for God and his apostle and is then overtaken by death, shall be rewarded by God. (Sura 4:100)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">People point to this to say it encourages fighting and violence; however, would one refuse a Christian martyr God's reward? Not mention all the reasons I've mentioned already on what exactly the circumstances of the fighting were. (I should elaborate on this in a future blog post. Just what WERE the circumstances of the Muslims and the nonbelievers at that time?)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">So there we have it. Several verses that are always pointed to when "proving" that ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF VIOLENCE!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:left;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none;direction:ltr;unicode-bidi:embed"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;mso-ansi-language:EN">And my reply to say that: in fact, they do not. :)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p></p><p></p></div></span></span>Em Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05140185670764268325noreply@blogger.com2