Dear Mona, thank you for saying it so eloquently and telling it like it is. I salute you!
… With a prayer for all those souls murdered in the name of my religion, I confess I am not so concerned about Europe. And I don’t care about cartoons in Denmark. Newspapers there have every right to publish whatever they like. I couldn’t care less about Geert Wilders, the Dutch politician whose film Fitna will surely provoke more fear-mongering racism. It’s just red meat dished out to right wing Europeans.
In Sudan we have a saying: “Anba7 ya kalib, wistaree7 ya galib“, which roughly means “bark oh dog, and rest oh heart”. In other words we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be so easily provoked into rage or violence by such “barking” but instead we must learn to focus on the things that matter way more.
But I also have little interest in the views of the left wing reader who may be waiting for my inner Victimized Muslim to blame all our ills on the right wing, or the United States, or Israel. No, I have a much closer, more intimate concern.
I am not so concerned about these others, because the main target of Muslim violence is fellow Muslims in the Muslim world.
Nearly every week, hundreds of Muslims are blown to shreds in Pakistan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The frequent demonstrations held across the Muslim world don’t call for an end to the slaughter of Muslims by Muslims, but to demand petulantly that the ‘world’ stop offending Muslims.
So very true. All of it. The emphasis is obviously mine because the highlighted desperately needs to be emphasized, especially the part about Muslim Victimhood and its unfortunate convergence with people like Cindy Sheehan.
And yet, topping the agenda of the summit in Senegal this week of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is Islamophobia.
… I don’t expect any enlightened self-criticism from the OIC. It was at a meeting in 2005, after the Danish cartoons were published, that the manufactured outrage against Denmark was cooked up and delivered across the Muslim world — a perfect distraction from domestic pressures for every opportunistic Muslim dictator — and for Islamist groups looking to claim the banner of Islam.
How nice of the OIC. This is an absolute and utter shame. It’s unbelievably pathetic and powerfully symbolizes the extreme problems we Muslims suffer from.
… Islam has been around for more than 1,400 years and it will not vanish because of cartoons and films. But what does shake my faith is the violence.
… I will not leave Islam to the barbarians.
And neither will I.
SudaneseThinker
SudaneseThinker
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
“I will not leave Islam to the barbarians.”
The original (Roman) meaning of “barbarians” is “people with beards”. So the word is exactly right.
Well, many of us don’t have beards. Just a few facial hairs maybe.
The original (Roman) meaning of “barbarians” is “people with beards”. So the word is exactly right.
i think you are wrong … i remember reading somewhere that it’s a kinda greek version of blah blah blah or something … this is how non greek languages appeared to greeks …
Both of you are right.
The Greek word refers to people who didn’t speak Greek and had beards. (In Greek culture only philosophers had beards.)
The word apparently derives from an Indo-European word referring to “beard” or “curly-haired” (Indo-European tribes had straight hair) and sounds a lot like the “bla-bla” or “bar-bar” one hears when listening to a strange language.
It is thus both based on “bla-bla” and “beard”; or, to be more precise, on the fact that the hair-related root sounded like “bar-bar”.
Andrew Brehm on March 13th, 2008 10:41 am
Both of you are right.
The Greek word refers to people who didn’t speak Greek and had beards. (In Greek culture only philosophers had beards.)
sounds strange because the greeks painted and sculpted themselves with beards quite a lot … also there is this legend about alexander ordering his troops to shave themselves because he thought that beards can serve as extra handles to grab at for enemy soldiers in close fighting
“sounds strange because the greeks painted and sculpted themselves with beards quite a lot”
They sculpted philosophers and other famous people.
“also there is this legend about alexander ordering his troops to shave themselves because he thought that beards can serve as extra handles to grab at for enemy soldiers in close fighting”
Alexander was a barbarian from Macedon.
Macedonians were a non-Greek Indo-European people. Their language was, apparently, closely related to Greek. (Note that they are not related to today’s Macedonians who arrived in the region in 600 CE or so.)
Alexander’s father Philip invaded Greece hence ultimately making Alexander leader of the Greeks (and Macedonians).
Once Alexander was hellenised (became Greek), he was sculpted without beard.
Not your “typical Greek”, that Alexander.
They sculpted philosophers and other famous people.
not necessarily .. you have battle scenes painted on vases and other stuff … you often see their warriors painted bearded …and the macedonians were imitating the greek culture …they were working hard not to appear barbarians ..
“not necessarily .. you have battle scenes painted on vases and other stuff … you often see their warriors painted bearded”
Those were heroes, half-gods, that sort of thing. Famous people and philosophers had beards. Half-gods could look like barbarians if it made them look stronger.
“…and the macedonians were imitating the greek culture …they were working hard not to appear barbarians ..”
Hence Alexander showing without beard in his sculptures.
well …i think it’s time to start googling
Sorry…I have to do my rant…
Iran-Iraq 1 Million Dead Muslims
Sudan-Darfur around 1/4 million dead Muslims
Syria-Hama about 20,000 dead Muslims in about what…2 weeks?
Lebanon-Lebanon I can’t count
Iraq-Kuwait- Don’t know
Iraq-Kurdistan- A whole lot
Yemen-Yemen Don’t know
Israel in about 100 years of fighting Lebanese, Iraqis, Egyptians, Jordanians and Palestinians…what about 30,000 maybe? And that includes at least 4 major wars?
Focus on Muslim world on Israel as “the” enemy, Israel.
OK…makes sense to me.
The writer of the article hit the nail on the head.
Reminds me of a story about the late Rabin. He was in a debate with an Egyptian who accused Israel of using incindary bombs in ‘73. Rabin admitted it and then quoted Geneva rules or whatever. Then he asked the dude…”what about, for example, Yemens using chemical weapons against each other?”
Dude supposedly replied; “Arabs killing Arabs is our own business”.
OK…fine
Andrew Brehm on March 13th, 2008 12:40 pm
“…and the macedonians were imitating the greek culture …they were working hard not to appear barbarians ..”
Hence Alexander showing without beard in his sculptures.
i had a look at a few sources and they all say something in the sense of …
The style of Greek clothing changed little over time. Men and women both wore loose tunics, of somewhat different shapes to fit their body types. The tunics often had colorful designs and were worn cinched with a belt. In cold weather, people wore cloaks and hats, and leather boots replaced the sandals worn in warm temperatures. Women wore jewelry and cosmetics, especially powdered lead to give themselves a pale complexion. Men sported beards until Alexander the Great started a vogue for shaving.
Source
it’s from msn encarta but others say the same thing .. the story of alexander ordering his troops to shave themselves is not a legend according to them… but this was not done out of admiration for the greek culture … quite the opposite … it’s not alexander who was following the latest grecian fashions .. it’s the greeks who started shaving to imitate alexander … he was the trend setter, not the greeks …
“sounds strange because the greeks painted and sculpted themselves with beards quite a lot”
Wow…same with our rabbi’s :O
Hehehe, who knew this will become a thread about beards and barbarians? I learned in history class back in school that barbarians were a people (I think the Huns) who’s language sounded like “bara bara brrr bara brrr brraaa” so others who got invaded by them ended up calling them barbarians.
As for the main topic of the post, me loves what Mona Eltahawy says.
Oh and what Howie said.
Israel is no angel but the crazy obsession we have with it is too damn annoyingly blinding.
“Dude supposedly replied; “Arabs killing Arabs is our own business””
Yeah and we’re like sooo good at handling it.
Pfft, ya right.
Drima on March 14th, 2008 4:46 am
Hehehe, who knew this will become a thread about beards and barbarians? I learned in history class back in school that barbarians were a people (I think the Huns) who’s language sounded like “bara bara brrr bara brrr brraaa” so others who got invaded by them ended up calling them barbarians.
you sure know, after you do enough blogging, it all becomes a bit deja vu … it’s nice to steer conversation into an unexpected direction before we start repeating the same arguments over and over again .. it’s not that there is any problem with the arguments as such, just that it’s all getting a bit repetitive ..
as to the main subject of the post … recently i started getting very pessimistic about the future of our region in general …too many problems and they keep mounting .. this region is running out of time to effect necessary reforms before it’s hit by a huge shitstorm … the arabs may think israel is their worst problem .. or the USA .. or the danish cartoons … but soon they will have something much more real to worry about .. so why should i care ????
Israel is no angel but the crazy obsession we have with it is too damn annoyingly blinding.
That’s the point: to keep Arabs blind! Meanwhile, your leaders can do with you whatever they like, all in the name of opposing Israel and Zionism.
Great post, Drima. I need to read more of her stuff.
“barbarian Look up barbarian at Dictionary.com
1338, from M.L. barbarinus, from L. barbaria “foreign country,” from Gk. barbaros “foreign, strange, ignorant,” from PIE base *barbar- echoic of unintelligible speech of foreigners (cf. Skt. barbara- “stammering,” also “non-Aryan”). Barbaric is first recorded 1490, from O.Fr. barbarique, from L. barbaricus “foreign, strange, outlandish.” Barbarous is first attested 1526.”
Non-Aryan?
Hope Mona did not mean to leave islam in the hands of the Iranians…brrr
Nah, we all know what it means nowadays:
http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+barbarian&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a
And Mona wrote a briliant pieace. I commented on her blog.
piece even
this a was freudian - it wanted to make piece into peace.
which reminds me btw of this cartoon:
http://www.science.co.il/Arab-Israeli-conflict/cartoons/land-for-peace-20060724.jpg
Most probable long term consequences of continuous violence in muslim lands is erosion of unique values of islamic religion of compassion, mercy and right to dignified life for all mankind. Today’s suicide bombing activities in Pakistan, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan and other muslim lands will directly influence the thinking pattern of people around the world. For example, continued attacks and suicide bombing in Pakistan is becoming an indication of the utter failure of the Pakistani security to protect its own people and leaders and with the fear and suspicision that these dark minority crazy fanatics will take hold of nuclear bombs, it will be justifiable to attack and disarm Pakistani’s nuclear arsenal to the utmost satisfaction of Pakistani and muslim public. Because this suicide bombers will not hesitate to use the nuclear arsenal against anywhere and anytime if they get hold of it. I am very really very scared for the future of the muslim world…because the continued islamic bashing media activities coupled with the instantaneous violent reaction of the minorities and the overwhelming silence of good muslim majority is eroding the our divine islamic religion of its great values of brotherhood, compassion, leading by example and good behaviour, good neighborliness. If the violence continues, God forbid, I am afraid the retaliatory bombing of muslim holy lands will look justifiably right to many people, particularly the young generation. I wish to advise muslims to cease all forms of violence and embrace civilized debate and commit to world peace and security.
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