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Monday, March 06, 2006
Time flies when you're not talking politics!
Has it been a week already?! :-)
I have a few non-political entries waiting to be posted, but this is too good not to share.
A close friend and long-time treppenwitz reader sent me a link yesterday to video clip of an Arab-American woman being interviewed on an Arabic language talk show.
While watching the clip I was simultaneously elated and terrified. Elated because here was an intelligent, articulate woman accusing her own people, IN ARABIC, of things I normally only hear from the right end of my own community. But terrified (for her) because the leaders and communities she is taking to task are not known for taking criticism in stride. If I were her I would install a remote-controlled starter in my car.
Editorial disclosure: The woman admits to not being a practicing Muslim, so it would be a mistake to assume that she is speaking for any portion of that community.
Next, while there are enough Arabic and Hebrew words that sound alike that I can tell that the translation stays basically on topic... I can't vouch for the detailed accuracy of the sub-titles.
Lastly, in her enthusiasm the woman misspeaks herself about certain aspects of Jewish 'innocence' in the current conflict. She states that there has never been a Jew who murdered innocent people to advance an agenda (I'm paraphrasing), and unfortunately though rare, we can no longer say this is true.
Posted by David Bogner on March 6, 2006 | Permalink
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Comments
Well if you liked that you'll love "Rantings of a Sandmonkey". He's got a bit of a potty mouth but makes a lot of sense. He DOES claim to be a Muslim although has threatened to quit if they get any 'crazier' [sic].
http://egyptiansandmonkey.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Scott | Mar 6, 2006 11:36:17 AM
Excerpts are also printed in today's Jerusalem Post, FWIW....
Posted by: zahava | Mar 6, 2006 12:44:20 PM
This woman makes me uncomfortable. I agree with most of what she says, but I think she makes the mistake of accusing religious Muslims of "worshipping the supernatural". She herself is secular and couches the conflict in an way that is insulting to religion in general and Islam in particular. She tries to make the point by saying that "you can worship your rocks, but don't throw them at me". Muslims are monotheists, not pagans. The argument should be against the violence against others of different faiths - but not put in these terms.
The only way that there will ever be a moderate Muslim society is if there is respect for the religion - but a zero tolerance for the violent oppression of both women in their society and of others of different religions. Can there ever be such a thing? I don't know - but it certainly will not come about from the secular world deriding Islam.
Posted by: westbankmama | Mar 6, 2006 4:57:29 PM
David, this is another clip I was sent, that I think is very important to share
http://tinyurl.com/dl2dm
It's an eye-opener, especially for us Americans no matter if we are Jews, Christians, or whatever other religious faith/ or ethnic background one is.
Posted by: jaime | Mar 6, 2006 5:35:43 PM
I just reread what I wrote and It sounds like I sent you the clip of the Arab woman. Nope, it wasn't me. Just meant that I have received from different people the above link and I think it's important to pass it on and share with others, as well.
Posted by: jaime | Mar 6, 2006 5:39:41 PM
Oh...just one more thing, first of all, David, I like that you are honest about the disclosure, and WestbankMama, I really appreciate your comment.
What I want to add is that one of my close girlfriends is originally from Iran and is a non-practicing Muslim. Her sister, who still lives in Iran, is here in the US, visiting her for a few months. A bunch of friends, including her sister and I went out Saturday night. In our BSing, we were jokingly complaining about our husbands, talking about mini-crushes we had on co-workers or neighbors, and just having a good time. Her sister, just seemed so shocked that our husbands knew about these little crushes or how we complain about them. She went on to tell us how lucky we are in US to have the type of men that we do and that no way, could we be getting away with any of this in Iran. Of course, this isn't anything new to us, but it just drove home an appreciation of what we women have and take for granted.
Posted by: jaime | Mar 6, 2006 5:51:47 PM
Courageous to say the least, but do you think anyone besides the Jews have seen (i.e. seriously considered her words) her speech?
Posted by: Jacky | Mar 6, 2006 6:12:23 PM
"Ya'ahi, you can believe in stones as long as you don't throw them at me!"
More of this!!!
MEMRI has been on our tv channels a lot lately, and it's good so, because their work and efforts is just not known enough.
Thanks to them, the public has been made aware of the fact that many of the Middle Eastern satellite channels available here in Germany broadcast antisemitic cartoons and series, and obviously have been since quite some time now. The pig and apes the woman speaker mentions also appeared in an animation cartoon for children. It's a series of cartoons drawing from quran narratives, and this episode tells about Jewish sellers at the shuq who, plainly and abbrevedly spoken, turn into apes and pigs for their behaviour.
What I find very interesting in this clip was language and body language. Sultan's almost epic, controlled intonation and few use of hands versus the males waggering around their hands, arms and excited shouts.
Posted by: a. | Mar 6, 2006 7:58:41 PM
on a second note - before anyone gets the impression these tv channels mentioned broadcast their antisemitic bull in Germany to team up...Germans the ever-nazis...blahblah. Nope. Not that.
It is satellite channels targeted at the Middle Eastern expat communities here in Germany (e.g. Lebanese, Iran, Turkey, Saudis...) - foreign workers or people living here for what reason ever. Some of these channels are actually forbidden to broadcast here, but with a twist of the satellite dish, all the world is at one's feet and no one can do a thing about it.
Posted by: a. | Mar 6, 2006 8:02:25 PM
Unfortunately, the most enthusiastic activists also tend to be extreme. BUT their actions eventually start to get emulated by a more moderate mass of people. Let's hope she won't turn out to be just another Lone Ranger.
Posted by: Irina | Mar 6, 2006 8:10:51 PM
Speaking of signs for optimism (or grasping at straws): Hollyweird seems to have pulled back just a tad from the brink last night. Either they are not quite as bad as some of us think they are ... or they fear losing even more money at the box office. Schlemeilberg got zip and glorification of homocide bombers is not 'universally' lauded ... even on the Left Coast. Praise be to G-d.
Posted by: Scott | Mar 7, 2006 12:18:14 AM
Scott... I have a lot of trouble believing that blog is really written by an Arab. The name is so offensive that it would be akin to my naming my blog 'Dirty Kike'.
Zahava... Thanks honey. I see you found the paper where I tossed it. :-)
Westbankmama... I agree, but it was such a change of pace from what normally gets translated from the Arabic-speaking media that I had to share it. She is not a theist of any kind so she is automatically incapable of negotiating the sensibilities on wither side of this (or any) religious struggle. But her take on the clash of cultures was dead on.
Jaime... Thanks for the link (and no, folks... Jaime did not send me the one I posted). I am a little curious about something, though: Were you honestly surprised to find that you are a bit better off than your Iranian counterpart? :-)
Jacky... Probably not... but sometimes the choir enjoys being preached to. :-)
a. ... Yeah, the body language was quite different between her and the man who really wasn't allowed to get a word in edgewise. But there were a couple of moments there where I thought she would pop out of her seat... in fact she was clearly keeping herself from gesticulating by the force of sheer will. :-)
Irina... If she survives, that is. :-)
Scott... I was a bit stunned by that as well. I suppose even a bunch of self-absorbed Hollywood types (not you, Robert!) occasionally come to their collective senses. :-)
Posted by: treppenwitz | Mar 7, 2006 2:01:57 PM
No, we weren't surprised at all. I felt quite sorry for her but as I mentioned, it just drove home how much we take for granted here.
Posted by: jaime | Mar 7, 2006 4:44:04 PM
Ha! Here goes that cold turkey.
And yeah, I have seen that clip a few days ago. She is real fearless, and my first thought was about her safety too.
And her delivery could hardly be faulted, although yes, we have our dreckes. But we do not or, at least, should not pretend we are different or, deity forbid, better.
Shabes.
Posted by: SnoopyTheGoon | Mar 10, 2006 12:50:48 PM
Jaime... I figured as much.
Snoopy... I never meant to imply any kind of superiority. Just posted an interesting video clip.
Posted by: treppenwitz | Mar 10, 2006 4:11:11 PM
