Hey Again

As is obvious, this Blog has been completely re-vamped. Re-vamped meaning: all the old posts were removed to make room for new ones. Not that there were lots of old ones. Either way... I ramble on for too much!!!

I've had this blog for over a year now, and for the past year or two I have been wanting to post regularly. I ended up with 5 posts of my own and 2 of Hana's. Not quite the level of activity I was hoping for. And so, a couple of days ago, I decided to start once again. Thus, the blog is reborn.

If I can maintain the impetus.

So, what's cookin these days?

Apparently, the Danish Embassy.

I've read about this on more than one blog uptill now and though anything I say might be redundant, I wouldn't be true to myself if I don't share what I have to say. Here goes:

It is extremely ridiculous that four months after the caricatures were published in the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, muslims decide to riot and voice their apparently very strong opinions about said caricatures which, amongst other things, depict the Muslim Prophet Mohammed wearing a black turban which is really a bomb with a lit fuse.

Outrage! Anger! Violence!

Poor Arab world.

I heard about the issue quite a bit of time before I saw the actual depictions of the prophet. I found it amusing that Egyptians (I am an Egyptian who lives in Egypt) felt strongly enough about the cartoons that they felt a boycott of Danish products was required in order to "teach those Danes a lesson".

I find myself amazed. Arabs and muslims die everyday in Palestine, yet you don't think of doing a thing. In Pakistan, a Muslim Sunni decided to kill some Muslim Shiites (2 different sects of Islam), but not a word was raised in protest. Yet the moment some independant Danish newspaper decides to publish pictures depicting the prophet wearing a bomb-turban, you go berserk.

For the sake of argument, let's just assume that what that newspaper did was wrong. (Mind you, I am an absolute believer in the sanctity of Freedom of Expression and Speech.) What on earth do you stand to gain demanding an apology from the Danish government? Even more, what does the farmer (or corporation) who owns the cows and churns the milk to give you milk, butter and cheese have to do with the independant Danish newspaper that decided to publish those drawings?!

If you attempt to rationally tackle the questions, you will notice, O Arab Brethren, that the media in Denmark (or at least that specific newspaper) is NOT owned by the government. It does not represent the views of said government. That is what the Danish Prime Minister meant when he said that he cannot apologize for the actions of that Newspaper. Am I expected to apologize for a crime committed by another Egyptian citizen? I think not. (Again, mind you, I am not saying what they did is a crime... I am merely illustrating my argument using a random example.)

What about that boycott? When I discussed this issue with colleagues at work, one of them piped up and said: This Boycott is a peaceful method of telling the Danes that we do not appreciate the depiction of our prophet in that manner. Tell me, why, oh why, do you want the factory workers in Denmark to suffer because of that?

Now that I think about it, I can come up with an answer to that question... but it sure as hell wasn't any answer that I've heard before. My answer would be: so that these factory workers would PRESSURE the Danish newspapers into not printing such heinous caricatures again. Not likely to happen, but it sure beats burning the Danish embassies in Damascus and Beirut. Mindless barbarians, that's what they're going to think.

If you want to work on the problem, if you dont want the Danes or anyone else drawing, writing or talking about you in that manner then how about you start making yourself look good. The Arab world is constantly complaining of the power the Jewish lobby has in the United States. That is the root of all evil, of course. I hardly doubt the Americans woke up one day and decide to throw their fate over with the Jews. It doesnt work that way. These people worked for it. They worked hard. They worked tirelessly. BUT, they worked. You image as muslims is much like the image of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. You have to work to push that image into people's heads. Tie it in with good thoughts and not pictures of people barbarically attacking a diplomatic mission.

That's what you need to be doing.

Still, if you feel like you must boycott Lurpak butter, be my guest. If you think that their Prime Minister should swear by all that is Holy that this wont happen again, go ahead and try. Just dont ignore the true roots of the problem; they see you as intolerant, crazy rabble.

Do something about THAT!!!

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P.S. I frequently say Arabs where I probably should have said Muslims. Please excuse that bit of cultural habit. Not all Arabs are Muslims and by no means are all Muslims Arabs.