How should you deal with hatred towards Muslims?

Prayers during Ramadan in 2013 inside a mosque in Harlem, NY.

Islamophobia and resulting hate crimes towards Muslims in the west received the attention of change-makers and concerned Muslims and non-Muslims worldwide and particularly in the west. 

However, the widespread ignorance and lack of exposure to Islam and Muslims among millions in the United States and less diverse parts of the western world is a much more serious issue that needs to be addressed, discussed and resolved. Ignorance can lead to misconceptions and fear, that may escalate to so much more. 

The rise of anti-Muslim discourse as well as governmental policies against Muslims supported and amplified by the media machine is turning common European and American citizens into haters and attackers.

At the same time, we are also witnessing unprecedented acts and signs of solidarity, love, and support from segments within these very same societies. This is a time of great trial for people's faith and principle but it's also an incredible opportunity for change. 

The following are some ideas and suggestions for you If you are a non-Muslim ally who wants to help change things:

1- Ask about and discuss with Muslim friends and allies the ways they want and need to be supported by a non-Muslim ally. They will surely appreciate it, and it will also give you a better idea for your solidarity efforts and help you build more strategic and long term partnerships.

2- Don't be embarrassed for not knowing enough about Islam. That's very normal considering that there are very few opportunities for many non-Muslims to find good information. 

Most Muslims like to talk to others about the real message of Islam. Discuss with Muslims your own ideas about Islam, what you know and what you don't, and the things you are confused about regarding the religion and the diverse groups of people who are affiliated with it. 

3- Learn about Islam and Muslims from Muslims and Muslim sources. Read literature and watch media produced by Muslims, not just 'others'. 

As a matter of fact, modern days Islamophobes and haters are not the only ones who wronged Muslims and spread misconceptions about Islam. 

Orientalist literature and a great deal of western originated books and literature written by non-Muslims, who willingly or unwillingly didn't carry or deliver the full message, share a huge part of the responsibility for what we are dealing with today. 

So, talk to your Muslim friends or colleagues, ask for suggestions, find reliable and authentic books, articles, videos, and news produced and written by different kinds of Muslims and see what they have to say about themselves and their own religion.  

4- Try to avoid offending religious people if you aren't religious yourself. If you are trying to be an ally or show solidarity, please don't say things like "I hate religion, the idea of religion is stupid, all religions are horrible, but I support you guys worshiping whatever you want". 

These statements come out really harsh and makes religious Muslims uncomfortable and it makes them doubt the sincerity of your motivations for wanting to support their cause. 

Even If you do have strong positions on religion, which we totally understand, try not to offend others when you're trying to be in solidarity with them against hatred. 

You are not expected to believe in Islam or be exactly like those you are trying to support. However, there's a huge difference between mere tolerance, and respect for other people's differences.

Fellow Muslim brothers and sisters:

1- In such hard times, turn back to your Lord and remember that he is the best of planners, the most merciful to his servants, the all hearing, and all seeing. There is only good in all the bad that happens and you'll be rewarded for your patience and perseverance.

2- Don't hide or feel ashamed, don't change your name, or be quite about your Muslim identity rather, embrace it. As I heard a speaker say recently: You have as much right as anybody else to be here, walk with your head up. 

2- Talk to people in your workplace, school, or social circle about your experience with Islam and find opportunities for inter-faith dialogue, positive contribution to your community, and building bridges with people of conscious as well as other oppressed groups. 

3- Recognize that ignorance is as dangerous as hatred.

As I mentioned earlier, there's Islamophobia and hatred, and there's also ignorance and lack of exposure to Islam and Muslims. Have you thought about the number of Americans who never heard about Islam? Or the ones who know that what they hear in the media is not the only story and are looking for someone to ask in person? You can be their first encounter, make sure it is a positive one.

Believe it or not, there are still people who don't even have a position on Islam and Muslims. A lot of these people can become allies or at least knowledgeable about it. 

I can assure you that the results of genuine and friendly human-human interactions are incredibly positive having visited several parts of the US where I happened to be the first and/or only Muslim people met or talked to.

Written in Nov, 2016 in the United States of America by a Muslim immigrant young woman. 

My Ramadan experience 1438 Hijri, 2017

This essay on Ramadan was sent as part of a newsletters intended for the volunteers at the organization I currently work at. I thought it would be nice to share it with a wider audience. All pictures attached are taken by me in Cairo and NYC. 

What is Ramadan?

Fasting for the Holy month of Ramadan is an obligation upon every physically and mentally capable Muslim adult. The fast begins before sunrise and ends with sunset. In the United States Muslims will be fasting for about 16 hours everyday during which they don't eat, drink, smoke, or engage in any talks or acts which dissatisfies God. Muslims are also encouraged to do as many good deeds as possible such as feeding the hungry, helping the poor and the oppressed, speaking words of truth. Reading, studying, and trying to implement the Quran is the essence of Ramadan's worship and is highly encouraged. Breaking the fast or Iftar with family, friends, or in a community gathering is a very special occasion for reconnecting and boding with each other. Voluntarily night prayers (Taraweeh or Qiyam) are also held in mosques after the last obligatory prayer of the day. 

This will be my 3rd Ramadan outside of Egypt and my husband's 4th Ramadan in his whole life and that comes with a lot of mixed feelings. 

Ramadan in the Muslim majority world vs. otherwise: 

Ramadan and religious holidays are a central part of the spiritual and cultural fabric of Muslim majority countries. When it is Ramadan or Eid in Egypt for example, the whole country re-arranges its schedule around it, both the public and private atmospheres transform dramatically to welcome and accommodate the Ramadan experience.In Egypt, as in many other countries which are Majority Muslim or have a significant Muslim population, you can smell Ramadan in the air and see it visually through the thousand years old traditional lanterns and decorations which fill the streets, you can see it in the free Iftar tables that are set out in public squares to feed thousands of people who can't afford to break their fast otherwise. 

Thus, it is very challenging when you leave your entire family behind and move to a country where the Muslims are around 1 to 2 percent of the population, where you might be the only one observing the month at work or school, and when you can't tell if it's Ramadan or not until you step into a mosque or remember you can't eat. I know that what a lot of immigrants and refugees miss the most from home during Ramadan is sharing an Iftar meal with their family and extended family members. 

This year I had to work at night and break my fast at work for the first time in my life, my husband was bringing Iftar meals and driving to the office most of Ramadan. It was very different from everything I was familiar with, challenging and yet very rewarding. We shared our Iftar meals with several Muslim ESL students who are enrolled in the evening classes as well as other non-Muslim students and teachers who're interested in joining in and learning. This was an eye-opening opportunity for students and teachers who're coming from a different cultural background. It also gave my fast at work a more meaningful dimension. I wasn't as lonely as I expected to be.

Spirituality vs. culture and folklore:

I've developed a more spiritual perspective to my Islamic practice after having spent my 3rd Ramadan in the United States. I came to love and appreciate how diverse the Muslim population is in the US and in Philadelphia in particular, how I can walk into a mosque where I might be the only Arab, North African, or Egyptian and still be able to join the congregation and feel very welcome. It's an incredible experience to line up in prayers or break bread next to an African American, an Uzbek, a Senegalese and an Arab, all at the same time. In one of the mosques I attend in Philadelphia, I was told that the attendees speak about 31 different languages. It's amazing to me to witness firsthand how spirituality can bring such diverse groups of people together in one place. 



There is a lot more reward and accountability to yourself when you are observing individually, whether fasting in Ramadan or abiding by any other religious practice away from home and community. I came to realize that observing on my own is a test for my spiritual sincerity and strength, something I'd have never had the opportunity to experience If I was back home."

You might ask how can I support my Muslim friends and neighbors in Ramadan. They will certainly appreciate receiving a Ramadan greeting from you. Some might invite you to join them on Iftar. Mosques are always in need of funds to sponsor Iftar for the hundreds of Muslims who come to eat after sunset, some of which are very much in need of these free meals. These are ideas for this year and the years to come. 

On looking for Love in all the wrong places in the Middle East

I'm finishing a book I started reading last February titled: "The Case for Islamo-Christian Civilization" by Richard W. Bulliet. 

It is a very good read for anyone who's trying to understand the modern history and possibly the future of the US/Muslim world relations from an honest western/American/non-Muslim perspective.

The author challenged several classical western principals that are commonly used while dealing with the Middle East whether in the academic arena of Middle Eastern studies or in policy making.

He's refuting concepts such as "Clash of civilization", "What went wrong" and "Why do they hate us" and I was really glad to see this coming from someone in the west.

I found some useful arguments that reminded me of my personal struggle to explain myself and where I'm coming from as a Middle Easterner to the rest of the world. I will share some quotes from the book's Amazon page and then discuss my own reflections from the chapter I especially liked: "Looking for Love in all the wrong places in the Middle East".

************************

1- On "what went wrong":

"The idea that people in the Middle East once embraced the goal of becoming like Europe and hoped that by adopting European ideas and institutions they would someday experience all of the liberal values we recognize in the Europe of today is nonsense. It assumes a historical outcome for Europe itself that no one even in Europe could have predicted."

2- On "why do they hate us":

"Those who advanced the Japanese occupation as a model for postwar Iraq seem to have baseball, Hello Kitty, and Elvis impersonators in the back of their minds rather than headscarves and turbaned mullahs. 

Like latter day missionaries, we want the Muslims to love us, not just for what we can offer in the way of a technological society but for who we are -for our values. But we refuse to countenance the thought of loving them for their values."

3- On "Middle East studies":

"The founders of Middle East studies ignored recommendations that they focus on contemporary Islam and focused instead on Middle Easterners trying to act like westerners. There weren't a lot of these, just as there hadn't been a lot of converts, but the conviction was strong that those few would be pioneers in bringing western modernity to the region. The people we supported as agents of modernity became tyrants."

*****************************************************

While observing the Middle Eastern peoples and cultures, "Looking for love in all the wrong places" is another orientalist pattern that appears in the attitudes of the American observers to this complicated region.

What does it mean?

It means that instead of trying to learn about the region and love/hate it the way it is, these observers look for Middle Easterners they can love, and a Middle East they can relate to while overlooking everything else, intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. 

The author argued that the Middle East they're willing to love is ready for an American version of modernization, and ready to absorb American values with little resistance.

The Middle Easterners they're willing to love are English speaking professionals who've received a reasonable amount of western education. The exotic folkloric traditional folks are also lovable but they're not intellectually competent enough to work with them.

This pattern was describing the majority of contemporary American policy makers, diplomats, and researchers on the Middle East.

I found that this phenomena appears also in the attitudes of people who're interested in the Middle East or watching it outside of academia and policy circles.

****************************

Case 1:

"I'm a liberal educated non-religious woman from the Middle East ready to absorb western/American values.
I'm not bearded or dressed up all in black, does that make me more lovable than fellow Middle Easterners who fit into your preconceived ideas and stereotypes?" 

Case 2:

"I'm not too assimilated with the western culture but I'm educated according to your perception, I do speak English and I can totally fit in. I'm also not dressed up all in black or have a beard but is my headscarf an issue? Does it make me more palatable than a Niqabi? Or less acceptable than a seemingly liberal Middle Easterner? 

***********************
I encounter this all the time while dealing with people who're interested in "us". And for those of us who're standing on the fence between the two worlds because they happened to have some "access" it is a very problematic issue. 

For those of you who're interested in us, you probably have one perception of the Middle East in your mind based on your personal experience. For me it is the Middle East I live in and read about in my own literature and version of history, the Middle East I read about in your western orientalist literature and media, and most importantly it is the Middle Easterner I'm being. 

Which one do you have in mind when you're talking to me? 

Am I supposed to censor myself about myself in order to be sensitive with your ignorance or the fact you're not doing your part in learning about us just like we're learning about you?

It's always a hard job to figure out which version people have in their mind while talking to me. It is so difficult because we are the case study, the educators and the refuters of the misconceptions all at the same time. 

In order to make it easy on both of us you need realize that you are not going to learn if you are just looking for "Middle East and Middle Easterners I can love".

Instead, I suggest you put your personal feelings and judgments aside and then begin to learn/relearn/unlearn about other people/societies/cultures the way they are. 

Of course you will find that there are many not so nice things -from your perspective- about this part of the world and about these people. However, it is not necessarily the same stuff you see on media or hear in that Near East /Middle East / Islamic studies class you attend.

As Bulliet clearly discussed it you must consider the fact the same exact thing applies to your nationality, cultural background, and heritage when people from elsewhere look at it.

Hamza e i significati del Corano

Hamza e i 
significati del Corano حمزة... و معاني القرآن from Domino Film on Vimeo.

Riflessioni, dubbi, paura e fede: questa è la storia di Hamza Roberto Piccardo, un musulmano italiano alla ricerca dei significati della religione.

Studiando le traduzioni del Corano redatte da studiosi cristiani e altri orientalisti, Hamza ha scoperto inesattezze con gli originali significati del testo ; per questo egli ha ritenuto necessario cimentarsi in un delicato lavoro di studio e traduzione che, nel rispetto dei significati originali del Corano, fosse accessibile ai lettori di lingua italiana.

Hamza Roberto Piccardo 

Hamza Roberto Piccardo è nato a Imperia, entra nell’Islàm nel 1975, nel corso di un lungo viaggio in Africa occidentale.

Nel 1988 realizza l'edizione italiana de "Al Minhaj al Muslim (La via del musulmano) " dello shaykh Abu Bakr al Djazayri, la prima opera di giurisprudenza cultuale ad uso dei musulmani italofoni.

Nel 1990 è tra i fondatori dell'Unione delle Comunità ed Organizzazioni islamiche in Italia. (UCOII) e viene eletto membro della direzione nazionale.

Elabora la Bozza d'intesa, il documento sulla quale si dovrebbero stabilire i rapporti tra la comunità islamica e lo Stato .

Nel 1992 viene rieletto nella direzione nazionaleU COII , in quell'anno da vita alla Comunità dei Musulmani del Ponente Ligure, promuovendo l'apertura della Moschea di Imperia; seguiranno nel 1994 quella di Albenga (SV), quella di Sanremo (IM) nel 1996, Savona e Cengio (SV) nel 1998.

Nel 1993 fonda la casa editrice "Al Hikma" e pubblica e dirige il mensile "Il Musulmano". Si tratta di una rivista multilingue, fondamentalmente italiano-arabo ma con apporti in bosniaco, turco, somalo. "Il musulmano" uscirà fino a tutto il 1994 quando è costretto a sospendere le pubblicazioni per ragioni economiche.

Al termine del 1994, dopo cinque anni di lavoro pubblica la prima edizione del "Saggio di Traduzione Interpretativa del Santo Corano inimitabile". 

Si tratta della prima traduzione integrale e commentata ( vi sono oltre 2500 note e un ricco apparato di appendici, indici tematici e dei nomi) pensata e realizzata dai musulmani in Italia per gli italiani e gli italofoni.

Nel 1996 assume la carica di segretario nazionale che mantiene fino all’aprile 2005

Nell'estate `96 esce la prima edizione economica della traduzione del Corano In 8 mesi tutta la tiratura di 25000 copie è esaurita. A tutt’oggi sono state pubblicate 9 edizioni per un totale di oltre 160.000 copie distribuite e vendute.Realizza e tutt’ora dirige un portale islamico in lingua italiana: www.islam-online.it, attualmente il più visitato dei siti islamici in italiano.

Prosegue l’attività editoriale e da alle stampe “Anéla il petto”, un libro di poesie sui 99 bellissimi Nomi di Dio che saranno poi illustrate dalla pittrice Nadia Valentini con altrettanti quadri.

Nel 2003 sito www.libreriaislamica.it

Nel 2005 è portavoce del European Muslim Network, presieduto da Tariq Ramadan.

Nel maggio dello stesso anno pubblica “Il Puzzle del Derviscio”, il suo primo romanzo.

Nel 2006 “Luci prima della Luce” una raccolta di 140 invocazioni.

Nel aprile 2007, “Ode alla Rossa” una raccolta di poesie ispirate dal Marocco e in particolare aiMarrakech.

Nel 2008 Miracolo a Baghad, il secondo romanzo politico/poetico.

Nel nel mese di Dhul Hijja 1430 H / novembre 2009 completa, con i sapienti del Complesso di Re Fahd per la stampa del Generoso Corano, i lavori preparatori per l'edizione arabo/italiano del Libro di Allah.

Nell'Aprile 2010 viene eletto un'altra volta nella direzione UCOII

www.islam-online.it

www.libreriaislamica.it

Il Facebook page di fratello Hamza:

https://www.facebook.com/HamzaRobertoPiccardo

Cosa dice l'Islam sul terrorismo?

L'Islam è una religione di misericordia e non consente il terrorismo.

Dio disse nel Corano:
((Dio non vi proibisce di essere buoni e giusti nei confronti di coloro che non vi hanno combattuto per la vostra religione e che non vi hanno scacciato dalle vostre case. Dio ama coloro che si comportano con equità.)) (Corano, 60:8)

Il profeta Mohammed proibiva ai soldati di uccidere donne e bambini e li avvisava:

{Non tradire, non essere eccessivo, non uccidere un neonato.}

Disse anche: {Chiunque abbia ucciso una persona che ha un contratto con i musulmani non profumerà come il Paradiso, sebbene la sua fraganza si sentirà per un periodo di quarant'anni.}

Il profeta Mohammed aveva anche proibito la punizione con il fuoco.

Egli elencograve; l'omicidio come il secondo di tutti i peccati e avvisava anche che nel giorno del giudizio, {I primi casi a essere giudicati tra persone nel giorno del giudizio saranno quelli di spargimento di sangue}.

I musulmani sono anche incoraggiati a essere gentili con gli animali ed è proibito maltrattarli. Una volta il profeta Mohammed disse:

{Una donna fu punita perchè imprigionò un gatto finché morì. Per questo motivo, fu condannata all'Inferno. Quando il gatto era imprigionato, essa non gli diede né cibo né acqua e non lo lasciò libero di nutrirsi degli insetti della terra.}

Disse anche che un uomo diede da bere a un cane, così Dio dimenticò i suoi peccati a causa di questa buona azione. Fu chiesto al profeta:

“Messaggero di Dio, saremo ricompensati per la gentilezza verso gli animali?” Egli disse: {Esiste una ricompensa per la gentilezza verso ogni forma di vita, animale o umana.}

In aggiunta, quando i musulmani macellano gli animali è loro imposto di farli spaventare e soffrire il meno possibile. Il profeta Mohammed disse: {Quando macellate un animale, fatelo nel modo migliore. Uno affili il suo coltello per ridurre la sofferenza dell'animale.}

Alla luce di questi e altri testi islamici, l'atto di incitare al terrore nei cuori dei civili senza difese, la distruzione completa di edifici e proprietà, il bombardamento e lo storpiare uomini innocenti, donne e bambini sono atti proibiti e detestabili secondo l'Islam e i musulamni.

I musulmani seguono una religione di pace, misericordia e perdono e la maggior parte non ha nulla a che vedere con i violenti eventi che sono associati ai musulmani.

Se un musulmano commette un atto di terrorismo, questa persona sarà colpevole di violare le leggi dell'Islam.

http://www.islam-guide.com/it

Arabs and Muslims: The bad guys in Hollywood

"Reel Bad Arabs": How Hollywood vilifies a people.

I found this outstanding documentary on July 2010 and was impressed by the effort done and the huge amount of information documented in it. It was originally a book by the same author: Dr. Jack Shaheen that I so much admire and respect.

I thought of sharing this movie earlier but it never happened but now is definitely the best time to share such a masterpiece of work for many reasons. 

First of all to remind Arabs of the way we have always been considered and portrayed in the western media and consequently on the western mentality _and may be still are_ in order to work on changing this by clearing these misconceptions up.

I'm afraid the subconsciousness of us is being fed all the time by nonsense that become facts later on in a gradual process. 

(Advice number 1: Watch out for messages sent to you throughout media. All the time)

Secondly, when the map of the Middle East is being redrawn literally, policies towards the Middle East should be reconsidered again as well. This is the role of the educated open-minded westerners who are willing to co-operate.

Although seeing Americans jumping like crazy and chanting CIA in front of the red house oh, sorry I mean the white house made me think twice before talking about rationality and the definition of triumph I still have faith in the smart minority out there.

(Advice number 2: Power comes from people for people who are the makers of their fate, if they neglected this fact they should blame no-one but themselves.)

I'm not going to write much and will just quote from the official site of the movie that you might find here:

http://www.reelbadarabs.com/

**********************

"This groundbreaking documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged from the earliest days of silent film to today's biggest Hollywood blockbusters. Featuring acclaimed author Dr. Jack Shaheen, the film explores a long line of degrading images of Arabs--from Bedouin bandits and submissive maidens to sinister sheikhs and gun-wielding "terrorists"--along the way offering devastating insights into the origin of these stereotypic images, their development at key points in US history, and why they matter so much today. "

"Shaheen shows how the persistence of these images over time has served to naturalize prejudicial attitudes toward Arabs and Arab culture, in the process reinforcing a narrow view of individual Arabs and the effects of specific US domestic and international policies on their lives.

By inspiring critical thinking about the social, political, and basic human consequences of leaving these Hollywood caricatures unexamined, the film challenges viewers to recognize the urgent need for counter-narratives that do justice to the diversity and humanity of Arab people and the reality and richness of Arab history and culture."

About Dr.Jack Shaheen:

Dr. Jack Shaheen (born 1935) is Professor Emeritus of Mass Communication at Southern Illinois University. He was also a consultant on Middle East affairs for CBS News.

He studies portrayals of Arabs and Islam in American media. Being a committed internationalist and humanist, Dr. Shaheen addresses stereotypical images of racial and ethnic groups. His presentations illustrate that stereotypes do not exist in a vacuum, that hurtful caricatures of Asians, blacks, Latinos and others, impact innocents. He explains why such portraits persist, and provides viable solutions to help shatter misperceptions.

Among Dr. Shaheen's awards recognizing his "outstanding contribution towards a better understanding of our global community" are the University of Pennsylvania's Janet Lee Stevens Award, and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition for "his lifelong commitment to bring a better understanding towards peace for all mankind."

Shaheen, a recipient of two Fulbright teaching awards, holds degrees from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Missouri. 

He regularly appears on national programs such as Nightline, Good Morning America, 48 Hours, and The Today Show. Also, he has worked with several television series: The Lucy Show, Twelve O'Clock High and The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.

To watch the full movie on Top Documentary Films:

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/reel-bad-arabs/

Where is Tunisia located?

Question 1 for you:

a. How does the western main stream media decide on exposing international issues? 

b. What are the factors that determine if something is newsworthy, hot or interesting?

For a long time I've been trying really hard to figure out the answer to this question especially that the reactions of the westerners themselves are pretty surprising to me most of the time.

So far, it seems to me that the majority of people are so very misinformed about all Middle Eastern issues.  

This is sad but I'm telling you, educated people of the west, I honestly want to change this and I want your help! 

I remember the way the news about Haiti earthquake, Darfur, and always the Iranian internal issues were focused on in western mainstream media. 

When they pick up and choose I think I should begin to doubt!

Of course I never go to western sources to get information about anything related to The Egyptian or middle eastern related affairs. However, I still need to complain about the extremely dumb stuff I see written about them on popular newspapers or shown on mainstream TV channels. And then also complain about the comments, opinions, and reactions people have in real world.

That was a kind of long introduction, right? I'm sorry but I really had to say this.

Ok then let's see what we have today from my interesting part of the world.

It's Tunisia!

Yes, this little less heard of seemingly peaceful and trouble-free North African country for the majority of us although the truth was far beyond this. 

Even here in Egypt we don't hear much about this country, until only a few weeks ago.

The whole thing started approximately around the 17th of December 2010. In Sidi Bo Zeid city people started to protest and then it spread all over the country only after this university graduate Tunisian guy tried to burn himself alive. 

He failed to get a job with his university degree (That sounds pretty familiar, like my future for example). Anyway, he ended up selling fruits in the street and the government chased him because it is illegal. 

So, the protests got bigger and it turned to be a people revolution on unemployment, high prices, oppression and all, and both the Tunisian police and army clashed with the protesters. It was a big mess some people were killed, some were injured and all schools and universities got closed. These are some of the pictures from there:

Pretty scary, isn't it?!

Up to this point, the western media coverage along with Middle Eastern "allies" were all terribly dumb. 

 Nothing but just a few lines with many "riots" and "riotous" words inserted within the articles "reporting" what happened to the majority of misinformed people over here and there who may still need to know where is Tunisia located! 

Some smart people have noticed the intended weak coverage on the Tunisian Revolution like this one here:

http://blogs.alternet.org/russwellen/2011/01/04/inspiring-story-of-tunisian-protests-ignored-by-washington/

And this one here:

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/01/20111981222719974.html

Activist crackdown: Tunisia vs Iran

By: Jillian York who is a writer, blogger, and activist based in Boston. She works at Harvard Law School's Berkman Centre for Internet & Society and is involved with Global Voices Online.

"The mainstream media denounces crackdowns on Iranian bloggers, yet ignores attacks on activists in Tunisia. Now, as Tunisians take to the streets (and to the Internet) to protest unemployment and the oppressive and longstanding Ben Ali regime, the world's attention seems to be elsewhere. More specifically (and perhaps more importantly), the US government--which intervened heavily in Iran, approving circumvention technology for export and famously asking Twitter to halt updates during a critical time period—has not made any public overtures toward Tunisia at this time."

But things changed a little for the western media by the time it turned to be a real revolution.

Of course you can't simply ignore it when the dictator president flee away and escaped with his family! Till the present moment I'm writing this post, he is flying from an airport to another trying to get a place to hide.

For me, the funnies part about all of this is how westerners themselves comment and react online.

Ignorant people who refuse to get educated about what they don't know and don't admit it becoming political and social experts especially on Middle eastern related issues are funny.

One funny thing I keep reading is how many people think that it was the invention of Wikileaks and the Internet that helped the Tunisians.

 You know, these things they are not familiar with in 3rd world countries especially in Africa where they still live either on trees or inside tents.

But forget about this, for a little while I couldn't believe what I was hearing, seeing and reading online or on TV about Tunisia! 

A Revolution_for real_ on an autocratic regime for the very first time in a really long while in the region.

These are Arab people who are doing this.

You hear me, people? Arabs!

They live not too far from here almost up to same pressure, same corruption, and same everything bad  we have and they did it.

Thanks to the Tunisian people I feel so proud today, I feel it's a personal victory and I do wish to live till the time my own people learn that it costs a lot to see a change, to ask for your rights, and get them. 

*******************

- Ah! by the way, could anyone please tell me where exactly is this country they keep talking about now?

Is it in Africa or somewhere Asia, maybe?

- Seriously man, why should I give a damn about it?
 I know they did pretty well in Star Wars, anyways. And that was awesome!

Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land: Media & the Israel-Palestine Conflict

السلام و الدعاية و أرض الميعاد:

الإعلام الأمريكي و الصراع الفلسطيني الإسرائيلي

Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land:

Media & the Israel-Palestine Conflict

  

A film introduced by: Media education Foundation

Written and directed by:

Sut Jhally & Bathsheba Ratzkoff

*********

I've seen a part of this documentary dubbed into Arabic on Aljazeera documentary channel and I liked what I've heard and seen in it. 

Not to mention that I didn't really need to watch the whole film to judge it, I'm quite impatient so watching an 80 minute long documentary is more than I can take especially when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict for many reasons.

In addition, I'm not yet to decide about this issue since I've already had my point of view regarding it that I'll never change. Now I'm just enhancing it's validity even more.

Speaking from a standpoint of an average person living in any country allover the Middle East who has some interest in politics, the film doesn't offer something brand new.

However, it could be used as a very good argument in several occasions due to the nature and background of the interviewees and the speakers in it who are respectful scholars and journalists, former Israeli soldiers and also bright individuals such as the linguist Noam Chomsky, a worldwide reputed Jewish thinker that I appreciate myself.

*******************

Taken directly from the official website:

Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported.

Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied terrorities appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one.

The documentary also explores the ways that U.S. journalists, for reasons ranging from intimidation to a lack of thorough investigation, have become complicit in carrying out Israel's PR campaign. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism, and the relationship between media and politics.
 

****************
 

Interviewees include Seth Ackerman, Mjr. Stav Adivi, Rabbi Arik Ascherman, Hanan Ashrawi, Noam Chomsky, Robert Fisk, Neve Gordon, Toufic Haddad, Sam Husseini, Hussein Ibish, Robert Jensen, Rabbi Michael Lerner, Karen Pfeifer, Alisa Solomon, and Gila Svirsky.

Sections:

Intro | American Media: Occupied Territory | Hidden Occupation | Invisible Colonization | Violence in a Vacuum | Defining Who Is Newsworthy | Myth of U.S. Neutrality | Myth of the Generous Offer | Marginalized Voices | Is Peace Possible? 

 

 

Terms of camp david proposal and how it was covered in American media are one of the most interesting
parts of the documentary

You could watch the full version in English on google videos via this link:

Click here

Enjoy!