News and Commentary on Arab Women, Palestine, Cultural Politics, and Everything in Between
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Sunday, October 08, 2006
"Modern Sheikhs" Censored
An Egyptian book criticizing the role some "modern sheikhs" play in creating Islamic extremism has been confiscated, according to Al Safeer. (in Arabic)
I hope that soon people writing controversial books in the Arab world will post these books on the internet. Then let's see Egypt, Syria, Lebanon or even the White House confiscate the book and try to block the book using a firewall.
Amal, on a completely unrelated issue, but perhaps on a kind of censorship:
in your profile you write
"' And remember, to be a good reader, don't forget to read what I don't say "
I have heard similar words from a number of progressive Arab women in the US (well the one's I meet I suppose in various campuses). Where they say something on the lines of "I am an Arab woman in America....I say less than what I mean."
Is there some provenance to this language? Could you expand on it? I'm very interesting in this idea and whether it articulates the situation of Arab women here or all progressive women?
( I was going to ask, What do you mean? but chickened out)
I mean several things, and I think to some extent my silences are something other Arab women experience. Although I'm the author of this blog, I still have limited control over what I say. My readers have lots of power in hearing what they want. My post can reappear on another site and therefore take on a different meaning that I didn't intend. Because I'm an Arab woman, people often assume they know who I am and what I'm saying. They read my words to confirm what they already know. By choosing to write "improvisations" I'm trying to undermine the "aleady know you" bunch (who come from acoross the political spectrum btw). As an progressive Arab woman in the US, I am always negotiating too many positions all the time that there is only room for "improvisations."
Sometimes I'm silent because I'm too angry to speak. Or because there are no words left.
Sometimes I'm silent because I'm thinking an issue through. I envy those who have figured it out. There was a time when I thought I figured it out. Not anymore. The more you learn, the less you know.
I'm very glad I asked you the question. there is always a surprise in your blog. sometimes it involves what you don't fully articulate (more precisely what I expect to be explained but is left unexplained perhaps deliberately)
I don't think that anyone has figured it out, there are people that are comfortable with their opinions and those who are not. The latter and read write about them, the former preach or pray.
6 comments:
I hope that soon people writing controversial books in the Arab world will post these books on the internet. Then let's see Egypt, Syria, Lebanon or even the White House confiscate the book and try to block the book using a firewall.
Yes, that would help, not that the internet is not being censored in some of the countries you mention.
Amal, on a completely unrelated issue, but perhaps on a kind of censorship:
in your profile you write
"' And remember, to be a good reader, don't forget to read what I don't say "
I have heard similar words from a number of progressive Arab women in the US (well the one's I meet I suppose in various campuses). Where they say something on the lines of "I am an Arab woman in America....I say less than what I mean."
Is there some provenance to this language? Could you expand on it? I'm very interesting in this idea and whether it articulates the situation of Arab women here or all progressive women?
( I was going to ask, What do you mean? but chickened out)
Hi Rabee,
I mean several things, and I think to some extent my silences are something other Arab women experience. Although I'm the author of this blog, I still have limited control over what I say. My readers have lots of power in hearing what they want. My post can reappear on another site and therefore take on a different meaning that I didn't intend. Because I'm an Arab woman, people often assume they know who I am and what I'm saying. They read my words to confirm what they already know. By choosing to write "improvisations" I'm trying to undermine the "aleady know you" bunch (who come from acoross the political spectrum btw). As an progressive Arab woman in the US, I am always negotiating too many positions all the time that there is only room for "improvisations."
Sometimes I'm silent because I'm too angry to speak. Or because there are no words left.
Sometimes I'm silent because I'm thinking an issue through. I envy those who have figured it out. There was a time when I thought I figured it out. Not anymore. The more you learn, the less you know.
Sometimes I'm silent because I can't speak.
Aren't you glad you asked?
Amal,
I'm very glad I asked you the question. there is always a surprise in your blog. sometimes it involves what you don't fully articulate (more precisely what I expect to be explained but is left unexplained perhaps deliberately)
I don't think that anyone has figured it out, there are people that are comfortable with their opinions and those who are not. The latter and read write about them, the former preach or pray.
well, Rabee, the lack of articulation may not always be deliberate but after answering your question we can always pretend that it is.
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