Art of Revolution, Part 1

Not even the barbaric regime of Assad can kill the spirit of beautiful revolutionary Syrian art. Here I share with the world some images inspired by the reality which the people of Syria call life...

حتى نظام الأسد الهمجي غير قادر على قتل روح الفن الثوري السوري. هنا أشارك العالم ببعض اللوحات المستوحاة من الواقع  اليومي الذي يحياه الشعب السوري

What and Why the US Owes the People of Syria

The US government owes the Syrian people to get down off its moral high horse and quietly ensure the removal of the Assad regime. Why that is you might be thinking? Because regardless of the hostile rhetoric both Syrian and American governments enjoyed exchanging whenever they needed to mobilize public national support, the US government under the Bush administration directly and indirectly supported the torturous Syrian regime.

During it's so called war on terror, the US used Syria as an interrogation/ torture camp to force oftentimes false confessions out of US and non-US civilians alike under torture. The case of Maher Arar, the Canadian citizen, who was born in Syria but left to Canada when he was 17 years old drives the case in point. In 2002, Arar was transiting to Canada via JFK airport when he was detained for 2 weeks without charges after which he was flown and detained in the notorious Sednaya Prison of Syria. Arar was not released till a year later of suffering and after a relentless campaign by his wife. To date, the US refuses to admit it made a mistake and won't issue even a public apology to Arar and his family.

If this kind of rendition is not a seal of approval from the US to the criminal practices committed under Assad, then I don't know what it is.

While it remains doubtful that the US government will ever publicly apologize to Arar, it still carries the responsibility of removing the murderous regime it conspired with for numerous years.

ماذا و لماذا الولايات المتحدة مدينة للشعب السوري

تدين الولايات المتحدة للشعب السوري بأن تنزل بكل تواضع من تعاليها الأخلاقي و تعمل على ازالة نظام الأسد. تتساءل و لما هذا ؟ لأنه و بالرغم من اللغة العدوانية التي تتمتع كلا الحكومتين بتبادلها لحشد الدعم الوطني فإن الحكومة الأمريكية تحت إدارة بوش دعمت بشكل مباشر و غير مباشر نظام الأسد المجرم.

خلال ما سمته بالحرب على الإرهاب قامت أمريكا باستخدام سوريا كمركز تحقيق و تعذيب لتجبر مواطنين أمريكيين و غير أمريكيين على حد سواء للاعتراف ببيانات خاطئة تحت وطء التعذيب. إن قضية ماهر عرار، المواطن الكندي و الذي ولد في سوريا و هاجر منها في عمر ال١٧ تصب في بيت القصيد. في عام ٢٠٠٢ و بينما كان عرار يعبر إلى كندا من مطار جون كندي تم احتجازه لمدة أسبوعين من دون تهم و من بعدها تم نقله إلى سجن صيدنايا ذو الصيت الذي تقشعر له الأبدان في سوريا. لم يتم الإفراج عن عرار إلا بعد عام كامل عانى خلالها الأمرين و بعد حملة متواصلة من تنظيم زوجته لإطلاق سراحه. إلى تاريخنا اليوم لم تصدر الحكومة الأمريكية اعتذاراً رسمياً بحق عرار و لم تعترف بحدوث خطأ فادح قي حقه و حق عائلته.

إن لم يكن هذا النوع من التسليم المجحف بمثابة ختم موافقة من الحكومة الأمريكية على الممارسات الإجرامية لنظام الأسد فلا أدر ماذا يكون. في حين تكمن شكوك حقيقية في نية الحكومة الأمريكية بأن تصدر اعتذاراً رسمياً لعرار فأنها ما زالت تحمل مسؤولية تجاه الشعب السوري بأن تنزع الحكومة المجرمة التي طالما تآمرت معها على مر السنين.

In Support of Ali Ferzat

Ali Ferzat, one of the most famous cartoonists in Syria and the Arab world who has been a critic of the Syrian government, was severly beaten on 25 August by pro-government thugs in order to intimidate him and the Syrian opposition. In support of the talented and courageous Mr. Ferzat, here are some of his poignant cartoons.
Freedom to information in Syria:

Freedom of expression in Syria:

 Media coverage:

 Dr. Bashar's reform

 Bashar flipping through calendar, scared of Friday

 Super Glue!

 And finally, a defiant Ali Ferzat in his hospital bed

For more cartoons visit http://www.ali-ferzat.com/ar/home.html

Clouds of fear hang over Mideast bloggers

By David Miller, The Media Line

Arab bloggers have encountered “astounding” levels of intimidation and arrest since the onset of the Arab Spring, but large numbers of them have made it easy for the authorities to find them by failing to take defensive measures to protect their identities, a survey conducted by Harvard University has found.


One third of the 98 bloggers surveyed by Harvard’s Berkman Centre for Internet and Society in May said they had been threatened for their opinions and one fifth reported that their on-line accounts had been hacked.

Almost a tenth of the respondents admitted to being arrested or detained for their on-line activity.

“I’m constantly receiving threats from paramilitary forces, members of Lebanese political parties and anonymous people related to my online support of cyber-dissidents in the region,” Imad Bazzi, a Lebanese activist who blogs at trella.org, told The Media Line.

The Internet has played a key role in the spread of protests this year, with activists bypassing media and communications networks controlled by governments in favour of social media to spread the word of upcoming rallies and report news. The authorities have responded by imposing stricter controls and in some cases shutting down networks entirely.

In Syria, a well-organised effort, known as the Syrian Electronic Army, has been carrying out attacks to disable and compromise websites critical of the regime as mass protests enter their sixth month.

Even countries where protesters have ousted long-time despots, successor governments have been acting to douse critical bloggers. Egyptian Asmaa Mahfouz was arrested and released on bail recently after she was accused of using Facebook and Twitter to defame the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces.

In Tunisia, the government was blamed for a phishing attack against human rights activists in an effort to gain access to their G-mail accounts.

The tough treatment meted out to bloggers was to be expected, according to the Berkman report, which noted that the survey was taken amid a surge of on-line activity spawned by the Arab Spring, and just one of the 98 bloggers surveyed described himself as pro-government.

Nevertheless, researchers said the extent of the crackdown was “astounding.”

The researchers found that Arab bloggers were often unaware of the available security measures to protect their identity. Most bloggers reported choosing an e-mail provider based on design and sharing capabilities rather than its ability to protect their security. The bloggers’ responses revealed that their knowledge and practice of on-line security ranged “from fair to very poor”, the study found.

Asked how they identify themselves on-line, 49% told the Berkman researchers that they used their full name while 47% said they provided an e-mail address and 42% a photograph of themselves. Only 20% rated “resistance to sharing data with your government” as one of the three most important features of a company hosting their blog, the Berkman report showed.

Bazzi says his blog was repeatedly hacked before he received training from international advocacy organisations that taught him how to protect his on-line identity and information.

“Bloggers always learn from their experiences in terms of on-line security,” Bazzi said. “My blog was hacked twice by supporters of political parties who didn’t like what I have to say regarding freedom of expression and human rights in Lebanon.”

Dalia Ziada, an Egyptian blogger and social activist, said that her blog recently earned her an anonymous threat. “A couple of weeks ago I got a threatening message on my mobile phone and I do not know who sent it.”

According to the Berkman Centre, some 35,000 Arabic-language blogs exist on the Internet.

Self-censorship is widely practiced by Arab bloggers. Half of the respondents said they self-censored their on-line content, with many citing fear of retribution from their government as the main reason. Many bloggers opted to write their blog in English, attempting to evade government surveillance.

But Naseem Tarawneh, a Jordanian who blogs in English at The Black Iris, says he feared his compatriots more than the government.

“I do practice self-censorship, but it’s minimal,” Tarawneh told The Media Line. “My fear is less with the government and more with goons and thugs that are busy waving flags out of some sense of pop-nationalism.”

The assault on free speech hasn’t been as bad in Jordan as it is in other Arab countries during the Arab Spring, Tarawneh says, since the Jordanian public was calling for political reform and not a revolution.

However, independent news websites are being gradually limited by new press and publication laws that impose government censorship to their content. Tarawneh says the new laws would likely lead to greater self-censorship on the part of these websites.

“Freedom of speech is typically the first victim on the chopping block when it comes to the Arab Spring,” he said.

Jad Aoun, a Lebanese blogger living in Dubai, says his English-language blog did not cover political issues, but if it did he would probably censor himself.

“With the change in the status quo, anything can happen,” Aoun, who blogs at Lebanon News: Under Rug Swept, told The Media Line. “Regional governments seem to be more focused on social media and are more likely to pounce on any online dissent to pre-empt street action.”

Kal, an American of Syrian and Algerian origin who blogs about North Africa at The Moor Next Door, says he practised self-censorship to a limited degree, “mainly to avoid unnecessary controversy which might provoke spam attacks or the like”.

He says that although never hacked or threatened with violence, he did receive a massive amount of spam from Bahraini e-mail accounts after criticising the government crackdown on protesters on his Twitter account. His blog was also spammed by “Moroccan commenters of obscure origin” who objected to his posts about the country’s control of Western Sahara.

Bazzi, the Lebanese blogger, says he opposed self-censorship in principle.

“I believe I have the right to freely express my ideas and beliefs,” he said. “This is my human and legal right, also guaranteed by the Lebanese law and constitution.”

The anonymity of some Arab bloggers was recently abused, however. In June, American blogger Tom Macmaster admitted to creating the persona of Amina Arraf, a Lesbian Syrian-American blogger, who claimed in a blog that she had been persecuted by Syrian authorities for her sexual orientation, and finally arrested.

Macmaster apologised to his readers for the hoax, but says that “the facts on this blog are true and not misleading as to the situation on the ground”.

The Harvard research concluded that more could be done to protect Middle East bloggers from menacing regimes. They recommended expanding on-line security training efforts, online monitoring of threats, and appealing to Internet providers to better their security options and defaults.
(http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=454054&version=1&template_id=46&parent_id=26)

Most Famous Literary Cafes

Carol Brown from Onlinecollege.org was kind enough to draw my attention to this very interesting article on some of the most famous literary cafes worldwide. Feel free to either read the article below or go to the original link at http://www.onlinecollege.org/2011/04/13/15-most-famous-cafes-in-the-literary-world/
Thanks Carol!

"15 Most Famous Cafes in the Literary World

Some of the most famous novels and literary moments of all time were written and inspired by cafes in Europe. From the American ex-pat writers in Paris to Henrik Ibsen's continental travels, cafes were a place to work while socializing, building stories, and of course, eating and drinking. If you've turned to coffee shops and restaurants to study instead of your room or the library, you'll appreciate the literary significance of these 15 famous cafes.

1. La Rotonde: One of the most famous Parisian cafes during the great American literary ex-pat era is Cafe La Rotonde, which was actually written about in Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, although Hemingway's Jake Barnes seems to lament its overwhelming popularity: "No matter what cafe in Montparnasse you ask a taxi-driver to bring you to from the right bank of the river, they always take you to the Rotonde," Hemingway wrote. Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald and T.S. Eliot were also patrons there.

2. Le Dome Cafe: The very next line in Hemingway's quote above is, "Ten years from now it will probably be the Dome." Le Dome Cafe in Montparnasse in Paris was actually the first major cafe in that area to attract ex-pats and intellectuals. La Rotonde, Le Select and La Coupole were its competitors, but the Dome is now a more established seafood restaurant, no longer catering to up-and-coming artists and writers.

3. The Literary Cafe: St. Petersburg's Literary Cafe supposedly entertained many top Russian writers, including Chernyshevsky and Dostoevsky, and is said to be the last cafe that poet Alexander Pushkin visited before dying in a duel.

4. Les Deux Magots: Now a popular tourist spot, Les Deux Magots is known as Hemingway's favorite spot in Paris. But the St. Germain-des-Pres cafe also served many other legendary writers and artists, including Rimbaud, Simone de Beauvoir, André Gide, Jean Giraudoux, Jean Paul Sartre, and even Picasso. It's one of the oldest cafes in Paris, and pays tribute to its old but polished heritage in its current design and character (though is most likely more expensive than it was in Hemingway's day).

5. Cafe Braunerhof: Like Paris, Vienna is a city dotted with cafes, many of which were home to famous writers, artists and intellectuals. The Cafe Braunerhof located near the Habsburg city palace is said to be lauded writer Thomas Bernhard's favorite spot, and where we worked on some of the most important works in the German-speaking world after WWII.

6. Cafe de Flore: Now a popular hang-out among the fashion set and other glamorous types, Cafe de Flore — principal rival to Les Deux Magots — was another office for Hemingway and his contemporaries. In 1994, Cafe de Flore began handing out its own annual literary prize — the Prix de Flore — to promising young authors of French-language literature. Besides a cash prize, the winner gets to drink a glass of the white wine Pouilly-Fume at the cafe every day for a year.

7. Dingo Bar: Now the restaurant Auberge de Venise, the Dingo Bar was another Montparnasse staple that opened in 1923 and catered to English and American ex-pats in Paris, like writer Djuna Barnes and publishing house owner Nancy Cunard. It's also the spot where Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald met for the first time.

8. Cafe Montmartre: This cafe is actually located in Prague and was sometimes called by its nickname, Montik, or The Monty. Some of the most important writers from Germany and Czechoslovakia — like Franz Kafka, Eduard Bass and Max Brod — all came here.

9. Pedrocchi Cafe: Padua's Pedrocchi Cafe is one of the biggest cafes in the world and was known as a favorite hang-out for Lord Byron and French writer Stendhal.

10. Harry's New York Bar: Actually located in Paris, Harry's New York Bar was named for its early manager, a Scotsman. It opened in 1911, and Harry was supposedly responsible for making it a legitimate ex-pat cafe during the next decade, attracting Sinclair Lewis, Humphrey Bogart, Hemingway, and others. Side tip: Harry's New York Bar is also where the Bloody Mary was first concocted.

11. Antico Caffe Greco: Situated near the Spanish Steps in a very posh area of Rome, the Antico Caffe Greco — founded in 1760 — is also the city's most famous. Over the past centuries, writers like Lord Byron, John Keats, Henrik Ibsen and Hans Christian Andersen became patrons.

12. La Coupole: La Coupole is another historical Montparnasse cafe, which opened in 1927, soon after Le Select, and aimed to compete against Le Dome for the expat intellectual clientele. The massive cafe could seat 600 people, including famous guests like Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre. La Coupole is now an official historic monument.

13. La Closerie des Lilas: Also situated in Paris' Montparnasse is La Closerie, which opened in 1847 and attracted everyone from Henry James to Leon Trotsky to Gertrude Stein and Hemingway, who references nearby statues and descriptions in The Sun Also Rises.

14. Caffe Giubbe Rosse: One of Florence's most famous cafes is Caffe Giubbe Rosse, named for Garibaldi's Red Shirts, and also inspiration for the waiters' uniforms. Celebrated for its role in producing the Futurist movement, Caffe Giubbe Rosse was also a favored spot for many notable Italian poets.

15. Grand Cafe: The Grand Hotel in Oslo is home to the Grand Cafe, a famous restaurant and meet-up. It's where the Nobel Peace Prize banquet is held each year, and is said to be the daily lunch spot of Henrik Ibsen. Roald Dahl also stayed at the hotel during his youth. "

(Image: Sartre and de Beauvoir at the Café de Flore)

Back to the Beginning!

This week I would like to share an insightful article prepared by Ausama Monajed and others in association with the Strategic Research and Communication Centre. For the full article and more details, click here

"Back to the Beginning!

As Assad forces continue to seek salvation through bloodletting, protesters rely on sheer defiance and continued commitment to nonviolence, managing to reenergize their 9-weeks long movement.

44 dead and dozens wounded in the largest day of protest yet, with death toll expected to rise as more communities send their reports on Azzadi Friday (Azzadi in Kurdish means "Freedom").

Damascus & Suburbs, Hama & Suburbs, Homs & Suburbs, Idlib & Suburbs, Deraa & Suburbs, Alboukamal, Deir Ezzor, Raqqah, Qamishly, Amudeh, Kobani Banyas and Jableh among others, all took part in the protests.

With so many dead today despite all international pressures and sanctions, it’s clear that the Assads won’t go gently into that good night, but since the protesters are foolhardy enough to keep taking to the streets to die for the cause, the choice facing world leaders is how much bloodshed will be enough before they act.

We might call it the Obama Effect: those who felt the American President’s speech as being too light on Assad felt angered and expressed their frustration by taking to the streets, and those who felt it was just right for now, having raised the possibility of Assad’s departure, have also taken to the streets feeling that the momentum is back on their side.

This is at least one explanation for the mass turnout today. But even if true, the Obama Effect is just one factor here, a marginal one even. The reality is: the protesters were reacting to repeated assertions by Syrian officials over the last two weeks that their movement has lost steam and that the authorities have regained the upper-hand. They were also reacting to the statements by Bashar Al-Assad’s cousin, Rami Makhlouf that struck a raw nerve with Syrians by stressing the family-based nature of the regime and the willingness of the Assads to do whatever it takes to hang on to power.

Now it’s all about the Assads. The masks are off. Rami’s statements about Israeli security rendered all talk about resistance ideology rather meaningless. Even security officers are now order to chant for “Abu Hafiz” during their clashes with protesters. Abu Hafiz is Bashar’s traditional nickname and refers to the name of both his late father and his eldest son. The point is to say that Bashar will rule until his death and will be followed by his son. A pro-regime graffiti left on the walls of a Homs community by security officers even state “Bashar is our King.”

Forget about reforms then: the choice this is about Assad forever or Assad never. Whatever “reforms” Assad will be willing to entertain can never challenge his or his family’s hold on power, which is a complete anathema to the protesters. The resulting stalemate means more violence will continue to take place on a daily basis throughout the country, for the foreseeable future and until such time that army leadership begins cracking under pressure, with some changing their loyalties to the side of the protesters. Naturally, sectarian faultiness will figure highly in this. The ability of Syrian opposition forces to project an alternative that can be embraced by grassroots protest leaders and the international community will facilitate the adoption of a more proactive response by the international community, pushing leaders like President Obama into making clear-cut calls on Assad to leave or face certain dire consequences."

Painting by M.C. Escher

When Blind Justice Goes Deaf and Dumb Too...

Oil prices go up and down, stock prices increase and decrease, but the only commodity that seems to be suffering chronic devaluation is the human soul. This crisis, of course, has been around for as long as humans have existed on the planet. But what is remarkable is that in spite of the ubiquity of human-rights organizations, institutions, declarations, resolutions, reports, councils, committees, campaigns; flagrant violations still occur. It's no secret to the world that a human soul can in fact be snatched away for as much as an opinion, as the rising death toll in Syria asserts. After about 2 months into the protests, about 800 civilians have been killed. Such large-scale institutionalized killings are nothing but a badge of shame on all communities concerned with human rights, especially Arab ones. At least back in 2008-09 when about a 1000 were killed in Gaza, Arab and international states quickly condemned the actions and demanded an immediate halt to the violence. A UN-supported mission was later assembled to investigate the crime. It's true that verbal condemnation was deemed highly insufficient, but to tell you the truth I miss any sense of justice no matter how insufficient.

(Painting: Lady Justice by Luco Giordano)

It's Time Every Day Became a Friday!

Since the Syrian protests began, numerous academics, experts, etc. have tried their best to synthesize neat and objective analysis on the current situation. Here, I feel the need to voice my personal views on what's going on in the country of my childhood.
I must admit that when the Tunisian and Egyptian protests first started, I supported the idea of Syrian reforms without a radical change in leadership for fear of ensuing chaos. I still had faith in the leadership at that time. Now, however, I find it extremely difficult to respect a regime that readily crushes anyone who dares to voice views different from those dictated by it. In addition to the continuous oppression carried out by the regime against its people, the country has lost signigicant  prospects for investment that would've greatly helped alleviate standards of living. The strategy adapted by the government does nothing but drain the country of its current and future resources and potential. It has truly turned into a malignant tumor that needs to be excised before it cosnumes its host.
What's remarkable, however, is the lukewarm international and Arab reaction towards the atrocities committed by the Syrian government. Some have attributed the delayed condemnation either to fear of regional instability or strategic alliances. Regardless of reasons, one fact remains true: a Syrian soul is worth as much as a Libyan one. Until the international community realizes that, the opposition will have to rely on themselves and probably the moral support from opposition outside the country. Radical reforms will not truly take place unless protests are revved up every day into the full throttle mode of those occuring on Fridays.

Click here for a progress report on the protests: http://www.icontact-archive.com/Bm8lHV2mhxCcOgrfaR4ODIflgRJg1oPy?w=3

(Painting: the Guernica by Pablo Picasso)

Syria at a Crossroads...

Today marks the 40th day since protests erupted in Syria. While they started sporadically and reluctantly as if testing the water, the protests have gained momentum by day reaching a peak yesterday after Friday prayers leading to the death of 88 civilians according to some news sources. The government's tactics in responding to the protestors seems to indicate a muddled decision-making process and absence of centralized authority. The responses have varied between media blackout, concessions, and violent crackdown. Similar desperate measures are reminiscent of the last days of Mubarak. But, unlike Egypt, Syria's army falls under the president's command, which could mean an extensive draining battle before Syrians are finally able to draw the curtains on an era of repression. Another noteworthy factor is the fate of other dictators in the region, namely Libya's Gaddafi and Yemen's Saleh, which ultimately impact the protestors' morale. Toppling neighboring dictators previously had the effect of emboldening protestors and reinvigorating their stance. 
While it is still very early to judge how the events will unfold during these crucial moments, it is inarguable that these are historic times for the country ...

(Picture: historical city of Bosra in southern Syria)

On Opposition...

Since my previous post was about a much-anticipated but lagging Syrian revolution, I thought it was only fair to share some updates from the Syrian opposition. The following link shows footages of protestors from various parts of the country, collected in association with the UK-based Strategic Research and Communication Centre: http://www.icontact-archive.com/Bm8lHV2mhxCcOgrfaR4ODDF-0-Edh3VG?w=3

In spite of the sporadic protests, I still think that a major unified revolution has not yet taken place and is unlikely to happen in the near future, unless radical internal structural shifts or external interference take place.

As a matter of fact, the majority of Damascenes I have talked to report the continuation of normal daily activities, dismissing the news about the protests as "conspiracy theories aimed at national solidarity".

Here, I would really like to say a few things about opposition gorups. Regardless of the end results it achieves, the existence of opposition in any self-respecting constitutional regime is as vital as the presnce of the government in power itself. Call it the Yin and Yang of politics, if you will. Opposition ensures that powers are kept in check and that a healthy civil discussion is maintained. Most important, "opposition" is neither synonymous with "unpatriotism" nor "sectarianism". And while I do not generally support a power vacuum, I certainly can not give my voice to any institution that readily labels anyone seeking imporovement as an unpatriotic agent.

Why Al Tahrir Square in Damascus Remains Empty?

Democracy is like a dish of Spaghetti Napolitana: it’s messy and goes in unpredictable directions. This is especially true about the Middle East region. The difficulty of reaching a consensus government after a number of autocratic regimes have been recently toppled illustrate that democracy is by no means a natural smooth process. A long history of colonialism followed by despotic regimes, in addition to sectarian divisions and high levels of unemployment, to name but a few factors, are among the challenges facing democracy in this region.

Syrians are intuitively aware of this. Add the fact that the country still lives a recent memory of a severely-crashed attempted coup in the city of Hama in 1982 resulting in the death of thousands, then it comes as no surprise that many are reluctant to follow the lead of their Arab brethren. In spite of a small demonstration that sprouted in front of the Ministry of Interior in Damascus a couple of days ago, it is unlikely that the majority of the people will support an upheaval against the current government. An English proverb says it best: better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.

(Picture: Al Tahrir Square, Damascus)

In Pursuit of Happiness

For the first time in my life, I’m actually happy. I’m not talking about this particular moment or even this particular day. But I’m finally at peace with my beliefs and worldview. For the first time, it all makes sense and does not feel eerily imposed. Most important, I’m free of guilt! You know how certain worldviews perpetuate a hammering voice in the back of your head that continuously nags "you’re not doing enough, you're not doing enough, you're not doing enough"....you get the point. Well, I simply clicked the ‘mute’ button. Any worldview that promises harmony and eternal happiness shouldn’t make you miserable by reminding you of the very essence of your being – the fact that you’re a mortal, limited, sin-prone human being.

Some might ask “well, why not simply put a little more effort into it?”. Who said I didn’t? But even then, I didn’t feel any better than I would banging my head against a wall and feeling a little faint afterwards. Some would describe that feeling as transcending and mystical. I would describe it as “Ouch!”. Thank you very much, but I would take level-headedness at any time any day.

Now I can finally focus on putting my effort on what really matters like getting that dream job, and spending more time with the people I care about.

That being said, who’s up for a trip to the beach?

The Perfect Way to Start your Day

Biography of an Arab Swordsman -part 3-

O people:
I own you
Like I own my horse.. and my slaves
I walk on you like I walk on carpets in my palace
So bow to me when I stand
And bow to me when I sit
Did I not find you, on one of those days,
Between the papers of my ancestors??
Beware not to read any books
I read for you..
Beware not to write any letters
I write for you
Beware not to secretly listen to Feirouz
I know of your intentions
Beware not to enter graves without my consent
We deem that a cardinal sin
Remain quiet when I speak to you
My words are a holy Quran..

(Painting by Ludwig Deutsche)

Biography of an Arab Swordsman -part 2-

O people:
I am the foremost and the fairest
The prettiest among all other rulers
I am a full moon in a dark night, I am the whiteness of jasmines
I invented the first gallows, and I am the best of prophets..
Every time I consider resigning power, my conscience opposes me
Who, after me, would govern these poor fellows?
Who, after me, would heal the lame, and the albino, and the blind..
Who would resurrect bones?
Who, I wonder, would take moonlight out of his coat?
Who, I wonder, would send rain to people?
Who, I wonder, would lash them ninety lashes?
Who, I wonder, would crucify them on trees?
Who, I wonder, would force them to live like cows?
And die like cows?
Every time I think of leaving them
My eyes flow like a cloud...
And I surrender to God’s will…
And decide to ride on the back of the people..
From this day..till doomsday..

(Painting by Ludwig Deutsch depicting a palace guard)

Biography of an Arab Swordsman..!

I'm particularly fond of translating poems written by the brilliant Syrian author Nizar Qabani, who manages to depict a gloomy reality and turn it into an artful, yet straightforward, piece of literature. This one speaks for itself.

The original Arabic version can be found here

-Part 1-

O people:
I have become your Sultan
Break your delusory idols and worship me…
I rarely come into sight…
So sit by the pavement of patience till you witness me
Leave your children without bread
Leave your women without husband.. and follow me
Thank God for his blessing
For he has sent me to write history
And history shall not be written without me
I am Joseph in my splendor
The Creator has not created golden hair like mine
Nor a prophetic forehead like mine
My eyes are forests of olives and almonds
So pray for God to protect my eyes
O people:
I am “Leila’s Mad Lover”
So send your wives to be conceived by me
Send your husbands to thank me
You are honored to eat the wheat of my body
You are honored to harvest my almond and my fig
You are honored to resemble me..
For there has been none like me
Over thousands of centuries..

(Painting by Ludwig Deutsch)



A Godless Game Theory

In “The God Delusion”, Richard Dawkins argues that morality does not originate from religion. According to him, people do not need an omnipotent omniscient entity to stop them from turning into wild nasty beasts. To justify his view, Dawkins uses a Darwinian perspective to argue that morality originates from the evolution of altruistic genes that eventually serve the purpose of preserving one’s kind. When put that way, it really doesn’t sound all that altruistic. But Dawkins does manage to build a solid argument backing his theory. You’d have to read the entire chapter, though, to be more or less convinced.
Anyways, I can think of another field that might come in handy in explaining why the lack of belief in a supernatural power overseeing every movement and every thought does not necessarily equate primitive immoral behavior: Economics. As unlikely as it might first seem, I think that the concept of “Game Theory” provides an excellent explanation. Game theory is a mathematical tool applied in business economics to study the interaction of a number of firms in different situations. The theory basically concludes that firms who know that they are likely to interact frequently with each other on the long run tend to be more cooperative rather than aggressive towards each other.
On a personal level, if you know you’re going to be seeing your neighbor, for example, for a number of years to come, you’re more likely to act politely towards them. You know it’d make your life miserable to do otherwise. The same idea applies to wider circles. When a person earns a reputation in a community for being particularly nasty, it really just makes everything more complicated for that person. Ergo, no matter what you believe -or don't believe- in, living a decent moral life is pretty much the way to go.

The Intuitive Belief Fallacy

I am often told, especially by followers of monotheistic religions, that religion X, for example, is so clearly the right and only belief system. This is so to the degree that any person with average intellectual capabilities should reach such conclusion with the aid of a little contemplation. Assuming that this is the case then everyone should automatically and intuitively become a follower of the said religion, unless he/she falls under one of the two categories:
1. He/she is created and made incredibly stupid so as to be incapable of perceiving such truth.
2. He/she is not stupid per se, but is not guided to the right path for whatever divine scheme.
Both cases are clearly a result of divine intervention for which man or woman cannot possibly be held responsible. So if humans exist on this planet today due to intelligent design, I’m sure that the designer is intelligent enough to know how bad they’ve messed up some of their “createes” and excuse them for their condition.

(Painting by Jibran Khalil Jibran)

Women Rights between Islam and the UN: a Conflict or an Opportunity?

Human rights under the UN are divided into two categories or generations: civil and political rights (CPR) comprise the first generation, while economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR) comprise the second. Another, albeit much older, institution that ventured into human rights is Islam. It is often argued that Islam is one of the pioneering institutions to grant women equitable rights compared to their male counterparts. These rights cover a variety of aspects such as, inter alia, the right to property, right to a consensual marriage, and the right to education. While Islam indeed achieved a breakthrough by alleviating women’s status in society, most of the rights it granted fall within the category of economic, social, and cultural rights (ESCR), leaving women with very limited entitlement to civil and political rights (CPR). Muslim women today, both in theory and in practice, remain largely excluded from positions of leadership and full participation in the public political arena. To give but one example, many fundamentalists whole-heartedly believe and argue that any nation led by a woman is doomed to a fate of failure.
It could be argued that the type of rights granted to women when Islam first evolved is directly related to the type of roles women assumed in that period. With the exception of a few privileged women, pre-Islamic Arabia was intellectually, politically, and economically dominated by men, while women were restricted to the private sphere. As a result, the new doctrine of Islam focused on empowering women within the private sphere they already occupied by granting them the aforementioned ESCR. However, an examination of Muslim women’s ESCR today shows that even the ideals prescribed in the texts lack proper implementation on the ground, partly because they have fallen prey to centuries of patriarchal understanding of the texts. An additional reason why ESCR of Muslim women lack the proper implementation is the close relationship between them and the missing CPR. According to the Human Development Report 2000, ESCR and CPR are closely interrelated as the former cannot be exercised without guaranteeing the latter category. The result, therefore, is that one category of rights (CPR) is virtually nonexistent, while the other category (ESCR) remains confined to the pages of sacred books.
This legacy has placed women in the backseats of development, rendering them passive and unproductive. Consequentially, women have missed invaluable opportunities of applying their intellectual and physical abilities in bettering themselves and the societies they live in. How can this situation be remedied? Given the current state of affairs, the demands of a swiftly-changing modern age in addition to the need for full realization of ESCR both apply pressure on the need to revolutionize Muslim women’s CPR. But how could this possibly be done when the doctrine in question is about 1500 years old? This is where the importance of the concept of “gradualism” arises. The Islamic ideology is based on the idea of gradual change that allows Islam to remain relevant to its adherents regardless of time and place by implementing flexible modes of jurisprudence. Moreover, history is witness to the fact that intellectual tides are consequentially followed by the appropriate changes in traditions and practices of a society, including Muslim societies. Therefore, it is necessary to acknowledge the concept that CPR, which will lead to the inevitable achievement of ESCR, can occur by empowering women as agents of change rather than rendering them no more than passive recipients of welfare.
In spite of the fact that different generations and categories of human rights are relatively modern concepts, Islam has the necessary tools to utilize them for the purpose of improving women’s status which will ultimately contribute to the overall betterment of societies worldwide.

(Image by Hamed Saber

Available at: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bandari_Burqa.jpg )

A Right to Euthanasia?

Reading the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in its General Comment No. 14 (2000) regarding the right to health, I found the following statement that older persons have the right to health measures that include “sparing them avoidable pain and enabling them to die with dignity”. While the Comment does not delve into details regarding which kinds of measures are acceptable and which are not, the notion of “dying with dignity” does bring to mind the controversial question of euthanasia. Of course it is important to note here that Euthanasia is not constricted to older people but could also be applied to terminally-ill people of all ages.
While a number of liberal European countries have already legalised the practice with the assistance of a board of experts to decide on each case before granting permission to shortening a patient’s life, this is probably not going to be the case any time soon when it comes to more conservative and religion-based governments where the question, unfortunately, does not even get the chance of reaching an objective platform of debate.
While I do not particularly advocate the use of euthanasia, otherwise known as “mercy killing”, I think it is significant to open channels of discussion on this topic because of its direct effects on countless patients suffering out there. The WHO acknowledges that every person has a right to “a state of complete physical mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. So doesn’t this topic deserve an objective debate based on a human-rights approach?

(Painting by Jibran Khalil Jibran)