You haven't been ranting in a vacuum :P
I also don't even like to think about this subject because it depresses me. We can't even begin to talk about unity before we have democracy (so probably never); which dictator would you like to unite under?!
And I too feel Arab to the core. Although I recently changed my self definition from "Arab Jordanian" to "Jordanian Arab" because despite all its problems,Jordan still gives me something to be proud to belong to.
Thank you lina,excellent post.
I ate up every word you wrote and am aching for more...I'm going to keep an eye out for the 'to be continued' part. It's refreshing to know others share your thoughts and ideas, and to see them written out so well. You have most definately not been ranting in a vacuum, nor do I believe you ever will. I really loved this post, Line you rule!
Well put Lina.
No you haven't been ranting at all in my opinion.
Here is a question for you (and I ask this with sincererity and pure curiosity, and I hope you don't mind that I have used your comments section for this in the first place): What makes an Arab an Arab in your opinion? I mean, is it a specific race, religion, culture?... what exactly? I think so far the two things that I have come up with, and very loosely mind you, have been language, and even that can be a grey area in itself. Different regions have different syntax, and accents. Colloquial can be hard to grasp from one Arab country to another Arab country even. The other thing, in my opinion, that defines one as Arab, is to be born in an Arab country by parents that were born in an Arab territory also.
Please enlighten me. Because race, religion, and culture in my opinion have certain commonalities between different countries, but yet they are not diffinitive. I hope I have not ruffled any feathers or upset anyone with my question, I have been personally struggeling to answer this question for quite sometime. The more I ask the more I learn. Thank you for your post.
haloscan ate my comment, I hope this is not a double post. I said:
3al waja3 Lina... drink more good coffee and rant on.
I'm glad you moved the debate to your blog, Lina. Perhaps this would generate additional reactions/comments that we can learn from.
But I do not think "all" EU states were particularly the best models of democracy or, say, social/political reform. Frankly it's the money, with plans such as the EU's, you can take a humble country and integrate it into the system so as to use its best offerings for the good of the European Community.
Perhaps this unity talk is really a play on the Arab emotional side, but really now, aren't the Europeans rumored for being far less emotional? Yes? Do they not have a UNION nowadays? That's something they were quite passionate about realizing (if they really have, another argument), and I believe Arabs have plenty of passion going on to be put to waste.
Well Lina, I can see where you come from...I was more like you about 7 years ago, not anymore! Though my only pleasure in life is still plain coffee :p!
Arabism is just another imperialist ideology!In schools, history and everything starts and talks about Bedouin dwelling in Madeena and Mecca’s deserts! Now I have nothing to do with these folks. We are taught that these folks are our ancestors, and they are not!
For example, Jordan is a land of great ancient history, is it taught in school? Has anyone paid any effort to include this in school’s curriculum? Does anyone know what URDUN or JORDAN mean? Was Jesus an Arab? Of course No!
This land was not Arab! It was occupied by Arabs, who over took the local culture! My ancestors must have fought the Arabs when they occupied this land (Holy Land area, Eastern and Western banks of Jordan river)! I mean it’s nothing different than what the US is doing now, occupying others land!
Okay I might come off as some angry extremist or something, but when you experience Arabs first hand you will realize that we don’t have much in common and each one should walk their way! Besides that, you won’t have any real commitment or love to your homeland unless you know your history and be proud of it!
Islamists hate Arabism for their own reasons.
Anyways everyone has the right to believe in whatever they choose!
Well I don’t mind an economical unity, but first lets fix our own backyard!
The key to all “Arabs” problem? EDUCATION! EDUCATION! EDUCATION and by that I mean: Respecting the law, others rights, privacy, dignity, high self esteem, etc….
Yeah here is something to keep you busy. Who is an Arab? Good luck answering that or agreeing on a definition!
Firas.
For someone who do not consider him self as an arab,i got your point,in the same time that not gouing to change the fact that you are.
The arab are people who share language,the live in the middle east and north africa,regardless of their religion.
Well Lina,
I enjoyed reading your blog as usual,and you have definitely not ranted in a vacuum.However, as I share your depression and frustration about the current situation,I still believe that youth inintiatives like our MERYAN could be a form of unity that I would like to see it spreaded in the whole Arab world and even beyond!, what do you think?
Brilliant !
but be aware of not just blaming schools and society, your claims are right, but
let's focus on the solutions rather than problems 
waiting your next post :D
You were right in every word there, but allow me to have some comments.
I don't think that we should be perfect then we can think of something like the EU, because as you can see Turkey is trying now to get in the EU and it is not that perfect country.
I think raising a generation obsessed with the idea of the Arabic union is the only way to be united in future.
We have to teach our children our history and our rights.
We have to inforce them to listen to songs like "el 7elm el 3arabi" and "7ekayet sha3b" not thing like "boos el wawa" so that this thing will be carved deep inside them.
Something like Al Jazeera channel will make a difference.
Passions and emotions are very strong weapons if they are used in the right way.
Israel was created by playing on people's emotion!!!
I feel Arab, and the current issues are making me feel more Arab than ever. I am sad to say that I am more cynical about the unity in terms of culture though(which I feel is only being strong in the fields of cheap entertainment such as all the reality shows that house Arabs from Il Mashreq till Il Maghreb who all actually get along).
I am not Arab, but I share many of your anxieties. Personally, I have lost my faith in the political movements that claim a desire for peace or unity. It isn't like I refuse to support them, I just don't believe that the leaders will follow through, and if they do, I'm worried about how they go about it.
Afterall, the easiest road to both peace and unity is despotism. If a single leader can impose his will on all other people, and can kill those who refuse to conform, then there will be "peace" and "unity." But I want peace and unity that are the result of the people of all nations growing up and becoming the types of people that deserve peace and unity. I just don't see that happening any time soon.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I don't know what the current situation is with literature in Jordan is, but if availability and legality allow, you might want to read Narrating the Past: Fiction and Historiography in Postwar Spain, by D.K. Herzberger. I think it might resonate with you since you live in a place where history has most often been highly regulated, you understand oppression, and you like modern native fiction. I am currently writing about religious oppression (through literature) myself, if anyone wants to discuss it.
--Ty (theemailineveruse@nerdshack.com)
Ok Lina, this is not related directly to your post today. But I have to say this, you always inspire me by your posts and enthusiasm to write. And whenever I check your blog, iI get so excited about the thing and decide to start my own, but I never do!! Anyway, Just wanted to tell you how much I like your spirit. So keep the good work my friend!!
Wow. Great stuff...ya hooked me with invitation of a caffeine induced Lina rant and now I have to think...and read Tololy's post.
This is one of those times a foreigner has to sit back and observe. And learn!
I agree you in each word you wrote .
but you must think many times before you start to go in the way you decided to walk in it . you will be be depressed and your energy will decrease slowly .
trust me , it need mental and behaviour psycotherapy started from the home passing the school, street, university , and finally at the level of the countries .
I add my voice to others and will be repetitive by saying: you haven’t been ranting in a vacuum
But what I would like to know is ,what should Arabs expect from one another?
Define Unity? what aspects?
These are questions that come to my mind when the subject is brought to the table.
Why? cause everyone has his own perception of "Unity". Some put it in the framework of religion, others within culture, others would define it in a political or economical sense as you kindly stated.
We should know our stand from all of those, where do we stand?
Quoting you "
Ok seriously now, what I’m trying to say is… there is so much that needs to be fixed internally, in each country, before we start thinking of creating some kind of synergy"
But if help is so pre-conditioned, I think there will be many restrictions.No?
To put it on a simpler level or context, dont you help out your friend if she's in urgent help ,even if you're in a not so stable condition?
There are so many level , on which this unity should be built. It will need good planning and an amazing will. I hope we have those traits...
LINA,DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN WHERE I LIVE NONE OF THIS MATTER,I LIVE IN MELTING POT CALLED THE USA.BUT I WONDER SOMETIMES.LOVE UR POST.
Whats this about the Syrian/Egyptian merger?? tell me more.
Good posts. But as always countries are shaped by their leaders, be they monarchic, democratic or autocratic. Then policies normally follow self interest. For example Maroc and Spanish Sahara.
Lina:
I commented on this on SandMonkey's blog, but I'll repeat what i said there. The dream of an "Arab Unity" has been, as far as I can tell, an "Islamist" Dream. It is only religion that countries as diverse as KSA, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, Tunisia have in common, and would be the one uniting factor. (The 'glorious past' that is looked back to -- which wasn't that glorious in reality -- is that of the Caliphate.)
Not that I think any of the bloggers sepaking for this idea are thinking of it in such ways. But I'm old enough to remember when a lot of my fellow liberals in the United States were all for the overthrow of the Shah, because there were plenty of Iranian Democrats -- and more who spoke in favor of democracy and we believed them -- who were justly criticizing him. Then he fell, and we got the Ayatollahs.
I am truly afraid that any movement towards Arab Unity might be spearheaded at first by true Domcrats, but that, once it happened, it would be hijacked by the Islamicizers. Please, if you can, convince me I am wrong, and that there are democratic movements that would actually be able to hold power if they got it, and not become Kerenskys.
My feelings on the topic you can reasd here: http://www.sandmonkey.org/2006/0.../on-arab-unity/
Great post BTW!
"I mean it’s nothing different than what the US is doing now, occupying others land!"
Did the Arabs introduce democracy, pay for rebuilding your country, and stayed because your elected government asked them to?
Because that's what the Americans are doing in Iraq.
I grew up in Germany. The Americans did the same thing here. It's quite awesome, once you get over that national pride thing and accept reality.
Apart from that detail, I sort of agree with your understanding of the situation.
But on the plus side, the Arabs/Muslims did bring a certain level of civilisation to many places, but whether that level was higher than previous Greek civilisation, I cannot say (it was certainly higher than west-European civilisation at the time). Perhaps that civilisation factor is no longer there and Arab countries and their peoples have to become more patriotic (proud of and loyal to king and country) rather than nationalist (porud of and loyal to a nation)?
Germany was a greater country and nation when Germans were patriotic than it was when they were nationalist.
Something to think about?
Don't think "Arab", think "Jordan". Being a Jordanian is something to be proud of, being an Arab is not (the latter is just a coincidence of birth).
Nice post really. I liked that you defined the word Arab as a culture and not a race. Arabs are not really a race at all and it would be stupid to define it that way.
If we are to move forward then something must be thrown into the dustbin ie.
"Dignity above everything"
Just check out the pathetic Arab reaction to the Darfur issue. They are too worried hating Israel and thinking the US caused Darfur because they want a reason to steal Sudanese oil
I'd like to encourage you all, especially the Jordanians among you, to study more on the idea of liberty and democracy, particularly thinkers such as Montesquieu and Locke. I like what I'm reading here, though, it's very encouraging and wonderful to see.
. But then again, and correct me if I’m wrong, young people here don’t have a sufficiently strong base of history, culture, and general knowledge to enable them to hold civilized and logical debates. They’re not encouraged to develop their own opinions based on analysis of different sides of the story. That’s why you get a generation that relies mostly on emotional illogical arguments, if they care to argue at all.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for putting that down in your "rant". I have been teaching English to college students in Arabia for 12 years and this is the problem I run into again and again. My students study hard, learn the grammar and the vocabulary but then, when faced with international examinations such as the IELTS, run into the problem of not being able to come up with a logical argument based on global awareness and supported by a strong personal opinion. It is heartbreaking to see intelligent, motivated young people put into a position like this.
In countries in Asia, Europe and South America children are taught at school how to present, develop and argue logically, both for and against. There are school debates and essay competitions yet here, it seems, such skills are not developed and children's assessment is based on their ability to memorise.
There is also the problem of what I call "tiptoeing through the minefield": trying to prepare students for international exams where they will have to write about or discuss international affairs WITHOUT mentioning any of the 'haram' subjects. One example was an IELTS examination question that stated: Over the last 100 years advances in science, technology and medicine have improved our lives tremendously and postponed the day we die. There is no better time to be alive than now. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement. Instead of writing about how life is better or worse than it was 100 years ago, a lot of my students argued that you cannot postpone the day you die. Unfortunately, that was not the question they were supposed to answer.
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Thank you for the enlightened article.
Education is part of the answer to rapprochement and the beauty of the internet is that it can enhance learning and serve as a platform for debate, as cross referencing assumptions or dogma.
Happy discoveries.
James
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