Suffering Abuse from Book Publishers

My friend and fellow writer Marwa Rakha, recently started lending a helping hand to writers on the receiving end of abuse from self-proclaimed publishers.
...

دور النشر بتبيع و تشترى فى الكتاب من استغلال لنصب لتهرب
انا حطيت كتابى على النت للتحميل مجانا
و هحط الكتاب المسجل كمان كام يوم و الكتاب العربى هيحصله نفس الحاجة
و هاعمل نفس الشئ فى الكتب الجاية احتجاجا على تعامل دور النشر المصرية مع الكاتب

لقراءة مقال الاستاذ محمد سامى البوهى اضغط هنا
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105079866431&ref=nf

يا ريت تحطوا الموضوع على مدوناتكم او بروفايلاتكم على الفيسبوك بالصورة اللى تشوفوها
http://marwarakha.blogspot.com/2009/09/blog-post.html









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You Know You're Dealing With Kuwaiti Heat When...

1. Cold tap water gives you 1st degree burns
2. Tanning in the summer means anything from crispy to charcoal
3. The car thermometer reads 46 degrees Celsius… in the shade
4. The official temperature would read 44 degrees Celsius
5. The news broadcast dedicates a portion of its time to hydration tips
6. There’s a law that states once the temperature hits 44 people shouldn’t go to work
7. There’s another law that states no outdoor labor takes place between 12pm to 4pm… ever
8. Dangling earrings can scorch your neck if you sit in the car for more than 1 minute without the AC on.
9. Washing dries in 30 minutes maximum… in the shade
10. To get slightly cool water you use the water stored in the switched off boiler, because that’s the only place where there’s no heat.

and that's just the tip of the melted iceberg...

Logic and the Veil

(My piece for the April '09 issue of Identity Magazine)

The Holy Quran says that deeds begin with intentions (and are therefore, judged, by God, accordingly). That is why we humans, are supposed to take things by appearances and at face value. With that in mind, this article takes a look at the appearances of the phenomenon of the modern-day veil as a statement –albeit not a religious one- and its subsequent ramifications. It also shares various points of view from the Egyptian society at large. What this article doesn’t do though, is pass judgment, or stand for or against.

To be clear, this isn’t about certain socio-economic classes forcing their females to wear the veil, more out of a societal requirement than a religious appeasement (like wearing a half-sleeve top coupled with their veil, because the purpose is to literally “cover their heads” and not anything else).

This is about the veil as an accessory, worn to adorn the latest fashion; it’s about the veil equaling a decoration, and not representing good religion, beginning on the inside and translating onto the outside.

A Troublesome Piece of Cloth
Like so many things that lose their track because of too much meddling, somewhere along the way the poor veil lost its identity. Nowadays, some mark it as a sign of female oppression, and a measure of how backward a society is. Just look at the myriad of vehement opponents calling for the annihilation of the stifling headpiece, calling it demeaning to both men and women, and saying that we’ve already emancipated women way back in 1923 by the illustrious Hoda Shaarawi.

No offense, but I like to call these people neo-liberal pseudo-intellects. At the risk of sounding paradoxical (since I might appear to be losing my previously alleged objectivity) allow me to explain. Without boring you with too much detail, Islam was the first religion to give females their full rights, announcing them as their own person, with clear and detailed rights and an independent financial existence from males. Most interpretations of the schools of Islamic jurisprudence, state that the veil (or hejab), is a religious stipulation (and therein lies all the fuss: in the argument of is it or isn’t it). Unless we disagree that Islam is a cohesive and wise religion that doesn’t contradict itself, then the veil can’t be oppressive, demeaning or disrespectful to the Muslim female.

As for the 1923 symbol, the removed fabric in question (and not burnt as commonly believed) was the “yashmak”, that society forced upper class females to always wear when out in public. Among other problems, females of that era had next to no rights, a result of societal and not religious oppression. The Shaarawi action had nothing to do with religion, and everything with the fight for women’s civil rights, given by Islam and taken away by man. This is the context people overlook.

The second group tampering with the pivotal veil are those who personify it as the end all and be all of religion for the Muslim female –meaning she can’t be a devout Muslim, or at the very least God-fearing and religious in the proper way (and the only way apparently) if she hasn’t covered her hair. It’s like writer Ala’a Al Aswany once wrote: it is as if Islam was sent to humanity so that females can cover their hair!

The problem is the misapplying of what we’re told to do. Being veiled is not the alfa and omega of a pious woman’s Islam, it is also not a sign that a woman has gone back to the dark ages when she chooses to put it on (chooses being the key element here). But human beings love to split hairs and complicate things.

Truth be told, it’s possible that because of the latter group that the former thinks of the veil as abusive to women. It’s quite possible, that had it not been for the stifling emphasis on a female being veiled, we wouldn’t be faced with youths condemning the Islamic head cover (or misusing it), giving off a plethora of wrong impressions about veiled women and Islam at large.

So, what has all of this got to do with the façade veil? Plenty. It’s very possible that this is the starting point. It’s the natural, but nevertheless warped, progression of how the ideal has been steered off track. Everyone is making their own rules and declaring them the right way to be. Then why shouldn’t they do as they please as well? Why shouldn’t they be covered head to toe in a paradox?

Losing my Religion
It’s my personal belief that every human being is an ambassador of what they stand for. So what kind of an ambassador is this girl in the contour-hugging outfit that leaves pretty much nothing to the imagination, topped off with a piece of scarf that might or might not cover her hair in full? What does it represent when a lot of the veiled females don’t look any different from their non-veiled peers when it comes to clothing, if it wasn’t for the wraps around their heads? What does this attitude say about her religion for those who don’t know it that well? I’ll tell you what it says, it says things like: silly and nonsensical on the good days, and oppressive, hypocritical and contradictory on the bad ones; because why should she cover her hair if she’s showing everything else; If not by fact then by insinuations? This is what losing purpose is all about.

And then some people say, and actually believe, things like “at least she’s covered” or “she’s better than a lot of others.” Does any of this sound right to anyone?

Look at Me! Look at Me!
We’ve all seen them. Party in a veil, I like to call them. I’m talking about the major production that the wrapping of the 21st century veil has become, with the multiple sheets of fabric in all colors of the rainbow, and the shimmering pins, and the dangling baubles (seriously) –making one think of a five-year old’s birthday cake. I’m all for looking pretty, and I’m a fan of the double toned simple veil. I can also understand the need to have a special “do” for a special occasion, but come on, don’t you think it’s overkill when you have that well-known ruffled look (you know the one that eats the face), just to show up to work, or hang out with your friends?

Personal legislations: forcing a wrong to be a right
Doesn’t all this feel like it defeats it’s own purpose? Theoretically, the purpose is to cover up the supposed coveted areas of the female body. Somebody tell me, how is any of this covering up the coveted areas? Logically speaking, why put the veil on in the first place if it’s no different on or off, in fact it would only mean more restraints?

How is it a good thing to be self-contradictory? This quasi-veiling philosophy is a compound wrong that is forced down our throats as better than nothing, but is really just an abuse of a religious stipulation that makes no sense at all, is a terrible misrepresentation of Islam, as well as the women of Islam, and its crowning glory is that because it’s so paradoxical it actually attracts the attention, which is not what it’s supposed to do, in fact it was put into place to do the exact opposite. Go figure!

At face value, how is this person better than another girl, just because she has her hair covered, but her body on parade? Covering your body with form hugging fabric doesn’t mean you have your body covered. You might not see the skin, but you can still figure out the contours of the body. If anything, tight clothing is more alluring than showing skin because it’s an insinuation, an inkling of what’s underneath… nothing is more provocative than a hint at what is just out of reach. I ask again, how is that better?

Uh-Oh
They seem to have overlooked one fundamental point. This semi-veiled attitude shoots itself in the foot. Apart from the obvious provocative factor, this would also fall under something known in Arabic as ‘Lebas a-shohra’, loosely translated to “Attire for Fame and Pride”. That is because when a veiled female gets her fashionista on and wears the body hugging outfits, and/or her major production head pieces, she immediately attracts attention more than anyone else around her, since she’s going against the grain. We’re not supposed to dress in a manner that makes us stand out in our society. This, of course, is exactly what they’re doing.

The Reason
Peer pressure has been accused of causing many a peculiar actions amongst teens, the latest being this fashionista veil. Apparently the girls form cliques and exhibit the classic case of cookie cutter syndrome, dressing exactly alike, until one feels that looking at the row of friends is like looking at a hazy TV screen with faulty coloring.

If it’s not the pressure then there’s going with the flow. They do it because everyone is.

There are also those who admit that veil fashion is nicer now and more appealing, and totally in!

Another reason is attributed to the reformer craze. A few of the females I had talked to bravely claimed that the main reason why they had first gotten veiled was because of listening to a very famous reformer, who is believed to have single-handedly paved the way for modern-day reformer advocates in Egypt.

I also found out that a lot of the females, who got veiled after hearing this man preach, have now removed that veil. Their reasons varied from feeling stifled (metaphorically, not physically), and wanting to dress as they please, to they no longer believe that the veil is mandatory.

Of course there are always those who just hate their hair and would rather cover it, and others who think it’s more economical to be veiled, since they wouldn’t be spending money on things like hair, earrings, and necklaces.

Lucrative Business
However, you would be surprised to know that it now actually costs the same, if not more, to be veiled, because of all the extras a veiled girl has to buy, be it the multiple veils in matching colors for the layered looks, or the myriad body suits worn under clothes as a cover. And don’t forget the stylized veils, and what it costs to get them done.

Then there are the ancillaries: the CDs, books and training sessions teaching one how to tie all the complicated styles, identifying the best styles for your face and clothes, and of course your best colors.

Double Standards
I have this theory that one goes through certain levels of evolvement, in a specific sequence as a natural progression to their personal growth and learning –think: learning to walk before running. Following that belief, a veiled female would be a good example of how a well-balanced Muslim female should be, since she’s shown enough understanding of her religion, and willpower to shun the temptation of dressing attractively, and choosing instead to cover her body in the manner God has ordered. This is the theory of it in layman terms. Our current reality, however, is shockingly different.

The problem goes deep: it’s not just a bad exterior; the interior is a sham as well. I’m not sure which corrupted which. The chicken and the egg come to mind.

Good religion is not just covering your head with a bit of fabric, it’s following all of the other rules as well, especially the overlooked ones, like, not gossiping, not lying, being clean, being polite, treating people kindly, and realizing that you have to be an overall honest and decent human being because if nothing else, you respect your religion enough to do it justice by representing it to the world as best as possible. For example, the classic wasting of work hours under the pretext of prayer time is not good religion; taking only as long as really necessary once prayer time is called for and, then going right back to work is. Leaving a messy bathroom behind you as a result of your ablution is not good religion; cleaning up your own mess, on the other hand, definitely is.

During a work-related trip a supposedly pious veiled female lost her bag. Luckily I found it, and took it to her cabana. She opened up the door just a crack, took the bag and gave me a very curt thank you, then just shut the door while I was still standing there. Her husband later explained that she hadn’t let me in because she was home alone. I was speechless. She seems to have forgotten that smiling in the face of a fellow human being is deemed an action big enough to warrant a reward (or hasanah); that politeness is very important in Islam, and that embarrassing someone is a very big no, no. All it would have taken was a genuine smile, and a brief explanation of her reasons.

The examples of little daily things that Muslims overlook are countless. Instead focus is gravely misplaced. It’s not about the appearance of piety, but exercising real piety in manner and attire. What these women do is reduce the veil from a symbol of good overall religion, to a cumbersome piece of restraining cloth.

Religion is a lot about common sense. Is it common sense to live an inconsistency?

Schism
Dealing differently with females just because they look on the outside a certain way is not healthy for our society. Subtle discrimination is not right, it breeds nothing but contempt. You can’t make the veil the only measure of what’s good; it obviously doesn’t make one female better than the other. There’s more to it than that. None of us are in a position to make the right judgment, and it’s not even up to us, so why bother? In case people have forgotten, the Quran says that you shouldn’t force anyone into or out of anything… to each his own religion. So if Islam accepts the peaceful co-existence alongside atheists, who are we to separate between the veiled and the non-veiled?!!

And how about all that female-only stuff; you’ve got your women-only club nights (huh?), and women-only beaches (better known as no man’s land) to name a couple. Although I personally find the women-only thing a bit creepy, I can understand the need for the occasional letting loose. To each his own right?

Although, I seriously doubt that they know their religion properly. If they had known they would’ve realized that while you’re not supposed to be exposed in the flesh to foreign males you’re also not supposed to be exposed in the flesh to other females from the navel to the knee –meaning things like bikinis are unacceptable.

Then the female-only was taken to the next level: Muslim-only. Yes it does say in Islam that you risk the possibility (emphasis on possibility) of doing a wrong if you appear without your veil in front of a woman of a different religion, for fear of her later describing you to a male (which of course can also happen from a Muslim female to the same effect and punishment). But seriously, look at the bigger picture. It’s sad to say this, but we live in a time of great religious sensitivity. Is it wise to exercise this right at the expense of a greater danger? Is there any outcome other than creating a rift between Muslims and people of other faiths? For God’s sake think before you act! God asked us to do just that.

This is how factions and fractured societies are made, and unfortunately, we’re on a highway headed in that direction.

The Inverted Pyramid
Now the wrongly veiled are all that we see, not because that is all there is, but because they are the peacocks, and peacocks exist to attract attention. Unfortunately, the ones who take the veil seriously are overshadowed by their in-your-face counterparts, because they’re so understated, which is the core purpose of the veil anyway: to not be apparent and attractive. So the sugar-coat veil ends up being in the lime light, and ruining it for everyone else. Ruining it because now people doubt the sanctity of the veil; it’s lost its meaning and impact. Ruining it because these shadily veiled women have the audacity to think that they’re better than non-veiled women just because they have their hair out of sight but everything else visibly outlined.

The People Have Spoken
A good friend said something that I believe is an excellent example of enlightened, level-headed Muslim females (who also happened to be veiled). She said: “I behave myself not because of the veil, but because I am a Muslim.” I rest my case.

Unfortunately, the example that she and others like her, set has become quite rare. On the other side of the spectrum we have veiled women who guys believe are too uptight to the extent that they put them off veiled girls entirely, therefore feeding the monster that it is all but a spinster sentence for an unmarried female to get veiled before she finds a husband.

Then there are the ones who other veiled females believe give them a bad name, because of their questionable mindsets and approach to life. And of course we cannot forget the ones who seem to have covered their minds as well as their hair in the process.

Who are these people?
I saw this program once on a famous religious channel, and I was riveted. Not because the presenter (an up and coming young reformer) was saying something ground-breaking, but because of how he was saying it. He was talking about the attire of most modern veiled females using about half a dozen mannequins as visual aids. What really caught my attention though was his hypocrisy. There he was eagerly showing how every outfit did not cover the female form properly, and the areas that God said are attractive to man and should be appropriately concealed with loose clothing, while he himself was dressed in a form-contouring pair of jeans and a top that ended half way across his… ahem… behind. Doesn’t the esteemed reformer, who apparently took the time to attend the school for preparing reformers (which supposedly stipulates that you be a graduate of Al Azhar first, which he was not); doesn’t this reformer know that males are supposed to cover (also with loose material) the area between the navel and the knees? You could clearly see the contours of his supposedly “coveted” areas.

Apparently this guy is amongst the best in his category, with a considerable following to his name. I won’t claim that I know all of them and their work, but if this is a sample of what the best of the pack offers, I shudder to think what people seeking religious advice from him and his equivalents are exposed to.

Now what?
I guess one can say that the reason behind all of this is the lack of a core, in terms of values, reasons, and beliefs. Therefore, it is only natural that with the lack of real substance, the focus turns to trivialities.

The key here is to be a good Muslim. Until the outside is a reflection of that, those borderline schizophrenics are just a bunch of hypocrites.

ساعات بحس ان فيه حاجات موجودة في حياتي اليومية بس عشان تكفر سيئاتي. زي مثلا

1. الناس اللي متخيلة نفسها معيز ومفيش عليها حرج... تقدر تمشي في أي حتة في الشارع ... وطز في العربيات

2. العيد القومي المصري المسمي بعيد الحب. ده حتى من فرط حبنا في بعض عيد الحب عندنا يومين... واحد في فبراير وواحد في نوفمبر... عشان نحزم السنة من الاول والاخر... يخرب بيوتكم كرهتوني في اللون الاحمر... يا كلااااااااااااااااااب

3. دكتوراه الفهلوة اللي عند 99.9% من المصريين

4. العربيات اللي اصحابها فاكرين انها مراكب بتتقدفلها وبالتالي مش مشكلة لما تتحنجل من حارة لحارة على مزاجها... الموج اصله بشعرة ساعة تروح وساعة تيجي. انت بقى المفروض تحس بالبحر وغدره، مع نفسك كده، وتعرف ازاي تتفادى المصايب اللي عمالة تتحدف عليك.

5. الناس اللي بتتكلم في المحمول وهي سايقة... طيب يا سيدي طالما انت عامل كرتونة رجالة في بعض وقررت انك تقدر تسوق الكارتة بتاعتك وانت بتحل مشكلة الشرق الاوسط على التليفون متجيش قدامي بقى وتهدي عشان تركز في الكلام

6. السيد المؤذن اللي بيأذن لصلاة الفجر (فقط لا غير) في الجامع اللي جنب البيت... صوتك وحححححححححححححححححش

7. اللوءات سياس العربيات... واحد مرة بعد ما شكرته وقلت مش عايزة رد عليا وقال:"شكرا دي هتأكلني؟ انت حاسة بيا؟ يا رب كده تجوعي عشان تحسي" طيب ده اقول له ايه؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟

8. زحمة المرور اللي في كل حتة وفي اي وقت من اليوم

9. البكبورتات اللي في وسط الشارع وولاد عمها النقر والحفر. لو الواحد واخد معاه حبة لبن في علبة ولا كيس جلد زي بتوع زمان، على آخر الرحلة هيتحول الى زبدة من كتر الرجرجة

10. الفتي اللي عمال على بطال وفي كل حاجة. مش عارف قول مش عارف مش عيب يعني.

بس برده قاعدة على قلبكوا ومش سيابة البلد. يا انا يا انتوا بقى!

















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Gaza and Other Demons

My article for Identity Magazine, published in their February 2009 issue (as their cover story :D)

I’m not a political pundit so don’t expect a detailed political analysis. I’m just an average Jane, watching the news like everybody else. But, make no mistake about it, I am first and foremost, an Egyptian, and proud of it, in spite of the fact that I’m often unhappy with Egypt’s current state of being, and that I don’t always agree with my country’s government.

It’s shocking and very appalling, to say the least, the slander war that has been waged on Egypt ever since the Gaza attacks first started. The surprise is not just because of how utterly unfounded the accusations are, but even more because of who had taken it upon themselves to hurl at my country these allegations. You wouldn’t expect getting attacked from a supposed next of kin. That’s why it was beyond stunning when Hamas first decided to portray Egypt as a traitor at worst, or apathetic at best. Then again they butcher each other so it shouldn’t be surprising for them to turn on those closest to them. But we’ll talk about that part later.

I don’t plan on recounting all the times my country has assisted all the ingrates who jumped on this smear bandwagon, because it’ll take more time and space than we have. I’m also not going to detail what those same countries ever brought to the table, because in no way would the comparison be fair to them.

I will however talk about the accusations (both direct and veiled) that seemed to take center stage while innocent civilians were being brutally murdered.

Chasing your Tail
In the beginning: the original accusations

These were the first set of fictitious accusations thrown at Egypt back in December 2008
Fiction
Egypt is reinforcing its Rafah border and has closed the Rafah passageway
Reality
1. The passageway was always open to receive the wounded
2. The Egyptian Red Crescent sent aid through the same passageway. It was also the first entity to do so.

Fiction
Egypt is the decisive role in the war on Gaza
Reality
1. Seriously? Do they really mean to say that there would be an immediate ceasefire second the Gazans set foot in Sinai? Or… were they just going to be bombed in Sinai? I don’t want to go all conspiracy theory on you, but wouldn’t that be playing right into Israel’s hand?
2. Where was the rest of the Arab world? Is Egypt expected to aid alone? Why exactly?

Fiction
Egypt knew about the imminent attack after talks with Livni, and never warned Hamas.
Reality
Hamas Spokesperson Mr. Fawzy Barhoom, was in direct contradiction with the insinuations of Hamas Leader, Mr. Khaled Meshaal. Reading between the lines of the Meshaal’s remarks from his exclusive interview to Qatari Al Jazeera channel [minute 7.25], you find that Egypt was aware of Israel’s intentions, as part of the meeting with Tzipi Livni, Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, during her visit to Egypt. According to him the Egyptian government did not share the information with Hamas. While Barhoom, clearly stated during his phone interview with Amr Adeeb for Al Qahira Al Yom [minute 2.40], that the Egyptian government did call them after that very meeting and had promised to work to the utmost to press again for the peace talks it had been previously brokering.

Fiction (undeclared in a direct manner, but is a conclusion of all accusations)
Egypt betrayed Palestine and the Arab world and is in allegiance with Israel
Reality
Are you serious? Egypt? That’s beyond nonsense! But as a specific reply… Barhoom, was asked a direct yes or no question about whether Egypt really is a traitor, and was indeed aware of the attack on Gaza and did not warn Hamas. He failed to give a decisive yes or no reply. He also couldn’t pinpoint Egypt’s exact conspiratorial role in this.


Newton’s Third Law … Twisted
What I don’t get is why Hamas chose to use their missiles, which were more like firecrackers than anything else. I know Israel wasn’t living up to their end of the deal. But come on; be reasonable. They must’ve known that those missiles weren’t going to do anything (which they didn’t). They also should’ve known that Israel was going to gladly retaliate, and very heavily. THEY DON’T PLAY FAIR… What was Hamas’ plan?

Why is Egypt supposed to bare the consequences of foolish actions… bare them to the detriment of life and land, and bare them alone? Anything short of that and we’re stoned? Does this make sense to anyone?

Politics
If you’re going to call yourself a political leader then you have to have at least two things… the ability to actually lead, and the ability to play politics. Yes play. Politics is a game, let’s not delude ourselves. Emotions have no place in politics. By that I don’t mean the usual be ruthless part and crush anyone in your way. I mean think. Don’t huff and puff your actions; which, in my humble opinion, is exactly what Hamas did. I know I’m speaking from a place of comfort, I’m not under siege, but still a leader should know how to deal with extreme circumstances. That’s why (among other things) they’re fit to lead and others aren’t. Leaders also know how to think of little things like consequences, resources, next moves, and the lives and wellbeing of those they’re leading.

I Want it and I Want it Now
It’s morbidly interesting how Hamas and all the other naysayers decided to depict Egypt as not doing anything, with no mention of being the first to send in aid through the now notorious passageway, the injured received and treated, and the continuous peace brokering

Of all the negative tongues, I don’t see anyone doing anything towards a peace resolution. Why is that? Talk is cheap that’s why.

It's not that Egypt isn't doing ANYTHING. It’s that it’s not doing things the way Hamas wants her to.

The situation is like a parent that doesn't want to get their kid the Barbie dream house (I'm a girl) and instead, is prepared to get her a new Barbie wardrobe. Not as much, or as glamorous, but it's something.

The way I see it, it’s not about the way things SHOULD be, but rather how they really ARE, and how to make the best of what that situation actually is, to out maneuver your opponent and get what you want. Tamper tantrums won’t get you anywhere. It also won’t do to self-sacrifice or start something you can’t end. Put things in their right contexts.

Listen, I’m not heartless, I’d want relief if I’m in a similar situation, but stop to think for a second, what’s the first rule they teach any professional rescuer (lifeguard, firefighter, etc)? Never at the risk of your own life. It’s not ruthless; it’s survival to fight another day.

Throw Them Out
Most of the Arab world cheered on the morning we heard the news of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez kicking out the Israeli ambassador from his country. Egyptian friends started doing that whole facebook status thing demonstrating how they’re embarrassed that we haven’t expelled the Israeli Ambassador out of our country while Venezuela did. One even wrote something in Arabic that meant “If I wasn’t Egyptian I would’ve wanted to be Venezuelan” playing on the illustrious Mostafa Kamel quote of “If I wasn’t Egyptian I would’ve wanted to be Egyptian.” Honestly, that made me very angry. But wanting to put my money where my mouth is I explained myself rationally.

At first blush any hot blooded Egyptian (or Arab for that matter) would want to do the same. But think about it for a second. If we were to throw the ambassador out wouldn’t that jeopardize the so-called communication channel, and subsequently the peace talks? Wouldn’t this also be playing right into their hands and giving them the ammunition to label us crude people unwilling to even talk? Someone might say the peace they’re offering is a sham, and they’re just full of it. Fine, I’m not going to deny it, but don’t willingly walk right into their trap. That’s just plain silly! Out maneuver. The trick is to keep a level-head.

Now, if the Egyptian government had given way under pressure, there wouldn’t have been any peace talks in Egypt a week later, after the initial smear dust had settled. There wouldn’t have been a daily 1-hour halt to allow aid. This brings me to my other peeve.

Peace? Peace? I hate the word…
If the Hamas powers-that-be don't like Egypt so much, and have been screaming foul play since the beginning, why did they deign to come over for their Gaza resolution meeting? Why of all the places in the world did they pick Egypt to meet their arch rival Fat-h (yes, the crazy irony of the Hamas- Fat-h situation isn't lost on me either)?

I really need someone to explain this... logically... to me.

And another thing, if to this day Fat-h, Hamas, and the ever-forgotten Palestinian Authority (yeah, the one that supposedly rules/leads/whatever, can't unite and get over their grudges and personal agendas, how do they plan on winning their war against Israel? One word… PRIORITIZE

Flash in the pan
So…why didn’t anyone scream at Iran when they bailed out on Hamas the moment the Israeli assault came to the ground, and it was time to either put up or shut up? What happened to all the slurs when they wouldn’t arm them after allegedly starting this whole thing (with the initial supplies and militant training)?

Why didn’t anyone lash out at Hisbollah when they clearly stated that they won’t be supporting Hamas by fighting alongside them, since they don’t want a repeat of 2006, after miscalculating the Israeli response to their kidnapping two of their own? (Anyone else see recurring patterns here?)

Why didn’t anyone point any fingers when Obama remained quiet and played the “there’s only one president for the United States at a time” card, while he was very vocal about the Mumbai bombing earlier?

Not that I had expected anything from any of these people in the first place. I’m just wondering.


Media Watch
The New Face of Politics: Digital Marketing
During my media watch I came across an article titled Israeli Gov't Holds First Twitter Press Conference.

Hold the freakin' presses! A full-fledged press conference in 140-character conversations? And not just any press conference, a global-issue press conference! You have to hand it to them, if nothing else these people are smart. I mean they're using very basic marketing principles, with profound impact:

1. Know your audience
2. Talk their language
3. Go to where they are
4. Be consistent

The entire world seems to live online now, so it makes perfect sense to not only hold their press conference on Twitter, but to create their own YouTube channel, MySpace page, and maintain a number of high-traffic blogs (most notably IsRaelli and IsraelPolitik). They've also orchestrated with their overseas consulates various forms of online presence such as the New York Consulate's facebook group, and this is only the stuff that I managed to hunt down in about 15 minutes! No kidding.

A quick look at all of these tools you'll notice one thing: consistency, which is something any half decent marketer knows, is a make or break element.

They're probably taking a page from Obama's campaign book, when he created his own campaign website, social networking and blogging platforms and YouTube channel to name a few tools. Or maybe he took a page from them... who knows. Time will tell.

They’re doing this and what are we doing? Chasing our tails. Embarrassing.

Fisk and Our “Corrupt” Nation
Another article I stumbled upon was one by renowned British journalist and author Robert Fisk, posted on The Independent about Why Egypt is Too Corrupt and Weak to Act.

I was intrigued. I respect Fisk. I read his work. But I was really disappointed with this particular offering. Not because of my loyalty to Egypt. Believe me, I know my country has faults aplenty. The problem was I felt that what he said in his article, while true, was out of context... or at the very least needed the added layer of what happens to Egypt and Egyptians outside of "Egypt's economic foundations [crumbling]" as a result of crossing its so-called allies. It didn’t make sense that for someone with so much insight into the goings on of the region not to refer to the undeniable fact that Egypt would stand alone in fighting the Israelis, Americans, Brits, and the other covert cohorts, if it ever opened the Rafah passageway for all Palestinians to come and go as they pleased. And fight them on her own land, the much-coveted Sinai? Why didn’t he talk about how opening the gate will give Israel a much stronger footing in Gaza when Palestinians start leaving in droves?

Instead, he gave his piece, in my opinion, a formulaic feel rather than a true evaluation of the Gaza crisis and its implications on Egypt, since everybody seemed hell bent on making Egypt a star in this catastrophe, albeit a notorious one. I mean he did a good job stating the key negatives of the government, which we all know by heart now. But, why did he discuss prison rapes and negligent doctors? Where was the context of how those examples fit in with Gaza? Was that what he needed to be talking about in light of the events?

I felt that surely Fisk could’ve done a better job at being unbiased, objective and analytical.

It shows you that one can't blindly follow and/or agree with someone or something all the time. We should always question things, and definitely think for ourselves.


The Plot Thickens
Put Up Or Shut Up
Now, I don’t know if my government has any hidden agendas. I can only deal with appearances, which seem to indicate that their prime concern is the country and citizens’ well being. Which is what any decent leader worth their salt should do (watch this space for the first action Obama takes that doesn’t bode well for the Arab World, but is awesome for the United States, then you’ll see what I mean).

Using the same measuring stick for Egypt’s lynch mob, I can’t say the same thing about them on two different levels, how they evaluate us, and their apparent agenda. For one, they compare us to people like Fisk who do little more than “voice” their concerns about how unjust things in the Middle East are, and that a resolution has to be reached. They get applauded for being so brave and “outspoken”, while we get blamed for not jumping without a safety net. And for two Hamas, and the other ringleaders (Ahmadinijad anyone?) seemed to be concerned with tearing Egypt down, and not actually ending Gaza’s suffering. Interesting how Khaled Meshaal chose to give an exclusive interview to Al Jazeera as his first action after the bombings started instead of, oh I don’t know… find a resolution!

Alright, if you’re so disappointed in us, maybe the "outspoken" so-called loud voices can win the war for you, Qatar can use their American base, Iran their ostensible nuclear warheads, and KSA their pools of oil, with the others cheering on from the sidelines with their good will and wagging tongues. Oh, but hold on… who’s actually picking up the proverbial pieces at the moment, now that it doesn’t pay to just talk? ... Say it with me.... EGYPT! For God’s sake Hamas and Fat-h cannot be in the same room without punching each other, Israel doesn’t deal directly with Hamas, and Hamas doesn’t acknowledge the Palestinian authority. Who mediates? All together now… Egypt.

I rest my case.

Mistakes
No one’s an angel, we all have our faults, and God knows they’re many, but given the context I think our faults really lie in the below

Egypt’s weak official media response
The government doesn’t seem to believe in the great impact of media and that knowledge is power. They need to take a long hard look at how Israel and the United States milk that media and copy them. There’s no shame in following the example of a master, and we have to admit, they are masters. Only difference is, we wouldn’t have been spinning lies.

And another thing… where is our version of Al Jazeera?! I’m not saying create something that spins lies, rather something with a strong, unrelenting, one-minded voice, that actually says the truth. We really do need media defense.

Egypt's lack of leadership
Egypt failed to fully lead as usual and bring the proverbial family together in time of strife. That’s what the eldest does. They envelope the wayward siblings and cousins, and puts all the ducks in a row. While Egypt did lead and continue to broker the peace agreement, I would have to agree with Heikal to some degree, that yes, Egypt did lose some of its soft power, and sway amongst the Arab world. I think “if you don’t use it you lose it” applies here.

I have to admit, I don’t think it’s all Egypt’s doing though, there are other powers at play here. But that’s a whole other story altogether.

Arabs’lack of unity
The Arabs have lost their innate willingness to band together through thick before thin. Sad.


Arab's lack of focus
Tell me what’s more important than joining forces and working out a solution - Following the mudslinging competition that went on between Barhoom and Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abou El Gheit?

Accusing Egypt of treachery?

Stoning Egyptian embassies?

I think not

Too much emotion
The Arab nation is way to emotional. They leave no room for logical, rational thinking. They also don’t allow opposing thought. To the majority there’s only one way to skin a cat. Well I have news for you, there isn’t. Not anymore. The state Palestine is in, and has been in since the mid 20th century proves it. We can’t win the way we want to win. We’re just beating our heads against a brick wall. It’s time to walk around that wall and stop the migraine.

In the End: The situation worsens.
At the time of going to print the death toll was 1200 Palestinians (of which over 60% are civilians, out of which 410 are children) and 13 Israelis (3 civilians). With that in mind what did Israel and US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice agree to do? Sign an agreement on measures to stop Hamas from rearming after a ceasefire. If that doesn’t give you a bad case of high blood pressure I not sure what would.

I don’t know about you, but my problem with the whole situation is this:
The uncalled for attack on Egypt, which results in…
The lack of unity amongst the Arabs, while focusing on fringe issues at the expense of the real core, which results in…
Allowing Israel and the Western world (with the US and UK at the forefront) to have us exactly where they want us, and lead us like sheep. Divide and conquer ring any bells?

The writer would be happy to provide anyone with corroborations for everything mentioned in her article.

شوتايم والضحك على الدقون

شوتايم والضحك على الدقون

وأنا بدعبس في قنوات الديكودر امبارح لاحظت قناة
MBC
دراما + اللي هاريينا باعلاناتها. قلت أما أشوف. كان عليها مسلسل الملك فاروق. قلت أما ابقى اتفرج عليها حبة قبل ما يشفروا القناه للزباين اللي زي حالاتي اللي مش عايزين يتباع لهم الهوا في ازايز بالحجم العائلي وياخدوا باقة بريمير. كفاية عليا اشتري حبة هوا ضغيرين في الازازة الوسط بس

المهم، حولت بعد شوية ولاحظت حاجة لطيفة قوي... قناة شو شاشة اكسترا مش موجودة. مكانها بقى قناة
MBC
دراما + اللي حتبقى حق حصري لاصحاب الازازة الكبيرة بس. يعني حبايبنا بتوع كشك شوتايم شالوا قناة من القنوات بتاعة معظم الباقات وحطوا بدلها واحدة لاغلى باقتين بس. ومن غير ما يقولوا لحد. هو مش عشان شاشة اكسترا كانت بتضيف أي حاجة الصراحة. بس لو هيشيلوها المفروض ان بديلها يبقى لنفس الباقات الاصلية... أو يرخصوا سعر الباقات بقيمة القناة المخلوعة

بس ده تمام زي ما عملوا مع
Discovery و Discovery Civilization
اللي بقوا
Discovery World
لباقة شو بريمير بس
يا عيني على الفهلوة... ناس ناصحة ناصحة! اتعلموا يا اصحاب الديكودر يا جهلة... هي دي الطريقة اللي الواحد بيستغل بيها الاحتكار... يطلع *&^٪ اللي بيشتروا منه

....................


ألا بالمناسبة... حد واخد باله من التغييرات الالمعية التانية اللي عمالين يعملوها؟ حاجات زي

1
عربوا تقريبا كل الاعلانات اللي عن القناة وبرامجها
طيب هو احنا ليه محتاجين اعلان بالعربي عن مسلسل انجليزي؟ اللي هيتفرج اكيد اكيد عنده فهم ولو بسيط لللغة، يعني هيعرف يمشي حاله... بس ممكن تعدي لو العملية مش على طول. أصل منظرها غريب قوي... كلام الممثلين بالانزليجي وكلام المذيع والكتابة بتاعت التوقيت بالعربي

2
بيغطوا أي اسم أو علامة تجارية لأي منتج اجنبي بيظهر في أي برنامج على
E! Entertainment
(ماشي بس ليه؟ عشان ده اعلان مثلا؟ احنا مش الجمهور المنشود فـ مش فارقة. وبعدين هو انا مش دافعة في البتاع ده عشان تبقى الفرجة بمزاجي أنا من غير ما حد يفرض عليا حاجة. حتى دي يا ربي)

3
بيقطعوا الحاجات اللي مش عاجباهم زي ما عملوا مع حلقة
According to Jim
لما الحلقة كانت عن ان ربنا ظهر للبطل
(زي ما قلت من شوية هو مش الواحد مشترك في الافتكاس ده عشان يتفرج على مزاجه هو مش مزاج صاحب المحل؟ أمال احنا هربنا من التلفزيون المصري ليه؟ عشان يبقى بفلوسي يا كلاااااااااااب)

4
ولا الاضافة النيرة اللي اضافوها لقناة
TCM
بقوا بيترجموا شوية من الافلام وشوية لأ، ليه مش فاهمة بس ما علينا. مشكلتي في الموضوع ده ان الترجمة نظام
Follow me
بس بالعربي، فتلاقي الكلام واكل تلت الشاشة. زي ما كان بيحصل في التمانينات كده. يمكن عشان الافلام قديمة فـ عايزين يساعدوا الاحساس بالقدم فـ بيعملوا كده؟ جايز برده

5
احدث لمسة بقى هي تعريب قناة
Hallmark
تحس ان المذيعين مترجم آلي سواء من طريقة الالقاء أو من الكلام اللي بيقولوه. مثلا يعني فيه مسلسل اسمه
Kingdom
نسبة لاسم عيلة البطل. تقوم الولية اللي بتعلن عن المسلسل في آخر الاعلان بعد ما راحت وجت وقالت قصائد شعر في الاكشن بتاع المسلسل تنهي كلامها بايه... "انه مملكة" ... طاب لييييييه؟ ماحدش قال للناس دي ان اسم الشخص مابيترجمش؟ يعني اسم الراجل
Kingdom
بالانزليجي و"كينجدوم" بالعربي و
Kingdom
بالفرانساوي وحتى بالهندي كمان... مش بقول لكم مترجم آلي... معنى كده بقى لو واحدة في مسلسل عربي اسمها وفاء وبيعلنوا عنه في قناة بالانجليزي الست المذيعة هتقول
"she's Loyalty"
أو... ممكن قنوات شوتايم تبقى قنوات وقت العرض
ده ايه الحلاوة دي

بس أنا احب افهم بقى ...الهدف من الهجص الاستانبولي ده ايه بالظبط؟ عيل فاضي وبيلعب مثلا؟ حب ازعاج الآخرين؟ لانه اكيد اكيد مش تحسين خدمة

هم حظهم المدوحس اني باخد بالي من الحاجات دي واني مش بسكت

Going Local: You Want My Money, You Have to Earn it

I recently got an invitation from a friend of mine to join a group called Let’s Go Local, which is a group that aims to support Egyptian products. I also found out that she had written something about using only Egyptian products.

Now anyone who knows me knows how much I love my country, even though I have x-ray vision when it comes to its faults. For me one thing has nothing to do with the other. To me the problem is in the people, not the land, or what Egypt represents to me. That said, the invitation got me thinking: am I willing to sacrifice my comfort to support my country’s local products? The answer is simple: no. However, ask me: Am I willing to support my country by buying good local products? Yes, in a heartbeat (which is what I do most of the time anyway).

Call me selfish, but I’m not willing to sacrifice my comfort to support a product that doesn’t respect me enough to create something of acceptable standards. Why should I? I work hard for my money (hard being the operative word here), and I deserve to feel the outcome of my hard work (again, hard work here is key).

Other than my own discomfort, if I buy mediocre products, it would just be an act of enabling the bad products to remain bad. After all, they would still be able to make money even when they are not up to par. Tell me again, why would they want to work harder? This would just be feeding the greatest downside of the so-called “government mentality” that everyone suffers from: where all you have to do to get a paycheck is show up. Because you offer mediocre work (or none at all), you get paid peanuts. Because that skinny paycheck is not enough for a decent life, you are disgruntled, dissatisfied, and offer even more mediocre output. This also affects all other aspects of your life and everyone else around you, because you are not an island, or live in a vacuum, but if I go down that road right now, I won’t finish this piece anytime soon.

I’m sorry, but I do not see that starting with an act of good faith works here. I cannot start buying low quality products in the hope that they are going to improve. That just doesn’t make any sense. Why would they want to do that? We all know it’s hard work to be good. Easy is always better –especially if you can get away with it. The way I see it, this is a situation of ‘help me help you’. You have to be good enough if you want my patronage. It’s a buyer’s market now, so get with it.

You might think I’m harsh. So what if I am? This is tough love. I love my country, but I won’t support its bad habits.

فرفش كده وخليك حلو

فرفش كده وخليك حلو

فيه حاجات في العيشة بتاعتنا دي ماينفعش الواحد ياخدها على صدره... لازم ياخدها بالورب... من ابرزها

الحب

الجواز

الحموات

السواقة في مصر

خدمة عملاء شوتايم

فتاوى شيوخ الفضائيات

الملقبون بدعاة الشباب

اقوال السفهاء منا

افعال الحمقى

وسط البلد

السياسة

محاولة ركن العربية في أي حتة في القاهرة الكبرى

لما واحد ييجي يركن صف تاني ويقفل عليك ... من غير ما يمور عربيته

لما عسكري المرور ييجي يكلبش العربية اللي راكنة صف تاني وقافلة عليك

شريط الأس أم أس اللي عمال يجري ورا نفسه على الفضائيات ... مين الناس دي؟

اعلانات ميلودي يتحدى الملل... لو كنت ولد كنت قلت ميلودي بيتحدى ايه بالظبط

البالطو الابيض اللي لازم نجيبه مع شنطة اسعاف العربية عشان "عدم المخالفة"

الموبايلات اللي بترن في وسط الفيلم في السينما

موضة الشعر المكهرب بتاعت الولاد

الناس



بالمختصر كده الدنيا بقت لازم تتاخد بالورب... معاكوا لبان من اللي بيطرقع؟

ليلة خان الخليلي

قررنا نروح خان الخليلي ناكل فطير عند فطاطري الحسين، ونحبس بشاي وشيشة في الفيشاوي. الدنيا ماكانتش زحمة جدا- على غير العادة- ولكن... الباعة هما هما ...تحس انهم هيشدوك جوا المحل بالعافية. تفاني في أداء العمل مافيش بعد كده. بس احنا شعب فنان دايما نحب نطور من نفسنا ونحسن من اداءنا لوظايفنا. وعملا بمبدأ التطوير ده لاحظت بعض التجديد في بعض الجمل البيعية، كان من اقواها...


أتعس الله مسائكم -- تحية واحد -بابتسامة عريضة -لجماعة اصحابه في الكشك اللي جنبه



قعدة على النيل للعائلات -- الجملة اللي حاول صبي القهوة يبيع لنا بيها القعدة في القهوة بتاعتهم اللي في زقاق من أزقة الخان اللي الواحد بيمشي فيها بالورب




ربنا يطولك شعرك يا بيه -- جملة استعطافية قالتها المتسولة لواحد من اللي كانوا قاعدين معانا واللي كان حالق شعره واحد... هي اسمها واحد اللي قبل الزيرو مش كده؟ معلش اصلي محلقتش قبل كده




اشتري مني واحدة تتجوز بكرة --ما تفهموش غلط، البياع كان غرضه شريف. ده كان بيحاول يبيع واحدة من الـ "ميكرو" شيشة اللي كانوا معاه لواحد من القعدة. بس الراجل كان متجوز فقاله.


الصراحة البياع كان عنده روح المثابرة فرد: اشتري واحدة وتتجوز اربعة بكرة


صاحبنا ما سكتش قام رادد: تجيش ابيعلك اللي عندي، بالعيال؟

آي لاف يو -- واحدة ماسكة دف (مش رء) وبتلف بيه في الخان، كانت بتحاول تستعطف واحد من الجروب بتاعنا واحنا بناكل عشان يسيبها تضربلنا شوية انغام على الدف (مش الرء) بتاعها واحنا بناكل، عشان يبقى عشا على انغام الموسيقى

شعب فكهي صحيح




والا التسلية! مقلكوش ... واحنا بنحاول نركن... كل عربية طلعلها السايس الخصوصي بتاعها... لا تقولي فاليه باركينج بقى ولا خدمة الفنادق السوبر لوكس. ده حتى عشان يضمن انه يوصلك للركنة بسلام كان السايس بيركب على شنطة العربية .




بس الشيشة كانت عجب والشاي بالنعناع آخر سلطنة والصحبة مزاج عالي. احلى كلام


(ويا دينا هتوحشينا)




ملحوضة: شكر خاص للنقرة اللي كعبلتني في الضلمة وسابتلي كدمة على ركبتي عشان افتكر بيها الليلة... صور ايه يا راجل، مافيش احسن من الوجع يفكرك

Dutch MP, Geert Wilders, to be Tried for Views on Islam

The Independent reported today that the Amsterdam Appeals Court decided that Geert Wilders, Dutch MP, most famous for his anti-Islam documentary Fitna, will be put on trial for his views on Islam.

Wilders, and his movie had caused a huge anger wave last year, with both sides denouncing each other.

Personally, I thought his movie was a one-sided, biased look at Islam, that could be easily refuted, and shown for how out of context it really is, by anyone who understands Islam properly. His documentary is filled with half truths.

For example:

When he quoted Surah 8 Verse 60
"Prepare for them whatever force and cavalry ye are able of gathering to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies, of Allah and your enemies."

He didn't continue to the very next verse, Verse 61, of the same Surah
"But if they incline to peace, you (also) incline to it, and put your trust in Gof. Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower"


There's also his quote of Surah 4 Verse 56
"Those who have disbelieved our signs, we shall roast them in fire whenever their skins are cooked to a turn, we shall substitute new skins for them that they may feel the punishment: verily Allah is sublime and wise"

Verse 57 of Surah 4 goes to say:
"But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), abiding therein forever. Therein they shall have purified wives/husbands and We shall admit them to shades wide and ever-deepening."


Then there's his quote of Surah 4 Verse 89
"They but wish that ye should reject faith as they do, and thus be on the same footing as they, so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah."

To give it the fair context he should've continued with the next verse, Verse 90 from Surah 4
"Except those who join a group between whom and you there is a treaty (of peace), or those who approach you with hearts restraining them from fighting you as well as fighting their own people. If Allah had pleased, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you: Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them)."

There were also specific reasons why each one of these verses were revealed -something Wilders never saw fit to share.

Now these are just 3 little examples of how disproportionate his documentary actually is. I don't plan on rehashing the whole thing, because the documentary has been talked to death, and honestly, the Quran doesn't need measly me to defend it. I'm just giving context.

On the flip side, just like there are all the verses that Wilders used, there are others that talk about, things like, freedom of religion, talking (and not fighting) as method of persuasion, patience, and acceptance of others to name a few supposedly "humanitarian" ideals (as Wilders likes to call it).

For example:

Surah 109

"Say: O ye that reject Faith! I worship not the which ye worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship. Nor will ye worship that which I worship, To you be your Way, and to be mine."

Or Surah 41 Verses 34 & 35

"Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better. Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!" "And no one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the greatest good fortune" 

Surah 60 Verse 8

"God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for your Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for God loves those who are just" 

While he is shocked from the decision and deems it a black day for "freedom of expression" in his country, I think he should pause and look at himself. He is doing exactly what he's denouncing. Other than the fact that he's acting just like all the fundamentalists he's against (albeit with a fancy suit, and hair color), he too is not allowing others to be free and live as they choose. He basically wants to remove Islam, and everything about it from Europe, just because it doesn't meet with his outlook on life. I re-watched his BBC interview after reading the news update. The guy is a thinly veiled bigot and supremacist. He is also a politician who needs to be controversial to thrive in the public eye. He does not believe in Islam therefore it shouldn't exist in his country. 

He starts off a sentence with "The negative aspects of a multi-cultured society..." That sentence is just wrong in itself. 

He has a problem with the lack of a dominant Dutch culture. As a solution he wants to add to their constitution that they're a country that is dominantly based on Christianity, Judaism, and Humanitarianism. So basically everything else just isn't allowed in his country. 

He also says "We should learn to be intolerant with the intolerant." He believes in giving conditional tolerance, meaning he'll tolerate you only if he likes you and agrees with you, if you don't agree then he won't tolerate you. Well that's not really tolerance, that, at best, is hypocrisy and double standards... If what he stands for isn't the other side of the fundamentalist coin he's condemning then I don't know what is. (I recommend you watch the whole interview, it's filled with examples of the kind of puritanical society he wants the Netherlands to be.) 

One of his mistakes, I think, is confusing between the religion of Islam and the misguided fanatics who abuse Islam. Both Wilders and the zealots he's against, seem to forget that Islam is based on dealing with others, otherwise known in Arabic as "al moamala". What Mr. Wilders doesn't know, or didn't research thoroughly, and the extremists hiding behind Islam have lost sight of, is that The Quran (that Wilders, and the like, seem to blame) is broken down (by Islamic fokaha or learned men) into 13 parts: 1 for the dos and don'ts, and the other 12 are for how to deal with other human beings. Things as simple as smiling when you meet someone in the street is considered, by God, an action worthy of reward. A religion that puts so much emphasis on dealing with others can't be as tyrannical as Wilders makes it out to be in his movie, can it? It wouldn't make any sense.

The movie clearly showed that Wilders does not understand the core of Islam, and merely has a beef with the vocal fundamentalists (and perhaps the ever-growing muslim population in the Netherlands, which appears to be eating out of his pie). Had he researched the religion properly and unbiasedly he would've realized that there is more to Islam, and that is it peaceful. He wouldn't have given a one-sided account.

One very small, but very significant part of the video that Wilders overlooked, proves that this wave of terrorism that has leeched itself on Islam, has nothing to do with the core of the religion. In one of the speeches in the movie, the speaker shouts "You will take over USA. You will take over UK. You will take over Europe. You will defeat them all. You will get victory. You will take over Egypt. We believe in Allah" If as Wilder says it's about Islam taking over then think again, Egypt is already a Muslim country. It's not about Islam in the absolute, it's about a specific way of life, a fundamentalist, unforgiving way of life that takes cover under Islam, but has nothing to do with what Islam stands for.

Some might wonder why we don't see more grand gestures of good from Muslims like we see from their scary counterparts. Well, as habit, terrorists (regardless of their affiliations or religion) are grandstanders. They need an audience, otherwise their objective of terrorizing isn't met. On the other hand, genuine do-gooders don't need an audience, they only need God to know. Whoever believes in God would agree with me when I say that whatever you do, God sees it, hence there's no need for an audience. Try to read what I'm writing with an unbiased eye, you'll see what I mean... You might even be able to accept it without having to agree with it -which is another key trait of Islam and well-balanced muslims.

Now, I'm not one of the learned in Islam. But... I'm a Muslim. I'm a female. I'm not veiled. I'm free to express my opinions and my choices. I'm free to live my life. I love my religion. I haven't been forced or brainwashed into loving my religion. I believe in it. I respect it. I believe that my religion has more to do with love than with hate. I believe that my religion is forgiving. I also believe that the problems lie with the misguided people not with the religion. Just as it lies with the misguided people of the other religions.

I am the exact opposite of what he makes Islam and muslims to be. There are many others like me.

Personally, I believe he deserves to go on trial. There's a significant difference between freedom of expression and disrespectful misinformation.

It's time the whole world finally learned how to truly exercise the concept of freedom.