Most people ask me why I'm traveling to the Middle East. My answer is always the same- to improve my Arabic, be immersed in the culture, and to begin my life's journey. I'm not quite sure what I want to be "when I grow up," but I do know I want to help improve the global community's perception of America and its foreign policy. I also want to help improve the attitude of mainstream America, because right now, it's a bit too extreme for me. This isn't a political blog,but from time to time I am going to share some knowledge, share statements I hear from Jordanians, and share insights from my Quranic readings ( I read the Old Testament last semester and this semester my goal is to read the entire Quran)- all in attempt to clear up American misunderstandings about the Middle East, Arabs, Muslims, and more.
I have big dreams, and this blog will help me stay focused during my time in Amman- it won't be all fun, friends, and falafel! Hopefully, from reading my blog, at least one or two people will learn a few things and pass their knowledge on- and even more, hopefully my fellow classmates and I will help shed positive light on US-ME relations, improve the "American image," and form cross- cultural ties that will make a lasting impact.
I'm no expert , just a blonde girl saying it how it is.
1) First of all, I hate terrorists just as much as the next girl, however, I understand what a "terrorist" is, which is something most of America fails to do. To me, a terrorist is someone who uses violence to reach their end game- most of the time it's political, and their goals are outside the normal realm of society, making them "extreme." HOWEVER, I would like to point out that almost all terrorist organizations use words first- people just chose not to listen- Patriots during the American Revolution could be considered terrorists, think about it.Terrorists can live anywhere, can have ethnicity, and practice any religion- and Muslims aren't terrorists!!! ISLAMISTS are "terrorists." Islamism is a very small, cult- like sect that isn't considered true Islam by any means. Why? 1) Islamists have declared Jihad on America, but according to the Quran you CAN NOT initiate Jihad, it can only be used for self- defense and 2) Islamists target and kill moderate Muslims and often refer to them as"infidels," or non- believers, that's right ladies and geltlemen! There are also a lot of other reasons why Islamism is not Islam, but a girl can only say so much. Last thing, terrorists do not only" hate" America- they disapprove everything that is not "theirs,"... so that's basically everyone and everything! America has just been targeted because of it's perceived "bullying" in the region.
2) "They" doesn't cut it. There is a difference between Arabs and Muslims. It's very simple, yet most Americans fail to recognize the difference.Arabs are people who have origins from the Arabian Peninsula and speak Arabic. Muslims are people who practice Islam, that's it. Not all Arabs are Muslims and not all Muslims are Arabs. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, and there are far more Muslims living outside the Middle East than within it. In addition, just because someone is from the Middle East does not make them a Muslim or an Arab! The Middle East is home to a wide variety of religions and ethnicities that have been forced to coexist within states because of Western intervention, which has lead many of the "problems" we are facing today. Many nations exist with-in states, take the Kurds in Iraq for example,and many of the unstable countries in the Middle East attribute their instability to this very fact. Everyone wants fair representation in the government and equal rights, but that's hard to obtain when you are a minority forced into a state that was never yours to begin with! Therefore, most of the "problems" facing the region stem from the hostile political environment and un- cohesive societies- NOT Islam!
3) I'm SO tired of hearing statements like "they hate America" and " they hate our freedoms." First of all, who is "they?" It is safe to say most Arabs and Muslims do not hate Americans- they hate America's government and our foreign policy that has lead to many interventions in the Middle East. Most people admire our work ethic, our values, and our freedoms, and believe it or not, most Muslims are striving to be more like us! People are slowly changing society and government to reflect a more democratic structure based upon individual liberties- ever hear of the Arab Spring? Regardless of its success, it is a testament to the majority's desires and values across the region. Most Americans are too consumed with America's domestic politics and are clueless towards America's global image. And yes, Mitt Romney's magic Mormon underwear are quite interesting, but maybe we should start paying a bit more of attention to what's going on in the rest of the world. NEWSFLASH: America cares about the Middle East primarily for its oil resources, and if we left oil-exporting countries alone and maintained a non- interventionist stance - the terrorist orginizations will leave us alone!! However, that's far easier said than done.That's exactly why new projects, like the KEYSTONE PIPELINE, are essential for making progress towards energy dependence. (clearly the Obama Administration is confused in this regard)
5) Women's rights in the Middle East are often cited by Americans to portray the "backwardness" of "Muslims and the Middle East." I'm not going to get too far into this, but I would like to point out that the Quran grants women and men are equal rights, all the while understanding their inherit differences and outlining how their roles in life complement each other. Veiling and secluding women IS NOT ISLAMIC, it's cultural- the practices originated from the Persian empire and were adopted as a cultural norm throughout the region. Oppresion and unequal rights do not originate from the Quran, they originate from HUMANS making the laws for Islamic countries. The Quran makes efforts to emphasize womens' essential roles in the family and society, and it outlines mens' roles to protect, provide for, and cherish their wives. Men are required to provide for the family, so if a women works it's her decision to do so, and she gets to keep all of the money for herself! Most Middle Eastern women chose to wear the hijab as a form of self- identity and pride, and to display their piousness and dedication to themselves and their family. Yes, the Taliban and similar governments under Sharia law are oppressive towards women, but the Quran, from which they "derive" their law, isn't.
6) Last thing! It REALLY is important to understand these basic principles- or else ignorance will ruin this country! During the recent shooting on a Wisconsin Sheik temple,many innocent,peaceful people were killed- it's a tragedy for victims, their families, the community, and the entire country. A WHITE, AMERICAN, CHRISTIAN man blindly committed a hate crime against the wrong "people," and then took his own life - now his military service to this country will never be celebrated, but instead he will forever be an extreme, violent, murderer. This is a perfect example of the reckless and misinformed behavior, based upon false stereotypes and false perceptions, that constitute acts of terrorism. This act also teaches us the" Middle Easterners" aren't the only "terrorists" we have to worry about.... Furthermore, acts such as these stem from a lack of understanding, and a lack of education. People too often believe what others and the media tells them instead of forming their own beliefs and opinions based upon fact- this causes extremism in some cases, and more importantly a misinformed population as a whole. And finally, we have to make progress in cross- cultural understanding as a nation before we can make a positive impact upon ourselves and the global community.
All done (:
-Blonde girl out
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