Comments on: The Common Struggle to Change Mentalities http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/ Promoting a fierce but respectful dialogue among the highly diverse youth of the Middle East Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:34:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Esra'ahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14507 Esra'a Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:54:57 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14507 I very much agree with you there. If we target the educational institutions with these kinds of ideas, we may have a case. But most of such arguments end up falling on deaf ears. :( I very much agree with you there. If we target the educational institutions with these kinds of ideas, we may have a case. But most of such arguments end up falling on deaf ears. :(

]]> By: Jinahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14479 Jina Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:44:10 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14479 Her point is very valid, it's just that trying to get people to listen is the... Her point is very valid, it’s just that trying to get people to listen is the…

]]> By: Esra'ahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14476 Esra'a Mon, 22 Jan 2007 10:35:50 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14476 But she does have a point as impossible as that sounds. If we can at least cut each other some slack, and stop generalizing too much, dialogue can lead to mutual respect and understanding. Not necessarily peace and love, but at the very least, an understanding which is crucial.Thanks Dalia for your great post. But she does have a point as impossible as that sounds. If we can at least cut each other some slack, and stop generalizing too much, dialogue can lead to mutual respect and understanding. Not necessarily peace and love, but at the very least, an understanding which is crucial.

Thanks Dalia for your great post.

]]> By: Jinahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14435 Jina Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:26:46 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14435 <blockquote>I just wanted to say that we have to stop fighting and look for something in common; to cooperate rather than to combat.</blockquote>lol If we did this we'll have peace on Earth. This goes for every single one of us.Nice to dream :P

I just wanted to say that we have to stop fighting and look for something in common; to cooperate rather than to combat.

lol
If we did this we’ll have peace on Earth. This goes for every single one of us.

Nice to dream :P

]]> By: Dalia Ziadahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14434 Dalia Ziada Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:17:13 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14434 Hi everybody, thank you so much for your comments. I enjoyed reading them.I just wanted to clarify the point I would like to state here. I did not mean to show neither the west nor the Middle East as the victim of the other. I just wanted to say that we have to stop fighting and look for something in common; to cooperate rather than to combat. Hi everybody, thank you so much for your comments. I enjoyed reading them.

I just wanted to clarify the point I would like to state here. I did not mean to show neither the west nor the Middle East as the victim of the other. I just wanted to say that we have to stop fighting and look for something in common; to cooperate rather than to combat.

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14419 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:05:15 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14419 San Francisco San Francisco

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14418 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:02:53 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14418 Jina-Forgot what?Who are you? Jina-

Forgot what?

Who are you?

]]> By: Edo Riverhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14417 Edo River Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:02:51 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14417 1) Howie how is your Qur'an reading coming along ;-) ;-) 2) I book marked Amarji's blog, but didn't read, however I noticed that he is a resident guest at the Brookings Institution.....FIRST RATE Scholars. No I've never been there but I worked down the hall from a member a long time ago,.really nice humble guy (don't remember what he wrote ) and I have read their other stuff from time to time. 3) If so many people are from Calif. LETS PARTY ;=) where did you folks live? We used to live in LA, Monterrey, San Diego, and Vista. 1) Howie how is your Qur’an reading coming along ;-) ;-)
2) I book marked Amarji’s blog, but didn’t read, however I noticed that he is a resident guest at the Brookings Institution…..FIRST RATE Scholars. No I’ve never been there but I worked down the hall from a member a long time ago,.really nice humble guy (don’t remember what he wrote ) and I have read their other stuff from time to time.
3) If so many people are from Calif. LETS PARTY ;=) where did you folks live?
We used to live in LA, Monterrey, San Diego, and Vista.

]]> By: Jinahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14415 Jina Mon, 22 Jan 2007 06:00:59 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14415 I did agree with few things before, but then again you are old so you probably forgot. I did agree with few things before, but then again you are old so you probably forgot.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14414 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:46:28 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14414 Jina-By-the-way...do you EVER agree with me...damn I already have a wife. Jina-

By-the-way…do you EVER agree with me…damn I already have a wife.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14413 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:45:03 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14413 Yaman...I am only making joke...its ah nice. Yaman…

I am only making joke…its ah nice.

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14412 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:42:52 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14412 Of course, I never made any such claim. Of course, I never made any such claim.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14411 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:40:39 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14411 Yaman-So they shipping your ass to Syria and mine to the Ukraine soon? Yikes...that would put my wife in....OMG...Iraq!!! (hmmm...maybe not a bad idea). Yaman-

So they shipping your ass to Syria and mine to the Ukraine soon? Yikes…that would put my wife in….OMG…Iraq!!! (hmmm…maybe not a bad idea).

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14410 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:38:22 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14410 Howie, yes, World War II, World War I, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, etc, etc, etc... see the pattern? Howie, yes, World War II, World War I, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, etc, etc, etc… see the pattern?

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14409 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:36:43 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14409 Yaman-Dude come on...we haven't even started kicking out the 4 million ILLEGAL Mexicans we have right here in California...you are thinking back to WWII or something...or a couple we booted in the hysteria after 9-11...be real dude come on...And Jina...who the hell invited you? Lebanon should let the fundies get in? Really...even many Shia's are not really happy about the HA... Yaman-

Dude come on…we haven’t even started kicking out the 4 million ILLEGAL Mexicans we have right here in California…you are thinking back to WWII or something…or a couple we booted in the hysteria after 9-11…be real dude come on…

And Jina…who the hell invited you? Lebanon should let the fundies get in? Really…even many Shia’s are not really happy about the HA…

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14408 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:30:09 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14408 Do not forget, of course, that the freedom lovers of Lebanon's "liberal" government include such liberal thinkers as al-Jama` al-Islamiyyah. Do not forget, of course, that the freedom lovers of Lebanon’s “liberal” government include such liberal thinkers as al-Jama` al-Islamiyyah.

]]> By: Jinahttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14407 Jina Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:28:00 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14407 <blockquote>Seriously…how would you have it…don’t do business with anyone that hurts people’s feelings…then nobody does business with anyone.</blockquote>Yaman didn't imply this.<blockquote>In terms of “strings”…well I will make you a list of nations and interests that don’t have strings attached to their actions:</blockquote> Do you know the reason behind why <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Aligned_Movement" rel="nofollow">NAM </a>was created? Why can't the Middle Eastern countries do something like that? Middle Easterners got the resources and the manpower required to do anything they want. In fact, they can handicap the world if they wanted to. They have more power than the United States in that term. Talking about oil, btw. Why would someone with this kind of power would want to appease some one from the other side of the world?Those who are in power are the ones who are holding the region hostage. They will keep on doing what they are doing as long as possible so they can stay in power. America is just happen to be one of the main backers of these tyrants. It's not just America, I can list all the Western countries to the list, but America is the main one. When the American military bases disappear from the Middle East we can demote America from the ranks of assholes who are responsible for maintaining the depots in the region.<blockquote>And yes, the current government in Lebanon also has very board support. Hizboallah…yes they have support too…yes they do…so did the Ayatoallah Khomeini…ask the Iranians who read this how he came through for his country…</blockquote>He was a better choice than what they had. Just because he was the better choice at that time doesn't mean he is the better choice now. Time changes people must move on and Iranians will move on. Just going to take time... progress don't happen over night.Lebanese have a choice between the corrupt and the fundies. They tried the corrupt, now let them have a try at the fundies. They have to learn this lesson, so that they will learn something for the future, just like the Iranians did.

Seriously…how would you have it…don’t do business with anyone that hurts people’s feelings…then nobody does business with anyone.

Yaman didn’t imply this.

In terms of “strings”…well I will make you a list of nations and interests that don’t have strings attached to their actions:

Do you know the reason behind why NAM was created? Why can’t the Middle Eastern countries do something like that? Middle Easterners got the resources and the manpower required to do anything they want. In fact, they can handicap the world if they wanted to. They have more power than the United States in that term. Talking about oil, btw. Why would someone with this kind of power would want to appease some one from the other side of the world?

Those who are in power are the ones who are holding the region hostage. They will keep on doing what they are doing as long as possible so they can stay in power. America is just happen to be one of the main backers of these tyrants. It’s not just America, I can list all the Western countries to the list, but America is the main one. When the American military bases disappear from the Middle East we can demote America from the ranks of assholes who are responsible for maintaining the depots in the region.

And yes, the current government in Lebanon also has very board support. Hizboallah…yes they have support too…yes they do…so did the Ayatoallah Khomeini…ask the Iranians who read this how he came through for his country…

He was a better choice than what they had. Just because he was the better choice at that time doesn’t mean he is the better choice now. Time changes people must move on and Iranians will move on. Just going to take time… progress don’t happen over night.

Lebanese have a choice between the corrupt and the fundies. They tried the corrupt, now let them have a try at the fundies. They have to learn this lesson, so that they will learn something for the future, just like the Iranians did.

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14406 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:16:18 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14406 Immigrants have always been scrutinized and deported, especially in times of war or mass hysteria. The first amendment has limits and almost every war president has violated them.I don't really do any of those things, I just study. Immigrants have always been scrutinized and deported, especially in times of war or mass hysteria. The first amendment has limits and almost every war president has violated them.

I don’t really do any of those things, I just study.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14404 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:13:47 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14404 Yaman...I am for freedom of speech and also gratitude...and I don't know many cases of immigrants having been booted for criticizing the government...not many places more tolerant than the USA...especially California..I love Ammar blog.So you surf? Fish? Smuggle Syria hashish? Yaman…

I am for freedom of speech and also gratitude…and I don’t know many cases of immigrants having been booted for criticizing the government…not many places more tolerant than the USA…especially California..

I love Ammar blog.

So you surf? Fish? Smuggle Syria hashish?

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14403 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:09:56 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14403 Howie, yes, I've been reading Ammar's blog for almost two years now, and I've always been in contact with him. He is a good and inspirational man.If by "took me in" you mean that immigrants have less rights than natural citizens, then I think the legal system disagrees with you, even if there is a predominant attitude that loud mouthed immigrants should "love it or leave it."In any case, I was born here as well. But I do not think this makes me special or gives me more right to say anything than anybody else. Howie, yes, I’ve been reading Ammar’s blog for almost two years now, and I’ve always been in contact with him. He is a good and inspirational man.

If by “took me in” you mean that immigrants have less rights than natural citizens, then I think the legal system disagrees with you, even if there is a predominant attitude that loud mouthed immigrants should “love it or leave it.”

In any case, I was born here as well. But I do not think this makes me special or gives me more right to say anything than anybody else.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14402 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:09:11 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14402 Yaman-"The effect external powers can have in “shaking up” a place in order to destabilize the existing political order, and in effect open the door for new orders whether they be more liberal or more repressive, should not be confused with imparting any sort of liberation."Now we are 100% in agreement... Yaman-

“The effect external powers can have in “shaking up” a place in order to destabilize the existing political order, and in effect open the door for new orders whether they be more liberal or more repressive, should not be confused with imparting any sort of liberation.”

Now we are 100% in agreement…

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14401 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:06:58 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14401 The effect external powers can have in "shaking up" a place in order to destabilize the existing political order, and in effect open the door for new orders whether they be more liberal or more repressive, should not be confused with imparting any sort of liberation. The effect external powers can have in “shaking up” a place in order to destabilize the existing political order, and in effect open the door for new orders whether they be more liberal or more repressive, should not be confused with imparting any sort of liberation.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14400 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:06:15 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14400 Yaman-"I live in California"Well shit howdy neighbor. Not a little hard on the country that took you in are you?Do you read http://amarji.blogspot.com/ ????If not...you would like it...well maybe. Yaman-

“I live in California”

Well shit howdy neighbor. Not a little hard on the country that took you in are you?

Do you read http://amarji.blogspot.com/ ????

If not…you would like it…well maybe.

]]> By: Howiehttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14399 Howie Mon, 22 Jan 2007 05:01:33 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14399 Yaman-"It will never happen. Freedom comes from the inside, not the outside, and there is nothing else to be said about that, really."I always have something else...though I primarily agree with that last statement...but in repressive, authoritarian and utterly brutal environments...how does one get himself some of that freedom? Look at the Kareem case in Egypt for just one tiny example.Forget America...but the West in general, can and does have some influence in these areas...If societies completely close off...say kind of like China or what Afganistan had, then the bullies really come out and play.In a quest for freedom in ME-like environments...I would say yes freedom must come from within...but it does help when the bullies know somebody is looking over their shoulders, esp. if that somebody has dollars. Yaman-

“It will never happen. Freedom comes from the inside, not the outside, and there is nothing else to be said about that, really.”

I always have something else…though I primarily agree with that last statement…but in repressive, authoritarian and utterly brutal environments…how does one get himself some of that freedom? Look at the Kareem case in Egypt for just one tiny example.

Forget America…but the West in general, can and does have some influence in these areas…If societies completely close off…say kind of like China or what Afganistan had, then the bullies really come out and play.

In a quest for freedom in ME-like environments…I would say yes freedom must come from within…but it does help when the bullies know somebody is looking over their shoulders, esp. if that somebody has dollars.

]]> By: Yamanhttp://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14397 Yaman Mon, 22 Jan 2007 04:57:37 +0000 http://www.mideastyouth.com/2007/01/21/the-common-struggle-to-change-mentalities/#comment-14397 Yes Howie, I am. My profile shows "Syria & USA" and I live in California. Yes Howie, I am. My profile shows “Syria & USA” and I live in California.

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