Tuesday, April 20, 2004
This just in: Arabs hate the U.S.
Hosni Mubarek reports that Arabs hate the United States as never before: "Today there is hatred of the Americans like never before in the region," he said in an interview given during a stay in France, where he met President Jacques Chirac Monday.
Well, a lot of us hate Arabs.
Oops. I've said too much.
Why is it so acceptable for world leaders to declare that this or that nation or people hates America (or Israel), but for some reason we are not allowed to declare our hatred in reverse? Why is everybody else allowed to hate and we must search for ways to diffuse their hatred? Why do we describe Arab public opinion as if it were a pot on a stove, and it is boiling only because we have turned the flame up too high? Why do we refuse to recognize that Arabs are human beings who make choices about their beliefs, opinions and actions, just as Westerners make choices? I believe it is because the Western chattering classes are racist: they hold Arabs in such contempt, they are unwilling to hold them to the same standards as Westerners.
I'm not big on the hatred thing, and do not hate Arabs. However, if Arabs choose to hate us, we are certainly entitled to hate them in return. We don't, by and large -- you do not see headlines declaring that American hatred of Arabs is at an all-time high -- but no honest person could blame us if we did.
Well, a lot of us hate Arabs.
Oops. I've said too much.
Why is it so acceptable for world leaders to declare that this or that nation or people hates America (or Israel), but for some reason we are not allowed to declare our hatred in reverse? Why is everybody else allowed to hate and we must search for ways to diffuse their hatred? Why do we describe Arab public opinion as if it were a pot on a stove, and it is boiling only because we have turned the flame up too high? Why do we refuse to recognize that Arabs are human beings who make choices about their beliefs, opinions and actions, just as Westerners make choices? I believe it is because the Western chattering classes are racist: they hold Arabs in such contempt, they are unwilling to hold them to the same standards as Westerners.
I'm not big on the hatred thing, and do not hate Arabs. However, if Arabs choose to hate us, we are certainly entitled to hate them in return. We don't, by and large -- you do not see headlines declaring that American hatred of Arabs is at an all-time high -- but no honest person could blame us if we did.
1 Comments:
By 
, at
Wed Mar 07, 11:13:00 AM:
To hate or to love is not a matter of choice, its a reflection of exterior situations taken against or for your own benefit or what you think to be your own benefit.
Any way I think that you have no reason to hate arabs. You live in a wonderful country that gets its fuel from the arab countries as an exchange for weaponry and war equipment that tears arabs and holds them to the same standard as red indians 400 years ago.
And even if you hated arabs, you wouldn't be able to harm them more as they do not care about your feelings towards them. They have enough problems to care about other than your hatred or love.
