And we go Again
On n article published last Monday Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of conservative Iranian daily Kayhan, said that Bahrain was a province of non-Arab, Shiite Iran, and that Bahrainis were demanding the island’s return to its “native land” (Full Story Here). Needless to say, the comments caused a firestorm in Bahrain; it was just the following day that newspapers were full in letters and articles of pledging the allegiance to the ruling family and stressing out the independency of the country.
The clip below is of a protest called for yesterday near the Iranian Embassy, by a group called “إلا الوطن – Ela AlWatan” which a new bloc in the local political scene formed by 3 activists (Mr. Jassim AlSa’eedi –MP, Mr. Faisal Foulad- MC, and Mr. Mohammed AlMuran). All of which are highly contentious individuals, two were mentioned in the “unnamable report”, and the third is widely known for his secretarial beliefs and intolerance.
Now, away from the nonsense of Shariatmadari; there is absolutely no excuse for the shouts recited on that protest, referring to Iran as “Majusia” (a term originally meaning Zoroastrians) and used back In the 1980s, majus was part of Iraqi propaganda vocabulary of the Iran-Iraq War to refer to Iranians in general. “By referring to the Iranians in these documents as majus, the security apparatus [implied] that the Iranians [were] not sincere Muslims, but rather covertly practice their pre-Islamic beliefs. (Source) Thus, in their eyes, this protest against Iran took on the dimensions of not only a struggle for Arab nationalism and Bahraini Patriotism, but also a campaign in the name of Islam.
What they forgot (And by they, I am referring to Members of the Parliament, Religious Figures and activists that were present in the protest and recited such racist chants) that the accusation, or point of view was that of Hossein Shariatmadari and only Hossein Shariatmadari, what they forgot is that he does not represent the Iranian Regime, or even anyone for that matter except for himself.
This very same story happened when the Danish Newspaper published cartoons of depicting the prophet and the entire Muslim world went on a rampage accusing the Danish government of blasphemy.
And it doesn’t stop there, the bigotry and narrow-mindedness continues:
This hypocrite is raising a picture of the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he embraces anti-Zionism Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, of Monsey, N.Y. accusing Iran in bold print under it of collaborating with Israel and Zionisim. Little did he know about the story behind this picture. (Full Story Here)
This cartoon was published in AlAyam Newspaper, and it’s not exactly breaking news. Cartoons like this mocking the Iranian Regime and Presidency or even the religious figures are a norm in this country. This cartoon that was published also in AlAyam back in 2005 spurred a lot of controversy and later resulted in the Iranian Embassy requesting an official apology from the newspaper (Full Story here) . Can someone just imagine how fast this could escalate if the Iranian people went on protests of such inexcusable mockery and public disrespect by our local newspapers?
On a separate note, MP Adel AlMawdaa also became an expert in Iranian issues claiming publicly that such calls do not in fact represent just the thoughts of Shariatmadari but a “large portion of the Iranian nation”.
I honestly don’t know where is this heading, I’m just glad that law enforcement didn’t use teargas or rubber bullets against the unlicensed and unauthorized protest, like it does to any protest anywhere near the embassies of the UK or the United States.
God bless Bahrain..
Excellent post Mohamed.
لن نتعلم ابدا ان نكون موضوعيين طالما لا زالنا نردد هكذا هتافات وننعت الآخرين بالمجوسية والنجاسة
بالروح والدم نفديك يا بحرين .. كم هي مضحكة هذه الشعارات فمن يسمعها يعتقد ان ايران على وشك غزو البحرين او ما شابه. ولكن هل نلوم الشعب اذا كان قادة الجمعيات السياسية والنواب هم من يقودون هذه الاعتصامات ويسمحون بنشر ثقافة الكراهية والطائفيه ؟
يبقى الأمل معقود على الشباب البحريني الذي لم يتأثر بعد بموجة التحيز والطأفنة. التصريح الذي قرأته اليوم في الجلف ديلي نيوز على لسانك عن اعتزام جمعية شباب البحرين لحقوق الانسان بتنظيم دورات تدريبية لتوعية الشباب بالطرق الصحيحة للاعتصام يفتح باب جديد للأمل، وكل ما اتمناه ان تصمد هذه المحاولة في وجه التيار الكاسح الذي يشنه مؤيدى الفتن والتعصب
this is reminiscent of the time that we were nervously awaiting whether the US would or wouldnt attack Iraq and UoB conducted a session to prepare volunteer students and staff for the possible impending dangers.
despite many volunteers in the audience being non-arab speakers, the presentation was in arabic and included words like (la3an allah alnasara wa alyahood, 3asahum nar jahanam, etc. ) and much worst stuff, between every three sentences. which was tantamount to blaming the guys sitting next to us who are here to offer their help and send them to hell and who didnt have a clue what was being said.
insensitivity, stupidity, small mindedness, self-centredness…what can i say…
and who was giving the lecture? three top scientists! supposedly the most objective academics. faculty members from the chemistry (to talk about chemical weapons), biology (biological weapons) and physics (the dean of the college of science himself, who expressed the same vile sentiments as the other two) to talk about nuclear bombs. these are the scientists among us? the objective among us? the academic among us? the ones who teach are supposed to teach objectivity and critical thinking to the next generation of scientists among us?
when the allegedly “thinking people” in our midst behave and speak like this, and like the MPs in the above video, completely oblivious to the meaning and the effect of what they say on others, and demand respect from others while not willing to give equal respect to others, and are offended without caring if they are being offensive themselves, how can we expect anything better from the sheep masses??
Mohd, what are you trying to say man? Focus on the point you want to deliver.
You were saying “such inexcusable mockery and public disrespect by our local newspapers?”, which sounds to me like something the minister of info would say, I say F&^k it! If Sharbat-madri doesnt care if what he said hurts people, why should others care?
And another thing.. what makes the mockery inexcusable? If someone makes an ass out of himself, he shall be mocked. Why do you make it sound dramatic?
You gotta wonder at the timing of Shariatmadari; Thanks to his nonsense, people like Al-Saeedi are handed on a gold platter that perfect opportunity to further themseleves as the champions of the Bahrain and fuel the sectarian rife. One of the main problems in Bahrain as I see it is that the the people lack respect for the other. And that not only goes for Bahrainis with Bahrainis, but Bahrainis and their surrounds. You are different, therefore I don’t respect you, nor do I recognize your rights and I fear you. Its saddening how quickly people resort to name calling and the lowest common denominator. After these statements no one will say a thing about the third US carried now parked in our waters. After all, we need them to help us….
It’s inexcusable if it’s gonna make the other part (the one being mocked at) reply with extreme and violent meassures and if they took the mockery as offensive and disrespecting (e.g. the Danish Cartoons). So mockery = sedition (فتنة)
Just like now, you made an ass out of yourself, just like your nickname. Now I should wait for your reply which I know is gonna be furious and challenging. smile dude.
I’m just trying to make a point here.
Excellent post Moh’d. Your getting more and more diplomatic in discussing politics. Good job.
Gardens of Sand & Butterfly: good replies. I totally agree with both of you.
Not into discussing politics this days so I wont elaborate after Garden of Sand or Butterfly’s but I just liked to comment on the protest by Ela -Al-Watan group.
Not only they don’t know how to protest. They don’t know what to say in a protest, don’t know what to carry on, and they don’t know when to go out on a protest. يوم جمعة في عز الظهر؟؟ من لك في السفارة ومن لك في الشارع إذا طالعين لي في ام الحصم ورا ستاربكس؟؟؟
وشنو بالروح بالدم نفديك يا بحرين؟؟ خير؟؟ السالفة كلام جرايد والحل دبلوماسي بحت والموضوع ما يحتاج مظاهرة أصلا، تتظاهر على شنو؟؟
وطالع كم واحد من النواب اللي طول السنة ساكتين و يعتبرون المظاهرات بدعة وخروج على ولي الأمر ويقولوا ليش ما نشوف المظاهرات الحاشدة للطرف الآخر؟؟
الحين السالفة سالفة وطن ولا سالفة طرف آخر ولاهي غصب اتحط دوبك ودوب هالفقارة ولاجنه جبدك منبطة؟؟
أنا أرد عليه… الطرف الآخر طلع أذكى منك ويعرف متى يطلع وعلى شنو يطلع وشنو يقول وعلى من يضغط من واقع خبرة واحتكاك مع مختلف المشاكل في الساحة
إطلع على الفقر اللي انت عايش فيه
إطلع على البطالة اللي خاربة شباب ديرتك
إطلع على الحرومية في السواحل والأراضي والعمارات
إطلع على الأسعار (الرغيف واللحم ووو) مثل الدول العربية الأخرى
طالع لي في مظاهرة تأييد للقيادة؟؟ القيادة موجودة موجودة بك ولا بدونك والمظاهرة محد بيسمعها وحتى لو سمعتها السفارة فالحل دبلوماسي وبين أعضاء السلك الدبلوماسي بين البلدين ووزارات الخارجية
الحين شايف أحد طلع لما -عضوة مجلس الشورى- (عضاها حوت قولوا آمين) طلعت اتقول ايران صفوية وتقوم على التطهير العرقي والسيستاني عميل أمريكي وصهيوني ولا الشيعة في البحرين لا يوجد لهم ولاء للوطن والمواتم يجب قفلها لأن فيها أسلحة
تخيل لو إيران كان بودها ترد على عضوة مجلس الشورى شنو راح يكون الرد؟؟
أنا عندي إحتمالات بس ما تنقال!
I know my opinion is biased, but a lot of people are making a mockery of themselves and I’m trying my best not comment.
sorry, but just to prove a point regarding protests.. look at this protest and compare!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AMYYbmaii8
Cost-guy
Check this clip also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaUpQ1h8sM4
الظاهر الموضوع أختلط علي البحرينين، والاعتصام فعلا كان مهزلة بكل المقاييس.
hehehehe
إطلع إطلع يا حقير إطلع إطلع يا بن البيـــر؟؟؟
ملاحظة ممتازة واضح إن الموضوع مختلط على البحرينين والجميع يستغل الموضوعات السياسية لإثبات وجهة نظره التي لا يمكن له التعبير عنها بحرية في مناسبات عادية وكأن كل من يغني على ليلاه
أنظري لهذا المقطع من نفس المصدر وإلى أين يتجهون بهذا الموضوع
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUtCGZDdEB
إشدخل السنة والشيعة في إيران؟؟ خبري الموضوع إيران والبحرين؟؟
إيران للعلم يوجد بها كنائس ومعابد ومجوس وتيارات يسارية لكن ليست قوية
في بداية المظاهرة يطالبون بشطب المجوس واليهود والإيرانيين (الشيعة وهو المقصد الضمني) وفي هذا المقطع يطالبون بحقوق سنة إيران
كيف تطالب بحق فئة وأنت تسعى للقضاء على فئة أخرى؟؟؟
فشيلة والله إن مثل هالأصوات تستغل أوضاع إقليمية وتطلع
الوضع مؤسف ويغلي على نار هادئة
إعتذاري الشديد للأخ محمد لإدخالي مقاطع فيديو ولكني إرتأيت أنها في صلب الموضوع
عفوا ولكن هذا هو الرابط بالنسبة للمداخلة السابقة
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUtCGZDdEBI
I was actually surprised at the magnitude of the reply to this issue. When I first heard the news of Sharia. making his statement, I shrugged it off as a tiny, insignificant event. People make claims all the time, not all of which are relevant or actually get followed by action.
Anyhow, the number and size of replies and articles, not to mention the paid advertising regarding this issue that came out in the newspaper the next day astounded me. Such a small issue was being spawned into a monster. Talks of patriotism, Bahrain’s independence, amongst people standing up to prove their leadership in this “crisis” and to rally the people behind them were dime-a-dozen.
The views of one man do not represent the people. The views of one man do not represent the actions of a government. Unless there was rallied support by Sharia for the government and the people to do the same, his words are worthless. And there is no way any sort of action could be taken against Bahrain without not just the US, but the other GCC countries retaliating against Iran; and that definitely is not in Iran’s best interests. And I personally think they’re too clever for that.
So stop turning one person’s words into the invasion this country hasn’t lived. Stop trying to cover up the real problems we have by fabricating one; turning a drip of water into a flood. It’s not in our interests to forget our real issues and follow fake ones which have the real potential of harming us even more if we follow them.
Zioniran? So now Iran, the only country which actually had the guts to say “we want to wipe Israel off the face of the earth” became zionist? I’m not 100% with their values, but stop coming up with slogans that will eventually hurt you. You don’t want to make enemies with Iran; you REALLY don’t.
The problem is we have a lot of sheep in Bahrain. The cattle mentality. A lot of Bahrain’s get herded around by people who claim to know what’s right, without actually having the independence to think for themselves. Mind-control being part of the larger nations’ conspiracy theories? Science fiction? Its all happening right here in Bahrain baby.
On a more humorous note, and to show you how ridiculous and naive the people who are being herded around in these demonstrations are; take a look at the guy holding up the Iranian flag with the Nazi and Zionist (or jewish Israel) signs on it. If i’m not mistaken, weren’t the Nazi’s trying to intentionally wipe out the jews? Aren’t the zionists totally against Nazism? You can’t put both on the same flag and claim they’re the same thing. Just a heads up, mr irani-zionist-nazi flag dude.
“It’s inexcusable if it’s gonna make the other part (the one being mocked at) reply with extreme and violent meassures and if they took the mockery as offensive and disrespecting (e.g. the Danish Cartoons).”
Costa Guy, your logic is the reason this part of the world is way behind.
So what if a guy wrote an open letter about Bahrain not being sovern? And so what if someone else drew a cartoon in alayam or that danish paper? Its called freedom if speech. These idiots protesting at the Iranian embassy just shows them up as insecure brats.
Well, excuse me Mr. “The Joker” if my logic was the reason for us being retards.
Well, on that logic you are using then it’s freedom of speech to tell everyone in the world how stupid someone is and how stupid he may look just either for the fun of it or for the sake of expressing an extreme idea that might not be the best idea to let everyone listen to (especially if feelings would be hurt) & it’s freedom of speech to attack anyone or create conflicts between people.
It’s freedom of speech for some high Royal members to say that they own “Bahrain” and the people in Bahrain are only servants and they should not ask for anything or salaries …etc.
It’s freedom of speech to insult a person for his race, belief, name or economic status.
الحرية تقف عند إيذاء الآخرين
If you call that freedom, then that’s another reason (apart from my logic) for this part of the world being behind.
If someone attacks (& I mean by “attack” here is “insult” or “mockery”) the symbol of Bahrain, whether this symbol was the King, the Flag, the People of Bahrain, the Tree of Life, our Heritage, our History in the name of freedom of speech then don’t expect that there won’t be a violent or riot reaction towards that first act.
Imagine the situation with someone insulting your parents in the name of freedom of speech.
للعلم إذا كنت تقصد حرية التعبير كما هو في الغرب فحرية التعبير هناك لا تختلف عن هنا، فهناك (في الغرب) لا يحق لهم إهانة الكنيسة ، اليهود، المسلمين، العرق والأصول، أو أي شخص.. وللعلم فالرسوم الدنماركية لاقت إستهجان من الدنمارك والحكومات الغربية.
People have the right to object and show their anger and frustration towards such insults or statements (now that’s freedom of speech).
But using these events to create more problems and conflicts and to open other doors then that is something unacceptable and that’s called فتنة وتصيد في الماء العكر من أجل مصالح أخرى.
The “protest” that happened a few days ago was uncalled for (not because they don’t have the right, but because it’s not the way to solve a diplomatic issue between two countries) and we all saw what were the real intention for this protest. That’s why we critcized the “protest” (freedom of speech)
Calling them “idiots” & “insecure brats” isn’t the way to put us infront in the world.
Cheers!
Freedom of expression doesn’t mean that we have the right to insult others or disrespect their beliefs and religions.
Let us protest against Shariatmadari statement but why we should generalise our opinions and views and call Iranian people majus and Zionist.
The Danish cartoons are another example of disrespect. Did they needed to do that or it is just that they wanted to practice freedom of expression? There is a fine line between freedom of expression and being disrespectful and there is something called etiquette of freedom of expression that we need to learn.
ثم ماهي علاقة السفير بالموضوع اساسا حتى يتم نعته بأوصاف مثل هذه؟ كل يوم تهاجم عشرات الصحف الاجنبية حول العالم العرب والمسلمين ولو اننا قمنا بالاعتصام امام كل سفارة من هؤلاء ونعتنا سفراء هذه الدول بهكذا اوصاف فسيلزمنا دهر من الاعتصامات ولأصبح العالم كله ضدنا بعد فترة زمنية قصيرة
أليس حل مثل هذه الامور من اختصاص السفارات؟ لماذا لا نكتفي بالتعبير عن استنكارنا وامتعاضنا بطريقة أكثر حضارية؟ هل يستحق الموضوع كل هذه الضجة خصوصا وان التصريح صدر من فرد وذلك لا يعبر بالضرورة عن رأي جميع الايرانيين وحتى لو سلمنا افتراضا بأن لأيران مطامع استعمارية في الخليج فهل سنهاجمهم لمجرد أفتراضنا وجود هذه النية ام سننتظر حتى يبدر منهم ما يثبت ذلك؟
هناك تصريحات مهمة وتستحق اخذها على محمل الجد وهناك تصريحات لاترقى الى مستوى حتى الالتفات اليها وتصريح شريعتمدارى اخذ أكثر من حجمه واستنفذ وقت واهتمام الرأي العام الذي كان بالامكان توجيهه نحو امور أهم
I think we’re in a disparate need to start looking into our society and how we can save ourselves from this “sectarian” demon.
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About Me
- Mohammed AlMaskati
East Riffa, Bahrain
I support a ONE Bahrain!
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