The terrorist government of Israel has did it again and added another massacre to its endless list. I think the following photos from southern Lebanon need no commenting from my side. And again, the U.N. peacekeepers did not lift a finger. In fact, they indirectly participated in this massacre by refusing to allow the villagers to take shelter in their building. Israel, as usual, is waging a dirty war. And don't you go on telling me that Hizbollah started it first. This was already well planned from the Israeli side a long time before the incident of the two soldiers, No rational human being on earth could justify putting a whole country under seige and bombing and killing its innocent civilians.
But what is the world doing about it? Nothing. The dumbest and most narrow minded person on earth (whose initials are G. W. B.) appears on TV and says "Israel has the right to defend itself". What the ... ?! Against what? Helpless children? Because that's what Israel is attacking. Just look at the photos. Hizbollah attacks military locations and Israel keeps on bombing homes and killing civilians, even after they force them to leave their homes. After all this, I won't be surprised if Hizbollah starts attacking civilian locations in Israel. But what won't surprise me even more is that as soon as this happens and there are casualties from the Israeli side, everyone is going to talk about how brutal Hizbollah is.
What can I say?! They world and the UN have watched Qana before, and now its Marwaheen. Let the world know who the real terrorists and the real racists are. R.I.P. human conscious. R.I.P. UN.
Israeli girls write messages on a shell at a heavy artillery position firing into civilians inside Lebanon
Democracy. A word that holds great meanings, but only in its definition and in dictionaries. Lately, some countries have found another use for the word. It has been discovered that this powerful word is a great weapon that should be added to any arsenal as a weapon of persuation and deception. And there's no greater evidence on this than how the US government uses the word as an excuse for any action it takes, whether or not this action is right and justified. For the Iraq war, the US government turned to this weapon to justify what they did over there and the whole stupid war and the inhuman behaviour of its soldiers over there after the big fat lie of weapons of mass distruction failed.
You always hear American leaders talk about freedom and democracy and all these shiny words. But in reality, the definition of democracy in the US government's dictionary has a great property. It is polymorphic to serve the goals of those in charge. For while they give speeches about how bad dictatorship is and how the people should be in charge and have the freedom of choosing their governments, at the same time they are punishing the Palestinians for practicing their rights and choosing the government that they see fit to represent them. Why? Well, because their style of democracy dictates that yes the people are free to choose, but in the end they must choose what they (the leaders of the American government) want. Democracy, the American style. If our friends at Israel don't like it, then we don't. And if we don't, then it is not democracy. And so, the Palestinians should suffer. As if their everyday suffering weren't enough!
And the game of double standards continues. India should be allowed to have nuclear technology. The same goes to Pakistan, but not like India of course. However, Iran has no right at all in such a technology. Iran is bad, India is good, Israel is great. Who's the judge? The US government. Why? Because good and bad in its opinion is tied to who's with its policy and who's against. Democracy?! R.I.P. democracy.
After the recent events, there seems to be a persisting need now, more than ever before, to communicate with each other and open channels for dialogue. I get reluctant to use the term "the other" because it sounds as if we are talking about some kind of aliens or another strange kind of energy (if you saw the movie "The Others", you'll know what I'm talking about). One organization that I think could play a role in this is the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for the Dialogue between Cultures. I really hope we could join hands instead of fighting and argueing and start understanding and respecting other.
Dear Annamarie, I thank you for your nice feelings and nice words. I don't think you need to apologize for something you haven't committed. And I really feel sorry for those who don't have the courage to admit that they did wrong. I thank you and Simon for being open-minded and understanding (I'm sure that many ignorants will laugh at this and say that being open-minded is the other way around).
Following are some other thoughts regarding this matter:
As I mentioned in a previous comment, to those who don't know anything about the prophet they offended and to those who want to know more about prophet Muhammad's life, I recommend watching the following 2002 PBS documentary:
I'm really fed up with how the western culture keeps taking the phrase "freedom of speech" as an excuse for harassing and insulting others. It is as if freedom of speech is a luxurious right that only they can enjoy. And if someone else as much as imply something they do not like, freedom of speech is thrown out the window.
Of course, anyone reading this will most probably know what I am talking about. Yes, it is the recent incident of the Danish newspaper and their insulting cartoons. Again, the excuse is "freedom of speech". Those people don't even know what the phrase stands for. Since when did freedom of speech mean you can make fun of or insult someone?! What would they say if, God forbid, it was the other way around and a newspaper in any of the Islamic countries published cartoons about Jesus - peace be upon him - (which no Muslim would dare do because Allah, i.e. God, ordered us to believe in and respect all his prophets)? Will it be freedom of speech? I don't think so. George W. Bush would probably get on the stand and say: "Let's bomb that country." What if some newspaper in the west published something against the Jews? Freedom of speech? Anti-Semitism is more likely. Well let me tell you that this Danish newspaper's act is an anti-Semitism act. Because, in case you didn't know, Arabs are considered Semites.
It would seem that the west is losing more and more ethical values by the day. And that this is the expense of scientific leadership. Hey, we don't have to get very far. Just look at what they are saying about Clinton after a statement he made at an economic conference in Qatar. OK, I'm not saying the man is great and wonderful. But he spoke very rationally. If only those who attacked him in the media or from the public on the Internet were just as rational and thought about what he said. Anyway, if it is their right to say whatever they wish, it is ours to react, object, and defend our prophet (whether they aplogized, half-apologized or not). Boycotting will continue until they realize how far astray they went. And this will be the case with any other country that walks on their footsteps. And in the future they should think twice before insulting others.
Correcting the Wrong In Our Higher-Education System
Previously, I've posted a comment on the ESEA (Egyptian Software Engineers Association) Yahoo! group. The comment was on a message posted by Mohamed Meshref concerning his thoughts about what is required to improve the quality of the educational process in the faculties of computer science in Egypt. The issue popped up again while posting a comment on Mohammed_g's blog. So, I thought of including parts of the previous post over here.
" You share the same vision I have regarding what is required to elevate the level of our higher education system in the field of computer science, technology, and engineering for a better, brighter future of our country. And although you were talking about faculties of computer science, the problems you mentioned are actually present in the department of computers and systems of many engineering faculties. Believe me I should know, because I've been there both as a student and as an instructor.
The way I see it, there are three main reasons for the situation we are in nowadays: there is no good scientific planning, there's no honesty and devotion while working to achieve planned goals, and there's no motivation. Who's responsible? Both sides, the teaching staff as well as the students. We are moving in an endless ring. From one side, existing staff doesn't bother to improve the educational process, even though it may be in their hands. And on the other side, the students (from which some become a teaching staff) are not motivated and the only goal they have in mind is to finish their undergraduate years, if possible, and start earning some money. That's why they only attempt to consume, actually memorize, what is required to pass the finals and don't bother with any other useful knowledge. The result, is a nation with a huge number of, so called, college graduates who are supposed to be the youths of the future generation. While in reality, they don't even care if their country rises or falls. What else would you expect from someone who doesn't want to learn science for the knowledge and in order to build a better future for his people.
Yes, many undergraduate courses (and post-graduate) need to be reconsidered. It should be considered with sciences and the theories behind the technologies, not the technologies themselves. For example, we should concentrate on the concepts of programming languages first before we concentrate on a certain language. In fact, the whole higher-education process needs reconsideration. New, well-planned, and strict rules need to be enforced to eliminate many mistakes present today. And on top of the list of corrections, many of the present doctors need to retire. I mean they should be honest with theirselves. Like you said, if you can't update your knowledge constantly, leave room for those who can (with all due respect). But come on, what are you saying? Retire and leave the position they are in!!! Even if it was for the good of the country, to hell with the country for all they care. As I said, it is an endless ring. And we are only kidding ourselves with the current process, which will lead us nowhere. The problem is who would listen, and who would care. We try to do whatever is in our hands. But facing the many constraints and without a shared dream, correcting what is wrong will be very difficult. Or who knows. "
Since I first had access to the Internet back in 1999, my main interests were to sites related to science and technology. By nature, I'm not a person who spends most of his time chatting and talking to others online. Recently, while surfing the Web and visiting forums and sites concerned with various topics and events we see daily in the news and affects how the world changes around us, I realized how very far away and how unaware I was of what is going on elsewhere. Yes, I knew that during the past 5 years or so a very bad, and fake, image of Islam and Muslims was painted in the minds of many westerners. But I never realized it reached this extent. Everywhere you go online you'll find people attacking Islam with many hard and mean words and wanting to through Muslims in the sea and things like that! What has become of the world today?! What's really sad is that these people are doing so blindly without even knowing anything about Islam, or just knowing a thing or two which they got from an untrustful source.
The worst phrase I've read was "It is true that not all Muslims are terrorists. However, all terrorists are Muslims". What a big, fat, deceptive lie. Terrorism was there long before the late events that fired a massive propaganda from the media which managed to capture the minds of many Americans and Europeans. And those terrorists were not related to Islam in anyway. Some were Christians, some were Jews, some were unblievers, etc. In every religion you'll find those who are on the right path and those who have deviated. And terrorism has neither a nationality nor a religion.
In my opinion, one cause that helped paint this illusive picture of Islam is that the western society is too lazy to search for the truth on its own. People there just sit back in their seats and deliver their minds to whatever kind of media they prefer to be brainwashed and filled with whatever it sees fit. Be it the TV or the Internet or a newspaper, it is all the same. They just hear/read it, and believe it. I really thought they would be more intellectual than that. But it seems they've created and watched too many fictuous movies, until they've reached a point where they started to believe in everything they see/hear without considering whether it was true or false. Has anyone of them tried to read any book about Islam written by a respectful and well-known Islamic thinker? (Not just any book that talks about Islam they find in their libraries, which might be filled with corrupted ideas not relating to Islam by any chance) Instead of having a constructive debate and trying to reach for the other side and understand it more, they start to attack it on basis they have no proof of.
However, I don't completely blame them. You know why? Because during the past years, Muslims have always stood aside and watched. They just closed a shell they built around themselves and never tried effectively to reach for the western society and educate it about the true meaning of Islam and all what it stands for. They should know that Islam does not permit killing innocent people even during wars (history proves this too). They should know that blowing yourself up in the face of civillians from the other side does not mean in Islam that you will go to heaven. Doing this when you have no weapon to fight your enemy with and in the face of the enemy's armed forces can be justified. But against innocent civillians, it is never justified. And they should also know that all Allah's orders and the teachings of his prophet are only for the good of the human race. And that we are tought and ordered to respect even those who are non-Muslims and respond with kindness to those who might treat us in a different manner. This, however, does not mean that we won't fight for our rights if someone took them away from us. Even tolerance has its limits.
This brings me to another subject that has been publicized heavily in the news lately. Namely, Israel's pullout from Gaza. I can't believe how many people in the western society feel really sad for the Israili settlers who are being evacuated! Come on people! And what about all the Palestinians who were forced to leave their homes and roam the world as refugees since 1948, even though they were the original inhabitants and owners of the land? It's even clear from the description of those Israelis, settlers. Why weren't you sorry for those Palestinians?! It is very sad to see such double-sided judgment and treatment. And what's worse, they have the gutts to call them terrorists. So, fighting for your freedom and for your rights is terrorism nowadays?! If someone took over your home and, out of generousity (oh, how generous), wants to give you a room in your own home, would you just stand and watch? My God, how they got everything so confused.
Here's a joke that gets repeated everytime you get into a debate with someone who is taking Israel's side without thinking: "Israel is the only democratic country in the region". Do they really believe that? And the number of times I've heard this phrase proves that these people are not even trying to think. They just follow those great, shiny words that get thrown every now and then like "democracy" and "freedom" and "human rights". While in reality, some of their countries are destroying every meaning of these words everyday. These words have become camoflages, something to hide the governments' dirty work behind. Look at how African Jews and Arab Israelis are treated in Israel. They are 3rd class citizens overthere.
However, feeling sad for what the westerners think or what they say or do and feeling sad for where we stand today will not solve anything. I think the time has come to take actions and start opening conversational channels with whom we ignored for a long time. They should know the real truth about us. And they should know that we are not terrorists. They must remove this image from their minds. It is very unjust to judge a whole nation by the acts of a few that has gone astray.
August 2005 is coming to end. Sitting back and remembering some of the events that occured during this month, I came to realize how sad it was for me. In this month, the Islamic nation has lost two of its greatest idols: King Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz, who passed away on the beginning of the month at the age of 84, and Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, who passed away one week later at the age of 87 in Durban. Both figures were well-known and respected all over the world.
Since the day he was announced king, King Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz has taken over his shoulders many responsibilities. Some towards his people and others towards the Arabian and Islamic nations. But perhaps the most important was the responsibility towards the visitors the two Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah and the visitors and pilgrims of the houses of Allah in them. And from his humbleness, he wasn't keen of the title "His Royal Highness" and preferred to be referred to as "The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" instead. During the period in which he was monarch, he reshaped and improved the image Saudi Arabia and lives of its citizens. Many great advances have been made during this period in various fields, such as education, infrastructure, healthcare, economy, foreign diplomacy, and social development. His support for the Palestinean rights and for all Islamic affairs will remain unforgotten.
Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, a renowned Islamic scholar, author, and lecturer who dedicated almost all of his life to da`wah (teaching Islam), published over 20 books and distributed millions of copies of pamphlets for free, many of which had been translated into various languages. Deedat has delivered thousands of lectures and participated in numerous public debates globally. He is known for his work in comparative religions. And many of his books were about comparisons between Islam and other religions, particularly Christianity. His career in comparative religion involved him in dialogues with the heads of the Protestant church in America and the late Pop John Paul II. He wrote about topics such as the role of Jesus - peace be upon him - in Islam and how Muhammad - peace be upon him - was prophecised in the Bible, with many of the prophecies which Christians believe deal with Jesus actually deal with Muhammad. Some lectures and debates by him can be found at Aswat Al-Islam (Sounds of Islam) website, or directly over here. He established the first Islamic religious institution in South Africa to train preachers at the Assalaam Institute in Braemar and was the president of the Islamic Propagation Centre International (IPCI), an organization which he helped found until he suffered from a stroke in 1996 which left him paralyzed.
May Allah's peace and blessings be upon King Fahd and Shaikh Ahmed Deedat, two great idols that deserve our respect and our prayers.
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About This Blog
The thoughts of an Egyptian computer engineer...
About Me
Name::A From::Egypt
I am a computer engineer and research assistant. (I am also a SCJP for the Java 2 Platform 1.4) View my complete profile
I'm really fed up with how the western culture keeps taking the phrase "freedom of speech" as an excuse for harassing and insulting others. It is as if freedom of speech is a luxurious right that only they can enjoy. And if someone else as much as imply something they do not like, freedom of speech is thrown out the window.
