I know nothing about Arab culture, but I feel free to rant on about it

The BBQ Pit
1

I ventured out of my little thread to read on in some other threads to see what the tenor of comments on MENA were, and regretted it.

Assertions about what Iraqis should/are/would think (based largely it appears on projecting oneself into a land and country the writer knows literally nothing about), assertions vans carrying women and men are suspicious because that just doesn’t happen, assertions, assertions…

I would hope, before people start making assertions and suspicions that they would start to do so on the basis of some real knowledge. I find it immensely disappointing to read again and again confident judgement calls about what an Iraqi or an Arab or whatever “would do” or “would think” etc. etc. by people who clearly have little if any knowledge of the region.

Now, before the chorus of arrogant bastard remarks rain down on my head, I want to be clear:
It strikes me as good policy to seek information before coming to conclusions.

I would never think of jumping to the conclusions and assertions I have seen to date here on the Middle East, say on China. I know little about China. There are many points that can be debated, but I don’t think my call for people to reign in half-baked assertions on something they don’t know or understand.

I am well aware some posters wouldn’t think of informing themselves before asserting, but one would think as the US enters into what is likely to be a decade long close involvement with the region, that perhaps, just pehraps for the sheer novelty value, that instead of forming opinions off of half-baked journalistic reports, that some people would bother to pick up a goddamned book and learn something.

Actually I don’t really think that, I am well aware that the idea of actually informing oneself in the United States these days is a dangerous innovation, however, if only for the sheer novelty it would be nice to see.

No, I shall not provide cites at this point in time, I think the sea of inane assertions and wild speculation on Iraq in Great Debates speak for themselves. Plus I owe responses in my thread which are time consuming.

Very well then, now that I have expressed my frustration, perhaps Tamerlane and I should colloborate on a Cafe Thread on readings on the Middle East. Maybe this weekend if I have time.

2

I see your point. I guess I am as guilty of that as anyone.

3

Oh bother, I mucked up my own bloody title. I really am a big dodo.

And Vanilla my dear, that one makes a much better sig if you must.

(If any kind and or random moderator might spare me the endless humiliation of the title to change it to nothing, as opposed to the current novel word nothig – clealry an old anglo saxon form, yes that must be it.)

4

It is an easy habit to fall into – frankly if someone wants to check a cultural detial, I am here, or one can get oneself a nice cultural primer.

5

Collounsbury, as one who has made at least some sort of effort to be a citizen of the world, you have my deepest sympathies concerning the level of shit-headed, ass-fuck, cum-dumpster (new term), sort of psuedo-intelligence that represents even the least sort of harried but fleeting glimmer of sentience flashing through the soon-to-be-excreted last lonely neuron of so many of these room temperature IQ bastards.

I welcome you to this Pit where the full and amazing breadth of your own particular vocabulary’s vitriolic expression has the remotest chance of taking wing.

Let us hope you have every chance to use it up here instead of any sort of more hazardous elsewhere.

6

In discussing the van incident, somebody’s suspicion was raised because the Koran (according to poster’s speculation) prohibits a woman traveling with an unrelated male. Any comments on the validity of such a statement?

7

Damn straight. Only Collounsbury can possibly understand the mysterious and fiery-tempered Arabs. There is ‘The Answer’ to all our Middle-East problems on the lips of Collounsbury, if only we would listen to him.
Or::rolleyes:

8

i’m surprised you have time to post with all the masterbating your doing to Foxnews war coverage…

9

I’m sure he’d do it better than most of the newsfeeds that we’re getting.
“BREAKING NEWS! Word has it a man, who could quit possibly be from iraq, sneezed! More updates coming as we investigate this obvoius iraqi effort to create a contagion.”
:wally

10

Oh good, Brutus, the drooling dumbfuck and future Fox specialist on fact free masturbatory ideological posturing.

As you might note, should you ever pass your remedial classes in joined up reading for comprehension, I suggested numerous avenues to furthering one’s understanding of the region, some of which include such novel items, and I know this will prove a bit shocking and perhaps challenging for you, books and even… other non-fact free pundit-glurge such as you might otherwise prefer.

Now, I am sure that you mightly prefer the unchallenging fare found in the drooling circle jerks that is the ideological punditocracy, as it gives you ammo for such fact free assertions, such as you made to me, that policy in the Middle East has been directed by regional experts to date. It is always nice, if one is in fact a moron, an idiot or otherwise some gibbering chimp of an unlearned and otherwise semi-literate idealogue, to simple assert away based on your own masturbatory fantasies. One need not then deal with minor issues of cognitive dissonance when one discovers that certain cherished fantasies are not in fact in accord with reality.

You, in fact, Brutus the moron, are one of the people who irritate me to no end. Not because of your stunningly stupid ideological posturing, but rather because of your aggressive ignorance, a particularly pernicious close mindedness that sees no need to check the facts, even the objectively objective ones. One should feel free, of course, to take whatever view one wishes of the facts – however utter denial, indeed contempt for actual facts that simply do not fit your worldview, as contemptiblely narrow and uninformed as it is, is not only sad, it’s fairly pitiful.

11

Brutus, you really are an arsehole. Please provide from the OP any claim of exclusive understanding of the situation. It was a fucking reasonable little plea for people not to talk shite about things they know not.

Of course in your case I can see why you’d take that sort of request personally.

12

Do you understand the Koran? Can you quote a single phrase of it without using Google? Have you ever discussed Middle-East politics with someone of another skin color?

Piss off with the lame brain pronouncements until you are capable of making valid ones of your own.

13

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Brutus *
**Damn straight. Only Collounsbury can possibly understand the mysterious and fiery-tempered Arabs. There is ‘The Answer’ to all our Middle-East problems on the lips of Collounsbury, if only we would listen to him.
Coll never said that.

So are you:

(a) lying

(b) very stupid

Your choice.

14

I give a flipping fuck about the Koran. And having brown or yellow or red skin somehow gives a person magical insight into the Middle-East politics? That seems incredibly fucking stupid. But hey…

15

You can’t seem to control your arrogant, holier than thou, “I am preaching to the little people” jerkoff attitude.

I predict you will last less than a month.

16

This says everything. If I were a moderator, I’d have my quivering finger less than one millimeter above the “BAN NOW” button. Restrained, of course, only by the enduring notion of free speech.

17

Brutus…nah, nevermind.

Coll - Would you be able to recommend a good cultural primer for me?

18

Nitpick:
Only Admins can ban.

19

Pardon, the above was directed at Collounsbury

20

You quite possibly derive your screen name from one of Julius Caeser’s murderers. Have you read about him at all? Try perusing all five or six volumes of Colleen McCullough’s “The First Man In Rome” series. Then tell us how proud you are of your name.