# I know nothing about Arab culture, but I feel free to rant on about it **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 2, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921 "2003-04-02T07:19:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/21 "2003-04-02T08:50:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*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. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aslan2 \* > \*\*Nitpick: > Only Admins can ban. \*\* What part of “ **If** I were an administrator …” do you not understand? Obviously, most of it. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/22 "2003-04-02T08:56:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \* > Oh good, Brutus, the drooling dumbfuck and future Fox specialist on fact free masturbatory ideological posturing … Yeah … **Collounsbury** ’s back in fine form and fettle! Feels so good. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/23 "2003-04-02T08:56:48Z")
quoth Zenster: (1) “If I were a moderator…” (2) “What part of “ **If** I were an administrator …” do you not understand?” Well, that odd mis-spelling of “administrator” in your first quote would be a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/24 "2003-04-02T08:58:21Z")
**Aslan2** ’s nitpick being, of course, that only admins, and not mods can ban people. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/25 "2003-04-02T08:59:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*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. \*\* Hmm… I think the word “only” is the source of your idiocy here… **Tamerlane** , **istara** , **Collunsbury** ; anyone with experience of the Arab and Muslim worlds provides far more comprehension of the situation than you do. You see, when I have to choose whether to get my comprehension of the situation from the condescending, opinionated, and uninformed, rather than the condescending, opinionated, and highly informed, I think I’ll choose the latter. Unfortunately, buttheads like **Brutus** and the schmucks who have got the world into this mess are firmly in the camp of the former. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/26 "2003-04-02T09:01:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Collounsbury \* > 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. I’m sorry, I don’t know what possessed my fiancée’s mother to register on this board…if it makes you feel any better, she’s equally enlightened about X-rays, among other things. “All those Muslim people are crazy” is a phrase she has actually seriously uttered. Sometimes factual information runs screaming away from ignorance. “Can’t touch this”, as it were. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/27 "2003-04-02T09:11:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aslan2 \* > … Word has it a man, who could quit [**QUITE**] possibly be from iraq, sneezed! … Gotta love these illiterate and idiotic morons! Fucking PROOFREAD your posts, ASSHOLE! ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/28 "2003-04-02T09:11:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*What part of “ **If** I were an administrator …” do you not understand? Obviously, most of it. \*\* You said moderator. You implied, that as a moderator, you woud be near to banning him. You would have to be a administrator to actually be able to ban someone. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/29 "2003-04-02T09:13:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Gotta love these illiterate and idiotic morons! > Fucking PROOFREAD your posts, ASSHOLE! \*\* :rolleyes: IRONY READING… OFF THE WALL! ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/30 "2003-04-02T09:15:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sublight \* > \*\*quoth Zenster: > > (1) “If I were a moderator…” > > (2) “What part of “ **If** I were an administrator …” do you not understand?” > > Well, that odd mis-spelling of “administrator” in your first quote would be a good start. \*\* Get stuffed. Please pay attention to the issues at hand. You are being an asshole, I am doing my best not to be much more of one than yourself. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/31 "2003-04-02T09:15:43Z")
Corr, it’s like watching a board version of a friendly fire incident. Zenster, Aslan2 - from your posts you actually seem pretty much in agreement? ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/32 "2003-04-02T09:18:34Z")
Have you bothered to check in at the GD Original Sin debate? I didn’t think so. In fact, I don’t see where you are making any sort of significant contribution to these boards. I welcome your efforts to prove me wrong. Show me a +1,000 reply thread you have started lately and I’ll cheerfully apologize. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/33 "2003-04-02T09:20:10Z")
Yes, you … **Asslan2**. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/34 "2003-04-02T09:20:49Z")
First **Klaatu** glad to have you join us and grace me with your prediction. I shall be sure to buy you a cake on the predicted date, which I believe should be, shall we say, 3 May 2003? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by litost \* > \*\*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? \*\* As I recall, it is Hadith and not Quranic textual readings that are the basis of the same. It is indeed clearly discouraged for a woman to travel unaccompanied with an unrelated male, and as I said, this is hardy an Islamic attitude per se. However, the mere existence of Hadith on this matter is not truly relevant to posing an opinion on whether the van incident was suspicious. There are Quranic and other Sunna prohibiting the payment of ‘ribh’, usually interpreted as interest period, but sometimes as usury. However, my bank account here in the heartland of Islam… pays interest. And it is a local bank. In short, what irritates me is half-learned assertions based on vaguely understood stereotypes are not a good basis for pontificating. I was careful, in my OP, not to direct all and sundry to myself for information. I rather simply pled for some modicum of effort to be exerted to actually learn something about the culture and region… before making assertions about what was or is thought/possible/understood in the region. Now it is clear some people just want to rant on, to assert and the like. Fine, but I hardly see it as excessive arrogance on my part to note that is the case. If it is… ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/35 "2003-04-02T09:21:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gary Kumquat \* > \*\*Corr, it’s like watching a board version of a friendly fire incident. Zenster, Aslan2 - from your posts you actually seem pretty much in agreement? \*\* We’re on agreement that **Brutus** is a moron. I don’t see why any one would be so assholish about a simple correction of misusage of words. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/36 "2003-04-02T09:22:06Z")
By the way, since I am frequently accused of being an impossiblely arrogant narcicist, I would like to play to the stereotype and insist all flaming be about ME! Or my favorite region. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/37 "2003-04-02T09:24:21Z")
Oh joy, first he says “Look I have a thread that’s really long! I’m so much better than you!” and now I’m getting cruel butchering’s of my name. It’s enough for a poor new person to have a meltdown. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/38 "2003-04-02T09:25:05Z")
**Zenster** , **Aslan2** , get a ROOM! ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/39 "2003-04-02T10:20:19Z")
When Iraq invaded Kuwait, did Kuwait actually have an army? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921/40 "2003-04-02T10:27:09Z")
**Zenster** , If you wish to continue discussing this issue, I suggest you start another thread because I do not wish to create any more hijack-ness. My first (possible) pitting! Joy! 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-know-nothing-about-arab-culture-but-i-feel-free-to-rant-on-about-it/165921.md?page=3)