Go Sweden Go!!!

Finally! Somebody tring to interfere with freedom of expression and they’re not Arab or Muslim, they’re Israeli. And whats more, the Swedes are not budging. I really never thought this day would come; after all the Danish Cartoon fiasco a while back, I was sure that laws are only upheld against you when you are a Muslim. Today, I am happily proven wrong by the Swedes!

Netinyahu is actually trying to get the Swedish government to condemn an article written by one of its newspapers about organ harvesting in the Israeli army. And of course his excuse is that it is anti-semitic, as it evokes images of medieval “blood libels”, which alleged that Jews used the blood of Christian babies during religious ceremonies. Why does every single thing involving criticism of Israel is automatically labelled as anti-semitism? And since the Swedes have been less than co-operative, Israelis are arranging to boycott IKEA and are not issuing visas to Swedish journalists. How very childish of you, Israel.

North Korea should be happy

This is embarrassing. This is South Korea’s second attempt to launch a rocket into outer space and it has failed again. I mean, where is the USA? It’s an expert in Cold War tactics; it should know how to deal with these sort of things. It should have sent its top scientists to South Korea to make sure everything went smoothly.

After all the international outrage at North Korea’s launch a while back, I expected America to lend some military help to South Korea to show the North that it meant business. North Korea poses a serious threat to the US, not in the sense that is dangerous, but in the sense that it could encourage other countries to do the same. As of today, 8 countries possess nuclear weaponry, and this is not including Iran or Israel. You know, nuclear war does not seem to be that distant into the future if things continue as they are.

I just don’t get atheists

I don’t think I will ever understand atheism. I’m not talking atheist as in Buddhist, I mean atheist as in humanists and rationalists. I mean, what is their point? I’ve been on many atheist websites and forums trying to find a decent answer for that question, and all I could come up with was that they don’t believe in God.

I’m all for freedom of speech and religion, but lets be reasonable. According to atheists, humanity is just…there. Our only purpose is to live and die, and we with no reward or punishment for what we made of our lives.  Now don’t get me wrong: I don’t mind being a monkey, but where does the incentive to do good lie if there is no heaven or hell or karma? Are you telling me that the 80 or so years I live on this planet I have to spend being a model citizen only to be rewarded with neither a health care or retirement I can afford? Are you people sane?

If I didn’t believe in God, I wouldn’t spend my life being good: I’d be the biggest nihilist, anarchist and pessimist ever. In fact, everyone would do JUST that. And that is why I don’t get atheists. People are selfish pigs and only through the belief that they are being constantly watched will force them to do the right thing: whether they like it or not.

Brüno and the Palestinians

I seriously do not understand why Arabs are making such a big fuss over Brüno and its purposeful misportrayal of a Christian Palestinian as a terrorist. In that same film, Sacha Baron Cohen makes fun of African-Americans and Jewish people, mistakes Texan congressman Ron Paul for a drag queen, harassed a charity worker at a seniors bingo game and repeatedly engages in absurd behaviour. Even the GLAAD has criticized him for “reinforcing gay stereotypes”. For God’s sake, the movie is classified as a mockumentary.

Therefore, when the Arab media, instead of criticizing the movie for vulgarity or ridiculousness, call this a pro-Zionist film, I simply shake my head in wonder. Where in the film does it show its stance on the Arab-Israeli conflict? Bruno confuses Hamas with Hummus, and thinks that the conflict is between Jews and Hindus. Need I say anymore?

Now don’t get me wrong. I am not defending the movie: I find it completely ridiculous but nevertheless humorous. What I am concerned about are these double standards present in Arab consciousness. How come it’s okay for us to enjoy a movie where the Russians are the ugly bad guys or the Native Americans are the barbarians but whenever it comes to the villains being of Middle-Eastern descent, we are quick to label the film as racist?

Please, my fellow Arabs, this “untouchable” status that you are subtly demanding is the very same thing that you accuse Israel of having. This is hypocrisy, and remember what the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said about hypocrites:

“One of the worst people is a double-faced man, who come to one group with one face and to another group with a totally different face.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Ibn Hibban)

Ramadan in Kuwait

Personally, I feel that nothing beats Ramadan. Throughout the year, I’ve never felt the stong sense of unity like I do during this holy month. Perhaps it’s the government-sponsered fotoors in the mosques, or the Ramadan mosalsalat (TV series) that everyone watches or trick-or-treating during Girgian (the Kuwaiti version of Halloween).

I’m not just talking about the good aspects. Even the  negatives like how everyone is so short-tempered on the first few days or how every mall becomes uber-stuffed as people “Ramadan-shop” or how driving becomes just a bit more hazardous is what makes Ramadan such a unique time in Kuwait.