[Seattle-editorial] article: Tariq Ali Speaks in Seattle

[Sheri Herndon]

hi kristen,

i like this as a feature idea and ali's work is really important.  several comments:

1.  i think the mixture of a narrative third person voice and your first person don't work.  in fact, i was confused several times when i started to read "I...."  i think the story stands stronger if those are rewritten.  cause either it is a first person account of your experience and thoughts or it is a story describing tariq ali's talk.

2.  i'd add several links to tariq ali's work, like on counterpunch etc.  a google search comes up with enough.  also kuow just had alternative radio on yesterday with ali.  would be nice for people to be able to hear an audio version if it's available out there.  maybe radio.indymedia.org has it or radio4all.

3.  the strange formatting for quotes and/or bold/italics need to be cleaned up.

thanks for taking the time to do this.  sorry we haven't gotten back to you sooner or commented sooner.  everyone is just a bit preoccupied with the migration to mir....

also, have you published it to the newswire?  then we can shorten it, have a link to more and send people to the story on the newswire for comments.

peace,
sheri


>Summary:
>
><P>Tariq Ali, author of "Bush in Babylon" spoke in Seattle on Dec 6,
>2003. He talked about American ignorance of Arab culture, our
>responsibility as Americans to speak out, and tips for critiquing
>American-Israeli policy while thwarting silencing via accusations of
>anti-Semitism...
>
>
>***********************************************
>
><P>Tariq Ali Speaks in Seattle
><BR>By Kirsten Anderberg      Copyright 2003
>
><P>Tariq Aliís visit to Seattle on Dec. 6, 2003, for a book signing and
>lecture, had a solid showing of support for his work. At $8 a ticket, 
>the
>place was still packed to standing room only. Mr. Ali is the author of
>the books ìClash of Fundamentalisms,î and ìBush in Babylon,î and has 
>been
>outspoken in his dissection of the Middle East conflict. Ali is an
>eloquent speaker, relying on practicality, and the speech patterns of a
>common person, rather than a pretentious intellectual (i.e., you can
>understand him). He utilizes American and world history, and
>international news (that Americans are often so ignorant of) to make his
>points, giving practical advice to Americans, as to what their part is 
>in
>all this. He understands Americans are walking around in a media-induced
>haze, muttering ìBut we are innocent victims of terrorism,î and he
>addresses this haze with sound information about why we are perceived as
>a bullying enemy to much of the world.
>
><P>Mr. Ali began his lecture by talking about the Arab world, and why it
>is so resistant to the American occupation. There has been a long 
>history
>of oppression in the Arab region, due to the American interest in that
>regionís oil. The Arab world watched American interests play out in 
>Saudi
>Arabia and Egypt, thus there is obvious skepticism regarding the touted
>goal of democracy in Iraq now. Mr. Ali said that political freedom of
>speech was banned so heavily in public arenas in the Arab world with
>American oil interests in it, that the political discussions ended up
>centered in the mosques. Since that was one of the only venues where
>political discussion was allowed, Mr. Ali says it is no surprise that 
>the
>revolts are coming from the mosques.  
>
><P>Mr. Ali talked about how Americans tend to insulate in a uniquely
>ego-centric manner. I know that we are taught as young children in U.S.
>public schools, that the world revolves around America, as ìthe worldís
>only remaining Superpower.î The little Americans know of the Arab world,
>we learned from racist Disney cartoons, and reruns of ìI Dream of
>Jeannie,î while she is in Baghdad visiting relatives! Mr. Ali pointed 
>out
>the fact that the Arabs that Americans tend to dismiss as backwards or 
>in
>need of liberation, know much more about America than Americans know
>about the Arab world. Studying sociology in college, I became aware of
>the phenomenon that the oppressed always know the oppressor better than
>the oppressor knows the oppressed. It is clear to me that America uses
>this image of a backward Arab world in need of American salvation, for
>Americaís own profits and economic gains through access to Arab oil. It
>is easier to rob an area of its natural resources if we can pretend we
>are helping a backward people (reference the taking of American Indian
>land here in the U.S.). Mr. Ali suggested that 6 TV cameras be put in
>cafes overseas, in cities like Cairo and Beirut, and that 6 TV cameras 
>be
>put in American cafes in New York, L.A. ,etc. Now, letís see what the 
>two
>groups talk about. On the whole, the non-American cafes will be
>discussing politics and international issues. Americans would be
>discussing movie stars, MTV, fashion, and internal American politics. 
>And
>this American culture is policing the world?
>
><P>Mr. Ali said that poetry is ìa big dealî in the Arab world, in a
>different way than in America. He said we do not understand the power a
>poet can have. In the Arab world, he said a poem will come out, and the
>poem will make it to many cities within a day, then songs will be made 
>of
>it, and people will sing it, and it can then be banned as contraband.
>Poets can be powerful, and we have seen this throughout history. When 
>Ali
>was talking about the Iraqi poet Saadi Yousef, he said Yousef ìlost his
>temper and wrote a poem.î Due to the popularity and power of poetry,
>poems can be grounds for exile, as Yousef has demonstrated. 
>
><P>Mr. Ali said the picture of Rumsfeld, smiling, shaking the hand of
>Saddam, back when Saddam was our ally against Iran, should be reviewed
>often. He reminded us that the U.S. is responsible for putting the Shah
>back in power in Iran. He said that America has been ruling by force, 
>and
>has a history of leaving nothing behind once done. He said when Rome was
>conquering things by force, they left roads behind. When Britain invaded
>India, they left railroads, yet only 3% of the population was educated.
>He said that empires only do things that serve their own interests. And
>Ali believes Americaís interest in the Iraq invasion was, and is, to
>establish itself as an Imperial power, not to help or democratize Iraq. 
>
><P>Mr. Ali said that resistance is necessary or else the U. S. will 
>think
>it can do whatever it wants. And he said resistance is growing worldwide
>to the American invasion in Iraq. He said ordinary Iraqi citizens HATE
>the American military. They do NOT look at them as welcome liberators.
>And that there is a rise of resistance within the Arab world, as well as
>dismay within the engaged American troops, over this war. He said that
>Europe is also distancing itself from allegiance to the U.S. over this.
>He said that even though Europe and America share the same economic
>systems, Europeans do not pay for education, medical care, or public
>transportation. He said that the majority of Europeans, including
>Italians, are nonreligious. Yet 90% of Americans say they believe in 
>god.
>As well as 70% of Americans believe in angels. The more you look at 
>basic
>American beliefs, the more I think I am in a country of complete
>lunatics! Mr. Ali said that what Americans do here in America matters to
>the rest of the world. He said as Americans, we are at the center of
>this. And that the American decision to go to war has affected the 
>world.
>
>
><P>As I have tried to talk to my fellow Americans about what we are
>supporting in Israel via the Wall, Sharonís noncompliance with peace
>accords, etc., I often am derailed with cries of anti-Semitism. It is
>quite frustrating. I try to distinguish the facts, explaining I am
>critical of American support of Israeli political policies, not about 
>the
>Jewish religion. Yet I still run into this roadblock a lot. I asked Mr.
>Ali how to thwart the cries of ìanti-Semitismî when trying to talk
>critically about Sharon and American policies in the Middle East. Mr. 
>Ali
>said that the Israeli papers are much more critical of Israeli policies
>than American papers (which is very telling). He also said that the UKís
>Guardian had much more in it than the U.S. papers on the conflict. He
>suggested I reference Israeli press in my arguments as a way around
>anti-Semitism remarks. He suggested I reference the Israeli paper,
>Haaretz (<a 
>href="http://www.haaretzdaily.com">www.haaretzdaily.com</a>),
>for my arguments. I asked if Israeli papers could not be anti-Semitic.
>People laughed, but that was a serious question. I am not sure why just
>quoting an Israeli paper would relieve me of being called anti-Semitic
>when I openly critique American-Israeli policy. But it is an interesting
>angle. After the lecture, I talked to a Palestinian man who was staffing
>a table of information. He gave me two copies of  The Washington Report,
>a glossy magazine with the byline ìTelling the truth for 20
>yearsÖInterpreting the Middle East for North Americans.î Their website
>(<a href="http://www.wrmea.com">www.wrmea.com</A>)  is very informative,
>and the magazine is packed with intelligent critique of the war and
>American policies abroad. The evening stimulated discussions in the
>Seattle community afterwards, and I am glad to have been hooked up with
>Haaretz and The Washington Report. These are two new resources for me,
>that I look forward to utilizing more. American press is just not making
>the cut nowadays on these international issues. 
> 
>
>
>
>************************************************************************
>*
>*********************
>For near-daily political ramblings from Kirsten, visit her blog at
>www.kanderberg.blogspot.com 
>or go to her writing website at www.kirstenanderberg.com. For email
>alerts when articles by Kirsten 
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>name.
>
>
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