I knew something like this would happen before i wrote out my thoughts on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the people i've met who are affected by it. But here goes anyway:
2 days ago our entire byu group of students (about 50)went to the office headquarters of the newspaper called "Al Haqeqa" or "Fact International." The name is indeed ironic, considering that this newspaper is the most tabloid-like in nature of all 5 newspapers from which we read selected articles from every school day. One article we read deserved some verification of the facts, so our fusHa teacher (formal arabic) called Al Haqeqa, spoke to the owner and publisher, and found out that our fears were correct, the article included untrue information. She informed him that a class (although we meet in seperate groups) of 50 students reads his newspaper weekly. Through the grapevine, i heard that his reaction was, "really?". So, we were invited to the office for an 'open dialogue' sort of thing. We were cordially invited into a conference or press room and soon after began listening to the "mudeer" or owner, Zacharia Al Sheikh (or something like that). He began with the first 30 min or so in Arabic, but when he switched to English it got interesting and quotable. let me just list things i jotted down in my little black notebook. i just want you to look for where i probably changed my opinion of his mental state...
Notes
-dialogue is important
-www.fact.jo.com
-"Analytical Alternative Media"
a)look to the past
b)gather facts from the present
c)forecast the future " استشرف المستقبل"
- notes from a friend:• Dr. Al-Sheikh: The Fact is a research-based facility, so they read books on conspiracies about the genealogy of George Bush and specifically extremist anti-Muslim literature written by George Bush’s fifth great grandfather. From here it is extrapolated that George W. Bush is trying to effectuate his ancestor’s violent desires. Bush says “they hate us because of our values.” Well, if American values are to kill children and torture innocents, “we don’t want those values!”
-"I'm really very sorry for your values. go to hell with your values."
-"My value is not to interfere with other nations."
-George Bush makes the world a bad place.
-"American people don't know where is Jordan." they think its some place in the US (there was some grumbling about how there IS a place called Jordan in Utah...)
-Concerning the prophet Muhammad: "How come you want to say he is a terrorist?!"
-(my own thought: this guy is CRAZY)
-"blood thirsty" leaders
• Dr. Al-Sheikh: On Osama bin Laden, we are against him. “"نحن ضدّ العنف
But we are not against his basic idea. Attacking the World Trade Center towers and innocent people is bad. But attacking the Pentagon is okay. He just wants to free the world from US occupation. But killing any Muslim, Christian, or Jew, or for that matter any religious person is bad.
o “I am pro-Hamas”
• The Editor “"وانا فتح
More quotes:
Zionist Entity: "They're thieves taking land from the Palestinians... We have to eradicate Israel from the Arab world... We have to uproot them... (here we laughted with unbelieving surprise)..with respect."
"I have 2 brothers killed by Israelis in front of my parents."
A couple things said by fellow student, Erin: When you use the same tools that are used against you, it doesn't make you better. We students are here because we want to help, but your actions make it hard for us to be on your side.
Interesting no? As most of us agreed after this meeting, it was crazy but it was also a good window into the feelings of Arabs who feel the same way. Just adding a bit more understanding to the jar of knowledge...even if it isnt the directly enlightening kind. This man's brothers were killed, no wonder he's sad and angry, but I find it disturbing to know that someone like him can direct a company or newspaper with enough control/influence to make it spit out revenge and hatred directly from his own wealth of negative emotions. i know there are other people involved, and that Al-Haqiqa isn't a big time paper, but some Arabs DO read it and DO believe the Israeli Zionist conspiracies that he gets printed. It makes you wonder about the publishers and editors of tabloids worldwide. I was hoping that most of them are intelligent people who are just trying to make a buck and they print false stories knowingly, possibly while laughing.
Coming soon: my reaction to our meeting with a more legitimate newspaper: Al Dastour.
Picture for fun: i like reading food labels here. This is a pretty common phrase on icecream bars.
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