Iraqi blogger Zeyad who runs the popular blog Healing Iraq, has written a post about his recent trip to Amman. Here is an excerpt:
Amman is the same as I left it last time. An ever expanding bustling city that gives the false impression of modernity and a progressive, enlightened society. Yet, every Jordanian I spoke to thinks that Zarqawi is a martyr. One taxi driver frankly told me that one should not rejoice over Zarqawi’s death, for one simple reason: Americans and Iraqis are happy about it.
Dear Zeyad, I think you are generalizing here. I suggest you broaden your survey. Just take a scan of the various Jordanian blogs out there and see how many — including yours truly — have strongly condemned the sinister acts of Zarqawi and rejoiced at the end of his era. Yes, there are those who think of him as a martyr — including some members of the Islamic Action Front — but these represent a small minority.
Basing your opinion of Jordanian attitudes as a whole on a conversation with a taxi driver — not that I have anything against taxi drivers — is not fair to Jordan or Jordanians. Please don’t fall into this trap. There is always the good and the bad in every society. Don’t embellish the negative. Thank you. Enjoy Amman!
Of course, I would welcome any opportunity to meet with Jordanian bloggers. 🙂 If interested, please contact me on my blog.
I doubt that the jordanian bloggers will accept Zeyad. Ufortunately this is a common naivety in the upper-middle and upper classes in jordan – they believe they are the majority and that most jordanians are progressive and liberal, and in reality, you are right, Jordanians are not. West amman constitutes probably about 5% of the population, and you will scarcely hear the opinion of the inhabitants of east amman and the other cities on the internet (but yes it could be that that is changing now). The way to hear them is to talk to people in the street, shop owners, taxi drivers etc, and then again, elite ammanis dont do that, they stick together and deny the fact that most of the population is tranditional, tribal, religious and unfortunately not very analytical and forward-thinking both politically and intellectually.
Dear Natasha, Zeyad
Having had the chance to look at both you views, my hunch is that the truth is somewhere in between or more to the point sadly the question is not as simple as it first appears.
Zeyad, I’ll be more than happy to take up your invitation thou not sure I’ll ever be qualified enough to call my self a blogger! :), that is assuming this will be early July which I assume could be the case form you post.
Even if the survey was not feasible, the discussion in it self I am sure will be informative to all.
Thanks for your post, Natasha. No need to get defensive at all. I know your opinion and that of fellow Jordanian bloggers. I’m very proud of them. However, I believe they are a minority and their views do not reflect that of their society, just as the westernised, educated, progressive Iraqi bloggers are a minority in Iraq, and the same applies to the whole Arab/Islamic world.
I am not basing my view on one conversation or even 100. I have lived in Amman for several months over the last 5 years, and I understand how the majority of Jordanians think.
To prove my point, I would like to invite willing Jordanian bloggers for a meeting, here in Amman. We can go out and survey the opinions of ordinary Jordanian citizens (not the elite of Abdoun and Suweifiya, mind you. I think we both agree that they are a minority), then we publish our findings on our blogs.
What do you say? Anyone accept the invitation?
Oh, you mean like this guy: http://www.maktoobblog.com/ziad_1937
😉
Regardless of the issue, the taxi drivers definitely represent the Jordanian community waaaaaaaaaaaaay more than the dilusional, displaced, in denial bloggosphere
Bakkouz,
WEll if he doesn’t like it and if he thinks its an unmodern unprogressive unenlightened country maybe he shouldn’t set foot in it.
Is that what he said? Hmmm…. well, anyway… if you had read his post (did you?) then you know he had to travel to Jordan while he waist for his paperwork to be finished so that he can attand university in the United States. It wasn’t his choice. It was the choice of the US government… you know, because Jordan is such a close “ally” of the United States.
how many people have this Zyad person talked to while he’s staying in jordan?
“This Zyad person” is it? You don’t even know who he is, do you? Zeyad is one of the best and most influebtial of all Iraqi bloggers. He’s put up posts that made me cry. Who the hell are YOU?
And speaking of “fair” I think you should at least endeaver to find out about a person before you attack them, wouldn’t you say that was “fair”?
Healing Iraq
Take a look. Especially at his archives, from about a year and a half ago.
Thank you Natasha,
I agree with you 100%, I think Mr. Zyad doesn’t like Jordan that much does he? WEll if he doesn’t like it and if he thinks its an unmodern unprogressive unenlightened country maybe he shouldn’t set foot in it.
how many people have this Zyad person talked to while he’s staying in jordan? 10? 100? i don’t think so, a 100 isn’t a fair scale to judge a whole country by, that statement by him was biased, irrational and stupid even.
On that last point, perhaps true to some degree, but with regard to that last assertion about bloggers being “a small westernized elite,” things are a changing, even diversifying. I point you here:
http://www.maktoobblog.com/ziad_1937
Blogs and those that tend them are becoming a less easily categorizable group these days — at least in the ME. I think it’s a change for the better, as it’s a better forum for the propagation of differing opinion and exploration of thought. Tis true that Ziad stands largely alone on this matter but I think it’s wonderful to have his opposition opinion in the mix of Jordan Planet.
It’s a very interesting question: how much support does Zargawi actually have in Jordan?
With the arrest of those who expressed it, we will probably never know as people will be afraid to express it now. Fighting for freedom of expression needs to include the people we dont agree with, as difficult as this is. I dont see any bloggers doing it when it comes to Zargawi supporters getting in trouble for speaking their mind. We need to come out with a unified policy regarding freedom of speech.
I do think that taxi drivers probably represent more of the population than bloggers (a small westernised wealthy elite).