Renowned journalist Randa Habib, who heads the AFP bureau in Amman, reported in a column she writes for The Jordan Times a very disturbing situation. Here is an excerpt:
One of my readers called to tell me about this shocking problem: she works for a Christian who is in the field of education, but her boss is being refused any supply of books from departments that depend on the Ministry of Education. Why?
Well she is told that they will never provide books to this "kafer" (non-Muslim) whom they described as filth." My reader, a Muslim herself, was appalled and told those men that their attitude has nothing to do with Islam and its precepts of tolerance. But her speech had no effect on them. On the contrary, they criticized her for working for a non-Muslim.
My reader was very distressed when she called me, and told me that her boss is in fact thinking of emigrating. When I suggested that a complaint be filed, my caller expressed skepticism over the outcome. "Someone higher up in the Ministry of Education must know that such things are happening," she said. Do they?
The most disturbing part for me is that the bigot in this instance happens to work at a department related to the Ministry of Education, of all places. What kind of education is this person trying to instill in the youth of the kingdom? An education of intolerance, bigotry and hatred? Should I begin worrying about upcoming generations? Will this bigot’s brainwashing techniques ever reach them? It really disturbs me to see this happening in Jordan, which, in my opinion, remains a model of co-existence between Christians and Muslims. Hat tip: [Jordanblogger]
Can we say that “John Kactuz” is “Prgammer Craig” Welcome back LOL
Observer, euroarab, oday – thanks for your perspectives and I add them to my ‘trend-watch’. True that prejudice due to faith is much less strong than the others you mentionedI hope that discrimination at all levels will be confronted.
“There is little truth in the concept of Islam and its precepts of tolerance”
Look whoes talking. the people who brough us the genocide against natives of the world, WWI, WWII, Crusades, Iinquisition, Holocoust, Vietnam, Algeria, Palestine, Iraqi, …
Dude, there is nothing that we arabs/muslims have done that could even match a fraction of the brutality brought to th ehuman race by White Christians. So spare us your BS and go get yourself a sense of prespective and a measure of honesty.
Fact is white christians have spared the world their relentless violence only after they exausted themselvs killing each other in WWII.
That racism and other isms exist everywhere is a given fact – there is nothing really we can do about it, being part of human nature. That the hatred is not only tolerated but promoted by the government is what is so shocking. Well, actually it is not so shocking given that this is a Muslim country.
Islam always discrimimates. Sometimes it is more, sometimes less, but where there is Islam there is oppression and hate of the other – usually jews and christians. There is little truth in the concept of “Islam and its precepts of tolerance” unless, of course, “tolerance” means “we will let you live as a second class citizen if you do not offend us in any way”.
This is for Abu Sinan. So you have a problem with Christian missionaries? Do you have a problem with Muslim missionaries? Maybe what Islamic societies need are Christian missionaries, and Buddhist, Hindu, Shinto, Mormons, Athiests (everybody accept Scientologists!). There is nothing like having Jehovah Witnesses knock on your door to teach tolerance – and patience. Maybe this would teach Muslims real tolerance. Please understand that the only “You and us” that matters is the one that separates those who believe in freedom and equality from those who don’t. The problem with most of the Islamic world and Muslims in general is that they don’t accept this simple principle. Haven’t you ever read the Quran? How about the hadiths? They are very clear about the preferred relationship between Muslim and kaffir.
I think things will get worse. Bad times are coming, both for non-muslim minorities in Islamic lands, and for Muslims in the West. You can blame whoever you want, but I blame Islamic intolerance and hate. I also blame the lack of honesty of people on both sides.
John Kactuz
so now, I don’t have to work to earn my living?? 🙂 that’s great
Fares “it’s your envy and jealousy that makes us wish to leave Jordan”
Please don’t let anyone stop you.
in your twisted world, people envy thieves and are jealous of corrupt officials. in a civilized world, we call it justice. poeple want justice done, and they expect for theives and corrupt persons to answer for their loots.
I bet you Jordan would be a far more advanced state and a much more prosperous country if the 95% you and Lubna despise are to run the affairs of the country. democracy is our salvation and ultimate protection from the corruption of the few, which has drained the national resources, widened the gap between rich and poor and have resulted in massive unemplyement, stagnant wages, worsening educational and health system for the poor (most of jordan), and rising costs of living. but you would not know this because you don’t have to work to earn a living, like the poor souls who are accused of being lazy in a previous posts because they don’t want to spend the next 10 years of their lives making 150 dollars a month.
But that’s why you need the US and Israel to protect you. You know you will be on the first boat to Cybrus if Jordanians got their way.
Kinzi, I am a jordanian christian, and has been living in jordan all of my life. While sure you can sense a bit of racism which is understandable among any kind difference among people, and that is nothing more than the racism you can find between classes, Jordanian origins vs Palestinian origins, or the racism against people who came from kwait in 1990, or the new recent comers from Iraq, or even between families of the south of jordan and the north of jordan.
This kind of racism is normal and it varies among people. Usually it becomes a sterotype kind of thing when you read or heard something like they caught an Iraqi thief, when someone is angry with another Iraqi, he would say “All Iraqi’s are thieves”. You know this kind of thing.
But in general, I havent sensed any real discrimination against me as a chritian in jordan. I have the same rights and obligation as much as any other muslim. I have many muslim friends, in fact I have only few christian friends. It depends on the person and how much he/she is tolerante to others.
I can say that the majority of Jordanians (95%+) do treat each other in respect regardless of each other faith. Being mean to someone for his faith is not acceptable as a good value in our society, but then you can find even among those majority of (95+) in their inner circles some sterotyping and racism comments.
Azmi and XOX, go to hell, and get a shower while you’re at it. It’s people like you two who make the %5 of people in Jordan despise the rest, it’s your envy and jealousy that makes us wish to leave Jordan, it’s all because of you.
Firas, that is so true what you said.
Natasha, thank you for writing this.
I guess as jordanians we can’t be troubled by one form of discmination yet defend or be indiffirerent to another. This has been the case.
discmirnation is contagious. if you tolerate disrimination based on origin or gender then you are only nurturing an environment that will one day become fertile for all sorts of discrimination.
When was the last time you were indignant when a veiled and qualified woman was denied a job in Jordan? I know from my immediate family circles that just few years ago, a veil could have dropped your chances of getting a job. Where was the protest when someone was denied a jobs based on his last name and preceived origin? Now we see job ads saying your age matters. Where is the protest?
So come on folks. Either be indegnant all the time or suffer the consequences of your indefference. and this is why I blame the elite in Jordan. they have stood by, enjoyng their privilage, never shook a finger except in a token way, let the situation get so out of hand that now I am afraid discrimination in Jordan is a fact of life. Values trickle down. How do the 95% of Jordanians deal with it? THEY LEAVE TO THE GULF OR LATIN/SOUTH AMERICA.
So Lubna, spare us your 5% victimization theory. You have done so much damage to Jordan and you stood to benefit from it. but now you are indigant because its bad for your image, not because you resent it out of principle.
We have to understand that the Muslim brother hood in Jordan have been dominating the educational sector for a long time!
The time when all leftists were hunted down and any other party or organization, the Islamists had complete freedom! We all know why?No? Becuase the US wanted them to fight communists (kuffar)!