69 million page views

My Answers to you. Mr. Hall

Reader comment on item: L'Institut d'Égypte – In Memoriam
in response to reader comment: At it again Debanjee?

Submitted by Debanjan Banerjee (India), Feb 21, 2012 at 23:03

Hall : What countries have laws that discriminate against Christians A) Jews B) and Muslims C)

My Answer : Many Western countries have laws that discriminate against religious displays of all the three faiths that you specify. France , UK , USA , Israel all comes to my mind. France and Netherlands for example have recently put in laws to penalize those Muslim women who wear headscarves in public buildings like schools. In the USA there are public outrage in building public places of worship like we say in the case of dearborn Michigan and NY 9/11 mosques for example.

Hall : 2) What countries have expelled millions of Jews A) Christians B) or Muslims C)

My Answer : Many countries have expelled their religious minorities in the past and present. Post-reconquesta Spain is good case in point who drove away the Jews and Muslims. In recent years we have seen Israel willing to drive out Muslim Arabs as well as African Christian immigrants from its lands.

Hall : 3) Was the displacement of the Palestinians MAINLY a result of the Israeli Government expelling them A), or Arabic leaders telling them to leave and they can return after wiping the Jews off the face of the earth .B) Otherwise please explain why the Arabs who ignored their Muslim brothers and stayed in Israel have voting rights and higher standards of livings than their Muslim brothers that left?? The Palestinians who fled into the arms of their Muslim brothers are still stateless persons. So obviously you cannot trust the Muslims to look after the Palestinians, the Israelis treat them much better.

My Answer : Regarding the expelling of the Palestinians from their lands , of course Israel did play role in the matter. Remember Der Yasin masscares. Actions like those helped to drive Arabs from their places in the beginning.

A) Regarding the Arabic leaders telling the Arab populations to leave voluntarily , I ask you this simple question , if the Arab leaders wanted to wipe out the Jews then why would they ask the Arabs to live those areas ? Was it not easy that the Arab leaders would ask the local Arabs to stay back and help in the fight against the Jews ?

B) There are more than one reasons to explain why the Arabs living in Isreal did not voluntarily live. First of all , not all of them have enough money to leave and most importantly the West Bank has been their homeland for centuries. Remember people find it difficult to leave their homelands even at the threats of persecution like most Jews in Eastern Europe and elsewhere did not flee the Nazi invasion of Eastern Europe. Another important factor that needs to be considered here is that the Zionists understood the importance of cheap Arab labor compared to the growing Jewish Ultra-Orthodox minority , people who do not want to work on one hand and do not accept the Zionist enterprise on the other. So you can say that keeping Arabs in Israel was a policy of the Zionist policymakers also as a cheap source of labor as well as a hedge against the Ultra-Orthodox.

Regarding the status of Israeli Arabs , I must say you are living in a fool's paradise if you say that Israeli Arabs enjoy better rights than any one else. There has not been a single Arab General , Arab prime minister or president , not a single Arab head of Mossad , not a single Arab head of Likud , Labor , Kadima , Shas or YIsrael Betiniu parties and not a single Arab speaker of the parliament. There are now recent proposed laws in Israel banning Arabic as an official language in Israel. Many Israeli politicians like Avigdor Lieberman have even proposed that Israel with any eventual peace negotiations should consider exchanging Arab-majority areas in Israel proper with Zionist-only settlements in the West Bank. Do you really think any one can think about exchanging their populations if those very populations are given equal citizenship rights ? Many prominent Arab MKs have also often complained about serious discriminations against Arab citizens of Israel.

Peter Hall : 4) What form of Government do countries that have successful secular societies have? Democratic? A) Communist B) or Dictatorial C) Please supply what country you hold up as a model to base this new country on?

My Answer : Before I answer this question , I would love to know about what do you understand as "successful secular societies" ? What do you mean by being successful ? History tells us that no single society has been permanently successful over the centuries. Take the example of USA itself. In the years following the Second World War , America was the most prosperous society in the World but now days thanks to the economic competition from China , Germany and Japan etc , American much vaunted manufacturing industry is relegated to history and the American middle class in on the verge of oblivion. So is America successful ? I would say only a handful of its population can be termed as such while the vast majority lies dirt poor and most pitifully ignorant about their own conditions. So my point here is that the tag of being "successful" is too premature to be permanently bestowed upon any society.

Hall : Because the only country in the region you mentioned that is secular, democratic, and has not expelled millions of people, and is successful is Israel. Muslims have more rights in Israel than they do outside of it.

My Answer : It simply suggests that people like you are ignorant about the realities in the way Israel works. The Word "successful" is dependent upon the particular conditions that you want to judge it. I would say that the country which is proposing laws to ban African immigrants come into its land for losing it's "Jewishness" , tries to propose laws to permanently ban Arab refugees to return to their lands of origins , the country which is daily talking about pre-emptively attacking Iran as well as murdering scientists in Iran , the country whereby large numbers of ethnic minorities are kept in prisons and which is yet to produce an ethnic minority as its head of state or its chief of army or intelligence is not worthy of being called successful. That is my own viewpoint.

Hall : I ask you Debanjee, have you ever met a Jew? I have met many, they are really quite nice and not scary at all.

My Answer : I am well aware of the Jews. I am well accustomed with the works of prominent Jews like Howard Zinn , Noam Chomsky , Gilad Atzmon etc so I do not need your advice regarding Jews. In fact most of my arguments against your views have been formed by reading the works of Jews like the ones I have mentioned.

From your overall comment it seems to me that you have basic templates through which you try to judge people whenever you see some online comments which are not supportive of your Worldviews. I call it biased. I wonder what you would call yourself.

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

Reader comments (104) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Destruction of historical artifacts [77 words]jeanFeb 19, 2012 02:19193485
Muslims not capable of "hate" [412 words]Dan B.Feb 8, 2012 16:30193217
Are today's egyptians a civilization? [142 words]WalberJan 23, 2012 05:21192743
3Upsetting but not surprising [68 words]saraJan 13, 2012 18:05192569
1Just to clarify [25 words]Bernard ZimmermanJan 6, 2012 20:10192350
6Why would a mob destroy a thing of beauty? [283 words]PrashantDec 29, 2011 05:06192124
2Deliberate Defilement [80 words]Garry LockwoodJan 3, 2012 01:27192124
D. B. [75 words]The West becoming Islam's fire hydrantFeb 8, 2012 16:59192124
4Does this signal a shift in self perception of Egyptian identity? [566 words]ShishirDec 28, 2011 04:41192089
1My response to Shishir [344 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 7, 2012 22:11192089
3Response to dhimmi/Islamist apologist Debanjan [738 words]ShishirJan 9, 2012 05:57192089
1Dear Shishir [695 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 11, 2012 02:26192089
3Nile to Euphrates Israel,Mossadegh is an Arab,Islam unites Arabs and other nuggets of wisdom from Debanjan [574 words]ShishirJan 12, 2012 09:39192089
Dear Mr. Shishir [1172 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 16, 2012 00:12192089
More drivel from Debanjan [1357 words]ShishirJan 19, 2012 12:54192089
1Dear Mr. Shishir [1227 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 21, 2012 22:30192089
Debanjan claims he is the next Theodor Herzl [1847 words]ShishirJan 29, 2012 13:19192089
1My dear Shishir [849 words]Debanjan BanerjeeFeb 2, 2012 02:48192089
3At it again Debanjee? [839 words]Peter HallFeb 3, 2012 09:38192089
1My Answers to you. Mr. Hall [1205 words]Debanjan BanerjeeFeb 21, 2012 23:03192089
3Debanjee, you are hilarious [925 words]Peter HallFeb 22, 2012 19:25192089
Banning burkhas in publicc is justified [47 words]PrashantFeb 24, 2012 09:09192089
Dear MR. Prashant [106 words]Debanjan BanerjeeFeb 24, 2012 22:19192089
1Another square peg in a round hole Debanjee? [341 words]Peter HallFeb 26, 2012 08:25192089
Banerjee won't understand and switch the topic [135 words]PrashantFeb 26, 2012 10:16192089
1Dear Mr. Hall [824 words]Debanjan BanerjeeFeb 27, 2012 23:22192089
5The Core for Burning is in First pillar of Islam [75 words]Michael Hanni MorcosDec 27, 2011 21:39192081
Erase and Control [113 words]Jay1Dec 27, 2011 19:59192078
2Very very Proud [108 words]Michael Hanni MorcosDec 27, 2011 17:18192075
Where can the interview be viewed? [53 words]ShishirDec 28, 2011 07:14192075
2Very very Rusty [94 words]Michael Hanni MorcosDec 29, 2011 00:03192075
1Burn the library! [43 words]Martin H. KatchenDec 27, 2011 12:10192073
1Assaulting History [43 words]Georga CollinsDec 27, 2011 11:13192071
4Who controls the past controls the future. [99 words]IanusDec 28, 2011 14:53192071
But it did pose a threat. [67 words]JeffDec 31, 2011 14:50192071
2French government does not learn! [62 words]Gudrun EussnerDec 27, 2011 10:34192068
5The destruction of the Egyptian historical record [135 words]Saul KellyDec 27, 2011 09:51192067
1islamic stagnation [56 words]steve omaraFeb 2, 2012 23:09192067
2Return of "looted arts" to their countries of origin [208 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Ronald ngDec 27, 2011 02:32192061
3What to loan Egypt. [17 words]Jon, a Brit in EurolandDec 28, 2011 10:15192061
2Mo vs. Mao [184 words]IanusDec 28, 2011 15:18192061
1Interesting perspective [151 words]Kepha HorDec 28, 2011 20:48192061
Destructions of Works of Art [157 words]Ronald NgDec 28, 2011 22:36192061
1You are right [139 words]Ronald NgDec 29, 2011 20:30192061
3You're too dogmatic about dogmas , I am afraid. [855 words]IanusDec 30, 2011 15:37192061
13The Parthenon Mosque [533 words]IanusDec 30, 2011 18:03192061
2Not Always The Case [145 words]BB KingDec 30, 2011 21:13192061
Intolerance [303 words]Ronald NgDec 30, 2011 21:24192061
Fighting Turkish Barbarity [138 words]7A3Jan 1, 2012 08:55192061
6When burning a book fails, then maybe converting it to Islam will be worth trying ? [785 words]IanusJan 1, 2012 16:48192061
7Missing sense of proportions and time [1047 words]IanusJan 1, 2012 19:33192061
Putting things into perspective [283 words]Ronald Paul NgJan 1, 2012 21:28192061
Still Not Always the Case [152 words]BB KingJan 1, 2012 22:59192061
3Fighting Turkish barbarity [94 words]IanusJan 2, 2012 17:04192061
1The choices... [49 words]Amin RiazJan 3, 2012 21:22192061
5Good news from Saudi Arabia : In 500 years witches will no longer be hunted and executed there ! [1159 words]IanusJan 5, 2012 10:42192061
Dogma [216 words]Ronald NgJan 5, 2012 21:46192061
8Aristotle vs. Allah [1502 words]IanusJan 6, 2012 10:16192061
3Not the Case Again [560 words]BB KingJan 7, 2012 00:39192061
8How many people did Mahommet kill? [873 words]IanusJan 7, 2012 14:27192061
3"He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." [1714 words]IanusJan 8, 2012 10:10192061
1So there is just one muslim voice... [53 words]car313Jan 9, 2012 11:35192061
To Assume [5 words]Amin RiazJan 9, 2012 22:45192061
Oh the Irony and Other Observations [444 words]BB KingJan 10, 2012 01:18192061
Answering Your Question [255 words]BB KingJan 10, 2012 01:49192061
5There is nothing hilarious or ironic in cultural nihilism which you represent . [1703 words]IanusJan 11, 2012 15:47192061
Changing the Goal Post [617 words]BB KingJan 11, 2012 19:10192061
3Feel free to circumvent also these questions ! [2237 words]IanusJan 13, 2012 11:18192061
3Do not trust anybody ! Rely on your ignorance ! [1443 words]IanusJan 13, 2012 13:26192061
Historical Revisionism Part 1 [312 words]BB KingJan 13, 2012 19:26192061
Cognitive Dissonance [168 words]BB KingJan 13, 2012 20:12192061
4"Don't trust your eyes!Trust mine!" [614 words]IanusJan 15, 2012 15:34192061
1Cognitive harmony between not knowing and not realizing one's not knowing [642 words]IanusJan 15, 2012 17:19192061
2Historical Revisionism Part 2 [421 words]BB KingJan 15, 2012 17:33192061
3The mystery of "the unusual depth ... of Lincoln's Christian perception" [772 words]IanusJan 16, 2012 07:40192061
Historical Revisionism Part 3 [443 words]BB KingJan 16, 2012 21:10192061
3The wasteland of whose imagination ? [1070 words]IanusJan 18, 2012 14:31192061
1I think you are onto something [168 words]Peter HallFeb 3, 2012 09:50192061
1Did you hear about ... [181 words]Amin RiazFeb 3, 2012 17:52192061
1Amin, you make a great victim [470 words]Peter HallFeb 4, 2012 20:25192061
Just to add [237 words]Peter HallFeb 4, 2012 20:53192061
8Islam's Destruction of Everything Beautiful [134 words]RobinDec 27, 2011 00:38192059
4You beat me to it, Robin [119 words]DEBORAH THE JUDGEDec 27, 2011 23:30192059
Robin from Australia is right [83 words]TedDec 28, 2011 09:45192059
6Copts are the true Egyptians [106 words]IanusDec 28, 2011 18:52192059
3Only the Koran worth knowing ... [116 words]RobinDec 29, 2011 01:30192059
Copts [142 words]DEBORAH THE JUDGEDec 29, 2011 20:15192059
2It is always Relative to the Time [121 words]Michael Hanni MorcosDec 31, 2011 12:59192059
You are right Deborah [125 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 7, 2012 22:01192059
L'Institut d' Égypte [41 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
hans GuggenheimDec 27, 2011 00:34192058
7"If those books are in agreement with the Quran, we have no need of them. And if they are opposed to the Quran, destroy them!" [517 words]IanusDec 28, 2011 13:35192058
Library of Alexandria [5343 words]Mark BorowskyJan 25, 2020 13:31192058
1Peace Treaty is ultimate target [18 words]P RoseDec 26, 2011 23:41192057
What "peace" treaty [96 words]ShishirDec 28, 2011 04:48192057
4Cyprus [55 words]NikkiDec 26, 2011 23:12192056
8Sibel Edmonds will best explain to you why Turkish barbarity has never been punished. [445 words]IanusDec 28, 2011 14:37192056
1Happy 2012 , Ianus [213 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 7, 2012 21:52192056
4No reason for a Moslem to complain [415 words]IanusJan 11, 2012 17:21192056
1Dear Mr. Ianus [420 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 15, 2012 23:16192056
9An easy way to Islamize Eastern Europe = Saudi bribes +US pressure+Turkish jihad [745 words]IanusJan 22, 2012 09:08192056
Dear Mr. Ianus [138 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 24, 2012 22:26192056
3Cleptocracy [972 words]IanusJan 26, 2012 13:08192056
Dear Mr. Ianus I support you on this [371 words]Debanjan BanerjeeJan 31, 2012 12:03192056
1Re: An easy way to Islamize Eastern Europe = Saudi bribes +US pressure+Turkish jihad [40 words]NikJul 29, 2012 20:14192056

Comment on this item

Mark my comment as a response to My Answers to you. Mr. Hall by Debanjan Banerjee

Email me if someone replies to my comment

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

See recent outstanding comments.

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)