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Finding Shelter in the Sandstorms of Middle Eastern Unrest.

Reader comment on item: "Arab Spring" - Misnomer

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jun 1, 2011 at 12:18

In the same vein of Dr. Pipes' thinking, there are some of us that view the 'Arab' unrest as a phenomenon of a recurring theme, that of a people caught in the confusion of not understanding why they are a discontented people, knowing only they are hungry, exposed to the whims of the elements and the capricious nature of those who have usurped control over their lives. But, insidiously, within their ranks are a few that see the discontent as opportunity, for a variety of reasons, though none seem interested in solving the source of that discontent (for it is the tool of their advantage).

The image Dr. Pipes included in his presentation depicts a Middle Eastern panorama that immediately evokes thoughts of a time when contentment could be possible, but is the image in Africa; or Arabia? What is missing are the people.

More to the point, what the people are missing is a sense that at some point in time: is peace possible? If one is to examine the current situation in any place in the Middle East, the most likely answer is: no. The upheaval, the revolt, the unrest, all point to a continuous sentiment that all is not well, that there is little hope under the current circumstances that it is not going to get better anytime soon, so why not disrupt the status quo to see what shakes from the date palm?

But one cannot delve into the situation for very long without determining that much of the uneasiness comes from a smaller component of the population, that of the radical mentality of the Islamic fundamentalists, who see adherence to the religious tenets of that belief system as a means for achieving a common goal, attempting to gain conformity to an ideology they have sworn to uphold at any cost. Therein lays the more potent seed for unrest.

Dr. Pipes alludes to the underlying circumstances that belie the optimistic idea that a 'spring' was in the offing, a term that can be categorically dismissed in that there is no rebirth in the tumult seen region-wide. The implications in the use of that term point to nothing more than a panacea of a short term pause to a more dramatic episode that is sure to come. When the unrest is found out to be nothing more than a stepping stone to more rebellion and the real reason for the unrest is finally exposed for what it intends, the whole world will find itself embroiled in realizing that the real reason was not for negotiating peace and contentment of the masses, but for answering a muezzin's call for obedience to the Islamic cause that underlies the unrest.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (30) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1The dark clouds of Islamic-fascistic "democracy" ('non-Muslims' Winter') [292 words]MorenitaNov 29, 2011 18:19191308
'Arab Spring': The chilly cruel winter reality of Arab racism and Islamic bigotry [1439 words]PaulaOct 23, 2011 06:31190302
1"We Muslims can mass-murder each other - But don't dare defend yourself by eliminating some of us!" [280 words]MilanoAug 26, 2011 16:07188873
Why do we say "the Arab Spring"? [44 words]activaJun 20, 2011 13:15186500
Power of the media [111 words]sense.comJun 9, 2011 14:39186108
"Arab Spring" [35 words]Clifford IshiiJun 8, 2011 20:39186080
4The Manipulation of Language [37 words]SpyZebraJun 5, 2011 18:26186007
manipulation of langauge [128 words]sufi imdad ali soomroJun 7, 2011 02:43186007
Manipulation of Language - Request for Clarification [156 words]M. ToveyJun 8, 2011 15:17186007
manipulation of language [327 words]sufi imdad ali soomroJun 9, 2011 02:09186007
6More Islamic ignorance and what a scandal and the word Jum3a or Friday [863 words]dhimmi no moreJun 9, 2011 07:12186007
Still waiting..... [94 words]DEBORAH THE JUDGEJun 10, 2011 09:18186007
AraB Spring [232 words]sufi imdad ali soomroJun 11, 2011 01:43186007
Not comprehensive at all [23 words]musaJun 11, 2011 13:37186007
4The Qur'an is a text with no context [344 words]dhimmi no moreJun 12, 2011 07:56186007
7Our dear Sufi does not have any answers right our dear Sufi? [674 words]dhimmi no moreJun 12, 2011 08:27186007
manipulation of language - in the religious context [495 words]M. ToveyJun 13, 2011 16:59186007
AraB Spring [266 words]sufi imdad ali soomroJun 3, 2011 01:48185945
A Sufi speaks??? [77 words]Seamus Dafydd Dives MacNemiJun 4, 2011 22:10185945
Who's Who [82 words]Jay1Jun 2, 2011 19:59185930
Springtime for Hitler and Germany [5 words]Wayne SchmittJun 2, 2011 06:18185910
3Really An Arab Communications Upheaval [317 words]yonatan silvermanJun 1, 2011 23:27185883
The awsome power of the spoken word. [40 words]Seamus Dafydd Dives MacNemiJun 4, 2011 22:28185883
Arab Spring [56 words]Lee HirschJun 1, 2011 18:31185818
Arab Spring Indeed :-) [8 words]Kal KorffJun 1, 2011 17:39185810
INDEED SPRING IS A MISNOMER [79 words]JACQUES HADIDAJun 1, 2011 17:32185808
The term Arab spring doesn't refer to the season except metaphorically [61 words]Mark JamesJun 1, 2011 16:22185800
"islamic awakening"? [22 words]ciziJun 1, 2011 15:49185797
UNDP Pays Egyptian-American to Agitate. Democrats Yawn. [22 words]pattiJun 1, 2011 15:34185794
1Finding Shelter in the Sandstorms of Middle Eastern Unrest. [450 words]M. ToveyJun 1, 2011 12:18185766

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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".

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