Poetry Night

Tonight is the two weekly poetry night. I wasn't going because my exams are getting nearer. Then I saw that Lena Sinjab will be there and frankly this is too good an opportunity to miss. For those of you who don't know yet, I have a tendency to be critical of her articles on Syria. In fact I have a tag just for her on this blog. Apart from the overrated Nizar Qabbani, we will also be reading for the Iraqi dissident poet, Ahmad Mattar.

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Lina Sinjab's Syria

Sigh...Lina Sinjab but this time on women in Syria. I'm thinking of having a label on this blog specifically for Lina Sinjab. Her articles truly amuse me, especially that there are so few Syrians who write professionally about the country for a prominent news outlet such as the BBC.

In her article, notice how bars are filled with "liberal-minded" Damascenes. The word liberal is by itself an adjective which means good, or open minded. There is no politics in Syria, only the archaic equation that barra, "outside" (as in the West) automatically equates to enlightenment, civilization and open-mindedness.

Lina begins her article with a fluffy image of all the ripe promise that Damascus can be one day, then we descend into the darkness of arranged marriages, conservative Syria and a stifling tradition. She describes what is actually a typical Syrian wedding, in all its happiness and quirkiness, as something sinister and dark. Since when Ms. Sinjab, has it been odd or demeaning that single women in weddings will try to attract attention to themselves, or is it only alright for that to happen in America because you saw it on a "rom-com" but not because they are Arabs or Muslims?

Later in the article, we look at what it is that Ms. Sinjab really admires, " Dressed in jeans and tight trendy tops, with modern hairstyles, they chat, swapping details of their busy lives." These are the two rebels that Lina portrays as the hope for her vision of Syria.

These two women, it is implied, are liberated, strong and independent. Also implied is that Syrian men are weak because they cannot handle this, because they are insecure. Now this theme is quite popular in British or American news columns which like to portray Arab men as weak and so in need of "dominating" their women. The Western man wants to sleep with the Eastern woman, but in this article, we are now shown a female that has internalised that logic so that the Eastern man is no good for her, she wants the open minded Western, or Westernised Arab [read castrated], man to come and sleep with her. Then notice the cigarette, the "torch of freedom", that the strong, independent lawyer lights up with. Edward Bernays would be proud. This is not sinister at all for Ms. Sinjab. In fact it is something which we should find admirable.

I would love nothing more than someone like the woman she described to bring up my kids in a beautiful Americana la-la land away from those ugly un-photogenic Syrian people who have morals or principles, or who might pray, or who speak that funny language that's written in strange squiggles from right to left. I'd love to have my kids be that liberal-minded.

For Lina Sinjab, the modern Syrian woman is loud, assertive, independent and sexually liberated. She has her own penis (cigarettes) like the man, and is fighting for her place in Syrian society. Truly a bold vision. Of course any woman who is not like that is cowed by her family and tradition, a second class citizen with no voice or aspiration. Apparently the hejab covers a woman's brain and not just her hair.

Having said all this, I know there are problems in Syria, and that tradition is stifling, but I refuse to allow somebody like Lina Sinjab to speak for these issues. Syria's nouveau rich of the past forty years have produced a generation of "Ataturkized" young professionals, much like Ms Sinjab and, if you are unfortunate to read his articles, Dr Sami Moubayad. What they don't realise is that they are in a painful minority. It is only their money and connections which make them think they are the centre of their own world. Lina's articles are ideological, and that is why I constantly criticise her. As one of the rare outlets for Syria in English, she should know better.

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Secularism in Syria..

There are many articles which crop up about Syria, mostly dire. This article is no exception. But it is written by Lina Sinjab who, if you have followed me long enough, is usually the subject of much amusement and wonder here at Maysaloon land. The Qubaisia movement is one which has fascinated me and in fact I know a number of families and friends who are now members in the movement. It is one of the few things in Syrian society today which can be seen as a positive change, giving women the control back of their bodies and their lives, and redefining their gender roles. It is in short, an astonishing movement, all the more amazing in that it has survived the brief 'anti-Islamic' phase of Syria's modern history.

The article mixes a sort of amusement with a slight sense of alarm. Women wearing hejabs is never a good thing for these people. Freedom should only be used to make (and justify) mistakes according to their logic. But what makes this article a truly Lina Sinjab article is the 'insider' perspective she gives the BBC's readers. Yes, Lina Sinjab is plugged-in to Syria's "intellectual" elite and, every now and then, she gives us a rare glimpse into this most exclusive, of Syria's many exclusive (and mostly obnoxious), classes. To balance the strong religiosity of the Qubaisia movement, she gives us one voice crying in the wilderness. Kinana Rukbi a web designer, who is supposed to represent the typical Syrian woman on the street.

Kinana says "It is dangerous to Syrian society, especially as there is no balancing trend. Only one side is active, the religious one, but secular people are not active at all."

"Side", Kinana? "Secular people" not active? Way to go in dividing and compartmentalising Syrian society. As if that is needed any further. It is not that what you are saying would be wrong in any other context, it is just that she has no context. The Qubaisia are Syrians, they represent Syrian wives, mothers and daughters who are concerned with the stupidity and shallowness of Syrian society. They are not importing values from abroad without comprehending what it is they are doing, like the 'secular' umm, side (whatever that is). They are reinforcing what Syrians have traditionally learnt and applied, as values, over generations. They remind Syrians of a world view which existed before the French arrived. Something that many people can no longer comprehend as possible.

Unlike in Lebanon, Syria cannot truly be said to have a Syrian 'intellectual' secular class. The dimwits that we usually hear proclaiming secularism are the technocratic, business degree, information technology, doctor/engineer class. It has long been an irony that Syria, a country with what I think is a commendable foreign policy with regards to occupation, is also dominated by a class of people infatuated with Beirut, Europe's "capital of culture" in the Middle East since the end of the first world war (and I mean that in the worst sense possible for what is a glorified nightclub, drug den, and brothel). Support for Hezbullah, or the Palestinians, or Iraq, represents a conundrum for these people. They pay lip service and wave the Syrian flag for the support it gives to these movements. But in my minds eye, I see them being just as comfortable, if they were Egyptians, waving the Egyptian flag, beating up Algerians and praising the wise and pragmatic rule of Husni Mubarak. They are psychophants, and a psychophant is dangerous to have on 'your' side.

Returning to the article, Ms Rukbi wishes for the secular 'side' of Syrian society to engage with everybody. What exactly secular Syrians have to offer, apart from incredibly shallow and simplistic political ideologies or jaded and tired regurgitations of French (dis)enlightenment philosophies and humanism, is a mystery. The Arak, sorry I meant Arab, secularists of Syria have no idea what it is they want, but they will not stop until they get it. Boring us in the process.

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"Syria renaissance excludes human rights"

Lina Sinjab is back! Credit where it is due though, this article isn't half bad.

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More on the rise of "cool" Arabia...a concerted PR campaign being run from somewhere in between Washington DC and Riyadh...allegedly....by me....the allegation that is....

When the cool Arabia phase cools down again, we can start with cool Syria and Lina Sinjab from the BBC can pitch a few more stories about Syria's intellectual elite.

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Stop press! Where is Lina Sinjab and why hasn't the BBC made this frontpage news? Syria's intellectual elite is finally flexing its might.

"The three-man delegation of Syrians which is visiting Washington spoke at the Brookings Institute today. They are Dr. Sami Moubayed (Academic, jounalist), Samir Saifan (Economist, businessman), and Samir al-Taki ([Taqi] medical doctor and head of Syria's leading think tank)."

The head of Syria's leading (whatever that means) thinktank(a what? In Syria???!?!), an Economist or businessman (in Syria that means the same thing as the entire country is now run by businessmen) and Dr. Sami Moubayed (a sychophant). The combined erudition, insight and political weight of these three will mean each has to be flown seperately otherwise their plane cannot take off.

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Lina Sinjab again: "Syria welcomes expatriates home" - Syrian intellectuals rejoice in the streets...

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"Many Syrian intellectuals now believe no-war, no-peace era has ended and that peace is the only solution."

Lina Sinjab quoted two of these intellectuals. One of them said "Syria has to recognise Israel as a reality, and Israel must engage with the region.". I had to sit down and get some oxygen after reading this. The clarion call of Syria's intellectual 'elite' left me dizzy and elated, who could have known it was this simple?

On one note, when Sinjab says that "many" Syrian 'intellectuals' held that view, did she personally speak to all six of them? What about Adonis?

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