An Interview with a “Zionist” “Neo-Con” Muslim Blogger
By Kamangir • Aug 31st, 2007 • Category: International Bloggers, IslamIt is no mystery that blogging is the new phenomenon of the Middle East, in particular, and the whole world, in general. In a place where other means of discussion are majorly controlled and even censored, blogs bring about easy discussion and convenient communication. One of the players of the Middle Eastern blogosphere is Esra’a.Esra’a runs the Mideast Youth as well as numerous other websites and campaigns, all aimed at defending and protesting against the violation of the rights of all citizens of the greater Middle East. Her work for defending Bahai’is rights was recently featured on Persian BBC [Persian].
This is the introduction of an interview with Esra’a Al Shafei, the Bahraini Muslim blogger and activist, whom I have talked about in this blog quite frequently.
In the interview she talks about some Muslims calling her a Zionist, because she defends Bahai’is. The title Neo-Con was recently given to her by Hossein Derakhshan (Hoder). The irony is, Hoder requested twice to be accepted in the Mideast Youth and to write in there (copies of his emails are available). He was rejected both times. Neo-Con or Zionist, or anything else, I know no other blog in which too many people from too many different backgrounds discuss such hot issues of mutual interest.
For the Persian copy of the interview please refer to Persian Kamangir.
Posted by Kamangir
Author's email address: arash@kamangir.net | All posts by Kamangir
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hahaha, Hossein has become a nuisance. It’s sad. Great interview. I have an new-found respect for her. Kudos to her and her website.
What is your opinion of His Imperial Majesty Hossein Derakhshan?
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Oh! not Hoder again…pleaaasssssseeeeee just ignore him, the more you link him, the more you promote him..
Kamangir: I do apologize, but I had to make the records straight. I was ashamed as an Iranian when I read his silly comments about Esra’a’s work.
[...] You may listen to the English version on Arash’s blog here. [...]
I personally dont see any irony in Mr. Hossein Derakhshan request to join Mideast Youth. I think most probably he wanted to present the other side of the coin to the everyday reader on the same website, as MidEast youth articles especially about Iran do tend to have a certian bias and “negative” rhetoric, but do raise valid viewpoints at least on some issues.
I think, in my humble opinion that Mr. Derakhshan contributions would been intresting to read. We dont have to have a “either your are with us , or against us” mindset.
lol Esra’a a Zionist???
Wow some people are really [...] stupid…or desperate.
Hi Hashim,
Anyone who reveals another person’s identity in a malicious, inconsiderate, and immature manner has no place in a respectful website like ours. Mutual respect and security are both key in a successful network and he guarantees neither. Most of his posts are also misinformed (such as the idea that we are a neo-con website) and we try to have posts that at least attempt some research. If we just include any person to come and blurb trash then we won’t quite be the way we are today. Sure it would’ve helped traffic. But quality is even better.
Hi Esra’a,
I am an advocate of the very same principles that you mentioned, and strongly believe that though people may differ in their views they can always bring their point of view across without crossing ethical lines of deceny.
Whilst you own articles might adhere to such ethical standards, it dismays me to say not all contributors to mideastyouth.com follow in the like. There are contributors whose manner run along the very same of lines of immaturity and lack of respect especially when it comes to belief.
Thus, in essence Mr. Derakhshan would be no different that what already exists on mideastyouth.com, other than him belonging to a different camp. Mr. Derakhshan labels you as a “neo-con or Zionist” and contributors on your website label Allah as a “killer”.
Both these labels are disrespectful, whether to you or to Allah, Most High. I think both labels are void of the quality that your website aims for.
As for myself, I have been labelled to have “ignorant logic” and an “Islamist” and “typical” just because I questioned the rationalising of Quranic verses according to individual logic without taking into account their context, meaning and setting.
I am sorry but I see a double standard here.
With my respects to you personally.
Regards
Hashim
hi
I typed a long reply but it disappeared after “Submit”, its been a long day and I cant really focus to type it all out again. :)
In summary I just wanted to say that I agree with you about ethical standards of deceny and professionalism. But I am sorry to say whilst you may adhere to such values yourself not all contirbutors on your website do. Thus, in essence Mr Derakhshan would be no different, other than belonging to a different camp.
Is there any difference in labelling you as “neo-con zionist” and in Allah being called a “killer”? The lack of research on Mr. Derakhshan part is no more less scholarly than some contributors on mideatyouth.com. Surely both veiwpoints can be expressed more professionally, and both carry misinformation but one has a platform and the other doesnt.
On the surface looks like a double standard. And Allah know best.
With my regards and respects
Hashim
Hi again Hashim,
I do not think you fully understood my point. We did not allow Hoder because he had revealed the full identity of this blog’s author in his website, in a very rude and malicious manner. This is extremely dangerous and inconsiderate. We have a lot of people blogging anonymously from Iran and for them to have their identities revealed is not an option. Security is extremely important if you are blogging about extreme controversies within the country. He enjoys writing about anything he wants abroad, well most of the others actually live in Iran and have to face the direct consequences of that.
This decision has nothing at all to do with his political views and everything to do with ethical standards. This is what we meant with quality. There are some people in MEY that are just entirely different - and we disagree with each other religiously, morally, politically, and there are many heated discussions because of that. But for one person to be hateful and saying things like “your name is this and you live here,” is just out of the question.
If someone reveals another person’s identity on the web, especially if that person comes from a strict country such as Iran where it’s not uncommon for journalists and human rights activists to be harassed and arrested, you can very much anticipate what else this Hoder guy has in store: nothing but bad news.
I remember the time when Arash had sent the e-mail about his identity being revealed and it was not a good feeling, you can tell that there was fear and concern over his life. One day later Hossein wrote to be a part of this network and we outright refused because Arash is a valued contributing member as well as a friend for most of us. Out of respect for him and for our own security we didn’t and will never allow such a threat to take part in our website. We include this reasoning in the legal section of the blog where revealing someone’s identity is completely unacceptable.
Hi Esraa,
Thank you for your reply. Your reply elaborates on the “security” issue and that is naturally important, and it is indeed shameful for someone to endanger life in that manner, I am sorry I was not aware of that “security” aspect.
However, you have overlooked the other issues you mentioned earlier namely “respect”,”information (some research)”, and “quality”. I dont think calling Allah a “killer” stems from respect, information or quality. Surely such an article does not promote awarness to issues but rather the seeds of disaccord, and i think some would label it as Islamphobic. When I commented on the article by saying “You rationalise the Quran verses according to your own logic, ignorant of its context, meaning and setting.”
The reply was “Do you read any of verses? Which verses reflects your mindset and ignorant logic? Tell me then we discuss on verses; what do you say?” and “It is a typical Islamist blames instead of discussion”
Is this the dialogue of discussion and awareness? is this what mideastyouth.com wants to promote?
By the looks of it, it seem that these kind of contributions are acceptable and respectful and far from malicious. You just have to glance through most of his articles to know that he has “issues”, which go beyond the objective of your website “to eliminate extremist ideologies and ignorance from the Middle East.
If these contributions by him achieve that aim, I rest my case.
But from what I have seen, usually such mannerism usually achieves the opposite. Very unhealthy..
I dont think I wil be visting mideastyouth.com again for that reason.
I hope to read your articles elsewhere. I may not agree with everything you address, but your sincerity and respect for all is evident.
Hashim
Thank you
Hashim you are absolutely right. Fariborz has been causing a lot of problems in the site which he does not respect at all.
I strongly dislike the way he addresses others in the comments section. I will talk to him about this. I hope you continue to visit the site. I agree with much of your comments there. We will deal with Fariborz and if you have any complaints about similar behavior from members, we will address it as well. But none so far have been as problematic as this guy which has so much intolerance and disrespect for us and our faith. We warned him of terminating his account if he does not stop spewing such inconsiderate ideas which incite nothing but hatred.
Thanks for bringing it up - sorry that we were unable to do much moderation in the comments, we are working on a big redesign of the site and we hardly pay attention to what goes on the comments because of that.
Thanks again and we hope that these concerns will be fixed. Fariborz does not match our definition of polite and respectful commenting/posting and naturally that is not “dialogue” but just cheap talk.
Esra’a and Hashim, I am very glad that you worked things out. This is great. Thanks to both of you for your patience and logical arguments.
Thank you :)
[...] Digtial Détente. You can also listen to my interview with Esra’a posted here on August: An Interview with a “Zionist†“Neo-Con†Muslim Blogger (The audio file can be found down here as [...]