Sabine's Article in Arabic at Syria News
Syria-News.com has translated Sabine's story about the courageous students at the University of Damascus. It is presently their lead story. If you read Arabic, see:
طلاب في جامعة دمشق يطالبون بالحرية والمعرفة
A number of Syrians have commented on it at the site. Almost all congratulate the bravery of the students. Some tell their own stories of old texts and government intervention. One commentator, of course, accuses me of being a spy! He writes:
من هو جوشوا لانديز
ليس بصحفي أمريكي، بل هو أساسا مدرس في جامعة أوكلاهوما، يعمل على كتابة "بحث" يتعلق بسورياوعنوانه البريدي الآن في السفارة الأمريكية في دمشق في قسم "الدبلوماسية العامة"، وما أدراك ما تعريف "الدبلوماسية العامة. الخبر وما وراء الخبر......
ما وراء السطور
إقرأ عن مصادر جوشوا لانديز
شاهدوا الصور التي اختارها "الدكتور لانديز" في موقع الدراسات السورية!! هذه هي سوريا كما يقدمها للعالم.انظروا إلى مراجعه في الدراسة عن سورية في آخر مقال له: ريتشارد بيرل، ومركز الدراسات في جامعة تل أبيب....الخبر وما وراء الخبر...ويقيم الآن في سوريا!!!!
ما وراء السطور
Because my mailing address is at the US embassy (all Fulbright professors get an embassy address at the cultural center to receive their mail) he thinks I am a spy. He also points to the fact that I footnote Richard Perle and Eyal Zisser in this article entitled, The US and Reform in Syria, as proof that I am a spy. If he were smart enough to read, he would see that I criticize Perle. Alas.
posted by Joshua Landis @ 5/05/2005 05:23:00 AM
8 comments
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8 Comments:
Welcome to our world! Of course you are a spy if you say anything critical of the regime! Are you going to write anything about your recent trip to Lebanon?
Welcome to the Arabic world Josh, where academic interest is equivalent to espionage.
Mr. Landis and his commentators seem to ignore the article mentioned by Sonia and published on sept. 13, 2004 in the Guardian where brian Whitaker exposes the flaws of the analyses that where behind the invented notion of "knowledge deficit" in the arab world. I can understand this from the commentators who seem to rely on resentment to react to the events surrounding the duscussion of the "knowledge deficit" report. But I cannot understand that Mr. landis is ignoring the article. As a scholar he has the duty to digg more before throwing this at the face of people and he did not do this. but my understanding is that this blog which I have been following for quite a while now is not a scholarly blog, even if it is intended to appear as such. It is building on local resentment where Mr. landis is playing the role of the good guy mentoring and protecting his arab friends in their understanding of their society and their quest for a piece of a ready made american (freedom).
Nayla-
thank you for your opinion--the wonderful thing about blogging is that anybody with a computer and internet access is free to start their own blog--perhaps instead of criticizing Mr. Landis' efforts, you should start your own blog, where you can then implement your own advice...
in blogging, people vote with their mouse, based on the quality of the material presented--let's see how many readers you will attract!
Josh, the guy is a moron, ignore him.
Dear Mr. Landis, don't take this bloody ignorant seriously. Keep writing you good articles. I was lucky enogh to find this good blogg. Sincerely.
Nayla who makes you speak for all arabs in "their quest." Fortunatley, some people can see the bigger picture and know whats going on, others like you will continue to whine and complain. Never satisifed, go get laid i suggest.
I never entered this blog before but it confirms my suspicions; it is a one sided blog. Voicing a different opinion than the one defended and expressed by its owner and his regular commentators is not welcome.
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