Extremists are hijacking identity of Arab world, says Queen Rania at Abu Dhabi Media Summit Queen Rania of Jordan has called on the Arab world to speak up and fight for the image of Islam and the region before it is destroyed by violent extremists. In a hard-hitting speech at the fifth edition of the Abu Dhabi Media Summit, the royal spoke passionately about what she termed “an attack on our values as a people” and urged the region to “reclaim their narrative” from militants such as ISIS. Focusing on the group’s use of social media to post violent prop*a*ganda, including beheadings and rape, she accused ISIS, also referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), of changing the Arab world’s ‘profile picture’ and referred to a montage of violent images from various conflicts on a big screen behind her. “That’s what ISIS is doing to the Arab world – and all of us. A minority of irreligious extremists is using social media to rewrite our narrative… hijack our identity and rebrand us,” she said. Queen Rania added: “This is their version of the Arab world. Their plot. Their narrative. Their heroes. And the rest of the world is listening and watching. These images don’t represent me any more than they represent you. They’re alien and abhorrent and should make every Arab seethe.” She added everyone in this part of the world has a part to pay in changing perceptions. “A story is told as much by silence as by speech,” she said. “Well, our silence speaks volumes. We are complicit in their success. If ever there was a time to tap into that indignation… it is now. “For the sake of each one of us… for Islam and the Arab world… for the future of our young people, we must create a new narrative and broadcast it to the world. Because if we don’t decide what our identity is and what our legacy will be, the extremists will do it for us. “If we don’t author our story, theirs will endure. “Post your profile picture of our Arab world.” Queen Rania also used her speech to stress the importance of education in fighting extremism. She said the only way to save the region’s youth from the “siren’s call of extremism” is to provide them with a better alternative. “We either develop our region, or we let others dismantle it,” she said. “Harness the tools to drive the Arab world forward in the 21st century, or let others use those tools to drag us back to the dark ages.” And education is the key, she claimed, saying: “Our strategy must be long-term. And that starts by investing in quality education for all… “And let me emphasise one point. When I said, ‘quality education for all’, I meant girls as well as boys. Because educated girls strengthen their nations’ economies… they prioritise the health and education of their own children… and they help to build stable societies more resilient to radicalisation. Why else would Boko Haram, the Taliban and ISIS be so afraid of girls with books? “Education reform doesn’t come cheap. But the price of ignorance is far, far greater.” http://7daysindubai.com/extremists-...orld-says-queen-rania-abu-dhabi-media-summit/ ---------------- This is a very impressive Muslim I could get behind!
So...interesting that there is total silence here about her speech. adeelsiddiqui, Hydhypedplaya, trustme, Exiled et al. - does her speech make you angry? Also, do you consider her a Muslim? Also - what do people think - do more people in the Arab world agree or disagree with her? Do you think her speech will change anything?
I doubt it will change much in the near term. However, if enough high profile people start following her, then things might change, I am not holding my breath on that point. Arab nations have not stressed education over religion in like (oh never). If Arab nations truly start stress education, things will change over time, I am not holding my breath on that point either.
I've been to Jordan recently on a trip... They are really nice folks. Had a chance to befriend a young military police and had an opportunity in a brief period of time to realize...that people in Jordan are extremely modern, conservative and intelligent people. And yes the Queen is stunning; absolutely gorgeous. They have perhaps the strongest military in the region. People just like her are the voices I hope Islam becomes. Unfortunately, her voice/perspective is often times silenced. Hoping that she becomes a new beacon of reason in a region that is starving for peace.
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Given the numerous posts I've made on Islam, I definitely agree with her. I think it was downbytheriver who said Muslims like me would become collateral damage if we failed to self-regulate Islam. However, I don't think she went far enough, especially regarding the need to reform Islam in spite of there being no central governing authority. The polls which you've frequently posted on here show a huge number of Muslims (~50%) have anti-Western views regarding apostasy, adultery, Muhammad cartoons, etc. The Queen will address those who behead like ISIS, but she won't comment on how dangerous it is for women to walk in Cairo alone, or whether I can safely speak about opposing Saudi/Wahhabi/Salafi Islam in the Arab world. The 50% above may not be ISIS-bad, but I'm damn sure you don't want them walking the streets of Berlin with you either. Furthermore, I'm surprised that you bolded the education part of her speech. I may be mistaken, but I thought you believed the education argument for why Islam is a current problem was sidestepping the real issue of Islam itself. And by sidestepping, I mean the people who assert that various social conditions largely explain why most American Muslims aren't as radical as many of those in Africa, Asia, and Europe. In other words, many extremist Muslims come from money and education so it can't be social conditions (it's the 'death cult ideology' as you phrase it), is what I thought you believed.
No, I agree about the education part, in principle. Eventually, the only way to possibly overcome the terrible intolerant beliefs would be education that these beliefs are terrible, and why, and what would be better. The problem, however, is that the death cult ideology actually tries really hard to prevent education - which is also what she says. ISIS, the Taliban, Boko Haram try to prevent education, especially for girls. And they are just the most extreme examples, but not the only ones. In many parts of the Muslim world, education is largely replaced with indoctrination - a central tenet of the death cult ideology is that the death cult ideology must not be questioned - questioning it or even elements of it is prohibited and dangerous. But the ability to question everything without having to be in fear is a central element that is indisposable to eventually achieving some kind of enlightenment. And this is where the argument sort of goes in circles - yes, I do agree that education would be key to improving people's lives and to overcoming the shackles of the ideology, but the problem is that the very ideology is doing everything it can to prevent educational freedom because it is the largest threat to its own existence and power. And that is to a large extent why the Muslim world has fallen behind so much. It's the same as talking about Nazi ideology. Well, what would have been key to overcoming racist and supremacist Nazi beliefs? Education that all humans are created equal and that there is no justification to murder people just because they are from a different race or homosexuals or are opposed to the ideology. What is the last thing the Nazis would ever have tolerated? That kind of education. With Islam, it's the same. So, yes, education would be key - in theory.
She says Islam has been hijacked by extremists and that if so-called moderate Muslims do not actively oppose this hijacking, they are complicit. Assuming that the reason they do not oppose the hijacking is that they actually largely agree with the goals of ISIS, she is certainly calling for a reform of Islam. Obviously, she cannot say it that way. But if you read it right...oh wait...not your strength.
Great speech. This is the line that was most powerful: “A story is told as much by silence as by speech,”
ATW doth assume too much. You're projecting your ideas onto her speech. The first sentence above is true ... everything else is contrived. Here's her calls to action: - Be active on social media: "Post your profile picture of our Arab world." - Economic development: “We either develop our region, or we let others dismantle it” - Invest in education: "Our strategy must be long-term. And that starts by investing in quality education for all" In fact, she calls the perpetrators of these atrocities "irreligious extremists," which is a pretty specific way to separate their acts from the religion. Her calls to action are the same things us "lefties" have pointed to before, but you refused to acknowledge because 'death cult.' This reading relies on ideas she actually expressed in her speech and NOT ideas that "she obviously cannot say but if you read it right (I mean, make it up) ..."
Nevermind. I didn't know you were that stupid. Here is a link for you: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaphor
NBER, and the estimable Kreuger throw a wrench in your thinking. Queen Rania, and King Abduallah are as much a part of the problem as the solution they espouse. We all wish it would be as easy to "reform" as posting a different profile picture. The reality is that solving decades of torture/repression/corrupt or inefficient governance/radicalization/religious-themed warring will not be as easy as a status update. Part of the solution will require the Queen and King to give up some of the overwhelming power they hold, as the Jordanian citizenry have peacefully protested for. They've made steps, but the open and inclusive dialogue of liberty have yet to fully thrive in Jordan. This speech will make little difference unless those reforms are fully pursued.
Whether there are metaphors in her speech or not doesn't change her intended call to action. Click on your link, then look up "call to action" and tile your windows vertically so you can reference the definition as you follow along: There are two metaphors in the social media call to action. First she says "post your profile picture." She doesn't literally want people to go and create a post of their profile pictures. Nobody wants to see a whole bunch of Facebook notifications of their Arab friends re-posting their posted profile picture. That would be pointless and confusing. She uses the phrase as a metaphor for Arab people to become active in the same social media tools that the "irreligious extremists" are using to shape public opinion. The second metaphor is "our Arab world." She doesn't mean this literally. The world is multicultural, not solely Arab, so an "Arab world" doesn't exist in the literal sense. She's also not referring to a physical world. She uses this phrase as a metaphor for the average daily lives of the Arab population, which is riddled with average issues (jobs, food, family, security, spirituality) that the world community can identify with. Her call-to-action then puts these two metaphors together to persuade the hypothetical Arab audience to actively use the tools they have at their disposal (the same tools that the irreligious extremists are using) to put forth the true narrative of the Islamic and Arabian people, and recapture their global image. The metaphor that doesn't exist is the one that says "hey guys, I just realized we're part of a suicidal death cult and Islam should be abolished." If someone were to read it that way, that would be stupid. So, you were right in saying she's using metaphors, but pretty much wrong everywhere else. It is interesting is that you fight tooth and nail against these liberal ideas in your myriad of "death cult" threads, but fawn over the same ideas when they come from a pretty face ... are you crushing on King Abdullah's wife?
How many more hints do you need: She is not talking just about social media. She is talking about "profile picture" in a metaphorical way. My goodness, you are dense.
