Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Bahrain Update

From Angry Arab chief Bahrain correspondent:  "I don't think these three guys know how hilarious they sound. Here one of them says the following: “The crown prince and the prime minister are idols for us." Yet then after, the other accuses the protestors of blindly following their ayatollahs (a stereotype that I am sick and tired of hearing). So let me get this straight, the people who call the crown prince and prime minister idols accuse the protestors of blindly following someone? To say that this is contradictory is an understatement. Another thing - who is "THE ayatollah?" Seems like they are assuming that there is one only? Aren't there so many? I mean I can think of several off the top of my head. And which ayatollah said that he openly wants a theological system like Iran that everyone supposedly blindly follows? I'd like to know. All they do is repeat stereotypes and lies (without knowing even the basics of shia theology and what it even means to "follow" an ayatollah or religious scholar on religious matters) while at the same time worshiping the dynasties of the Gulf. Somehow its acceptable. And why are they assuming that everyone who is a protestor or supports them is a practicing shia? Oh and shia blindly follow their ayatollahs and practicing sunnis just don't give a damn what qaradawi or amre khaled or whoever say apparently. 
Also I'm sick of this idea that democracy should happen in stages when the population becomes more palatable to those in power. I've never heard of one instance in history where democracy is handed to people on a silver platter by their rulers. They have to go out and demand it - sometimes they get less than they demand so they demand more. People who think that democracy should happen in stages are the ones not ready for democracy. Yacoub by the way supposedly supported the protests at the beginning. But once they started calling for the downfall of the monarchy they became too radical for his upper middle class sentiments. 
One more thing - I find it hilarious that the new york times reporter seems surprised that there is a shia government supporter. I thought western reporters were experts at detecting the sect of a Bahraini from afar. How would you otherwise explain all these articles that keep identifying the sect of Bahrainis?"