[Nettime-bold] Re: <nettime> Afghan women

[gita@yorku.ca]

>However, when the Afghan women spoke, it was evident their sentiments were
>much closer to mainstream America. They had long been opposed to the
>Taliban for obvious reasons, and they certainly had no doubt about Usama
>bin Laden. All of the people from Afghanistan and an Iraqi/Lebanese family
>who had been the target of hate crimes spoke with a real passion about
>belonging in America and/or being American. These Muslims wanted to assure
>the audience they were American.
>
>On the other hand, the native-born speakers and activists stressed one
>world, peace, and criticism of many U.S. policies---past and present. It
>seemed to me the Afghan women were not really aware of the political
>sentiments of much of the audience, even though the benefit was for them.
>

It is hard to understand the writer's point.

Taleban Bad = America Good  (?)

I am not surprised that the Afghani speakers insisted on their 
belonging to America considering the climate of surveillance, terror, 
xenophobia, and patriotism that currently accompanies the American 
"campaign" against terrorism.  This may very well be interpreted as 
self-protection.  Also, please let us not naively assume that 1) 
people of/from Afghnistan are one homogenous mass so that one group 
can speak for all, and 2) that short-term political considerations 
have nothing to do with public speeches.  If the current situation 
has provided an opportunity for the diverse forces opposing Taleban 
to benefit from international sentiments and assistance in their 
fight, are we to forget and forgive American interventionist foriegn 
policies that essentially brought Taleban to power?   The atrocities, 
the civil war, and the destruction have been going on for over 20 
years as a direct result of the Cold War politics.   Remember the 
400-plus shipwrecked Afghanis who were trying to get to Australia 
only a few weeks before September 11?  I can't recall any Western 
country stepping forward to accept them as a "humanitarian" gesture. 
Please, let us not be too proud of ourselves for our new-found 
interest in the fate of the people of Afghanistan.  This is a time 
for self-reflection.

Be well in peace.


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