Ricky Martin Heals Timeless Wounds God Created
I hope the title was an attention grabber, because it grabbed mine. There is an article carried by the AP about Ricky Martin's recent trip to Amman, Jordan. Taking a break from his far too crazy life now as a has been, Ricky is working as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
Mr. Martin proclaimed to the group of youths, "I promise I will become a spokesperson, if you allow me to, a spokesperson on your behalf. I will defend you and try to get rid of any stereotypes (of you in the West)". The article continues with, "The children, ages 14 to 16, expressed concern about being labeled as 'terrorists' by the West." Obviously a major concern of mine is to not treat Jordanians wrong, because they are being stereotyped. Only a few Arabs hate the U.S. and the West in general.
I have decided to help Mr. Martin in his quest. so here are a couple of things that stared at me in the article. Reasons why we should not stereotype Arab youth.
1. The nice young gents as pictured with the Bon-Bon Shaker himself, gave Ricky a traditional shawl, with that crazy Arab (prounouned A-Rab) scribble on it. The AP article explains, "(Ricky) posed for photos with fans, at one point draping over his shoulders a traditional Arab kaffiyeh headscarf with the slogan "Jerusalem Is Ours" written in Arabic on it.
That's it. I have only one reason. I graduated from Harvard and wrote my thesis on the KISS method.
Okay, now this might be a stretch, but the youth do not want to be stereotyped right? Okay, well who else says "Jerusalem Is Ours"? I set out to research who wanted Jerusalem. My gut reaction was to start with the Jews. And it is true, they want Jerusalem. But the boys in the picture were not Jewish, so there had to be another group. I then thought, maybe a small sliver of the Muslim population in the Mid-East feel Jerusalem is theirs. And wow did that set off a firestorm of information. What you read next might shock you, kids look away! That's right, those God-damned terrorists want Jerusalem too. This is pulled from a BBC article to show that I am not making this up, but for fuck's sake anyone who knows anything about the contested Holy land knows that it is the reason for all of the Middle-East terrorist bullshit.
"Experts say Bin Laden is part of an international Islamic front, bringing together Saudi, Egyptian and other groups.Their rallying cry is the liberation of Islam's three holiest places - Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem." Link.
Okay, so Ricky Martin is wearing a headscarf that says "Jerusalem Is Ours", given to him by a group of Muslim youths that do not want to be stereotyped. And at the same time those awful terrorists are setting out liberate Jerusalem. Okay, fuck it the kids feel the same way as the terrorists, you know what side they will be on in WWIII and it is not ours. I have done what Ricky Martin will never do. No more stereotypes for those kids. This is a fact, they sympathize with the terrorists. They are not innocent, just as we gentiles are not innocent for our part in helping the Jews maintain their control of the Holy land.
When I first decided to help Mr. Martin, I thought I could work on this problem side by side with him until the day I died. I thought it would never happen, but I put my head down and said, "I can do this". Literally tens of minutes later, problem solved........next week I will tackle even harder issues about how to solve the countries drug problems. I do not want to give too much away, but here's a hint. We make pot free. That would get rid of my drug problem. Mary Jane is an expensive woman.
Post Script.
As this is the first event I have read about being sponsered by UNICEF (not that I have ever searched out such a thing), I feel UNICEF should hire better program directors. Otherwise I will be forced to send many of American youth's away from my door with an orange box that does not have my quarter.
Comments
Posted by: csh11
Posted on: July 26, 2005 01:52 AM
I was too busy to read the whole article, but I am certain it was very good and I agree entirely.
Posted by: Layla
Posted on: July 29, 2005 07:46 AM
Your irresponsible arguments about associating a scarf that claims ownership of a disputed territory and acts of violence in the name of the same cause saddens me.
I have one comment for you:
Gandhi .... non violence claims for India (didn't align him with other violent claims made for decolonization. That was the point)
Martin Luther King vs Malcolm X : different methods: same grevience.
anti abortionist: peaceful protest vs bombing abortion clinics: same grevience, different methods.
My friend: stop spreading hate through your veiled racist arguments. You ruin freedom of expression for us peace loving arabs who still have our concerns and right to protest, in the fine American tradition of freedom of speech.
With Love
an enlightened Arab
Posted by: Justin Rich
Posted on: July 29, 2005 07:42 PM
You are exactly right Layla. Your different methods, same grievances argument is right. It doesn't change my point though that the kids would not be upset if Israel were controlled by Arabs. I never called these kids terrorists. I never made a racist argument or generalization about them. I spoke about the kids pictured and at the meeting. They are aligned under the same cause as the terrorists. Or in your words they have the same grievance. If Bin Laden attacks America again, do you think they will help capture him because they do not like methods? Absolutely not.
Love xxooo
A Redneck Ohioan with no educational or spiritual insight
Justin Rich