View Full Version : How do you see the Middle East - Issue 9
http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/ukypdebatable/issue9/middle_east.pdf
By Shakiba Moghaddam, 16, Deputy MYP for Southampton
The image of the Middle East has been represented so negatively in the media for the last six years and this has made the image of Middle Eastern people also as negative. The typical image of a terrorist has been represented as a Middle Eastern person, yet a terrorist can be anyone, any skin colour from any culture. Yet do the media show this? Of course not.
In the most recent console games the terrorists are usually dressed up in the cultural clothes of a Middle Eastern country. In movies, magazines and comic books, they all have the same image of a terrorist; all this stereotyping has made the majority of people believe that a terrorist is simply someone from the Middle East. Additionally this has led to many other problems such as racism, bullying and discrimination.
No one should judge another because of their culture, skin colour or where they come from. Yet the media have had such an impact on the image of Middle Eastern people that many have been bullied because of where they come from.
This shouldn’t be happening. It’s not fair on anyone to get bullied because of where they come from, yet it seems that the media are somehow encouraging discrimination. It’s not right. Think about the children who are suffering because of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The innocent civilians who are losing loved ones because of the war they did not even start, yet somehow their lives have been dragged in to.
These wars have been going on for longer than six years and even though some of the objectives have been accomplished, the troops are still out there putting their lives in danger, and families, friends relatives suffer as they lose loved ones. This is the same situation for the innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, as they too lose families, friends and relatives in the war, yet the difference is they are actually living in the war. They also lose their home, their pride and their future. And no one can give them an answer as to why they are being put through this; they are trapped in a tomb of violence and revulsion not knowing when they are going to be freed. Even though the two most powerful countries are winning the war, the main objective has failed: they have lost the peace forever.
As the Chair of Southampton City Youth Parliament, I bought the idea of making people aware of the image of Middle East, to our meeting. I set up a group to discuss ideas about war and how it is affecting the lives of many children in Iraq and Afghanistan and children who have families, relatives and friends in the forces. Surprisingly, the majority of the children in the Youth Parliament joined this group and took keen interest.
As a result, we are now working on a project to make others aware of the image of Middle East in the media by firstly producing a questionnaire about what people think about the image of Middle East and terrorism. I believe this subject should be discussed more often and more comfortable in schools and certainly in UK Youth Parliament as many people’s lives are being affected because of this never ending war.
Marcus89
02-28-2009, 18:17
How do I see the Middle East? Screwed up...
kingston1991
03-01-2009, 16:21
To say the Middle East's people's image has been shown and now accepted as negative is totally wrong. Perhaps their image has been damaged due the crises in the area but my view, and many other people's view of middle eastern people is sympathetic, and certainly not negative.
kingston1991
03-01-2009, 16:24
And I also dont think its down to the media that these negative opinions as you descibe them have developed. Most of it is down to people not being educated enough on the issue. Stereotyping is a common thing, and I have to say that none of the respected broadsheet newspapers encourage bullying or any form of discrimination against middle eastern people, and in fact support social cohesion and a multi-cultural society.
soph41190
03-02-2009, 21:42
And I also dont think its down to the media that these negative opinions as you descibe them have developed. Most of it is down to people not being educated enough on the issue. Stereotyping is a common thing, and I have to say that none of the respected broadsheet newspapers encourage bullying or any form of discrimination against middle eastern people, and in fact support social cohesion and a multi-cultural society.
I think there is also the problem that there is little out there disproving any of this. We have campaigners and charity groups, but I've never seen a white Irish man bomb anyone in the name of Allah. Just an observation.
I think there is also the problem that there is little out there disproving any of this. We have campaigners and charity groups, but I've never seen a white Irish man bomb anyone in the name of Allah. Just an observation.
Just you wait - my sister thinks I'm going to turn into an islamic fundamentalist because I'm learning Arabic and it has loads of islamic phrases at the back of the textbook, and the 99 perfect names of Allah.
(I'm a white Irish man)
soph41190
03-02-2009, 21:57
Oh my God please do that!
I would sit back, laugh, and watch the world burn LOL!
Kieran Dickisnon
03-04-2009, 16:16
I See the middle east as a very nice place just in a difficult situation
I see it as rather ****ed up. This is the fault of the former European imperial powers, big oil, the USA, the USSR, the tribal system, Islam, the ****ty leaders they end up with etc.
The best way for the Middle East to be sorted out is for everyone: be they American, Italian, Swedish, Chinese, whatever; to bugger off and leave them to sort themselves out.
This may take a while, but if they are allowed a normal relationship with the rest of the world then hopefully they'll develop normal economies instead of being statist kleptocracies, with or without oil.
This would solve their development and unemployment problems as well as create a more meritocratic society less tied to Islam and tribalism. A society in which a kind of democracy might develop.
The Middle East has loads of potential, it looks very beautiful, the people are highly motivated, intelligent and flexible-it is ideally placed between Asia, Africa and Europe to become a great international hub.
They just need some 'normality'.
I see it as a very very veryyy troubled place. I think they take there religion to extreams.
Chopping peoples hands off if they steal? :( Killing people because they had sex outside of marriage. Or because they wish to convert from Islam to something else. In some countries its Illegal to do so believe it or not. I was shocked.
And some of them treat women badly to. And not to mention the west trying to help, has made realations very poor. But I think it will always be like that. I like the people, most of them are good chaps. But some countries have extremists in charge.
I just think about our troops.
Yes I do aswell. All those people we sent to sort out there problems. Dying for a lost cours.
Marcus89
03-06-2009, 18:02
I see it as a very very veryyy troubled place. I think they take there religion to extreams.
Chopping peoples hands off if they steal? :( Killing people because they had sex outside of marriage. Or because they wish to convert from Islam to something else. In some countries its Illegal to do so believe it or not. I was shocked.
And some of them treat women badly to. And not to mention the west trying to help, has made realations very poor. But I think it will always be like that. I like the people, most of them are good chaps. But some countries have extremists in charge.
Yeah, because Christianity hasn't done anything immoral or wrong in its time :rolleyes: I think you might need to do research on the Middle East. Only Saudi Arabia really follows Sharia Law to the letter.
Yes i know what Christians have done wrong. But we don't kill people of different faiths like that any more.
Yes i know what Christians have done wrong. But we don't kill people of different faiths like that any more.
They do.
(filler)
Since when do you see a Christian country killing different religious people these days, not in world war 2. It doesn't happen. Infact, Britain which is a Christian country lets other people with different religions into our country. Because modern churches are not dominated by crazy guys any more, who served their own needs. And spread love and peace to all.
Since when do you see a Christian country killing different religious people these days, not in world war 2. It doesn't happen. Infact, Britain which is a Christian country lets other people with different religions into our country. Because modern churches are not dominated by crazy guys any more, who served their own needs. And spread love and peace to all.
Eeeeer....
Yugoslav Wars, Post Soviet Russia (skinheads), the LRA in Uganda and across Central Africa (trust me their leader is a very 'crazy guy' and he doesn't intend to spread 'peace and love to all':D). Armenia fighting Azerbaijan, the Phalange Party in Lebanon-active roughly 1970-90. List goes on but I board and i thin you get the message, lol:p.
Also if you see the stats I posted above Britain is a Christian country in name only. I predict that within the next 15 years there will be more practising Muslims than Christians in the UK. To finish saying that all Church leaders are 'good guys' is hilariously naive:D:D.
Nooooo come off it. Please its not the churches fault they have a few religious fanatics killing people. All of which you said are LEDC's. Where problems arise out of every where. No I don't think there will be more muslims, because people will try and prech there countries religion to there death. So would I! I would rather lose my voice then let my country's religion go down to pot. And the Pope is not evil so there for, in my faith, I don't have a bad guy telling me what to do.
Nooooo come off it. Please its not the churches fault they have a few religious fanatics killing people. All of which you said are LEDC's. Where problems arise out of every where. No I don't think there will be more muslims, because people will try and prech there countries religion to there death. So would I! I would rather lose my voice then let my country's religion go down to pot. And the Pope is not evil so there for, in my faith, I don't have a bad guy telling me what to do.
Croatia is not an LEDC, and so what? Not all 'LEDCs' are crime ridden hell holes. Stop being so patronising. Also what do you mean by 'their countries religion'? The UK isn't a Christian country, I don't care which religion has the most followers provided they don't try forcing their agenda upon people. I never mentioned the Pope, so where has he sprung from? Evil is a very subjective word, but yes some religious leaders could be regarded as evil.
Amy Rose Hall
03-07-2009, 08:29
It could be a nice country, perhaps.
But with all the differing opinions, extremists, etc it's become a world of it's own, and its such a mess out there.
Dirk/DSF
03-07-2009, 10:35
Chopping peoples hands off if they steal? :( Killing people because they had sex outside of marriage. Or because they wish to convert from Islam to something else. In some countries its Illegal to do so believe it or not. I was shocked.
Yeah, but in the 1940s sometime (i think), in Britain, some 14 year old boy was executed for stealing a spoon.
Dirk/DSF
03-07-2009, 10:45
Also if you see the stats I posted above Britain is a Christian country in name only. I predict that within the next 15 years there will be more practising Muslims than Christians in the UK.
No, the UK is a Christian country because there are religious - i.e. Christian -representatives in the decision-making sector of Government. Specifically, they're protestant representatives.
But i'd argue that they're not representatives because they're not popular-democratically elected. Which places me against them in addition to my ideal of secular Government.
politicalagnostic
07-11-2009, 07:06
I see the Middle East as different wherever I look. One thing I think is an awkward situation is the lack of democracy - but a good king/nobility can provide just as good a service as an open democracy. Look at Saudi Arabia which built an enlightened welfare state.
When you look at the poorer countries, you undoubtedly see more extremism, and terrorism. Some of the countries seem uncomfortable in their existence, taking for example the diverse ethnic groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as Iraq.
I agree with Reza Aslan when he says than Islam is in the process of a reformation and a counter-reformation, fed by issues such as Israel.
Essentially, I see an evolving place, where some nations will fall apart and others will thrive. I also see a place that is neglected by international aid but will play a much more pivotal role in 21st century affairs than Africa. I think we should be aiding development in poorer countries but never be seen to be interfering with Islam. Then the extremists will win. They would be able to call the reformists tools of the West with some conviction.
politicalagnostic
07-11-2009, 07:14
One more thing - foreign labour. In Qatar the number of Asian labourers is double the number of ethnic Qataris. Don't get me wrong, I don't subscribe to the BNP idea that immigration can destroy a nation, but there will come a point where the class system in the smaller gulf states such as Qatar is challenged. It could be that political radicalism too comes to the nations of the middle east.
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