My Travels through Eng 307

I want to take this time to reflect on my journey through English Travelers in the Middle East. I came into this class with my mind wide open, or so I thought. The first or second day of class I realized how ignorant and naïve I really was. With the help of our travel writers, our wonderful professor, and equally wonderful classmates, I was able to better understand Middle Eastern culture, and release my preconceived notions of the Islamic religion.

Veiling is the issue that I am most happy to have studied, because it was the issue that I had the most trouble understanding. I thought of the hijab as political and religious oppression that left women with no room for self-expression. I always thought that most of the governments in the Middle East were forcing women to cover themselves, but to my surprise, many establishments are pushing for the removal of the hija because of its primitive association. These women are fighting for the right to express their religious devotion, which should be every person’s human right. I learned that for Muslim women it is a constant struggle to have to choose between their government and their religion and live fear of either decision.

I was glad to have learned more about Hareems, since I felt that having more than one wife is degrading and completely selfish. However, I learned that men take multiple wives to care for the widows of their friends and family, which is a great and noble act. Multiple wives does not always equate to a sex-crazed and controlling husband. Because the Arabic culture is very family-oriented, they are almost expected to take on such a responsibility.

Orientalism is probably my favorite topic that we have studied. I have been able to see how the Western governments have helped to spread the Orientalist epidemic, especially since September 11. However, I have also learned that Orientalist prejudices are not limited to Western minds. The East/West divide has always existed and is extremely prevalent today. Studying the topic of Orientalism has helped me in my everyday life. I am better at trying to understand different cultures and to not judge them on the things that may be different from my lifestyle.

The War on Terror was one issue on which I never thought that I would budge, but after reading Stewart, I was momentarily swayed. I am still against the war and everything that it entailed, except now I know that it was beneficial to end Sadaam Hussein’s evil regime, even if that was not what our government said was our goal of the invasion. I believe that we should pull out of the war as soon as possible because I believe that it is the most beneficial option for all parties involved.

Overall, I believe that his class has helped me to become a better person. I now have a greater appreciation of not only Middle Eastern culture, but the history of all cultures throughout the world. I am now excited to explore other cultures throughout the world in great depth. I want to know about all the different kinds of people that are living in all the different places on this globe. Because when you think about it, we are all common citizens of this beautiful plant that we call Earth. Maybe we should erase the lines from these maps and see where it goes from there.

Thank you for a wonderful semester. I will miss you all.

Snow in the Desert

Perhaps it is all the beautiful flakes floating through the crisp winter air that makes it so easy to get entranced by the story of Snow. I easily relate to Ka, the main character, possibly because of the uncertainty surrounding his life and his being. His lack of faith in the unknown and his frustration in his lack of faith is a tiring cycle from which he sought relief. Ka worked his whole life to disassociate himself the poor and primitive image of the East, but found himself coming back in search of the things that he knew deep down inside were missing from his life. There was something preventing him from being happy and slowly he starts to toy with the idea of religion. The curiosity of a higher power manifested itself when a poem "came to him" from a source outside himself. The poem came after flashbacks of innocent childhood days in Kars which were brought about by the diversity of the individual flakes of snow.

The silence of the snow seems to enhance his own fear and desperation, yet allowed him to channel the energy that was to be his poetry. I think that he was confused by the sudden inspiration and like many other fools, accredited it to physical human love, giving but a small thought to the possibility of Divine intervention. I believe that it was the blatant struggle of everyday life in a poor economy like Kars that brought such emotion pouring from our hero. He became the object through which beauty could be produced; whether the poems were a gift from God, or a the passion of a man, I know not, nor am I sure I will ever be able to answer such questions.

WAR (Formal - Nov. 14th)

"The Prince of the Marshes" by Rory Stewart has offered a alternate view of the United States and Britain's invasion of Iraq. Stewart eloquently illustrates the complexities involved in transforming a nation from an evil dictatorship to a working democracy. Although Stewart's cause was nobel, according to the Bush Administration, the invasion of Iraq was never supposed to be about the eradication of Sadam Hussein and his regime. The United States of America declared war on Iraq, without the United Nation's approval, might I add, with the intention of ridding the country of weapons of mass destruction. Some how along the way, the United States and their British allies managed to obliterate Iraq's government. Even though the war has stopped one evil, it have caused massive chaos and political unrest within the country of Iraq and much criticism of the President within the United States.



Billions of U.S. tax dollars are being spent each and every month to undo what we never were going to do in the first place. Unknown funds are being poured into such projects as rebuilding Mosques, when I feel that the main goal should be to get Iraq to a self sufficient state and then let their new government work on community development. Stewart stated that if the coalition left Iraq too soon, then the entire country would fall into an anarcial state. However many America's express their views of the war with bumper stickers that state, "Take Care of America First." So the United States, now has a choice to either cut our loses and leave an entire nation to perish from an inevitable civil war, or we can keep sinking money into the construction of a goverment that is ironically modeled after our own, yet labeled a "democracy." It is interesting how democracy is Greek for "rule by the people," yet when it comes down to a national election, the average person's vote does not even count because of the establishment of the Electoral Colleges. Therefore, we are trying to build up a democratic government without any real knowlegde of a true democracy. Stewart even stated himself that he could not define what a democracy entailed.



The invasion of Iraq reminds me of the controversial issue of hunting. No one can deny that it is better and more humane for a deer to die quickly by a bow or gun shot rather than being hit by a car or starving, however no one stops to think about the reasons that we have had to resort to hunting. We say that deer are overpopulated to justify our actions, but it was humans that invaded their environment and built sub-divisions on top of their home. Humans killed off their natural predators, almost to extinction and are now left to clean up the mess that we have made for ourselves.

"Prince of the Marshes" has helped me to look at the war more objectively. This narrative has enabled me to abandon the thought of Iraq as a faceless country. I still do not support the war, however, I do feel a strong duty as a humanist to ensure that the people of Iraq live in a peaceful and prosperous society. I do not agree with the reasons for the invasion, the killing of innocent lives, the way that our tax dollars are being spent there, or even the fact that America has a problem with wanting to police the world, however I feel that we have an obligation to the people of Iraq to leave their country better than how we found it. Hopefully we can do this with the least amount of lives and money wasted.

Male v. Female (Formal Oct. 31)

Each travel narrative that we have read thus far has offered a unique perspective of the religion and customs of the Middle East. Although each author has their own personal views and experiences, there are certain aspects of their writing that you can come to expect from each gender. While the male authors tend to simplify cultural differences and present their information in black and white, the females are more likely to recognize the gray areas and are more likely to point out the similarities of the two cultures.

Men tend to be more rational than women, but lack the kind of empathy needed to relate to a foreign culture or religion without fully adopting it as their own. The male authors also seemed to hold stronger orientalist views. Most of the male authors had a hard time being surrounded by the religion of Islam without questioning their own beliefs. Joseph Pitts, for instance, converted to Islam during his captivity, but then converted back to Christianity upon his return to England. I believe that men may be more easily swayed when it comes to faith and have a hard time accepting the possibility of the fact that there could be more than one “correct” religion. Most of the men were also more susceptible to orientalism. Within their narratives, writers such as William Biddulph, Henry Blount, Joseph Pitts and Richard Burton all included many common stereotypes of the people of the Middle East. These male authors spoke of a more violent civilization than what was reported by the female writers and seemed confused by the role of women, especially regarding harems, in Middle Eastern society. This is easy to understand, considering the fact that speaking to a woman in public in the Middle East could possibly mean death for our male authors.

Women are natural nurtures and innately more compassionate than their male counterpart. Because our female writers were able to converse with Middle Eastern women, I believe they have a better grasp of the culture as a whole, making them less vulnerable to orientalism. Speaking with the native women enabled the female authors to learn and understand such trivial customs as veiling, harems and the women’s place in society. Many of our female writers engrossed themselves with Middle Eastern culture. Lady Mary Wortley- Montagu and Lucie Duff Gordon even went as far as to wear “local costume” while living in the Middle East. Montagu had so much faith in the Turkish custom of enaculation for smallpox, that she took the practice back to England. Gertrude Bell traveled through the desert on horseback and slept in tents with the tribesmen to experience the nomadic way of life. Montagu, Gordon, and Bell all studied Arabic and Islam as a way of better understanding the culture. Although these women studied the Koran and other religious texts, they never felt the need to make a full conversion to Islam. They were able to recognize the differences and similarities between Christianity and Islam and appreciate the diversity. The female travel writers all seem to have had a deep affection for the native people, which I believe helped to portray a more accurate image of the Middle Eastern way of life.

I believe that the women were better equipped to empathize with the native people and had a tighter grasp on the culture. The men, unfortunately, witnessed more violence and were not able to fully understand key factors of Middle Eastern society, which in turn made them more apt to hold orientalist views. Both the male and female travel writers greatly contributed to our learning and understanding of the Middle Eastern culture, whether it was through their accurate portrayals or misconceptions.

A little thought on Brooks

I really like Geraldine Brooks. Even though she may be a "Gonzo journalist," has a feminist agenda, and may be slightly guilty of Orientalism, I find her book to be interesting and easy to read. I feel like the overall opinion of the class towards her is negative, but we can't expect every author to be completely unbiased when discussing such controversial and sensitive issues. The class needs to realize that regardless of whether or not she is a religious Jew, she may still be prone to the prejudice belief system of the Jews against the Muslims ( especially if her husband and his family feel that way). But I felt like she genuinely cared for the Muslim women. I mean this whole book is to try to raise awareness to the mistreatment of the women (whether they feel they are being mistreated or not), so obviously she is concerned.

"Be Our Guest"

People of the Middle East maintain superior moral fiber. They are hospitable, honest, charitable and loyal to a fault. They may even put the people of the Southern United States to shame.

Eastern hospitality is second to none. Guests are treated like Kings and offered all but the kitchen sink. They are welcomed into the homes of strangers and given food, shelter, protection, and excellent company. And if a guest is really hard on their luck, they are given provisions to accommodate their travels, such as goat’s hair cloth, a coffeepot, camels, and sheep until they are able to provide for their families. Gertrude Bell helped to paint a picture of the normality of such generosity in the Eastern nations. She wrote of tale in which a man did not show the proper gratitude that was shown to him in a desperate time. She told of how this tale had survived the times because of its rarity in the culture. Charity is considered to be the norm because, according to Lucie Duff-Gordon, “money and rank are looked on as mere accidents.” Even William Biddulph, our most renowned Orientalist, spoke of the eastern hospitality. In fact, Bell told of how they would live on bread and water unless entertaining a guest; in that case a sheep would be slaughtered and then they would feast.

Middle Easterners are not only great hosts, but honest and extremely loyal. It is said that a Muslim cannot tell a lie, and though they may have mastered the art of diversion, this claim seems to hold true. A man’s word is his law and becomes an unbreakable bond. The severity of the ties between families or tribes is beyond measure. A simple quarrel between two men may result in a blood feud between the two families, in which all members must participate. And if the unthinkable happens where someone kills a member of his own family he is, according to Bell, exiled without any provisions. Betrayal is not looked upon kindly in the Middle Eastern culture, but I doubt that it happened very often because of this reason.

In my experience, this holds true for all people of the Middle East, not just Muslims, but Christians and Jews as well. I have walked into a room of people from the Middle East that I had yet to meet, and so eloquently they welcomed me to their home. In a moments time I was being whisked away to the dinner table and presented with platters of hommous, tabbouli, shish kafta, shish tawook, ghallaba, and of course, baklava for dessert. And when I was ready to loosen my belt, they insisted I eat more! I was taken in and treated as if I was a member of their family, and the beauty of it all was that none of them were related to each other, and yet made up a unit stronger than most families I have acquainted myself with. Every one of them radiated warmth and kindness and kept true to the Middle Eastern “code of hospitality.”

Joan of Arc.. Watch out!

Gertrude Bell. What an amazing woman! Her life accomplishments are impressive for a man, let alone for a woman prior to the women’s suffrage movement. She was a traveler, an athlete, a photographer, a writer, a poet, a Red Cross volunteer, an Oxford graduate, a politician, an archeologist, and behold! Never married. She broke the mold of what a woman of that time should be, and became an inspiration of what women could be. Bell journeyed across the barren deserts of the Middle East without the company of her own countrymen. She was directly involved with the creation of the state of Iraq when Ottoman control was removed from Baghdad, Basra and Mosul by the British in World War I. Gertrude Bell was an amazingly intelligent and independent woman and a great role model for women everywhere.

Of all of the travel accounts, I find hers to be the most entertaining and influential. The flow of her phrasing and description are poetic and her stories are absolutely engaging. When she writes of the desert, I can almost feel the sandy wind whipping past me. When describing those intimate moments around the fire, I can nearly taste the coffee and hear the guttural desert gossip. Bell’s travel narrative is beautifully written and educational. Her accounts are not only filled with adventure, but with history as well. Her dedication and passion for the productivity and economic survival of the east is immeasurable.

It is a shame that such a prominent woman had so many misfortunes throughout her life. I suppose that is the universe’s system of checks and balances. Even the most privileged and intelligent people face trials and tribulations (You can’t have everything, I guess). Of course, how boring would have been the conclusion to the life of Gertrude Bell had she died in her sleep. No, no, Suicide is much more interesting. Oh the tragedy!

Americanism

After reading the preface and first chapter of Edward Said’s Orientalism, I have been forced to acknowledge the misinterpretations and unfair prejudices against the “Orientals,” which was obviously the intent of this book. However, this thought process has created a snowball effect, and I have come to realize that we are all victims of this incessant yearning for power by our “fearless” leaders.

The author mentions that he is a humanist and goes on to say that humanism is sustained by a “sense of community.” But we don’t have this in our world. We have borders and different languages and cultures that prevent us from viewing our fellow human beings for what they are as individuals, rather than a citizen of this country or a member of that religion. Why can’t we see that we all live on the same earth and this struggle for resources and dominance is not benefiting any individual or group of people?

But how do we change it? Hatred is a hard thing to shake, especially with the media “recycling the same unverifiable fictions and vast generalizations” as so eloquently put by the author. All these texts addressing the evils of foreign nations that are written by any Tom, Dick or Harry are being passed off as valid information, though they retain no “truthfulness or real knowledge of any sort.” The citizens of the United States are the ones being poisoned by these lies. And we, the young scholars whose minds are forever open to new information are particularly vulnerable. I just hope that people start to see through this façade of wanting to “civilize the barbarians” and realize that this whole war in Iraq is nothing more than a power struggle. I do think that people are starting to get it, though, to what degree, I know not.

We seem to be spending all this time, searching for truth to determine who is right in this war against each other, however no one stops to think that maybe truth is only true to the individual who believes it. Rather, a person may believe whatever he/she feels is right, and whose place is it to say that it is wrong. If a person is living an ethical life, while not impeding on any one else’s rights as a human, why should we think that person needs enlightenment? Who are these leaders to tell us what is right and what is wrong? But that is the thing; people like me who have compassion for the human race and the beauty of diversity are not the ones in charge. The people in charge are the same ones feeding into the hate, racism and “overall campaign of self-affirmation, belligerency and outright war” (also taken from the preface of Orientalism).

I watched the interview with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, and was surprised to learn that him and I shared many of the same views regarding the United States determination to police the entire globe. When asked about the nuclear research that is being conducted in his country, he said, more or less, that his people should have the opportunity for scientific and technological advancements just the same as any other country. I absolutely agree with him on this point. What if scientists and doctors in Iran were able to find a cure for cancer, a feat that no one else has yet to accomplish (or at least as far as the general public is aware of). Shouldn’t we be encouraging any kind of scientific research if it ultimately benefits humankind? And I would like to know who made the United States of America the hall monitor of the world? We expect all these smaller countries to fall in line and do as we do. The U.S is pushing its values of Christianity and democracy (if you can call it that) on a culture that has been established and functioning according to their truth long before this country was even founded. That is like a teenager teaching his grandpa about ethics. There is a huge lack of respect for these ancient cultures. I am tired of the United States thinking that they can bully everyone around, just for holding different values. If this continues, I fear the worst for our Mother and all her children. Somebody help us, please!

Lady Montagu's Letter (Formal-Oct. 1)

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu’s letter, #107 Lady, dated April 1717 is an interesting account of her experience in a Baggio. She not only gives a detailed description of the bathhouse, but also provides wonderful insight to the social lives of Muslim women. Mary Wortley Montagu, being a woman, was able to offer inside accounts of the behavior within this “no boys allowed” atmosphere.

Our Lady describes the Baggio as five domes joined together, with the only window being on the roof for light. She spoke in detail of the magnificent marble floors and benches. The room held fountains that ran to little channels within the floor. She describes the baths that had cool water running in to it for the perfect temperature.

Mary seemed very impressed with the elegance of the Baggio, but more so with the manners of the woman occupying it. She noted the contrasting social tact between these Muslim women and women of her own country. She stated that women did not show the slightest bit of surprise of curiosity with her style of dress. Mary said that, in two hundred women, she could not pick out any “disdainful smiles” or “satylic whispers” as she would of, had she been mingling with the English. They kept repeating, “Uzelle, pek, uzelle” or “Charming, very charming.”

Lady Montagu was also surprised, not only by their genuine kindness and acceptance, but by their natural beauty and grace. Mary paints a scene of a room full of naked women with “fine skins” and “delicate shapes” (of whom earned her greatest admiration) standing and lying is a plethora of poses without shame or apprehension. She told of women lounging around while slaves braided their long hair. These women tried to persuade Mary to join them, but she politely refused. She did however satisfy them by showing off her corset that was believed to be a little box in which English men locked up their wives. (Obviously they had misrepresentations of our culture, just as we had of theirs.)

This kind of social setting was similar to a coffee house, where people, or men for that matter, gathered. Mary actually refers to the Baggio as a “Woman’s coffee house” where they may sit around and gossip about the town’s affairs. This reminds me of a bunch of women sitting around the nail salon getting manicures and pedicures, chatting about this, that and the other thing. This is the first account we have come across that really exposes the female lifestyle. This intimate view of women in their element seems to contradict the familiar stereotype that women of the Muslim faith are oppressed by their patriarchal society, more so than the Western culture. Mary’s visit to the Baggio shows that Muslim women were not slaves, more accurately they were able to enjoy leisurely activities from time to time.

I greatly enjoyed this letter. I felt like I gained so much more knowledge of the role of women in a Muslim society. Prior to this letter, I was under the impression that women stayed in the house all day cleaning and preparing for their husbands arrival. I now understand that Muslim women were allowed to go have their “girls day out” and pamper themselves just like English women. I loved the optimism and admiration that was imbedded in every word that Mary used to describe these women. I think that it was easier for women of different cultures to relate to each other than it is for men, because the role of the woman was similar throughout the world at that time. Women were expected to mind the children and keep up the household chores in every society, so they had something in common. I think that it was easier because women were not involved in the politics that often built walls, separating the different cultures. This letter is great representations of the fact that women did, in fact, have rights, contrary to the common perception.

Are our religious rights in jeopardy?

“Separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine which states that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent of one another.” This was implemented to ensure a secular government and the freedom of relgious practice. However, more and more it seems that the line that separates these two institutions is blurring. I believe that many people misinterpret the “Separation of Church and State,” and don’t realize that it was established to protect the Church from the State

After reading an article about a Sikh teen, residing in Canada, who was told that he could not wear his kirpan, a ceremonial knive, to school. The teen and his parents honestly felt like he had an obligation to his faith to carry his kirpin at all times. Another part of the article spoke about a Muslim girl who was told that she could not wear a certain kind of clothing because it did not comply with the dress code. She and her parents felt like the dress code clothing was not modest enough dress according to their religion. These schools were ultimately making these teens choose between their school and their religion. On one hand you have your parents and your religious leaders and texts telling you one thing and School officials telling you another. That is a precarious position for anyone, let alone a 14 or 15 year old. Why are we teaching our children intolerance instead of celebrating diversity? Variety, people, it’s the spice of life…

Sadly, France, which has the largest Jewish and Muslim population in Europe, has already forfeited its cultural diversity by banning religious attire and symbols from their public school systems. France, the country known for its liberalness, of all places! Former President of Jacques Chirac stated, "If we are talking about the star of David, the hand of Fatima or a small cross, those are acceptable, but when it's very obvious, in other words, when if they are worn people can immediately see what religious faith they belong to, that should not be accepted.” This doesn’t exactly take into consideration the scarves worn by Muslim women, skullcaps worn by Jewish men, or turbans worn by Sikh men, which are symbols of their faith and piety. Their government is definitely violating the separation of church and state. This law seems to only be targeting the religious minorities, oddly enough. Could it be that the government is afraid of anything that might threaten their Christian views? Hmmm…

The banning of religious texts in U.S. prisons is yet another prejudice act by a governmental establishment, masking it under the premise of the ”Separation of Church and State.” They say this was taken into action in order to prevent religious extremists, especially Muslim, from recruiting for terrorist groups within the prisons. Mark Earley, president of Prison Fellowship, a Christian group, told the Times. “There’s no need to get rid of literally hundreds of thousands of books that are fine simply because you have a problem with an isolated book or piece of literature that presents extremism.” They deny any discrimination of a particular religion stating that they got rid of an equal amount of books from every religion. Because that makes it right… (sarcasm)What happened to the freedom of religious expression? Do we really want to live in a world void of religious and cultural diversity? I know that I do not want to be told by a governmental institution what I may say or do in public. If I matter is not infringing on anyone else’s rights, I feel that I should be able to say what I want to say, act how I want to act, dress how I want to dress and worship (or not worship for that matter) the way that I want. I was born with the capabilities of making my own decisions and would appreciated it if these government establishments would kindly butt out and let me live my life in peace. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be a member of a religious minority, constantly targeted for your beliefs because you choose to exalt your faith. Yep, if we're not careful we won't have any rights left...

Where Am I Going? (Formal-Sept 17th)

I will be the first to admit that the extent of knowledge that I have about the Islamic faith comes from what we have read and discussed in class and my experience working in a Middle Eastern Restaurant. I am basically ignorant to many of their views and customs and I hope that by taking this class I am able to overcome the tendency to believe what is fed to me on the news. Althought I try to get my news from MPR and other non-biased organizations, I find it difficult to not have certain expectations of a culture due to the negative images and propaganda spread by the media. I hope that by the end of this class I will better understand the ideals of Islam and learn something that I can use in my everyday life.

I am sad to say that Professor Kietzman had to set me straight on a few issues regarding Islam. I was under the impression that the religion mandated the veiling of women which I felt was oppressive. I didn't understand that it was a personal preference. Kietzman made a good point in saying that Muslims view American's dependence on the importance of appearance, such as weight, make-up and indecent clothing, is oppressive. This statement saddened me because I do not want to be associated with people such as Paris Hilton just because we share U.S. residency, which is how non-radical Muslims must feel. Here we are, basically blaming their religion for the ridiculous and radical views of a small group of people, not even taking in to account that not everyone of that faith is for killing or dying in the name of Allah. Some truely do follow the peaceful teachings of Mohammed.

I am ashamed to say that I held some unfair views of the Islamic faith and the Muslim people due to stories that I heard from my Jewish friends that live in Israel. Of course my friends are going to tell me all the negative aspects of these people considering they have been in conflict with them over the state of Israel and especially the Gaza strip. They told me stories about their relatives dying in bombings of libraries and cafes and also about their experience in the military directly out of High school or whatever they call it in Israel. And in my learning of the religion and culture of Judasim I believe that I may have developed a tendacy of viewing Muslims as the "enemy." I can honestly say that the attack on the World Trade Center and all the special programs devoted to what happened on Septemeber 11th didn't help to correct my biased view.

When I began working at Taboon, I was able to speak with some of the Muslim workers about culture, but was never really able to pick their brains regarding their religious beliefs. I got to learn such things like their rules regarding alcohol and Ramadan and other such surface aspects of the religion, but never the story of Mohammed and the birth of Islam. Looking back, I wish that I would have been allotted that privilege so that I didn't have to live in ignorance all these years. I was lucky enough to accidently stumble in on one of the cooks praying in the back room, and I will say that I was in awe. I never realized how beautiful the ritual is and was very taken by the dedication that they to their faith.

I am proud to say, that my views of the Islam religion have transformed, with the help of Professor Kietzman and the Muslims students in this class. They have helped me to better understand the culture, as well as the religion and for that I give them my deepest thanks.

Pitt's: A New Outlook (Formal-Sept. 19th)

Monday night's discussion has given me great insight to Joseph Pitt's, "A True and Faithful Account of the Religion and Manners of the Mahommetans." I would like to apologize for my ignorance of the Muslim culture. My previous blog was a raw reaction to the text as it was, without reading further into it, as I should have. After hearing other students' take on this narrative, I feel I have a better grasp on the material.

I must say that when reading this for the first time, I was under the impression that Joseph Pitt's was angry and resentful at being a slave and living in captivity in a different country with a completely different culture. When reading this piece I did, however, notice that he would speak kindly of many of the people that he met in his travels and came to develop a deep affection for his third and final master. In talking about this in class I noticed how much more it occurred than what I originally remembered. I also believe that his conversion to the Muslim faith made an impact on his life, even though he converted back to Christianity.

It was quite the debate on whether or not he was truly converted to the Muslim faith, and since I believe that this changed his live, I will touch on my thoughts on this issue. I believe that it is perfectly acceptable to say that Joesph Pitt's truly did convert, even though it may have been for a short time in the grand scheme of things. Although he was "forced" to convert (which may just have been an embellishment to make the English sympathize for him; only he knows) he made many references to the devotion of the Muslim people and even went as far as to say that he wished that the English studied their religious text and practiced Christianity with the kind of tenacity in which the Muslims worship. It seems that Pitt's would have been curious about these interesting people with their unique mannerisms, and wanted to learn even more about their culture. I also feel that after so many years of being exposed to a different culture, you have to come to understand it at some point in time which naturally affects one's life. And once you have the knowledge, it is hard to maintain the evil stereotypes that you have about that culture and may even come to realize that there is something to be learned in every situation. For example, I was very much opposed to the idea of polygamy within the Mormon faith, until I met my sister's boyfriend at the time, who was a Mormon and explained to me that it was to protect the women and was not a common practice. This enlightenment changed my whole view of the Mormon faith. As for Pitt's truly being converted to Muslim, yes I do believe that while engulfed in the everyday life of their culture, he was able to see the pureness and the beauty of the religion and most likely found spiritual guidance. Remembering those amazing spiritual experiences and the reasons why you actively practiced a faith when thrust back into a society where the Muslim faith was filled with ugly lies and rumors would have to have been extremely difficult. I am sure that once Pitt's arrived back in England, he was drilled with questions about the cruel things that they did to him, so he was ultimately forced to reestablish the feelings of anger and fear at being taken. I am certain that he was torn between these two completely different lives, it is evident in the text, but I also believe that there is something about the place that you are born that always holds a special place in a person's heart. This feeling of "home" will almost always overshadow beautiful scenery or financial stability or whatever else may try to seduce a traveller to stay on foreign soil. This is the reason I believe that he left a pretty good life to go back to England, not because he was chewing at the bit to get out of dodge. I believe it was a difficult decision for him because he did come to understand and respect the Muslim faith and was able to experience it first hand. That kind of revelation is a hard thing to shake.

In summary, I do feel that Joseph Pitt's was truly converted; I cannot see how he could not have been while living in the midst of such religious dedication. I am sorry that he chose to write a narrative that describes the unfortunate events that occurred because of some group's poor decisions and radical views, which do not necessarily reflect the views of all Muslims and may feed into the stereotypes. I believe that this could have been a great documentation for the cultural history of the Muslim faith due to the painstaking detail of their eating habits and daily activities that he incorporated into this narrative.

Imagine

The air is heavy with sorrow as we remember the great tragedy our country endured six years ago today on this anniversary of 9/11. A tear came to my eye as I observed a moment of silence for all who perished in that heinous act. The radio station that I was listening to played a clip of President Bush addressing the nation after the planes crashed into the World Trade Center. He stated something along the lines that we have been attacked by a faceless coward and that America should rest assured that they will hunt down this enemy and make them pay. When hearing this I was overcome with emotion and wept not only for the countless victims that died that dark day, but also for the countless more that have been willing to give their lives to fulfill this vendetta. Six long years of bloodshed and yet we still live in a world of hatred and fear. What President Bush and so many others fail to realize is that you can't fight violence with violence. By doing so, we have fed into the terror that these radicals so cowardly cling to and have generated an unjustified prejudice towards the Muslim faith in its entirety.

It is an innate characteristic of the human race to fear the unknown, especially when it may pose a threat to our individual system of beliefs or way of life. We tend to simplify and generalize until the stereotypes infest our minds and blacken our hearts to our fellow man. We are a species of self-righteousness and intolerance, with ideals that have spawned from eons of ignorance and trepidation. Lies and propaganda run rampant, while we fail to heed the warnings of the eventual annihilation of mankind.

Unfortunately, both sides of this war feel justified in their rationale of the sacrifice of innocent lives. I however, cannot justify war for any reason. I choose creation over destruction, love over hate, and hope in our future. I believe in a Utopian society where every race, religion and sex can co-exist with an appreciation of each others diversity. I can see a day where people tear down their walls of apprehension, open their minds and try to learn from one another. I await the day when good will transcends evil and peace will reign. In the famous words of John Lennon, "You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world can live as one."

Venting in the name of

I have just completed my first day of English 307. I must admit that I am truly excited about this class. There is such a diverse group of people with a plethora of different majors and cultural backgrounds, which I feel will spice up some of our discussions. I do worry, however, that my unenthusiastic view on theology and the institutions of religion and government may come out in our discussions and leave a sour taste in the mouths of some of my peers.

I have always thought that religion has been a tool of controlling the masses. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, to name a few, all follow manuscripts that were supposedly inspired by “God,” yet written by man. Man, the only creature on this earth able to lie, and deceive. Even if the "prophets" of the Bible, Torah, and the Quran were truly inspired by a higher being, Man has taken the good and the pure and the beauty of these sacred texts and manipulated the meanings to better suit their individual needs, specifically regarding politics.

It sickens me that the government of this nation, for example, is able to implement laws based on moral issues, when we are supposed to have a little thing called, “the separation of church and state.” Not to mention the fact that in this country, most laws in effect, are based on Christian theology, not taking into consideration the ideologies of other religions. I do not feel that any institution, be it government or a religious affiliation, has the right to tell me what I may or may not do with my body, or my life, for that matter. These organizations feel that they have some "God"-given duty to police the people and protect us from ourselves. Well I don’t need protection from any establishment that I neither like nor trust.

This is the one thing that I do not understand about the Islamic faith, or any faith for that matter. They have let politics get in the way of the true meaning of their religion. From the beginning, violence and foul play has surrounded the Islamic establishment. And although, I do not believe in the kind of higher being that is commonly referred to in this faith, I respect the freedom of choice and give kudos to anything that makes people strive to better themselves and humanity as a whole, if that is indeed what it does. Because of this, I find it ironic that the religion viewed worldwide as the most frightening and violent, was born from the heart of a very peaceful and pious man. A man that wanted his people to live prosperously and by “God’s will” in order to establish peace in a conflict-stricken world. This I find to be very interesting, and almost awe-inspiring, however, I cannot accept most of the ideals behind Islam or many other faiths, for that matter, being that within their theology stands more contradictions than truths.

I also cannot understand why Muslim women continue to cover their heads. I have been told that it is an act of piety, yet I was under the impression that God viewed all men and women equally. As a feminist, I find it rather disturbing to think that women have been fighting for years to gain equal status as men in our society and yet women of this faith, in particular, submit themselves to this patriarchal non-sense. It upsets me that all women have been lied to and led to believe that it is their duty to more or less live in servitude to their husbands. I will give the benefit of the doubt, however, and consider this misinterpretation rather than brainwashing.

I also have a problem with people making war in the name of their God. How idiotic is that? And almost every relgion is guilty of this. Don’t most faiths preach peace and love and the betterment of mankind? Yet here they are, killing in the name of a God whom either does not exist or no longer cares. I am a strong believer that religious institutions and the invisible lines that are only prevalent on a map breed hatred, hypocrisy and prejudice, and I want no part of it.

I do not want my views to be misrepresented or to come across as some sort of Santanist, which would be asinine considering I have no faith that such an entity exists. Don't let the name "Devil Woman" fool you, it is merely a playful nickname. I am a very spiritual person, however, my views more closely reflect those of the ancient pagan religions in regards to their love and respect for Mother Earth. I believe that any religion can give people something to hold onto when the world seems cold and dismal if they embrace the good and shun the evil. Faith should inspire and promote love and acceptance and empathy for the human race, not justify oppression, hatred and racism. Oh this is going to be an interesting class…