DISQUS

Esra'a · 2 years ago

Both of you couldn't be more wrong on how and why Kareem got the attention.

Please take the time to read my comments in that case. I feel sorry for those who truly don't understand why the attention on Kareem (which is coming from the international world as a whole, certainly not just the 'West') first arose and how hard his friends are working on maintaining this attention.

Don't draw conclusions on baseless accusations. There are no facts that support Yaman's argument and it is nothing short of a silly "conspiracy."

Rogel · 2 years ago

Maybe I wasn't clear but I do not think that the world hold double standards. Yes, people are more likely to demonstrate and to care about someone like Kareem and not for someone from the Muslim Brotherhood - but it isn't double standards. I was standing in from of the Egyptian consulate appealing for the release of Kareem, I would not do it for one of the 75 arrested Muslim Brotherhood members.
However the issue that I was choosing to focus on was not who the "World" choose to support but the kind of regimes that arresting people for their political views. The most important thing, I think, isn't so much what the world attention is, rather what the people in the Middle East are going to do. People like you and Yaman, and the discussions you are holding are much more important to the Middle East future than what someone like Michelle Malkin will say or think.

Esra'a · 2 years ago

The fact that Michelle Malkin commented on the case is highly irrelevant, which is why I think Yaman's post proved his misunderstanding of the campaign.

Who leads the Free Kareem Coalition? Arabs and Muslims.

Who were Kareem's lawyers? Arabs and Muslims.

Who jumped to Kareem's rescue when he first got arrested? His friends, who are Arabs and Muslims.

We ensured the fact that the world knows about Kareem.

And now, we are being criticized for it. People are implying that Kareem is too insignificant to reach this much attention in such a short amount of time.

Others aren't willing to work hard enough for their fellow Arabs when they get imprisoned, so they get their pants in a twist when someone actually achieves worldwide recognition due to his friends' constant support. It's not due to any bias. Right-wing or Western bloggers are hardly the only ones commenting on this case, we have the upper hand in all issues and we were the ones being quoted for media reports. It was we, the Arab and Muslim activists, who achieved this. The media hype didn't just come out of nowhere.

We showed the world how much we are capable of through this case, and we showed them what's going on in our region. Furthermore, we swallowed our pride, and proved to the world that Arabs and Muslims CAN and they ARE being tolerant of those who oppose their views, be it Kareem or Malkin.

The fact that other imprisoned activists didn't get the same amount of attention is sad, but it shows that their supporters aren't working hard enough. There is no way anyone can work as hard as we did and then not get the worldwide attention - we basically sacrificed 90% of our time for months just to make sure that Kareem's case is known.

What Yaman is saying is totally misleading. This case works to our advantage, not the other way around. We are making a point about Islam, human rights, and youth activism all through one campaign.

Is it bad that Malkin commented on the case? No. Worldwide recognition means people of all backgrounds will comment on it. You can very well dislike Malkin's opinions and political beliefs, but when she supports your case, why create a gap? Because she will be a "turn off" for our campaign? Support is support. You don't stop people from supporting you for fear of them harming your reputation wherever you are from. Her support is for the very first time, creating an interesting dialogue between right-wing bloggers like her and Muslim bloggers like us. She now knows and understands that Muslims like us, tolerant and respectful, exist. Perhaps through our example, she might even be enlightened as to what true Islamic values are instead of relying on the main stream media for that.

If we keep thinking like this, no wonder why she has such a bad image about Islam. We fear from her involvement, or the involvement of anyone with her intellectual background and status. Let them speak, they can criticize all they want, we are proving a point by accepting all that criticism and at times, refuting it respectfully. Did we specifically target her to support us? No, she picked up the case through extensive media coverage which I repeat, we worked incredibly hard on.

Malkin has respect for us, as Muslims, for doing what we do. That is a good sign. I dislike her posts and her style greatly, and I don't like her paranoid mentality but now I at least know that deep down she will always have hope in the Muslim world due to the work we do.

I'm not denying the fact that her involvement wouldn't always work to our advantage, but Yaman completely missed the support that we got from the Arab and Muslim blogosphere, as well as Arab professors, economists, and human rights activists. Their support only came after the hard work we put into our campaign. I was really disappointed by the lack of interest in the Arab and Muslim blogosphere before we got all that attention.
The entire Arab and Muslim world is being exposed to this case through TV, news, radio, conferences, and why? Do you honestly think it's because Kareem mattered to them that much? No.

If I can only add up the amount of days and endless hours we stayed up to work on this case, maybe people will understand how much we had to go through to get Kareem the attention he has and deserves today.

My main problem with Middle Eastern activists is that, generally, they a) are never willing to work hard enough, b) give up way too easily and c) they can never maintain hope for a long period of time. They truly believe that things either just happen due to sheer luck or they will remain impossible. They dream, but they aren't willing to risk their lives to act upon such dreams. Well, I am. I am willing to do that, and that's why I get things done.

I refuse to associate myself with most Arab activists because they have the wrong mentality, and mostly, they are "activists" by name. Never did I attend a youth activist conference and actually saw any achievements, because for most it's just a phase.

They make a website, and they think that's all they need to do.

Well they are wrong, and we are proof that they are wrong. If they want to be like us, they better start working really hard, they better take their work seriously and they should be willing to risk their lives or security over this. That's what we did, and THAT'S why Kareem's case is paid attention to.

If you want to get attention for any arrested blogger no matter what his backgrounds are and what he got imprisoned for, here's the trick:

1) Effective strategy
2) Powerful team of at least 5 activists who are willing to put in just as much time and effort
3) Prioritise
4) Do your very best, not some half-assed lazy job, give it your BEST shot and know that it is your best
5) Believe in the campaign's mission. Don't be a dreamer and give up, don't rely on your wishes. Do it like it's going to be achieved tomorrow.

That's my advice if you want a campaign to reach worldwide support. As the leader of the Free Kareem campaign, I know for a fact that Yaman has it wrong in his analysis.