http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK4_F9KSeqo

I think that’s unwise. We both know that the government’s reasons for doing something aren’t always immediately clear. I don’t necessarily believe our elected representatives are liars – but I do think they’re being fed incorrect information that’s politically and economically motivated.

Craig, wait, seriously? You think your Congress–not one of whom speaks Arabic–is better positioned to make this decision than you?

We’ve had this discussion before, on KABOBfest, in regards to some MEMRI translations of Palestinian television programs. As I recall it was the position of your team that it was offensive for MEMRI to be translating those programs not because they were lying about the nature of the shows but simply because they had an agenda for doing so. I don’t trust your judgment on this, Jillian. Some of those programs were heinous. If Americans are being portrayed in the same way on some Arab channels, then I want the US government to do whatever it can to get those shows off the air. I’m sure you, on the other hand, would think that was just fine.

And whether Iran bans American media or not, its citizens have plenty of illegal access to it. In fact, our own U.S. Treasury’s sanctions against Iran guarantee a certain degree of piracy there.

And why would they want access to it, if all we do is advocate the slaughter of Iranians?

I’m an American too, by the way, even though I’ve been living in Morocco off and on for a few years.

I thought you might be, but I wasn’t sure since you seemed to be covering the issue from an Arab perspective :)

So like you, I have a direct stake in what our Congress is up to. And I don’t always take their word for things, because frankly, on this issue I feel like I have a better perspective.

Unfortunately, I don’t. But believe it or not, I don’t have a high regard for the integrity of politicians… especially democrats. But the way I see it, if people vote for people who can’t be trusted then they deserve to be lied to. That’s democracy. On this issue, I can’t really see any benefit – either for them or for the United States- for the US congress to lie about what’s being shown on Arab media. So I tend to think it’s a real problem.

I can assure you that people in the Middle East, like anywhere, are grandmothers and schoolchildren, shopkeepers and salarymen who are far too concerned with their daily lives to run off to jihad and martyrdom.

Well, now we are into an area I do have some experience with. And while many Arabs are in the category you describe, many are not. Most Arabs I’ve gotten to know will admit they know or knew people who went to wage jihad in foreign countries. And they are pretty comfortable with that.

If there’s anything surprising to me as an American living in a Muslim country, it’s the level of openness, tolerance and restraint. They know we take sides in the Israel–Palestine struggle, they know we invaded Iraq for no good reason — and yet, except for a tiny handful of Timothy McVeigh types (I’m talking 0.00001%) they would never dream of lighting their crotch on fire to bring down an airplane!

The issue isn’t the actual jihadis. The issue is the public support for jihadis. Which remains quite high – AQ itself has taken a nose-dive in popularity but the “resistance” culture which supports many other jihadi groups is still thriving.

(They also condemned the Goldstone Report on Gaza by a huge margin, going against the opinion of the whole rest of the world.)

That’s because it was a hatchet job. Palestinian terror groups have been getting a complete pass on the commission of obvious war crimes (does anyone dispute that blowing up Jews in a restaurant is a war crime? Anyone? No) for decades, while the Goldstone report made only dubious allegations against Israel.

If the whole rest of the world” is OK with that obvious double standard, then the whole rest of he world is wrong.

Thanks again for being reasonable even when we don’t agree :)

I always try to at least start out reasonable on a new blog :)

Craig, wait, seriously? You think your Congress–not one of whom speaks Arabic–is better positioned to make this decision than you?

And whether Iran bans American media or not, its citizens have plenty of illegal access to it. In fact, our own U.S. Treasury’s sanctions against Iran guarantee a certain degree of piracy there.

I understand where you’re coming from, and I appreciate you coming back here to engage further. If you want to get a sense of Al Manar’s, Al Alam’s, or Al Jazeera’s reporting, just click the links on their names in the article. They all have sites in English. You might find a slant on some of their reporting you don’t agree with, but certainly no encouragement of terrorism. Of course they’re keeping that for people who understand their own language, right? :) But that level of paranoia is a bit strange. I can assure you that people in the Middle East, like anywhere, are grandmothers and schoolchildren, shopkeepers and salarymen who are far too concerned with their daily lives to run off to jihad and martyrdom. If there’s anything surprising to me as an American living in a Muslim country, it’s the level of openness, tolerance and restraint. They know we take sides in the Israel–Palestine struggle, they know we invaded Iraq for no good reason — and yet, except for a tiny handful of Timothy McVeigh types (I’m talking 0.00001%) they would never dream of lighting their crotch on fire to bring down an airplane!

As far as why Congress voted for this law, especially by such a large margin — that’s what really perplexes me. I can’t explain these lopsided votes, in which liberals and conservatives join together to prejudge the Middle East. (They also condemned the Goldstone Report on Gaza by a huge margin, going against the opinion of the whole rest of the world.) Is it the influence of the pro-Israel lobby? It’s true, resolutions like this one are often drafted by AIPAC. Why Congress goes along with such unanimity is beyond me. It’s possible they don’t even realize they’re taking sides — that reasonable, sensible people might see things differently simply by living on the Arab side of the fence.

If you’re open to having your POV challenged and you have the time, I have a couple of blogs for you. Mondoweiss is written by an American Jew who defends the Palestinian cause, and he has a lot of guest authors who show what life is like on the ground there. Angry Arab is written by an atheist Arab from Lebanon, who has been teaching political science in California for many years. Both give an idea of the diversity of views that exist beyond the terrorist stereotype.

Thanks again for being reasonable even when we don’t agree :)

So are they inciting violence against Americans? That’s a big “if” you’ve got there.

It’s a question I can’t answer. I don’t get many (any in fact) Arab channels on my Direct TV here in California, and even if I did, I don’t speak Arabic. My Government seems to feel that it is so, and I have to take their word for it.

I think the worst you’d be likely to see…

Thanks for offering your opinion but even though I don’t get Arab news channels and I don’t speak Arabic, I have been reading Arab blogs for 5 or 6 years now and I’m well aware that my interpretation of an event, a story, a law and so on is usually not the same as those of a middle-eastern Arab. No offense intended but I’ll take the word of my elected officials whose job it is to watch out for the interests of the United States and its citizens over an Arab blogger :)

Is that incitement or journalism? Aren’t they just doing their job?

Whether its incitement or journalism, they are doing their job either way. Right?

Another point — isn’t having a forum where it’s possible to debate the question better than giving them only the battlefield to air their grievances?

Yes, but there’s a big difference between debate and indoctrination. Wouldn’t you agree?

If you want to go back to the days when the police states of the Middle East controlled all forms of expression

That isn’t what I want, no. But what I want in regards to freedom of expression doesn’t really matter, as I’m not a citizen of the region, and have no connection to the region. I live in a different country and come from a different culture.

…then good luck maintaining stability in the region.

Do you feel that promoting terrorism against Americans (and Israelis, no doubt) is good for stability in the region? OK, you will probably just say these stations don’t promote terrorism. We are at an impasse! :)

Keep in mind that it’s the elected democrats of Lebanon who are defending the value of Al Manar’s voice. Do we know better than them what their democracy needs?

I’m more concerned with what my country needs, to be honest. And less terrorism would be a good start!

Finally, there is the double standard. I seem to remember not too long ago, when a whole parade of American officials went on TV to incite violence against Iraq, raising fears of “mushroom clouds” and nonexistent ties to Al Qaeda.

That’s a valid point. But I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen an American news channel advocating that American volunteers should travel to the middle-east to resist the spread of Islam or some such.

Shouldn’t the American media be shut down as a risk to the peace and stability of the rest of the world?

Of course, any country that objects to American news media is free to not carry American channels or to pass whatever legislation against them that they wish to. I’m pretty sure Iran already does ban American media, and the IRI has a long history of arresting American journalists and accusing them of being spies.

OK, anyway, no hard feelings I hope! I just wanted to express my opinion as an American :)

Another point — isn’t having a forum where it’s possible to debate the question better than giving them only the battlefield to air their grievances? Doesn’t the public forum of the media have a mitigating effect? If you want to go back to the days when the police states of the Middle East controlled all forms of expression, then good luck maintaining stability in the region. Keep in mind that it’s the elected democrats of Lebanon who are defending the value of Al Manar’s voice. Do we know better than them what their democracy needs?

Finally, there is the double standard. I seem to remember not too long ago, when a whole parade of American officials went on TV to incite violence against Iraq, raising fears of “mushroom clouds” and nonexistent ties to Al Qaeda. Not only did they incite violence, they got their wish. And we’re hearing the same thing today with respect to Iran. Shouldn’t the American media be shut down as a risk to the peace and stability of the rest of the world?