What’s in a word?: Journal 4/21/06
I’m only just beginning to have an idea of how HUGE and IMPORTANT the blogging world is. I’ve stumbled upon some amazing blogs that people from all around the world have been writing. We’re talking instant communication. News hitting the internet before it’s even considered news! Real life opinions. Facts that aren’t twisted by the “professionals”. (Yes, I’m looking at you Fox News, CNBC, & CNN.)Â
Of course, we must be careful in what we think is truth or what is opinion. But then again, we should aproach organized news in this way as well.
I’ve been buried in blogs that have been written by people who live in or have lived in the middle east. It’s really beginning to give me a better idea of what they are feeling and how they are reacting to Americans. Their writing really brings into perspective the type of shit Americans generally write about in their personal journals. All we ever seem to be able to talk about back home is fluff and meaningless dribble. And the people in this part of the world are dealing with so much more than Americans are. And guess what? They’re smart! They know how to fucking write! And they have very valid opinions!
One thing I’m noticing in the blogs coming out of Iraq is that they really do feel like they’re still being “occupied” by American forces. Even though I’m here, I unfortunately can’t go up to Mr. Random Iraqi Joe and ask, “Hey dude. Do you think I’m occupying your country?” So, I’m relying on these personal blogs to help me get a feel for them.
When I was home on leave, I was talking to my Grandfather about Iraq. I offhandedly said the word “occupation” in a conversation when refering to our military presence here. He stops me abruptly and says, “Ya know Jami, it’s not correct for you to be saying that anymore. Why do you think you said that?” I couldn’t really answer him at the time. I guess I didn’t know that in the 6 months that I had been away from home, the word had all of a sudden turned taboo. I know that when I left, it was still acceptable to say that America was occupying Iraq. But now it’s politically incorrect.Â
Does it really change a situation when you just stop saying a word? It seems ignorant to think that our presence here is different just because “occupation” is a wrong word choice.
Well, I think we need to listen to the Iraqi’s more. From the writings that I’ve read so far (personal free-style writing. NOT Al-Jazeera or censored or swayed), our presence still feels like an occupation to them. And who would blame them for feeling that way!? How would it make you feel to have a foreign military stay YEARS and YEARS in your country long after the job had been finished? Just because we’re telling them that we’re not an “occupation military”, doesn’t mean that it isn’t true. Here are two Iraqi bloggers (1 female, 1 male) who are helping me shape my opinion of the people here:
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/
http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/
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