Sunday, March 18, 2007

كلام حق يراد به باطل
This should be a regular feature. This is a saying by `Ali Ibn Abi Talib when he was commenting on the slogan of the Kharijites; he said that it was "righteous words intended for falsehood." I say this because I have been reading a lot of indignant articles in the Arabic press about the Hamas minister's decision--rescinded since--to censor a book of Palestinian folktales. (And I have critized that lousy decision by that lousy Hamas minister at the time). I mean, Saudi Arabia and Al-Azhar censor and ban books on a daily basis but I don't see the liberals of An-Nahar and Mulhaq An-Nahar saying a word. So please spare me your bogus championing of freedom of speech.