If you can’t pronounce it…
… you probably know jackshit about it.
It’s “hizb-ullah” not “hez-buh-la” or “hez-bowl-a” or “khis-ba-la” — seriously, what the hell is “khis-ba-la”? Some morons spell it “hisbala” too — what?
It’s one thing for random joes to pretend to know this and that about Hizbullah, but it’s really annoying when commentators and politicians come on TV and can’t even pronounce properly the name of the country they’re invading or the group they’re fighting that they supposedly have massive intelligence and background knowledge on.
Shan said,
August 2, 2006 @ 7:59 pm
We should just call them Hezb, it doesn’t really matter (like “freedom” fries), but just because they claim to be working for God, doesn’t mean they do. But yeah, people need to learn how to pronounce words, especially when trying to fabricate expertise.
Asmaa said,
August 2, 2006 @ 8:52 pm
Considering the fact that the media (and hey, even Mozlems themselves) mispronounce everying that has to do with Islam and Muslims, it really comes as no surprise.
fathima said,
August 4, 2006 @ 1:47 am
Ah, but oftentimes it’s intentional. Political mispronunciations are subtle indicators of political leanings, because they identify viewers/listeners who think alike about those pronunciations, and thus, those groups/countries/etc.
See http://www-csli.stanford.edu/~nunberg/iraq.html.
A said,
August 4, 2006 @ 9:33 am
Dude, after reading your last post, I can tell you that as someone who in _no way_ supports Israel or their actions, I still think you’re completely crazy.
Your “Some facts on Hizbullah, a primer” states ‘facts’ that are about as debatable as anything I’ve ever heard and border propaganda. Israel may be quite wrong in their aggression, but you’re living in a dream world if you think that Hizbullah (or however you’ve decided to transliterate the name) are simply noble martyrs.
It makes me quite sick that you’ve been installed -er I mean ‘elected’ as ASSU president and makes me very happy that I’ve graduated and won’t have another whackjob ASSU president bent on supporting partisan causes instead of doing his/her job.
preethy said,
August 4, 2006 @ 9:57 am
A: If you feel any of those points on Hizbullah are debatable, then please, present your arguments. I’d like to see them. We’re adults capable of logical, intelligent debate here.
I’d like to ask you, does holding a public position such as ASSU president mean that people cease having political views and opinions? If you feel someone truly has failed in his/her job or compromises his/her obligations and responsibilities – something you’ll have to back up with some kind of explanation or evidence – then there are places where you can bring up such concerns. It doesn’t belong in what you think is a rebuttal to a page long of discussion relating to Hizbullah.
This is a totally random string of connections: “you support Hizbullah – you’re crazy – you are a whackjob ASSU president – you’re not doing your job”.
And what do you mean by “installed”? I see that you decided to throw in a random accusation of illegitimacy in there as well, in your sparkling logical construction above. Yeah, this is not sounding personal at all. Not “partisan”, nope.
You know, congratulations on having graduated. Wherever you go, I hope you learn to employ more intelligence and tact than this.
You may be more used to those in public positions being fence-sitters in every single political debate instead of honestly expressing their opinions. It’s sad that that’s the norm, but it’s no requirement. I’m glad some student leaders and activists on campus – and there are quite a few – take positions, express opinions honestly, and freely debate with others. Apparently, you think it’s a better idea for people to hide their views in public, screw their ideals, and just placate everyone. Seeing how you chose to remain anonymous while making such a grievance reinforces this.
A said,
August 4, 2006 @ 1:19 pm
-Very perceptive of you. I’ve been critical of the ASSU ‘election’ process for years.
-I no longer hold elected office at the school, I can be as partisan as I want. Of course, so can you, it’s just tacky.
-I’m still here, just no longer in the Faculty of Arts & Science.
-Kid, I’m before your time. You might not even know the name.
-I _do_ think your support for Hizbullah -an organization that intentionally targets civilians- is crazy (this is not to suggest that I am not also apalled by Israel’s hubris-laden, grossly negligent, and persistent slaughter of civilians as well). That said, my real concern is that you will attempt to use your position as ASSU president -a position in which you are supposed to be representing the interests of every member of the constituency- to launch your own partisan political campaigns and to imbue them with some legitimacy.
In the end, my personal aversions to your opinions don’t bother me. We are entitiled and encouraged to hold different opinions on items. However, you will not be doing your job if you don’t remember the true purpose of ASSU. Bear that in mind when you’re working at the job you are charged with.
preethy said,
August 4, 2006 @ 2:12 pm
Again, a plain confusing, sure-throw-that-in-the-jumble-of-things kind of assertion:
If you want to claim Noaman Ali has compromised any of his duties/responsibilities as ASSU president, then some explanations to back that up would be good. Again, I don’t think this is the best place to do it, but still, don’t say things anywhere if you can’t back them up.
If you’re not saying that, and you’re “concerned” that he “will attempt to use [his] position” to “launch [his] own partisan political campaigns,” then that’s just pointless and plain condescending. It’s great that you feel a sense of responsibility to go about the blogs of U of T’s student activists and forewarn them against any potential misuse of their positions (and there are a lot of arguable points herein pertaining to “misuse” but we won’t go there) – but really, other than that bit of patronizing free advice from you, what is your point?
You’ve said nothing really substantial about any of these topics that you’ve felt free to string together:
-Hizbullah
-Noaman
-ASSU election process
Thanks for the random reminder that there is a “true purpose” to ASSU, but I encourage you to offer something substantial the next time you make potentially slanderous remarks.
preethy said,
August 4, 2006 @ 2:28 pm
BTW, I quote from the post with the “crazy” position on Hizbullah – “Some facts on Hizbullah, a primer.”
I suppose it still “makes you sick” that the person who made that statement is ASSU president. What partisanship indeed.
nomes said,
August 4, 2006 @ 2:49 pm
The facts are there to be debated, if you want. I can provide substantial evidence for all of these facts, having provided evidence for some already.
Having said that, I don’t support Hizbullah, I disagree entirely with its Islam-based ideology and its anti-Semitism. However, I don’t think its actions are motivated by some irrational hatred of Jews and Israel, and I do support the right of the Lebanese to resist Israeli aggression. I don’t support Hizbullah’s rocketing of civilian areas. I think Hizbullah’s provision of social and municipal services to the traditionally marginalized Shi’ites in most of Lebanon is something that gives it a great deal of credit and credibility. Ultimately, I don’t think they’re noble martyrs — but I do think they’re freedom fighters.
If you have a problem with the way ASSU elections work, and assuming you were part of ASSU or a Course Union, or even just an undergraduate A&S student at UofT, you had your opportunity to reform it. Did you try? Even then, it’s great that you’re critical of the system in place. However, if you’re insinuating that a rather diversely constituted Council elected by students somehow conspired to “install” me (even though many of them voted against me), then you’re going to have to explain that one to me.
If you have any concerns or problems or grievances about my performance as ASSU president, feel free to e-mail students.assu@utoronto.ca and complain to the ASSU Executive. If you can make any kind of causal link between my statements about Hizbullah and the domino effect it somehow has on my prophesized neglect of duty as ASSU president, then go for it. Until then, spare me the unsubstantiated speculations and insinuations — and condescension.
Holding office as a student representative does not mean that I have to shed my informed and perfectly legitimate opinions, especially when they’re expressed on my personal web site.