Pride and culture

Our situation today, is generally sad. Most young people, specially educated, only dream of getting a visa out. I hear people often complain about how retarded everything is here, how there is a lot of ignorance..We complain about the failing economy, the bad level of education, well..Many many things. Ironically, many people who live here are in a way sometimes racists against them selves..Smiles and respect when hearing "agnabi", but not when we hearing "Arab"..

So, to make peace with our selves, and to know how defend our selves, we should follow and remember news like this. الكاتبة الجزائرية آسيا جبار في قمة الهرم الثقافي الفرنسي

2005/06/16

" تتبوأ كاتبة فرنسية من أصل جزائري هذه المكانة الرفيعة وتأخذ مكانها في حلقة ضيقة تضم نخبة من أربعين اسما أدبيا وعلميا وفنيا لامعا يشرفون علي هذه المؤسسة الثقافية الفريدة عالمي"انتخاب آسيا جبار في الأكاديمية الفرنسية يأتي بعد شهور علي ترشيحها لجائزة نوبل في تشرين الاول (أكتوبر) الماضي التي كادت أن تفوز بها قبل أن يستقر رأي أعضاء اللجنة السويدية علي منحها للكاتبة النمساوية إلفريد يلينيك. غير أن سجل آسيا جبار حافل بالجوائز الأدبية مثل جائزة السلام الألمانية المرموقة التي منحتها لها دائرة الناشرين والمكتبيين بألمانيا عام 2002 وقبلها جائزة نوسترادت الدولية للآداب عام 1996." "آسيا جبار واسمها الحقيقي فاطمة الزهراء ايملاين كاتبة وشاعرة ومسرحية سينمائية مقيمة في باريس منذ عام 1953 وهي أشهر كاتبة جزائرية فرنكفونية حاليا. و"الجدير بالذكر أن انتخاب أعضاء جدد في الأكاديمية يعتبر أرفع بادرة تكريمية قد يحصل عليها الكتاب أو الفنانون أو العلماء في فرنسا".

When it comes to being proud of a civilization, it's culture is very important. So, intellectuals like her are important too. It's not true thinking that this place today is a retarded primitive black hole, even though there is a lot to complain about. We still have a lot of great people with brilliant ideas. But we should listen to, and take more care of, them. To change for the better.
The sad thing is that we don't. And intellectuals often immigrate and leave us. Maybe not so many know how hard it is for intellectuals in countries where intelligent independent thinking is disliked . Of course there are other common reasons too, that have to do with economy, society, level of life..Etc. We really should cherish culture more if we want to change!!
I was listening to a program on the radio recently called : Paris capital of Arab culture (!)
There was the typical Syrian intellectual story : "I was bothered by the lack of freedom and right of expression, and of being ignored, so I moved to Beirut where I could enjoy more freedom.
Then I wanted even more [ of every thing] so I moved to Paris. "
(Well, anyway..Very very few who have the possibility to leave to a place like that choose to stay!)
I thought about this common fate, it's the same about Adonis (who also was nominated for Nobel prize, and had been expelled from Arab writers union.. Just look at the way he is treated here, and there!..), Muhammas Almaghout, and many many others..Her: Asia Algabar, for example.
Anyway, even if they are abroad, we still can be proud of them, and perhaps we should think more seriously about what they have to say, I think they have a key to a more developed, civilized and proud place. We should think about supporting enlightening ideas they can offer, instead of "supporting" extremism, fears of wars, demonstrations of bel roh bel..And a present where we don't know what to be proud of.