"My Father, the hero" (Debunked)

Coalition · Post by **Coalition** » 2011-05-01 07:05am

Actual title from the blog here. Short version: a lesbian in Damascus is woken up in the middle of the night by the morality police who are there to take her away, and her father talks them out of it over several minutes. She loves her father, and as long as he chooses to stay, so will she.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2011-05-01 09:02am

That is quite awesome.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2011-05-01 01:34pm

This does not belong in Testing.

Serafina · Post by **Serafina** » 2011-05-01 02:20pm

Shroom Man 777 wrote:That is quite awesome.

And also very sweet.

Post by **Steve** » 2011-05-02 03:22am

I enjoyed reading that, but not the thought of what might have been done to her if things had gone otherwise.

And this is why, for better or for worse, we should hope for real change in the Middle East. To keep governments like this from keeping power, so people no longer need to fear the knock on the door in the middle of the night.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2011-05-02 03:43am

Why America gives governments like Saudi Arabia power and F-15s and M1 Abrams, so the people living there will fear the knock on the door in the middle of the night, you mean. All in the interests of serving your foreign interests, as Timothy so aptly said in the Bahrain discussion.

Post by **Steve** » 2011-05-02 04:05am

Yeah. Unfortunately ideals don't always get followed in the real world; expediency and interest get followed instead.

Also, unfortunately, democracy doesn't always lead to freedom. One man, one vote can become one man, one vote, one time. Or the majority can vote a government that mistreats the minority.

Ultimately, our goal should still be to spread real freedom as far and wide as possible, to spare as many people as possible these terrors.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2011-05-02 04:07am

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Why America gives governments like Saudi Arabia power and F-15s and M1 Abrams, so the people living there will fear the knock on the door in the middle of the night, you mean. All in the interests of serving your foreign interests, as Timothy so aptly said in the Bahrain discussion.

That's a little bit out of the blue isn't it? At no point did he say that America's record on human rights in the middle east is perfect. In no way is your comment on topic regarding 'we should hope for real change in the Middle East.'

Post by **Steve** » 2011-05-02 04:09am

NecronLord wrote:
Shroom Man 777 wrote:Why America gives governments like Saudi Arabia power and F-15s and M1 Abrams, so the people living there will fear the knock on the door in the middle of the night, you mean. All in the interests of serving your foreign interests, as Timothy so aptly said in the Bahrain discussion.
That's a little bit out of the blue isn't it? At no point did he say that America's record on human rights in the middle east is perfect. In no way is your comment on topic regarding 'we should hope for real change in the Middle East.'

Shroom has adverse reactions to Americans espousing high ideals, since we fall short of them usually, and I think he sees it as us being sanctimonious hypocritical bastard imperialists.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2011-05-02 04:28am

Yeah, I've noticed that. I shall be calling him on it when I see it from now on. Being a US citizen does not make someone somehow a supporter of everything their state does. He wouldn't do the same with say, Lybian Citizens and Gadaffi.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2011-05-02 04:29am

NecronLord wrote:That's a little bit out of the blue isn't it? At no point did he say that America's record on human rights in the middle east is perfect. In no way is your comment on topic regarding 'we should hope for real change in the Middle East.'

Well, my statement could be construed as saying that America's actions actually work against these goals of true freedomization.

Because, let's not kid ourselves, their government's goal doesn't give a wooden nickle about freedom or helping people. Their government's role is in serving their own nation's interests, first and foremost, and if they spread these terrors to as many people as possible, then so be it as long as they get the bottom line.

Which is why, when I see Murcans go about how their ultimate goal should still be to spread real freedom as far and wide as possible, this always pops into my head:

"We love your adherence to democratic principles and to the democratic process, and we will not leave you in isolation.”
— U.S. Vice-President George H. W. Bush during Ferdinand Marcos inauguration, June 1981

Steve wrote:Shroom has adverse reactions to Americans espousing high ideals, since we fall short of them usually, and I think he sees it as us being sanctimonious hypocritical bastard imperialists.

The above GHWB quote is perfect distilled imperialist bastardy full of hypocrisy and sanctimony.

Anyway.

I'll admit I jumped the gun there, and yeah, we should all hope for change and betterment and improvement of the situation in Syria and other nations in the Middle East (and elsewhere). I agree with Steve's first comment, and admit that I automatically went in "hurgh yeah fuck America uuurgh!" there mindlessly like some shitposter. Yeah. Sorry.

Dark Hellion · Post by **Dark Hellion** » 2011-05-02 04:57am

Even as an American I like Shroom's sardonic commentary. He is someone who's country experienced first hand the ills of American hypocrisy and the resentment he has towards the failures of American idealism is well deserved.

American's should be reminded that when we preach freedom but protect tyranny that it not us or the tyrants but the innocents of other countries that suffer.

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2011-05-02 05:02am

NecronLord wrote:Being a US citizen does not make someone somehow a supporter of everything their state does. He wouldn't do the same with say, Lybian Citizens and Gadaffi.

If I see civil war in America, damn sure I would think twice before saying US citizens do not support their government, right. Because Libyan citizens, uh, actively rebelled against Qaddafi, or it seems so looking at the shooting and fighting? American citizens continue to rubberstamp the power mandate of their entrenched elites called "Republicans" or "Democrats" from one four-year period to the other, creating a continous picture of a government that has the full allegiance of their people. Well, as the Wisconsin disturbances show, not the "full" allegiance of all people, but that aside, the allegiance of a majority of their people.

When Shroom is mocking America, is it Shroom who is mocking America, or is America mocking itself by delivering endless pompous substance-less speeches on how it makes the world better, calling this or that "evil" or "good" simply because it suits America right now?

Dark Hellion · Post by **Dark Hellion** » 2011-05-02 05:17am

You know Stas, most of the civilized world can enact political change without resorting to civil war. Don't confuse the apathy of the voters with support for policy. To do so can give a very caricature view of what is a much more dynamic process that many want to admit.

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2011-05-02 05:17am

Still, its uncalled for and out of topic. We're talking about Syria, and I let my strakking and lol spartafreedomerica psycho-tendencies get ahead of me.

You know, in some places the father or the family would be the first one to condemn the daughter and do shit like honor killings. But in this one, the father risked death and getting the ass beat out of him to save his daughter from shit like that. Now that's great.

The article also sounded like the father knew a lot of powerful people though.

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2011-05-02 05:56am

I think the Syria situation does merit a separate thread, like the Libyan one. The protests had been going on for months and violence had been systematic over the last few weeks. And then there's a stream of Syria-related news recently. Not this thread, however, for obvious reasons as this is a personal tale.

Serafina · Post by **Serafina** » 2011-05-02 06:03am

I would also like to note that, without people like this man, change in the Middle-East will be impossible no matter how much outside pressure you apply.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2011-05-02 10:28am

Stas Bush wrote:If I see civil war in America, damn sure I would think twice before saying US citizens do not support their government, right. Because Libyan citizens, uh, actively rebelled against Qaddafi, or it seems so looking at the shooting and fighting? American citizens continue to rubberstamp the power mandate of their entrenched elites called "Republicans" or "Democrats" from one four-year period to the other, creating a continous picture of a government that has the full allegiance of their people. Well, as the Wisconsin disturbances show, not the "full" allegiance of all people, but that aside, the allegiance of a majority of their people.

And? The illustrative example is different in magnitude of resistance to the US, yes, but it is essentially the same. Perhaps a closer example would be say, you and the Putin government which you hate. To assume that a board member is wholly in support of their nation's policies because they hold its citizenship and attack them based on those when they are not actually supporting their nation is a thead hijack at best.

When Shroom is mocking America, is it Shroom who is mocking America, or is America mocking itself by delivering endless pompous substance-less speeches on how it makes the world better, calling this or that "evil" or "good" simply because it suits America right now?

Steve is not America. He is not the President of the United States, a member of its congress or senate, or acting as a spokesman in any way. Addressing a reply to America when Steve is speaking is inappropriate.

Simon_Jester · Post by **Simon_Jester** » 2011-05-02 10:49am

Dark Hellion wrote:Even as an American I like Shroom's sardonic commentary. He is someone who's country experienced first hand the ills of American hypocrisy and the resentment he has towards the failures of American idealism is well deserved.

American's should be reminded that when we preach freedom but protect tyranny that it not us or the tyrants but the innocents of other countries that suffer.

DH, exactly what rock would I have to be staying under on this forum to not get that message, repeatedly and bluntly, to the point where it became as drummed into my consciousness as it is possible for the message to be drummed into my consciousness?

In this specific place, it's a fairly safe bet that everyone has heard it and gotten the memo before. Shroomy himself is right- bringing it up every time any American says or does anything about foreign policy is just gross overkill, because it has the effect of squashing and diverting all conversation on all subjects to a repetition of the litany of American sins.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2011-05-04 07:15pm

Things have taken a turn for the worse. They came back. She just happened to be out of the house when it happened.

http://damascusgaygirl.blogspot.com/201 ... round.html

Shroom Man 777 · Post by **Shroom Man 777** » 2011-05-04 09:39pm

Oh man, that is just terrible. I'm glad that she's okay, but I worry for the dad. At least she was able to contact him, and I also hope he'll also be okay.

Shouldn't she go incommunicado? Won't her internet postings be traced?

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2011-05-04 10:11pm

Shroom Man 777 wrote:Oh man, that is just terrible. I'm glad that she's okay, but I worry for the dad. At least she was able to contact him, and I also hope he'll also be okay.

Shouldn't she go incommunicado? Won't her internet postings be traced?

Looks like she's using an internet cafe. She's also probably niqabbed or as much as possible as in syria, and she dropped her cellphone which probably would be traced.

She's about as safe as she can be in Syria. Nonetheless I hope she leaves soon, because that's not really that safe. I wish there were some way to send a message of "You are awesome but please get out while you can" without causing damnfool heroes to redouble their efforts once they're told it's impossible.

Duckie · Post by **Duckie** » 2011-06-06 04:22pm

In the end it wasn't internet trackings or anything but simply being spotted on the street, or perhaps even randomly

I just happened to check said blog today:

Dear friends of Amina,

I am Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari’s cousin and have the following information to share.

Earlier today, at approximately 6:00 pm Damascus time, Amina was walking in the area of the Abbasid bus station, near Fares al Khouri Street. She had gone to meet a person involved with the Local Coordinating Committee and was accompanied by a friend.

Amina told the friend that she would go ahead and they were separated. Amina had, apparently, identified the person she was to meet. However, while her companion was still close by, Amina was seized by three men in their early 20’s. According to the witness (who does not want her identity known), the men were armed. Amina hit one of them and told the friend to go find her father.

One of the men then put his hand over Amina’s mouth and they hustled her into a red Dacia Logan with a window sticker of Basel Assad. The witness did not get the tag number. She promptly went and found Amina’s father.

The men are assumed to be members of one of the security services or the Baath Party militia. Amina’s present location is unknown and it is unclear if she is in a jail or being held elsewhere in Damascus.

I have just spoken with her father who is trying to locate her. He has asked me to share this information with her contacts in the hope that someone may know her whereabouts and so that she might be shortly released.

If she is now in custody, he is not worried about being in hiding and says he will do anything he can to free her. If anyone knows anything as to her whereabouts, please contact Abdallah al Omari at his home or please email me, Rania Ismail, at onepathtogod at gmail dot com.

We are hoping she is simply in jail and nothing worse has happened to her. Amina had previously sent me several texts to post should something happen to her and we will wait until we have definite word before doing so.

Salamat,

Rania O. Ismail

several hours later

I have been on the telephone with both her parents and all that we can say right now is that she is missing. Her father is desperately trying to find out where she is and who has taken her.

Unfortunately, there are at least 18 different police formations in Syria as well as multiple different party militias and gangs. We do not know who took her so we do not know who to ask to get her back. It is possible that they are forcibly deporting her.

From other family members who have been imprisoned there, we believe that she is likely to be released fairly soon. If they wanted to kill her, they would have done so.

That is what we are all praying for.

I will post any updates as soon as I have them.

Wonder if she'll be forcibly deported to the US (her place of second citizenship) and declared a persona non grata? That'd probably be the good end. The bad end is of course dead or sent to iran to be executed or somesuch.

In a situation like that, I wonder if such a prestigious name (we now know her full name, as I suppose there's no point hiding any longer) helps or hurts.

hongi · Post by **hongi** » 2011-06-06 09:15pm

I have this terrible, awful and sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that they're torturing her right now like they did to that little boy. But then I tell myself they wouldn't do that, because she's well-known. But is she well-known enough?

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2011-06-06 09:35pm

hongi wrote:I have this terrible, awful and sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that they're torturing her right now like they did to that little boy. But then I tell myself they wouldn't do that, because she's well-known. But is she well-known enough? :(

She's not really that well-known, and the international community has shown that they'll react to the Syrian regime shooting dissidents in job lots with stern words and little else. Even visceral documentation of brutal torture has done little to push things in favor of the anti-government forces.

The only thing that might save her at this point is her dual citizenship with the US, but even then . . . when I first read this, I cannot say that I held out much hope.

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"My Father, the hero" (Debunked)

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