Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

Man chops off his penis

From correspondents in Qena, Egypt | May 31, 2009
[source]

AN Egyptian cut off his penis today in protest at his parents’ choice of bride, a police official said.

The 25-year-old labourer from the village of Sheikh Eissa in southern Egypt was taken to hospital in stable condition, the official said, adding that the man had also mutilated his testicles.

“He was in love with a woman but his parents rejected her and told him to marry another woman he didn’t want. He took a knife and cut off his penis in his room.”

Doctors were unable to reattach the severed member, the official said.

Umm peoplez, shit like this happens every day. Oh, no more grand kids PARENTS!

Sometimes my family is funny. Just sometimes.

One thing that my family prides on is pure sarcasm. Every member of my family just thinks they are Har Har funny. Even when my sister was in Lebanon last summer, she said that everyone there always says the same reply to some smart ass question you ask them.

This is an example of me knowing that my mom is busy doing something infront of my face, but I have to just be a smart ass and ask.

Me: “Mom! What are you doing?”

Mom in a high pitched silly voice: “I am dancing!”

Me: “Why aren’t you singing too?”

Mom: “I am dancing and singing!”

Me: “You got some talent there. Now that’s what I am talking about!!”

Mom: “Seriously, what do you think I am doing? I am busy! Stop asking obviously stupid questions.”

Me: “I know. hehehe.”

It seems when you want to annoy someone and you know that they are busy doing something, you ask them, “what you are doing?” And you will get the most common answer, “I am dancing!”

Is this a trend back home? Is everyone telling everyone else they are busy dancing? Hahaha! Or maybe just my family. Since I am raised here, I just tell people I am doing nothing, instead of saying I am busy, or pretending to dance and sing. Life here has made people like me stiff and boring with their replies.

I decided today to sit down and watch BBC world news. Yes, I usually hate watching news, because it is so depressing. I prefer watching BBC though, because I can see the entire world! Unlike CNN and other news channels that are focused on certain things and forgetting the rest of the world’s real problems.

So, I am aware of a lot of news topics because I skim headlines every day, but to watch them is so disgusting. I keep asking my self, “What year is this? What’s wrong with our world?” I think problems in the world are like bad marriages. A dual to the death! Seriously, some countries, NORTH KOREA, need to stop with the nukes. What’s the point of bombing and killing each other? What is the result? Also, that goes for the rest of the world powers that have nukes. Seriously, what’s the point? Have these world powers not learned anything from history? Till now, 2 or 3 generations later, cancer cases are still common in Japan from the nuke’s effect from over 60 years ago.

It’s not funny. They can get an instant result of destruction now, but why should generations and generations to come have to suffer from it? It’s like global warming. We are idiots ruining the planet, but most of us don’t care about the future, and only care about now.

Also, Taliban problems, Middle east problems, European and world economical problems. Oh My GOD! My head hurts. Biggest mistake is watching the news. As adults, we need to step back and enjoy the smell of fresh air. We are ruining humanity and future generation’s hope of living a prosperous life, because we lack proper education in history and human ethics. Technology and science should be used to better humanity and to solve problems that can be avoided in the future, not to create them.

I am ashamed of being an adult right now and being a part of this generation of murderers. It’s like me a year ago going to an interview at a company that makes military equipments to send of to Iraq and Afghanistan. I am glad I didn’t get that job. I didn’t want to be part of a team of people that were involved in any type of military power. That’s why I do not like military people or any form of military supremacy. I believe in diplomacy and arguing your way to find a solution. That’s my philosophy as an educated person that knows that life is a lot more than spending it hurting one another.

If we all smacked each other, will we learn anything or get the result we really intended?

You are wondering why I am coming up with all these topics about Arabs and marriage and crap. Well, let’s say I have been inspired a lot lately, and I need to get a wide opinion from several people. Why? Because I want girls and guys, especially those that come from an Arabic background to not feel bad about the problems they face in life regarding these issues, and to not feel that they are alone.

Every time I feel bad about my self, or think, dear Lord, why me? I then hit my head against the wall and tell my brain to work again. I don’t use my heart to make judgments at all. I used to, and I am a very sensitive person. I cry easily. If I see someone crying, I would cry right away. If I hear someone saying sad words or sweet words, or whatever that is so emotionally touching, then I would cry. Never sit with me if I am watching a sappy movie, like The Notebook. The last scene made me cry like no tomorrow. That’s how bad I am.

So, I am very emotional, but also, I try my best to be very logical in my choices. I forced my self to be strong and not let my heart make the decisions for me. I decided that if I want to keep my dignity as a human being, I would then have to make logical life choices, instead of emotional ones.

I know many people suffer every day from heart brakes. That’s fine. We all did, and we learned from them. However, there is no need to keep repeating the same mistakes. There is no need to fall trapped in a world where you have to get married at a certain age, or you are screwed and people will start calling you names. When I turned 28, many readers know my birthday because I celebrate that day also the birth of my blog, a lot of Arab male idiots decided to call me names for still being single. Most Arabs know what I am talking out, and what exact terms they used, but I am just one person. I cannot change an entire culture, but I am trying to change people’s way of thinking about certain things, but to those who are willing to be open minded and understand that these issues are very common and very hurtful.

So, why is it fine for an Arab guy to be 40 and not married, or 40 and divorced, but a woman can’t? She is very much looked down upon and termed, “hopeless” or a “failure.” Why isn’t the guy a failure as well? Or can we really call it failing? If we all want to get married to someone we truly love, then we need to make logical choices. What do we want from life? Do we want love only?

A lot of people ask me or wonder why I am against love. I will answer it clearly now. I am against the idea that a relationship can continue on because of love. Love is not everything, and it is completely over rated in terms of a relationship. You can love someone. It’s very easy for many people to fall in love, but is there communication? Is there understanding? Is there honesty? Is there trust?

That’s what lacks in many Arab relationships, because of the problems that arise from no trust, no communication, and no honesty. If these things don’t exist, because of the closed mindedness and the clear differentiation of males and females in the Arab society, then there are bound to fail. However, because of the pressures of society, many females put up with it. Why? Why do Arab girls continue to lower their themselves that way? Isn’t she a human being as well? Wasn’t she born the same way as men, from a female?

All I know, and I am 100% sure of it, because I know my self so well, if I did get married at an earlier age, and I did it the traditional Arabic/Islamic way pretty much, then I would have lived a very miserable life. I am not going to lie, but religion plays a big deal with it. However, I would have been divorced by now. The problem is that I hate lowering my self to anyone. I hate being a victim of society and putting up with so much crap, especially for a man. Why should I? Also, in God’s eye, divorce is badly looked down upon, and recommended to be avoided. So, why can’t an Arab guy and girl get to know one another before marriage? Like know each other more than I studied this, I like this type of food, this is my favorite color, blah blah. No, more on a deeper emotional scale. Are they matched well as a whole. How can you know all that if there is a barrier and it is looked down upon if you try to before marriage? Why commit to someone before you go that extra mile to know all the answers?

Now another famous poll of mine!

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I want to tell people, especially Arab guys, that it is ok for a girl to be tough, to have her own opinions, and to be honest. I am that way, and I chose to be that way, and I have nothing to hide. The problem is, this mentality that Arab society has with the differentiation of males and females, especially in North America.

So, I straight up and tell a guy everything. If he doesn’t like me for being me, then forget him. I got nothing to hide. I have nothing to be fearful of. I never did anything bad in my life. Yet, when it comes to Arabs, they think the older you are, more than 20, then you had more time to do everything bad in the book. Yet, when it comes to the males, they could have done everything horrible in life, but when it comes to marriage, they want the perfect innocent girl. The younger, the better, and less “worldly experiences” that she has gone through.

Why is that?

It’s funny the way people portray us Arabs, and especially Muslims. The majority of people, especially in this global village that we live in, are aware of all the religious customs, cultural traditions, etc. So, when a non-Arab or non-Muslim guy asks me, “why don’t you drink?” I say, “because it is a sin, and we are not supposed to.” Then the guy replies, “well, why does this XXXXX (Arab/Muslim) guy/girl does it?”

How do you expect me to respond to that?

I think at times I am trying really hard to protect my self, because of the image that others have made of us in this society. That’s why a lot of people don’t respect Arabs or Muslims. We are either called extremist or white/black wannabes. Is this right? Why should I have to keep justifying this and that person’s action? It got to the point of no trust between Arabs themselves. The image has been ruined because of all the crap that many do. Yet, somehow the good people that are trying so hard to make a better image for themselves, are always ridiculed and pushed back because of their age and gender, and what is being heard from everyone else’s stupid actions.

I want to clarify that image. I am trying so hard to tell people, “Listen, I made this site to tell Arabs that what they are doing is wrong. Also, I want to portray to the rest of the world, especially Arabs that many of us Arab girls are good. We are good people that come from good families and are raised well. Don’t judge us because of someone else’s actions and age. The older we are, the smarter we are in handling life. Is that such a bad thing? Really?”