[Arab Times-Kuwait ] Khaled Aljenfawi - A negative and hostile discourse against Western cultures and civilizations was adopted by pan-Arab political writers and commentators during the 1950s and 60s, paving the way for the spread of a culture of violence and hostility which is threatening to engulf our entire Middle Eastern region. Hostility toward non-Arab and non-Muslim cultures through quasi-journalistic analysis and the continuation of biased Arab media coverage in the region creates a disastrous combination of violence and extremism. One reason for the rise of hostility, violence, and the intimidation of cultural and racial minorities is the lack of sufficient educational programs about the importance of "diversity." A typical Arab school may offer the most advanced scientific curricula while at the same time maintain part of it to demonize the "other," the non-Arab or non-Muslim and sometimes the Arab pro-Western intellectual. Due to many cultural reasons, the "other" has always been associated with the West.
2008-06-27 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive