From: nabil@ncrcol.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Nabil Idriss)
Subject: Re: Arab identity 
Organization: NCR E&M Columbia SC.
Date: Thu, 09 Apr 92 20:15:35 GMT

In article <1992Apr09.191536.29608@ncrcae.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM> sylvie@ncrcol.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Sylvie Feghali Ext. 6525) writes:
>    With all due respect to everyone's ideas and beliefs; specifically 
>                    Khaled S. Soufi
>                    Elie I. Mourad
>                    Ayman Fawaz
>                    Nabil Idriss                        
>                    Basil Hamdan
>    and everyone else who has been participating to this latest "Arab identity"
>    discussion, I think we should all stop being so defensive and refrain
>    from asking each other to "fly kites" or express our disgust so
>    descriptively as wanting "to puke" or calling others "incompetent" when
>    our country has been in war for 15 years and we were unable to
>    stop it ...
>    These discussions have turned into a verbal war.  
>    I think the controversy is caused by mis-communication.
>    I think you guys  need to establish a frame of reference to insure we
>    are all talking about the same thing when we refer to a certain term.
>    Specifically the term "Arab"
>
>       What is the definition of "an Arab" in the context of your discussions?
>                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>    In other words, am I an arab because :
>
>      1) Arabic is the official language in my country? 
>      2) My country belongs to the Arab league?
>      3) I may be muslim?
>      4) There is a desert in my country?
>      5) My ancestors were nomades who lived in tribes ?
>      6) My heritage is arabic ?
>      7) My ancestors were exposed to and participated in the
>         development of the arabic culture ?
>      8) My country is located in the middle east or northern Africa?
>      9) Other reasons ... ?
>
>    Please define this term so we can turn this thread into an
>    enjoyable and respectful exchange 
>
>                                                    Sylvie
>
>

Sylvie

I consider an arab everyone that his country is a member of the 
arab league and speaks arabic. Just like everyone that lives in the
United States is an American, except of course the visitors. This 
cover parts 1 and 2 of your questions.

Religion does not have anything to do with being an arab. There is
Christian and Moslem Lebanese, Palestinians, Egyptians, etc.. 

If you read my two previous articles, you must have noticed that 
I asked those who are mixing religion with politics to stop doing
that. Even try to reconcile their political differences and start
rebuilding instead of pointing fingers at each others.

The only reason I used the unpleasant term "puke" in my previous
article is because I feel bad when I see someone from Lebanon, which
I strongly consider an arabic country, trying to distance himself
from the Arabs. A lot of arabs can argue that their ancestors are from
Greek, Europe, or Africa. The Americans are from many different countries
as well, but they still call themselves Americans.

Ofcourse, I could have just walked around the corner and told you 
this, but instead I posted it for everyone to read.

Nabil

I was born in Lebanon. I lived there prior to 1975 and I lived among
Christians and Moslems and I can see