From: at392@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michel M. Karam)
Subject: Re: Pleasure Marriages
Reply-To: at392@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michel M. Karam)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 92 14:33:45 GMT


In a previous article, basilh@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Basil Hamdan) says:

>In article <1992Apr9.201417.16117@usenet.ins.cwru.edu> at392@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Michel M. Karam) writes:

>>
>>Oh really? Beaten to death? There were two articles about the pleasure 
>>marriages one trying to limit the damage caused by the article, the other
>>blaming the moderators of lebnet for posting it.
>>
>Did that give you an indication that it is inappropriate to post an article
>that inaccurately and unfairly portrays a segment of the Lebanese population ?

Not at all. The fact that only 1 person out of 600 or so protested the
article, seems to indicate it was acceptable for the overwhelming majority
of the readers. The other person who commented on the article didn't protest
its presence but tried to explain its content and to correct some potential
misconceptions it might have contained.


>This article is not informative, in fact it is more akin to disinformation.
>FYI this practice is shunned
>by the majority of the Shi'a population, and while it does happen
>is in no way representative of the Shi'a customs.  Posting it by Leb-Net 
>and your repost are clearly aimed at giving it some credence and a cheap
>shot attack that deserves nothing but contempt.

On the contrary, I posted the article to have it discussed on this net and
I am sure that there are enough knowledgeable people in here to give us 
a good deal of information on the subject and to clear any disinformation in 
it, if any. And please do not judge my intentions until I tell you what 
they are.


>>
>>I find the article far more relevant to culture (note the name of this 
>>newsgroup) than the various political articles posted in here.
>>
>What you find cultural, unfortunately, seems to be any article that contains
>some Muslim bashing, or Arab bashing.
>

Could you point out any erroneous information in the article? Furthermore
the article cannot be considered as Arab or Muslim bashing because the 
practice occurs in Iran which is not Arab, and is only allowed in Shiism
which is a minority sect among Muslims.


>>
>>Could you mention the cheap shots? Are the claims made by the article 
>>inaccurate? Could you correct them for us? I would really like to learn 
>>more on the subject.
>>
>The problem with the article is that it uses some specific cases to make a
>point that is predetermined by the author about the morals of the Shi'a 
>community, portraying them as hypocrites and morally lax.
>The article may be accurate in the facts it relates however it is highly
>insiduous in perpetrating to describe a set of values ascribed to the Shia's
>by using non-representative examples.  Your own reasons for reposting this
>trash are also insiduous and illustrate why we have a long way to go
>before we can be part of the same nation.

Again you are making statements on the intent of the article and mine for
posting it without being able to substantiate your claims. 
I am sorry if the article offended you but maybe the reason why you and others
reacted so violently is that truth hurts?

Michel.