Psst! Over here:

In case you are wondering about Tom Friedman's latest op-ed, the one where Atrios said "it appears the Tom Friedman has been possessed by a psychotic nutjob", then check out this blog post. It's got most of the column (which can also be found in K-Drum's comment thread). In it, Friedman makes clear his disdain for Arabs. Here is some of what he wrote:

When you cannot find a single garden in your city, but there is a mosque on every corner — you know that you are in an Arab country.

When you see people living in the past with all the trappings of modernity — do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country.

When religion has control over science — you can be sure that you are in an Arab country.   [That's a good one, Tom!]

When clerics are referred to as “scholars” — don’t be astonished, you are in an Arab country.

When you see the ruler transformed into a demigod who never dies or relinquishes his power, and nobody is permitted to criticize — do not be too upset, you are in an Arab country.   [Just like Mao's China]

When you find that the large majority of people oppose freedom and find joy in slavery — do not be too distressed, you are in an Arab country.

When you hear the clerics saying that democracy is heresy, but seizing every opportunity provided by democracy to grab high positions — do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country. ...

When you discover that a woman is worth half of what a man is worth, or less — do not be surprised, you are in an Arab country. ...

When land is more important than human beings — you are in an Arab country. ...

When fear constantly lives in the eyes of the people — you can be certain you are in an Arab country.

But wait! There's more! Friedman also writes:

...Occasionally an honest voice rises, giving you a glimmer of hope that others will stand up. The MEMRI translation Web site (memri.org) just posted a poem called “When,” from a Saudi author, Wajeha al-Huwaider ...

The good folks at MEMRI, don't you know. From Wikipedia:

Yigal Carmon — MEMRI's President. Carmon is fluent in Arabic. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Intelligence Branch from 1968 to 1988 ...

Read about the controversy here (that it's more of a propaganda operation than a research institute).

If, as Friedman says, the Arabs are unredeemable, then why not kill them all?


posted by Quiddity at 3/02/2007 08:08:00 AM