RE: Another Example of the Radical Islam Memeplex

From: joedees@bellsouth.net
Date: Sun 15 Dec 2002 - 18:18:08 GMT

  • Next message: Lawrence DeBivort: "RE: Another "Example" of the Radical Islam Memeplex"

    > Good morning, Scott,
    >
    > Yes, there was an element in Lawrence of condescension toward the
    > Arabs. He viewed them as quarrelsome, childlike, illogical, capable of
    > cruelty. And he viewed them as pure, courageous, heroic, intuitively
    > 'right', honorable, loyal. I think the mix of opinions reflected
    > Lawrence's experiences in the moment: sometimes things were going
    > great, sometimes they were falling apart. And sometimes the Arabs were
    > simply just not enough like the British. But when Lawrence was back in
    > Cairo, his contempt for the British there was even stronger, and the
    > purity and integrity of the desert Arab would again appeal to him. I
    > think, also, that his different remarks reflected different experience
    > with the pseudo-Europeanized Arabs of the big cities and those with
    > the desert Arabs -- and indeed there was (and is) a big cultural
    > difference between them. His last great interaction with the Arabs
    > was in Damascus, which was very frustrating for him for many reasons.
    > After that, he only worked with Faisal and the Arab delegates to the
    > post-WWI peace conferences. The post-war political situation was
    > immensely frustrating to Lawrence, and he blames part of the failure
    > there on Arab diplomatic ineffectiveness and squabbling, and the
    > qualities that the quote you point to summarizes.
    >
    > Additioonal statements along those lines can be found in his Letters,
    > in PILLARS, etc.
    >
    > BTW: does anyone here have a copy of Oriental Travels or Oriental
    > Assembly that you would like to sell? I'd like to buy it.
    >
    > Best regards,
    > Lawry
    >
    You can find copies of Oriental Assembly for sale at: http://used.addall.com/

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