 |
| Search |
|
|
Non-Profit Partners
University of Houston
KPFT 90.1-FM
WTP-TV, Cable Channel 17
|
|
Syrian artist Hala Faisal found her way to protest the occupations of Iraq and Palestine by getting naked in Washington Square Park in New York City on Aug. 9.
Getting naked for political,economic or social reasons is not new, but what is new is that an Arab lady decided to do so. This act has enraged controversy in societies and media outlets across the Arab World.
Dubai-based AlArabiya News Network delivered the news of Faisal’s actions. In a poll conducted by the news network, the article that delivered such news on its website was among the top five to be read, to be sent by email to other people and the most provocative to readers’ comments and remarks for two weeks in a row.
On different media outlets in the Arab World, many men and women from different Arab societies have expressed anger and disgust on what she did. The comments on the article had more than 1000 responses.
Most of the comments came under two categories. The majority criticized Faisal and thought she was a shame on Arabs and Muslims. The others felt she could have found a different way to express her anger. Iraqis and Palestinians for whom she protested for were angry of what she did and said that Iraq and Palestine have been shamed by her actions.
On the other hand, the minority of responses did not agree with what she did, but they were very understanding to her anger. They complimented the purity of her body in reflecting the naked truth about what is happening in Iraq and Palestine. All agreed that she could not do what she did if she was in an Arab or Muslim country.
So, what does all this really mean?
The issue here is more than just a woman from a Syrian, Arab or Muslim background committing such an act. Let's put it this way, some people go to extremes by blowing themselves up in Jerusalem, Baghdad, London or New York to catch people’s attention to a conflict.
On the other hand, others go to extremes by getting naked obviously for the same motives and reasons. The difference? In the second scenario, no one is harmed physically. For some people though, harming can be more than physical. It can be psychological, mental or cultural. Of course, the physical killing of a human being is worse.
To be objective though, for some people, both are of equal weight since regardless of the outcomes and effects, they have the same provocative roots. In both cases, people should not ignore the reasons for the protestor's actions.
In the United States, it was interesting to see how the U.S. media outlets covered this event that in my opinion goes well beyond just a women getting naked. The Associated Press and the Daily Villager mentioned what she did was in protest to the occupation in Palestine and Iraq, but the New York Times reported it as a protest of the war in Iraq only in order to try and link the story with the story of Cindy Shaheen in Crawford, Texas.
Such coverage ignores the real roots of the mother of all conflicts in the Middle East --the Palestinian cause.
Now back to Faisal personally. Faisal comes from a Muslim family in Syria, a Kurd mother from Damascus and an Arab father from Homs. Faisal’s parents raised her in a secular environment that enriched her passion for music and arts. Her father became a political prisoner when President Hafez Assad came to power in a coupe in 1971.
Faisal became a famous singer and artist in the 80s--a period full of turmoil in the Syrian society. It was during this time that Faisal decided to leave her native country and journey to the Soviet Union to continue her studies in the arts. Eventually she moved on to Germany, France and the United States.
Faisal is known to be very liberal, rebellious and un-conventional. Her artwork is attractive. The way she melts the colors add unique flavor to the meanings of what she tries to show in the different stages of a woman’s life. Most of her artwork involves naked women in several styles. It's easy to see her motives artistically.
What isn’t so easy to see is Faisal’s motives behind her naked protest. Is Faisal just another new age, war profiteer?
To my knowledge, Faisal does not have a history of activism concerning Syria—her homeland. Why not? Why is she protesting Iraq when Syria also has it share of problems? Is it for money? For fame? I’m sure the attention hasn’t hurt her art business. Only she can truly answer these questions.
To comment about this story or contact the author, please visit World Internet News' public forum section.
© Copyright World Internet News 2006-07
Top of Page
|
|
|
|
