Ayaan Hirsi Ali...The Enigma
Love her or loathe her....she is her own woman...or is she?
"Somali-born Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, known for her outspoken criticism of conservative Islam, is leaving politics and the Netherlands amid a row over her citizenship..."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4985636.stm
"Hirsi Ali's controversial film Submission famously led to the brutal murder by a Moroccan immigrant extremist of Theo Van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker who helped her to produce it. That gruesome event shot her to international fame. She subsequently received numerous death threats which ever since have forced her to live a semi-clandestine life with 24-hour police protection."
http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=16525
In her own words ...
On immigration: 'I am not against migration. It is pragmatic to restrict migration, while encouraging integration and fighting discrimination.'
On religion: 'I do not believe in God, angels and the hereafter.'
On 9/11: Referring to hijacker Mohammed Atta's letter to his accomplices telling them to pray for martyrdom, she said: 'If I were a male under the same circumstances, I could have been there. It was exactly what I used to believe.'
On Islam: 'When a Life of Brian comes out with Muhammad in the lead role, directed by an Arab equivalent of van Gogh, it will be a huge step.'
On the lessons she learned from an Iranian-trained Shia fundamentalist: 'I had never seen an Israeli, but we hated them because it was "Muslim" to hate them.'
On herself: 'I have no real social life. It's like having a body with no bottom [a Somali expression]... who on earth can I saddle with a relationship? It's not off limits, and technically it can all happen. But is it, as we say in Dutch, verstandig? Sensible? It doesn't seem sensible now.'
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,1779723,00.html?gusrc=rss
I admire her for the courage to do and say what she wants....it's her choice afterall. I admire her even more for the courage to live up to it...probably for the rest of her life. But frankly...I don't really know her agenda...fight against discrimination? for the poor? for women..muslim women? for equality? or is she trying to exorcise the demons of life within herself?
She is leaving for America....with her "baggages".
posted by black feline at 7:25 AM
15 Comments:
An intriguing woman, I would like to see more about her I think
8:34 AM
‘(…) or is she trying to exorcise the demons of life within herself?’
Based solely on what you’ve written here, since I’ve never even heard of this woman before and don’t care to research another controversial thing, I’d bet this is the agenda.
I wouldn’t doubt she’s harboring a lot of hate for Somalian traditions (female circumcision, and other nasty things that aren’t Islamic but seem that way in any highly religious civilization, take Saudi for example) and blaming Islam for it, because chances are she was brought up in a world where both religion & tradition were indistinguishable from the other.
A lot of ‘atheists’ will attest that their lack of belief in God is based around an incapability to comprehend why God allows torture, hunger, or even personal abuse or suffering (which more often than not is the strongest conception).
But you're right. You must admire the strength it takes to state such controversial beliefs so openly.
3:58 PM
I read about her in Wall Street Journal.
9:56 PM
very very well put! I loved your post.
10:31 PM
Hey BF, first time here :)
There is little intriguing about her, rather she is an intrigue-making woman.
In sweden we get a lot of news regarding her. Our Liberal party granted her the Democracy award...
This is a woman who lived in somalia, was forced to marry some old man and now wants to take it all out on Islam and muslims in Europe who have nothing to do with Somali culture or practice.
That is her agenda.
She has equated Islam with ancient african traditions of female circumcision and forced marriage to older men.
Whatever good she has to say falls on deaf ears because of her lack of integrity in dealing with the issue of Islam, while in reality she is dealing with the issues of her own past.
I feel sorry for her, she had a crap life, but don't come to Europe and verbally harass us European muslim women who have been living here and enjoying our freedom to be muslim here without being forced to marry older men and become circumcized.
She is now leavnig for the US since the Neherlands have threathened to take away her citizenship after she had lied about who she was when coming to Holland.
She is a woman who enjoyed the possebility of a new life in Holland, yet is now part of the political party in Holland that is most rigid in wanting to stop immigration.
She is nothing but a joke and publicity junkie and I wish people would pay attention to real vocalists of human rights like Nobel Peace Prize Winner Cherin Ebadi who is working against all sorts of opression against women in Iran.
5:49 AM
She's going to America to marry Michel Houllebecq isn't she?
hee hee
kingfisher
3:19 PM
BF
There is an excellent article in "The New Yorker" magazine, April 3, 2006 p.60 by Jane Kramer entitled "Holland faces its radical muslims". It mentions Ms Ali...
"... but there's booze in the blender, and soon it will render, that frozen concoction that helps me hang on..."
...off to Margaritaville...!!!
Ciao
kingfisher
3:52 PM
nakji....i really don't get her ..what's her inner world like?
wow! your highness tainted....what an impressive comment..not trying to patronise...:)
junebee...do keep us posted how she's doing there.
ghassan....if only she learns to relax like u...a truly laid back cat! (see pic)lol
sha'ira..welcome :)...hmmmmmmmm..u don't like her too much huh? perhaps she's stirring a hornet's nest? but as a fellow human to another..i seriously hope she finds real happiness...a lonely bird must reach home one day!
Agent Kingfisher...thank u once again...opening my eyes to another interesting character...my first really.I doubt they are meant to be together...both are extremely intense...suicidal to put them together..me think :)He's a bigger time bomb..lol
4:08 PM
Agent Kingfisher,
u take delight in her situation? :) btw...have u heard of SAMI AL ARIAN? The imprisoned professor in Florida for suspected terroism activities?
7:31 AM
BF
Shadenfreude... from German... to delight in another's misery.
No, I just meant it as a kind of humorous jab. It's ironic isn't it that a young intelligent woman like Ms Ali emigrates to one of the most liberal democracies in the known universe and is haunted and hounded by the very demons she was seeking to escape?
Some would say she was the architect of her own misfortune. I will again say "no". We all make choices we must live with the consequense of but I suspect my heart is soft enough to allow that there was no way on God's green earth she could have anticipated the nasty and brutish threats on her life whilst living in Holland. From people of her own faith. God what a mess. I wish her a safe and happy journey. May she live long and wisely...
BF your post should create some interest in Ms Ali and her political involvement. I hope some people, especially those of the Islamic faith will take pause to consider her position. And take a good long look at themselves.
But, what about M. Houllebecq - good match, n'est pa? He's certainly the bad boy of European letters these last few years. They would be fascinating dinner companions...
Ciao
kingfisher
8:18 PM
Iman..the supermodel..also from Somalia..though from a privileged background...she's able to use her fame and resources for many charitable works....I beleive the charismatic Ms Alis is capable of that too :)
9:40 AM
I read all about her in this blog last year: http://clorange.com/?p=106
I think the whole genital mutilation thing would be quite enough for me to hate the people who forced it upon me as well as the society from which I came if I were in her situation.
5:20 AM
The most informative article I read about Hirsi Ali was published recently in the 'Aqoul blog. It's part of a 3-part series (Anger as Analysis) dealing with her and other similar cases of Muslim women in the West (Fadela Amara, Irshad Manji, etc.) The link is here.
9:46 PM
bandicoot...thanks for the infor...excellent stuff...well researched!
4:26 AM
I think I am a somali like her and know her deep inside..
My blog will explain
5:54 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home