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Tweeting about blogging?

But when is tweeting too much?  A coworker, who is not on Twitter or Facebook and basically seems to eschew all technology except her laptop, is a bit skeeved out by the communication that happens on Twitter, mainly the fact that we are using Twitter to communicate with people we’d normally have regular conversations with.

I admit, I too have moments of frustration, such as when someone direct messages me to invite me somewhere (rather than sending an SMS or giving a phone call), but on the other hand, some of the ordinary communication that happens on Twitter is the best.  For example, this morning, I sent out a tweet exclaiming my excitement over a particular download:

(it's true, it pleases me muchly)

_My mother, rather than waiting until our next phone call or visit, then sent me a direct message which read, “Are you serious about Joan Baez? I have many old albums, I had no idea you even knew her.” (hope you don’t mind my sharing that, Mom!)

What’s interesting here is that, in my narcissistic use of Twitter, my mom discovered something about me she didn’t know before.  I’ve heard the same thing from my dad before about my blogging, incidentally.  In other words, rather than having a negative effect on my communication with my parents, the Internet has actually improved it – teaching my mother how to use Twitter gave us something fun we could share together; when my dad – who learned how to use the Internet last summer – calls me, we always have something new we read online to share with each other.

So, no.  I don’t think Twitter, or any other social networking, is detrimental to my “real-life” relationships.  While I could do with a little less tweeting from bars (especially on Tuesday nights), I’m glad to have this type of communication throughout the day with my friends and loved ones that was just never available before.

It is very outrageous for some and for me to hear arguments that are against non-virgin women and homosexuals, but these very thoughts are real, and we need to feel good about having Syrian bloggers who depict the majority of the Syrian society, cause without them, we ourselves, won’t be real anymore, we will think that Syria is fine, everything is fine, and we won’t be able to touch a bit of what is not so fine about us.

Razan is right – until these topics are broached, they remain underground, silent.  As soon as they are raised, whether in opposition or not, they become real, a part of the fabric, something worthy of discussion.

Now, I need to take a step back, because I am an outsider – most certainly to Syria, but also to Morocco, which this post will eventually be about.  Yes, I lived there for two years, and yes, have had very intimate relationships and friendships with Moroccans, but I feel the need to place a caveat on this post: I am not Muslim, I am not Moroccan, and so my views are stated as such – as a citizen of the world, a believer in freedom of justice, and as myself.

That said, here goes: I read today that Morocco is cracking down on homosexual activity.  My first thoughts upon reading the article were very angry, reactionary.  I singled out this quote in particular:

“Homosexuality is copied from Western movies, TV shows, and porn channels that promote such practices, and which are, in turn, adversely reflected on younger generations who follow suit, unaware of the consequences,” added university student Mohamed Zahi.

That quote is what I want to discuss, because I realize that the Qur’an, like the Bible and like the Torah, and I’m sure like many other holy books, forbids homosexuality (at least by most interpretations).  I recognize that Moroccans, the majority of whom are raised with some degree of Islam or another at home, are brought up to oppose homosexuality on religious grounds.  That is reality.

What is not reality, however, and will never be, is that homosexuality is an import.  The same argument was made by Syrian bloggers: that homosexuality is an unnatural effect of a freewheeling society.  I will say it once: it is not.  Homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexualism, transgenderism, queerness, and anything else on the spectrum are acts of nature.  While we can control our actions, as many homosexuals raised in religious communities feel forced to, we cannot control who we fall in love with, who we are attracted to.

But rather than waste time debunking myths that have been debunked thousands of times (including here, in Anas’s fantastic post), I would rather say this: A society cannot progress by restricting freedom, as Morocco continues to do.  Morocco is a hypocritical nation: it gives equity to women one minute by allowing them to pass Moroccan nationality to their children, but refuses to do anything about its vast child labor problems.  It grants the freedom of the press to photograph the princess and her children, but places shackles on journalists for telling a few jokes.  And now, in the same breath, Morocco is clamping down on sexual and religious freedoms as it tries to push ahead economically.

Of the many reasons I left Morocco, the most poignant was that I never once felt, as a woman, equal.  Not once.  Not in my job where, despite my equal salary and equal teaching schedule, I was still sexually harassed by a fellow teacher.  Not on the street where it was a miracle if I could walk two blocks without being whistled at (didn’t matter if I wore hijab!).  Not in shops, where if I were with a man, he would always be deferred to even if I were the one paying.

People back home aren’t wont to listen to such complaints, thinking them the burdens of a Muslim society.  But I know better: that isn’t Islam.  That’s a society repressed to the point of explosion.

Many of you are following this story with skeptical eyes, and I want you to know: so am I. For those of you who aren’t so aware of what’s going on, here’s the breakdown:

A Persian news site, Jahan News, reported Hoder’s arrest last week. Following that announcement, Global Voices Advocacy picked up on the story (clearly putting “arrested” in quotes), prompting activists to contact major media outlets. While the activists had Hoder’s best interests at heart, the media quickly sensationalized the story, and before anyone could blink, the Times Online was reporting that “Iranian ‘Blogfather’ Hossein Derakhshan is arrested on charge of spying for Israel” with other outlets such as Haaretz and Canada’s National Post (which unfortunately quoted me as a news source and not a blog) simply piggybacking on the story.

Yet other sources have kept the story in quotes: Toronto’s Globe and Mail (which I spoke to regarding the skepticism), The New York Times, and prominent bloggers such as Ethan Zuckerman.

Right now, the truth is that we don’t know the truth. With no one to confirm or deny Hoder’s arrest, the best we can do is continue to advocate for him until more details are known.

p.s. Will my faithful readers please write to PostGlobal and ask them to update the facts as well? So far, I have done so without response.

Fortunately, this story has been covered quite a bit. Fortunately, because I’ve covered it in at least three articles and I don’t know that I have any more to say. I suppose I could reiterate my disappointment in Morocco for committing such an offense toward free speech.

Long story short – Blogger Mohammed Erraji was arrested early this week for an article in which he insulted the king; he was rapidly sentenced to two years in prison. A major downhill slide for Morocco.

The whole story is covered on Global Voices. A number of bloggers have said their piece as well; check out Berberus (new North Africa aggregator) for a full listing. Another blogger covering the story who appears to have been left out of the aggregator is A Moroccan About the World Around Him.