Iraq has officially become like Iran and Saudi Arabia. It is now a country that bans music, theater and alcohol, a country that I can call the New Islamic Republic of Iraq.
What a tragedy! Why don’t they call it “banning life”?
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| Is that art?! |
Last week, the Iraqi government shut down social clubs that serve alcohol in Baghdad, enraging the educated class who demonstrated against the extreme Islamic-inspired order. Today, Iraqis woke up to hear a far worse order; the Iraqi Ministry of Education has banned theater and music classes in Baghdad's Fine Arts Institute, and ordered the removal of statues showcased at the entrance of the institute without explaining the move.
In a country that went through wars, sanctions and a horrific totalitarian regime, art remained defiant against Islamic extremism throughout centuries. Art has always been an integral part of Iraqis’ lives. Yet today the turbaned Mullahs, who are turning secular Iraq back into the Stone Age, have denied Iraqis’ the right of keeping art part of their country, erasing the Mesopotamian heritage that we inherited thousands of years ago. I wish the Sumerian makers of the Golden Guitar were alive, 3000 years later to see what has happened to their country.
Iraqis raised their voice and democratically elected a secular slate last March, but the Islamic fanatics who wrote the post-Saddam constitution wrote it in a way that they will always be the winners who will get the majority of the seats in the parliament.
We need two things: a new constitution and an atheist regime. Not secular, atheist. That’s how we can achieve success in arts, science and modernity. As long as there is a religious regime, no country will ever progress! Gods and politics will never reconcile. I choose not to side with religion. I choose to side with sanity.
They should be destroying pre-islamic history next.
ReplyDelete"We need two things: a new constitution and an atheist regime. Not secular, atheist. That’s how we can achieve success in arts, science and modernity."
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I'd say that is what every country needs.
I am saddened to read this. After everything Iraq has been through, it does not deserve to end up in the clutches of a religious dictatorship like Iran.
ReplyDeleteBassam, I think of how creatively brilliant our friend Attawie is. Her talents were nurtured by art schools in Iraq. Other talented people like her deserve the same chance to develop their skills to the fullest!
Hello All,
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and happy new year,i would like to introduce the new Iraqi news website...realtime news www.iraqobserver.com
Best regards
Another approch that should be taken is to debate the people who are demanding such laws and say that it goes agianst islamic prinicples to forceful impose the teachings of the quran. and maybe cite some hadteeth or quran or something.
ReplyDeleteLike when this lady complaied to Imam Ali (A.s) about this governor presureing people to pay zakat, the imam gave the lady a letter of dismissal for the governor because he was abuseing his powers and because people have a right to chouse whther they want to follow releigion or not.