Afghans are not Arabs. Afghans are not Arabs. Afghans are not Arabs.
I've been wanting to write this for a while I think. Maybe in an attempt to clarify some things, and maybe in an attempt to correct people who like making disparaging remarks about people who live in Afghanistan by referring to them as "dirty Arabs." But then again, a post like this probably wouldn't mean a lot to the type of person who would refer to anyone as a "dirty Arab," so maybe I'm wasting my time.
Ok, so let's get started. What's an Arab? Allow me to quote my favorite website, Merriam-Webster.com. This is my favorite site cuz I have a vocabulary rivaled by many Amazonian Parrots.
Main Entry: Ar·ab
Pronunciation: 'ar-&b, 'er-; dial also 'A-"rab
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin Arabus, Arabs, from Greek Arab-, Araps
1 a : a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian peninsula b : a member of an Arabic-speaking people
Ok, so where's this crazy Arabian peninsula anyway? Here's a map:
peninsula
Now, as you can see by the map, Afghanistan is suspiciously absent. So where is Afghanistan? If you'll look in the upper right portion of the map underneath the little miles table, you'll see Iran. Afghanistan is to the east of that. (Iran is also not an Arab country, but maybe if I work there I'll make a post called "Iranimania" and post a similar blog).
Ok, so half the theory is debunked.
Next question: Do they speak Arabic in Afghanistan?
Answer: No.
Follow up question: Yeah but whenever I'm trying to enjoy a movie, some dude is screaming in Arabic over a loud speaker in the Mosque.
Answer: Dur.
Most Afghans do not speak Arabic any more than a person who grew up Catholic speaks Latin. They do, however, speak languages like Dari, Poshto, Uzbek, and some others. Arabic is once again, suspiciously absent.
OK, so my point? Just because you're Muslim and live in the middle east doesn't make you an Arab. Why am I saying this? Because I've found that a lot of people don't know the difference, and assume that Afghans are Arabs because both are associated with Islam and Terrorism. Is that offensive? If you can think of a better reason other than "being uninformed," let me know.
OK, so what's new here? Nothing really. We're on "lock down" until the first Afghanistan [free] Elections are done, which is supposed to take place tomorrow. Other than a few incidents of mischief (trying to blow up Karzai's running mate), things have actually been a lot more quiet than I would expect. I guess they have a little more than 24 hours to really start wrecking shit. So expect some post-election coverage right here. I'm curious to see what it's like to all of a sudden live in a Democratic nation. Maybe the sky will look different? The air cleaner? Public Sanitation improved? I doubt it. I bet people in the USA will be disappointed if Kerry gets elected and they're all of a sudden not better paid/happier/don't hate their jobs/thinner and that all over the world, terrorists will stop being jerks.
More later--
Ok, so let's get started. What's an Arab? Allow me to quote my favorite website, Merriam-Webster.com. This is my favorite site cuz I have a vocabulary rivaled by many Amazonian Parrots.
Main Entry: Ar·ab
Pronunciation: 'ar-&b, 'er-; dial also 'A-"rab
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin Arabus, Arabs, from Greek Arab-, Araps
1 a : a member of the Semitic people of the Arabian peninsula b : a member of an Arabic-speaking people
Ok, so where's this crazy Arabian peninsula anyway? Here's a map:
peninsula
Now, as you can see by the map, Afghanistan is suspiciously absent. So where is Afghanistan? If you'll look in the upper right portion of the map underneath the little miles table, you'll see Iran. Afghanistan is to the east of that. (Iran is also not an Arab country, but maybe if I work there I'll make a post called "Iranimania" and post a similar blog).
Ok, so half the theory is debunked.
Next question: Do they speak Arabic in Afghanistan?
Answer: No.
Follow up question: Yeah but whenever I'm trying to enjoy a movie, some dude is screaming in Arabic over a loud speaker in the Mosque.
Answer: Dur.
Most Afghans do not speak Arabic any more than a person who grew up Catholic speaks Latin. They do, however, speak languages like Dari, Poshto, Uzbek, and some others. Arabic is once again, suspiciously absent.
OK, so my point? Just because you're Muslim and live in the middle east doesn't make you an Arab. Why am I saying this? Because I've found that a lot of people don't know the difference, and assume that Afghans are Arabs because both are associated with Islam and Terrorism. Is that offensive? If you can think of a better reason other than "being uninformed," let me know.
OK, so what's new here? Nothing really. We're on "lock down" until the first Afghanistan [free] Elections are done, which is supposed to take place tomorrow. Other than a few incidents of mischief (trying to blow up Karzai's running mate), things have actually been a lot more quiet than I would expect. I guess they have a little more than 24 hours to really start wrecking shit. So expect some post-election coverage right here. I'm curious to see what it's like to all of a sudden live in a Democratic nation. Maybe the sky will look different? The air cleaner? Public Sanitation improved? I doubt it. I bet people in the USA will be disappointed if Kerry gets elected and they're all of a sudden not better paid/happier/don't hate their jobs/thinner and that all over the world, terrorists will stop being jerks.
More later--
10 Comments:
I look forward to your insight as to the election process over there. If nothing gets 'really blown up good,' we won't hear about it on MSNBC or CNN over here other than "The democratic elections were held in Afghanistan today. On to other news, scientists say Mt. St. Helens is ABOUT TO ERUPT and DESTROY WESTERN CIVILIZATION as we know it!!! Now were going to go to Jim who's on-location inside the bowl of the volcano..."
Good for you...maybe you can convince people that Afghans are not Arabs. Maybe thay might start to question the lies they are force fed by American politicians and the media. Probably not though.
Good for you. Your site is informative. I have continually pointed out to people that Kurds, Turks and Afghani's are not Arabs nor do they speak it. Persians are not Arabs either. They speak Farsi not Arabic, and I know I am preaching to the choir. Some people are ignorant. Can't change that.
Your evidence of Afghans are not Arab is half correct. If you look into books from the past that have been kept about the tribes in Afghanistan certain tribes Afghan Arab bloodline due to Aryana "Afghanistan" being invaded by arabs long long ago. So Afghanistan has people whom great great grandparents were arab.
Well afghans are basically a mixture of indian and persian
we ar arabs <3 and The history of Arabs in Afghanistan spans over one millennium, from the 7th century Islamic conquest when Arab ghazis arrived with their Islamic mission[1][2] until recently when others from the Arab world arrived to defend fellow Muslims from the Soviet followed by their liberation by NATO forces. Most of the early Arabs gradually lost their Arabic hegemony and ultimately mixed with the local population, though they are still considered a cognizably distinct ethnic group according to the Constitution of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Anthem.
There are afghan Arabs found in Afghanistan
Afghans are middle eastern and so are Arabs and I know that doesn't make afghans Arab but they are closer to Arabs then you think.
also there are lots of afghans living in Arab countries and lots of Arabs living in Afghanistan
Middle East is west of Persian so if you're east of Iran you're not in the ME.
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