This e-mail just reached me from the United Arab Emirates
Subject: Coin always have two sides!First of all, thank you, Haneen, for reading my blog and taking the time to write. It's nice to know that I can hold my own in the race for mindshare, even in the land of the Zayed Centre for Co-ordination and Follow-up. If you think my writing is a "good example of terrorism" then you take too literally the expression that "the pen is mightier than the sword". As far as I'm aware, nobody has ever died or lost the use of a body part because of anything I've written. And I would take you a little more seriously if you bothered to point out exactly what I have written that is untrue. Naturally, I will be more than happy to correct any incorrect statements you bring to my attention. Until then, I regret that I must dismiss you as just another frustrated loonie idiot. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at December 03, 2002 11:16 PM
From: ***@maktoob.com (Haneen Tamari)Since you are a "journalist", I would expect you to look to the both sides of the stories you write and publish.And been reading your articles, make me sure of your 100% "subjective" opinions, particularly concerning Arabs and Islam. Talking about terrorism? I think works done and published as the way you do, is a good example for a kind of it.
Journalism is a noble proffesion, which is determind to show the truth as it is and not the truth as you want it.
That's funny you mention that you would correct any incorrect statements, yet you failed to correct the information I provided you about Omar. If I may remind you:
1)He's not Palestinian, he's an American born in Ohio.
2)He's not a member of a religious group but a member of Berkely Students of Justice in Palestine. An association that defends human rights and whose members are from various religions and nationalities.
I would also like to point out that you failed to mention the "true" story about what happened that evening when your 10$ disposable camera was "stolen" from you. Omar wasn't the guy who took your disposable camera.
So I guess this person does have a point. You only write your truth, not as it is.
Well, Dema Chaikhouni, I would be more inclined to take you seriously too once you answer my earlier questions about your relationship to Omar Chaikhouni. Are you his mother, sister? what?
And how do you know what happened in Berkeley a few weeks ago? I see from your Internet address that you are writing from Syria. Were you in Berkeley that night? If not, what is your source for all of this information that you are giving us?
My camera was not "stolen", it was stolen. That is not a "true" story. It is a true story. The last time I saw the man who was identified as Omar he was being led away in handcuffs. So at this point it's for the criminal justice system to determine his culpability. Did the DA drop the charges? Has he been tried and acquitted? If he wasn't the man who stole and broke my camera, who was? Do tell us more about what you know and how you know it.
I welcome postings from people who add facts and shed new light and alternative opinions on things that I write about. But I have little patience for people who only say that I'm wrong without backing up their assertions.
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on December 4, 2002 10:26 AMBite on Shark!
Gotta love that First Amendment! It belongs to the USA - but we are willing to share it with Haneen, Dema and all the rest ..... but, alas, y'all may need an instruction manual :-)
Posted by: Ipsofacto on December 4, 2002 06:57 PMI wish the palestinians switched to shark's form of terrorism.
Posted by: Oscar on December 4, 2002 10:12 PMDear Stephan,
Here I am providing you with correct information yet you're simply aggrivated because you want to know what is my relationship to Omar? Who cares? It doesn't matter! You're completely avoiding the main issue.
By the way, it took the judge 5 mins to dismiss your case and you claim that you don't know that?!
Posted by: Dema on December 5, 2002 04:19 AM