Posted by sankho from CPE-203-45-1-117.vic.bigpond.net.au (203.45.1.117) on Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:49AM :
In Reply to: Re: Not All Palestinians Are Muslim... posted by pancho from pool0044.cvx24-bradley.dialup.earthlink.net (209.179.210.44) on Friday, November 22, 2002 at 7:42AM :
: : You are what you call yourself. Period. The Arab-speaking 'Assyrians' identify themselves with Sunni Arab culture;
: +++The English speaking Assyrians identify themselves with Americans and other Western Christians Powers.
>>>>That's fine... they call themselves American Assyrian: a "dual ethnicity". Never, ever heard a Sunni Arab call himself an Assyrian Arab or whatever....JUST SUNNI IRAQI ARAB. You can identify with whatever you want AS LONG AS YOU KEEP AT LEAST SOME SORT OF LINK to that grat heritig.
>>> Anyway, "iraq" is a fictitious land carved out of the remains if the Ottoman empire by your whitey friends;
: +++What you like to call Arab is Muslim influenced Assyrian/Persian...just as what you like to call Assyrian is Israeli influenced Assyrianism. Muslim history came after Christian history.
>>> I don't care two hoots about what somethings influences are: I'm certain our culture is about as similar to ancient Assyrian as you are to Brad Pitt.... ancient and modern Assyrian are very, very, very different...with multiple influences along the way; all very nice. But at least we see that link and identify with it. Again, Iraqi Arabs identify with Arab Muslim culture ipsi pepsi they are AAAAAAA-Rab!!!
: +++I just look around me...and none of you make any sense. religions came to Iraq and influenced the people. I don't care what they call themselves...I am no more impressed that Golani is an Assyrian than I am that Ali or Jaabar ISN'T. What impresses me most is who is doing what to all that remains of the Assyrian Heritage.
>>>>>Huh?
What exactly are our muslim Arab brothers doing to preserve the Assyrian culture in Iraq?
And I see our Christians rooting for more death and destruction...and I see our Iraqi Muslims AND Christians fighting to preserve the land under terrible conditions...while our latte guzzling Christian/Americans imagine themselves ambassadors for a new Assyria...brought to them courtesy of Murder Inc.
: the moslem Assyrians associate with THAT LINK TO THE non -Christian Assyrian past and THEREFORE CALL THEMSELVES ASSYRIAN MOSLEMS....what don't you get?
: ++++I can understand your reverence for what people "call themselves". Especially as we all got out and now call ourselves Australians or Americans. Regardless of these labels...being Assyrian does not mean being of one or another religion...
>>>never said it has... you're shoving that down my throat
as it also has nothing to do with genes...
>>>ditto
we were all mixing it up from the dawn of civilization...it mattered not at all then just as today it matters not at all where you came from...only that you ACT the part of a loyal American or whatever. Who examines genes to determine nationality these days? Iraqis come to America and quickly stop acting like Iraqis...watch how many of us fall all over ourselves trying to prove we are true and loyal Americans.
: +++I have an equally modern and pragmatic definition of what it is to be Assyrian...one that wont keep us barefoot and pregnant and fascistic...looking for "pure" and "true" Assyrians. Anyone who shows loyalty and love for BetNahrain...whatever it is CALLED and whatever the people TALK ABOUT A LOT...is a true Assyrian...one for the modern world...not the Medeival one most of us occupy...as we get trashed by those living in this century.
-- sankho
-- signature .