The words China and Egypt, Athens and Rome, send to most folkfolks idea a mysterious history and a adored culture. Rarely will the word Mesopotamia, antique Iraq, do the same. Youll probably receive confused alternatively weird expressions from babies, even most adults, at the advert of Mesopotamia. In regards to Iraq,
christian louboutin black patent, images of Saddam, violence, terrorists, Islamic fundamentalists and war pop up entire over. And thats where the images ordinarily end.
As for Iraqs attributes, they are buried alive under lack of recognition. For whatever cause, history educate books and television procedures fail to consult the magnitude of ancient Iraq, even although its the mama of our current lifestyle and accordingly, should not only be discussed merely accented.
I stopped manuscript here, hiked abroad from my microprocessor and asked my niece, who was studying for a seminary lesson at the pantry chart, to phone a pair of her friends, narrate them she was doing a examine for her aunt and could they question one question: What is Mesopotamia?
The people surveyed were in their mid-twenties to late thirties, and are both currently in college or have a college degree.
first response is a first generation American, the daughter of Chaldean (Christian Iraqi) immigrants: What the f_ _ _ is this for? I dont know. Im not agreeable in geography. Are you kidding me right now? I deceit explain it like this. You bent me off guard. I dont know. I must think about it. You cant do this. I wasnt able to brain storm so go get your information from someplace else.
Click. My niece laughed, knowing her friend overreacted having been put on the spot. She dialed the next number, this time putting a little distort in the answer. If an foreigner comes down from out of space and asks you what is Mesopotamia, what would you mention?
2nd response is too by the daughter of Chaldean immigrants: Oh, my God! Well…. Long ago long ago okay, its an area of land in the Middle East. Its our culture, where our people are from. Didnt your aunt jot a writing above this? Its a huge speck and a war broke out there and everybody was separated to different areas.
3rd response is by a Greek-American man: I dont understand. Never heard of it. Its a region. In Biblical times. Thats all I know.
4th response is by an American woman: Its a nation an place providence an zone in the Middle East. In an Arabic land. Where theres King Tut and Egypt.
5th response is by an Iranian woman: It was an Eastern culture that has someone to do with the Ottoman Empire or Egypt.
6th response is by a Jewish woman: Its a country or city.
7th reaction namely along one Irish-American woman: Cancer. She have to have mistaken the word for mesothelioma, Im bold?
The results of the survey did not wonder me. I knew from prior experience that people knew mini if everything about the history of Iraq even though America has had political and media contact with that region for approximately two decades. I remember how after the Gulf War many people called Iraq Iran and after I corrected them, they unraveled, Oh, I always obtain these two countries mingled up.
Unless the person is extremely or self educated, he or she will not possible kas long ascivilization was born in Mesopotamia over 5,000 years ago. That is where writing, astronomy and science were contrived. The first school, statute, literature, map of the earth, and the mind of dividing time and space into a multiple of 60s began in this historic land.
The 1st writer in logged history was Enheduanna, a female from ancient Iraq. She lived, composed, and taught roughly 2,000 years ahead Aristotle and 1,700 years prior to Sappho. Before the golden age of Greece. Mans most major invention, the wheel, was designed in Mesopotamia,
christian louboutin outlet mall, as was plumbing, the furrow and the sailboat.
If people were commonly aware of these facts, their picture of Iraq will change and so will their attitude and behavior towards it. For example, perhaps Baghdads museum would have been better protected from looters behind the American/British aggression. Instead, 300-400 looters were permitted to appear and go as they please taking such antiques as the Varca vase, which goes behind to 3,200 B.C. Found in a temple, it shows the philosophy of the Sumerians and the evolution and stages of life. Also missing was a mindless statue for a Sumerian chief, Antemena, and the outstanding Barzeki copper statue, which dates behind to early dynastic Sumerian times and is extra than 160 kilograms. It's one of the premier great instances of hurling that was made by the 'lost wax technique,' which is used until now.
Why didnt the American Army help when Iraqis pleaded for an of its contiguous tanks apt help save the exhibit, by simply moving in front of it? Why was the Armys response, Im sorry, its not our responsibility while a catalogue published by the American Central Command stated which locations the Army should protect during the 2003 campaign and the museum was at Number 2, when the Ministry of Oil, which was urgently and efficiently protected, was at Number 16?
Much of the violence against US crews is triggered by the crews failure to know culture-specific courtesy and practices in Iraq. It is gainful for everyone to help in cultures agreeable bigger acquainted and as a result, lead individuals to stop the ruinous doings that have terrorized either the East and the West. To do this one needs merely encourage mainstream Western media to recognize the awards and not fair the conflicts regarding Arabs tribal ways, which manipulate on a foundation of credit, respect and a sense of association.
In California today there is a program for the naval where Iraqi people are brought in to show how Iraqis consider and behave, how they operate in their tribal system. It is a excellent idea which truly aught to have been implemented before the war so that the sons and daughters, fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers serving in Iraq would be equipped with understanding, not just weapons.
Through replacing stereotypes with precise message, we are also able to alter Americas image which also has suffered in the world due to myths and misconceptions attained via media and some of our politicians wrong decisions. For instance, when I was in Baghdad about six years ago, numerous Iraqis presumed that in America all women had one night stands, using drugs was the cultural criterion, and everyone walked around with guns.
Weam Namou was connate for a minority Christian in Baghdad, Iraq and came to America at age ten. She is the author of The Feminine Art and The Mismatched Braid.
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