Mr Edward w. Said s 2003 preface

In May 2003 Mr Edward w. Said write a preface for his new edition of the book “orientalism” Published by the “Penguin Group” again in 2003 (it was third edition, after its republication in 1978, 1995). In this text he refers to his goal and again had a look to the world ,s new phenomenon base on his “orientalism” theory. He looks at occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan as new Orientalists action toward Orient (Middle East). He analyse this events as newest world face with new imperialism by United States and United Kingdom.

Mr said know himself as represent of "the Orient" and his book as source of a especial kind of discourse that is contain a source of cultural element of The East,… and know it effective till now after it published in 1978 and translation to in thirty-six languages till 2003 show that it rule is going on. He thinks that his book and it, s subjects is alive and completely did not “die down” and one of the reason of it, is continuation of the Middle East, the Arabs and Islam world to fuel enormous change, struggle, controversy and war.

Mr said believes that his growing up in Middle East (Palestine and Egypt and Lebanon) has effective role in “Orientalism” Definition. He speaks about the starting his engagement in political after the 1967 Arab–Israeli war and the effect of continuation of occupation of Palestinian Territory and other Arab land and very bad Palestinian situation in his carrier and also his experience in comparative literature as specialist in this field to have orientalism theory.

He also noted that in American university, Columbia is still one of the few remaining places in the United States where such this study can take place. and still Orientalism has dynamic to interpret new events in political atmosphere in eve of 21^th . then Mr said see event in middle East as chain like this :

The Lebanon civil war ----- the failure of the Oslo peace process -----the outbreak of the second intifada--------- the awful suffering of the Palestinians on the reinvaded West Bank and Gaza, with Israeli F-16's and Apache helicopters used routinely on the defend less civilians as part of their collective punishment-------The suicide bombing phenomenon has appeared with all its hideous damage-------- than the events of September 11, 2001 -------their aftermath in the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq.

Of course Mr said thinks that general understanding of the Middle East, the Arabs and Islam in the United States has improved, and the situation in Europe seems to be considerably better but imposing west forms of life to orient and quite common voice that is hear by high officials in Washington and elsewhere that speak of changing the map of the Middle East is bad alarm.

In this preface again he declares that there is no real “orient” and artificially it made by some orientalist. He also blame American army, navy and air force that came 7000 miles away of their land to destroy a country (rarely known by Americans even the educated of them), in the name of freedom. And he raises the question that modern imperialism ever ended or not.

Mr said blame scientific silent toward what imperialism has done, and what Orientalism continues to do. Humanism is something that he wants to introduce and he alert from “minding away from concrete human history and experience and in to the realms of ideological fiction, metaphysical confrontation and collective passion”.

Mr said although in Palestine – Israeli mater is in favour of the rights of the Palestinian people to national self-determination, but at the same time he is think full at the Jewish and what they suffered in the past and speak about equality in Palestine - Israeli

As Dr Samiei mention mentioned in his article “Orientalism and Occidentalism Two sides of the same coin” Mr Said also see it the same.

Mr said with his post- modernical critism look to Internet and mass media. And he believe that Education also threated by some “ism” like nationalism, the religion orthodoxism as well as mass media and an electrical war is going on by orientalist and occidentals against each other. They systematically make an enemy and starts to war with this unknown enemy that even educated men in US never heard its name and labelled them and egxageratly destroyed their face by mass media to prepare exploitation when military starts his movement, at that time public opinion is will be ready for any cruel act toward this unknown enemy.

And all of it prepared by same people that named “experts” by mass media,… as tool in the hand of modernity to achieve its goal. So F16 fighter and mass media work in same role in this “modern technological sociality” and when other side see this inhuman action toward himself, the reaction of them is the same and they start an anti – American straggle without knowing what is American society and it’s real element. For example Mr Said know US government a powerless in determining US policy.

Mr Said give a good welcome to some result of international summit that speak of “one World”, the expression against ruled dualism modern world. He also speak with large number of the people who are silent in this battlefield in bilateral war between “the west” or “Islam” that will they effect and shouldn’t be quite

Mr Said also emphasize on “the rational interpretive skills that are the legacy of humanistic education”,” return to traditional values” and “worldly secular rational discourse”. He believe that “we need to concentrate on the slow working together of cultures” and “ live together” and “ we need time and patient” And “humanism is the only, and final, resistance we have against the inhuman practices and injustices that disfigure human history”.

He speak of using “democratic field of Cyber space” to opposite what is coming from the “Rumsfeld’s”, “Bin Laden’s”, “Sharon’s” and “Bushes” of this world.

Seyed Mostafa Mostafavi

21-7-1391

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