Word: arabized
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Whence this angry dismissal of a "fellow Arab" by a self-proclaimed Pan-Arabist if "Arabism is the most precious thing every Arab has," the sustaining Arab "spirit," the "blood" in the Arab soul, and so forth...
...paradox evident here points to the central problematic of Pan-Arabism: its conditional nature. One can only remain an Arab until one deviates from a vision of the "Arab nation" extending from the Atlantic to the Shatt-al-Arab. At the very least, this dynamic fails to acknowledge cultural differences among Arabs and, at the very worst, it admits of no dissent from dominant political dogmas...
...Gacem succinctly summarizes this objectionable mode of thinking: "I consider you my brother, as long as you have the same force (sic) and enthusiasm to reestablish the lost Arab pride." (read: "nationalism"). Quite simply, this sort of language, typical of the Pan-Arab movement, functions as a tool of political and intellectual oppression. Consequently, it is no wonder, and hardly a matter of regret, that Mr. El-Jeaan has chosen to opt out of this questionable enterprise...
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the Pan-Arabist discourse is its susceptibility to the allure of immoral solutions to the grave problems of the Middle East. If the human and cultural dignity of an Arab is conditional upon her/his acceptance of cultural and/or political nationalism, all manner of atrocities become permissible against dissenters. Thus, Baghdad could justify its crimes against the Kuwaiti people by branding them and their Arab coalition allies as "traitors against the Arab Nation...
...then, are the Arab masses to distinguish between 'good' and 'bad' Pan-Arabism? After all, Saddam's promises match point for point Mr. Ben-Gacem's nationalistic program: to emphasize the Arabs' "common traditions, common language, common history, common culture and common feelings" (all dubious concepts) and thus "unite together one day...to restore our pride and our lost throne...