Batir Wardam Blog
Blogging about media, science, development, culture and future trends from the perspectives of a Jordanian liberal observer.

No one is allowed to question my credibility!

"You are an opportunists. When was the last time an opportunist got jailed, tortured, or killed in Jordan? At worst you will get lots of free trips to speak on our behalf in conferences. At best, you will get some really nice “NGO” with US funding or a cozy government position where you can pontificate and keep on attacking political and intellectual oppositions."
 
This is the comment I just got while engaging in a debate about ATV on 7iber from one of those anonymous commentors who think they are "potential heros" who do not want to reveal their identity and continue their mythical online struggle by insulting bloggers and writers who express their opinions and their names. I have to say I am really fed up with this nonsense and stupidity. I want to say a few words once and for all, as I do not allow any loser out there to insult my credibility.
 
I started writing political articles in 1993 in Jordanian weeklies and then started a daily column in Addustour in 2000. in those 14 years I have never accepted any money, gifts, trips, dinners or any kind of "incentives" apart from payments by newspapers publishing my articles, volunteering from 1993-2000 and having 300 and then 400 JDs from Addustour on monthy basis after 2000. I refused two invitations by the USA embassy to travel fully paid to the USA for "cultural and political dialogue" as I am against their foreign policies, although aknowledging their economic support to Jordan. Many of the so-called national writers attacking the USA on daily basis did accept such invitations as well as other gifts, meals and financial support from the USA embassy or through USAID. I have cooperated with some German independent institutions as a consultant and as a journalist participating in two conferences in 2001 and 2007 in Germany.
I have always been against political Islam (IAF and others) and against military dictatorships in Syria and Iraq (even pre 2003) and never accepted any incentives or invitations from the Syrian and Iraqi embassies although many writers have enjoyed these incentives which were maximized as Oil coupons for some writers and opposition intellectual, right left and center claiming that they support nationalism against imperialism.
I have always been respectful of the Jordanian Hashemire regime as I see it tolerant and progressive and the best guarantee for social unity in Jordan. However, I have never been approached by the Royal Court for any "thankful" gestures for my writing as I do not expect any "thank you" replies for my genuine and unconditional support of the regime that should not be linked to "incentives" since it will not remain to be genuine. I was never been approached by the GID to censor my writings or direct them. I will make sure I remain on the same track.
No living creature in this planet has the right to question my credibility and call me opportunistic. I have developed my technical career as an environmentalist to be economically independent in my writings and never be intimidated by cutting off my financial supply or giving me financial incentives.
If you do not have the guts to tackle my ideas you have no right to turn into vulgar insults which only reflect a lost case.
Whether you like or not, I will continue supporting the Hashemite regime, criticising the Islamic and any kind of opposition that seeks support from outside the country, but I will continue criticising the government when it screws up in implementing measures and policies that harm the Jordanian people. I will continue criticising the USA policy and will never get any benefits from them and I will continue to rely only on my salary and continue free blogging. You are always welcome to debate my opinions but never allowed to question my credibility that is my most precious character.


Bookmark this post: KhabberDel.ici.ousDiggRedditY! MyWebGoogle Bookmarks
(22) comments


Add a Comment

On September, 14, 2007 1:21 AM , Qwaider قويدر said:

Don't waste your breath batir. Most of the so called Anonymous commenters are not worth it.
Not to go down on anonymity, but for those who forget the cause and clutch to the person, they really need to get a life

Don't be discouraged, you are way above this.


On September, 14, 2007 2:31 AM , Mohanned
from United States said:

Seebak, they are not worth the time you spent writing this post..


On September, 14, 2007 2:59 AM , الاردني الحر
from United States said:

Come on Batir,take it easy,I was called worst than that on many occasion ,if anybody want to blog and present you point of you ,I believe you have to Ware very thick skin and remember you will always have people like myself who disagree with you on almost every issue .so take it easy and don't get offended. the best way to deal with names and adjective that people use to call /label you,is to ignore people,for example, just go to http://angryarab.blogspot.com/ and see and read what people call this webmaster,it just part and parcel of the world of blogesphere...


On September, 14, 2007 3:02 AM , Mohanned
from United States said:

I just read it over there! Nahid hattar prays not to damascus but to asad's palace, he has nothing to do with jordan.

He has a "dorra" which is basem awadalla, he hates basem awadalla more than he hates israel:)

Anyway as I said, don't waste your time on this crap..Happy ramadan by the way..


On September, 14, 2007 10:04 AM , azzam said:

bizarre how you stacked the deck so that you can cohabitate with the two most powerful players on the scene, the royal court and the genocidal USA. They have a name for your game.

the support US gives to Jordan is mostly security and population control and falls under the area of repression and to buy off loyalties. if the US help is so helpful to jordan, how come Jordan is suffering such massive poverty and unemployment? how come Jordanian schools are rundown? how come jordanian public hospitals are poorly staffed and equipped?
US help to jordan is aimed at helping secure Israel's eastern borders. how come we have killer inflation and high taxes? how come we have failure in every sector jordan once had the lead in? I am asking a rhetorical question so I am not interested in your answer because as a propagandist all you will do is to whitewash your allies failures.

so when you blast the IAF and Hattar for paying tribute to "outsiders" as you claim but you tolerate american killers of Arabs and Jordanians and those in jordan who benefit from offering them security services at the expenses of Jordan's honor and prestige and citizens, you are not being consistent. hence your reputation.

and for a guy who likes to call himself a democract, i have never seen you rally for fair and representative democracy in jordan for ALL jordanians including "native" and "fake" jordanians as you and your sidekeck mohannd likes to categoriz them.

As you can see Batir, you are full of inconsistencies and those inconsistencies put you on the side of the powerful and the wealthy.

so as y


On September, 14, 2007 10:24 AM , azzam said:

qwieder, if Batir shows consistency of views we would not be having this debate.

the arguments presented are hard to ignore. Batir hates Jordanian opposition on the left and on the right and in the center. how odd.

What is strikingly obnoxious about Batir's attacks is the double standards.

he will close an eye on far egregious infractions committed by the regime and will even give worthless excuses and justifications, but he will turn around and attack the opposition for doing NOTHING but for stating positions, effectively attacking their freedom of expression.

the fact the IAF or Hattar don't receive any funding from foreign powers does not seem to register with Batir. They are still unpatriotic (funny guy). But the fact the regime takes money to from genocidial imperialists does not seem to bother Batit, knowing that Jordan has not benefitted from this support , but our image has been seriously harmed in they arab world and byond. We are seen as US pupets and mercenaries for US and Israel. For a guy who claims to be patriotic defending what he considers a patriotic regime, I find this destruction of Jordan's prestige and economy to be at odd with their claims for the love of jordan.

This is personal. This is very personal.


On September, 14, 2007 3:30 PM , Quest
from Jordan said:

I really dont know why you even spent a min replying to such jerks. those people are not able to see reality they probably are employed by one of those parties you have alwyas refused to applause or bow against. Just go on with what you believe in , never look back to those retarded people. Allah ma3ek


On September, 14, 2007 7:03 PM , Hani Obaid
from Jordan said:

So true Batir, that people only resort to personal insults when they know they have already lost the argument.

Recently, I received all of the following insults in a single post:
- Sexist
- addicted-to-hookers
- ignorant
- uneducated
- illogical
- stubborn
- a callous sorry excuse for a human being
- sick
- crazy
- stupid
- inhumane

Oh and my favorite:
worthless-neo-liberal-elite

I think the guy invented that one just for me !


On September, 14, 2007 10:21 PM , ma3aani said:

wow, all the mukhabarat came to Batit's rescue. Lucky you man. You are connected.


On September, 15, 2007 2:21 AM , hareega
from United States said:

i don't think your credibility is in question, even when you trashed maradona


On September, 15, 2007 11:41 AM , zaid matela
from United States said:

wow, all the mukhabarat came to the rescue. lol i hate to say that, but this is a sign of paranoia when people start to think like that.


On September, 15, 2007 1:08 PM , Alessandra
from Italy said:

I'm with you Batir and I still like to read your blog to know something more about Jordan, because your opinions aren't extremist and I also don't see any better alternatives than Hashemite regime (I used the nickname "Queen Rania's fan" for writing on your blog! :-) ). Don't care about these anonymous comments.


On September, 15, 2007 6:39 PM , batir
from Jordan said:

Some comments have been deleted. Please refer to my new commenting policy at the bottom of the page.


On September, 15, 2007 7:34 PM , batir
from Jordan said:

Some comments have been deleted. Please refer to my new commenting policy at the bottom of the page.


On September, 16, 2007 12:15 AM , الاردني الحر
from United States said:

Batir,, You keep telling people that you are for free speech,but at the same time,you delete comments ,this is complete hypocrisy on behalf of yourself,you can't have it both ways,you either for it or against it.
Free speech means Free speech period!


On September, 16, 2007 12:18 AM , batir
from Jordan said:

Al Urduni This is my blog and I have certain rules in it. You want to practice your free speech of insulting others do it somewhere else, I ain't gonna tolerate it anymore, period.


On September, 16, 2007 12:30 AM , Téméraire
from Tunisia said:

PAIX SUR LES FILS D'ABRAHAM : http://tunisdivagation.blogspot.com/2007/09/paix-sur-les-fils-dabraham.html


On September, 16, 2007 2:44 AM , shagloob said:

it's free speech so long as I don't disagree with it.

it's democracy, so long as only people like me vote.

it's socialism so long as others pay for it and only my people, not theirs, enjoy it.


On September, 16, 2007 9:17 AM , batir
from Jordan said:

shaglob I am speechless in front of your wisdom.


On September, 24, 2007 5:16 PM , al forsan al farafeer said:

I really like the new commenting policy. You give yourself the right to crticize the government (who ever those random people are) but you censor the right of criticizing whoever the government reports and receives orders from....

It is basic logib Batir,
it is either you agree with the political line this country is taking, and hence shut the hell up, but it is ILLOGICAL AND INSULTING to your own intelligence to vent your frustration on the rotating facades called government

BIL3agel ya3ni


On November, 05, 2007 12:32 PM , Made in Jordan
from Jordan said:

I agree with Qwaider. You shouldn't waste your time with such trivial posts frankly.

However, I do STRONGLY disagree with your statements mentioned in this article:

http://ammonnews.net/arabicDemo/article.php?articleID=12595

For somebody that wants to defend human rights, and democracy in Jordan; referring to gay people as thieves, crooks and criminals is NOT the right way to go about establishing human rights in Jordan.

Gays and lesbians are humans too, and they are just as equal as any other Jordanian.


On November, 05, 2007 12:54 PM , batir
from Jordan said:

Pheras this quotes was taken out of context. I wrote a sarcastic comment on the original piece published by Ammoun and I described the Guys in these words which were used by previous commentors, only to follow that with the need only to deal with them in a disciplinary way, but the writer took the phrase out of context. However, I have learned not to use "sarcasm" in such sites where any idea can be twisted easily. Thanks for the note.




Add a Comment

<<Home


Comments are not pre-approved. However, any comments including personal insults to the royal family members and insults based on Jordanian-Palestinian divisions will be deleted immediately. This is a platform for civilised dialogue, if you are not up to it go away.