Rantings of an Arab Male

RANTINGS OF AN ARAB MALE

by Hakeem Jomah

Unpopular opinion time! 

I believe that man is a product of his environment.  I ALSO believe that, given certain catalyzing factors, man can regress or progress despite his environment. 

The Arab male is molded to believe from day one that he truly is a king in his own right; with that comes the mandatory responsibility to provide for and nurture a family financially and emotionally, and play a part on the disciplinarian front. 

And right off the bat, that's gargantuan pressure.

They're ALSO bred and molded to believe in a mandatory self-entitled pride and unearned respect from his family, and it's up to the Arab male to figure out on his own how he goes about doing that. But he's so used to being spoonfed everything that he skips the "how to earn it" part, and jumps right into the "expecting to be respected" part.

I'm an Arab male, I've lived this. A lot of people have the wherewithal to learn and become better people, but even more do not.

These Arab men that divorce, beat, or emotionally harm their women left and right are not only the products of nature versus nurture, but of culture versus religion, and the latter is a far, faaaaar more toxic line to blur. Because in its confusion you believe that you're acting entirely within your rights through God.

And it's the culture versus religion line that is the most blurred and crippling factor in the development of the Arab male. 

That's not to say Arab men are entirely to blame. I'm simply speaking as an Arab male who HAS been through that pipeline, who HAS confused those lines before.

By being around strong, respectable men and women, I grew out of it. 

But you have to remember, a lot of people don't have that. You can blame education, culture,  or the powers that be, and you'd be right on all fronts.

But it's high time we get the ball rolling and fix the problem through understanding it, not complaining about it by duking the sexes against each other.

~ END ~

Hakeem is a man of science, faith, fitness and knowledge. He is also an Arab male. Find out more about him HERE.