Sami Ben Gharbia has been working on a randomizer badge for Free Fouad campaign that will display and randomize some of Fouad’s quotes. Sami asked me to help him with translating these quotes, and I thought it would be good to post them here too so you can learn more about Fouad and what he believes in.
First, here’s some selected quotes:
It is only the feebleminded who would use guns and violence to deliver his message.We desperately need a time of calmness and reconciliation between the different leaderships in our society: Islamists, liberals and the government.
If you were a free citizen and think you have the right speak your mind on what is happening in our country and have something to say, be brave and say it in your real name.
In Saudi Arabia, there is no guarantee that you won’t be arrested because of your frankness and speaking your mind on your blog. But there is also no guarantee when you hide and write in internet forums using a pseudonym.
My advice to anyone that cares about common interest and is angry over what is happening in our country and keeps on writing at internet forums using a pseudonym is to join the blogging world and write using his real name to contribute positively in building the Saudi blogosphere.
And here’s a list of 25 reasons for blogging Fouad presented after he came back from his hiatus:
Why Do We Blog?1. Because we believe we have opinions that deserve to be heard, and minds that should be respected.
2. Because societies do not progress until they learn to respect opinions of their members. And we would like to see our society progressing.
3. Because blogging is our only option. We do not have a free media, and freedom to assemble is not allowed.
4. Because we want to discuss our opinions.
5. Because we think.
6. Because we care.
7. Because blogging has had a positive effect on other societies and we want to see the same result in our society.
8. Because blogging is a reflection of the life of society members. And we are alive.
9. Because blogging is gaining increasing attention from media and governments. We want them to listen to us.
10. Because we are not scared.
11. Because we reject the cattle mentality.
12. Because we welcome diversity of opinions.
13. Because the country is for all, and we are part of it.
14. Because we want to reach out to everyone.
15. Because we refuse to be an “echo”.
16. Because we are not any less than bloggers in other societies.
17. Because we seek the truth.
18. Because our religion encourages us to speak out.
19. Because we are sick and tired of the Saudi media hypocrisy.
20. Because we are positive.
21. Because blogging is a powerful tool that can benefit society.
22. Because we are affected and we can affect.
23. Because we love our country.
24. Because we enjoy dialogue and don’t run away from it.
25. Because we are sincere.
29 responses so far ↓
رسالة إلى السيد علوان « Entropy.MAX // Friday, January 4, 2008 at 2:21
[...] Fouad Says [...]
Mirela Goi // Friday, January 4, 2008 at 16:23
I hope he back to his home and his blogger. But I think all this surferring will help people in KSA and in the entire world. Revolution!
My good wishes for him!
(from brazil)
فؤاد أحمد الفرحان » أرشيف مدونة » الحرية لفؤاد و للكلمة // Friday, January 4, 2008 at 23:26
[...] can help Fouad by displaying this Quote Randomizer Badge on your blog. The quotes are translated from his blog post “Why Do We Blog?” The badge will allow the script to display random [...]
Klaus Ankerstjerne Eriksen // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 0:28
Dear Fouad
I have read about you in a danish newspaper. In Denmark we are free to speek, making political parties and have our own political opinion. Your blog is necessary. You argue for freedom and human rights which we have had here in Denmark in many years. I hope you will succed and soon come out of jail. I also hope Saudi Arabian will be a free country, where the human rights will be respected.
With regards
Klaus Ankerstjerne Eriksen
from Denmark
clouddragon // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 3:43
Excellent quotes. I love the 25 reasons for blogging. Makes the people who arrested Fouad look even greater idiots.
Abdullah // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 4:28
Crap. Now I don’t know what to think. I supported Fuad all this time, but now that I see one of his supporters is you (an American in Saudi attire), I’m conflicted. Please do us a favor and migrate to the US. They’ll appreciate your way of thinking there more. We have enough of your kind here as it is, you know, the “enlightened” ones. Beat it, kid.
Tarik Al Shamsi // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 9:07
Bravo Fouad. There is a diffinete need for a change in the mindset of the stupid officials in the government. Today, it’s you, tommorrow it would be the turn of Abheer Mishkas, Faiza Ambah, Ethibal Mubarak, Rasheed Abou Samh,and so on. No government has survived by throttling the voices of dissent. The Americans are for democracy in the Kingdom. The fate of the members of the royal family would be no different than that of Marcos, Reza Pehlavi, Noreiga. All those trying to throttle the voices of the people of Saudi Arabia would have to one day face the fate as that of the Sabbahs of Kuwait who had to run for their lives during the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussain.
And mind well, the Americans have made up their minds and hatched a conspircy to bifucurate the Kingdom into two. Democracy is knocking the doors of the rulers of the Kingdom. Only idiots would not be able to read the writing on the wall. All the puppets of the regime that includes the Jubair brothers would have no one to save them, when revolution for democracy takes place, ofcourse with the help of the Americans and the Western countries. Don’t throttle the voices of the people or you would not be there Abdullah Ibn Abdulaziz or your government. People’s anger would put all such criminals to hang, like that of the Saddam and his gang.
Abdul Fattah // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 9:16
Hello Fouad,
We saluate you for your courage to speak out what others fears to do in the Kingdom. You are a great solider, and the world community is beyond you. The Saudi rulers and their lackeys would pay a heavy price for their actions in detaining you.
I think that America would have to step in and put the Saudi government in its place. These hypocrites talk of justice, when there is none in the Kingdom. Frankly speaking, the time has come for a change, for a democratic system in Saudi Arabia, where there is no freedom of thoughts or expression, where there is no justice, where there is dynasty rule. Billions of dollars have been gulped by the royal family of thousands of princes and princess, while the citizens are deprived of many benefits that they deserve. Gagging the voice of people in the Kingdom is going to be counterproductive. What I forsee is now a revolution by the people, if the rulers and government of Saudi Arabia does not come to senses. Free Fouad immediately. Give freedom to the people to express their views, dont gag them.
I Somner // Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 9:27
While it is commendable that you are trying to voice your views and hope for change. As long as there is no democratic freedom in Saudi Arabia along with a change in the education system (churning out Islamists does nothing for the country which needs scientists, engineers and other science based professions) but has to rely on the west to provide the much needed professionals and will not be able to advance scientifically until it can provide an educational/political system in in line with the rest of the world. Putting a sheet over your head and praying several times a day does nothing for a countries economic/[political advancement
Why we blog | Antony Loewenstein // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 4:14
[...] of him from 2007 remain positive. We demand his immediate release. Fellow Saudi blogger Saudi Jeans recalls the reasons why Fouad returned to blogging last year after some months away from his keyboard: Why Do We Blog?1. [...]
Are Saudi Bloggers Really Free? « American_Bedu // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 6:46
[...] http://saudijeans.org/2008/01/03/fouad-says/ [...]
David Vincent // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 10:58
Keep up the good work!
LS // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 12:26
That is an excellent list. It’s as sincere a thought about blogging as I’ve ever seen. Excellent!
Fouad Farhan: Why We Blog : The Sudanese Thinker // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 19:23
[...] first time I checked out some of his old blog posts. I’m already liking him. Here’s one translated by Saudi Jeans into [...]
Abdullah // Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 23:20
Thank you Fouad for being like you are. We need more and more courageaous people like you.
May you actions inspire many more to lead the muslim world to a much needed revolution.
From Spain
Tade // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 1:56
Freedom of speech is a god given right and no government should take a way from anyone. However the Saudi government targeted people like Fouad for speaking the truth and he should not be in jail. Instead he should be a model for next muslim generation around the world. Inconclusion, free Fouad!!!!
Family allowed to visit Fouad - Mideast Youth - Thinking Ahead // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 7:32
[...] From Saudi Jean’s.org: A list of 25 reasons for blogging in Fouad’s own words. [...]
rubenlaracast // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 8:28
Fouad al-Farhan Jailed
A view on international politics.
It is many times better to blog that to do it on the streets.
Sometimes when you achieve recognition for something you do well you may attract the wrong kind of people. If Fouad al-Farhan had been asked by criminals for help in freeing their friends in jail, What are his choices? He could be under government protection now. That might not be the case in this situation but we need to understand. The man disappeared almost a month ago and we just found out he was arrested. Detained against his will is arrest. I don’t support terrorism but I do free press.
However, if Fouad al-Farhan was arrested solely for his blog content because the King didn’t like it or violate laws of expression, then I have a message for the Saudi Ministry:
Any person writing about Saudi Arabia or any other country is opening a window into your country. We learn to love and admire your country for your achievements. Reporting about internal problems in your country allows us to learn that you have problems just like us. A feeling of country brotherhood is born from this. I respectfully ask you to release this community leader for his efforts and accept the love and warmth from our country to yours.
Peaceful wishes,
Ruben Lara
Abu Jori // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 10:19
I just feel so compelled to respond to some of the comments I read here.
I want to say to the first Abdullah, supporting Fouad for his right of free speech does not have anything to do with who supports him. You either support the principal of freedom of speech or not.
To Mr. AlShamsi,
It is not the right of the Americans to decide the fate or future of Saudi Arabia. It is the right of only and only Saudi Arabi citizens. Speaking about myself, I want to see this country existing for eternity. I want many changes to take place in the country but I want it to be one united country as it is today. In the same time, I don’t think that the American Government is really supporting democracy neither in Saudi or else where. American Government has always supported its interests which in many occasions were in the expense of human rights and democracy. Finally, citizens of Saudi Arabia are the only ones who are supposed to figure out what kind of change and political system they want to live under. If Saudis decide that we do not need democracy then let it be. I strongly believe that our society dynamics will enable us to reach to a stage of enough influence on the Government to adopt appropriate changes for the good of the country and its people and no one else.
Haramlik » Blog Archive » I blog, tra le classifiche e il mondo vero // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 14:54
[...] giorni dello psicodramma linkatorio nostrano, leggere il decalogo di Fouad, saudita di 31 anni, su perché si blogga: Why Do We [...]
Il Barista // Monday, January 7, 2008 at 23:13
Liberate tutti i Fouad del mondo
Free all the world’s Fouad
Aafke // Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 16:38
I agree with Abu Jori; Although many americans genuinly believe in the concept of freedom, and genuinly want to help others, there seems to be a lot of opportunism in America’s (the politicians) whishes to help other countries to freedom. I’m sure they would just love to ”help” SA. Or perheaps just the shiites, as they are the ones really sitting on the oil.
You don’t want any help from America. For many different reasons. And if people like Faoud wouldn’t get arrested for unknown reasons, but would be allowed to speak their minds and develop SA in an arab way, it would be the best hope for a good future. And there would be no need, or reason for other countries to feel obliged to ”help”.
Arresting people like Fouad is a major mistake by the saudi officials.
blogosfera e política « Rastro // Tuesday, January 8, 2008 at 19:46
[...] Inclusive, em países onde os cidadãos possuem pouca liberdade de expressão, a midia paralela ganha força política ainda maior, como ele mesmo coloca neste post traduzido aqui. [...]
lirun // Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at 19:02
virtual dulce de leche
Quasi.dot » Quotes from Fouad // Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 1:19
[...] via Saudi Jeans, Free Fouad [...]
Fouad’s Week « Saudi Jeans // Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 14:10
[...] Week event, but unfortunately I don’t have time to translate it now. So I will repost these quotes that I translated last month: It is only the feebleminded who would use guns and violence to [...]
Aafke // Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 16:03
I’m sorry, I haven’t found out how to ”ping” yet, I just nicked this post for my ”week of Fouad”- post
Anna // Sunday, February 17, 2008 at 21:02
“16. Because we are not any less than bloggers in other societies.”
You are probably MORE than bloggers in other societies. In Sweden, the most popular and well-read blogs belong to 17-year old girls enacting the sad female role sexist society wants them to play.
Saudi bloggers put themselves at risk and no matter what they actually write, they are actively forcing democracy where there is none. They give voice to a people that are silenced not only by their rulers, but by the extreme position they are given in a black-and-white world.
Thank you, again.
bernd j. maier // Monday, April 28, 2008 at 14:01
I am glad that Fouad is free and hope that he remains free!
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