I identify myself as a Middle Eastern person, but I am not Middle Eastern for several reasons. I wasn’t born in the Middle East. I also don’t speak Arabic fluently. Although my parents came from there, it is said that you only come through, not from, your parents. Khalil Gibran once said that. Does reading Middle Eastern literature make me more Middle Eastern than I’m not? I don’t know. There are probably a variety of reasons as to why I don’t fit the Middle Eastern stereotype: I’m diplomatic, racially ambiguous, but also have multiple identities.
I am not just an Arab by culture or ethnicity, but a French speaker, an American, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a citizen of the world. To say I can only have one identity (that of a Middle Eastern person) is obliterating. To not let all the other aspects of me help define me is not being just. Let me be what I am, and let my many facets, dimensions, and idiosyncrasies speak for themselves.
I love these lines:
ReplyDeleteDoes reading Middle Eastern literature make me more Middle Eastern than I’m not? I don’t know.
"Does reading Middle Eastern literature make me more Middle Eastern than I’m not? I don’t know." Thats a great line. Good Job.
ReplyDeleteNice starting contradiction sets the pace for the basic battle between who are you and who you identify as. This general theme of challenging who we think we are comes out really nicely in this piece
ReplyDeletei like how you say what you are as well as what you aren't
ReplyDeleteIts nice how you connected yourself with the world
ReplyDeletevery cool. i liked it a lot. You prove not just why you dont like it but actually why u are not. diving very deep.
ReplyDeleteI love your writing style. Really powerful stuff.
ReplyDeleteI like how you show us some of your other traits.
ReplyDeleteI really like this. It's very true and identifying your race as being apart of you but not all of you is key. And I think you described that dilemma and how you can come to peace with that inner conflict beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI like "I am not just an Arab by culture or ethnicity, but a French speaker, an American, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a citizen of the world."
ReplyDeleteIt's an awesome summery of you that also addresses the issue of not being middle eastern
Defining yourself as one othign only is not a great thing
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