sparklingway
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If you had any respect for this flotilla hunk, you are about to lose it.
Update : Forgot to add, he's racist too. "ranga barangay yateem bachay" is symbolic of his racism.
Update 2 : Better takedown posted.
Syed Talat Hussain, finally officially confirmed as having been imported into DawnNews, must be feeling like that right now.
The article in question was published in the Urdu daily Express as an op-ed piece yesterday under the title "Jolie Ka Thhappar" [Jolie's Slap in the Face], and has rightly caused an uproar among most of those people who read it. Not because of the thrust of its main point, which was criticism of the government's alleged insensitivity to the plight of the flood affected - based on media reports of an allegedly leaked confidential report by UNHCR's goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie to the organization after her visit to Pakistan - but in how he viciously maligned Angelina Jolie's character to build his case.
Here is how Let Us Build Pakistan / CriticalPPP, the first blog to call attention to the piece, took on Talat, and here is how our friend Kalakawa hilariously deconstructed him.
In essence, Hussain went on a diatribe against Jolie's personal life, her "immoral" lifestyle, her allegedly selfish and cut-throat nature, her alleged hypocrisy and manipulation in adopting children and even her "plain" looks - most of his 'facts' are in fact made up or sensationalized - only to build the case, right at the end, that even an 'immoral and wayward woman' like Jolie was deserving of more respect than the government since she at least criticized it for its peripheral preoccupations during the flood crisis. If you think that is a rather convoluted way of attacking the government, you would be dead right.
What Hussain has actually shown up with his words is his own sexism, his own bigotry, his own racism (he actually derides Jolie's children as "rang barangay yateem bachay" or 'multi-coloured orphan kids'), his own homophobia and his own amazingly parochial nature. He has conclusively proved, if it needed to be proved, that the paet ki daarrhi (beard in the stomach i.e. concealed bigotry) has a way of coming out at some point or the other. He has also shown how some hypocrites in the media write in one style for the Urdu-reading public and maintain quite a different persona for the English readership (perhaps he thought those who read English papers would never actually read his column in Urdu).
But you could not possibly understand why I say all of this without reading the article itself. For those who cannot read the purple prose in the original Urdu, here is my translation of it which tries to remain as true as possible to Hussain's style and meaning:
Just to set the record straight about Jolie:
1. She has been married twice, to actors Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, neither of whom fall in the category of people who could give her a leg up in big budget films (in fact, how many people even know who Miller is?). She currently lives with actor Brad Pitt, whom she met long after she had become famous, and she has publicly said that she does not want to marry again until gay people also have the same right.
2. She has won one Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, two Screen Actors Guild awards and three Golden Globe awards, hardly someone you would classify as a non-serious actor who only got to stardom by sleeping her way through. In fact, there is no evidence (documented or gossiped about) of relationships with any directors or producers.
3. Where Hussain picked up his quotes about Jolie's intensely ambitious nature is a complete mystery (maybe Hussain spends his time reading The National Enquirer or has a yen for Brad Pitt's ex, Jennifer Aniston). In fact, Jolie has often expressed a desire to quit acting altogether to spend more time with her family.
4. She has never been accused, to my knowledge, of substance addiction, though she has admitted experimenting with drugs in her teenage years and has openly talked about her rebellious phase during adolescence.
5. The post of Goodwill Ambassador at the UN is predicated only on celebrities who wish to use their fame to advocate for causes the UN agencies wish to bring attention to. It has nothing to do with being experts in international relations. Jolie was appointed Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) because she is a famous actress, not because of the children she adopted.
Contrary to the sensationalist claptrap that this article peddles about Jolie, this is what we DO learn without doubt about Syed Talat Hussain from this article:
1. He believes all divorced or single parent families are unnatural and it is impossible to grow up happy or well-adjusted in them.
2. He hates people who hate traditions, no matter how stifling, and rebel against them.
3. He thinks all theatre actors in Pakistan are prostitutes. Actresses and perhaps all showbiz people are not worthy of any respect.
4. He enjoys making fun of people's looks, even if they are adolescent children.
5. He thinks that anyone who rebels against society's norms is destroying the good in society. Anyone who advocates equal rights for people based not on their gender, race or sexual orientation - as Jolie does - is the scum of the earth.
6. He has no problem making **** up to justify his claims.
7. He really, and I mean REALLY, hates gay people or even those who try and break down the barriers of discrimination against them through their words. He thinks of homosexuality as moral turpitude and despicable.
8. He can't imagine how any woman might find more fulfillment from another woman than a virile man.
9. He mocks children.
10. He has deep-rooted racial prejudices.
11. He thinks adoption is unnatural and is done out of pity by people as a public relations exercise.
12. He thinks everyone in the UN is a moron who gets fooled easily by PR machines.
13. He is xenophobic and thinks there is a clear line between Western and "superior" Eastern values. He also believes the West is irretrievably morally "corrupt" as evidenced by the 'looseness' of its women.
14. He thinks Article 62 and 63 of the Pakistan Constitution - inserted by the hypocritical dictator General Ziaul Haq to manipulate the parliament - are the epitome of Eastern values.
15. He thinks stoning people to death for their personal lifestyle choices or expression of opinion is acceptable.
16. He thinks it is okay to throw mud on someone's personal life to titillate readers as long as you are just marshalling your sleaze to make an unconnected point. Even if that person is completely unknown to you and has only gone out of their way to garner sympathy for the same people you claim to be fighting for.
Most people probably do not remember the fact that this cretin of a pseudo-intellectual was often himself accused (unfairly in my opinion), in the early part of his journalistic career, of being an empty-headed boy-toy for his female boss. They also probably do not remember the vile homophobic rant he once wrote (about 10 years or so ago) as an op-ed in The News, which is no longer available in the archives on the net (if anyone can find it, please do send it along to us). But we do, even if Hussain has tried to erase this past with a carefully cultivated image of sensibility and balance. Most, however, might recall that he is as fond of invoking the bogey of "liberal extremist", to label anyone who argues for secularism or progressive politics or offers dissent against antiquated societal norms, as people like Shireen Mazari, Ahmad Quraishi, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Mir (great club you have there Talat). Someone should ask him to actually define what a "liberal extremist" is and how many of them actually exist in this country for them to be constantly used to scare people. We might learn some more about him.
There has also been a lot of speculation about where the well-spring of this anger and bitterness against Jolie actually arises from. Personally, I think Jolie probably ignored LittleMullahBoy on her trip to Pakistan, something his narcissistic ego just could not take.
But whatever the reason, we know now what the Express' idea of editorial decency is, and we also know another thing for sure: the Dawn Media Group really should reconsider long and hard about who it is taking on. Does Syed Talat Hussain really represent the values Dawn claims to uphold?
http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/10/beard-in-stomach.html
Syed Talat Hussain ‘was’ an esteemed columnist, television host and journalist of Pakistan, until today when he targeted someone for following their own harmless cultural norms. In his column in the Urdu daily Express News, he targets the famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in his shameful effort to target the current civilian government of Pakistan. The article reproduced below gives an insight in to the way of thinking that is standard of Pakistan’s new found pseudo intellectuals. The article is titled ‘Jolie ka thhapparh’ or ‘Jolie’s slap’ referring to her criticism of inconvenience and lack of empathy in maintaining the security protocols of politicians while they visit the flood affectees.
The article instead of taking the valid approach taken by many bloggers and columnists, whereby they portray Jolie as an objective outsider, who has more sympathy than those who hold positions of power chooses to takes a shocking alternative route. He chooses to portray Angelina Jolie as a characterless, good-for-nothing and sham actress, who had her acting career propelled by the casting couch in the wake of her lack of appeal and her publicly confessed bi-sexual orientation. He further declares her adoption of kids as a cover up for her past life and concludes the article by pointing out that even such a lowly person had more sense than our politicians.
For those who cannot comprehend Urdu, a summarized translation follows each paragraph.
The opening paragraph introduces Angelina Jolie as a Hollywood actress, hints at her scandalous life and comments on her ever present contempt for social norms. She had (sexually) matured early (read slut), however, being ugly was a complete failure in the acting world.
She took to political-marriages to advance her career, fully utilizing each opportunity that came her way. Her thirst for success was devoid of any limitations so much so that she has contravened every value that forms the basis of a society’s morality. The highlight of her continuous social experimenting is her self-professed stint at sapphism.
To blackout her ‘past’ Angelina Jolie has taken to adopting an ‘assortment’ of kids. This was publicized by her PR managers so effectively that despite want of ethics in general and Eastern values in particular she was made the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. If you doubt my stance open up the Constitution of Pakistan and turn to Article 62 and 63 which dictates the need for people to be good character, to not violate Islamic values, avoid sinfulness, be sagacious etc. Our notion is based on the principle that be they Muslims or Non-Muslims, people with lack of (good) qualities as Angelina Jolie should remain disgraced at all times. Had she been in Pakistan she would have been (rightfully) stoned to death multiple times.
But even a movie star, drenched in westernism had the decency to realize that inconveniencing flood affected people with protocol is inhumane. She recounts in her UN report that in such dire times the house of the Prime Minister had a lavish feast followed by a private in-flight by the PM’s family. The report is a slap in the face (of Pakistani leadership). For what reason?! This Hollywood actress would be feeling more honored than her Honorable hosts.
After reading the article apart from the fact that I fail to see the purpose of the same, I am appalled at the writer’s way of thinking. His obsession to impose Eastern values on Ms Jolie is beyond me and so is his persistence in alleging that she continually contravenes Western values, known only to Mr Talat Hussain himself. He does not find Ms Jolie attractive (for that I can only pity you Sir), makes an evil vicious witch out of her for being an actress and having scandals probably every person in Hollywood has.
He also has problems with her adoption of kids and more than anything her being selected as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador. He is so spiteful of the superstar’s appointment (due to her having no feathers in her cap bar some acting), that he did not even bother to look up the purpose of such appointments, which is to ‘use their talent and fame’ to advocate the cause of refugees.
One can understand Mr Hussain’s compassion for Islamic values but the same values dictate him to refrain from thrusting them on non-Muslims let alone giving fatwas against them for not obeying the Islamic code. However, what is not understandable is the disappearance of this compassion when Taliban are going on a rampage bombing mosques, men and boys go missing in Balochistan and barbershops are forcefully shut down in the tribal areas and when the Lal Masjid’s moulvis issue threats of suicide bombings and kidnap police personnel.
The article takes the thanklessness and paranoia that permeate certain sections of our society to a whole new level. Saner voices should prevail if the society is to prosper, therefore it is imperative to condemn Mr Talat Hussain’s slanderous article against a person who came to help the people of Pakistan in their time of need. Thank you Angelina Jolie and walk away Talat Hussain with your head hung in shame.
Green goat's hide: Shame on You Talat Hussain!!
Update : Forgot to add, he's racist too. "ranga barangay yateem bachay" is symbolic of his racism.
Update 2 : Better takedown posted.
The Beard in the Stomach
Don't you just hate it when the facade of liberal, sensible urbane-ness you have so carefully constructed over years and years comes crashing down with one ill-conceived article that you thought would have the masses lauding your cleverness but which exposes you for the parochial, narrow-minded bigot you really are?Syed Talat Hussain, finally officially confirmed as having been imported into DawnNews, must be feeling like that right now.
The article in question was published in the Urdu daily Express as an op-ed piece yesterday under the title "Jolie Ka Thhappar" [Jolie's Slap in the Face], and has rightly caused an uproar among most of those people who read it. Not because of the thrust of its main point, which was criticism of the government's alleged insensitivity to the plight of the flood affected - based on media reports of an allegedly leaked confidential report by UNHCR's goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie to the organization after her visit to Pakistan - but in how he viciously maligned Angelina Jolie's character to build his case.
Here is how Let Us Build Pakistan / CriticalPPP, the first blog to call attention to the piece, took on Talat, and here is how our friend Kalakawa hilariously deconstructed him.
In essence, Hussain went on a diatribe against Jolie's personal life, her "immoral" lifestyle, her allegedly selfish and cut-throat nature, her alleged hypocrisy and manipulation in adopting children and even her "plain" looks - most of his 'facts' are in fact made up or sensationalized - only to build the case, right at the end, that even an 'immoral and wayward woman' like Jolie was deserving of more respect than the government since she at least criticized it for its peripheral preoccupations during the flood crisis. If you think that is a rather convoluted way of attacking the government, you would be dead right.
What Hussain has actually shown up with his words is his own sexism, his own bigotry, his own racism (he actually derides Jolie's children as "rang barangay yateem bachay" or 'multi-coloured orphan kids'), his own homophobia and his own amazingly parochial nature. He has conclusively proved, if it needed to be proved, that the paet ki daarrhi (beard in the stomach i.e. concealed bigotry) has a way of coming out at some point or the other. He has also shown how some hypocrites in the media write in one style for the Urdu-reading public and maintain quite a different persona for the English readership (perhaps he thought those who read English papers would never actually read his column in Urdu).
But you could not possibly understand why I say all of this without reading the article itself. For those who cannot read the purple prose in the original Urdu, here is my translation of it which tries to remain as true as possible to Hussain's style and meaning:
Just to set the record straight about Jolie:
1. She has been married twice, to actors Johnny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, neither of whom fall in the category of people who could give her a leg up in big budget films (in fact, how many people even know who Miller is?). She currently lives with actor Brad Pitt, whom she met long after she had become famous, and she has publicly said that she does not want to marry again until gay people also have the same right.
2. She has won one Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, two Screen Actors Guild awards and three Golden Globe awards, hardly someone you would classify as a non-serious actor who only got to stardom by sleeping her way through. In fact, there is no evidence (documented or gossiped about) of relationships with any directors or producers.
3. Where Hussain picked up his quotes about Jolie's intensely ambitious nature is a complete mystery (maybe Hussain spends his time reading The National Enquirer or has a yen for Brad Pitt's ex, Jennifer Aniston). In fact, Jolie has often expressed a desire to quit acting altogether to spend more time with her family.
4. She has never been accused, to my knowledge, of substance addiction, though she has admitted experimenting with drugs in her teenage years and has openly talked about her rebellious phase during adolescence.
5. The post of Goodwill Ambassador at the UN is predicated only on celebrities who wish to use their fame to advocate for causes the UN agencies wish to bring attention to. It has nothing to do with being experts in international relations. Jolie was appointed Goodwill Ambassador by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) because she is a famous actress, not because of the children she adopted.
Contrary to the sensationalist claptrap that this article peddles about Jolie, this is what we DO learn without doubt about Syed Talat Hussain from this article:
1. He believes all divorced or single parent families are unnatural and it is impossible to grow up happy or well-adjusted in them.
2. He hates people who hate traditions, no matter how stifling, and rebel against them.
3. He thinks all theatre actors in Pakistan are prostitutes. Actresses and perhaps all showbiz people are not worthy of any respect.
4. He enjoys making fun of people's looks, even if they are adolescent children.
5. He thinks that anyone who rebels against society's norms is destroying the good in society. Anyone who advocates equal rights for people based not on their gender, race or sexual orientation - as Jolie does - is the scum of the earth.
6. He has no problem making **** up to justify his claims.
7. He really, and I mean REALLY, hates gay people or even those who try and break down the barriers of discrimination against them through their words. He thinks of homosexuality as moral turpitude and despicable.
8. He can't imagine how any woman might find more fulfillment from another woman than a virile man.
9. He mocks children.
10. He has deep-rooted racial prejudices.
11. He thinks adoption is unnatural and is done out of pity by people as a public relations exercise.
12. He thinks everyone in the UN is a moron who gets fooled easily by PR machines.
13. He is xenophobic and thinks there is a clear line between Western and "superior" Eastern values. He also believes the West is irretrievably morally "corrupt" as evidenced by the 'looseness' of its women.
14. He thinks Article 62 and 63 of the Pakistan Constitution - inserted by the hypocritical dictator General Ziaul Haq to manipulate the parliament - are the epitome of Eastern values.
15. He thinks stoning people to death for their personal lifestyle choices or expression of opinion is acceptable.
16. He thinks it is okay to throw mud on someone's personal life to titillate readers as long as you are just marshalling your sleaze to make an unconnected point. Even if that person is completely unknown to you and has only gone out of their way to garner sympathy for the same people you claim to be fighting for.
Most people probably do not remember the fact that this cretin of a pseudo-intellectual was often himself accused (unfairly in my opinion), in the early part of his journalistic career, of being an empty-headed boy-toy for his female boss. They also probably do not remember the vile homophobic rant he once wrote (about 10 years or so ago) as an op-ed in The News, which is no longer available in the archives on the net (if anyone can find it, please do send it along to us). But we do, even if Hussain has tried to erase this past with a carefully cultivated image of sensibility and balance. Most, however, might recall that he is as fond of invoking the bogey of "liberal extremist", to label anyone who argues for secularism or progressive politics or offers dissent against antiquated societal norms, as people like Shireen Mazari, Ahmad Quraishi, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Mir (great club you have there Talat). Someone should ask him to actually define what a "liberal extremist" is and how many of them actually exist in this country for them to be constantly used to scare people. We might learn some more about him.
There has also been a lot of speculation about where the well-spring of this anger and bitterness against Jolie actually arises from. Personally, I think Jolie probably ignored LittleMullahBoy on her trip to Pakistan, something his narcissistic ego just could not take.
But whatever the reason, we know now what the Express' idea of editorial decency is, and we also know another thing for sure: the Dawn Media Group really should reconsider long and hard about who it is taking on. Does Syed Talat Hussain really represent the values Dawn claims to uphold?
http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/10/beard-in-stomach.html
Shame on you Talat Hussain!
Syed Talat Hussain ‘was’ an esteemed columnist, television host and journalist of Pakistan, until today when he targeted someone for following their own harmless cultural norms. In his column in the Urdu daily Express News, he targets the famous Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie in his shameful effort to target the current civilian government of Pakistan. The article reproduced below gives an insight in to the way of thinking that is standard of Pakistan’s new found pseudo intellectuals. The article is titled ‘Jolie ka thhapparh’ or ‘Jolie’s slap’ referring to her criticism of inconvenience and lack of empathy in maintaining the security protocols of politicians while they visit the flood affectees.
The article instead of taking the valid approach taken by many bloggers and columnists, whereby they portray Jolie as an objective outsider, who has more sympathy than those who hold positions of power chooses to takes a shocking alternative route. He chooses to portray Angelina Jolie as a characterless, good-for-nothing and sham actress, who had her acting career propelled by the casting couch in the wake of her lack of appeal and her publicly confessed bi-sexual orientation. He further declares her adoption of kids as a cover up for her past life and concludes the article by pointing out that even such a lowly person had more sense than our politicians.
For those who cannot comprehend Urdu, a summarized translation follows each paragraph.
The opening paragraph introduces Angelina Jolie as a Hollywood actress, hints at her scandalous life and comments on her ever present contempt for social norms. She had (sexually) matured early (read slut), however, being ugly was a complete failure in the acting world.
She took to political-marriages to advance her career, fully utilizing each opportunity that came her way. Her thirst for success was devoid of any limitations so much so that she has contravened every value that forms the basis of a society’s morality. The highlight of her continuous social experimenting is her self-professed stint at sapphism.
To blackout her ‘past’ Angelina Jolie has taken to adopting an ‘assortment’ of kids. This was publicized by her PR managers so effectively that despite want of ethics in general and Eastern values in particular she was made the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. If you doubt my stance open up the Constitution of Pakistan and turn to Article 62 and 63 which dictates the need for people to be good character, to not violate Islamic values, avoid sinfulness, be sagacious etc. Our notion is based on the principle that be they Muslims or Non-Muslims, people with lack of (good) qualities as Angelina Jolie should remain disgraced at all times. Had she been in Pakistan she would have been (rightfully) stoned to death multiple times.
But even a movie star, drenched in westernism had the decency to realize that inconveniencing flood affected people with protocol is inhumane. She recounts in her UN report that in such dire times the house of the Prime Minister had a lavish feast followed by a private in-flight by the PM’s family. The report is a slap in the face (of Pakistani leadership). For what reason?! This Hollywood actress would be feeling more honored than her Honorable hosts.
After reading the article apart from the fact that I fail to see the purpose of the same, I am appalled at the writer’s way of thinking. His obsession to impose Eastern values on Ms Jolie is beyond me and so is his persistence in alleging that she continually contravenes Western values, known only to Mr Talat Hussain himself. He does not find Ms Jolie attractive (for that I can only pity you Sir), makes an evil vicious witch out of her for being an actress and having scandals probably every person in Hollywood has.
He also has problems with her adoption of kids and more than anything her being selected as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Goodwill Ambassador. He is so spiteful of the superstar’s appointment (due to her having no feathers in her cap bar some acting), that he did not even bother to look up the purpose of such appointments, which is to ‘use their talent and fame’ to advocate the cause of refugees.
One can understand Mr Hussain’s compassion for Islamic values but the same values dictate him to refrain from thrusting them on non-Muslims let alone giving fatwas against them for not obeying the Islamic code. However, what is not understandable is the disappearance of this compassion when Taliban are going on a rampage bombing mosques, men and boys go missing in Balochistan and barbershops are forcefully shut down in the tribal areas and when the Lal Masjid’s moulvis issue threats of suicide bombings and kidnap police personnel.
The article takes the thanklessness and paranoia that permeate certain sections of our society to a whole new level. Saner voices should prevail if the society is to prosper, therefore it is imperative to condemn Mr Talat Hussain’s slanderous article against a person who came to help the people of Pakistan in their time of need. Thank you Angelina Jolie and walk away Talat Hussain with your head hung in shame.
Green goat's hide: Shame on You Talat Hussain!!
