The "Rebellious Arab Girl"

Hello dear readers, all two or three of you who actually take the time to read the meandering, confusing thoughts of a person, that would be me, with far too much time to think. Today, I would like to introduce you to "Rebellious Arab Girl", more better known to her fans and readers as Mona. Rebellious Arab Girl is the name of Mona's blog and what an interesting blog it is. I found her blog listed in the blog roll of another site and clicked on it out of curiosity. Oh the magic of networking. Anyway, after that first day of reading her posts and the comments from her readers, I have become hooked. Those of you who really know me are probably thinking it must be a blog filled with elaborate essays on feminist issues in the Arab world. Not quite, which is why I've linked to Mona's blog above. Check it out to understand what my interest is about.

OK, perhaps I will still have to explain my interest in the blog. First off, check out the banner to the site. Underneath the title it says "Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values". Wise words to live by. Far too often, we associate change with tearing down what exists and starting all over; Out with the old, in with the new. Doing so doesn't necessarily bring about change for the better. The funny thing about the name of her blog is how many people don't understand the context she uses the word rebellious. She is rebellious in the sense of not conforming to cultural norms because somebody told her to conform. Explain to Mona why she should act a certain way and, if it makes sense to her, she probably will act that way. Although, from what I've picked up on reading her posts, it will still be on Mona's terms. Mona is a 28 year old, Arab woman living in the West. She is educated, talented, opinionated and young. Her blog is much more like a diary, simply putting out to the world her day to day thoughts on her life and life in general. However, there is an underlying theme to the blog taken as a whole. That theme is the question "why"? Why do certain things happen? Why do people act the way they do? Why, why why?

I am 12 years Mona's senior, non-Arab and male. My life is and has been nothing like hers in so many ways. And yet I find her blog interesting. Since I found Mona's blog, I've been reading past posts going back to 2005 when she first started. Sometimes I disagree, sometimes I agree, sometimes I chuckle, especially when she relates an argument or discussion with her mother. I think no matter what gender we are or culture we come from, we all can relate to dealing with mom. That's the magic of her blog. If, like peeling back the layers of an onion, you strip away the culture, strip away her education, her occupation, even disregard her gender, you are left with a basic human being. That's where the commonality begins between Mona and me. That is why the blog is interesting to me. Because I can start to relate as a fellow human being which means that even when I may disagree with something she may write, I will at least think about it and consider her point of view.

On a wider level, my interest in Rebellious Arab Girl the blog is because between Mona's posts and the comments from her readers I see something bigger; The future. Mona and all those like her, whether they realize it or not, are the future. As an Arab woman asking the question why, she is the future of the Arab world. As simply a young woman asking the question why, she, and all those like her, are the future of all of us.