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pyraxisor, What not to do when crossing the fourth wall.
Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari, the author of the popular activism blog "A Gay Girl in Damascus", has just admitted that she is really Tom MacMaster, a 40-year-old student in Edinburgh.
The blog recently got major media attention when a family member of Amina reported that her cousin had disappeared near the Abbasid bus station, seized by three young men who were probably members of the Baath Party militia. Gay activists in Syria have been investigating her arrest and attempting to contact her at personal risk to themselves.
"Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to write fiction but, when my first attempts met with universal rejection, I took a more serious look at my own work and I realized that I could not write conversation in a natural way nor could I convincingly write characters who weren’t me." Tom wrote in his apology today. "I was involved with numerous online science-fiction/alternate-history discussion lists and, as a part of that process, I saw lots of incredibly ignorant and stupid positions repeated on the Middle East. I noticed that when I, a person with a distinctly Anglo name, made comments on the Middle East, the facts I might present were ignored and I found myself accused of hating America, Jews, etc."
When he was unable to improve his writing using conventional exercises, he invented the Amina persona, who began commenting on the same blogs and mailing lists that Tom was already a part of. Almost immediately, he discovered that Amina's posts provoked friendly reactions, where his own had only provoked hostility. The momentum grew - he created a Facebook page for her, found photos online of a woman who looked like her, created her blog. Amina started getting requests to write articles, which she delivered. She exchanged hundreds of emails with a Canadian woman, developing a romantic relationship. She posted a story about her father's love and protection and it went viral. (A timeline of the events)
Now, Tom MacMaster is frantically and humbly backpedaling, while the pageviews of his blog approach 900,000. Sami Hamwi, the editor of GayMiddleEast.com, wrote, "To Mr. MacMaster, I say shame on you!!! We have to deal with too many difficulties than you can imagine. What you have done has harmed many, put us all in danger, and made us worry about our LGBT activism. Add to that, that it might have caused doubts about the authenticity of our blogs, stories, and us. Your apology is not accepted, since I have myself started to investigate Amina’s arrest. I could have put myself in a grave danger inquiring about a fictitious figure."
I am struck by how similar his story might be to the experience of a member of a multiple system who fought for equal treatment and didn't compromise on their own personality, opinions, and background.
What would the media response have been if, instead of saying "I made it all up," Tom had said, "Yes, I am multiple; Amina is a member of my system"?
It also hilights just now pervasive is the new disenfrancisement that white males believe they face in a world where minority groups are rapidly gaining control of social discourse. "I didn’t mean to hurt the causes which I myself believe in," Tom said. "I only wanted to set forth real information through the use of artfully crafted fiction."
Amina Abdallah Araf al Omari, the author of the popular activism blog "A Gay Girl in Damascus", has just admitted that she is really Tom MacMaster, a 40-year-old student in Edinburgh.
The blog recently got major media attention when a family member of Amina reported that her cousin had disappeared near the Abbasid bus station, seized by three young men who were probably members of the Baath Party militia. Gay activists in Syria have been investigating her arrest and attempting to contact her at personal risk to themselves.
"Ever since I was a child, I’ve wanted to write fiction but, when my first attempts met with universal rejection, I took a more serious look at my own work and I realized that I could not write conversation in a natural way nor could I convincingly write characters who weren’t me." Tom wrote in his apology today. "I was involved with numerous online science-fiction/alternate-history discussion lists and, as a part of that process, I saw lots of incredibly ignorant and stupid positions repeated on the Middle East. I noticed that when I, a person with a distinctly Anglo name, made comments on the Middle East, the facts I might present were ignored and I found myself accused of hating America, Jews, etc."
When he was unable to improve his writing using conventional exercises, he invented the Amina persona, who began commenting on the same blogs and mailing lists that Tom was already a part of. Almost immediately, he discovered that Amina's posts provoked friendly reactions, where his own had only provoked hostility. The momentum grew - he created a Facebook page for her, found photos online of a woman who looked like her, created her blog. Amina started getting requests to write articles, which she delivered. She exchanged hundreds of emails with a Canadian woman, developing a romantic relationship. She posted a story about her father's love and protection and it went viral. (A timeline of the events)
Now, Tom MacMaster is frantically and humbly backpedaling, while the pageviews of his blog approach 900,000. Sami Hamwi, the editor of GayMiddleEast.com, wrote, "To Mr. MacMaster, I say shame on you!!! We have to deal with too many difficulties than you can imagine. What you have done has harmed many, put us all in danger, and made us worry about our LGBT activism. Add to that, that it might have caused doubts about the authenticity of our blogs, stories, and us. Your apology is not accepted, since I have myself started to investigate Amina’s arrest. I could have put myself in a grave danger inquiring about a fictitious figure."
I am struck by how similar his story might be to the experience of a member of a multiple system who fought for equal treatment and didn't compromise on their own personality, opinions, and background.
What would the media response have been if, instead of saying "I made it all up," Tom had said, "Yes, I am multiple; Amina is a member of my system"?
It also hilights just now pervasive is the new disenfrancisement that white males believe they face in a world where minority groups are rapidly gaining control of social discourse. "I didn’t mean to hurt the causes which I myself believe in," Tom said. "I only wanted to set forth real information through the use of artfully crafted fiction."
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no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:25 am (UTC)They were out of print, but brought back by Hillerman's success. They are available in pdf; i am going to try to find them.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:31 am (UTC)I have read most of his works, if not all. They aren't hard to get your hands on in Aust. Even before the TV series etc. Just like most classic authors in Aust they were around, and well-loved.
In fact the other night I had a dream where I had a kindle (mum just got one. I WANT!!!) and I was finding all the Arthur Upfield I could and downloading them. They were conveniently in my dream, out of copyright thus very cheap yay! *grins*
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:34 am (UTC)But oh, read his works, and through them visit my country! Do!
If you find his own life-story too, get that as well, it is very interesting and the understanding of him it gives, adds to his books, not subtracts.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:40 am (UTC)I am glad Hillerman's approach was more updated. I suspect that MacMaster was not trying to write fiction. I think he was deceiving people because they wouldn't listen to him, and learned the lesson I learned as a child - only tell lies you are willing to allow to become truths. Otherwise they will come back and beat the crap out of you.
Unfortunately, since he is a white male, it is entirely possible that MacMaster will escape serious consequences for his actions.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:53 am (UTC)Or in a more racially-overtoned book, imagine To Kill A Mockingbird in modern language. How on earth would that work?
And the reality is, in his day and age (A.Upfield) aboriginal people WERE viewed like that, and treated like that. To not reflect that would be in a way changing history. And we can't do that. We can't change what we did in the past. I mean we shouldn't/can't, from this point in time, expect the realities of the past to be obscured so we are more comfortable with it. It is a disgrace how aboriginal people were and are treated.
It does also serve to remind us where we have come from and why.
My question is, what consequence do you think he should have for his actions? I am at a loss to even begin to work that out.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:18 am (UTC)It will be interesting to see if he uses his monetary benefits from this to serve the causes he claims to espouse.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:22 am (UTC)Yes it will be... sounds like he is going to be able to write a book now and get it published!
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 10:48 am (UTC)My kinda guy!
It is shared in favouriteness of quotes with C.S.Lewis's "There isn't a cup of tea in the world big enough or a book long enough for me."
*smiles*
no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-14 11:12 am (UTC):-D