Yasmin, come back. I'm really not a orientalist. I understand why Arabs get mad when westerners are always judging them. I would, too. I know there are people that can be legitimately called Orientalist. It's just that occasionally the term can be overused. Like when my husband was in college, he felt every time he said anything critical of his own community (being a Muslim raised in the ME), he was told not to be "orientalist". The study of the ME, instead of being about honest scholarship was used as a political football. One must not criticize the ME because it would hurt the fight against Israel and American imperialism. And I think As'ad sometimes goes a bit overboard in attacking people whose criticisms are legitimate and not biased and have nothing to do with orientalism or racism like that women reporter. You know, people think anthropologists are like orientalists but my father is an anthropologist and he was the one who taught me that you can't judge another culture unless you have really studied it. Anyway, I think the readers of the blog miss your posts and comments. I know I do and I'm very sorry for driving you away or offending you. Salaam.