Kite Runner Debate thread

[Master Khan]

I seen the Kite runner Film and I didn't like it.
Pashtuns were like bullys in it.

[Roshina]

Re: Your Favorite Books

Question for those who didn't/don't like Hosseini's The Kite Runner: Can you give specific examples of how the author presented Pukhtuns in his book?

Every author writes what she/he *believes* is true, or what makes sense to her/him. Hosseini had his reasons for writing that novel and for giving the view of Pukhtuns that he did. If it was a Pukhtun author writing it, it would obviously have been a different perspective. I don't think it's fair to condemn him for his view at all. The portrayal MAY have been his personal experiences, it MAY have been based on his observations, it MAY have been what others told him -- it was certainly inspired by *something*, whatever it was.

For those Pukhtuns who don't agree with it, I say this: Write a novel in which you -- a Pukhtun -- give a better view of Pukhtuns. How many contemporary Pukhtuns have published any novels? How many of us find our representation in other people's novels/books intolerable? And how are we responding to it? How many wars have we witnessed? How much suffering have we lived and tolerated? And how much have we written on it? What have we told the world *about* ourselves? It's not Hosseini or anyone else's responsibility to write good things about Pukhtuns; it's *ours, the ones who ARE Pukhtuns and live Pukhtun lives and KNOW Pukhtuns better than any non-Pukhtun ever might.

We need to tell OUR story (or stories) from OUR perspective. Really, it's silly of us to expect ANY non-Pukhtun to portray us in a positive light to the world in a novel that *he/she* writes.

As for The Kite Runner, I had no problem with it; I loved and enjoyed the story, and I read it when my mom was in Swat, so almost everything I was reading in the book, my mom would tell me was happening in Swat! That was when the saying that "history repeats itself" was proven true to me. It really does.

[Roshina]

Re: Your Favorite Books

How could you say such a thing? How can you? Did you see the way he portrayed Pashtuns? Do you know how Tajiks think of pashtuns? despite them being a ridiculous minority, they are lucky Pashtuns treat them good. If they keep on behaving the way they are, Pashtuns will be left with no choice but to pull the Hazara card on them.

Yes, I have read the book.
No, I don't agree that he should be harassed in any way for the portrayal he gave of Pukhtuns.

Please refer back to my post where I explained why, and, while you're at it, I am interested to know *exactly* what view are you talking about -- specific examples from the story in which Pukhtuns are misrepresented. I will respond accordingly then.

[Shawonkey]

Re: Your Favorite Books

How could you say such a thing? How can you? Did you see the way he portrayed Pashtuns? Do you know how Tajiks think of pashtuns? despite them being a ridiculous minority, they are lucky Pashtuns treat them good. If they keep on behaving the way they are, Pashtuns will be left with no choice but to pull the Hazara card on them.

Yes, I have read the book.
No, I don't agree that he should be harassed in any way for the portrayal he gave of Pukhtuns.

Please refer back to my post where I explained why, and, while you're at it, I am interested to know *exactly* what view are you talking about -- specific examples from the story in which Pukhtuns are misrepresented. I will respond accordingly then.

Hosseini did make Pashtuns look like some savage beasts, even random people in Yahoo answers were asking like "Are Pashtuns really like that"

I guess either

A)You dont really care about Pashtuns
B)You didnt read it properly.

[Lionking]

Re: Your Favorite Books

How could you say such a thing? How can you? Did you see the way he portrayed Pashtuns? Do you know how Tajiks think of pashtuns? despite them being a ridiculous minority, they are lucky Pashtuns treat them good. If they keep on behaving the way they are, Pashtuns will be left with no choice but to pull the Hazara card on them.

Yes, I have read the book.
No, I don't agree that he should be harassed in any way for the portrayal he gave of Pukhtuns.

Please refer back to my post where I explained why, and, while you're at it, I am interested to know *exactly* what view are you talking about -- specific examples from the story in which Pukhtuns are misrepresented. I will respond accordingly then.

Hi Sister,

I am new here so excuse my interruption.

You seem quite educated here, but you have committed a few fallacies and you are following a Doxa. You have a certain set of beliefs but you have no justification for it and you think it is obvious. But quite frankly it is not.

Seems like you are begging the question. You are asking us to go back to 'A' but 'A' has no answer and leads us back to B.

[Laila]

Re: Your Favorite Books

How could you say such a thing? How can you? Did you see the way he portrayed Pashtuns? Do you know how Tajiks think of pashtuns? despite them being a ridiculous minority, they are lucky Pashtuns treat them good. If they keep on behaving the way they are, Pashtuns will be left with no choice but to pull the Hazara card on them.

Yes, I have read the book.
No, I don't agree that he should be harassed in any way for the portrayal he gave of Pukhtuns.

Please refer back to my post where I explained why, and, while you're at it, I am interested to know *exactly* what view are you talking about -- specific examples from the story in which Pukhtuns are misrepresented. I will respond accordingly then.

[quoteHosseini did make Pashtuns look like some savage beasts, even random people in Yahoo answers were asking like "Are Pashtuns really like that"

I guess either

A)You dont really care about Pashtuns
B)You didnt read it properly.

My father and uncles said the exact same thing....in fact Khaled Hossini was a guest appearence to two Afghan events in Southern California and the Pashtuns ripped him apart with their questions.....

[sufi]

Re: Your Favorite Books

I am astonished that people don't realize the message of the book.

it was his attempt to show how brutal we are, did he mention how we are known to be honest? Hospitable? Ave guts? NO.

he did the opposite.


Ms. Doctor post some of the questions they asked I'm interested I hope you remember.

[Laila]

Re: Your Favorite Books

No i wasnt at the convention, in fact it was about 5 months after the book was selling.....long time ago.

I still remember what someone said to me after the book got popular :cry:

[Admin Khan]

Re: Your Favorite Books

which was?

[Laila]

Re: Your Favorite Books

nooo i dont want to say on public, its really mean. I am sure he will get what he deserves.

[Roshina]

Re: Your Favorite Books

Well, I feel as though the way that he made it seem like we treat other ethnic groups, have sex with them, we are on a power trip, we are always demanding. We are always abusive, and stuff like that.

We have some members here who are beyond racists, bash those who are not Pukhtuns (especially the non-Pukhtuns in Afghanistan!), so I think they prove Hosseini's "stereotypical" view of Pukhtuns right.

Other stereotypes about Pukhtuns include that our men are extremely abusive and controlling; The cities of Kandahar in Afghanistan and Banu in Paksitan are known (among non-Pukhtuns at least) for the practice of homosexuality, so I'd assume that's where the author got that from. (This is NOT to imply that I agree with Hosseini's view/representation of Pukhtuns at ALL, though. I'm only showing you why he did what he did in his book.)

And he is a Tajik, Tajiks are famous for such cowardly lies, why did he not use a uzbek as an example why Pashtun?

You do realize you're accepting a certain stereotype against Tajiks, right? If a Pukhtun wrote a book in which he portrayed Tajiks as "coward liars," what would you think of that book? What would you think of the author's personality and character? What would Tajiks think of it?

I'd think the Tajiks would say, "Just becuase some of us are cowards and lie doesn't mean we ALL do! This is an unjust view of our race! Shame on the author!"

My point? Hosseini is a Tajik, and note the way you're talking about Tajiks. So if you don't respect them, don't hold them in high regard, and accept the stereotypes against them (which might not be true and certainly don't apply to even most Tajiks), don't expect him to respect you or other Pukhtuns either; don't be surprised that he accepted with the stereotypes against Pukhtuns.

Let's not play the double-standard game here.

According to U.S soldiers ive met, Pashtuns are VERYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY Hospitable, In fact, A canadian who was by Helmand and Kandahar said, Mostly when the Pashtuns see us cold and etc, they sleep outside and have us sleep inside cause they want to treat the guest good. And this dude Hosseini is here indirectly, in a subliminal manner insulting us.

Yes, I understand that -- but that is obviously not the case according to Hosseini. Again, if you/we have no respect for Tajiks, we shouldn't expect them to respect us either.

[Roshina]

Re: Your Favorite Books

How could you say such a thing? How can you? Did you see the way he portrayed Pashtuns? Do you know how Tajiks think of pashtuns? despite them being a ridiculous minority, they are lucky Pashtuns treat them good. If they keep on behaving the way they are, Pashtuns will be left with no choice but to pull the Hazara card on them.

Yes, I have read the book.
No, I don't agree that he should be harassed in any way for the portrayal he gave of Pukhtuns.

Please refer back to my post where I explained why, and, while you're at it, I am interested to know *exactly* what view are you talking about -- specific examples from the story in which Pukhtuns are misrepresented. I will respond accordingly then.

Hi Sister,

I am new here so excuse my interruption.

You seem quite educated here, but you have committed a few fallacies and you are following a Doxa. You have a certain set of beliefs but you have no justification for it and you think it is obvious. But quite frankly it is not.

Seems like you are begging the question. You are asking us to go back to 'A' but 'A' has no answer and leads us back to B.

Hi, Lionking! Welcome to the board!

Which parts of my post(s) don't you understand? I'll try to clarify my viewpoint.

[Roshina]

Re: Your Favorite Books

I guess either

A)You dont really care about Pashtuns
B)You didnt read it properly.

Actually, I read the book *BECAUSE* I wanted to see how he portrayed Pukhtuns upon having read many Pukhtuns' opposition to it.

Do note that I haven't actually said anywhere that I *agree* with Hosseini's view of Pukhtuns or with anything he said at all. It's interesting how some members seem to assume that just because I *can justify* why Hosseini represented Pukhtuns the way he did, I must agree with him.

As I said in an earlier post, too many of us obviously have no respect for Tajiks or Hazaras or other ethnic groups within Afghanistan and/OR Pakistan, and that's obvious in so many members' posts here on PF; yet, when Hosseini wrote those views on paper and obviously made it seem like he's not fond of Pukhtuns (even though Pukhtuns obviously are NOT fond of Tajiks either!), we're sitting here condemning him for having done so. Why is this?

[Lionking]

Re: Your Favorite Books

Hi, Lionking! Welcome to the board!

Which parts of my post(s) don't you understand? I'll try to clarify my viewpoint.

Respectful sister,

Before I point out your fallacies,

Elaborate on how you can support and defend someone who has pictured YOU in such a negative way to tens of millions of his readers.

Arent you a good cook? Arent you hospitable? Does your dad rape men? Was your dad a bully? Are Pashtuns known to be bullies? Did he once mention a single time how we are known to be such good people and very hospitable? Why did he use Hazara vs Pashtun? Knowing how sensitive that is? Why did he not use a Tajik as an example?


So lets see,

A Tajik uses a Pashtun vs Hazara, What a way to fuel tensions.

You made me get out my guest mode haha!

[Shawonkey]

Re: Your Favorite Books

I guess either

A)You dont really care about Pashtuns
B)You didnt read it properly.

Actually, I read the book *BECAUSE* I wanted to see how he portrayed Pukhtuns upon having read many Pukhtuns' opposition to it.

Do note that I haven't actually said anywhere that I *agree* with Hosseini's view of Pukhtuns or with anything he said at all. It's interesting how some members seem to assume that just because I *can justify* why Hosseini represented Pukhtuns the way he did, I must agree with him.

As I said in an earlier post, too many of us obviously have no respect for Tajiks or Hazaras or other ethnic groups within Afghanistan and/OR Pakistan, and that's obvious in so many members' posts here on PF; yet, when Hosseini wrote those views on paper and obviously made it seem like he's not fond of Pukhtuns (even though Pukhtuns obviously are NOT fond of Tajiks either!), we're sitting here condemning him for having done so. Why is this?

Pashtuns are fond of everyone, we love everyone. But when someone starts ********ey withour heads, we know how to put them in there spot.
Tajiks are a ridiculous minority yet they are messing with a majority, They are making bad youtube videos about us, saying bad things about us, now even demonizing us in books, What more do you need? How do you feel knowing someone who is 20percent of the population is calling YOU Afghan e ghul? They dont even want to be called Afghan. They agree with the notion Afghan=Pashtun, how can you even dare to justify.