Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Free eNewsletter
    • eNewsletter SignUp
    • View past eNewsletters
  • Toggle search form
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin Civil Rights
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race American Arabs
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections American Arabs
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon American Arabs
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land American Arabs
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers Culture
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Activism
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach Activism
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

Beware of pro-Israel Quora.com

Posted on February 1, 2018February 1, 2018 By rayhanania 2 Comments on Beware of pro-Israel Quora.com
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Loading

Beware of pro-Israel Quora.com

The social media “question” site Quora.com recently pushed me to join so I did. I thought it might help with columns I write. You post a question and strangers answer. I posted a question this week that apparently Quora didn’t like. Why haven’t the Arabs done more to protest against President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital, and are they just dysfunctional?

By Ray Hanania

I recently joined an online discussion site called Quora.com. Quora had pushed me with emails urging me to join, so I thought I would try it.

Quora.com allows you to post some questions and people — strangers — respond. Sounds a lot like Facebook, to me. But I thought, OK, maybe this is a new frontier for social media contact with others.

Ziyad Taste of the Middle East

This week, I decided to get involved and post a question I wanted an answer too. I wanted to know what others thought because I am planning to write a column about it for the ArabNews.com where I write every week on Thursdays.

Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
Christian and Muslims iconic religious images in Occupied Jerusalem, Palestine. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania

The column in the Arab News gets a lot of readers in the Arab World who speak and read English — I don’t write it in Arabic. And the Arab News is planning a big push in the United States where the expression of views and opinions by Arab Americans and pro-Palestine and pro-Two State Solution advocates are censored, bullied and marginalized by the mainstream American news media.

Maybe Quora was different?

Turns out no. They didn’t appreciate a question that didn’t violate their stated policy. But it did violate their unstated policy of supporting Israel.

Here’s the question I wrote that was critical fo the Arab World’s failure to standup to President Trump and Israel’s moves to declare Jerusalem Israel’s official capital:

Why do you think the Arabs haven’t done anything serious to protest the US recognition of Jerusalem, (other than stamping their feet, screaming and getting emotional)? Is it because they are dysfunctional and their bark is bigger than their bite?

The question implies what I believe, that the Arabs have done nothing of any real substance to protest the Jerusalem issue. It also suggest that’s because they are “dysfunctional” and instead of substance often turn to actions that do little to make policy change, but do make themselves feel better, like “stamping their feet, screaming and getting emotional”.

I can understand someone not agreeing with me that the Arabs have done nothing. But it sounds like Quora is upset mostly because I wondered why no one has challenged Israel’s actions to takeover Jerusalem and America’s decision to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem, which most Arabs claim they believe is “occupied.”

It stayed up one day and the responses were ugly, with people, mostly pro-Israel writers, attacking me. They were mad that I was suggesting that Arabs should do something to protest and have not.

On its face, the question criticizes the Arabs but the heart of the issue is to criticize the lack of action by the Arab World, Arab leaders and Arab activists in the West and in the Arab World. They have done nothing. And to me that shows how dysfunctional Arabs are.

Can you use the word “dysfunctional”? Only in the context of criticizing Arabs, I guess.

So Quora wrote me this morning:

Hello,

We recently found some of your content (Why do you think the Arabs haven’t done anything serious to protest the US recognition of Jerusalem, (other than stamping their feet, screaming and getting emotional)? Is it because they are dysfunctional and their bark is bigger than their bite?) that violates Quora’s Be Nice, Be Respectful policy (See What is Quora’s “Be Nice, Be Respectful” policy?).

Please keep this policy in mind when interacting with other people on Quora. If you continue posting content that violates this policy, you may be banned from using Quora. For more information, see: How do I appeal a Quora Moderation decision?

If you think this is an error on our part, please submit a moderation appeal at [Link Removed] contact with a link to your content.

Thank you,
Quora Moderation

I read through their policy and wondered, did they feel I was a member of a terrorist organization? Did I personally attack someone else personally?

Maybe it was me criticizing the Arabs as “dysfunctional” and their reaction to the Jerusalem event as “screaming, stamping their feet”, etc?

Maybe I should have asked, why is the mainstream news media and the owners of Social Media like Facebook, Twitter and now Quora, so anti-Arab in their policies? Facebook has removed hundreds of thousands of accounts recently after Israel’s government protested against those accounts. And without a discussion or word, they were just erased. (The owner of Quora is a former Facebook technology executive. No surprise there!)

Erased, the way they want to erase Palestine!

Here is their policy:

This is an official Quora policy. Last updated May 26, 2015.

Overview

A core Quora principle (“Be Nice, Be Respectful“) requires that people treat other people on the site with civility, respect, and consideration. Assume that others on the site are also trying to make it a great resource. Respect opposing or differing opinions, beliefs and conclusions. Try to listen to and understand others you may disagree with. Encourage others on the site to also be welcoming and respectful.

Attacking people or content

Personal attacks are not allowed on Quora, nor are disrespectful or insulting attacks directed at other people’s content. People should be civil and respectful in disagreement with others and should not (1) make attacks or otherwise disparage other people, (2) refer to other people’s content with insulting or disrespectful language, (3) harass others on the site or (4) advocate self-harm, even in a joking manner. These behaviors hurt the Quora community and deter users from helping to create a better resource.

Do your best to see the world from the perspective of the person who posted the question (the original poster [“OP”]) or answer. It is often not helpful to criticize or challenge the fundamental beliefs of the OP (in an answer) or answerer (in a comment). For example, in responding to the question “Is it OK to only go to church on Easter?”, the following answer would be considered disrespectful and is not allowed: “There is no God and religious rituals are a waste of time.” Use good judgement and be empathetic. Answers and comments that challenge the fundamental beliefs of an OP or answerer will be held to a very high standard re: Be Nice, Be Respectful.

Comment threads & how to disagree in comments

In general, comment threads on Quora are interactions among strangers. Given that another person on the site may be new to Quora and/or doesn’t know you, we require a higher level of politeness than other interactive platforms where users know one another and/or where more adversarial social norms are established and tolerated. A key goal of the Be Nice, Be Respectful policy is ensure that comments do not discourage or intimidate other people on Quora.

Disagreement and debate on Quora is encouraged and is often important to making the page more helpful. It is OK to disagree as long as your comments are civil, respectful, and polite, and as long as you give the impression of assuming good will on the part of the person you are disagreeing with. A good way of framing this test is: “If I am new to Quora and / or don’t know you, would it be reasonable for me to perceive your comment as hostile or disrespectful toward me or what I’ve written?” The answer should be no.

In multi-comment threads where there is significant disagreement among people, a person should stop commenting on the thread before creating the reasonable impression that they are harassing, attacking, and/or bullying another person.

Examples

Examples of behaviors that violate the “Be Nice, Be Respectful” policy include:

Personal attacks, including hurtful, insulting, or hostile comments.

Making unjustified accusations against other user(s).

Engaging in a pattern of behaviour that constitutes harassment of a targeted person or persons, e.g., by making threats, repeated annoying and unwanted contacts, repeated personal attacks, or posting personal information.

Racial, sexual, homophobic, ageist, religious, political, ethnic, or other epithets directed against another contributor.

Using someone’s affiliations as a means of dismissing or discrediting their views (this does not include pointing out a conflict of interest of relevance to the discussion at hand).

Speculating on the real life identity of an anonymous user.

Harassment

Harassment is defined as offensive behavior that appears to a reasonable observer to have the purpose of adversely affecting a targeted person or persons. The intended outcome may be to make using Quora unpleasant for the target, to undermine them, or to discourage them from editing and using the site. Examples of harassment include (but are not limited to): (1) making threats, (2) repeated annoying and unwanted contacts, (3) posting the personal information of another person, (4) using sexually explicit, profane, adversarial, or flirtatious language toward another person if such language would likely make the person uncomfortable.

Hate speech

Users are not allowed to post content or adopt a tone that would be interpreted by a reasonable observer as a form of hate speech, particularly toward a race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnicity, political group, sexual orientation or another similar characteristic. Questions and question details about generalizations in these topics should be phrased as neutrally and respectfully as possible.

Retaliation is not OK

It is never OK to violate the Be Nice, Be Respectful policy, even in response to another person who has violated the policy.

Please note that the Be Nice, Be Respectful policy also pertains to content posted by users who no longer use Quora.

Racial and ethnic slurs

Using any of the words on Wikipedia’s list of ethnic slurs is not allowed in questions, answers, or comments, unless the purpose is to ask a sincere question about the usage/background of the word.

Messages

The Be Nice, Be Respectful policy applies to Messages on Quora.

Consequences

Content that violates this policy may be reported to and removed by admins, and violations of this policy can result in a warning, comment blocking, an edit-block, or a ban.

Depending on the severity of the Be Nice, Be Respectful violation, a user may be banned immediately (i.e., without waiting for content warnings or edit-blocks). People who appear to be using Quora for the primary purpose of harassing others may be banned without warning.

Block first before reporting violations

If you feel that another person is violating this policy with respect to you or your content, you should block them in addition to reporting them to moderation.

Banning users in terrorist groups

Quora will ban and delete all the content of any user who is a confirmed and/or declared member of any group on the U.S. State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist, author and former Chicago City Hall reporter. Email him at rghanania@gmail.com and read his columns each week at ArabNews.com.)

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
rayhanania
rayhanania
Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News
RAY HANANIA — Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster

Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.

Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).

Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.

Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.

His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.

Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.

Click here to send Ray Hanania email.

Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
rayhanania
Latest posts by rayhanania (see all)
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues - March 18, 2023
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC - March 13, 2023
  • Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan - February 22, 2023

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
American Arabs, Arab World, Bloggers, Commentary, Editors Picks, Israel, Middle East, Opinion, Palestine & Jordan, Politics, racism, Ray Hanania, Technology, Terrorism Tags:anti-Arab, asking a question, banned, bias, censored, censorship, Facebook, Qura, removed, SOcial Media, Twitter

Post navigation

Previous Post: ADC protests US failure to grant Syria refugees sanctuary
Next Post: “Olive Branch” Paris Position: Reticence and Opacity

Related Posts

  • Principled US Rep Schakowsky opposes Netanyahu speech Activism
  • Ruination, book by author Fatima V. Mansour of Chicago
    New book released on life of Arabs in America American Arabs
  • Iran Torture Jon Stewart ROSEWATER Israel Torture Vanunu Youtube Arab World
  • CNN’s Chris Cuomo pressed Netanyahu on Israel’s WMD and Slipped in The Truth Arab World
  • António Guterres, the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations and Palestine Prime Minister Rami Hamdalah during a visit to Palestine August 29 and 30, 2017. Photo courtesy of Mohammed Asad.
    UN Secretary General visits Palestine, Israel Arab World
  • Technology will theme Art Forums in Kuwait and Dubai Activism

More Related Articles

Jordan government, King criticized for mishandling Israeli killing of unarmed Judge Ali Younes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he lies to the UN General Assembly about peace during his speech Sept. 22, 2016 Trump approach may not help Israel-Palestine peace process Arab World
Israel targets and kills women & children in Gaza attacks Arab World
Rash of thefts hit charitable donation boxes at Dearborn stores American Arabs
Houston celebrates Arab Heritage Month (April) with book event American Arabs
Abu Kebir Israeli Detention Center Prison. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Israel denies rights to Palestinian dissident jailed for 20 months Arab World

Comments (2) on “Beware of pro-Israel Quora.com”

  1. Ray Hanania says:
    February 1, 2018 at 3:18 pm

    Pro-Israel commentators can say anything they want and Quora does nothing.

    Log in to Reply
  2. Ray Hanania says:
    February 1, 2018 at 6:57 am

    Please don’t say “Quora sucks” because you might have to be censored … pooor Quora. Sensitive to questions Quora. Quora is a bad person. LOL

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • راى حنانيا. Ray Hanania
    Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
    March 18, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    Two parallel uprisings in Israel
    March 11, 2023
  • Racist anti-Arab Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot poses with Edwards Realty President Ramzi Hassan posted on Facebook on posted June 3, 2022 right after the second press conference demanding that Lightfoot end her discrimination.
    Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan
    February 22, 2023
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • 300x300-ZIYAD02.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN02.jpg
  • 300x300-ZIYAD01.jpg
  • 300x300-RAMADAN01.jpg
  • NEWS
  • Piotr Hofmanski, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague
    International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
    March 19, 2023
  • Orand First Responders candidates Matthew G. Rafferty and William Bonnar Jr.
    Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
    March 17, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC’s Humanitarian Mission to Lebanon
    February 22, 2023
  • Paul Vallas addressing the Arab American Democratic Club on Feb. 12, 2023
    AADC releases its endorsements for the April 4, 2023 non-partisan elections
    February 21, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Popular Ziyad Brand Green Za'ater. Photo courtesy of Ziyad Brothers
    Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers
    February 16, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118
    February 9, 2023
  • Shadin Maali has been named Emgage’s new Senior Director of Growth and Operations
    Emgage hires former Illinois Congressional aide to help expand their reach
    February 8, 2023
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

First Installment of the Property Tax

POPULAR POSTS

  • Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan Illinois Review skewers Mayor Lightfoot ally Ramzi Hassan By Ray Hanania Illinois Review, one of the conservative movement's most respected ... posted on February 22, 2023
  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel Two parallel uprisings in Israel By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz Israel is currently shaken by two parallel revolts. In what seems ... posted on March 11, 2023
  • Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land By Ghassan Michel Rubeiz In his recent ... posted on February 18, 2023
  • Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Suzan Atallah seeks election to Palos Park School District 118 Currently living in Orland Park with her supportive husband and ... posted on February 9, 2023
  • Appeal of Mediterranean foods continue to rise among consumers Appeal of Mediterranean foods continues to rise among consumers Ziyad Brothers, a leading omni-channel provider of branded Middle Eastern and ... posted on February 16, 2023
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC In an effort to keep dialogue with government agencies, AHRC held a Meet ... posted on March 13, 2023

Recent Posts

  • International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin
  • Call me Arab, don’t call me MENA writer argues
  • Arab Democrats endorse Rafferty and Bonnar in Orland Fire District race
  • AHRC Holds Meet and Greet with MDOC
  • Two parallel uprisings in Israel
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Glory to God int he Lowest by Author Rev. Donald Wagner
    Book Review: Glory to God in the Lowest: journeys to an unholy land
    February 18, 2023
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme