Tunisian Honesty

One of the most refreshing aspects of doing research here in Tunisia is the clear and honest feedback we receive from our Tunisian hosts. Whether it’s an en-Nahda representative (veering off party line?) discussing homosexuality and pre-marital sex or a former Ben Ali minister theorizing that the U.S. government wants Islamists to control the Middle East, it is clear that we are not simply being spoon-fed rehashed statements. Though it is up to us (the researchers) to place these honest responses within a proper context and bias, honesty makes our time and research here so much more valuable and interesting.

 

In fact, this stimulating openness is not limited to our interviews with politicians and civil society leaders.  After decades of stifled expression, Tunisians are actively experimenting with their new freedom to talk, talk, talk about politics. A common joke here is that politics has pushed out football (aka soccer) as the main topic of conversation in local cafes, and it is hard for me to imagine that one year ago I could have been sitting with the same students at the same cafés and not hear a word about en-Nahda, the Niqab, or Ben-Ali’s repressions. 

 

Of course, some Tunisians are asking whether there is such a thing as too much expression, especially as the country tries to unite around a new constitution and solve the economic and social problems that sparked the revolution in the first place. While not an unreasonable question, I don’t think that expression should be discouraged at the moment. In my opinion, it is better to learn what is best left unsaid by making mistakes, rather than by someone mandating the exact boundaries of freedom of speech. We often hear that Tunisians need to slowly learn to critically think and debate, and this crucial educational process won’t happened if expression is orchestrated by an external body. Moreover, the breath of opinions and issues articulated in Tunisian society inform us about the most pressing problems of the society. For example, while the thought that the U.S. is actively supporting an Islamist takeover may seem to many like a baseless conspiracy theory, it clues us into the worries people have about en-Nahda and the ever-present view that the U.S. is trying to manipulate domestic affairs in the region.

 

Therefore, I believe that people should freely and completely express themselves (non-violently, of course), and I hope that the collective outpour of opinions will bring Tunisians together rather than drive them apart.