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Following are excerpts from two phone calls to Syrian TV, which were posted on YouTube on April 26 and June 13, 2011:
June 13, 2011”
Host: Go ahead, Zubeida.
Zubeida, on the phone: Good morning to you, to Der'a, and to Jisr Al-Shughour.
Host: Good morning.
Zubeida: Good morning to Der'a and to Jisr Al-Shughour, which are sinking into rivers of blood, while you sing the praises of that corrupt man [Bashar Al-Assad]. Don't you hear what's going on?
Host: Now I can hear you, sister Zubeida. Your voice is extremely faint in my earphone. Go ahead.
Zubeida: You liars…
Host: Please turn on the local speaker…
Zubeida: You are fabricating, you are being stubborn, you are lying… How long, my brothers, will you continue like this? How long will our media continue to…
Host: let's take a break because we have a problem with the sound…
Cut to Bashar Al-Assad propaganda
April 26, 2011:
Artist Hassan Hassan, on the phone: I'd like to say a few words before we move on to the subject.
Host: Go ahead.
Hassan Hassan: Ask my parents, ask my grandparents, ask my forefathers, ask nobility, ask God, ask whatever you want, but the Ba'th Party is my religion, and Bashar Al-Assad is my god.
Host: My artist brothers… I'd just like to explain what the artist Hassan Hassan said. He was reciting poetry. His words shouldn't be taken at face value. This is a form of a metaphoric superlative. He does not mean exactly what he said. This is a kind of metaphor.
It is like when a boy loves a girl and he says to her: I worship you. He does not really worship her. He only loves her very much. His overflowing love [of Bashar] made him use this metaphor.
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