benzonar

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worl...-backlash.html


The thing they appear to be missing is that the behaviour of the expats here is really no different to that of the Arabs when they go off on their trips to London, Paris and even Lebanon.

Eva

How's the hand?
Read that & x-referred it into 'Shared Accom' thread.

I honestly don't think you can make a like for like comparison here.
Quotas? Also their behaviour is hardly going to have a knock on effect on the young people of London, Paris & Lebanon in the way -as one interviewee alludes to-the overt behaviour of westerners makes life as little bit more difficult for young Emirati women.......just my 2 fils worth

Madam Medusa

typical misreporting and senstionalising from this rag of a paper...

i'm increasingly seeing groups of local guys wearing dish dashes in bars here, and actually at brunches recently, so they clearly don't have an issue with it...

i just don't see how they would dare stop brunches/free availability of booze...expats and tourists won't like it, and who is going to fill up the gazillions of hotel rooms and apartments etc if everyone stops coming here...

MM, xx

The Dean

Good point - and Eeyore's thread about Dubai being 'rumbled' ties in nicely.

There is sooner or later going to be one hell of a culture clash......

"Look - this is a Muslim country and you should show some respect by conforming to our culture and observing our traditions!"

"Yeah right! There's less than a million of you - and you need FIFTEEN million of us every year. It's what? Ramadan?? Who gives a --------?"

Blue Cat

could you imagine

The Dean

Am I wrong then? Sadly not, I fear..........

And I still don't buy into the 'terrorist target' theory (for reasons I and others have pointed out in other threads), but it makes good copy for the readers.

By the way - that must be the longest article ever to appear in the Heil - how the hell will their readers manage to finish it?

Blue Cat

it was like a novel!! some bits good, some wrong, some farfetched and some true I agree on the terrorist thing though, but it might keep some of the trash from coming here though

Worldismine

For every 2 Gulf Arabs that go to London, Paris, Beirut etc and drink, there are 8 that go there and still follow their customs, religions, culture etc

The Dean

And your point would be........??

benzonar

For every 2 Brits that go to Dubai and fit in with local customs, there are 8 who go there and still follow their own customs and culture etc

Can anyone tell me the difference between these two statements and why one is construed as good and the other bad.

Worldismine

My point is; People should not judge them as reflective of the majority.

Eva

I agree there probably is ' home insurance' in place to protect UAE from terrorist attacks.I am not convinced it can prevent the lone opportunist fundamentalist.

Personally, I wouldn't overtly flaunt or mock any religious/cultural ways of a foreign country I happened to be living in.I am sure the majority on here feel the same Sometimes though,you cannot defend the indefensible and I think some expats' behaviour is unacceptable(even to themselves when sobriety kicks in the next day!)

Worldismine

Because of stereotypes. Drinking, promiscuity, especially in public is more offensive to Islamic influenced cultures, than praying 5 times a day, not drinking and being conservative etc is to Western culture.

Foxes

an interesting article !! a bit one sided imo but good reading nevertheless....

I would say the social and moral effects of the excesses are different but can not answer if one is as good as the other imho...

i.e excessive drinking = anti social behaviour which could lead to you committing illegal actions in the uae.

fundamentalist cultural/religous views = potential aggressive actions against those with opposing views.

kinda focuses on the effects of the excesses - if that makes sense !!

Worldismine

As for terrorism,
1) The Maktoums are not hated, unlike the Saud family etc.
2) The UAE has been mostly neutral in this war between America and whoever goes against its will, and Islamist groups are not persecuted there, unlike Egypt etc.
3) Osama Bin Laden and some of the UAE royal family are bona fide friends
4) Dubai is pride and joy of the Muslim world, attacking it will be bad PR for the perpetrators
5) Moe advised George against attacking Iraq
6) Attacking the place where your money is stored would be akin to a surgeon shooting themselves in the hand.