mikewot

Markudhe you need to read up on some history. It's not that long ago you could be arrested in the USA for having alcohol, it was a period called prohibition. It's not that long since it was illegal to be homosexual in the UK. You must have read recently of Alan Turings pardon?

NorthernLad

I was once told 'believe nowt of what you hear and half of what you see' - this is very true for this region.

When you read these reports in the papers there is often more to the story than is printed. Take Vince and Michelle's sex on the beach escapade - they were warned once by the police but ignored this, continued and she threw a shoe at the copper when they were warned again.

Try reading the Daily Mail - you'll get a very different view on the UK than actual reality.

Considering the local culture here and the relgious aspect, Dubai is very accomodating.

As for Tel Aviv - great city, fantastic bars/clubs. Just make sure on entry you ask for a removable stamp (this is fairly normal) and avoids any issues if travelling within the Middle East.

Millsyisland

Removable stamp? As in they do it on a separate bit of paper or something and you can simply take it out to remove the evidence of the visit?

Very accommodating of them I'd say!

scrubbedexpat141

Yep, my old dear went to the country that must not be name and didn't even ask for a removable one, they just did it on paper and stapled it in.

NorthernLad

Yep, its a slip of paper. When I flew in a lot of people were asking for it, no questions/hassle from passport control guys.

Millsyisland

Interesting - I know there are 2 sides to everything, but I could never see them doing something similar in Arab countries, if there were visa/stamp issues to enter 'that country'.

Markie

Yoohoo - definitely interested.

Mike - VERY aware of that. Heck, it's really only been the last couple YEARS that gay people didn't need to fear arrest in some circumstances where I live. But, I saw the Middle East as being far more restrictive, and it sounds on here like some of my opinions and views may have been very distorted by the media. I hope I get a chance to go check it out.

Northern - I wondered after hearing what some of you were saying if there were perhaps, more to the stories, than meets the eye. And gosh yeah, the Daily Mail is trash.

Everyone on removable stamps - I'm not really worried, I'd just present myself as American in Israel and British in the rest of the Middle East. I think that's okay, I've known a LOT of people who've gone to Israel. None who've went anywhere else in the Middle East though... just a bunch of religious fanatics making their pilgrimages to Israel.

scot47

Your post scriptim
P.S. Obviously I'm not an idiot"

might be challenged buy some

Markie

Perhaps "buy [SIC]" those who cannot properly distinguish between buy and by? Or, perhaps, by those who use exclamation marks instead of quotation marks?

scot47

Better dyslexic than a dyke

Fossildog

Why not visit somewhere where your lifestyle choices are more acceptable, and legal? There are loads of places around the world where you can enjoy alternative nights out without the legal complications. The Middle East is not really the place to come and try to test the locals patience. Or are you after the thrill of living dangerously? If so it seems quite disrespectful to want to come here.

Markie

Nah, like I said, if I come visit it'll be entirely within the bounds of local law.

Myusernamewastaken

This might not be the most politically correct post but I would have thought twice about giving him a pardon. It really opened a can of worms.

Firstly, he committed a crime and was punished accordingly. Laws and morals change over time, that's just how the UK and all other criminal systems work.

If someone did something illegal 10 years ago but that act would have been legal now, that person most probably wouldn't be "pardoned".

Secondly, what about everyone else in the same or similar case as Alan Turing? Only giving pardon to him means that everyone isn't equal before the law. I thought that was a Middle Eastern trait and not a UK.

mikewot

The pardon was for an act of gross indecency which, as recent historic research showed, was not correct under the (then) law.

Myusernamewastaken

"Later, convinced by the advice of his brother and other lawyers, Turing entered a plea of "guilty"[..]"

"The petition gathered over 37,000 signatures, but the request was discouraged by Lord McNally, who gave the following opinion in his role as the Justice Minister:

A posthumous pardon was not considered appropriate as Alan Turing was properly convicted of what at the time was a criminal offence. He would have known that his offence was against the law and that he would be prosecuted.[..]"

The above are quotes from Wikipedia. I can't find any support, however only to the contrary, that the conviction was wrong in accordance with the then law. Where have you got your information from?