tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post2116004659546797101..comments2024-03-11T12:49:08.014+03:00Comments on SUSIE of ARABIA: No Kissing AllowedSusie of Arabiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13315336613944665651noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-60683430474295388242013-09-27T05:12:44.150+03:002013-09-27T05:12:44.150+03:00Why do you stay there?Why do you stay there?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-83165776990390913122010-07-05T17:05:09.246+03:002010-07-05T17:05:09.246+03:00With the strict segregation of the genders which I...With the strict segregation of the genders which I find highly unnatural...don't you all think it can create unhealthy attitudes towards men and women? I mean think about this constant fear men and women have to go through on a daily basis with the fear of even looking at another person. Imagine fear looking at an elderly women because some muttawah thinks the man will have lust in his eyes for this woman. I find that extremely laughable. These people are treated like children with no brain in their heads. And if one day this society is desegregated imagine all the decades of psychological damage already done. Could the citizens even handle being able to mix after so many years????????????????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-21175863930743545492010-07-05T11:19:05.661+03:002010-07-05T11:19:05.661+03:00I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 10years now and t...I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 10years now and there isn't one day that goes by without thinking about all the rules and regulations that are very strange to me as a european.Saying that my husband and I chose to live here and we have decided to respect its laws regardless of agreeing with them or not.Some don't make sense to us specially all the rules regarding women and the non existence relationship between men and women.But this is their country we are only passing and I feel is not right for me to try to change their views.The Saudi people should fight for what they want if they really want a change.I am a pacificist and so any type of violence is not acceptable and it never solves the root problems.Since I have started reading your blog I have never again taken for granted the freedom I have in my country and very much appreciate it.There are days that I am frustrated by the things I cannot do but try hard to embrace fully the ones I can and hope one day all the women in Saudi Arabia have what they want.<br />On a different note let me tell you that when I go out with my husband,we always hold hands and we have never been stopped for doing that.We see many Saudi couples here in Jeddah doing the same.Carry on with your blog Susie and make the most of your time away from this heat!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06173585327233297003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-28263479552241513422010-07-05T11:19:05.660+03:002010-07-05T11:19:05.660+03:00I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 10years now and t...I have lived in Saudi Arabia for 10years now and there isn't one day that goes by without thinking about all the rules and regulations that are very strange to me as a european.Saying that my husband and I chose to live here and we have decided to respect its laws regardless of agreeing with them or not.Some don't make sense to us specially all the rules regarding women and the non existence relationship between men and women.But this is their country we are only passing and I feel is not right for me to try to change their views.The Saudi people should fight for what they want if they really want a change.I am a pacificist and so any type of violence is not acceptable and it never solves the root problems.Since I have started reading your blog I have never again taken for granted the freedom I have in my country and very much appreciate it.There are days that I am frustrated by the things I cannot do but try hard to embrace fully the ones I can and hope one day all the women in Saudi Arabia have what they want.<br />On a different note let me tell you that when I go out with my husband,we always hold hands and we have never been stopped for doing that.We see many Saudi couples here in Jeddah doing the same.Carry on with your blog Susie and make the most of your time away from this heat!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06173585327233297003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-28612568973304198322010-07-03T02:03:16.973+03:002010-07-03T02:03:16.973+03:00"Which is more offensive - seeing someone'..."Which is more offensive - seeing someone's head chopped off or witnessing a man kiss his wife on the forehead?"<br /><br />what a preposterous way to put things. Corporal punishments have lot of advantages in that they are cheap, quick and effective. you do realize that those who are beheaded ARE criminals (murders, rapists) not just 'someone'. how can anyone sympathize with criminals? <br /><br />Besides who decides what's barbaric and what's not? is a lion tearing a deer apart barbaric? how about killing a completely innocent, living fetus? In the civilized world, children are considered a by-product of sex. Abortion is everyday business and a big business to be precise. <br /><br />now to the kissing/PDA. <br />There is nothing in sharia to punish them. However, such tings must not be allowed in public because they lead to perverse things that are certainly prohibited. today you want a man to be allowed to kiss his wife in public. tomorrow you'll want him to be able to get in her pants - she might have thigh strain. thereafter you'll be calling for nude beaches, bars and clubs. (not to mention the scores of mental hospitals, counselling centers and divorce consultants that will be required.)<br /><br />i just hope Saudi don't fall into this trap of never ending perversion. Most of these social problems are down to the media which glorifies such things. movies, cable and satellite tv should be banned before anything else.Rafaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-27747076141792784092010-06-22T19:18:21.344+03:002010-06-22T19:18:21.344+03:00Your write' are the trueth, but maybe have som...Your write' are the trueth, but maybe have some trouble with your blog...Jimmy choohttp://www.knockoff-bags.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-75010524858652835712010-06-22T10:59:08.168+03:002010-06-22T10:59:08.168+03:00Anonymous above, you write : "Sexual segregat...Anonymous above, you write : "Sexual segregation have long been practiced by moral and righteous people ALL religions of the world" - yes, it's all about religious extremists isn't it? The worry is precisely to have a country ruled by moral and righteous extremists.Nathaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02308523489103068439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-91142271724515438012010-06-21T23:53:52.802+03:002010-06-21T23:53:52.802+03:00Re: beheadings vs capital punishment
"I don&...Re: beheadings vs capital punishment<br /><br />"I don't think Americans are in a position to lecture saudi arabia on this point."<br /><br />Amen says this proud Canadian. Capital punishment a thing of the past here.<br /><br />SA seems to be an intriguing place. But not somewhere I would like to live.amyinbchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01633627179582112435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-87067588424169286922010-06-21T19:14:04.109+03:002010-06-21T19:14:04.109+03:00It's simply barbaric....floggin for a mere kis...It's simply barbaric....floggin for a mere kiss...<br /><br />@ anonymous 1 said before me comparing the lynchin to the situation in KSA: you still don't get it! you can't compare a barbaric act that happened in the past to a barbaric act that is happening RIGHT NOW<br /><br />@ anonymous 2 here in Europe there was never a sexual segregation that you can compare to the one is happening in KSA , women weren't forced to wear a garbage bag, they could speak freely with an unrelated man without the fear of being arrested. <br /><br />The growing laws that is banning the facial veil is for security reason, you don't know who wear it and for sure you can't ask every time for a woman to witness the identity of a woman who wears a face veil<br /><br />"Same can be said about Muslims living in America, but only its FBI who comes knocking." of course you can receive a visit from the FBI if someone start to speak about bombs/go to certain sites/treatens violencecountrygirlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-55135943816229244482010-06-21T02:04:58.201+03:002010-06-21T02:04:58.201+03:00Fabulous blog. Certainly has evolved over the yea...Fabulous blog. Certainly has evolved over the years. You have certainly become a celebrity. And, every entry is so interesting. Amazing how different the concerns of these Saudis are from us Americans. Imagine "no kissing" signs! Why even have them? I should imagine when one can get 90 lashes, in addition to four months in the can, NOBODY would even consider kissing a child in public. Control. It's all about control. And, I love your new photo with that colored headscarf. Much softer that black.Ilsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09055254564640587182noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-86155944690422268262010-06-20T23:30:01.410+03:002010-06-20T23:30:01.410+03:00Sexual segregation have long been practiced by mor...Sexual segregation have long been practiced by moral and righteous people ALL religions of the world, including Hindus and Buddhists. Having opposite sexes freely mix in public setting has been a modern day phenomena. In fact Ultra Orthodox Jews and religious Eastern Catholics and eastern orthodox Christians (especially rural) still practice sexual segregation, and they too consider public display of affection as an immoral act. <br /><br />I think for those who do not understand the religious code (and especially Islam) will consider life in KSA a threat and view their actions as barbaric. Quite same can be said for those who are practicing religious people (Jews, Christians and Muslims) who are living in west. Being surrounded by boozed up semi-naked people is a challenge. Thus you have various religious groups sticking so close together. <br /><br />Many commenter here have voiced their shock sexual suppression, but same can be said of those who are being forced to remove their face veil in the west by force. <br /><br />In KSA western born/raised people have to be careful about what they say or how they act in the public, or else religious police will get them in big trouble. Same can be said about Muslims living in America, but only its FBI who comes knocking. <br /><br />Each of us have our own struggles. For some westerners living in KSA, and for some Muslims living in the west. Each of us struggle through socially imposed norms, but that doesn't mean that Saudi men are barbaric or American women are slutty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-57723516700045060362010-06-18T21:22:16.068+03:002010-06-18T21:22:16.068+03:00Is this acceptable.
USA: First execution in 11 yea...Is this acceptable.<br />USA: First execution in 11 years scheduled in Utah: Ronnie Lee GardnerZahranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-26532787834315064922010-06-18T14:25:41.367+03:002010-06-18T14:25:41.367+03:00Sorry for the above post on the incarceration of a...Sorry for the above post on the incarceration of a Nigerian cleric residing and having his mosque in KSA. The Saudi authorities respected him to the extent of allowing him to be the Imam of the Shara Mansir district mosque in Mecca. Suddenly they changed their mind seven month ago and sent him to the slammer.<br />I posted it here to bring the issue to your and your readers' attention. I am sorry if it upsets the agenda for your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-53740283771475243922010-06-18T03:20:16.682+03:002010-06-18T03:20:16.682+03:00Homosexuality is an "ill" of society (re...Homosexuality is an "ill" of society (re: Heni's post)? News to me. How sad that people in this day and age still think so backwardly and insist on comparing it to actual harmful activity like rape and drug abuse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-24800132183008396432010-06-17T16:56:51.036+03:002010-06-17T16:56:51.036+03:00The point of this post was to highlight the huge a...The point of this post was to highlight the huge and confusing differences here in KSA between actions that are viewed as acceptable out in public view, like public executions and whacking women with sticks, and actions that are viewed as unacceptable, like kissing and hugging.Susie of Arabiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13315336613944665651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-82925278044861937462010-06-17T15:01:57.082+03:002010-06-17T15:01:57.082+03:00KSA: RELEASE SHEIK AHMAD GUMI NOW
This post is in ...KSA: RELEASE SHEIK AHMAD GUMI NOW<br />This post is in support of a campaign to put pressure on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to release Sheik Ahmad Gumi. The medical doctor, ex-soldier turned cleric was arrested inside his mosque at Shara Mansir district of Mecca more than six months ago. He has not being charged to court neither was his offence revealed by the authorities. This in itself is against the tenets of democracy and indeed Islam. I for one do not believe that the Shari’a approves for people to be arrested and detained for months on end without any prospect of being tried in a court. If the Saudi authorities believe he committed some offence then they should put him on trial. They should also abide by the civil tenet of giving him bail so as to allow him to remain with his family until a verdict is reached. In my opinion any thing short of this is undemocratic and un-Islamic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-55764452898219511152010-06-17T10:27:20.639+03:002010-06-17T10:27:20.639+03:00Kissing your wife's forehead is bad? Good gri...Kissing your wife's forehead is bad? Good grief! 90 Lashes? This is just evil, Susie.Kayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07461569436322815787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-7424597321617640422010-06-17T07:02:07.656+03:002010-06-17T07:02:07.656+03:00Hello Susie,
Posts like this one make me think i...Hello Susie, <br /><br />Posts like this one make me think it could often be extremely challenging to go about daily life in KSA. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. <br /><br />There are some subjects I would be terrified to touch upon in a publicly accessible blog if I planned to consider staying in KSA though, and the main one would be apostasy, especially if any misguided reader could possibly interpret such a blog to advocate for such a thing. I have heard that people can be subject to severe punishments or even the death penalty for perceived offences associated with apostacy. <br /><br />While it is all very well for those of us who are distant from KSA to encourage you Susie to speak your mind (and I think your posts are fascinating), we should also be aware that KSA is a very repressive country and those on the outside may be unaware of how much people can express themselves on certain subjects without fear of punishment.<br /><br />Wishing you all the best!<br /><br />KristinaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-15834788463159559162010-06-15T23:13:08.880+03:002010-06-15T23:13:08.880+03:00So sorry, that is incorrect. Segregation has not ...So sorry, that is incorrect. Segregation has not always been practiced here. And 20 years ago they were not allowed to print "problems" in the paper, and people were more scared to talk about it. But yes, all this "corrupt" stuff was happening.Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-4122265321271157672010-06-15T18:28:01.951+03:002010-06-15T18:28:01.951+03:00wow so many interesting points here:
Trae - I agr...wow so many interesting points here:<br /><br />Trae - I agree with you 100% Authorities in the gulf will treat you very differently depending on whether you are a local/expat/ migrant worker/speak the language/know your rights etc<br /><br />I get a little frustrated by some comments here criticizing the US. Yes I know it's fun, here in Australia people love to poke fun at Americans. But if someone's knee-jerk reaction to criticism is to point somewhere else they are failing to take responsibility and acknowledge the issue at hand. Two wrongs don't make a right! Many Muslims today are trying to highlight that it is better to step-up and address the issues at hand and that MUSLIMS should condemn atrocities committed by other Muslims. This actually strengthens the religion, because then Muslims are seen to be just and fair, rather than ignoring/denying/shifting blame. The anger you feel by american injustice should ALSO be aroused by Saudi injustice! Evil and wrongdoing is equally bad no matter what country or religion it is linked to.<br /><br />On a side note Susie, did you hear about the saudi girl who converted to Christianity and had her toungue cut out and was burned to death by her father?<br />I would be interested to see any post you wold write on apostasy.. I know it is a controversial subject but one that is always ignored. The common line is: there are no apostates from KSA/other gulf nation. I have posted recently (briefly) on my close saudi christian/apostate friends. My fiancee (from Emirates) is also an apostate.misschatterboxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16620056873898706488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-70069785453299905002010-06-15T18:25:27.953+03:002010-06-15T18:25:27.953+03:00You're tending to focus on the flame and negle...You're tending to focus on the flame and neglect the root cause of this problem.<br />The ills of this society cannot be attributed to segregation. This region has practiced segregation for over one thousand years, yet the vices one witness here are but a contemporary phenomenon. How then can one point the finger at segregation? Twenty years ago most of these crimes weren't even heard of. I assert that our attention must be directed towards the ever-growing corrupt media which is being beamed into the houses of the populace and corrupting the minds of our generations. That is where the debate starts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-57314226270046126282010-06-15T18:25:27.952+03:002010-06-15T18:25:27.952+03:00@JustCuffMe
You are of course welcome to your opin...@JustCuffMe<br />You are of course welcome to your opinion. As a Muslim woman I will defend my religion as I see fit. And it absolutely doesn't mean I have to defend all the horrific things done in the name of religion. Just because you decide the two must go together- doesn't make it true. If fact, perhaps you might take a course in basic logic- because that doesn't add up.<br /><br />I'm also quite certain my mind isn't any narrower than yours is, or that I am any more delusional. Though apparently you are a lot more arrogant since you think you could know something like that just because of my faith.Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-67779764736971088342010-06-15T15:50:04.692+03:002010-06-15T15:50:04.692+03:00It really bothers me when an Islamic woman publicl...It really bothers me when an Islamic woman publicly defends her religion when it is criticized for being degrading to women.<br /><br />Any Muslim woman who can [with a straight face] say that their religion is fair to women is delusional. [In all disclosure, I would say this to a Catholic woman, a Jewish woman, and any other woman who chooses to side with her religious captors.]<br /><br />When you associate yourself with a religion and then you decide to defend that religion, you better be prepared to defend all of the horrific things done in the name of that religion. It's as simple as that.<br /><br />Islam is disparaging to women. When women are doing well in a country or society, the nation or society as a whole benefits. This is fact. So, is there any wonder Afghanistan [for example] has been such a disaster for centuries? Women are treated like dogs there & mostly in the name of Islam.<br /><br />Shameful. <br /><br />I hope one day the women of Islam [and of many other religions around the globe] realize that by defending the religion that keeps their minds narrow & dictates their lives for them, they are only doing women as a whole an injustice.<br /><br />Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-72528560808006224572010-06-15T13:45:13.537+03:002010-06-15T13:45:13.537+03:00I follow your blog with great interest, and I too ...I follow your blog with great interest, and I too am concerned about what your report, but admire you for reporting it.Jenniferhttp://www.dividingmytime.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3569425364802315563.post-81271027033229430242010-06-15T06:43:39.301+03:002010-06-15T06:43:39.301+03:00Americans please do not forget this.
http://en.wi...Americans please do not forget this.<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_in_the_United_States<br /><br />It was a public sport, where even kids could participate and take soveneirs of the lynched person (ears, nose..whatever).<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Postcard_of_the_lynched_Jesse_Washington,_front_and_back.jpg<br /><br /><br />At the turn of the 20th century in the United States, lynching was photographic sport. People sent picture postcards of lynchings they had witnessed. The practice was so base, a writer for Time noted that even the Nazis "did not stoop to selling souvenirs of Auschwitz, but lynching scenes became a burgeoning subdepartment of the postcard industry. By 1908, the trade had grown so large, and the practice of sending postcards featuring the victims of mob murderers had become so repugnant, that the U.S. Postmaster General banned the cards from the mails." [31]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com