Colonized Minds

Your editorial “Byproducts of Wars” (Sept. 13) made me think back to the 1970s, when I was studying at Portland State University. There were many young men also attending PSU and they were a long way from home — the Middle East. One of my best friends married a Saudi man and they have two children together who are absolutely divine “commoners.” The emphasis on education during those times was exciting because as students we were in our “prime” so to speak, and we were also extremely curious about knowledge and understanding.

Human beings, that’s all we were then and all we are today. But we were young enough to envision the hope on our horizon, trusting in a more enlightened future — because we would be well-informed and therefore potential future “leaders” who could use our brain(s) more effectively due to higher education. Now here we are, and it’s 2006. Sadly we are learning that our elder generation had another agenda and it was not about educating the masses.

It was about creating the yoke of debt to enslave as many “commoners” as possible, for the ruling elite’s “fodder” — cannon fodder or “free lunch” fodder.

It is insatiable greed for money and power that drives them. A debt-based global economy is a necessity for these people to continue owning the people, places, things and natural resources of planet Earth. Terrorizing as many commoners as possible is an integral part of the plan. Human beings are much easier to control once they’ve been ravaged by perpetual wars.

This editorial on the casualties of children who have been destroyed by war made me weep. I graduated from the university with a degree in elementary education as well as two other college degrees, but the US has changed dramatically since that time and the majority of Americans unfortunately have become trapped into another poor colony of the ruling elite, such as the other colonies they control and have controlled for far too long — Africa, India, et al.

Roberta Kelly, United States, published 23 September 2006

Kingdom’s PR Assets

I must commend Khaled Almaeena for the frank comments in his article “Our Greatest PR Assets” (Sept. 17). I am in complete agreement with his observation that there is no contact between the Saudis and the expatriate community. My parents worked and lived in Saudi Arabia for almost 20 years starting in the early 1970s but never felt any attachment to the country as they were always looked down upon as low-grade workers. Also I must point out one universal practice in society that feeds resentment — paying people according to their passports, even when both people are doing the same kind of work.

I wish someone would tell Saudis about the last sermon of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in which he stressed that all human beings were equal, irrespective of their ethnic differences.

Mohammad, Jeddah, published 23 September 2006

Kingdom’s PR Assets - 2

Thank you. It was so very nice to learn that there are people in this country who would use terms other than “himar” and “kelb” to describe us.

Qasim Peeran, Khamis Mushayt, published 23 September 2006

Kingdom’s PR Assets - 3

I thank Khaled Almaeena for a well-written article. I have met a lot of people around the world who have never set foot in Saudi Arabia, but believe it to be a country of bigots who are concerned only with their needs and do not care about the expatriates working among them. This is anything but true, but is the universal perception. It is people like Khaled who must change the opinions other people have of Saudi Arabia while, at the same time, reminding us of the expatriates who have helped build our country. I am grateful to Khaled for putting this issue under the light. There should be many more articles like this.

Abdul Rahman Ali, Riyadh, published 23 September 2006

Violence in Protests

It is my sincere belief that Rome will not retract its statements offensive to Islam. It will, at best, provide explanations seeking to make such references palatable to Muslims. Nothing more, I am sure, because the Roman attitude is not one of concern.

The reason is obvious. Where were the objections by Rome to the bombings of Lebanon? I do not recall seeing any headlines or even any comment at all about the pope taking a public stand for peace. That says it all. It is not just what the pope says, but also what he doesn’t do, that tells us how much he has taken to his heart Jesus’ (pbuh) message of love. With this pope in charge, is a dialogue with Islam even a possibility? Hardly. Of all the ways he could have dealt with Islam, he chose one of contention, not of comprehension. This is not something that can be ignored — not just an anthill that you can step over and go on. Rome has painted itself into a corner and it seems that the corner is on the edge of a cliff. So as I struggle to try to find some way ahead, all I can put my trust in is prayer. What is needed in Rome is a change of heart. Pray with me for such a miracle.

Jerry Copeland, United States, published 23 September 2006

Attack on US Embassy

The report “Bomb Attack on US Embassy in Syria Foiled” (Sept. 13) must have shaken the notions of many about that country. I’m thankful that Syria protected us from this assault. We should stop labeling anyone who has a different opinion from ours as a terrorist. There are always many sides to a story. The truth is always somewhere in between myriad points of view.

Richard Jones, United States, published 23 September 2006

Attack on US Embassy - 2

That act of “terrorism” by Syria was worse than bombs. In America, all the “good guys” — Bush, Cheney, Condy with the usual yelps of agreement from Blair — declared war on Syria because it was “interfering” in their “interference” in Iraq and Israel’s “interference” in Lebanon. That made it the natural target for the next mass murder, to make the place safe for “the American way of life.” And because it was Muslim, as Pope Benedict would agree, it would kill Christians in tens, unlike the peaceful Christians who kill Muslims in thousands. Everything was going well as scripted, and then comes that so and so and spoils everything by saving American lives. Huntington was right: It is a clash of civilizations.

Kaleemuddin, Jeddah, published 23 September 2006

American Patriotism

Ray Hanania’s comparison between the generations of 9/11 and of World War II in his article “Now That We’ve Remembered 9/11, Remember Its Aftermath” (Sept. 13) was very misleading. He stated that the American patriotism at the time of World War II respected justice, freedom and civil rights. That was blatantly incorrect.

While I admire the generation of my grandfathers for emerging victorious after the Great War, I’m embarrassed by how the Japanese-Americans were treated at the time. After the Pearl Harbor attack, almost all Japanese were rounded up and imprisoned in internment (concentration) camps only because of their nationality and the color of their skin. With the exception of slavery, this was perhaps our worst moment with regard to tolerance and civil rights. The post-9/11 reaction, especially toward American Muslims, was much less severe. I understand the point Hanania was trying to make, but I think that comparing the present situation to that at the time of World War II is a mistake.

Bob Hooks, United States, published 23 September 2006

Turki’s Case

The report “NSHR Backs Saudi Convicted of Maid Abuse in US” (Sept. 14) misses a few points about the case of Homaidan Al-Turki. He was accused of a crime in America and was tried under American laws, as any American would have been. I cannot say anything about his guilt or innocence without facts, but I know that the justice system works for anyone, regardless of color or ethnicity. Turki was not treated differently. Turki must have known that he was breaking the law when he brought a poor Asian Muslim woman to the US paying her only $150 a month. The minimum hourly wage in the US is more than $8 in some states. The disproportionate attention the case is getting in the media and from official circles is mystifying. There are many Saudis in US jails and under trial for various offenses, but no one takes any notice of them. I myself knew of the case of a Saudi citizen who got into trouble and tried to get our embassy in Washington to help him. It declined any assistance on the ground that it could not deal with personal problems of Saudi nationals.

The final point I wish to make is that if the charge is true and if the woman had been treated as alleged, the Asian Muslim woman has got the justice that she would not have got in any Islamic country, including Saudi Arabia. We know from press reports that many maids in Saudi Arabia have been raped; but we do not know how many of them got justice.

Rashid M. Alhomaid, Tucson, Arizona, US, published 23 September 2006

Turki’s Case - 2

Where is the outrage of the NSHR (National Society for Human Rights) over the treatment of the maid? What would a Saudi view as an acceptable punishment for rape? Clearly, the NSHR views forced sex with a maid as a less serious issue than being forced to shave off a beard. I wonder what the maid (in this case a Muslim) feels about that? I also wonder what the reaction would have been if it had been a Saudi girl and not an Indonesian? I frequently see articles in the press about abuse of expatriate maids. Perhaps this is much more acceptable in Saudi Arabia than in the US.

Robert Frank, Riyadh, published 23 September 2006