From the Heart

Hats off to Ms. Lubna Hussain for airing her forthright views, insights and acknowledging what our fellow countrymen, the downtrodden laborers are subjected to on a daily basis (“The Unsung Heroes of Our Society”, July 22).

It gladdened our hearts when we read one such letter long ago in Arab News titled “Ghutra off to Expatriates” by a Saudi citizen.

Reading her article again warmed our hearts to know that there are many good and upright Saudis who feel and understand our pain and our homesickness.

It’s no one’s fault to be born in poor family or in a poor country. I was saddened when I read one such letter where it was written that we expatriate leave our country only to escape from a crime-infested place to live in peace and security in the Kingdom.

Time after time, we read and hear people telling us that we are siphoning off all our earnings to our home country, but do they even think to realize as Ms. Lubna does........ “at what cost”?

I only hope that such articles are also featured in all the Arabic newspapers of the Kingdom to at least present a clear picture.

Dr. Sakina Rabbani, Alkhobar published 24 July 2005

Let’s Move On

This is in response to Adil Salahi’s article, “What Motive for the Heinous Crime of London Bombings?” (July 11). You wonder why the world tends to blame Muslims for terrorist acts. Why?

Because, for the most part, most acts are committed by Muslims. Look at Bali, Pakistan, Madrid and Iraq. Now they may be misguided but they proudly proclaim that they are Muslims. How many have deplored the killing of Iraqi people?

Over 1,500 people have been killed in Iraq since April.

The Arab world has endless grievances from past centuries? Let’s move on. Forget past injustices and move into the present. It can be done.

Sheldon Winston, United States published 24 July 2005

Let’s Move On [2]

The writer laments the immediate finger-pointing to “Islamic terrorists”. And then proceeds to blame everyone else for this assumption.

Since this writer is looking for a motive of anyone else besides fundamentalists looking to terrorize a population into submission, let’s analyze any other group that has employed similar tactics.

Usually, groups that use such tactics are looking for a desired outcome. They create chaos in order to bring attention to a cause.

What was the intent of the London bombings? What did they want?

I am continually amazed at the route Islamic communities are willing to take in order to somehow point the finger elsewhere when dealing with their own problems.

If Muslims are expecting everyone else to believe this to be true, it would help if Muslims would expose and denounce those leaders who preach and indoctrinate others with their hateful teachings.

Derrick B, Canada published 24 July 2005

Don’t Generalize

This is in response to the article, “Coffee Shops Double as Entertainment Centers” (July 10), where the writer referred to a bad behavior as “typical Saudi”. Criticism is appropriate when it is meant to correct a wrong thing; what is inappropriate is blaming an entire nation or an individual.

I have lived over 10 years in different countries and not once was I discriminated against because I’m “typical” Saudi. But here in my own country a Saudi writer stereotypes us with the use of “typical” Saudi.

The writer overlooked some simple rules: Generalization is never true for anything, let alone human behavior and never hint that any nation is better than another.

Adel Alzaid, Riyadh published 24 July 2005

Excited

This is in response to the article, “CITC to Promote Computer Literacy Among Saudi Families” (July 9). I read your article about getting computers out to everyday people. I applaud this effort. I am especially excited to see there is a push to help finance computers for women.

I have always found your newspaper interesting, but this effort is really exciting.

It will help connect your people with the whole world. I hope one day to get an e-mail from a person in Saudi Arabia, asking about life in Springfield, Missouri.

I will answer those questions with the hope of learning about the daily life of one of your citizens.

Cathy Moss, Missouri, US published 24 July 2005

Be Responsible

This is in response to Iman Kurdi’s article, “Making Poverty History” (July 12). Governments might assist those who do not wish to live in poverty by providing the tools to achieve a productive life, but each individual must assume responsibility to make use of the tools provided, deciding on fewer children to support, studying for his education, striving to maintain a strong work ethic, exercising self-discipline.

Success comes from within each individual and by the effort one is willing to make, success cannot be doled out by governments.

The old saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink, also applies to individuals.

Assuming responsibility for oneself should be learned at a very early age if one intends to be successful and productive.

Poverty will always exist for all the obvious reasons.

Carolyn M. Lacy, United States published 24 July 2005

A Calamity

This is in response to the article: “Iraq: Withdrawal Is the Only Way to Curb Terrorism’ (July 13). Lack of military presence as a way of curbing terrorism has already been tried, and it has failed, with disastrous results in Afghanistan, where leaving the Afghans to their own devices after the Soviets departed led ultimately to the 9/11 attacks.

One can only hope that the US will not make the same mistake in Iraq. Better to get the job done now — it is always more costly to wait until the problem grows even worse.

Indeed, had the US and other coalition forces liberated Iraq in 1990/91, the world might have been spared the current mess in Iraq, and the Iraqi people would not have had to endure years of sanctions.

In any event, withdrawal is appealing in the short run, but it would be a calamity if carried out prematurely.

John Smith, United States published 24 July 2005

A Calamity [2]

Far from disputing one word of this article, I wholly agree that the US and Britain’s foreign polices in the Middle East during the past five years have been deplorable.

However, as the saying goes “Two wrongs do not make a right”.

What happened in London on July 7, not only angered the whole of the Western world, but we could almost hear a loud collective groan of condemnation and despair from rational Arabs and Muslims around the world.

Yet another group of misguided youth, in the name of Islam and political justice, have managed to do more damage to our political causes than they can ever imagine.

Women wearing hijab and men with Middle Eastern looks and dress have already been attacked, as well as their mosques, in various parts of Britain.

Innocent, God-fearing, law-abiding Muslims who want nothing to do with this form of justice.

Many Arabs and Muslims, fearing backlash have canceled their reservations to the United Kingdom and Europe.

A couple of days ago, yet another assassination attempt, injuring many and killing a few, took place in Beirut. Why?

God only knows; and no one seems optimistic that the days of bloodshed and chaos are long gone from weary Lebanon.

When will this bloodshed end, be it in the Middle East or Europe, in the name of politics and religion?

How long innocents will continue to be punished for the ideologies, political strategies and greed of a few power-hungry ruthless parties, who have no qualms about destroying innocent human lives to achieve their goals?

Maha Mufti, Jeddah published 24 July 2005

A Calamity [3]

I understand this is an opinion piece, but could you please limit opinion pieces to ones based on facts and historical truths?

Diatribes formed from fictional events are uninteresting and a waste of your readers’ time.

Rolf Anderson, United States published 24 July 2005

Philippine Politics

The Philippines is following the lead of Ecuador, whose pastime is throwing out and overthrowing their presidents.

These must stop or else no elected leader would be able to finish his/her term of office in the future. There are constitutional processes in place to remove a legitimate leader. Why not follow this process?

What is happening in the Philippines right now is that the louder you shout the more media coverage you get. These people are mostly composed of the left parties. Their primary purpose is to destabilize the government and economy.

They would take on to streets, shouting, bullying and blackmailing the president to step down.

Since these people mostly get most of the TV airtime, broadsheets and tabloid headlines, ordinary Filipinos are ignored. Ordinary Filipinos who mostly reside outside Metro Manila are busy earning a living.

They do not have time for all this political drama. What is also ignored here is the fact that the rallies are concentrated in Metro Manila. Most if not all regions do not subscribe to this ouster call.

The reason why our nation is behind other ASEAN neighbors is because we do not follow the rule of law. We always have excuses for everything.

We always want a short cut and we do not honor our laws. Give the president her day in court. A president too deserves due process.

Ian K. Siaotong, Dhahran published 24 July 2005