The irony of hypocrisy
Ironic, isn't it, when I speak my mind about the open hate towards Arabs/Muslims on *a popular UAE blog*, my comments are not welcome anymore, and the anti-UAE brigade re-mobilises.
Hypocritical, isn't it, that my valid points about the same blog, on a post that is labelled *censorship*, are then censored.
Hypocritical, isn't it, that the writer of the very blog which does nothing but criticise and spread hatred towards the UAE posts the following:
***"It is also prohibited to publish any material that causes agitation to relations between the UAE and other Arab, Islamic and friendly countries." ***
Ironic, isn't it, that when I point out their blog's hypocrisy based on the point above - made by the blogger - they vulgarise the very same phrase that they dislike from "If you don't like it, leave" to: "Well, if you don't like it, imaginate, you can always fuck off..."
**
Here is an anonymous blogger's opinion on *a popular blog*:
"...how come you never post anything about British/European screws up, all your concentration is on Arabs/Locals.You seem to be very polite here, but on your blog you're just another..."
Since publishing this post, the above comment has been deleted by the blog administrator - ironic, aren't they, the double standards.
And other opinions on *a popular blog*:
"you ought not to link their pages to yours, i*maginate, don't you think? the less traffic they get, the better.I would comment on their site, but the last thing I want is a shitpat reading my site."
"I find a lot of locals are offended...and with good reason."
"..(...) I think this is what everyone should call you from now on, why do you keep on using the 'F' word on your blog if you don't like someone's comment ? mommy and daddy couldn't raise you properly ? I could lend you some cash and get you educated all over again, that's IF you're interested.
Mature people shouldn't be wasting their time here with haters running this blog.
Trash talking from the beginning till this day, dumb ass internet low-life mules.I'll report this blog + the douche bag's and we'll see how they will gonna take care of you hungry dogs, no no a dog can be loyal to human being, the term white trash internet terrorists sounds better that enjoy spreading false info..."
**
Here is a blogger's humble opinion about my humble opinions:
"Kiss and make up with Imaginate...are you stupid? Why would anyone want to have a conversation with imaginate, she is stupid,opinionated, and unable to see any points of view except her brainwashed conspiracy theories. she thinks she is winning the war by spreading her shit, just makes her and her clan show up for what they really are..programmed robots. she knows she is right, and everyone who does not agree with her is wrong, so why even enter into a debate with her.she should stick to gulf news, makes her people look good. blogs are meant for differing opinions, i dont think she realises that. she only want to hear her clans voice. wish she could go live in iran or saudi or afghanistan for a while in the black sack instead of wasting our time. she, and some of the others who haunt this site is the real darkness at the end of the tunnel, not the light. we are better rid of them, there is nothing to learn from them other than be scared of the beings we share this planet with."
Here is a fair response from a blogger on the above comment:
"Give imaginate a break, man. She is a human being and a woman at that. Give her some respect. Her views might be offensive to you, but to my knowledge she has never come out racist or showed any shades of hate. She simply has a problem with Westerners in Dubai whining all the time (in her view). I dont think you can define that as hate or that we should be "scared of the beings we share this planet with." Such statements are the infant stages of a fascist ideology."
**
A blogger's opinion before my opinion:
"Princess, you sound like an intelligent girl who's not afraid to debate without being neurotic & emotional, as I've come across so many in the past."
Same blogger's opinion after my opinion:
"So much can be discovered, uncovered through intelligent debate rather than shit facing any label."
**
How ironic is it, that once I voice my opinion
on the hypocrisy of these blogs,
based on valid points raised by themselves,
written by those who choose to reside in the Arab World;
spread hatred towards the Muslim world
and preach about the free world,
my comments are censored.
54 comments:
Damn! when did all that happen? I've only been gone for a day!
Sorry to hear that princess :( but I can see with all honesty that you never came across as a racist, and how can you "have problems with Westerners" when I can see clearly that you have a Western, and not so Middle-Eastern, mentality?
If you're being bullied for voicing your opinion, then they're "the real darkness at the end of the tunnel".
Don't let 'em put you off princess!
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooo i* !
Just give me a missed call if you want any support :P
Oi, achei teu blog pelo google tá bem interessante gostei desse post. Quando der dá uma passada pelo meu blog, é sobre camisetas personalizadas, mostra passo a passo como criar uma camiseta personalizada bem maneira. Se você quiser linkar meu blog no seu eu ficaria agradecido, até mais e sucesso. (If you speak English can see the version in English of the Camiseta Personalizada. If he will be possible add my blog in your blogroll I thankful, bye friend).
Oi, achei teu blog pelo google tá bem interessante gostei desse post. Quando der dá uma passada pelo meu blog, é sobre camisetas personalizadas, mostra passo a passo como criar uma camiseta personalizada bem maneira. Se você quiser linkar meu blog no seu eu ficaria agradecido, até mais e sucesso. (If you speak English can see the version in English of the Camiseta Personalizada. If he will be possible add my blog in your blogroll I thankful, bye friend).
i*maginate:
It is sad that things had to rough up between you and SD. I agree with you that SD's blogs tend to be too critical of the UAE. I have brought this to her attention many times. I don't know about sinister motives, but I think it is the general way Westerners are these days.
I think it is very easy for SD to ignore the sentiments of Emaratis as an outsider. I don't think she is a loyal British, but I am sure if there was a blog made to attack ad nauseam every little thing the authorities in the UK did, she might understand your reaction and exceptions. But, the owner of such a blog would also be sent to Guantanamo :P
I think people like SD need to realize something here: She is able to get away with scathing remarks about the rules and regulations here. Yes, they might ban her blog, but they won't imprison her or send her to a far off island to rot without any human rights. If I were to do something similar in the UK, I would find myself in jail as a "cyber terrorist". I think you might have heard of 3 persons (one was an Emarati) who have been jailed in the UK for 10 years for "cyber terrorism"?
Having said all this, SD has been fair enough to admit the shortcomings of her own system. She has been pretty tolerant of my views too even though my views (I can admit myself) are very unpopular on her blogs.
I am very hopeful in huamn decency and I know at heart SD is a good person. I hope she will someday realize this and understand the need to play a more constructive role in bridging gaps between civilizations.
In the mean time, all power to Haqq!
This is your blog, so you are obviously free to voice your opinions, but I don't think "spread hatred towards the Muslim World" is a fair comment to hypothesise.
I am assuming you don't know SD, Sam or any of the community bloggers (whom you are referring to) in person, so sweeping phrases like that make this no longer a 'debate' but a tit-for-tat.
There are plenty of issues governing the social climate of any country - the UAE included. There's a definite need in protecting local history and preserving the culture of Emiratis, especially with how quickly the country is growing. There's also a need to balance out salaries within the public sector - civil services here, like the rest of the world, are overworked and underpaid. For example, male Emirati nurses are needed, but the profession isn't made glamourous enough compared to banking and commerce.
Increasing rents in Dubai affect Emiratis as much as Expats. Why should an Emirati be forced to live in Ajman because of a lack of structured benefits or at least city-wide rental caps?
I disagree with al-republican's comments on not being imprisoned and getting away with comments. Journalists have been imprisoned in the UAE, or fined. I agree that the perverse level of paranoia and censorship within the UK, US and other countries is a gross injustice of freedom of expression and human rights.
But everyone, every country is accountable for this. There is nothing wrong with patriotism or being proud of one's home, but it shouldn't be blinding.
You are FREE to voice your opinions girl - don't let anyone tell you otherwise! People can respectfully agree to disagree.
I saw the comments between you and SD. It was getting heated and out of hand.
I admit that she has touched a nerve with me every now and then with her topics, but I guess thats her view. What I don't understand is somehow in her mind she's doing the UAE a favour and we should be grateful for that (beats me).
Its like me saying that paedophiles are running wild in UK, and somehow I am doing good by saying that. Lol
I*, I can't read your peopleandcake blog. Hook me up with an invite, please?
Also, point me to the blog where all this drama happened :)
I know this sounds ironic, and I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I seem to find it strangely comforting to find that hypocrisy and double standards in blog posts and comments are not limited to my native country (the U.S.).
I also find it similarly comforting to find that Western ex-pats that whine on and on about the problems of their host country, but get all self-righteous and defensive when someone disagrees with them, are not only found here in Japan.
I'm sorry to hear you wound up being attacked just for expressing a different opinion. Don't let them intimidate you.
I agree with you Al Republican - I think SD is a good soul at her heart. She raises points she feels are valid weaknesses in the ways of working across the nation. I don't think she blogs about issues with the sole intent to "harm" UAE and it's people, in fact the opposite - that much I am certain about.
However, there are many new expats who've moved into the UAE who just whine, whine and whine and then whine some more on every goddamn aspect of this tiny and still growing country - with no real intent of constructive criticism. Why don't these people understand moving to any new country is never easy - it takes time to understand the ways of working, local customs - and to "fit" in? Must they change every aspect of UAE to be appeased?
i*... you must always continue to express your thoughts as you see fit. Disagreements are a given, especially given the diversity in the UAE - and yes perhaps once in a while we may use the certain fancy french words - but I think nobody should be told to be quite or to "shut up" and rained on with the french vocabulary - that's just bad sermon.
If someone disagrees - then they can disagree and move on - period.
I understand how you can feel when you think that your country/culture is being unfairly attacked, so I am sympathetic to your feelings.
After thinking about it, it also seems to me that SD is posting many fewer positive things than she used to. When I was preparing to come here two years ago, her blog was one of the few ones that I found to read, and it didn't scare me off at all. It could be that some of us remember the positive posts and therefore are viewing the negative ones in context.
I also think that deleting comments should only be done as an absolute last resort. As far as I recall, the only comments I have ever deleted at my blogs were spam.
I reckon that if your position is so weak that you are forced to resort to insults and cursing, it is time to reconsider your position. So I like it when people I disagree with curse or insult me, as it just makes reasonable people more likely to agree with me.
al republican,
Your comment seems to imply that we are freer here to blog about anything that we would be in the West. I'm guessing that your statement about the three cyberterrorists is this case.
Assuming this to be the case, I really am curious: can you not see any difference between a blog that complains endlessly about a nation's conditions and "inciting another person to commit an act of terrorism"? Or is there more to this case than is in the papers that you know about and want to share? Or are you saying that what Tariq Daou admitted doing should be legal? I'm not being flip, I honestly want you to explain this, because from here what you are saying looks really silly.
I'm also curious if you can give us a list of all the bloggers in the UK that have been sent to Guantanamo for criticizing the government.
‘I understand how you can feel when you think that your country/culture is being unfairly attacked, so I am sympathetic to your feelings.’
Brian, I agree! Even if my country had the worst HRV (human rights violation) record on Earth and continued to amass more red points on the board! And of course, those that don’t like it can always leave can’t they? Because we’ve got hoards more lined up to take their place to bend over and take it any, which way they please.
Really well said Brian! Bravo!
I recommend you watch ‘A Few Good Men’ just so that the moral may knock some sense into your head!
hrw dude,
I'm just curious if you really think that the US has the worst "human rights violation record on Earth". If so, then one of us is living in an alternate reality and there is very little point in debating.
If you do not really believe that, then you are just proving my point about "unfair" attacks. Complaints about torture and the like don't bother me because they are fair.
Also, I have seen 'A Few Good Men'. You and I obviously disagree about this, but when I'm looking for moral guidance, my first choice is not Tom Cruise movies. But hey, to each his own.
'I'm just curious if you really think that the US has the worst "human rights violation record on Earth". If so, then one of us is living in an alternate reality and there is very little point in debating.'
Brian, please don't jump the gun at me. I quoted your words to the poster about their country/culture being unfairly attacked. This whole thing is not about attacking the UAE's culture, at least not from me. It's about those that're supposed to help, hijacking the term 'help' and encouraging violations.
Neither am I a fan of Tom Cruise's movies. I was quoting the moral at the end when the Marines realize why they were dishonorably discharged. Because they failed in their duty to support or help or even stand up to someone knowing what they were ordered to do was wrong in the first place!
hrw dude,
I'm sorry that I misunderstood your point. I thought that I detected sarcasm aimed at me. Clearly I need to get my sarcasm detector fixed.
I still don't understand your point about the worst record in the world. It doesn't make any more sense about the UAE than it does about the US.
'Clearly I need to get my sarcasm detector fixed.'
So do I.
You're a respected Blogger & I'm one of those that values your opinion.
I'll follow another Blogger's line here 'People can respectfully agree to disagree.'
Good day to you!
'Here is a blogger's humble opinion about my humble opinions'
Yeah, right!
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm towards the first blogger? If so, how can you label yourself 'humble'?
Unfortunately the expats that run uae blog do enjoy generalizing, maybe they've been mis-treated by some locals and they think that every local is the same.
Bad apples do exist everywhere and in every country.
Even though I am on 'Blogs I read but don't like" you have my sympathy.
Freedom of speech is a principal I hold dearly and hypocrisy one that I detest.
The bullshit just keeps on going and growing, what do you say loserexconprick ? you and secretdodo do agree on almost everything, does your wife know that you've been cheating on her ?
http://localexpatriate.blogspot.com/2006/12/so-what-defines-local.html
http://localexpatriate.blogspot.com/2006/11/ethnicity-of-local-community-in-dubai.html
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah localexpat, how sweet of you to drop in here too, shall we uncensore the part you deleted ? or did I aim for your anus by mistake and got you bleeding ?
http://uaecommunity.blogspot.com/2007/07/first-mcdonalds.html
Posted by Anonymous on 10 July, 2007 15:58
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Deleted comment by localexpat:
By the end of the day you'll be eating prata, curry or your sweet dessert "PAN"
Don't they have that security check up on brown skins ? or does this only apply in night clubs and bars ?
PAN: a topic you should post on your blog and how clean Dubai has become thanks to your kind of people.(If I wanted to bash your type there are many ways, this is only an example, let alone the labourers and gambling in the middle of the night and stabbing for 5dhms) can you say CHEAP ?
What's with the racist remarks?
These are exactly the kind of remarks that threaten to widen the gap in this multi-cultural society.
Hate mongering is the last resort of a loser!
Based on contempt expressed in the deleted comment & cheap language, I wouldn't be surprised with the identity of this imaginary poster.
So where can I get my pan from ? I wanna try this chew and spit sport :)
localexpat hiding behind an anonymous identity ? lol
You just keep trying, maybe one day they'll handover to you that UAE passport you've been dreaming of and maybe we can hear you sing in Arabic or just count from 1 - 420.
localexpat is not a racist, he only enjoys stating his opinions, while others just have to shake their head and agree.
I'll send over your way 10dozens of pan + cow milk, if you for once in your life time post something useful that doesn't include whining and bitching.
And please stop acting like you're White, they will never ever accept you no matter which god you worship, a cow, elephant or the sun.
Hard luck
Where do I sign up to read your People & Cake journal?
Whoah, there are so many comments to respond to here! I would like to thank all of you for passing by, for the “support”, for your opinions, and for sharing your thoughts.
*Who-sane/TS LOL – it happened gradually, over time. I never expected to be censored by SD. If she can’t handle criticism and blocks me, I won the debate ;)
I don’t consider it bullying or personal, though. It’s hypocrisy. Preaching about free speech and slagging off the TRA for blocking websites, well that is hypocritical when you censor comments from your own blog, because you can’t handle criticism of your own “policies”.
Thanks, both of you.
*Rodrigo, no habla espanol lol
*al-republican, yes it’s sad. I don’t see how my comments were taken as personal. From observation, hardly anybody directly questions SD in the comments section. The comments are mostly mockery and extra spin on the articles posted that are similar to what one would find in “news of the world” type tabloids, however, with better English! When I attempted to question SD on the hypocrisy of her post, she got pissed off. As easy as that. And I must say, I did actually respect her wishes not to come back, which says a lot for my intentions. But that doesn’t mean that I will be silenced by a blogger residing in Dubai; that gravely misleads others on Dubai/UAE; admitting it’s against the law to “publish any material that causes agitation to relations between the UAE and other Arab, Islamic and friendly countries”; label the post with the word “censorship” and then proceed to block me because I’m just pointing out her blog contradicts the law that she refers to. Hypocritically, she blocks me, and never responds to the valid point I make about this. That, in my opinion, shows she cannot handle criticism, and her blogfriends cannot either. That was a proper debate which she didn’t want to enter into, for OBVIOUS reasons.
”I think it is the general way Westerners are these days.” – just these days? Lol
“I hope she will … understand the need to play a more constructive role in bridging gaps between civilizations.” – I have also commented on her blog a few months ago – a very friendly comment – asking if she had anything positive to say about Dubai. I never got a response, but I did through the post content ;)
*ShaggyRed
I understand "spread hatred towards the Muslim World" might sound a bit overwhelming, but I think it is a fair comment to make regarding SD’s blog. You only have to look at the comments section to see that hardly any of the people there like Muslims, and very few are prepared to enter into a debate. If it wasn’t for al-republican, one of the only few with a “different side to the story”, that blog would be more of a “free for all” than it is now.
I suppose I don’t have the patience to go through lengthy debates and arguments on others' blogs, but in the latest post I did just pick out things that SD herself said re: the law and questioned her. That to me, is a valid debate, and she backed out of it, citing “personal insults”.
ShaggyRed, I believe “what you write is what you are” so I don’t see how knowing any of these bloggers personally is relevant. I merely object to such hatred on SD’s blog being spewed against our government and no positive posts whatsoever. What on earth are they doing here if they have nothing positive to say? I can’t for the life of me imagine living in a foreign country and not loving at least one part of it, and writing about it if I really did like it, because I would have wanted to share one of the positive elements of living in that country with people who might not know about it. Instead, SD paints an extremely inaccurate picture of Dubai and the UAE – not only do people believe her, but they start thinking in these kind of ways because it’s easy to. It’s easy to believe the majority when you choose to be blind, for whatever reason.
ShaggyRed, you talk of what the UAE “needs”. The UAE doesn’t need anything, the government have been running the country since it was founded, and it’s doing pretty well. I don’t need to quote statistics here. This country belongs to Emiratis, and Emiratis can deal with problems themselves. They don’t need other nationalities to tell them what they need and what they don’t need, and how to run their country when they don't even hold passports, and a residence visa that will have to be renewed. After all, it is illegal to criticise the government and the Ruling Family. Same goes with freedom of speech in the newspapers. Ref to the point I made in the earlier sentence.
You make the point “There is nothing wrong with patriotism or being proud of one's home, but it shouldn't be blinding.” I agree with you. But that doesn’t mean that one can’t be happy with the Government. And being happy with one’s country doesn’t mean one is blind. To have differing views from one to another is natural, but for underground i.e. blogworld propaganda to take place just slagging off the government is cowardly. Something I respect about our Government is that there is an “open-door” policy. These people who have grievances can take them there, but they choose not to. Why? Because they believe their political ideologies are better than what exists, and it’s easier for them to spread their beliefs on the Internet, knowing they will never win in reality. They will always be foreigners here, and that’s what frustrates them.
*rosh, thanks luv! :)
*tobasco
LOL totally agree. Btw I’ve added you on my links. And I’ve only just figured out your blog is run by you and the Missus! ;)
*Quixotic
Hey, I’ve tagged you, look a few posts underneath. This “all happened” over at SD’s blog. Check out the post “United American Emirates”
What an insult to the name of the United Arab Emirates.
*The Moody Minstrel
Right on! Nice comment, totally applies to what’s going on here. There was no reason for me to “take it the wrong way” ;)
“Western ex-pats that whine on and on about the problems of their host country, but get all self-righteous and defensive when someone disagrees with them”
LOOOOOL Yeah not only that, but they ask those who disagree with them to “fuck off”. !! LOL
I’m not intimidated, *they* are by censoring my comments.
*rosh..
“ I don't think she blogs about issues with the sole intent to "harm" UAE and it's people” Then what would you say her intent actually is? Comedy and satire? Do you think the way she portrays Dubai is an accurate picture of what really goes on?
Rosh, constructive criticism and if the government accepts that is upto them, not me. However, I do not agree with blatant insults directed at our government by way of posts that *look* like they’re constructive criticism. You’d only have to look at the comments section, and what people say. And in my opinion, if the blogger does not clear up some of the *misunderstandings* in the comments section that they themselves purposely create through their posts, I suspect nothing but malice in their intent.
“Must they change every aspect of UAE to be appeased?” Perhaps al-republican can dig into history to give an example of how ahem ahem this has happened in more “regional” areas uptil 50 years ago ;)
*Brn
Thanks a lot for showing up here, and for your comment. I do think some blogs including SDs create distorting portrayals of Dubai and the culture, even the religion! I also understand people have their opinions, and so do I. What I find is unfair is for a UAE Community Blog admin to run their own blog slagging off all these things about Dubai/UAE etc., block me there, then hop over to a post I’ve made on the UAE blog and enter into a debate with me there! It’s completely hypocritical. And if a blogger wants to be taken seriously, they should show some consistency in their actions! SD has shown she cannot handle criticism by blocking my comments, which I believe in no way were personal. To add to this hypocrisy, she cannot handle my comments but she allows others to comment on her blog saying things like “Sheikh Mo is a dirty Arab and these filthy rich bastards etc etc”. Allowing that comment to remain there, also while not addressing it, to me, shows hatred towards the UAE and Muslims as well.
I do remember I think uptil about 6-9 months ago, when I first came across SD’s blog, it didn’t offend me as much as it does now. As I’ve mentioned to another blogger, I did actually ask SD in a comment if she had anything positive to say about Dubai….and I got no response.
A significant point to realise in the UAE blogworld is that Emiratis, as far as I have observed, are far outnumbered than non-Emiratis. Some of them are outspoken too ;) So what does this say? A bunch of cowards who cannot stand up to their beliefs in public. Additionally, because there are so few Arabs/Emiratis who blog, there will always be other opinions that outnumber these and be seen as “overshadowing”, because the minority is only on blogworld, but does not reflect the real world.
Like you, I also haven’t deleted any comments so far, and if I found something offensive, I would respond appropriately, not ignore it, which shows I agree with it! Unless of course, I’m out for a month-long manicure and forgot to check my blog, which is highly unlikely…
I agree that cursing is totally pointless in arguments, but I can understand opinions can be insulting! I think there are certain lines that are pointless in crossing but it’s also ridiculous to take comments word for word and take them personally. I always look at the bigger picture, and SD’s blog, for example, just paints one picture.
Brn, if we didn’t take things personally on blogworld, I feel we could say what we wanted to and discussions would flow more easily. I don’t see why people want to win “blogfriends” in an anonymous world, unless they’ve met in real life. It’s been a real lesson for me to decide to voice my opinion on SDs blog. A blogger who’s been visiting my blog since it started and linked me to his blog removed me instantly, because he didn’t like my opinion, and didn’t even challenge it. That to me is quite childish. It shows how shallow some bloggers really are! But then again, these bloggers never had an opinion to start with lol
So, in the light of voicing one’s opinion even when in disagreement, I thank you for passing by here when I know SD & Sam are reading this.
I’ll respond to the rest of the comments later when I have a bit more time…
*Buj, I already read your comments and thank you for your support, but why did you delete it I wonder?
You take the cake for a fine display of an 'Holier than Thou' attitude.
You're a class-act especially when it comes to cutting a sorry-ass figure just to gain an audience.
*APPLAUSE*
'shows hatred towards the UAE and Muslims as well'
I'm sure you read Arabic. Recommend you check out this site. After that judge for yourself.
In addition to knowing Arabic, you need to know how to access a blocked page.
I wonder why it's blocked!
Well I love your ramblings etc.
You'd be much more fun to have dinner with than most of the losers mentioned above.
At least we'd enjoy ourselves....
And...in continuation...
*HRW Dude, I got your point first time around. Perhaps you don't get my point. I'm clearly saying that posts directed at blatant propaganda towards the UAE are offensive. And you don't have to be pro or anti-UAE to agree that this is considered "unfair" and in my opinion, hurtful propaganda.
There is a difference between speaking one's views and posting hateful stuff about the country, with no intent to constructively criticise. I don't see why you still don't understand what I'm saying after I've explained it so many times.
As for the comment you made about "Because we’ve got hoards more lined up to take their place to bend over and take it any, which way they please." - you said it!
Anon 9/7 5.10 - The whole sentence you pasted is sarcastic. If you can't figure out which opinion is humble, then you obviously don't agree with my opinion. If so, then please pick on something else to argue whatever point you're trying to make, which, sadly, I missed.
Anon 10/7 4.14 I don't think it's that they've ever been mistreated by a local. In fact, I believe from a few of these blogs that it's quite the contrary! And yet still, they still slag off the Government. Because they have no say in how the country runs. And for that, I thank my lucky stars ;) LOOOOOOOOOL
*localexpat - I have said this to you before in a response to your previous comments on my blog, and what I do value is you coming on here and voicing your opinion, whatever it may be. It's cowardly *not* to come on a blog and say what you want to, or be censored from doing so, just because another doesn't like to hear differing viewpoints.
After all, if we can't talk to each other anonymously, then where else can we do so?
On a slightly separate point, I suspect you are the one posting as Anonymous in the last two comments. I don't see why a)people post anonymously if they have blogger identities, sympathising with me and b)why people with blogger identities post as anonymously when they can do so using their blog nicknames.
Thank you for passing by localexpat, and even though I will say what I want to about you on my own blog, I understand you are offended by my opinions elsewhere, so I will try and refrain from disagreeing with you on other blogs, and your own, unless of course, it is impossible not to!
*Anon 10/7 7:54
"you and secretdodo do agree on almost everything"
Yes, this is true. Which is why I wonder hardly anybody was in favour of me saying what I wanted to amidst objection from SD and Sam on the UAE blog, which didn't come without a bevy of swear words and fancily-worded insults.
*Anon 10/7 8:16 "
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah localexpat, how sweet of you to drop in here too"
LoooL is this a dinner party? If so, I am sure it would result in a huge food fight!
Anon, your approach is racist and I don't agree with the way you've worded it.
"If I wanted to bash your type there are many ways, this is only an example, let alone the labourers and gambling in the middle of the night and stabbing for 5dhms"
GOOD POINT Anon, but that is not about bashing. If your whole blog was about "bashing" a certain nationality, that would be racist. But if you bring on those points to counter a "local-basher's" arguments, they are entirely valid. Not surprisingly, these aspects of Dubai life are omitted from popular blogs. Labourers should not be immune from criticism because they're put into the category of "government criticism". I have personally witnessed drunken labourers who have endangered my safety. Nobody wants to talk about that because they don't want to hear a different story than the one thats being spoon-fed to them by the local Indian media (no offence to Indians, this is a fact)
*localexpat
"What's with the racist remarks?
These are exactly the kind of remarks that threaten to widen the gap in this multi-cultural society.
"
Well-said. I don't see how picking on someone's nationality helps an argument, and I don't support that approach.
Anon, what's with all the pan stuff? I'm sure you wouldn't like others to make fun of your own nationality?
Anon 10/7 9:10
"localexpat hiding behind an anonymous identity ?"
You became suspicious faster than I did. I also think localexpat is hiding behind those anon identities above referring to "What's with the racist comments" and "where can I get pan""
You also make a valid point about frustrated bloggers "dreaming of a UAE passport". I think this is where the hate comes in, and all the rest...
"if you for once in your life time post something useful that doesn't include whining and bitching"
Hey Anon, localexpat's latest post shows some form of "appreciation" of Dubai but not in the PRESENT. Present times have changed. In the past people didn't complain about Dubai. Why now? Because times have changed, and so has the kind of people who have moved to Dubai :)
P.S. I like your sense of humour when it's not racist! LOL Please would you start a blog...
*Anons 11/7 3:01 & 3:35 I have reason to believe you are both the same identity - that of localexpat. Now why are you hiding?
*Guy, you are hilarious. But only you and me for dinner? We'd need to invite two more from the blogosphere to make it an even more interesting night.
Thanks for dropping by. How come I can't access your blogpage...can't you invite me by email? :)
Haven't stopped by in a bit, so I missed your response - thanks for replying, i*maginate.
I suppose I don’t have the patience to go through lengthy debates and arguments on others' blogs, but in the latest post I did just pick out things that SD herself said
As an outside pov to what happened there (in the post about "United American Emirates") I can appreciate how the title would be offensive. The post content itself, I interpreted as sarcastic and even satire. It seemed to me that there was a miscommunication and it escalated. I can't really comment, I suppose as I didn't write the post in question, nor am I you :)
I understand where you're coming from when you ask why people stay here if they don't like it (paraphrasing) and from my pov, I can only say that it is quite possibly a case of "tough love". People like the UAE, but they don't like the growing pains. Or they have personal reasons they can't explain for holding resentment against a government - be it the UAE, US, UK or anywhere else. Which is why knowing someone outside of the blogsphere is valuable. It's easy to misconstrue sentiments or opinions that may or may not be well expressed because we can not see someone's facial expressions or understand their personal experiences in just a post.
The UAE doesn’t need anything, the government have been running the country since it was founded, and it’s doing pretty well
Yes, they have, and no-one is arguing that the UAE government should be handed over to foreigners. I mean, let's face some facts here, even to the Emiratis, the government has been unfair. Look at the civil services, for example. Like anywhere else in the world, it is an overworked and underpaid sector. More male Emirati nurses are needed, more forensic police officers are needed. Emiratis are suffering from high rents in Dubai and are forced to move to Ajman.
I strongly believe that there is too much emphasis on finance, real estate and commerce. Sure, these are economic providers, but it's only been recently that education is getting an overhaul in the country.
Because they believe their political ideologies are better than what exists, and it’s easier for them to spread their beliefs on the Internet, knowing they will never win in reality. They will always be foreigners here, and that’s what frustrates them.
I partially disagree here :) I think some people may think like this, while most are keen to see good things. The UAE is condensing a large amount of growth into such a short span. It won't be perfect in doing so. It has to concentrate on so many things that other governments have had 20, 50 years to tackle. It's hard.
I truly feel that criticism of anything is a healthy way to bridge gaps and find out what can make something better - or even understand how things work. How people think. It benefits everyone to express pov's and opinions, perhaps what is really at stake here is that if people are prepared to criticise rationally, they should be prepared to discuss rationally too.
*20, 50 years, should be 200, 500 years.
Apologies for the typo there that made the whole sentence sound silly.
i*maginate, let me try and clarify my position.
I’ll begin by taking it one step at a time, so bear with me.
Jim Sullivan said... March 12, 2007 8:02 PM
Blah Blah Blah “Princess, you sound like an intelligent girl who's not afraid to debate without being neurotic & emotional, as I've come across so many in the past.” Blah Blah Blah.
I standby this comment and the one I made on July 3rd, 2007 at 19:47 especially after reading on your malicious & provocative attack against SD starting with this one:
i*maginate said... 03 July, 2007 00:27
Whoops! You had some camel dudes cleaning your windows again this morning with a camel whip? LOL.
So while these dudes were cleaning your windows, you had the time to misinterpret the UAE Publications Law in that it is "actually" forbidden to "blemish" the president of any "friendly state" - and your eyesight tells you that's the US of A, right? When you're reading the UAE Publications Law?
Great. Your eyesight caters to the lowest common denominator, and I hope Bush isn't reading this coz he's sure gonna have a lot to say about it, that is, if he can even string a sentence of English together without taking time out of his agenda to spreading democracy in Eye-raq, and the world for that matter.
If this isn't malicious & provocative, I don't know what else is!
i*maginate said... March 18, 2007 6:23 PM
Blah Blah Blah “This is what SDs blog is about: spreading the distorted truth.” Blah Blah Blah.
Again, there’s no such thing as distorted truth. TRUTH IS TRUTH – PERIOD!
J-T Sullivan said... 03 July, 2007 19:47
Blah Blah Blah "So much can be discovered, uncovered through intelligent debate rather than shit facing any label." Blah Blah Blah.
Please refer your comment of July 3rd, 2007 at 00:27 (quoted above). That wasn’t intelligent debate. It was a frustrating & personal attack against a Blogger. Everything else that followed after that 00:27 post was a result of chain reaction.
Addressed to *Brn.. July 11, 2007 2:17 PM
A blogger who’s been visiting my blog since it started and linked me to his blog removed me instantly, because he didn’t like my opinion, and didn’t even challenge it.
I reckon this applies to me. I’m here now to debunk your theory of ‘no challenge’.
First, I appreciate your efforts in defending the UAE culture and everything that’s ‘local’, as you say it. But there’s a decent way of doing it but definitely not using language as ‘sd, are you on your monthly cycle or something?’. Leave such crude expressions to the dickheads – surely, I’m not one of them to use such a language – even in my most passionate moment of rage.
Second, I’m Irish-American. Irish first, American second. If anyone were to attack Ireland or America, I’d go out after them with pistols drawn (literally). Bring em’ on I’d say, take me on. I’d burn the midnight oil, research my ass off and prove myself right, as much as I can. I’d go out full-swing with facts to prove my challenger wrong but NO I wouldn’t use cheap language to provoke them. I want to win and I want to win in style and I’d do so, with my head held high.
Third, I suppose you’re a decent Lady. Now, how would you feel if someone used those exact same words against you? Before you turnaround and say that you’d be cool and calm, I’d say ‘Don’t prejudge yourself on the course of action you’d take because you were not on the receiving end that day’. I’m sure you’d respond with the same tenacity, as SD has done with you. I know I would because it’s known as ‘chain reaction’ and add to it the fact, the various malicious comments you’ve been posting all over her blog.
Fourth, even if I had a beef against someone, I wouldn't hyperlink their blog (in my blog) titled 'Secret Dubai Shitpat'. I'd say, don't say anything bad if you don't have anything nice to say in the first place. At the end of the day, it's your blog and you're free to do, as you please, but then I'm sure you wouldn't hold a grudge against anyone doing the same to you.
Like I said earlier and to sum-up, if you feel someone is wrong while you’re right, prove it to them with confirmed facts but blatant attacks will only bring on a further mess.
I hope you’d consider what I’ve said above but if you feel, I’ve not addressed any issue, please feel free to write and we can debate on those issues.
Hi ShaggyRed,
Your comment to my post on the UAE blog is also due a response, whenever I get around to it ;)
About why people “stay here if they don't like it”, I think the answer is that they actually like it. But they won’t admit it, because it’s easy to whine. And it’s very easy to whine about anything to do with Islam these days. Let’s face it, the majority of Western expats who choose to live here have a better lifestyle here than they do from wherever they came. I believe most of the people who moved here weren’t “forced” to do so, but saw better opportunities for themselves in terms of career, finance, family etc.
I agree generally that one has to know somebody in person to know them properly, but I still believe “you are what you write”. One needn’t even make any comments in response to comments on their own posts to make their viewpoints clear: taking SD’s blog, for example, each post is really a reflection of their viewpoint (pov as you say;))
I am not that offended by sam’s blog as I am with SD’s. Sam has, in the past, shown genuine interest in the local culture. Of late, it’s looking more like an SD blog, though. But as a blogger, he has made some very interesting comments on my blogs, and I have respected those opinions.
”no-one is arguing that the UAE government should be handed over to foreigners” – Let’s take SD’s blog as a sole example here. (There are, however, many bloggers who slag off the UAE citing “foreign ways are better”, you just need to look at the UAE Comm Blog for examples) So, going back to SD’s blog. She is foreign, and most people who comment there are too, some living in the UAE, some not. Often, there are comments to posts about the UAE govt that relate to how other countries are run, and generally mocking the local customs of the UAE, as if no other country exists but theirs. I don’t see how this isn’t radical or even “colonial” in terms of mentality. It certainly isn’t modern…or is it? ;)
My impression is that the civil services are not overworked and underpaid sector. I think it’s highly inaccurate to claim the UAE doesn’t do enough for Emiratis. I know of no other government that takes care of its citizens more than the UAE. Take, for example, land being given to nationals; free education, government scholarships, free healthcare, housing, an Emiratisation policy, equality for women….those are some of the things that other modern countries do for their citizens. You’ll never see a homeless Emarati in the UAE. That speaks a lot for the government.
As for “Emiratis from Dubai moving to Ajman”, I can’t understand this. Please explain.
“More male Emirati nurses are needed, more forensic police officers are needed.” ShaggyRed, the Emirati population is low, and even if one is unemployed, doesn’t mean one has to choose employment that one has no desire of entering. Nurses are traditionally in shortage, look at the UK for example. Even though the pay is good, I certainly wouldn’t want to be a nurse! As for forensic scientists, this is also a field that requires passion, and is either hard to get into, or generally not very popular!
””education is getting an overhaul in the country.” There is no better time for it, either. With the pace of development in the UAE, it’s only logical that more Universities have been set up locally, and international ones such as the Sorbonne have set up – all in “pace with the pace”
I must clarify what I meant by “Because they believe their political ideologies are better than what exists, and it’s easier for them to spread their beliefs on the Internet, knowing they will never win in reality. They will always be foreigners here, and that’s what frustrates them”
I didn’t mean this to apply to all foreigners at all. Only those like SD, and those who support her views 100%.
In response to your point about it being “hard” for the government, I’m sure it is! But let’s look at the results…infrastructure, malls, real estate developments, investment opportunities, airport, labour law, world’s first driverless metro system (how come nobody’s making fun of that?!) etc….the results are good. People are generally happy with the opportunities the UAE govt has presented them with. One can tell with the increasing amount of expats to Dubai. So what’s the motive behind all this criticism, I wonder? Judging by the results, and looking at things relatively, even in comparison with the regional pace of development, I would say the government is not far from perfect.
I totally agree that one should speak their mind and criticise all they want, as long as it’s in line with the law. It is a fact that it’s illegal to criticise the government. It is also a fact that *some* get away with it. Not all, though, mind you. I also believe it’s easy to see who really wants to “bridge gaps” and who doesn’t, and anybody who’s rational would agree that SD’s blog deliberately stirs up anti-UAE sentiments amongst those who comment on it.
The only appealing thing about Dubai on SD’s blog is a link to direct other commenters to “Cheap flights to Dubai”. As if they’d dream of coming to Dubai after what she’s written? As if they’d step out of the aircraft and be put into jail for having blond hair, or something ridiculous like that. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the way people really thought after reading her blog, and that is a grave injustice to Dubai, which has built a fantastic airport for cheap flights to transport their own fans into.
P.S. As for your second comment, LOL, which government has taken 200/500 years to build a city? I don’t think such a country could exist, but I might be wrong!
i*maginate,
And it’s very easy to whine about anything to do with Islam these days.
I don't see anyone whining about Islam. Islam and Dubai are two seperate entities, and when people are criticising the government or the infrastructure (like Salik) they are not criticising Islam.
There are many Westerners who respect Islam.
Yes, expats have greater financial opportunity here than they may have at home. There is also a great allure of getting faster into debt here, but that's a seperate issue entirely. People essentially move to Dubai and the UAE to make money, and enjoy the diversity :)
Emiratis do receive a lot from the government, this is true, however, I have to disagree with "You’ll never see a homeless Emarati in the UAE" - there are quite a few; as well as impoverished and abused. This is a side of society that is everywhere, though. There is a need to recognise organisations that help in this instances though. Take City of Hope, for example. They receive no aid from the government, and are still awaiting recognition, despite their services to the community.
You make a fair point about nursing, and forensics. Arguably though, nursing is one of those areas where everyone else's nurses end up leaving their home countries to nurse - it becomes a vicious circle! What I mean more though in regards to both fields, is that in bringing up Emiratisation and advocating it, there has been little advocation towards civil services, and more towards banking, management, etc -that is why they are popular. Again, as you say though, these are jobs of 'passion' though, but it does cause a bit of a catch 22 when it comes to hiring.
The civil services are overworked because of this catch 22. What gets interpreted as inefficiency or lack of communication/delays in public communication is perhaps proof of it.
As for “Emiratis from Dubai moving to Ajman”, I can’t understand this. Please explain.
The Dubai rental situation was what I was highlighting. This affects Emiratis as well as expats. I know Emiratis who have chosen to move to Ajman because it made more financial sense. They rent in Ajman and have a larger flat, than if they paid the same in Dubai.
People are generally happy with the opportunities the UAE govt has presented them with. One can tell with the increasing amount of expats to Dubai. So what’s the motive behind all this criticism, I wonder?
The motivation is as simple as, people have come to Dubai specifically because they believed what they've been told about the city, and are perhaps disappointed that it is a city like any other. It has traffic, it has problems with infrastructure, etc. Some may feel that despite a 'tax-free' salary, that PR has spun them a story. Don't get me wrong, every country does this to some extent - it's politics. Perhaps there is too much political thinking involved because of the region itself, and this fuels skepticism. It's hard to say really.
Personally, I have had both good and bad experiences in the UAE and have been in the country since the 80s. I've seen it grow and have been quite amazed at how fast it has. I worry about the loss of identity and disappearance of local heritage; alongside trying to see beyond the surface of why some things are done before others - like education's overhaul, for example.
P.S. As for your second comment, LOL, which government has taken 200/500 years to build a city? I don’t think such a country could exist, but I might be wrong!
Well, Rome wasn't built in a day ;) Or indeed London or New York. What I meant here was more the infrastructure and such has had more time to be built, whereas Dubai is doing it all at once.
Wowzers! Everyone has SO much to say about the SD-i*maginate tiff!
My 2 cents in this never-ending epilogue is actually a quote from j-t sullivan:
"I'd say, don't say anything bad if you don't have anything nice to say in the first place."
A golden statement, j-t sullivan! Well done! Now if you could just give this unsolicited advice of yours to your friends who make it a habit of saying all kinds of gibberish just to downgrade and mock Arabs and Muslims? And, yes, one stupid/hurtful statement out of anyone can spiral out of control and blast into a "chain reaction."
May I commend you once again on your excellent views, but the World would be a better place if people put their money where their mouths are.
Cheers!
oh, j-t sullivan, by "friends" I meant all those haters who comment on SD's blogs all the time bitching and whining about UAE and Arabs.
I am not even an Arab and I get irritated out of my skin reading those views. Very unfortunately, SD's blog has become a magnet for people to spit out their venom against Muslims and Arabs. I am sorry to say this, but we Muslims read these views of Westerners (coalesced with the actions of your governments) and are further convinced that whatever is being done on the geo-political level is a reflection of this clandestine hate amongst westerners that comes out as clear as daylight in the cyber world.
Ofcourse, SD can benefit from that line as well :)
SD needs help, the only thing she has faith in is her keyboard and little salty peanut brain.
She needs to do some community work, maybe that way she'll see the world and people in the flesh instead of reading Gulf-News everyday first thing at 6am in the morning and can't wait to post a new story with some editing like Hollywood's director Steven Spielberg.
Maybe her parents abandoned her ?
I offered her some help few days ago, but she got angry and took it the other way round as if I'm asking her, how much for full night.
She seems so desperate and lonely, but then again if you try to help her, she'll start cursing you like that wacko girl from the Exorcist.
أعذريني بكتبلج بالعربي
أنتي رااااااااااااااااااااااائعة!!!!!
this is so strange! if anyone doesn't feel comfortable in a specific place.... and they find it violates Human rights...... why they want to stay ! if it's that bad..... go back to your country !
I*...... you are great.... I am proud of you....
go back to your country !
After you Darling May. Lead the way.
look at me
Look At Me
LOOK AT ME!!
(LOL)
Hmm...where do I start.
al-republican, you took the words right out of my head. Really, you had better start a blog or else ;)
I would love to comment on what you wrote, but really, there's no need to add any words to what you said. I am in total agreement.
J-t, there's no point in debating anything with you, but by way of this comment directly to you, I suppose that's a tad hypocritical. Ironic, isn't it, the hypocrisy of debating with you when I said there's no point in debating with you.
J-t, there would have been some point in addressing your points, but since realising you've made a comment on this blog after making another one posing as an anonymous poster, there is no better example where hypocrisy could prevail.
On those grounds, I politely decline your invitation to debate when your comment reeks of blind hypocrisy, when you double-post with an anonymous identity.
If you must know, the line that gave it away was "cutting a sorry-ass figure"
I figured it was you, and you used the same expression in one of your recent posts on your blog.
There you go, I "researched my ass off" and didn't need to go far in reaching my conclusion.
Anon 08.47pm, you are totally hilarious. I really didn't expect to hear such an opinion. Great comment, I couldn't have said it better even if I had tried.
Can you please not refer to salty peanuts when you refer to SD. I actually like salty peanuts.
*may, and I am proud of you :) Thanks for your sweet comment. "If they don't like it, they can send me an email, and I'll sort em out"
*Anon 11:21 You lead the way. I'll follow.
*Guy, I *did* look at you. You obviously can't cope with the amount of affection I have for you. ;)
I did have my own blog, but then this blogging thing got too complicated with the synchronization with google accounts and all that jazz :P
I also dont find time anymore, frankly.
i*maginate, it seems you're not familiar with the phrase 'hijacking'! It applies not only to aeroplanes but also to identity, phrases, terms, etc. If you think that was me posting anonymously, you're entitled to your opinion.
As they say, you believe what you want and I'll believe what I know.
*al republican, interesting. I suppose your blog wouldn't have been about your wild love life, now would it haha
I also thought I didn't have the time to blog but I thought hmm why not. I also found that my views were not "common" on the UAE blogosphere for obvious reasons, but never did I expect such a backlash when I did truly voice an opinion.
Hibocracy.
LOL
*j-t, if you say so, I'll take your word for it. And I know what hijacking means even when planes are not involved.
You can't blame me for accusing you of being the anon dude, coz "cutting a sorry-ass figure" is not a widely used expression, and is quite American, and I ain't got too many American readers. Given the uniqueness of this expression and your use of it on your blog, I equated anon with being you.
Let the truth be known that cutting asses is not something I aspire to do.
And P.S. you already told me to fuck off on sd's blog so I was surprised you even came back here to talk with me.
And P.P.S if you're in support of free speech, perhaps you'd care to voice your support of my own free speech on the UAE Comm blog in the above post.
'And P.P.S if you're in support of free speech, perhaps you'd care to voice your support of my own free speech on the UAE Comm blog in the above post.'
I do support free speech. That’s the reason I’ve signed SD's petition in support of S&D’s blog, which is unjustifiably blocked by your ISP. As for supporting your ‘own free speech on the UAE Comm blog’, that’s an internal matter, which you need to sort out with the blog owner & admin.
"internal matter"... and what Etisalat is doing is not an "internal matter"? Strange!
I am sorry j-t, but this whole i* saga is just becoming a bad PR campaign for free-speech activists. You guys are clearly sticking up for people who bracket into your ideology and once it is about a conflicting view - a view that is clearly a strong supporter of the UAE government - you get irritated and decide to ban her, indulge in ad hominem smear campaigns and even judging her?
Look, I dont mind you guys sticking up for each other. But, when you think it is your God-given (that's if you believe in God) right to criticize the UAE government and TRA policies with all kinds of cheap shots below the belt then why can't you handle the criticism of a pro-UAE, pro-Etisalat, and pro-TRA contributor? It just doesn't make any sense to me. You guys are clearly using different yardsticks and are being blatantly hypocritical about it. And in samuraisam's case, you can throw in potty-mouth in there, too.
I mean you have the right to call Etisalat "Etishite", that is just so right and OK, but when imaginate refers to a blog space as "shitpat" then you guys go ballisitic and start calling her a hater? Sorry, that is just BLATANT HYPOCRISY. There is no other word for it! whatever happened to the oft-repeated adage, "practice what you preach"?
Just to clear my position on all this, I dont support name-calling at any level. I enjoy SD's blog and would rather use the word "Shitpat" for some of the commentators there, but her writings are mostly enjoyable to me at least. In the same way, I take exception to this smear campaign of badmouthing Etisalat all the time. It frankly might be fun to you guys, but it is getting nauseatingly repetitive and its no wonder that even Etisalat doesnt give a rat's ass about their rants anymore.
Common guys, this is the age of VPNs and bloody most people who read these opinions have access to unrestricted internet services at work. So all this moaning and complaining really is misplaced, I believe.
OK al republican, here's my reason for not responding to your comment earlier, though I considered it "pretty damn good" at first and last sight: poor me, I've got so many comments to respond to!
Here goes: j-t: it's not an "internal matter". Firstly, it's been resolved, thanks to a few bloggers who've stated they think this is uncalled for, and why. This includes samuraisam (& prob SD) who have a lot of respect as bloggers for many reasons. You weren't one of them.
*al republican
why can't you handle the criticism of a pro-UAE, pro-Etisalat, and pro-TRA contributor?
I love this line...! You're spot on, as usual. I must say, you interpret things well, though I don't say much: well, until now. And the ramifications of my "free speech" are quite interesting. Hybocracy shall I say? ;)
"I dont support name-calling at any level"
I didn't literally mean "name-calling" at all. The words I've used on my dislike list are expressions for misrepresentations of characterisations. They are merely linguistic expressions, not intended to cause harm, especially not "tit for tat" because that is a loser's path to argument/defence.
"I enjoy SD's blog and would rather use the word "Shitpat" for some of the commentators there"
You just said you don't support "name-calling at any level". What's the difference between SD & her commentators?
It's not about "most people who read these opinions have access to unrestricted internet services at work" - the "moaning and complaining" being "misplaced" is really rather ridiculous, no matter if they have access to these sites at work or not. You & I have already discussed these issues, though I wouldn't discourage any further coments you have on the subject.
On blogworld, our opinions might be rare but they're a novelty.
Al-Republican
"internal matter"... and what Etisalat is doing is not an "internal matter"? Strange!'
What could be an 'internal matter' for a state owned ISP's blockage of S&D's blog? Threat to natural security, smear campaign against the Government?
'(that's if you believe in God)'
I would appreciate it, if you refrain from making such a sarcastic remark or even going so far, as in judging me or anybody else on what I/they believe.
'I mean you have the right to call Etisalat "Etishite".'
Do you think assigning a term to an entity (in this case your ISP) is the same as assigning one to a blogger with a substantial readership?
'Common guys, this is the age of VPNs and bloody most people who read these opinions have access to unrestricted internet services at work. So all this moaning and complaining really is misplaced, I believe.'
Is this issue about the age of VPN's and having unrestricted internet services? It's about a state-owned ISP blocking a blog thus restricting its access to those with no VPN access.
i*maginate
Here goes: j-t: it's not an "internal matter". Firstly, it's been resolved, thanks to a few bloggers who've stated they think this is uncalled for, and why. This includes samuraisam (& prob SD) who have a lot of respect as bloggers for many reasons. You weren't one of them.
You're damn straight it's an internal matter and I don't give a jack to your 'You weren't one of them' remark. Like I said earlier, I'm neither a member nor a poster at the UAE Comm Blog. Whatever occurred between you & the admin of this blog had to be resolved between you guys. However, had someone set up a plea or a petition, similar to S&D's, I'd be there to lend my voice in support of your right.
"You weren't one of them..."(who've stated they think this is uncalled for, and why.)
This post *was* a form of "petition"!
It's not "just" a blog, j-t, the point is, it's a "community" blog. I've already stated this. Yes, admins run the blog so they can do whatever they want but this post was about the *principle*, based on stuff referred to in my above comments and post. I'm not saying anything new here!
Post a Comment