Young Talent: Abdulrahman Sandugji
Big corporations control the world, they want to make money, period. People can kick scream and shout, but things do not change much, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer, the only thing a regular everyday person can control is how he treats others… and that also is up for debate.
I remember many years ago, MTV had a series of anti-discrimination and anti-violence adds and campaigns, they were funded by different non profit organizations, I hope there are similar movements around the world. I see them here in Australia for example making people aware of domestic violence, and for binge drinking and other destructive behavior, and while I did see some adds promoting humans to treat each other with more dignity, I am happiest to see young individuals take matters into their own hand, and bypass everything to deliver their message across.
A few days ago I came across this video made by Abdulrahman Sandugji, an aspiring young man, and I just had to show my appreciation for what he is doing, peers can reach each other in a more meaningful ways, and in a ways which parents or schools or authority figures cannot.
Please watch this video to know what I mean.
I get excited when I see these guys not waiting for a handout or an opportunity to change the world, but actually doing what they see fit, using new media to reach out and correct the wrongs they see around them. So thank you Abdulrahman 
I also saw something on TED about human slavery, I suggest you watch it if you have the time, because if you think slavery ended years ago… check again, and guess what, sexual slavery is another thing worth multi-million dollars, and it is still going on, in different forms, shapes and names.
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May 04, 2010 @ 13:41:24
Big ups!
Loved the video & people should really behave that way!
i have stories that are just too crazy/Mental!
Thx for posting this up brother Q!
May 05, 2010 @ 08:30:32
Thank You Hass
May 04, 2010 @ 16:15:33
Great job my dear Qusay.
Hope others would follow his lead and guide us to a better, more tolerant and more humane Saudi.
May God bless both of you…
May 05, 2010 @ 08:31:23
Thank u Saud
May 05, 2010 @ 00:33:45
Good message on that video. It’s important to not only treat fellow Muslims (or Christians in my case) with respect, but ALL people. Great reminder! My pastor often says he sees people being rude to waitresses and he reminds us “people are more important than your cheeseburger.” His meaning: care more about people than whether or not your food is perfect. People matter more than stuff!
By the way — “the only thing a regular everyday person can control is how he treats others… and that also is up for debate.” Why is it up for debate?
Yes, sexual slavery is soooooooo awful! A lady on a blog recently said Islam ended slavery yet it still continues.
May 05, 2010 @ 08:38:17
I 100% agree with you, treat all people from all walks of life with respect.
The “up for debate” is how people in different cultures perceive the norm of respect and politeness to be, one culture’s respect is to look the person in the eye when speaking to them, the other is to avert the gaze, one is to shake hands, the other is to bow… things like that
May 05, 2010 @ 11:07:13
Aha! That makes more sense. I thought you were implying that people were unable to treat others respectfully – like they were puppets controlled by someone more powerful and I didn’t understand.
I think the cultural differences are very interesting! When I went to Syria, I met some Muslim men who would shake my hand while others refrained. I’d been forewarned so I wasn’t really bothered. However I learned of a German professor who visited a former student in Morocco with his wife and he was highly offended for his wife because the men refused to shake her hand. At least Samer told me in advance so I was prepared. Seems like this German man wasn’t told so he thought the people were treating his wife as inferior.
I remember reading about the looking in eyes thing a couple years back and then I met a man from Thailand while my nephew was playing at McDonald’s. I talked to the Thai man and asked him about this cultural difference. It was fun, but then I enjoy talking to foreigners about stuff like that. And I really liked being the foreigner when I went to Syria. I hope to have that role again one day.
By the way, I think your copyright thing – “I Can’t Even Explain It. I Surprise Myself Too” is really cute.
May 05, 2010 @ 03:40:28
An interesting post on social activism in various forms.
I found Abdulrahman Sandugji’s video particularly compelling because of its understated artistry, and the narrative which addresses a problem immediately in a way that effects action (not affects, effects), and shows the repair process and its impact. It also makes clear the intersection of race and social class, with the latter being more important to some.
Kevin Bales uses a very broad definition of slavery, which is part of how he gets the figure of 27 million where the International Labour Union has one of 12.3. However, when one adds up all the types of unfree labour, one does come up to a figure of 27 million. I do think this is not just a question of semantics, but rather of precisely defining the specific problem so that it might be best redressed.
“Slavery” makes a good marketing term, and taps into American abhorrence for aspects of their own history, but is inaccurate for the majority of documentable and non-documentable situations. Overuse of the term cheapens it. Serfdom lives on: there is a reason that Bales’ high stats areas are in Latin American countries where latifundias were replaced with American corporate republics; in India with its still rampant though unofficial caste system; and in China which is still extremely hierarchical and deliberately low tech despite of or because of Maoism and the current corporate mentality. So does voluntary servitude live on. Yes, voluntary, as in choosing to be a mistreated/ overworked/ underpaid worker in Saudi because it is still better than conditions in the home country.
Religions and the religious may have ended slavery formally, but economics drives the type of work force that is the most financially advantageous for the employer, and given certain factors slavery, serfdom, indentured servitude, non-unionized labour, etc may be the “best” from that point of view.
Sunitha Krishnan does admirable work. However, she also conflates terms to capitalize (in all senses of the word) on the revulsion induced by the term “sexual slavery”. When she explains why she trains women to be skilled labourers rather than computer literate/IT trained, she is either being disingenuous or pandering to her audience. She herself provides a compelling reason later in her talk: employability vs stigma. Blue collar and construction work sites aren’t nearly so refined in their usual sensibilities as white or pink collar ones. Women trained in IT from her centre would be less acceptable to employers in the latter workplaces, much like having a live in caregiver from her centre, in the example she uses about stigma. Indoor jobs among educated people aren’t yet an option in the society where she is integrating these women into a normal workforce (according to her).
So yes, unfree labour and commercial sexual exploitation still exist, and should be eliminated, and these 2 are doing good work toward that end.
Now, aren’t you glad I didn’t elaborate on voluntary prostitution?
May 05, 2010 @ 08:43:42
I always look forward to your comments
and I probably need another post to reply to this one 
I knew (or know) that u find TED presenters a little… over the top, so I won’t defend them LOL.
and no, I am not glad u did not elaborate on voluntary prostitution!
Thanks as always
May 06, 2010 @ 05:11:30
LOL
Yes, it seems we had a discussion on a previous post about TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) and the error of his/its ways on the topic of the dissemination of HIV/AIDS. 
I think the TED talks are good because the speakers chosen have excellent speaking skills, and the topics are diverse but generally important in terms of social activism. However, that in itself colours the fact that most of the talks are well-documented but partly a “sales pitch” for the work, the foundation of the speaker, a certain cause. No problem with any of that, but at times the simplifications in the interest of cause are too great–which ultimately is a disservice to the cause. That is even allowing for a non-specialist, non-academic audience, of bright interested people like yourself.
Ok, then, voluntary prostitution. I don’t see it as my place to judge the morality of those who choose the world’s oldest profession, and certainly recognize that some are either tricked into it, or forced into it. However, some do choose prostitution as a livelihood (usually seriously underestimating the negatives) or part-time supplement to income, or “put a student to work” program. These have other options, especially in Canada, where some students do so, at least according to 2 that I know do it for sure. However, the other setting where I am sure the students choosing to do this have other options,is in France. 2 of my students (North African men) there were choosing prostitution (with men, one a famous American regular client). Those are only the ones I know of, and only the ones actually doing the deed in the flesh. All had other options: more hours at other jobs, more student loans, more help from family, full-time work/part-time students, return to family, etc.
Depending on one’s definition of selling sex for money, I know others, as patients, who are the women on the end of those 900 numbers. One was a very scrawny, very pale, very passive young student with an anxiety disorder; another was an obese, unkempt unattractive, middle-aged lesbian student with a severe personality disorder. Both were selling their voice, imagination, and sexual fantasies. Again both had other options.
Voluntary prostitution exists in other forms too, but my only point was that Krishnan rolls in a lot of different categories to argue against “sexual slavery”, including her own gang rape–terrible, but not sexual slavery.
Looking forward to your post in reply! LOL
Thanks for your kind words. As always, I find your posts inspiring and enjoying commenting here.
May 06, 2010 @ 05:14:10
May 06, 2010 @ 05:20:30
Oops, edit: and enjoy commenting here.
Could it be the topic had me all verklempt? Nah…
May 11, 2010 @ 10:45:38
Qusay, I totally understand what you mean about being excited when it comes to stuff like this. I think the media has a bigger impact on children and the youth than any other age group so when people like Abdulrahman Sandugji come forward and share their talent with the world I really believe they can make a difference.
I know in many cultures, parents will always encourage their children to become doctors, lawyers and engineers. They overlook the fact that Allah swt has instilled passion into people’s hearts because knowledge exists in many forms!
I say kudos to young people who have the guts to follow their dreams and venture into the study of film, communications and new media =)