The Egyptian Revolution and Saudi Arabia

Qusay Politics 15 Comments

It took me a while to actually believe and then be able to realize what is going on in Egypt. The so-called domino effect is really taking place, first Tunis, now Egypt, and a few posts on twitter point to possibly one in Syria and others in Bahrain and Yemen, so it is really happening (or about to happen)?

Mubarak is over, even if he does not go out due to the uprise, and even if somehow the Egyptian people played along and let him stay in office, his days are numbered, if he is not out by the time I post this.

The neighboring countries and the US want him there, as shaky as the region is, changing Mubarak with someone who they don’t know, would make Israel uncertain of its future, not that there aren’t American military bases everywhere around the world that no real number is given to how many there are, Jeddah alone has three FM radio stations which belong to the US army, the army forces are there, but we don’t see them. Not that I think that any new Egyptian president would go to war with anyone now or anytime soon, wars cost money, and Egypt has an economy to fix.

Will Saudis catch the fever?

That seems to be the question on everyone’s mind, the answer in my opinion is a big No, I’m willing to bet money on that, expats sent out 90 billion out of the country last year, plus there are millions of them, which means that if an uprising happens by Saudis it would be to demand jobs not regime changes, especially when we hear about multibillion dollar projects and no jobs being created for locals.

Another demand would be to see the real fruits of many of the reforms which King Abdullah pledged and allocated money for, like the judicial system and last year’s investigation for Jeddah’s rain, which were only exacerbated by this year’s floods.

But none of these demands would cause a full blown revolution.

Having said all that, I still believe I have no idea what is going on… but I’m just saying… you know?

The Revolution Has Been Twittertized

Qusay Politics 7 Comments

The revolution has been twittertized… or is it twitterized?

I don’t know whether to congratulate our fellow Tunisians or to just stand with a blank look on my face when I imagine why am I in the same city as their fleeing tyrant, but then again, they tolerated him for all those years, and almost everyone, expat or not, would think that Saudi might not be the best place to retire… We just don’t have enough golf courses.

And I am not sure if the reason that Kuwait is giving its citizens $1000 each and free food is the result of this, or if this same, or similar thing will happen in any other country in the region, Iran seemed to have its share of the action, Ahmadinejad is still there.

I doubt however we will see anything like the revolution in Tunis happen elsewhere, from the people I’ve met, the Tunisians were some of the most educated and well-mannered people I came across, whether they were tailors or engineers, but as many parts of the world do not have healthy opposition systems, that are actually in the mix of things and understand how things are running and how to improve on them, overthrowing a government could, and it usually does lead to chaos.

Not many countries have what it takes for a revolution, they might have the conditions, but like a beaten and abused child, without the proper education and the existence of a viable alternative, AND someone that tells them and encourages them to leave, that child will remain in those conditions thinking that this is it, and unfortunately for many… It is.

Revolutions need formulas, I am in no position to tell who has the basics for them, but I know democracy is dead, it is either unappreciated where they have to beg people to come and vote, or no longer believed in like in Australia where voting is mandatory, people registered to vote, but many left the ballots blank.

I wonder… will we see the picture of Mohammad Bu Azizi who lit himself up for the cause on walls and t-shirts everywhere like Che Guevara, or will he only be a name to be remembered by few.

The Boston big picture has some great photos of the revolution.

Anti-muslim Rally at Ground Zero

Qusay Politics 10 Comments

I do not want to get into the ground zero mosque arguments, but this video… is scary.

It reminded me of a concert I went to when I was about 18 or 19 studying in the US. I went with a friend who likes heavy metal, I am not into that music, but I went along. I think I was the only non-white person there, and somehow I could feel a few unfriendly stares.

I tried to stand as close as I could to the security guards, and a big white guy kept following me with his eyes, with a lot of anger in them, this was in the early nineties.

The following week, there was a “peaceful” KKK march downtown, which I watched on the news, and that big guy was right there marching with them… yes, after staring at me for what looked like an eternity, I would not mistake him in a police lineup.

I was lucky, as was this guy, those people could’ve made him look like Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky in less then a minute.

King Abdullah and Obama? No it’s Maureen and yo Mama!

Qusay Politics 18 Comments

Don’t you just love it? King Abdullah and Obama… no, it is Maureen talking bout your mama.

What I loved is how bad the pictures were, I would expect someone of her “expertise on matters” would travel with a better photographer, but that’s just me.

And of course to get more hits, why not call the heading of the post Sex and the Saudis? I mean it should sell, I guarantee you that.

The pictures were staged contradictions, if investigative journalism had the aim to inform and educate, this has failed miserably.

Look at me, I'm so sad I am in Saudi and instead of going to the desert I decided to pose next to a painting in a museum all covered up

But when I did go to the desert to pose with an Arab man, I decided I did not need to cover up

This Saudi man who shall remain nameless (but liked to be called Jack) said he liked "girls with the smell of the United States"

I am not sure about that, you know my friend Fouad AlFarhan found his picture being used for a dating site.

And what is that I see? another picture of them in the desert uncovered? and is that a photographer with a DSLR sitting up there? Wouldn't he let you have any of the pictures?

The thing is, once you buy a DSLR you start noticing them everywhere

I think I will cover up again and sit on a falic symbol

Oh look, we found a real camel, stop the car, let me cover my hair and take a picture with it

And let me just say they love Obama so much many have named their camels “Barack”. Of course she fails to say that Barrak is the Arabic word for the camel’s sitting action (barrak aljamal = the camel sat), and the word mabrook is derived from a sitting camel, congratulating a person with mabrook means may you have a sitting camel (1000 mabrook, one thousand camels) this of course was before currency and was meant to wish someone wealth.

President Obama’s name is derived from the Arabic “Baraka” which means blessed, close but different, however enough with the Arabic lessons

Even though I am at a private swimming pool, let me wear this silly thing and pose in it

I personally think the burkini is silly, but when you just wear and sit next to a swimming pool (a private swimming pool) to mock those who wear it… well that just says a lot about who you are.

Oh look, can you please wear an Abaya and sit on a stationary bike?

Ok, what is the reason for this photo?

And then there is this, I have no intention of going into the water with this, but I just like to make fun of them, Haha

Yet, in an ancient market not a museum, an old man fixes some traditional head flowers on a girl's head

Could this be a old man marrying a young girl euphemism (hint hint)?

Oh yeah, while at the pool I wore a full cover, yet at the couch I wear short sleeves

Oh yeah, I also wear short sleeves while playing golf while thinking I wish you were Tiger Woods... you know, Tiger Would! wink

Where is your Abaya in this picture?

"No Vickies only La Perla" as Diddy said, and notice the boots and the fire extinguisher behind her, just in case things get hot

Well, at the end of the day, after mocking them all, let me just relax and have a cigar, Cuban please

Unlike Big Will when he gets jiggy wit it “ciga-cigar right from Cuba-Cuba, I just bite it, it’s for the look I don’t light it” Maureen had her cigar and lit it.

I am not saying that Saudi does not have a long way to go (as do other places). I am just saying, there are many ways to say something constructive, and none of these were anywhere close to them.

As for now, I’ma just chill, ‘til the next episode.

Please note: I do not disagree with most of what she says, but these pictures (maybe they were for private use, but then again they were discussed on CNN) are mocking a country in a way which reminded me of something once upon a time called blackface.