Brutality in Saudi

[himher 634]

Saudi women are not as submissive as one might think. And they're not all beaten or ordered around like slaves or maids. If you pay attention to Arab news sources (like for instance this al Jazeera report below) you will see that many of them are making protests against laws that discriminate against them, even facing arrest - but they do it in their own way, within their own culture (and, as you will see, often with the full support of their husbands):

Things are changing in Saudi. Of course not at the rate things change in the US - this is a very traditional society, and Saudis like a lot of their traditions. They don't really want to make some kind of total revamping of their culture and society, but they are starting to make more and more adjustments to the modern world. This is inevitable. But they do it in their own way.

Yeah one of the women who was out driving around for several weeks was in our IT department. It was pretty funny to all of us, expat and Saudis. There is no actual written law forbidding women to drive (gasp, those oppressive saudis forgot to write it down) so they didnt know what to do with her and they let it go on for awhile. I think she went in with her whole family - dad, husband, uncles, brothers, cousins, the works and they worked out something with the authorities and she agreed not to drive around anymore. There were several girls in Jeddah doing the same thing. The King ordered the religious commission to look into allowing them to drive and they are studying it, which means in about a decade they'll catch up with the UAE and Doha and Bahrain.

Edited April 13, 2013 by himher

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

It appeared to me that most of 'em don't want to. Would it stun you to know that my own wife doesn't WANT to get out and go to work? WOW ain't it

Mine also.. My wife has been here two years and does not want to drive

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Sounds like a virtual Equal rights paradise for women. here is a good story. Surely you will not find a way to say Human rights watch is a hate site...??

There you go again. Where have I ever said or even implied that Saudi Arabia is a "virtual equal rights paradise" ? Quote me.

[himher 634]

Mine also.. My wife has been here two years and does not want to drive

Yeah we worked out that drivin' thing the first year so she got to be pretty mobile. But she was pretty resistant to it at first.

Imagine her relief at going over to Saudi where she was back to taxis and buses grrrrr so this last year we had to get used to the road again LOL

My wife HATES to drive and still refuses to get on the interstate. It ain't because she don't have a shiny car with just a few hundred miles sitting out there in the garage either.

BUT on VJ she's probably considered oppressed LOL

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

More Saudi women who are not shrinking violets:

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Yeah one of the women who was out driving around for several weeks was in our IT department. It was pretty funny to all of us, expat and Saudis. There is no actual written law forbidding women to drive (gasp, those oppressive saudis forgot to write it down) so they didnt know what to do with her and they let it go on for awhile. I think she went in with her whole family - dad, husband, uncles, brothers, cousins, the works and they worked out something with the authorities and she agreed not to drive around anymore. There were several girls in Jeddah doing the same thing. The King ordered the religious commission to look into allowing them to drive and they are studying it, which means in about a decade they'll catch up with the UAE and Doha and Bahrain.

And here is how this really plays out even if there is no law written down:

"Where are the traffic police?" she recalls asking her brother as she put pedal to the metal once more. A rumor had been circulating that, since the driving ban isn't codified in law, the police wouldn't confront female drivers. "I wanted to test this," she says.

The rumor was wrong. As she recounts, a traffic officer stopped the car, and soon members of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Saudi morality police, surrounded the car. "Girl!" screamed one. "Get out! We don't allow women to drive!" Ms. Sharif and her brother were arrested and detained for six hours, during which time she stood her ground.

"Sir, what law did I break?" she recalls repeatedly asking her interrogators. "You didn't break any law," they'd say. "You violated orf"—custom.

The siblings were released but Ms. Sharif was rearrested a day later. She was detained for over a week and released only after her father personally pleaded with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah for a pardon and pledged to forbid his daughter ever to drive again in the kingdom.

No oppression there, aye?

[Karee 4,190]

And here is how this really plays out even if there is no law written down:

No oppression there, aye?

Try again. The WSJ is clearly anti-muslim.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

There you go again. Where have I ever said or even implied that Saudi Arabia is a "virtual equal rights paradise" ? Quote me.

Never said you said it

[himher 634]

What does financing have to do with Geography. Last I checked money moves across geography and borders. LOL.

You did? You checked?

The Afghan Mujahideen were financed by the US. Their weapons, which are not manufactured in Saudi (did you know that the Saudis don't actually manufacture any weapons) were stamped "made in USA"

So you've answered your own question after all as to who finances death squads. Good work-Einstein.

[Karee 4,190]

You did? You checked?

The Afghan Mujahideen were financed by the US. Their weapons, which are not manufactured in Saudi (did you know that the Saudis don't actually manufacture any weapons) were stamped "made in USA"

So you've answered your own question after all as to who finances death squads. Good work-Einstein.

So sport, you're telling me that the Saudis didn't finance the Taliban?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Try again. The WSJ is clearly anti-muslim.

Same for the Guardian? Her story is featured there as well.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

A day in the life of a Saudi doctor. She's a woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJeXmNoPhLA

Watch til the end where she introduces her husband and children - all of the girls are studying for professional careers - as lawyers, doctors, etc.

Edited April 13, 2013 by wife_of_mahmoud

[Karee 4,190]

Same for the Guardian? Her story is featured there as well.

Sorry, I was being sarcastic. I guess I should have thrown a smiley in there.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Never said you said it

You implied that it was my premise.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So sport, you're telling me that the Saudis didn't finance the Taliban?

That's an almost comical assertion. Hell, 15 of the 19 hi-jackers that perpetrated the mass murder on 9/11 were Saudis.

Sorry, I was being sarcastic. I guess I should have thrown a smiley in there.

sarcasm meter is busted again