[mrwnmonm]

Are you western?

I get really bored hearing someone talking about us like this. While your knowledge about Arab countries comes from an all-inclusive trip to Tunisia or something.

The west always plays a big role in keeping dictators all over the place, who don't care about education or anything other than their chair. People are ignorant and if you look fancy or different, even if you are native, they will look at you like that. Not entirely your fault, but your politicians love it, and use their super powers to keep it as it is.

[rastignack]

Or one could see what happened in Tahrir, Koln, Milan. Or the fact that some imams in my country call out unveiled women as prostitutes.

There are issues with women rights in many country. Blaming the west is a way to ignore them.

[mrwnmonm]

I didn't blame the west, I said they play a role. I realize there were a lot of issues before the US become a world leader and even before the British/French colonization.

I will say it in a different way, WE ARE NOT YOUR ENEMY, but you are too blind not to realize that by yourself.

[rastignack]

I do know who is my enemy and who is not. I have lots of friends coming from these countries. Been there with them. They do not speak like you.

The enemies are roughly Salafia and Ikhwan. They are the ones with the hateful retoric. And they have a huge following.

[mrwnmonm]

> They do not speak like you.

Does this automatically make what I said incorrect?

[rastignack]

Yes it does. Not all critics of the situation of women in the so-called Arab Muslim world are uninformed.

This bad situation also predates western imperialism or Pax Americana.

[feupan]

What a weird comment full of assumptions and hatred.

Nothing in the parent comment warrants what you said. What happens in practice is that being white in poorer countries makes you stand out and sometimes this comes with negative feelings of being unwanted there.

This is just a fact being told and it doesn’t justify a “you guys and your politics” comment. It’s just to point out, perhaps, that some places are more welcoming of foreigners than others.

[mrwnmonm]

Arabs are mixed-race my friend, some of them are white.

Your comment reflects your lack of knowledge about us.

I don't hate western people for being western or white. I respect a lot of them and would love to learn from them.

Some places are more welcoming because people have more knowledge about dealing with foreigners and know more about their culture. So it comes back to education and being open to other cultures as I said, which dictators will never care about. They take money and weapons from you, then tell the people a lot of nonsense about you. People don't really know you. Then when someone tries to tell you this, you say your comment is full of assumptions and hatred.

Also, your media plays a big role in making people see us like animals, watch "bad reel arabs" and it should tell you more about that.

[feupan]

Hilarious. You continue making assumptions about everyone here. You don’t know my media and you don’t know what I know. You assume I’m talking about Arab countries while I just mentioned “poorer countries”, as if you’re the only one around.

I’m talking out of my own experience in Africa, Asia and South America. I don’t go flashing out money around and I know exactly how I’m seen and how I’m treated in every place I’ve lived in. And no, I‘ve never been in a resort and I live in local housing trying to learn the language. So kindly go f yourself.

[mrwnmonm]

In my first comment I said "Are you western?", so the rest of the comment goes if he/she was western. And the thread is about Arab countries, so replying while assuming you are talking about Arab countries is also valid.

I am not sure who is full of hatered here, telling me to go f myself while I am trying to say my understanding about a place I know more than you do.

[feupan]

I say that because you came out saying you are “tired” of people talking like that and answering with worse behavior. You’re not here to discuss it but just to attack strangers, which is why I’m using this tone.

“Are you western?” is not an acceptable start. How would you like it if I started my comment with: “Are you black?” — regardless of whether you are, which is my point.

[mrwnmonm]

Judging from your comments, you are not in a position to talk about my behaviour.

I asked that, because we always get that from most western people. Western media which is being watched all over the world shape us in a certain way, while they play a role in keeping our countries as it is. You just want to bully and cancel an Arab my friend because you hate us, that's all.

[LightG]

From my point of view, I could say "What a weird comment full of assumptions and hatred" about the parent comment.

I've travelled back and forth from Dubai for business and other emirates and countries and never had that experience.

When you say "fact being told", you actually mean "anecdote being shared".

Nothing from my experience indicates an automatic feeling of hatred towards me and my wife when going to these countries. In fact, the opposite.

And don't get me wrong. I have my issues with these countries and their governments, just like I have my issues with many other countries, but that doesn't mean you dismiss the entire population.

Maybe it's time you engaged with the cultures. I'm sure it'll be "No thanks". Surprise me.

[feupan]

> Maybe it's time you engaged with the cultures. I'm sure it'll be "No thanks". Surprise me.

I’ll surprise you: English is not my first language, I haven’t been in my home country since 2015, I speak 3 languages fluently, I’m currently living in Indonesia and can already speak my fourth language (although not well). I lived 3-15 months each in more than 10 countries.

You got the wrong person. I know what I’m talking about because I’ve lived it.

[LightG]

You mean you've lived in an enviroment where these things tend to happen.

Maybe it's time you up the standard of your associates. Those standards are high and low in all countries. It's your choice to associate or tolerate them or find those that have a higher standard.

As said, my experiences have been different.

Good luck,

[mrwnmonm]

Wow, bulling people all over the place.

> I lived 3-15 months each in more than 10 countries.

Is that supposed to mean that you know those countries more than natives?

[feupan]

Who mentioned you?

You’re completely out of context. I’m just replying to the parent suggesting I don’t engage with the cultures.

All I need to tell you is that I’ve been stared at, followed, called names, harassed in a number of countries, and many of them were Arab. Go figure.

[mrwnmonm]

From what I said in other comments it is clear that I admit that these things do happen.

[mbg721]

Where the Western "Oh god, it's so tiring vacationing amongst the sahhhvages. Pass the gin, darling?" reaction still happens, it's based on the perception that in the tourist's home country, the law means what it says, and in the visited country, context is king. That's a useful adjustment to make. However, law enforcement in the West seems to be catching up in that respect.