Bahrain: Humanity lost among sectarian divide.

On Facebook, a pic of a man on fire was displayed with the caption that he was a Shiia that caught himself alight while setting some tires on fire. The comments under it were a litany of disgusting and very telling opinions about how Sunnis and Shiia see each other during these days of blood shed. Most of the comments were along the lines of  he deserved what he got for being a protester/terrorist despite the fact that he was dying a most horrible death. My reply was this:

This man may have been "the enemy" or a Shiia before he set himself on fire and thus might possibly warrant every mean spirited comment left here, but the moment he set himself on fire is the moment all of that hatred should have been dropped and the humanity of this man allowed to shine through. At the end of the day Sunnis and Shiia must see each other as first human beings, then Arabs, then Bahrainis, and lastly (if you must) as Sunni and Shiia before any thought of peace can come to Bahrain. If a man on fire dying a horrible death cannot let you drop the hatred even for a moment and have a second of empathy for him then where is the future of Bahrain headed? Not towards peace that is for sure because each side sees the other as less than human...even during the last moments of an agonizing death. There is no peace to be had in that depth of hatred. 

Yaaay!!! I'm a citizen!!!

Today in our government class our instructor sprung a pop quiz on us. I passed it (yay) but what was more surprising to me are the number of students that didn't. From our class of around 30, the show of hands indicated at least 23 did not pass...and the rest of us by just one or two answers.

What was this pop quiz that saw so many failures you ask? It was the exam given to would be U.S. citizen hopefuls before they can precede on to the next step of swearing their oath of allegiance. It consists of 10 questions and at least 6 must be right in order to pass. I got 7 right....and this actually surprised me because it has been a very long time since I sat in a govt. class...much less thought about any of those subjects asked about. I was even more surprised that those high numbers that failed in our class were mainly younger students that probably had govt. classes within the past 2 or 3 years...not to mention some of those questions were pretty basic information.

Shades of Jay Leno's stupid Americans segment came to mind...seriously...very sad.

Anyhow...here's the questions we were asked. I want you guys to answer the questions as best you can...WITHOUT googling (yeah that means YOU) just to see how "American" you are and to judge whether or not you could pass the same test would be Americans have to pass to be considered American citizen criteria.

Try not to look at other people's answers either....at least not until you hit submit. I won't put the answers until some people have had a go.

1. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful.

2. How many amendments to the constitution are there?

3. How many House of Representatives have the power to vote?

4. What are the rights of a U.S. citizen?

5. Who has the right to vote?

6. Who is one of the 3 authors of the Federalist Papers?

7. What territory did the U.S. buy from France?

8. Who was the president during WWI?

9. Name one of the territories of the U.S.?

10. Why does the flag have 13 stripes?

Just so you know, I missed #'s 3, 6, ad 8...which I thought wasn't too bad. How well can you do?

Have fun...remember...NO cheating!!!

Give Me A Family ...Please?

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=256430

When you live in the Muslim/Arab world you have to get use to ONE fact straight away...even if your NOT Muslim OR Arab...unmarried sex is not ok.


Hold on, let me put that another way...getting caught having unmarried sex is not ok.


Wait...wait...let me try one more time. Getting caught having unmarried sex is NOT ok if you are female...especially if the consequences turn out that you get pregnant. God forbid a female gets pregnant over here without the sanctity of a marriage contract to make her baby all hilal and legal. All though I havent personally checked...I heard that, according to the law in Bahrain, it is in fact against the law to BE pregnant and not be married.


Sooooo...lets think about this for a minute. Men are given a certain amount of "permission" to have sex (since they are not held accountable then that is granting them permission in my books)...but when it comes to suffering the consequences of sex...women are the ONLY ones that ARE held accountable....and boy do they (we) suffer.


Lately, this past 2 years or so, there seems to be more abandoned baby news reports in the paper. I cant remember hearing about babies being abandoned in Bahrain when I first came here...but then again news reporting was a whole different ballgame back then. NOTHING bad ever happened. Lived in a right utopia we did. Miss those days....*sigh*.


Anyhow, the latest was this little baby boy in that news report. Officials havent determined his nationality yet...but havent hesitated (in follow up news reports) to shove all the blame onto the mother that abandoned this baby. As well as some comments by readers and by a leading figure here in Bahrain that supposedly helps women overcome difficulties. She was advised to open a shelter or place for unwed pregnant women to come to for help....and she flatly refused...declared that opening a shelter basically condoned unmarried sex and we as Muslims were not in the business of condoning unmarried sex...not to mention SHAME on those women who got involved in such things. Rather than try and have sympathy for these women...who might have been raped by a family member or stranger...or Hell...in the cases of housemaids etc...by their owners...ahem!...I mean employers. Not every pregnant woman on this planet got that way simply because she couldnt keep her legs closed.


She did not mention men in her article...did not mention educating Muslim men about having premarital sex...unprotected sex...or about STANDING by the woman they slept with when it turns out their night of passion (or moment of passion) resulted in life. Nope...all on the female. Females should guard their vaginas against the marauding hordes of penises that assault them from every direction and save themselves for just the ONE penis that is allowed entry...despite the fact that that ONE penis just might have entered numerous unguarded vaginas prior to hers...anyways...all on her.

I might also add that if a Bahraini girl finds herself pregnant (God help her) then not ONLY will she have to deal with her family (one can only hope she hasnt got "honor killing" believers in her family) she also has to GIVE UP her baby...no matter how she feels about it. There are NO unwed Bahraini mothers of newborn babies out there...just not a done or accepted thing. Her baby will be forcibly taken and placed in an orphanage whether she wanted it or not. Society will NOT allow her to keep that bastard baby and raise it like its NORMAL or something...nope...into the orphanage you go. You could have had at least ONE parent raise you that loved you and wanted you....but noooooo...society says bastards belong in orphanages...and then punish the mother for bringing one into the world...ALL BY HERSELF no doubt...cause we know the guy, the father....will NEVER be held accountable. On the off chance he makes the gallant choice to marry her...you can bet he will remind her all their married life how EASY she was prior to marriage...yeah...it happens...Ive seen and heard it...*sigh*.

Now,I digressed from the point I was making...the reason for this post... it turns out there have been quite a few expats here in Bahrain that came forward wanting to adopt this baby boy. They are willing to open their hearts and their homes to him...not knowing a thing about him....but thats the joy that babies bring into your lives...you love them...even when they are not yours. Spend a little time with a baby and you know what I mean. Not everyone wants to take a baby home that was abandoned, thats for sure, but some do...so why not let them?


Turns out the Bahrain govt is REFUSING to allow an expat to adopt this baby boy....doesnt allow expats to adopt ANY babies here in the Kingdom....and why is that? Shouldnt we be happy to see a baby...an abandoned baby at that...go to a loving home where it will have parents and possibly siblings and a life of love and companionship? Shouldnt we be happy to know this baby wont grow up in an orphanage alone and forgotten...nobody to call Mom or Dad...nobody to call their own? Shouldnt we want a baby to be loved by something more than the nurses that will change it and feed it and the orphanage workers that will make sure it has what is required for growth etc...but do nothing to make him feel loved?


Its not explicitly stated as such but of course the reason babies are not allowed to be adopted by expats is simply because the Muslim govt of Bahrain fears that baby might NOT be raised Muslim! Oh horrors!!! Better a baby is raised by employees in an orphanage then loving parents who might be, argh Christians...or even worse....ATHEISTS!!! *sigh*


As Muslims dont we believe that God leads people to Islam...how many converts are out there in the Islamic world today...whose parents WERE NOT Muslims...whose parents might very well have been completely against the idea of Islam and their child converting to Muslim...but that child still did...why? because its all in Gods hands...not ours.


For the govt of Bahrain to abandon this baby once again and force it to lead an unloved life in an orphanage simply to ensure it grows up Muslim is such a barbaric act against this baby....and not very Muslim like behavior at all.


It means they do not trust the Will of God...trust that if God has determined this baby should be Muslim...then it will be so...despite in which household it grows up in. Whose to say just because it grows up in a Muslim orphanage that it will turn out to be Muslim..if I grew up in such a situation and came to learn that people wanted to adopt me as a baby...wanted to love me and call me their child...but the govt of my country refused me a family...abandoned me to a life of loneliness and pain....and told me it was because MY (their) religion told them to do so...wouldnt I be somewhat antagonized by that fact...wouldnt I be somewhat rebellious towards that religion that required I grow up alone and without parents simply because Muslims themselves DO NOT adopt babies...because thats against Islam too...ironic isnt it?


The govt wont allow expats to adopt this little baby for fears it wont grow up Muslim....but Muslims wont adopt it because Muslims arent allowed to according to hadith etc...Muslims will view this innocent little baby as a bastard all his life....and will call him a bastard in general conversation as if its a title he acquired through a course of study at university...oh this is Bader...he works at Bapco...hes a bastard....believe me...Ive heard similar.


So a potential family would raise this baby to be a son...much loved and cared for...giving him their family name and all that that name entitles him too. Bahraini Muslims will call him bastard and refuse to allow their daughters to marry him because he has no standing, no family name...no lineage....but thats better for him then being raised something other than Muslim?

Now I realize that we should never encourage wanton sex, sex just for the sake of sex and all that...but we have to be grownups about this and understand that sometimes sex happens. With or without the consent of the female involved...it happens...and once sex happens there are numerous consequences that can occur..one of them being a pregnancy. Babies do not ask to be created...do not come into this world worrying about if their parents (and yes there are always 2 parents despite what many Muslims prefer to believe) were legally married and if their conception was wanted and anticipated...but here they are none the less and we should welcome them with open arms once they are here. A baby is NOT to be blamed for its existence and punished by calling it bastard and throwing it into an orphanage and enforced to lead a lonely life simply because that would be easier for US.

I dont get it...and apparently the Muslims Im surrounded by dont either...for the most part...again...*sigh*.

Shame on us...and may God forgive us our barbarity.

*I dont wish to make any assumptions as to why a woman would abandon her baby as Ive never been in that position to even consider it...but knowing this culture and what can happen to her...I can at least say I understand why she would be moved to make such a drastic choice. It cant be easy for her (ok for some women it might be easy...who knows) ...at any rate it was NOT the focus of my post.

This Wont Hurt a Bit!

I took my friend to the dentist tonight...she left it late as many people (including me) are prone to do...and thus was in a lot of pain. I felt her pain...literally. I have had some horrible experiences with dentists here in Bahrain....imagine that!

Growing up I never had fear of the dentist...didnt have that deep seated dread a lot of people have..not sure why but I figure that I had shit to deal with at home a hell of a lot more painful and scary then any dentist...who knows. It helped I suppose that I never had any major dental problems either. After arriving in Bahrain it was sometime before I found myself in need of a dentist. I still didnt have any real fear...but I was a bit hesitant because I had been to the local health center several times and it wasnt the most modern place in the world. Left a lot to be desired...so to speak. I was hoping they were a little more up to speed with their dental care.

Now let me explain something about myself first. Im extremely sensitive to pain...I bruise incredibly easy...when I need pain killers...I need A LOT of them for whatever reason. Get the point? I have been telling people (doctors) for years that the injections for pain they give me...or the tablets etc just dont cut it...I can still feel everything as if I didnt have any pain killer. Ive had docs tell me it was "all in my head"...once while being stitched up after delivery...the doc gave me a local anesthetic...it didnt work. She gave me another...I was ready to climb off the table. She gave me a third and I felt like every stab of the needle was in my brain. She said I had to bear it cause she couldnt give me anymore. 45 minutes later I was praying to just pass out...no such luck. Incidentally I managed to get through the 5 actual deliveries without ever once having pain killers administered. Dont ask me...I dont make the rules. I felt somewhat vindicated when I came upon an article in a medical magazine that showed a study on pain tolerance. Apparently red heads have typically had a lower tolerance for pain then non red heads. Like I said...I dont make up the rules. At least I could prove it wasnt in my head now.

Anyhow, I found out that going to the dentist was going to be a very painful experience...over and over again. Ive had several very bad episodes with dentist...everything from nearly removing the wrong tooth....to stabbing my tongue with the needle. One even managed to drill the wrong tooth...and didnt realize until he was half way done...sigh!! Needless to say...Im extremely wary about going to the dentist here. Unfortunately I cannot afford private docs (not sure they are any better here but hey...wishful thinking and all)....so its govt all the way. Im not sure if its down to ill trained dentists or just plain apathy towards doing a good job...whatever it is...the people of Bahrain are suffering...at least I am.

Anyhow, from all my terrible experiences (and unfortunately there have been too many), one sticks out a little more then the rest...picture this...

After having several very painful experiences with dentists...I declared that unless my head was falling off I was not going back unless I had money for a private (good?) dentist. Well, one of my back teeth broke and since it didnt hurt...I ignored it....for quite along time. Incidentally I find it interesting that we know going to the dentist can be a very painful adventure...and so KNOW that we should go regularly to avoid those painful moments as much as possible...but avoid going because we want to avoid pain...and end up suffering more because we didnt go when the problem was small and manageable. Still believe we are a highly evolved species...lol?

Anyhow, when I finally did go it was with extreme caution and very deep dread. I was forced to go to a govt dentist as I just didnt have the money for private...I anticipated a very bad day indeed...turns out I had no idea just how bad it could get.

When I pointed out my bad tooth she said it needed to be removed. No surprise there... I was expecting that. She gave me and injection and I waited nervously for it to take affect. She poked it declared it numb. She then preceded to extract my back tooth without first taking an X-ray like every other dentist Ive encountered has. I pointed this out to her but she said there was no need as she could clearly see what needed doing. Hey...who am I to argue...Im just the victim...I mean patient.

She probed a bit here...poked a bit there...and apparently, at some point, stabbed me in the brain through my ear when I wasnt looking. You know those cartoons that show the cat so scared it sticks to the ceiling...well if I could have shot my over sized ass up there I would have been hanging by all fours just about then. It was that bad. I swear I actually lifted off the chair at least a few inches. She jumped and asked me what was wrong...well...hmmm...lets see....you are poking around in my mouth with a sharp object...what could be my problem? I told her (I think I spoke eloquently and with decorum....but hard to tell over the screaming in my head) that it fucking hurt like hell. Not exactly those words but she got the point. So she prepared another dose of painkiller and juiced me up again. By this time my heart had stopped hammering against my chest...but was rabbit scared still and prepared to jump to it again if called into action. My fingers were gripping the seat hard enough to leave dents in the metal...Im thinking I was tense....a bit.

I tried relaxing as I know being tense just makes the pain worse...so I practiced some Lamaze breathing and passed the time imagining the many ways I could get some revenge against Ms Dentistthang over there....biting down hard on her fingers seemed like my best option...I think Ill go with that....(feeling a bit woozy now.)....back she came.

A bit more probing and poking and then she grabbed Mr Brokentooth and pulled with all her might...and thats when I heard a very VERY loud cracking sound. I actually looked up at the ceiling thinking something had broken and was going to fall down...turns out it was a little closer to home. I was clued in when Ms Dentisthang paused and said...."uh oh". Not exactly what one wishes to hear while sitting in a dentists chair. Needless to say my heart took off like a rabbit again....and was long over the hills when she stood back and said... "I will be back in a minute"....huh...what? Hello?

I sat there for an eternity. She came back maybe 2 minutes later with back up. 2 other dentists were with her and they all gathered round my freaked out countenance and each had a good look inside my mouth. A bit of mumbled discussion between them (in Arabic so I didnt catch the whole gist of it being distracted somewhat by visions of cracked skulls or something) some more poking and prodding and eventually came to the belated conclusion that I needed an X-ray taken. Ya think?

10 minutes later...X-rays in hand...it was declared that I needed to scoot myself over to the emergency dept at Sulmania Hospital because Ms Dentistthang had broken MY JAW!!! Yeah ....I know...WTF!!!!

Turns out ...if she had bothered to X-ray me first she would have noticed that the tooth had actually fused to my jaw bone due to a previous infection. When she pulled the tooth...she pulled a large chunk of my jaw bone along with it. I was sort of wondering at this point why the hell I wasnt screaming my friggin ass off from the pain Im sure accompanied broken jaw bones...well it seems she had injected me with a more powerful drug the second time...so all was good for the moment....but I was encouraged to get over to Sulmania ASAP!

Now heres the funny part folks...(funny strange not funny ha ha)...after having put me through the trauma of breaking my jaw...in which I might add I was losing a shit load of blood over (the nurse was kind enough to stuff a mattress full of cotton in my mouth...and gave me some more in my hand)...they now apparently expected me to drive MYSELF over to the ER. They actually pointed me in the direction of the front door and encouraged me once again to make haste...time was apparently against me. WTF!!! I asked her (you might be surprised but its rather hard to talk with a broken jaw, numb and swollen mouth and a pound of cotton in your mouth) if it might not be too much bother to take me there as I didnt feel I could drive myself (maybe they can do that shit on TV, but I wasnt risking it)...she said it was against govt policy to drive patients anywhere. Ok...how about the ambulance...I wouldnt mind going that way. Nope...sorry...it was out...somewhere. So I asked if I could call my (ex)husband to come take me. Ok...fine...heres the phone.

So, in a very surreal frame of mind I called him and tried to explain in my broken, swollen, numb voice that he needed to come get me quick like as I needed to go to Sulmania...he said he was on the way. I hung up and went and sat down. I had some serious meditating to do. Not to mention this whole time I was contemplating the very real pain that was no doubt going to come storming on like a freight train any moment now.

Well...about 20 minutes passed and one of those dentists came down the hall and stopped abruptly when she seen me. "Why are you still here" she quickly asked. "You really need to get to the ER as soon as possible...ok". Uhmmmm.... Im waiting for my husband because nobody here was willing to take me, I mumbled out to her (that sailed over head I guess as she ignored my jab)...."well tell him to hurry...no time to lose". Well ok then...another phone call and I was asking him where he was. He said he got delayed and was on the way. Ok but did you understand what I told you earlier...THEY BROKE MY JAW!! I guess those words finally penetrated his thick skull as he paused a moment in his dialogue long enough to ask...."They What?" Finally I had his attention...now we are getting somewhere. He said he was on the way...seriously.

When he arrived he took one look at me and set about letting every member of the hosp have an earful of promises of suing and newspapers being notified of their lax work habits...blah blah blah...hey...Im bleeding to death here and the lingering affects of the injection, all though pleasant, cant last much longer. Lets go already.

He broke a few speed records (nothing new for Bahrain) and we arrived at the ER. I had been sitting with a broken jaw for about an hour and 45 minutes by this time. The clock on the painkiller was ticking. This whole time I had been methodically removing and then inserting fresh cotton as the old ones would quickly soak with blood. I was light headed and nauseous....and totally wiped out.

Well after much toing and froing in the hosp we managed to get seen by a surgeon who declared that I had lost too much blood and too weak to undergo the surgery today...I had to stay over night and have surgery to repair my jaw in the morning...yay me. The day was getting better and better. Nothing like a night in the hosp to improve ones mood. I was IV'd and given a sleeping tablet or something...it pretty much knocked me out whatever it was. I spent the night laying on my side so that all the blood and saliva could drain out onto a towel rather than down my throat and possibly drown me. Happy days!!!

To quickly end this saga...the next morning I had surgery. Woke up with a cheek swollen like a squirrel with a load of nuts in its cheeks. My children couldnt stop from giggling every time they looked at me...creeps!!! Incidentally, whoever the brainiac was that put my IV in had missed the vein apparently and all the fluid was collecting in my forearm. I had a water balloon of skin hanging down...oh joy!!! When I pointed this out to the nurse...she removed that IV and prepared to put in another one...I dont think so. I refused and huffed her way out the door.

We attempted to get some recourse from the Ministry of Health over this incident. No luck...apparently everyone did their job "to the best of their ability" and so no blame could be placed. If that was the best they could do...well hell...next time I will just tie my tooth to a passing bus and take my chances...couldnt do much worse Im thinking.

So you see...I hate going to the dentist. Problem is...I need to go again...and since I dont have a job these days...its back to the govt dentist. Oh joy!!!

Banning pork and alcohol...whats the world coming too?

The esteemed MP's of Bahrain have been working over time lately in coming up with more and more reasons for the general public to rue the day they elected them in the first place. They being other Bahrainis of course. While we expats or non Bahrain residents must suffer the same as Bahrainis (in our suffering we are side by side) we are apparently not allowed to complain and are given the freedom to "go home if we dont like it". (just check any local papers letters page for this debate raging on)

Besides trying to ban mannequins from store front windows, bachelors from living among civilized folk, said bachelors from hanging their laundry in plain sight and disturbing the delicate sensibilities of the viewing public and forbidding all homosexuals from even attempting to get past customs at the airport...recent trends have suggested our MP's have taken an even more sinister religious bent on their attempts to bring Bahrain back into the fold of an Islamic community...alcohol and pork are next on the list to be banned...now is the time to do some serious deep thinking.

Bahrainis are rather split on this proposed ban...some believe its a right step and good for the moral being of Bahrain...others think its taking us back into bygone centuries in which camels were the preferred mode of transportation and tent life was the rage....us expats and non Bahrain residents have opinions too...but as stated before...ours doesnt count.

Now heres a thought to any Bahraini that believes banning alcohol and pork are good things...what happens after that? Banning western attire as unIslamic...how about tearing down churches etc as no other religion can be practiced openly in an Islamic country? Or how about really getting down and dirty and ban women from driving and girls from receiving an education and enforcing strict veiling etc as that can lead to immoral behavior...which is unIslamic?(we shall pretend for a moment that all that is culture masquerading as Islam...but we are talking reality here right)

It may all sound ridiculous but really...is it? It sounds like a slippery slope to me...allow MP's, who btw are not hired as religious police for Bahrain but merely to lead us into a prosperous and productive future, to make one law or ban one thing because its deemed unIslamic...then where is the line drawn...who gets to decide what gets banned next...well the MP's of course...and what happens when they start pulling things out of their ass trying to emulate other Middle Eastern countries in an attempt to get back to the basics of Islam? Then will Bahrainis be so comfortable with these recent actions?

Yes alcohol is generally bad for us and we humans can very well live without it...and pork is just another meat product and chicken or beef will do in a pinch for any meal plan a non Muslim might wish to prepare...but really...banning those products does not an Islamic country make. If Islam is supposedly built on peace and tolerance...and the whole "there is no compulsion in religion" thing...and we all know that when something is banned it just gets shoved under ground and a whole new set of immoral behaviors takes root...then really...where is the benefit to the public?

Muslims consider it haram or forbidden to drink alcohol..so great...dont drink alcohol (maybe MP's should enforce alcohol serving establishments to put up those little signs similar to the ones in grocery stores that have a pork section-no Muslims past this point...or something like that just so a misguided Muslim doesnt wander in my accident...hmmm?) and Muslims consider pork a dietary no no...and so dont consume that either...so great...dont eat it (btw Im curious as to why some Muslims will drink alcohol even knowing they shouldnt but I have yet to come across a Muslim that admits to eating pork...considering it the ULTIMATE sin next to shirk/unbelief...another hmmm?).

What I mean is what is the point of having choice...Islam is all about choice...the choice to follow its ideology or not. To behave according to Islamic standards or dont...but the rest of the community are under no such obligations to follow your dietary habits etc...and shouldnt be forced to. I mean, seriously, it all just sounds so hypocritical from a layman/womans point of view. Let me put it this way...

MP's want to bring Bahrain back in to the so called Islamic fold...so they start with ridiculous things like mannequins and laundry...jump on over to gays and bachelors...and currently are taking aim at alcohol and pork...here is my question to any and all MP's...why did you choose to start in those places...with those topics and issues? Why not start with the unfair treatment of women in the Sharia courts...justice for Muslim women (all women really) is a deeply entrenched practice Prophet Mohammed taught his men and sanctioned by God...treating women with respect, giving them their God sanctioned rights and ensuring them a safe and accommodating environment in which to obtain a divorce and or keep their children in their lives seems a hell of alot more important then worrying about nonMuslims (ahem) drinking and eating forbidden items...just thinking out loud here.

Or how about ban the whole "sponsorship" system...oh I forgot...that doesnt exist. Cant ban something that doesnt actually exist...on paper...but does in practice...openly and barbarically and without any due respect towards Islam and moral principles. Foreign labour in Bahrain are treated like slaves...are paid slave wages (if at all) and are considered "runaways" and "escapees" if they, oh I dont know, get fed up with this barbaric treatment and decide to take their labour elsewhere. Why dont our esteemed MP's take a stab at banning inhumane treatment towards housemaids and labourers...seems like a truly worthwhile Islamic ideal to go after...still thinking out loud here.

And while they are at it...why not ban the security forces and govt from throwing those in jail that have the balls to speak up about all these issues and get the sheep (I mean public) all antagonized and worked up? Freedom of speech is a very Islamic ideal..yes? Why not spend some time earning your extravagant salaries on a subject like that? If you dont protect the right to freedom of speech from now...it might be your own right to freedom of speech you will sorely miss some day...Im just saying.

Now its very true...if us nonBahrainis dont like these "new and improved" living conditions being offered up to the public...we can pack our bags and hightail it out of here on a British Airways flight that does serve alcohol etc and shake the dust from our immoral western boot heels...but heres the really thought provoking thing about your request that "if we dont like it we can just leave"...we can leave...but what about you?

One day when and if Bahrain becomes another little Iran (a little tussle going on with Iran claiming ownership and all) or even just a poor step daughter to Saudi (never really belongs to the original family and all) just what will Bahrainis do then...pack their bags and get the hell out of dodge on a non alcohol serving Gulf Air flight and come live in the immoral decadent west where alcohol, pork, freedom of speech and free will...have not been banned...and people still manage to live a good and honest life.

If you dont stop it from now..you only have yourselves to blame.

Does telling the truth require an apology?

I would like to draw attention to my best friend, Maryam Al Sherooqi. She writes for a local newspaper, Al Wasat, and has gotten quite a following since she started there early last year or so....and she might be going to jail next month.

Last September she was with a co-worker (she is employed as a guidance counsellor at a govt school here as a govt employee) at Bahrains Civil Dept applying for another job within the Ministry of Educations system...while there she and her friend had a conversation with one of the employees...just a casual chat really to pass the time...but that conversation was the premise for an article she wrote soon there after...an article about discriminatory practices at the Civil Dept between Shiias and Sunnies...when it comes to employment potential.

Her article garnered a lot of attention an opened up a lawsuit against her by the Civil Dept...claiming that she flat out lied about the conversation...and that she had humiliated the Civil Dept by making such slanderous claims against it...that they discriminate against potential employees based on religious affiliation...etc.

Now heres the thing...she didnt lie obviously as her co-worker was there as well and was witness and participant to the conversation(she has been ordered to divulge the identity of the Civil Dept employee she chatted with...but has refused)...so she hasnt slandered anyone...and as far as I know...humiliating someone (if she in fact did that) isnt grounds for imprisonment ....is it? A fine maybe...but jail time?

She went to the Prosecutions Court the other day and faced a judge (and was fingerprinted) who stressed to her that if she "just apologized" everything would be over and she could get back to her life. He asked her if all this drama was "worth it". She replied that her integrity and self respect were worth it...and she would rather go to jail then apologize for telling the truth (incidentally EVERYONE in Bahrain KNOWS there is blatant discrimination between Shiias and Sunnis in the employment sector...so exactly what "lie" did she tell)...her court case is scheduled for March 3rd...and a 7 year jail sentence is hanging over her head. She is being called a traitor to her country(charges stated on her court documents)...for telling the truth.

Yesterdays Al Wasat had quite an article about her and a few others that are facing the heat for daring to believe the "Freedom of the Press" malarkey that has been trotted out now and again by the Powers That Be. http://www.alwasatnews.com/Yesterday/Issue-2356/LOC/LOC-0-/859462.aspx?newspaper_date=02-17-2009

So Maryam Al Sherooqi may be facing a lengthy jail sentence merely for stating an obvious fact that we all know to be true. She is basically being charged with "humiliating" the Civil Dept...which has turned into a charge of treason.

Now heres the thing that is REALLY upsetting...if that wasnt enough. Many "friends and family" that complain right along with her about the "unfairness of it all"...that "we need to do something to change this"...that sit in their coffee shops and living rooms declaring loudly what "they would do" if given a chance...have been given a chance...to support their family member...their friend...to support Maryam Al Sherooqi in her hour of need...and yet they have, for the most part, gone quiet...only speaking up to demand that she apologize so THEIR lives can continue much in the same vein it was until she came along and "stirred the waters"..."embarrassed the Sherooqi name...called attention to herself etc...in other words...humiliate herself and apologize...for their benefit.

Ive known her for 3 years....she is my best friend. Ive never met a more straight forward outspoken defiant and honest person as her. She tells the truth...she tells the truth in the face of daunting consequences...she tells the truth and constantly makes enemies because of it...she tells the truth and makes people angry and agitated and wanting to blame her for doing nothing more then "opening their eyes" to a fact they already knew...but refuse to acknowledge. She tells the truth and gets punished for her truth telling...and still she tells it.

She has been threatened ( her family as well..some of whom are in high positions in this country...and who have been subtly warned about a potential loss of position unless she backs down)...she has been made miserable in too many ways to count for that article...and some follow ups she has done...yet she has never wavered..never hesitated...never for a moment considered it would be easier just to drop her head and get back in line with all the other sheep....and for that she deserves an award in my opinion...not incarceration.

She has two little girls and a husband...and elderly mother...she has a job and responsibilities. She has so much to lose and not a whole lot to gain if she perseveres...and yet she only see herself stepping forward and doing the one thing she feels she has no choice but to do...tell the truth and hope justice is served.

I have only one thing to say about her...Im proud of her...and I wish I could do more to show her the support she deserves...and I wish I could tell all those men that are determined to shame this woman and send her back down "where she belongs" by imprisoning her...that they would do well to stand back and look at her...really look at her...maybe they will learn what it means to have integrity...self respect...and a back bone....and I wish I was half as brave as she is.

Im there for you girl...all the way. Truth shouldnt require an apology.

http://www.alwasatnews.com/Today/Issue-2357/010/-0-w189/859758.aspx

*to see articles she has written.... her "inflammatory" article was written last Sept. 08.
http://www.alwasatnews.com/writers/w189/010.aspx

*update...Journalists Without Borders has called her and have offered her support on her trial day. Good news for sure.

Its getting crowded "under the carpet"!!

This article was written on my behalf by a friend of mine who writes for one of the local newspapers..it will hopefully be printed tomorrow. For those that cant read Arabic...its a condensed version of my life these past 23 years...more or less.

We shall see if its accepted as we all know that this subject generally gets brushed under the carpet. One can only hope the Powers That Be at her newspaper arent just such people. Wish me luck!!!

في يــد الشيطان
كثُرت هذه الأيام شياطين الانس، التي تنقض على لحمها بدل أن تحميه وتصونه، ومناسبة الحديث هذه القصة التي سألقيها عليكم، لإحدى النساء الأجنبيات التي قدمت الى البحرين بأحلام وردية انقلبت الى كوابيس ليلية.
اذ ان زوج هذه المرأة البحريني جلبها من بلدتها، لتواجه مصيرها المرير في مملكتنا البحرين، حيث انه لم يستطع أن يخفي شخصيته المتناقضة، ففي النهار هو ذلك الرجل المتدين والملتحي، والذي ينتقد كل شيء سواء حلال أم حرام، وفي الليل هو ذلك المنافق الأفّاق الذي لا يصون حرمة بيته.
وفوق هذا كله اكتشفت زوجته بعد زواج دام عشرون عاما، بأنه يعتدي على عرض بناته، وينتهك حرمته، ولم يَخف من الله العالم بالسرائر، وان بناتها في يد الشيطان –والدهم -.
أي قلب هذا يستطيع ايذاء أطفال أبرياء، فما بالكم بوالد يلمس أطفاله كل ليله ويعتدي عليهم، أي والد هذا الذي يربي القيم في النهار، ويقفز الى أسرّة بناته في الليل.
ان هذا الشيطان مارس الجنس مع بناته لمدة عشرون عاما، وعندما كشفته زوجته أخذ يطلق الشائعات تلو الشائعات عليها، ولم يكتفِ عند هذا الحد بل قام باطلاق الشائعات عن أبنائه وبناته، حتى يهرب من المصيبة التي قام بها داخل بيته.
لم تقم باقامة الشكوى عليه، بل سوّت الموضوع مع محامٍ دلّتها عليه احدى صديقاتها. فهي لم تقدّمه للمحاكمة ظنا منها بأن الحكم سيكون 3 سنوات أو أقل كما تقرأ في الجرائد، ولاعتمادها على ما يقدّمه هذا المعتدي من مبلغ بسيط تعيّش به هي وأطفالها!
خرجت هذه الأجنبية "بملاليم "، لتعول أطفالها وتساعدهم في هذه المحنة التي أوقعهم فيها والدهم، فأطفال سِفاح المحارم والتحرش الجنسي، يكونون طبيعيون من الخارج، الا ان الضرر الداخلي لا ينتهي الا بموتهم، لصعوبة نسيان الاساءة التي تعرضوا لها خاصة اذا كان المعتدي هو الوالد المصون.
أخرجت الأم بناتها من الديار لعدم تحمّلهم كلام الناس، ورجعت الى أولادها في البحرين، وعندها قام هذا الشيطان بقطع المعونة عنها وعن أبنائها، مع العلم بأنها كانت معتمدة عليها!
ان هؤلاء الأطفال المساكين على رغم الظروف الصعبة، لم يتجهوا الى الخراب، بل اتّجهوا الى النجاح في الدراسة وتحقيق ما تمنّته الأم، حتى ان أكبر أبنائها كان إماما وحافظا للقرآن، وبسبب المصيبة توقّف عن امامة الناس ومواجهتهم.
وبعض الناس بالطبع لا ترحم، فهذا يتكلم وذاك يحقد ولا يدرون بأن من يُعطي يُعطيه الله، كما قال الله في حديثه القدسي: " يا ابن آدم أنفق أُنفق عليك"، حتى ان احدى الجمعيات المتأسلمة أوقفت "الكوبون " الخاص بشراء أغراض البيت، فالأم الآن لا تعمل وليس عندها من يعولها.
فمن يستطيع أن يرحم هذه المسكينة وأطفالها بعد الله سبحانه وتعالى، ويبادر في مد يد العون لها ولأسرتها المُحطّمة، خاصة واننا في يوم الجمعة الذي يُقبل فيها الدعاء.
ضحّت هذه الأجنبية بحياتها كلها لتربية أبنائها البحرينيون، فهل تقف البحرين معها اليوم؟

Homeland Security my ass!

I have been in this country now for over 2 weeks and have just only now come to realize that my passport is defective. I have no idea how many people...supposedly security concious people...perused my passport between Bahrain airport and the DFW(with stopover in Paris)...not to mention the number of people that have given it a once over every time I have used it for ID purposes....and not one of them noticed anything suspect.

I must admit that while still in Bahrain I did notice that my passport seemed alot skinnier than usual...but didnt give it much thought. I had more things of interest on my mind than a suddenly skinny passport....as in what to take and what to leave...and the ever present turmoil of painful choices made and tears to deal with. The state of the passport was not even registering on my radar of things to worry about.

So...when I finally just stopped and took a good look at it I realized that there are pages missing from it. 4 pages to be exact. The pages that had stamps on them that are now missing dont interest me near as much as the fact that the first two pages are missing as well...the page that has my signature on it and personal info. I have wracked my brain but have no idea when those pages went missing in my passport as I used it quite often in Bahrain and remember seeing those pages not long ago...but the fact that it "got skinny" while still there means they went missing at some point before I left....hmmm? I smell something fishy there...

I remember travelling to America in Feb after 9/11 and the amount of security checks was astounding not to mention damn time consuming...but for the most part travellers took it all in stride....but the fact is my passport was not only looked at but every single page was scrutinized and checked...so seemingly was it this time all though I must admit I didnt pay as close attention to security checks as those fear filled months so soon after tragedy....it was just something I waited through and then picked up suitcases and trudged to the next one(I might have been a little more alert and on my toes had I known my passport had a potential to set off some security alarms somewhere)....then again its not my job to spot the potential "terrorist threats" now is it?

After watching newsreports all these years about Homeland Security and how it was making many American lives miserable by its all encompassing presence in their lives...Im really quite surprised...shocked...and actually quite pissed off that my passport breezed through the whole trip and subsequent ID checks without so much as a raised eyebrow...WTF!!! Homeland Security my ass...somebody needs some job training...and apparently I need a new passport.

I supposed I should be nervous trying to use it as I dont have any other form of ID at the moment...but if past experience is anything to go by....it shouldnt be a problem...sigh!

Now only one more question to ask...obviously someone tore some pages out of my passport ...now who might that be...and for what reasons? Anyone?

Your free to say what you want....but know there are consequences!

I find it interesting in the Arab world that many many members of the govt etc will wax eloquently about new freedoms that are being given everyday across the Middle East. New charters being signed...new laws being enacted that are supposed to satisfy the populace that what they want matters...what they have to say is important...and the right to say it can be undertaken without fear of reprisal...or so we are led to believe.

I also find it interesting that all Arab countries routinely round up those that speak in a negative manner about those "in charge"...however "under the table" that talk might be. Journalists....authors...and even the occasional blogger is made to pay for daring to go up against "the man" or in this case the resident King or dictator...and publish any form of disatisfaction. People are happy dammit and we dont want to hear anything to the contrary...or else pay the consequences. At least we in American can publicly finger point at our brain dead president without fear of reprisal...we even do it live on tv...without benefit of those pesky 5 min delay tactics. Good ole Bush made himself a target by daring to lead the last Superpower on earth...and must deal with and suffer the consequences...would be nice if all these overstuffed...bullet proof SUV driven...cant make a "spontaneous" public appearance without first a weeks advance notice so the "surprised" neighborhood can spruce the place up with greenery and paint jobs....could do the same.

A friend of mine works for the Ministry of Education as a Social Worker in one of the govt run girls schools. She is also a writer for the local Arab paper Al Wasat. She has become rather well known for her sharp tongue and continued ass kicking she routinely pens out about the various Ministries but specifically the Ministry of Education because of its unfair practices...its inability to get with the times and update its education process...and the fact that Bahrains children are suffering from this lack of real concern for their future. She has come under fire more than once for airing her views...even though she has been congratulated over and over again for her valid points and audacity to write on such "scandolous" topics to begin with. In the Arab world...its best to leave sleeping dogs lie and all that...to poke the dog can only result in a vicious bite...and she has been bitten at last.

Rather than listen to her and possibly all those around her voice their discontent at the state of education current in Bahrain...she has been blacklisted and removed from her school of 8 years to be sent to one of the worst girl schools in Bahrain...reputation wise its not just a step down in prestige and status....its a freefall....and one shes not likely to recover from.

All this because she is unhappy with the current policies practiced by the Ministry of Education....and because when her pleas for reform etc fell on deaf ears at the Ministry she decided to take it public and let the people know whats going on...and for this, rather than listen to her...possibly gain some insight and improve their practices, or at least pretend to...she is made to pay for causing "dissent" and daring to present the Ministry of Education as anything other than an efficient concerned authority in charge of this nations youth. How dare she take such a step and not toe the party line...the line of "shut up ....do your job...get your salary...and always smile and praise those that least deserve it" if you hope of ever receiving a promotion etc.

Whats the point of being so vocal about "free speech" and our doors are always open for our peoples complaints...and why sit in your cushy chair and call yourself a Minister of anything if your not prepared to listen to the very people you serve and let their complaints improve your actions...why even bother coming to work if all your going to do is collect a salary....you can do that from home...eh?

Many many people in Bahrain prefer to smile and kiss some "royal or ministerial ass"...but some..a very few...but maybe enough to get the ball for reform rolling...have decided they just cant pucker up any more...chapped lips and all. I hope she stands tough...I hope she doesnt let her family and friends convince her she is "just asking for trouble" by standing firm and sticking to her priniciples...I hope she remembers that she has two daughters that consider the future of Bahrain their future too...and so should make her choices with those two in mind...and not let the concerns of her fellow adept 'ass kissers' convince her she is going to take them all down with her. Would be nice for once that instead of stepping on her and pushing her back down in the dirt of silence...they gave her a hand...and lifted her up on their shoulders...better to see her target...and be seen as a force to be reckoned with. I would hazard a guess and declare that if she were actually successful and managed to make some change for the better with her articles etc...then these same people who are urging her to shut her mouth...would then step forward and reap the rewards of knowing her and maybe even declare her ideas were theirs all along. It seems to be the norm for ass kissers...complain secretly....ass kiss publicly...and enjoy the benefits when other peoples harwork and suffering bring about actual change....but at no time...ever ever...will they acknowledge her as having the right to say these things...and giving her credit for having the balls to say what they themselves are too afrid too.

Go Butterfly...your not alone girl.

Reading between the lines

A good friend of mine is a regular writer for Al Wasat newspaper...an Arabic newspaper here in Bahrain. She gets varied responses from her articles...some for and some against what she may have written...but nothing compared to a recent article she submitted. This one has provoked a firestorm with rather sinister undertones.

Her article on June 29th was about a well known Egyptian traitor who collaborated with the English occupiers for personal gain and who nearly destroyed the Egyptian royal family because of it....his name was Hassenein Basha. Most Arabs will no doubt know all about this man and what chaos he caused in his lifetime.

Now...through her entire article this was the only man she mentioned by name...and yet...through the gifted ability to read between the lines(a gift many people seem to have but dont always utilize properly) many many Bahrainis have reached the conclusion that she is referring to a member of the royal family here in Bahrain...including some members of that royal family themselves. She has alternately been praised and castigized for her words. She has had her ass both kissed and kicked depending on who was talking to her...or about her.

Now here is my question to you dear readers...if she did not mention any particular person by name...other than this long dead infamous Hassenein Basha...and therefore cannot be accused of referring to any person currently living, Royal or otherwise, then how can she be accused of referring to one particularly and reprimanded for it? It would seem easy enough to sort this out...if you read her words and recognize yourself through your actions and talk...then you should feel ashamed of your actions and take her words as guidance to changee your ways before Judgement Day catches you with your hand in the proverbial cookie jar...if you dont recognize yourself in her words...then why are you so upset by them? Why subject the male members of her family to threatening phonecalls ordering them to "control" her writing...why cause long standing business relations to suddenly jump ship and pretend ignorance of her existence...why put her in the unenviable position of having to decide whether freedom of expression espoused by the National Charter means anything compared to possible harm done to either herself of her male family members? She wrote an article...once again Arabs have proven their real fear of the written word...words are dangerous...words cause people to throw away their firmly held ignorance and forcibly pry their eyes open to the truth...words have the uncanny knack of causing people to think...and thinking is not a required or desired skill in the Arab world...as a matter of fact...its a skill best left to the few in charge...but then again...the kind of thinking they do could be best described as the fingers in the ears...hands over the eyes variety.

Unfortunately...or rather fortunately in my opinion...she is not about to be swayed or diverted from her belief that writing the truth should always take precedent over sheilding the treasonous actions many in power undertake without fear of reprisal...all I can say to that is...if you dont see yourself described in her words...why bother yourself...if you do see yourself...may God grant you a little extra guidance and a hell of a lot more days on earth to make up for the life you have made stealing from those that you are meant to take care of...after all...not every person who inherits a chair...gets the luxery of sitting in it forever...time has a way of coming full circle...in other words...what goes around ....comes around. Something to think about...eh?

When every fils counts!

Most months my salary arrives within the last few days of the month...give or take...so by the first of the month Im ready and able to pay my rent...my electric...phone etc...and buy some food and whatever I need for my children. Most months my bank account is fairly empty pretty much 3 of the 4 weeks until the next salary comes...my salary isnt all that much...and we are 6 people....but we manage to get by with the help of friends and just plain patience.

However, my patience is truly being tested this month as today is the 5th and my salary is still not in my account. Each day that I check I become more upset and worried about the bills not being paid..and thus problems I dont need coming my way. A call to my office informs me that salaries were delayed so increments could be given...well, should I rejoice over that or what? Im not too worried about an increment possibly coming when my landlord is wanting his rent money 4 days ago....Im not worried about an increase in my next salary when I need this salary to buy some much needed food so my kids are not left eating cheese sandwiches 2 meals a day....Im not worried about anything that might happen next month and next salary cause all my attention is focused on this month and this salary....its my right to have my salary for the work I did in a timely manner each month. Why is it my fault they couldnt organize themselves sufficiently to get the salaries out on time? Why should I be put under stress and duress through no fault of my own?

Of course this makes me feel all the worse for those employees that get cheated on a regular basis...who might go months without getting paid and are still expected to show up to work on time or get accused of "escaping" etc...who are still required to work long hours even though there is no benefit for them and their family all because they are trapped in the sponsorship slave trade. I felt sorry for them before...now I feel rage for them.

Who are these owners of companies that no doubt have big fat bank accounts that wouldnt suffer too much if one month went by without some sort of increase? Who are these employers who sit down to dinner with their families not worried in the least that some of their employees might not have that luxery? Who are these human beings that can sleep comfortable at night not giving a second thought to the fact that some of their employees might not be able to sleep worrying about unpaid bills etc...all because the salary they should have for work they honestly did has not been paid? Do these employers worry about salaries not reaching their employees on time the same way they worry when employees miss work and dont have a doctors sick form etc to account for it? They are quick to deduct from salaries but not so quick to make sure they are paid on time.

A quick look at the papers will indicate that the authorities in Bahrain arent all that concerned with unpaid salaries...many labourers and housemaids etc are forced to leave Bahrain with much of their back owed salaries unpaid...where is the justice in that? Who should one turn too when for the most part...nobody really cares how employees are treated here?

Im tempted to name the company I work for(maybe I have in previous posts...not sure)...since Ive heard from others they can be quite unfair when it comes to appreciating work done by us slaves...but I will let it go for now...I shall see what happens tomorrow when I enquire at head office as to why my salary has gone unpaid thus far...if the answer is not satisfactory...then we shall see what my next post and my next letter to the GDN sounds like. Until then...Ive got some cheese sandwhiches to fix....sigh!

Empowering the youth of Bahrain

One of the first things I noticed when I first came to Bahrain 21 years ago was the absence of teens working in positions commonly held by teens in America...such as fast food...newspaper deliveries...or maybe even yard work and car washing etc. All of these positions were taken up by foreign labor while Bahraini teens whiled away their days watching tv or ....or what else was there back in the day...not much. It was rather a shock to me since the work ethic in America is stressed so much from an early age...being responsible for yourself and for your own future is paramount in this economic disaster we call The American Dream. To arrive in a culture that doesnt even require its youth to lift a hand outside the home until they are maybe college age was something not easy to get use to. 21 years later...Im still not use to it.



I open the papers regularly to headlines shouting about the unemployment rate or Job Expos that dont get much attention from Bahrainis...or maybe letters complaining about Bahrainis being generally lazy and not caring enough about their jobs to dedicate themselves to doing a good job and maybe even having some loyalty to the employer. Its a common topic for debate and I must agree with the lazy view when it comes to my experience with Bahrainis in general...from what Ive seen they pretty much dont really care if they "get the job done" by any kind of deadline...or whether the customer is satisfied...or even if they get personal satisfaction for a "job well done". Bahrainis just want money...thats it. The easier it is to come by...the better...for them. Whether from parents...a bank loan...or a govt handout....its all the same...money without work. Again...this doesnt mean all Bahrainis...you know if your one or not. I might also add that when your not busy with a part time job or something equally time consuming....then your more likely to be up to something Mom and Dad wouldnt approve of...not to mention considered culturally unacceptable.



Anyhow, knowing what I know about this culture etc I cant really blame Bahrainis for this "easy money" mentality they have. Its fostered from a young age...kids get money from family...and during Eid they will even get it from strangers. Teens...rather then be encouraged to go out and make some pocket money doing odd jobs or working a part time shift at McDonalds...are not allowed to work and must still rely on famly to give them money. This goes on for many of Bahrains teens well into their 20's since for some they are not required to be independent and responsible for themselves until they marry...for some...not even after that. So much does the culture spoon feed its youth throughout their lives...its almost as if Mom and Dad and society in general doesnt want the next generation to be self reliant and independent. Always relying on family and the govt to give you what you want can be very stunting and cripplying for the pysche...and is so dangerous and destructive to the future of any society.



Could somone please explain to me why Bahrains teens are not allowed to work until they are practically grown...18 I believe..yes? Many Bahrainis believe its better to marry young...to prevent sexual immorality...so its ok to marry young but not ok to work and provide for that wife etc? I know of some young couples that are married as teens and yet depend completely on his parents (or sometimes hers) to provide everything for them. What sort of beginning is this to a marriage...how can anyone step into the responsible role of husband or wife...when they cant even be responsible for themselves? Why should a man work so hard to provide for his wife when he can just fall back on family, the bank, or the govt to support him? Why should a woman look to her husband for that sort of responsibility when she knows she can look somewhere else for it when he doesnt come through? Why should they even try, strive, work for themselves when...actually...they dont really have to?



I might add that this dependence on other sources for support and income also has other fallout issues...one of which is disrespect for those that do work in what is commonly viewed as menial labor. In America the youth are washing the cars...serving the burgers...bagging the groceries...and delivering the paper...not only are they learning to work hard for what they want...but they are learning to respect others that work alongside them or maybe even under them. Its rather hard to hold that "Im superior to you" mentality when you've done that job yourself and earned money for it...and maybe some callouses on your hands from it. When I see some of Bahrains teens completely disrespect non Bahrainis that might be laboring to wash their cars...iron their clothes...serve them french fries...or even clean up after them in their homes...I want to just shake them and open their closed minds to the damage they are doing to themselves and to their future and the future of Bahrain. How can a society prosper and move forward if they are always thinking backwards? To believe you are superior to someone just because they use a mop rather then a computer is destructive to your soul eventually....and a very lonely feeling as you might eventually feel superior to everyone around you....including the very family that didnt encourage you from the start.



Recently in Al Wasat newspaper there was an article encouraging the Bahrain govt to start some sort of work program in which Bahrains teens can work during the summer months and establish a work ethic and learn something along the way. This article mentioned that there is very little else for the teens of Bahrain to do other than hanging out at the malls and getting up to nothing good...cant argue with that. While I might agree with some sort of govt program that encourages fostering the work ethic among teens...I think it would be even more beneficial to lower the legal working age...for part time work at least. Also, since the foreign population seems to be getting out of control and if the teens of Bahrain, who are quite capable of doing many of the jobs these labourers do...were encourged to do so then why not lower the need for foreign workers by getting the youth into those spots...it works well enough in America...why shouldnt it work for Bahrain?



Bahrainis seem to have an inborn belief that they are only capable of doing certain jobs and that all those undesirable jobs are meant to be done by someone else...someone who apparently has less dignity and so less right to complain...not to mention...can be treated like shit because they are doing the shit jobs you wouldnt be caught dead doing.

This reminds me of my first week working at Kmart. I never gave it much thought when I went shopping for clothes...when you shop you might pick up a shirt and look at it...hold it up to you...then decide its not for you and throw it back on the shelf. One week trailing behind inconsiderate idiots masqurading as shoppers taught me one thing...(other than how to control my anger and not strangle customers)...that when I shop now I dont just throw the shirt back on the shelf....I fold it and place it there. In other words...I have developed empathy for the people that do a job I once did...I think its one of the more meaningful codes that governs society....Fold Unto Others as You Would Have them Fold Unto You...or something like that.

How better to foster the work ethic among the youth and to aid in the development of empathy etc not to mention lowering the foreign labor force by getting Bahrains teens doing the jobs that teens around the world have been doing for decades without a problem? Worth a try right?