Closet racists

• I witnessed pure racism the other day when a group of colleagues made some jokes about Asian workers, and everybody laughed and laughed. How easy it is to revert to old and outdated practices when we are uncensored and seemingly “free” of political correctness and “liberal thinking.” Closet racists seem to not be so closeted in Saudi Arabia. I have found one too many times, that ‘Westerners’ come to KSA and make racist and prejudiced remarks about the workers at the college, the Asian nationalities, and not to mention, the students. I have found this practice to be extremely disgusting and vile. I think that all those comments which have become unacceptable in the workplace in their respective ‘Western’ countries about other races are suddenly fair game here in Saudi Arabia. I know that Saudis do this, but why do some of “our own?” I believe we all know it’s not right.
  
  On a similar notion, some of us seem to be racist towards our Saudi students, and cut them down when it comes to the rights that they don’t have in their country. Some teachers question their students’ religion and customs. Do some teachers think they are culturally superior to their students, and it’s just as plain as day, so they can abuse their students with their prejudice remarks in the classroom, or is that they are too ignorant to know they are being prejudiced? Maybe they simply think the students won’t get it?

  21 May 2007, 10:57 Tara

Replies

• race law

  I agree that the practice of ‘racism’ against other people is not right.
  But the problem in Saudi Arabia is that there is no ‘race laws’ which protect people from being insulted using ‘racism’ behaviour or harassed by other people.
  
  I think the practice of ‘racism’ from expat is rare, and it comes mostly from people who have a ‘psychological’ problem of superiority towards the coloured people. But they are a minority. Also, you will find that the practice of ‘racism’ against Indians/Pakistanis/Banghalis/Egyptians/Sudanese/Philipino is very common among Saudis, especially the younger ones!
  Also, a lot of Saudi students make a lot of ‘racist’ jokes on the Egyptians and Sudanese (just see their comic film titled ‘TACH MA TACH’, and how they emulate what is happening in their daily life, in each episode you will find that they joke on the Indians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, etc), and this I find it more dangerous as a practice of ‘racism’, because it is embedded in their culture, and the young Saudi children are brought up in this environment where the practice of ‘racism’ is considered as normal ‘behaviour’ from them!!!
  I think SA should have a race law to prevent the minorities from being abused ‘morally’ and ‘physically’ from anybody whatever his nationality (Saudi or no Saudi), position, colour, seniority, etc.

  sara 21 May 2007, 10:59 - Report

• racism

  I just think that they are a disgrace to humanity!

  Chanel 15 Feb 2008, 09:12 - Report

• tara, sara, and channel

  i totally agree with u
  actually i ve only been here for 2 weeks now and noticed this amongst pple i work with.
  
  anyways i ve also found this site as i was looking on how to make friends here it is really hard and boring and u dont wana mix with the wrong pple. im in a compound now.
  anyways if you would like to talk more and are arround jeddah drop me a message
  
  [email removed] or add me to yahoo messnger.
  
  hope to hear from you soon

  M. 07 Mar 2008, 11:16 - Report

• Discussion

  There's an interesting discussion about this topic in http://aresrio3.blogspot.com/

  Discussion 04 May 2008, 11:28 - Report

• Here we go

  Racism, by its perhaps simplest definition, is prejudice and discrimination based on race. One with racist beliefs might hate certain groups of people according to their race, or in the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits.But is very bad habit, As a human we are just human, that all,http://meet2go.com, this is an excellent dating site, here u can find live chats,excellent dating tips,straight and marvelous forum discussions,fun, and if u try there will a person already been waiting for you......iam sure about that, by this we can lead cool life from al this unwanted things

  Sophiya 09 May 2008, 06:20 - Report

• How about talking about the REAL racism, you coward?

  You're such a useful idiot. You must be a liberal with a mental disorder because only a mongoloid such as yourself would try to turn Saudi Arabians' racism into a case against Americans' racist attitudes ( presumably white Americans specifically) towards THEM! You are an ass-backwards tool. Why dont you have some balls and call the Saudis out on THEIR racism? You wouldn't do that b/c you only like denouncing easy victims, I'm sure like whites, Catholics, and other groups that you know won't fight back. So that makes you a coward as well as an idiot. I'm sorry to break your fantasy world but Saudis are more racist than anything you will find in mainstream America. You did not call the Saudis vile on your little soapbox, only the Americans who go there and play along. Do you really expect Americans to go over there and start preaching to them about their racism like some arrogant twat such as yourself? YOU would never do that, you've just shown it. You are a cowardly, despicable excuse for a human being.

  Tasyo 13 May 2008, 05:02 - Report

• goverment corrupted

  well akhi if the goverment is corrupted, then it makes the people corrupted meaning the saudies. Im a british muslim which we have full athority and full human rights. And say subHaanallah. Saudi arabia a muslim country doesnt, and kaafir countries have. Best thing to do is make dua.because fighting the goverment wont help. if you do theyll put you miles away in the desert and let you starve and die.

  Al-Qarni 07 Aug 2008, 10:23 - Report

• saudi arabian racism

  Islam in the quran exalts everything Arabic. With extreme oil wealth to also grant economic superiority ,evil predjudice results. No wonder very rich Americans placate the Saudis instead of denouncing them for miseducating,financing and manning 9-11 and Al-queda itself. without Saudi Arabia 9-11 never would have happened. You need a rich fanatical closed evil insane asylum to bring that about. Iraq war is a sin.

  Mike Lonergan 732-673-3798 01 Oct 2008, 08:36 - Report

• racism in saudi arabia

  I agree. I just came back from Saudi Arabia. One a bus ride, the driver started yelling at one man and insulting him for being Pakistani. Another man said in Arabic "All Pakistani's are bad" or "Haram"...It was disgusting. I was also speaking to a Bengali man who works there and he said he has been living there for 30 years and he still feels like an outsider. I have never seen such things as I have seen in Saudi Arabia. I feel sick that these kinds of people live on such holy land for Muslims and represent it in such a negative way.

  a 18 Apr 2009, 12:29 - Report

• wrong generalization

  We are 10 million plus, don't pick Appels.

  non bigot 18 Apr 2009, 11:10 - Report

• racism in saudi arabia

  Well I'm extremly glad to read all this comment, and feel realy sorry for saudies..... they should look at their history a bit instead of being so arrogant, they thinks they are on the top of the world....and want to be loved but hey are the Ones who hates the most....with more than 1000 years of slavery...they still can't try to be humble, this is ignorance!!!
  Good to be a rich land but where is the point..
  
  I believe they cherish the White skin only, but they must know when they come over in west side, ppl like them only for 1 thing....their money!!!!
  
  As "a"I also feel sick that thay are the Holy land for Muslims...They have a long way to go before they could really Honor it...
  
  Peace,

  Ameera 04 May 2009, 01:14 - Report

• Kindess prevails

  Don't worry. As long as people like you exist, the world won't be as much of a horrible place for any group of people anymore, hopefully. Tayso, so you are a tais, or a anz?

  mo7ani6at-tyoos 12 Jun 2009, 02:04 - Report