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MADem

(135,425 posts)

39. My point is simply that the guy who spoke with you was speaking for himself, not

Tue Jan 13, 2015, 11:37 AM

Jan 2015

the bulk of us who have lived in the Middle East and don't share that warped idea he offered. Just because he believed it doesn't make it true.

My impression of your post, which you've clarified, is that you took his POV as valid.

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a friend who has travelled the Middle East more than anyone I know wrote this response on FB [View all] Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 OP

Sounds like an interesting fellow Egnever Jan 2015 #1

Thankfully our planet still has rational human beings malaise Jan 2015 #2

thanx. My friend Peter is pretty smart: Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #51

I have only a purely personal anecdote about "people of the Book:" merrily Jan 2015 #3

There are many, many Christian Arabs in the world. MADem Jan 2015 #28

I am very aware that the world contains many Christian Arabs (though far fewer in Syria merrily Jan 2015 #37

My point is simply that the guy who spoke with you was speaking for himself, not MADem Jan 2015 #39

I never said his believing it made it true nor would anyone I know say such a silly thing. merrily Jan 2015 #40

Even Saddam Hussein's mouthpiece, Tariq Aziz, was Christian. KamaAina Jan 2015 #44

actually much of the early secular leadership in Syria and Iraq and in the earlier days of the PLO Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #45

Yes. It's a common misconception to think that the region is monolithic when it MADem Jan 2015 #48

I really admire that guy LittleGirl Jan 2015 #4

he is pretty smart even when travelling in places like remote parts of Iran or Syria (before the war Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #42

Paul Sheehan's a nasty old dinosaur... Violet_Crumble Jan 2015 #5

well we have a whole network full of people like him and worse, much worse Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #43

Your friend states that most individuals in Muslim-majority countries branford Jan 2015 #6

I know my friend spent amount of time with a Jewish family in Damascus who sold the kind of Middle Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #7

My primary critique about your friend's post branford Jan 2015 #8

He says the articles premise: that it has something to do with Islam, is horseshit. bemildred Jan 2015 #12

A quote from the OP about his perception of LGBT life in a nation that flogs it's gay citizens: Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #9

it is a contradictory situation - I pointed that out several times. I am NOT a supporter Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #10

It's not that I don't understand Doug. I am well traveled, well educated. What I take issue with is Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #60

of course it is not the Castro - but yes most gay foreigners I knew when I was in the Middle East Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #62

Not all countries are the same. I went to Lebanon few years back... JaneyVee Jan 2015 #14

yes that is very much the case - I was a bit younger at the time - but I certainly remember being in Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #16

Lebanon does have anti-gay laws on the books but... JaneyVee Jan 2015 #33

Why would you assume I don't know that? Bluenorthwest Jan 2015 #61

25 mg per day of Zoloft. It has done wonders for me. At least talk with your shrink about it. Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #68

oh, come on. please? uppityperson Jan 2015 #69

it really has helped. I'm not joking about that at all. Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #70

You still have time to self-delete this post. riderinthestorm Jan 2015 #72

why would I want to do that? I'm just trying be helpful. Hay, I am diagnosed with a mild form Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #73

Are you claiming to be a doctor now too? Jamastiene Jan 2015 #76

I was being insulting?. I was only explaining what life is really like in the Middle East Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #77

In Iran, under the Shah, there was a very vibrant Jewish community. MADem Jan 2015 #30

Well said. nt bemildred Jan 2015 #11

The article would have credibility if the word "Wahabbi" was included JonLP24 Jan 2015 #13

Keep in mind that your friend is a man. I have female friends who travel in those countries Coventina Jan 2015 #15

no doubt that happens there - but I do know many, many western woman who lived worked and traveled Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #17

How much did they do alone? I'd be curious. Coventina Jan 2015 #19

I agree your friends anecdotal evidence is just as valid as mine. I don't doubt the experience one Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #25

But that's an apples to oranges comparison. I'd happily travel alone to France and risk rudeness Coventina Jan 2015 #58

I did hear about that incident in the UAE - But given that I lived there for two and half years - I Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #59

Screw the "People of the Book" oberliner Jan 2015 #18

That was my reaction also Fumesucker Jan 2015 #20

They exist - but it is pretty rare - of course it would be just as rare in the Philippines Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #21

Thanks for sharing that oberliner Jan 2015 #22

in Saudi Arabia no. Although even in Saudi a Western person carefully suggesting atheist ideas might Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #23

Saudi Arabia is pretty intense oberliner Jan 2015 #24

since I did spend about twenty years there - I would agree that it is pretty intense in a lot of way Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #26

How much freedom to travel around did you have? oberliner Jan 2015 #27

actually once you have a residence which usually takes about a month after a person arrives they can Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #31

Fascinating oberliner Jan 2015 #32

Not good. I mean, one could sugar-coat it for you, but that wouldn't be truthful. MADem Jan 2015 #34

Right - bad for your health indeed oberliner Jan 2015 #35

I'll be very honest with you--I don't see it changing in the near term. MADem Jan 2015 #36

Nice piece which has nothing to do with the cited article... brooklynite Jan 2015 #29

Glad it's not just me. JNelson6563 Jan 2015 #38

Big K&R!!! Martin Eden Jan 2015 #41

thanx Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #46

Brave post UglyGreed Jan 2015 #47

well thanx. I guess it is pretty sad when one had to be brave to oppose bigotry on a liberal Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #50

Yes it is UglyGreed Jan 2015 #55

lately I have been wondering if I hit the browser wrong and ended up on Pamela Gellars's website Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #57

kik Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #49

kik Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #52

maybe y Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #53

I am guessing he could move way more freely than a woman could Skittles Jan 2015 #54

as would be the case throughout the developing world Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #56

I would not sing the praises of a place like that Skittles Jan 2015 #63

I'm sure traveling in Central America or the Philippines or any number of other places Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #64

just curious, was she alone? Skittles Jan 2015 #65

to be honest, I don't know. But, I would agree that it is more challenging for a woman to travel Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #66

I bet she wasn't Skittles Jan 2015 #67

I disagree with your friend. Islam caused the Charlie Hebdo deaths. Albertoo Jan 2015 #71

I don't think either my friend or I would deny that he attackers did not have to some degree a Douglas Carpenter Jan 2015 #74

With all due respect, it is key Albertoo Jan 2015 #75

We see how mstinamotorcity2 Jan 2015 #78