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mstinamotorcity2

(1,451 posts)

78. We see how

Reply to Douglas Carpenter (Original post)

Thu Jan 15, 2015, 03:07 PM

Jan 2015

it is media soaked here in our Country, shouldn't be surprised that most individuals get it wrong.

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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