News: 'eid sermons, male salespeople, Saddam execution

[qatarperegrine]

Three interesting stories from yesterday's Peninsula:

• Like their Christian counterparts, imams try to make the most of their sermons during the well-attended holiday services. Apparently, imams this year called for better treatment of workers and denounced religious extremism. I'm pleased.


• Qatari women are complaining that they feel uncomfortable with male salespeople in clothing stores and would prefer women clerks. Several women noted that having their clothing purchases seen by an Arab man is even more embarrassing than by a non-Arab man. We non-Arabs are in some ways a third gender in Qatar; the normal rules don't quite apply to us.


• Finally, and unsurprisingly, executing Saddam during 'Eid was widely seen as a bad move.

Comments

[materjibrail.livejournal.com]

Those 'eid sermons helped answer my question about the labor sitation, which was the subject of a recent blog.
But we know how little change happens because of sermons, and how little publicity they ever get! MLK was not a heroic figure while he was preaching and did not change a lot of prejudiced people. Hard to remember that now.

[kartiksg.livejournal.com]

Actually third and fourth. Atleast the caucasians are considered a semi-equal gender when compared the condescending treatment that us south asians or east asians get.

[qatar.livejournal.com]

I think in some ways the "Western gender" gets treated better than either of the Qatari genders, because we can get away with things Qataris can't. Whereas yes, Asians can't get away with anything at all. :-(