"I agree with you that the article has a hostile slant, but I don't see any reason to think they made up the quotes."
Quotes are only accurate if taken in context. I don't believe the journalist reported what was said in the context in which it was said.
"Frankly, no. I have enjoyed my years in Qatar and feel generally positive about what this country is doing, but I don't think I ought to feel "gratitude" that I get paid. I earn my pay; it's not charity"
No doubt you do earn your pay Marjorie but I bet Qatar pays you an awful lot more than your home country would. It's not a matter of gratitude for getting paid, it's about not taking things for granted and recognizing that you are part of Qatar's growth but also an ingredient of the tensions the article 'discusses'. If a country is putting itself on the line to grow and improve, and the people it brings in to join in that process do nothing but belittle and criticize the country and the locals, then I imagine if the shoe were on the other foot you would feel pretty annoyed too - perhaps not. Remember that while you contend with a lot of frustrations living here, Qataris are also contending with their own frustrations with respect to its expatriate population. I suggest less finger pointing and more trying to understand Qataris - that is the only way that different views and cultures can get along.
"I think immigrants ought to be free to be frank about the things they love and the things they dislike about their adopted country; that should be true for Moroccans who are upset about the burqa ban in France, and it should be true for Americans who are upset about the family day policies in Qatar."
I'm not surprised that you don't understand this culture - so I have no comment for the upset Americans.
"If by "guests" you mean skilled Western expats, I agree. However, if you include Indian laborers and Indonesian nannies, then I think Qataris are on the whole very VERY far from being welcoming and respectful."
Don't be too keen to judge Marjorie. Let Qataris be the ones to have that conversation. Taking the moral high-ground is so typically expat.
Re: Infantile NY Times
Quotes are only accurate if taken in context. I don't believe the journalist reported what was said in the context in which it was said.
"Frankly, no. I have enjoyed my years in Qatar and feel generally positive about what this country is doing, but I don't think I ought to feel "gratitude" that I get paid. I earn my pay; it's not charity"
No doubt you do earn your pay Marjorie but I bet Qatar pays you an awful lot more than your home country would. It's not a matter of gratitude for getting paid, it's about not taking things for granted and recognizing that you are part of Qatar's growth but also an ingredient of the tensions the article 'discusses'. If a country is putting itself on the line to grow and improve, and the people it brings in to join in that process do nothing but belittle and criticize the country and the locals, then I imagine if the shoe were on the other foot you would feel pretty annoyed too - perhaps not. Remember that while you contend with a lot of frustrations living here, Qataris are also contending with their own frustrations with respect to its expatriate population. I suggest less finger pointing and more trying to understand Qataris - that is the only way that different views and cultures can get along.
"I think immigrants ought to be free to be frank about the things they love and the things they dislike about their adopted country; that should be true for Moroccans who are upset about the burqa ban in France, and it should be true for Americans who are upset about the family day policies in Qatar."
I'm not surprised that you don't understand this culture - so I have no comment for the upset Americans.
"If by "guests" you mean skilled Western expats, I agree. However, if you include Indian laborers and Indonesian nannies, then I think Qataris are on the whole very VERY far from being welcoming and respectful."
Don't be too keen to judge Marjorie. Let Qataris be the ones to have that conversation. Taking the moral high-ground is so typically expat.