New York Times ridicules Qataris

[qatarperegrine]

Today's New York Times published a rather biting article about the conflict between Qataris and non-Qataris in Qatar: Affluent Qataris Seek What Money Cannot Buy.

Qataris' and non-Qataris' stereotypes of each other is something I've been thinking about a lot this summer, between the Lisa Clayton kerfuffle and the recent arguments over on Mimiz Blog about whether Qataris are discriminated against in the workplace here.

So it's nice to see the New York Times addressing something that I think IS a hot issue here (their last article on Qatar having been a little random)... but the way they go about it makes me cringe a little. I think it'd be more interesting for them to have dug deeper into Qatarization and its effects, or the role of nationality in expats' experience of Qatar, rather than just making mocking digs about people's restaurant etiquette.

The main things I've heard discussed about this locally are (a) the unrepresentativeness of the Qatari interviewees, almost all of whom are high school dropouts, and (b) shock that the NYT got these quotes on record. I am completely unsurprised that a director at QSTP would privately feel that "Qataris are very spoiled," but utterly astonished that he would say so to a New York Times reporter. (Some even suspect they might not have known they were on record.)

Comments

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

"Immigrants often have insight into the successes and failures of a culture that people who grew up there don't have, just as Alexis de Tocqueville was able to give a more insightful view of 19th century America than an American could have done."

Marjorie, since we started this string of debate, let me add my final word. I know you don't mean to be condescending but this is cringeworthy stuff that you're writing. Your "insight" into our culture is not required, thanks. And I maintain that non-Qataris don't have a right to judge Qatar - because believe it or not Qataris are intelligent enough to do it for themselves as you can see by some of the Qatari posters here.

All the best.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Well obviously the views of immigrants aren't a SUBSTITUTE for the views of residents, but I think it's frankly absurd to assert that outsiders aren't ALLOWED to have opinions about cultures. Do you not have an opinion on female genital mutilation in Africa? Do you not have an opinion about whether the rape of Nanking or the My Lai massacre was OK? We make judgments all the time about things that other cultures do. Obviously we should be very careful when we do so, to make sure we understand the context, but I think it's extremely naive to pretend that we don't or shouldn't make those judgments at all.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

I think for a Westerner to come in and offer her "insight" into a Muslim culture is frankly laughable.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

Based on your advocacy of moral relativism, I guess you can't object to a claim like: "I think for an Arab to come and offer her "insight" into a secular humanist/Christian/Hebrew culture is frankly laughable."

I guess I'll remember that the next time I hear a Qatari complain about
- Banning the veil in France (Frenchies this; Frenchies that") or
- Being racially profiled by U.S. customs and police ("Yankies this; Yankies that") or
- Those checkpoints on Israel sovereign territory ("Jewy this; Jewy that") or
- That the rest of the world finds the thought of a Qatar-hosted World Cup hilarious ("Beckham this; Beckham that").

It is mildly surprising to learn that you believe the opinions of the Qatari are completely irrelevant to anything involving the outside world.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

You're judging non-Qataris right now. If you get to judge non-Qataris, they get to judge you. Cope.

As for what's "required", well hell, your idiocy is not required. Say something worth reading and quit wasting our time.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

Jerkface, I actually had something worthwhile to say. Maybe you should go read it again. This comment of yours was pointless, though.

Re: Infantile NY Times

[(Anonymous)]

What's a "right", anyway?