Mr. Hippo:
1) The point is that there are no democracies in the Middle East, (possbile exception is Israel). This is the only correct point you made in your response. Indirectly any institution set up in any of the Gulf countries, be a business, school or medical institution, is indirectly helping to sustain corrupt family monarchies who deny their citizens and visitors basic human rights and freedoms. Qatar is no exception.
2) Chang is a Chinese name because my husband is American/Chinese. I took his name. One does not have to be Chinese to have a Chinese name.
3) People have every right to analyze and critique every aspect of life in any host country that they visit. It is a fundamental element of freedom of expression that is upheld in Western democratic countries but denied in corrupt Gulf countries. If outsiders upset or insult some people in Qatar or any Gulf or host country that cling to flawed and outdated systems of governance, then they have at least achieved at the beginning of debate with the potential to lead to changes.
4) The overthrow of the family monarchs, alternative energy usage away from gas and oil, back up by strong legislation is required, to assist the vast majority of guest workers who come to work in countries like Qatar due to extreme poverty - not by 'do good deeds' via Sunday church services. This entails in-depth introspection and if the native Qatari citizens are incapable of such action due to outdated cultural traditions, fear of internal security services, discriminatory customs and religious edicts against women, fear of change and a lack of creative and original thought, then the catalyst for introspection needs to come outsiders, at the risk of upsetting the status-quo.
Mr. Hippo:
1) The point is that there are no democracies in the Middle East, (possbile exception is Israel). This is the only correct point you made in your response. Indirectly any institution set up in any of the Gulf countries, be a business, school or medical institution, is indirectly helping to sustain corrupt family monarchies who deny their citizens and visitors basic human rights and freedoms. Qatar is no exception.
2) Chang is a Chinese name because my husband is American/Chinese. I took his name. One does not have to be Chinese to have a Chinese name.
3) People have every right to analyze and critique every aspect of life in any host country that they visit. It is a fundamental element of freedom of expression that is upheld in Western democratic countries but denied in corrupt Gulf countries. If outsiders upset or insult some people in Qatar or any Gulf or host country that cling to flawed and outdated systems of governance, then they have at least achieved at the beginning of debate with the potential to lead to changes.
4) The overthrow of the family monarchs, alternative energy usage away from gas and oil, back up by strong legislation is required, to assist the vast majority of guest workers who come to work in countries like Qatar due to extreme poverty - not by 'do good deeds' via Sunday church services. This entails in-depth introspection and if the native Qatari citizens are incapable of such action due to outdated cultural traditions, fear of internal security services, discriminatory customs and religious edicts against women, fear of change and a lack of creative and original thought, then the catalyst for introspection needs to come outsiders, at the risk of upsetting the status-quo.