Friday, October 26, 2012

Sultan has a new definition of democracy

""For almost two years, the UAE’s political Islamists have been referred to in the West as human rights activists. No doubt, they are indeed activists with an agenda but there is also no doubt that they are not our version of Nelson Mandela, nor is their vision for the country that of the Magna Carta. I have been following their rhetoric — in Arabic — over the past few months on social media with great concern. I have found it to be xenophobic; anti-Semitic; sectarian; exclusionary; racist toward Asians, Africans and other Arabs and overall repugnant""  1)Do people deserve freedom and human rights only if they are "Nelson Mandela"?  2) that can still be applied to the Syrian armed and unarmed exile opposition who are not Mandela either. 3) Does that mean that those folks are not democrats UNLIKE the regime of the UAE, which it is? 4) Does that mean that anybody with repugnant rhetoric should be arrested?  5) If vision for the country is a condition for enjoying democracy, few few political parties would foot the bill.  6) The UAE regime is oppressing them not because they are anti-Semitic or sectarian or racist: on those matters, the UAE ruling elite is not any different.  7) Do you imply here that democracy should only extend to people who use politically correct language and who sound like Nelson Mandela and who have a vision?  (thanks "Ibn Rushd")