Job Discussion Forums

[henry]

I am not a Muslim but wish to put allegations of Muslim intolerance into a
proper perspective.To accuse Muslims of a monoploy of intolerance is ingenuous.In GPT Special Contract Mmanagement in Riyadh for several
years in the 90s the EFL department was run by a clique comprising an elderly drunken Northern Englishman and a Welsh alcoholic.They would immediately stigmatize teachers who did not drink or participate in the macho bar culture as effeminate and degenerate,taking malicious pleasure in insulting worthy teachers in front of the students.They actually tried to drive out one teacher because he was a Catholic.
This syndrome of brutish British vindictive intolerance was at one time
replicated throughout Saudi Arabia in numerous teaching projects.Thankfully,the Saudi mutawas ,to their undying credit,stoppeed the alcoholics' reign of terror in Riyadh by insisting on their dismissal.
The fact that the elderly arrogant drinking culture is rapidly becoming extinct is a true blessing due in no small part to the efforts of the mutawas.Many teachers are probably unaware of their true debt of gratitude to the Saudi muslims.
I have met many British and U.S converts to Islam and they have invariably been perfect gentlemen,proving unfailingly kind,helpful and
civil.Similarly I have met numerous mutawas and they have proved the finest students and the best colleagues one could wish for.

[Frank Verity]

Having worked at GPT in the mid 1990s I can endorse Henry's post.Workplace bullying did take place there until the Saudis intervened to remove the two culprits.Also,it is basically true that the British converts to the Muslim religion are amongst the most congenial and civil people
you can meet in the Kingdom.I have had some contact with the mutaween
and they have always been polite and helpful.Moreover I have taught
such people in the past and they were amongst the keenest and most co operative students.
Now is the time,surely,to try and engender some cross cultural amity and to stop the outpouring of bitterness which so often disfigures our discourse.

[veiledsentiments]

Are you two the same person? You seem to share a very odd form of English writing... rather non-native... very eccentric... an inability to leave space after full-stops and commas... odd paragraph structure.

VS

[antonia v]

Yes, veiledsentiments, it's pretty obvious that these were written by the same person. Frank Verity/henry must think were pretty dense not to notice. I would never stoop to seconding my own opinions in this manner.

[Tomton]

Quite clearly one person, and I would guess a non-native speaking Muslim.

Personally I prefer the 'Saudi Muslims' (but aren't all Saudis Muslims? - at least on paper) who spend their weekends in bars and massage parlours in Bahrain and Dubai.

[antonia v]

"Frank Verity" gives his location as Indiana, but uses the words "amongst" and "keenest" which we Americans would never use. He is clearly British. How lame.

[Frank Verity]

The attentions of the literary critics are very flattering but my central point remains that the magisterial wisdom of a sane and sombre Muslim
manager,even a mutawaa,is highly preferable to the incoherent snarls of
an identikit elderly British drinker.
For Antonia's information I am on holiday in Indianna.
Now is the time for reconciliation and universal harmony not facile maundering.

[antonia v]

Methinks he doth protest too much.

[rogan]

PROUD TO KNOW THE SAUDI MUSLIMS

Inappropriate use of the definite article is also a common mistake made by Saudi Muslims

[antonia v]

[veiledsentiments]

[Cleopatra]

Is henry not the same henry who, as I recall, posted lots of posts about "anit-Westernism"? So what's with the apparant change in attitude?

Must say the pretentious use of flowery English reminds me more on another poster - the one who referred to Saudi expats as "quizlings" (sic)

[johnyarrington]

Dear Veiled Sentiments (and others):

Thank you for pointing out what many of us see, but somehow find it hard to pinpoint. I'm referring to your comments about the OP's "eccentric" phrasing, and ........."odd" paragraph structure. (Sorry, I can't quote it right here, right now......). I recall it was a comment about how the ideas don't seem to follow one another; a "jumping" from one idea to the next. In addition, you point out certain typing anomalies that few native speakers would make.

Has this been pointed out yet?: The OP seems to indicate that some Saudis are not Muslims, or is he referring to the non-Saudi Muslims? "Not the Saudi Christians, but the Saudi Muslims", or "Not the Egyptian Muslims, but the Saudi Muslims". He means the former, right? And there aren't any.

About Frank Verity: What is "maundering"? I don't think anyone who is really from Indiana would say that he's from "Indianna."

One final thing: As a native speaker, would you say, "He's Muslim.", or, "He's a Muslim." I would always say the former, as an adjective, not use it a a noun.

[antonia v]

[Mark100]

Henry

You will never get a job at KFUPM with that attitude.