On Trial for flipping the bird?

4080 Views 27 Replies 10 Participants Last post by ccr, Mar 14, 2012

indoMLA

Discussion Starter · Mar 5, 2012

I just read this article and have to say this is the dumbest thing I have heard.... They are going to waste time and resources to take some guy to trial for a hand gesture?

Dude, get over it... it is a simple hand gesture which doesn't hurt anyone but just offends them. If you are going to take someone to court for offending others, then what about the..... speeders, the unscrupulous business owners, landlords, agents, people that wear way to much makeup or cologne/perfume, etc.

Discuss. :boxing:

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

MaidenScotland

· #2 · Mar 5, 2012

This says it all
t in Europe and several Western countries, it's an Anglo-Saxon habit that someone flashes his middle finger unlike in our culture… where it is an act punishable by law.

Mr Rossi

· #3 · Mar 5, 2012

A small coincidence that it seems to be another off duty policeman that is making the complaint.

Jynxgirl

· #4 · Mar 5, 2012

God, then honor, then family................ Western priorities and middle Eastern are not compatible.

hubbly_bubbly

· #5 · Mar 5, 2012

Jynxgirl said:
God, then honor, then family................ Western priorities and middle Eastern are not compatible.

There's a considerable and growing amount of people in the US, as well as in the UK, Europe and elsewhere that abide by these exact values, in the same order, and are hastily prioritising to enact state and federal laws based on these values. Or have I got that wrong?

Meanwhile, I dare not think of the poor Mexican, African-American or worse (?), an Arab, who gives the bird to a couple of off-duty Texan police officers. Or would that be different?

No. I think Indy has it right. It is simply a waste of time and resources. That too, sadly, happens the world over.

G

· #6 · Mar 5, 2012

hubbly_bubbly said:
There's a considerable and growing amount of people in the US, as well as in the UK, Europe and elsewhere that abide by these exact values, in the same order, and are hastily prioritising to enact state and federal laws based on these values. Or have I got that wrong?

Meanwhile, I dare not think of the poor Mexican, African-American or worse (?), an Arab, who gives the bird to a couple of off-duty Texan police officers. Or would that be different?

No. I think Indy has it right. It is simply a waste of time and resources. That too, sadly, happens the world over.

Using God as a political strategy seems par for the course in the US in particular. It seems that every political speech, at some point, mentions God. "God Bless America" is often heard, as though somehow the US should get a special blessing.

To go back to the article, the defence lawyer states that "in the west it (flipping the middle finger" is a normal reaction." Really?? Giving someone the finger is normal? It's true that people do it more than they used to, but......now it's considered normal to do it when someone honks at you?? Still, I do agree with Indo - waste of time & money prosecuting this

Jynxgirl

· #7 · Mar 5, 2012

We can think is dumb. But is offensive to their honor. We don't get it. Obviously. Who are we to say is dumb for them to get mad. Who isn't told not to flip people off once they get here. If actually did it, then they didn't bother to do basic research about being here. If is another set up....

cami

· #8 · Mar 5, 2012

indoMLA said:
Discuss. :boxing:

i wish i had a day off for each time i was showed the finger in traffic (other circumstances not covered here

)

funny thing is, women have showed it to me more than men, and none of them a blonde

Tropicana

· #9 · Mar 5, 2012

Jynxgirl said:
We can think is dumb. But is offensive to their honor. We don't get it.

but why is it a one way street? see Cami's comment to see what i mean...

Jynxgirl

· #10 · Mar 5, 2012

Just went and read the article. Does gulf news on purpose translate arabic to English to make it sound choppy and unnatural? Are we discussing the act or this incident/article.

If someone thinks Arabs are gona get over the finger thing..... ???? Isn't going to happen. Engrained to defend HONOR before family in engrained here.

Cami's thing - isn't. If you are offended, make a case.

but isn't offensive to us like that.

Toon

· #11 · Mar 5, 2012

cami said:
i wish i had a day off for each time i was showed the finger in traffic (other circumstances not covered here )

funny thing is, women have showed it to me more than men, and none of them a blonde

Maybe they're jealous of you cami?

G

· #12 · Mar 6, 2012

cami said:
i wish i had a day off for each time i was showed the finger in traffic (other circumstances not covered here )

funny thing is, women have showed it to me more than men, and none of them a blonde

Really?? Then that begs the question - what are you doing that you get shown the finger so much?

Gavtek

· #13 · Mar 6, 2012

He'll probably do more time than the Arab in the newspaper this morning who was sentenced to a year in jail after posing as a policeman, kidnapping a woman and raping her in the desert. Honour indeed.

G

· #14 · Mar 6, 2012

Toon said:
Maybe they're jealous of you cami?

Yes, I'm sure that must be it. Women do that all the time - give other women they're jealous of the finger. And if they're really, really jealous, they'll use both hands

G

· #15 · Mar 6, 2012

Jynxgirl said:
We can think is dumb. But is offensive to their honor. We don't get it. Obviously. Who are we to say is dumb for them to get mad. Who isn't told not to flip people off once they get here. If actually did it, then they didn't bother to do basic research about being here. If is another set up....

What is so offensive to their honour? Curious, as I genuinely don't know.

Gavtek

· #16 · Mar 6, 2012

In fact...

UAE News | Maids make abuse claim | 7DAYS Middle East

The Philippines Embassy in Abu Dhabi is investigating allegations of abuse made by two maids against an Al Ain recruitment agency.

Embassy officials confirmed they had received reports claiming the women were locked in a villa by the agency and that one maid was to be sent to work in Jordan against her will.

A cousin of one of the workers told 7DAYS they had sent him dozens of texts seeking help. He contacted the embassy and human rights group Migrante Middle East, which is also monitoring the situation.

However, a representative from the recruitment agency rejected claims of any wrongdoing when contacted by 7DAYS. The agency’s secretary, who is Filipina, and her Arab boss allowed 7DAYS access to the villa under their supervision. Inside, at least 10 Indonesians and Filipinas were sleeping on the floor of one room. Their only water was from the tap, which they said was undrinkable, and they use a public pump in the street to get water to drink.

The kitchen consisted of a small cooking area with a mini-stove on the floor.

The agency manager said he was working hard to keep the maids happy but there were always complaints. He denied the women were locked in the villa but said the agency did not like them venturing too far.

“With the local Muslims, they don’t like women going around wherever they want, visiting their boyfriends, being used by men who will take them and throw them out,” the agency representative said.

“No family wants AIDS coming into their house.”

He said he feared that if any of the maids absconded during the first three months of employment, the agency would have to foot the Dhs8,000 cost of bringing them to the UAE.

“So they cannot just run around and do whatever they want, it is not like in the Philippines,” he added.

... they can stick their honour firmly where the sun don't shine.

Even more pathetically, this isn't even considered to be any sort of a crime.

Tropicana

· #17 · Mar 6, 2012

I know a few people who lock up their maids (not here), and their excuses are :

1) What if they get pregnant
2) They may get into trouble or commit some crime
3) You need to be strict with them else they will take advantage of you, if i allow them to leave home today, tomorrow, they will ask something else...

As for the AIDS reference, its a bit telling if you think about it: It spreads via physical contact so is there an implication in the guys statement that there is always a chance that an employer will take advantage of a maid, and when he does that he wouldnt want to contract AIDS himself, so lets just lock her up all the time ?

indoMLA

Discussion Starter · #18 · Mar 6, 2012

Mr Rossi said:
A small coincidence that it seems to be another off duty policeman that is making the complaint.

Me thinks it is a setup... All it takes in this country is one 'local' making a false claim against you and then you are screwed... you have to hire an attorney and prove you are innocent... this is utter non-sense.

Jynxgirl said:
We can think is dumb. But is offensive to their honor. We don't get it. Obviously. Who are we to say is dumb for them to get mad. Who isn't told not to flip people off once they get here. If actually did it, then they didn't bother to do basic research about being here. If is another set up....

What about my honor? It is offensive to my honor to drive flashy cars recklessly in traffic.... it is offensive to my honor to force me to smell their clothes saturated in perfume/cologne (this goes for other country douchebags as well

), it is offensive to me to have them cut in line at any and all lines that the rest of us patiently wait in, it is offensive to my honor to have to prove my innocence when I did nothing wrong and some little fawk was having a bad day, it is offensive to my honor seeing a local take two parking spots when his/her SUV won't fit, etc.... I could go on, but this honor thing is just complete crap.... How does giving someone the finger offend their honor? Doesn't make sense to me....

Gavtek said:
In fact...

UAE News | Maids make abuse claim | 7DAYS Middle East

... they can stick their honour firmly where the sun don't shine.

Even more pathetically, this isn't even considered to be any sort of a crime.

Wow. Just wow... that is insane... they found nothing wrong with that? Have any of you seen the movie, 'The Help?' It is actually co-produced by an Abu Dhabi company.
I am guessing the thought process at Image Nation was like this, "Let us help produce a movie that shows the plight of African Americans and racism in the United States and how it is was wrong and negative. However, lets not apply what happened in the 1960's in the US with African Americans to what is happening in the UAE in the present among Filipinos/Indians/etc.'

See less See more

Reactions: 2

indoMLA

Discussion Starter · #19 · Mar 6, 2012

Tropicana said:
As for the AIDS reference, its a bit telling if you think about it: It spreads via physical contact so is there an implication in the guys statement that there is always a chance that an employer will take advantage of a maid, and when he does that he wouldnt want to contract AIDS himself, so lets just lock her up all the time ?

Not really. It could just be that they are misinformed and/or not educated about AIDS.

ccr

· #20 · Mar 6, 2012

Gavtek said:
... they can stick their honour firmly where the sun don't shine.

I agree 200%! :clap2:

The ME is full of hypocrites as far as pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs yet do not actually possess.

If they are worried about bringing AIDS in the family, they can start by not taking out the working ladies instead of the poor maids just having a day off.

One of my neighbors give their maid less than 1 day off / week (not off until about noon, back by 6) and the other 1 day / month...

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 28 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.

Expat Forum For People Moving Overseas And Living Abroad

A forum community dedicated to expatriates and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about residency, taxes, documents, visas, travel, health care, finances, banking, classifieds, and more!

Full Forum Listing

Explore Our Forums

Australia Expat Forum for Expats Living in AU Britain Expat Forum for Expats Living in the UK Spain Expat Forum for Expats Living in Spain Dubai Expat Forum for Expats Living in Dubai France Expat Forum for Expats Living in France