Have you heard about the kettle calling the pot black? Well, it's all in this comment which popped in my inbox a few minutes ago.


Zain writes:

Maybe you're just butt ugly and guys don't really give a shit if you're sweating or tired or whatever... seriously, your comments are so racist... if you want to know what rude is, spend a day in New York City, London or Paris. You've probably never left Bahrain and thats why you feel the way you do... Above that, living in a flat in Bahrain you will always encounter people of all classes, no matter how "up market" you claim it to be, because the upper class here, LIVE IN HOUSES with BIG GARDENS. So if you are judging a race by a bunch of no bodies living in flats on top of eachother like sardines, its almost like judging a whole country by spending a day in community housing. Seriously, get an education. RACIST lady.



I won't comment here on my looks, class or travels, because some of those were bestowed on me by the Almighty, and others I have earned through hard work and dedication.

What hurt me in this comment is the condescending manner in which people in my Bahrain look at their fellow Bahrainis, particularly those not born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Overnight, the simple humble Bahraini has become materialistic, with Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci (not that I am not a sucker for them, but that is something between me, myself and I to come to terms with when I grow up) replacing manners, education and simply being human.

Girls check out how other girls are decked and their friend-worthiness is judged by their Jimmy Choo and their Rolex collections. The make of car you drive opens traffic jams for you and the hairdresser who irons your unruly mane gives you your status in a society which lives its life, oblivious of the suffering of the masses - the poor Bahrainis, who drive a Datsun, who's only brush with luxury is a fake LV and who live stacked, one on top of the other, in government apartments.

The comment I got above drives home this point and I am not generalising for I have lived all my life in Bahrain, not counting the lovely four years I thrived in Canada and the four-five pilgrimages I make to wherever my free time, work commitments and fancy take me annually. I encounter Bahrainis daily, Bahrainis living in debt because they need to drive a Lexus and get their daughters Chanel shoes! I see Bahrainis who take loans and buy phones and television sets on instalments because we have turned into a society in love with images - no matter how unrealistic they are.

This young woman, who has never seen beyond the tip of her nose, has said that all the Bahrainis living in flats in Bahrain are "nobodies living on top of each like sardines." And then she has the audacity to call me racist!! I won't even dignify that with a response.

Perhaps in our next Cabinet reshuffle, Ms Zain Al Thawadhi should be given the housing portfolio, to ensure that every Bahraini lives in .. what did she say.. oh .. "HOUSES with BIG gardens." And if she does turn down that offer, she can come and work in my BIG garden so that I can give my gardeners Arshad and Mani a much deserved break!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I do agree with you the Bahrainis are killing themselves just for Pradas! I mean when you see the luxury cars on the roads you would think wow this guy should be earning 3K to be owning a Porsche or Mercedes (Reality he's barely earning 700 BD ) why did this happen to us? What happened to the average Bahraini in the eighties owning with the Toyota Cressida?

Mr. Q said...

just stumbled on your blog! Awesome write ups!

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zain.althawadi said...

LOL i'm so glad i made you angry. You are a RACIST. Had you written your silly article in a 1st world country, you'd be under survailance for potential hate crimes.

You are low class, because you are uneducated. I never even used the word "low class" and "apartments" in 1 sentence. But I don't expect you to understand.

An educated person would see the best in people and bring people together by pointing out similarities rather than differences, and ignorant person would lash out at the world; like you did.

Thanks for writing about me though! sorry no time to read it all.


Z

Unknown said...

I just ran into your blog for the first time. After reading the post on “Arabs…” it must be noted that you posted that ‘rant’ in Aug 2006! Certainly, you as a person & a writer would be a far different person from the person who made that post 4 years ago.

This is the 1st post I've read on your blog, so I can't say I know where you're coming from. However, the title of your post: "Arabs..." and the forthcoming rant against a SPECIFIC Arab living in your building reeks of unjustified gross generalization. Was this rude Arab a Bahraini? Or was he Saudi, Kuwaiti, or Emirati? Would you put them all in the same bracket in terms of etiquette & mannerisms?

My apologies if I seem to come off a bit harsh. And again, let’s be clear that you made this post 4 YEARS AGO! Unfortunately, we live in a world where the written word is endowed with great importance, regardless of where, when, or why it is written. Perhaps you meant to write this post just for a laugh. Perhaps not. Perhaps you should have just vocalized and asked the rude Arab for help. He might have surprised you.

Sushil Prasad said...

What prompted the rant?

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