Comments on: ‘Teach Saudis about Human Rights’

By: Solomon2

Solomon2 — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:21:40 +0000

AS: I can only blame myself for the sloppy writing. Of course, these countries are not Western, but their governing systems have been strongly influenced by Western examples and philosophies, especially if you lump Adam Smith and (ugh!) Marx in with the rest. Taken together, these four nations plus the Western countries can be considered roughly 90% of the world’s economy, IMO.

By: AbuSinan

AbuSinan — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:07:05 +0000

I agree with much of what you have said Solomon, but you math is a bit skewed. Since when does Western society contain 3/4s of humanity? Since when does Western society come up with 90% of the world’s economy? I am sure Japan, China, India and Korea would have something to say about the economic numbers.

Keep in mind that between India and China they have about 1/2 of the world’s population, and they certainly are not Western.

By: CafÃ© Philos

CafÃ© Philos — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 10:43:24 +0000

[...] higher educational institutions in the Kingdom to teach human rights. John Burgess has the story here, along with some commentary. From the Crossroads Arabia [...]

By: Sparky

Sparky — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:26:49 +0000

I agree with John that this training needs to start early in schooling. It has to be imprinted in young minds. Tolerance of different people, colors, creeds etc, is just a beginning of understanding human rights.

By: Solomon2

Solomon2 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 23:09:05 +0000

Let’s face it: any course in comparitive HR that doesn’t teach about Locke, Voltaire, and Jefferson isn’t teaching it right. Locke because he set up the theory of a workable secular civil society, Voltaire because his incessant and powerful writing buttressed civil liberites, and Jefferson because the great leaps he took to establish his own principles and those of other Englightenment philosophers as the foundations of American society.

Limiting such courses to debates from different schools of Islamic thought and a passing (and thus derogatory) consideration of Western thought is tantamount to ignoring three-quarters of humanity and ninety percent of the world economy. If I graduated from such courses and then entered the larger world I suppose I would feel very angry and frustrated from the realization that most of my schoolwork was poor instruction compared to my interlocutors from other countries.

By: AbuSinan

AbuSinan — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:38:31 +0000

The sad fact is that there is not one country from Morocco to Yemen that is in the position to teach anything to anyone about human rights.

By: Carlos

Carlos — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:22:57 +0000

Also, the idea would be good for the US. But in Saudi Arabi you have government that jails bloggers and teaches freedom of expression on the other hand. Change must come from the bottom not fromo above.

By: Solomon2

Solomon2 — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:43:30 +0000

The article says the activists issued a series of recommendations. One of these is for a undergraduate- and graduate-level courses in comparitive human rights law for students of sharia and media management. A second is for postgrad research on this topic with an emphasis on sharia law. A third is that libraries should stock their shelves with “references, documents, and reports on human rights.” Another recommendation is to subject both the official and non-official human rights groups in the KSA to a government ministry.

These proposals do not strike me as an agenda for opening minds and hearts, but one for the purpose of defending the status quo and quenching debate, both at home and abroad. Two thumbs down.

By: olivetheoil

olivetheoil — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 02:44:13 +0000

I agree with Saudi in US. This is a case where there has to be teaching by example. What’s the point of teaching students about due process when the police and judiciary regularly behave in an arbitrary manner that is manifestly unjust?

By: Saudi in US

Saudi in US — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:19:43 +0000

I think they need to go beyond that. First workshops should be targeted at the religious police and regular law enforcements as I think many of them do not even know the words Human Rights. The laws should be changed also and that must be a primary focus. Currently a person can be held for up to 6 months without charges and 30 days without being allowed visitors. Public awareness should also be on the priority list as many Saudi’s abuse their foreign domestic servants and there are many cases of family abuse.