Arab News translates an article from the Arabic daily Al-Madinah in which the author calls for Saudis to become more aware of the rights they have. Learning what rights one has is not a one-off thing. It’s something that must be constantly monitored, constantly refreshed. It’s not just a Saudi problem, either.
In the US, police departments in various parts of the country are not aware (or choose to not be aware) of citizen rights on many issues, including those guaranteed by the US Constitution. One issue currently in the air in the US is how police officers tend not to like it when citizens record police actions taking place in public.
Know your rights
Saad Al-Rifaie | Al-MadinahHave you ever been stopped by a security officer without knowing the reason? Do you know what you should and should not do in that situation? Have you ever been bewildered by a lost job right and did not know the proper procedures for reprieve? Have you ever been subjected to financial or commercial fraud and did not know where to complain?
What prompted me to ask these questions was the absence of what could be called the “culture of rights.” Not many people in our country are fully aware of their rights and duties. People only know to go to the police whenever they have a problem.
The citizens grow up respecting the police uniform because policemen deserve all the respect as guardians of public safety and national security.
But everyone — cops, professionals, officials and citizens — reside inside the general culture and are liable to make mistakes because the concept of rights and duties is not crystal clear.
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February:06:2010 - 11:30
Damn…let Saudis learn and put into practice the rights of OTHERS (non Saudis) before they worry about themselves. Want for your bother what you want for yourself and all that.
February:06:2010 - 11:34
I think that self-interest comes before concern over others. If you can’t recognize what’s good for yourself, how ever can you recognize that it might be good for others? If you don’t respect yourself, how can you respect others?
February:07:2010 - 14:39
I like this one, as its quite an important thing, as Saudi’s are rarely told to think in an individualist manner, but are rather told to do as they are told, i would not go as far as saying its a dictatorship, but it indeed did have its aspects of crowd control.
Regardless, it is indeed important for a citizen to know his rights as a human and as a national, and to be able to voice them, rather than do as he is told … but also with some wisdom and delicacy, as one can always end up in bad situations if he lets his tongue roam too freely.