Middle East Flu Scare, the "Party of Nyet", and an Emerging American Fatalism
(Actually I find Oman the most historically fascinating and most diverse of all the Gulf countries. It is the only Gulf state where you can drive around without getting bored to madness: there is enough geographic diversity) .
I also find it fascinating how different counties react differently to something like the Swine Flu. In the United States they are getting ready to open the schools, mostly next week. The early concern about “the flu” has subsided somewhat to a wary resignation. There is an almost “Arab” fatalistic attitude to the coming pandemic in the West. Life goes on, at least in the Pacific Northwest, with economic concerns more important than “the flu”, and hopefully, the football season more important than both.
Given the economic concerns, life would go on even more smoothly were it not for the "Party of No” in Congress that is throwing everything it can into the spokes of the economic wheel. If the GOP‘s permanent “nyet” policy stance on the economy and health care continues, a fatalistic attitude toward the economy may also take hold.
In the Middle East, especially the Persian Gulf region, the Swine Flu is still major headline news. Other states are pondering delaying schools as well, and the Omra (off-season pilgrimage) visits to Hijaz are being discouraged by almost everyone except Saudi Arabia. The real crunch will come later in autumn, when “the Haj” season starts. As I mentioned in an earlier posting, a top Saudi cleric at the Ministry of Justice has advised against same-sex kissing in the coming weeks (same-sex kissing is the only type of kissing allowed in public in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Waziristan, and a few other places).
Must be an ethnic cultural thing; nicht war?
Cheers and Ramadan Kareem
mhg
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